Chapter 2: A Familiar Story Shocks Everyone

If he had been reborn back to 2005, Wu Yuchen could have gone to find coal bosses to pull investment.

Holding a script, outputting a burst of sweet talk to describe a beautiful blueprint, and then downing a catty of white liquor, a coal boss would be happy, and he would get at least a hundred or eighty thousand.

If he had been reborn back to 2015, it would be a PPT plus a project plan, giving internet bigwigs a passionate speech to make them suffocate for their dreams.

But now it was 1995; the coal bosses hadn't yet risen, and even if you had money, you couldn't shoot!

Films nowadays weren't something you could shoot just because you wanted to; you had to obtain filming qualifications, and this qualification currently only belonged to the major film studios.

Without approval documents and filing, you could just wait to be banned!

It wasn't until 1997 that the authorities began to attempt market-oriented film operations, allowing private groups and individuals to invest in and participate in shooting film works.

Therefore, after being reborn, Wu Yuchen had already made a short-term plan: low-cost art films to chase awards.

First, build his own reputation and gain a firm foothold in the film industry; later, whether pulling investment or wanting to carry out other actions, everything would be twice as effective with half the effort.

And choosing to shoot a short film first could just bypass the rule forbidding individuals from shooting films, because short films were currently recognized as experimental works and belonged to a "three-no-man's-land" zone.

"Thank you!"

Old Jia's thanks after finishing his reading interrupted Wu Yuchen's train of thought, and then a burst of applause erupted below.

Old Jia's script was written quite well; there were few who focused on migrant workers from this perspective, and it was full of humanistic care, so everyone didn't spare their applause.

Old Jia first smiled, then took the initiative to ask:

"Are there any other classmates who want to read their own scripts?"

Old Jia could be considered one of the organizers of the film group; the five people who had already come up to read their scripts were all old acquaintances, and it seemed they were the only ones who had expressed a willingness to write scripts, but who knew if anyone else wanted to try?

However, Old Jia had some confidence in himself.

He currently wrote four reviews for newspapers every month and simultaneously acted as a ghostwriter for some TV dramas—the kind without a byline, but it could earn money. Although his family wasn't wealthy, he really couldn't be considered a poor student himself.

He had long since had insights into how to write a script, and compared to his, the previous few people's scripts were much more immature.

At this moment, a tall figure stood up: "Senior Jia, I've also prepared a script; can I read it?"

Jia Zhangke looked over; this was a freshman who had taken the initiative to join when school just started this year, named Wu Yuchen.

He had a deep impression of him because someone studying directing was actually more handsome than those in the acting department; he wondered if this little brother had signed up for the wrong major?

"Of course!"

Jia Zhangke smiled and took the initiative to walk off the stage to make room. He didn't feel this handsome newcomer could pose much of a threat; had his years of study and scriptwriting been in vain?

"Hey, brother, good luck!" Wu Shixian whispered a blessing to Wu Yuchen.

He and Chen Er had come over today actually just to hear what kind of script Wu Yuchen had written.

Wu Yuchen glanced at Fatty Wu, curled the corners of his mouth, and smiled:

"Old Wu, if I win, I'll treat you to a meal then."

At the same time, he secretly thought to himself, Old Wu, now is the time to test who is more awesome, you or Section Chief Jia!

Wu Yuchen walked onto the stage, head held high and chest out, scanned the crowd staring at him below, and then took out the script he had written:

"Hello everyone, the name of my script is *Bus 44*."

To shoot an award-winning short film with 20,000 yuan in the film era, Wu Yuchen ran through it in his mind and still chose his good roommate, the foreign friend Wu Shixian's debut work, *Bus 44*.

The film was 11 and a half minutes long; in his past life, it had won the Best Short Film Award at the Venice Film Festival, was invited to participate in multiple film festivals in 2001, caused a sensation, and was very successful in overseas distribution.

Old Wu, don't blame your brother for being disloyal; blame your "son" for being too charming!

Many people should have seen the plot of *Bus 44*:

A female long-distance bus driver was raped by highway robbers; the only young man on the bus stood up to help but was brutally beaten by the robbers, and as a result, the young man was kicked off the bus by the female driver, feeling extremely depressed. Not long after, he learned that the female driver had driven the bus into a mountain ravine, and everyone on the bus died.

Compared to the script of *Xiao Shan Going Home*, *Bus 44* was much shorter, but much more gripping.

Jia Zhangke listened below, from his initial calm and relaxed expression, then gradually became absorbed and focused as he was attracted by the story.

He felt indignant for the female driver being humiliated, annoyed that the young man stood up to help only to be beaten, angry and sorrowful that everyone on the bus stood by silently, and felt puzzled and sighed that the female driver kicked the young man off the bus.

And hearing the final ending, the female driver driving the bus full of people resolutely into the mountain ravine to be buried with them, he, like everyone else in the classroom, was silent, leaving only shock in his heart!

Perhaps people of later generations wouldn't feel much after seeing this story, but placed in this era, this story being born for the first time brought a spiritual impact to everyone that was absolutely top-notch!

A short story, with conflict, ups and downs, reversals, and a reversal at the end.

Just from the structure of this story alone, it was enough to stir the audience's emotions to the maximum!

Not to mention that this story was also very thought-provoking, revealing the light and darkness of human nature, naturally giving everyone present a great shock, only feeling their brains still buzzing.

"What a fucking story!" An English sentence resounded through the classroom.

Wu Yuchen looked over and saw it was indeed his good roommate Wu Shixian who had blurted out a swear word, his face very excited, and then he took the lead in clapping.

Everyone in the classroom was also awakened by Fatty Wu's English swear word, and then they all reacted, following along with clapping, twenty people erupting with the momentum of a hundred, which showed how excited they were at this moment!

Old Jia was also feeling unsettled at this time, following everyone else in clapping and cheering.

The script brought by this newcomer who had just joined the group really far exceeded everyone's expectations!

A moment later, the applause stopped, but everyone's mood had not yet calmed down.

A boy shouted with a flushed face:

"Awesome! Your story is really awesome!

But I have a question: did you write this, or did such a thing really happen?"

Everyone also looked toward Wu Yuchen; this was a question many people wanted to ask, as it really sounded like it had actually happened.

Actually, Wu Yuchen didn't know whether this story was true or false.

This story had circulated widely on the internet and in various newspapers, and even magazines like *Reader* and *Yilin* back then, but there were two versions regarding the source.

One was that it was a true event, but there were several rumors about which year and where it happened.

Another was that the story circulating on the internet actually all stemmed from the short film *Bus 44*.

But *Bus 44* was labeled at the beginning as "adapted from a true story," just don't know if this was a gimmick to attract people. ===== CHAPTER 3 =====