Chapter 69: Reunion

It was the same small restaurant where they had eaten together last time; after meeting, they both smiled at each other without speaking.

Ceng Li noticed Wu Yuchen staring at her face and instinctively touched it.

“Is there something on my face?”

“I feel like you’ve gained a bit of weight since the last time I saw you.”

“Just say I got fat outright!”

“Hahaha, that’s what you said, not me.”

“I quit my job—I’ve been studying at home every day. Once I stopped moving around, of course I gained weight.”

Ceng Li sighed as she spoke.

“Quit?”

“Quit. Didn’t you tell me to burn the boats?”

“Good! With that kind of determination, you’ll definitely make it!”

“I’m still a little nervous—I quit my job, and if I don’t pass, it’ll be disastrous.”

“Here’s what I’ll do—I’ll take you to meet someone who can guide you.”

During the two months before she went abroad, Ceng Li had called Wu Yuchen several times; though their calls always started with the acting entrance exam, they soon drifted into casual chatter, and they got along well—so when they met, there was no sense of awkwardness.

Ceng Li’s guesthouse was nearby, just one stop from the Central Academy of Drama; since the academy scheduled its exams early this year, she chose to stay close by.

After dinner, they strolled together to the Central Academy of Drama, where Duan Long was already waiting—he had changed into a brand-new outfit and looked much more energetic.

When Duan Long saw Wu Yuchen, he smiled and waved over. He was deeply grateful to Wu Yuchen: he had paid him 2,500 yuan to act in “Car 44,” and the film had won the Golden Bear at Berlin, greatly boosting Duan Long’s confidence.

Wu Yuchen introduced them:

“This is Duan Long, second-year acting class at the Central Academy of Drama.”

“Duan, this is my friend Ceng Li—she’s aiming to enter the acting program this year, so I thought you could give her some advice and share your experience.”

Duan Long’s face flushed slightly.

“Wu Dao, I won’t lie—I applied to the Central Academy three times before I got in; I’m not exactly proud of it. Why don’t I get our class monitor? She got in on her first try!”

Wu Yuchen chuckled.

“Come on, Duan—exactly because you tried so many times, you’ve got the most experience. Your class monitor probably doesn’t even know how she got accepted.”

Duan Long smiled sheepishly. “Alright then—I’ll tell you about my exam experiences and preparation tips. Just don’t laugh at me.”

As Duan Long spoke, Wu Yuchen occasionally interjected with analysis, while Ceng Li asked questions and scribbled notes in a small notebook.

Before leaving, Duan Long gave Ceng Li his dormitory phone number and told her to contact him if she had any questions.

On the way back, Wu Yuchen asked with a smile: “How was it?”

“Incredibly helpful—I feel much more at ease now.”

“You’re better-looking and more refined than Duan Long. Avoid the pitfalls he mentioned, don’t get nervous, and just show your true ability—you’ll be fine.”

“I won’t be nervous—I’ve performed on stage plenty of times already~” Ceng Li smiled slightly, proud.

“Yes, yes, yes—our Li Zi is the best!” Wu Yuchen gave a thumbs-up.

Ceng Li happily accepted the compliment, then suddenly asked:

“Hey, Wu Yuchen, why does Duan Long keep calling you ‘Wu Dao’?”

“I’m just a humble fellow who made a little film and won a small award—all thanks to everyone’s kindness!”

“Really? You made a movie?” Ceng Li wasn’t a complete novice anymore after months of exposure—she knew how hard filmmaking was.

“Fake, fake—I’m just teasing you~” Wu Yuchen teased her.

“I don’t believe you. Why else would he call you that? What movie did you make? Can I watch it in theaters?”

“It’s a short film—it won’t be screened.”

Ceng Li looked slightly disappointed. “I was hoping to see it.”

Wu Yuchen smiled faintly:

“Maybe someday. By the way, Li Zi, I won’t be able to take you to our school’s interview this weekend.”

“Huh?”

“You’re taking an exam—I’m taking one too. I have to retake a make-up test.”

Ceng Li covered her mouth and laughed, then coughed playfully:

“Wu Yuchen, I never thought you’d be such a troublemaker—I thought you were a top student!”

“Can I help it? One side is an exam, the other is making a movie—what would you choose?”

Ceng Li finally understood, but hesitated. She was a good girl who believed exams were important during school.

“So you chose making the movie and skipped the exam?”

Wu Yuchen nodded.

“Opportunities matter. You can retake exams, but some things, once missed, are gone forever.”

Ceng Li felt a sudden insight and looked at Wu Yuchen with admiration.

On Sunday, Ceng Li arrived at the gate of the Beijing Film Academy. Just like yesterday at the Central Academy of Drama, today was packed too—anyone serious about film usually applied to both.

Seeing Ceng Li walk in, a male student assigned to crowd control brightened up and approached her: “Classmate, are you here for the acting department exam? I’ll take you there!”

The boy then launched into a stream of chatter:

“Beijing Film Academy has so many stars—Wang Zhiwen, Jiang Wenli. And so many great directors—no need to mention distant ones like Chen Kaizi and Zhang Yimou; just look at our own first-year directing class: Wu Yuchen just won the Golden Bear for Best Short Film at Berlin! That’s way better than the Central Academy!”

“Wu Yuchen? Berlin? Golden Bear?” Ceng Li’s calm expression turned to surprise.

Seeing this beautiful girl’s interest, the boy spoke even more enthusiastically:

“Haha, yeah, junior! You know the Berlin Film Festival, right? The highest altar of art—and our Beijing Film Academy genius took the Golden Bear! I heard he’s already started shooting his first feature—once you join us, you might even get a chance to collaborate!”

Ceng Li was stunned into silence. She thought of Wu Yuchen, who had casually joked with her just days ago about making a short film—was he really this talented?

After finishing his make-up exam, Wu Yuchen immediately gathered the cast and crew of “Us Two”—it was now early March, perfect for shooting spring and autumn scenes.

Though he liked beautiful women and didn’t mind investing time and effort into those he found appealing, when it came to serious matters, he put everything else aside—he knew what mattered most.

As soon as the crew gathered, Zhou Xun ran over with a grin:

“Wu Da Dao, congratulations! Golden Bear at Berlin!”

“Huh? How’d you hear so fast?”

“Qi Jing told me! When are you taking us to win an award too?”

Wu Yuchen glanced at her with a smile. “That depends on your performance. If you do well, maybe this film will win something.”

“Really?”

Zhou Xun’s eyes widened. When Wu Yuchen first approached her, he’d said this film aimed for awards—now that he’d won the Golden Bear, his words carried far more weight, and hope stirred in her heart.

“Why would I lie to you? Perform well—you’ll get what you want.”