Chapter 37: Watching My Own Movie with "Superstar" Gao Yuanyuan

"By the way, why was 'The Emperor's Shadow' pulled from theaters?"

"Sister Hong, you don't suspect I had a hand in that, do you?"

"Could it not have been for my sake?"

"Fine, I admit it. It was me. Sister Hong, with a face like yours, Diaochan herself would pale in comparison, and even Bao Si or Daji would be nothing more than this."

"Oh, you! Be serious. I heard it was that Long Wu fellow."

Being with Sister Hong was always quite amusing. Even though Ma Xun had admitted it, she still didn't believe him. Of course, Ma Xun was indeed the mastermind behind the scenes, but he hadn't done it for Sister Hong. At this point, the industry had largely concluded that it was Long Wu and his associates who had taken down "The Emperor's Shadow." That was fine; it worked out well for Ma Xun.

To be fair, the film's ban wasn't entirely unjustified. In the original timeline, the reasons for its banning were debated, but one theory seemed quite plausible: it started with domestic parents who felt the film's suggestive and violent scenes were inappropriate for children, leading them to file complaints. However, it was unlikely that this alone caused the ban.

If one were to compare, Jiang Wen was the lead actor, and there was no doubt he influenced the film's style. Jiang Wen's films always contained some erotic elements—scenes that men certainly enjoyed. He had a penchant for emphasizing certain physical assets. For instance, Ning Jing was intentionally made to gain weight for "In the Heat of the Sun," and that scene in bed between Ma Xiaojun and Milan—those assets were a classic in Chinese cinema. It wasn't just that scene either; the pool scene where Milan emerges from the water, dripping wet—anyone who knows film understands that was a deliberate choice. Jiang Wen's lens truly understood men. Perhaps he simply liked it, or perhaps he viewed it as a key selling point.

Yet, "In the Heat of the Sun" wasn't banned. Compared to that, "The Emperor's Shadow" was tame! It was certain that Xu Qing’s daring scenes were directed by Jiang Wen, and he had even shown restraint. But the parents' complaints were just the beginning. Once the relevant authorities took a closer look at the film, it was clear that the narrative was indeed quite chaotic. Zhou Xiaowen and Lu Wei were definitely to blame.

In the original timeline, that was likely how it happened. But this time, it was definitely Long Wu's doing. During the premiere, Ma Xun had heard plenty of complaints from the audience, the most frequent being that it would "corrupt the children." Long Wu must have exploited that. Thinking of this, Ma Xun suddenly felt an urge: how were audiences reacting to his own film, "Hear Me"?

...

In the dormitory.

"Oh my! Our big star has returned."

"Take some things. Besides, I'm no big star."

"Come off it! Everyone knows you, Gao Yuanyuan, are about to take flight, right?"

"Really, I'm not."

"Hey, hey, excessive humility is just pride. Stop acting."

"I told you, I'm not acting!"

"Heh... is it that lover of yours propping you up? Gao Yuanyuan, don't be so stingy; introduce us to him too."

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb! Heh... in that 'Seventeen-Year-Olds Don't Cry,' was that sausage really so delicious? You kept holding it in your hand and staring at it for ages?"

"It wasn't 'ages,' it was just a few seconds."

"Heh heh... you've had plenty of his sausage, haven't you?"

This was going too far. No matter how mild-mannered Gao Yuanyuan was, she couldn't take it.

"Enough! One more word and I'll tear your mouth open!"

"Oh~ you're angry, huh? Ha... stop acting so high and mighty."

She grabbed her things, slammed the door, and left.

Actually, it was more of an escape. Gao Yuanyuan hadn't expected that classmates she used to get along with would turn into this. Listen to those words... how malicious! But it was just an advertisement. She had simply followed the director's instructions. Gao Yuanyuan had her own temper; she had no interest in explaining anything to her classmates. Or perhaps, she didn't want to come to this school anymore. At most, she'd come back for her diploma.

As for the future... Gao Yuanyuan inexplicably thought of Ma Xun. Perhaps it was because her classmate had used the word "lover," or perhaps Gao Yuanyuan herself realized her future was already bound to Ma Xun. Yes, she would ask him about the future!

Action followed thought; Gao Yuanyuan called Ma Xun.

"I want to see a movie, want to go together?"

"You... what movie do you want to see?"

"Are you that dense? 'Hear Me,' of course."

"No, do you really need to watch that movie?"

"Gao Yuanyuan, just tell me: are you coming or not?"

What else could she answer? Gao Yuanyuan had a temper, but she felt her future was more important. Ma Xun was her future, and her boss. She couldn't afford to offend him.

...

There was a Honglou Cinema in Beijing. The name might conjure images of the Four Great Classical Novels, but in reality, there was no connection. It was a red-brick building, hence the name. The area was interesting—three cinemas at one intersection. The others were the Shengli and the Geological Auditorium. Ma Xun chose this spot primarily because it drew large crowds. Though foot traffic had dwindled, ten years ago, this place would be packed with young couples at night. Back then, seeing a movie was almost the only way to go on a date. Ma Xun had asked his neighbors; otherwise, he wouldn't have known where the crowds were.

But with so many people, what about Gao Yuanyuan? She was one of the leads. Ma Xun's approach was simple: "Figure it out yourself."

When Ma Xun saw Gao Yuanyuan, he laughed. The girl was wearing an old-fashioned wool coat, a red scarf, and, most notably, a pair of oversized sunglasses. Clearly, this was to hide her identity. Fortunately, the weather was cold, otherwise, she would have been sweltering.

"Do you really think you're a big star now?"

Ma Xun's words were similar to her classmate's, but Gao Yuanyuan felt completely different.

"It's all because of you, insisting on watching your own movie."

Even her retort was full of spirit. Ma Xun didn't mind and smiled, saying, "Let's go."

Gao Yuanyuan didn't say another word until they reached the cinema.

"There are so many people."

"Are you scared?"

"Hmph! I'm not scared!"

She had that little spark of temper again. Ma Xun didn't say much and took her hand as they walked. With her hand held by his, the cheeks hidden behind her large sunglasses flushed red. Ma Xun had already bought the tickets. Cinemas back then didn't sell popcorn or soda. To be honest, the environment was poor. In old theaters like this, the foam padding in the seats was often exposed. The audience would smoke or talk loudly, and no one cared. In fact, society at the time was quite tolerant of smoking.

Regardless, their seats were decent. Ma Xun had specifically chosen corner seats. He primarily wanted to overhear the audience's feedback and look after Gao Yuanyuan. Before the film even started, Gao Yuanyuan couldn't help herself. She asked very seriously, keeping her voice low for fear of being overheard.

"What about my future?"

Fortunately, Ma Xun's hearing was good. "For now, focus on preparing for the art school exams."

"Oh?"

"Didn't Sister Hong tell you?"

"She's quite busy."

"It doesn't matter. There are still three months; that's enough time to prepare."

"Which ones should I apply for? I, I..."

"Apply to both the Beijing Film Academy and the Central Academy of Drama, of course. Gao Yuanyuan, I don't mean to be harsh, but you must adopt a 'blind cat hitting a dead mouse' mentality. If they accept you, grab the opportunity—don't be picky."

"I, I know."

Gao Yuanyuan knew deep down that as a vocational school student, she could at most get into a vocational class. Ma Xun didn't say it out loud, which was a form of kindness. However, he immediately followed up with, "But don't forget your work during this time. There will be many advertisements to film. Be ready; you have to hustle."

The true colors of a boss. Gao Yuanyuan rolled her eyes, but this also meant she could earn more money. That wasn't bad.

"And after that?" Gao Yuanyuan meant after the exams.

Ma Xun was direct. "There should be a talent show next year; that's another opportunity. If you can get a part in a Qiong Yao drama, you might become a big star after just one show."

"Oh? A Qiong Yao drama?" Gao Yuanyuan was surprised, but more than that, she was happy. Her future was indeed bound to Ma Xun. He hadn't lied to her; he promised to support her, and he was doing it. Gao Yuanyuan felt a warmth in her heart.

Just then, "Hear Me" began. The opening scene featured the male lead, played by Chen Kun, delivering food. Gao Yuanyuan and Hao Lei played sisters in the film, competing. Hao Lei was running around, taking photos, and cheering. Throughout the film, they didn't speak, using only sign language. The delivery boy assumed both sisters were deaf and mute. That was how the misunderstanding—and the love story—began.

As Gao Yuanyuan ate, she noticed something.

"Hey, I remember this girl; she was in a TV show, right? She seemed to love eating sausages there."

Clearly, the product placement for a certain brand of ham in "Seventeen-Year-Olds Don't Cry" had been effective. Ma Xun felt a bit proud; the advertisement he had conjured up like a magic trick had been a success.

Suddenly, Gao Yuanyuan asked, "Did you pull the strings for that too?"

Ma Xun knew what she meant and whispered with a smile, "What, are you so impatient to eat my sausage?"

His words... were too crude! Gao Yuanyuan couldn't take it and gave him a hard shove. "You're too bad!"

She was angry and wouldn't look at him, but Gao Yuanyuan clearly felt her heart racing. At that moment, she clearly forgot one thing: women love a bad boy.

Ma Xun didn't push it further because, as the plot deepened, the audience's "commentary" grew more frequent.

"Hey! Another misunderstanding."

"The male lead thinks the female lead is deaf; that's interesting."

"The sisters are quite touching."

"I can't take it, I'm crying at this part."

"Hey, how will they explain this in the end?"

"Ha! The male lead is confessing behind her back? Haha..."

Though the theater was noisy, Gao Yuanyuan heard every comment. She suddenly understood Ma Xun's intention—he had wanted to hear these things. And Gao Yuanyuan loved hearing them too, because they were all positive. Didn't this prove their movie was great?

Thinking of this, Gao Yuanyuan felt Ma Xun wasn't so bad after all. Sometimes he was bad, sometimes he was good. Perhaps Gao Yuanyuan herself didn't realize that her heart had long since been thrown into chaos.