Chapter 36: Return to the Country, Re-examination

As the transaction price of "Peacock" leaked out, "Hidden in the Dust" could not escape either.

Domestic media had already thrown the data onto the news headlines; Lin Nan even suspected these people had been at the scene back then.

The news was released by China Film; afterward, they specifically gave Lin Nan a heads-up.

President Han was very confident about the release permit and had already started building momentum for promotion; the copyright transaction price was the first step, and the distribution rights for "Hidden in the Dust" were also one of the results of his Berlin trip.

Lin Nan boarded the return flight; in his suitcase was his greatest harvest from this trip—the Silver Bear trophy. The copyright earnings couldn't compare to this bear; the latter could let him eat for a lifetime.

He specifically chose to depart in the afternoon; by the time he arrived, it was early morning, facing the issue of jet lag, so Lin Nan deliberately forced himself to sleep on the plane.

Landing at Capital Airport, the air at home still smelled better; the key was that his heart felt secure.

He opened his phone; congratulatory calls and messages had already bombarded him the past two days, so he sent a text to Zhu Zhu Yawen: "Bro, I'm back."

He predicted there would be reporters outside the airport because his itinerary hadn't been deliberately kept secret. Lin Nan blended into the crowd and slipped out; his peripheral vision indeed caught sight of some media.

After walking a long distance, Lin Nan finally hailed a taxi; between the company and the school, he chose the latter.

Given the department's style, they would definitely require him to bring the trophy over; at the very least, they'd need to take a photo; these were all teaching achievements.

The art exam registration a week ago had broken the record for the number of participants in previous years.

Just speaking of the Film Academy and the Drama Academy, two schools, each planned to recruit thirty undergraduate students for the Performance Department, yet the total number of applicants added up to nearly ten thousand; at the Normal University, over sixteen thousand people fought for three hundred arts undergraduate spots.

And the competition for arts and performance majors at other key universities was similarly several times fiercer than in previous years.

The preliminary round of the Film Academy had already ended; the re-examination was in these two days; the number of people in the Performance Department was still one or two thousand, so one could imagine how fierce it was; other majors, by comparison, were relatively easier.

Lin Nan got off the car at the school gate; outside was very lively, with students and parents coming in and out, various notices posted, and temporarily marked-off channels, giving people a tense atmosphere.

One banner was exceptionally conspicuous: "Warmly Welcome All Candidates to Apply for the Film Academy."

Immediately following, a smaller banner made Lin Nan feel utterly ashamed: "Congratulations to our school's outstanding student Lin Nan from the 2002 Directing Department on winning the Silver Bear for Best Director at the 55th Berlin International Film Festival."

"The school really put up a banner for me!"

At this moment, Lin Nan's face even felt a bit hot; hanging it out like this, wouldn't people say it was too showy? This was a school, not a portal website.

Lin Nan pulled his suitcase and walked briskly inside, only hoping not to run into anyone he knew.

All the way until he slipped into the dormitory, he was noticed by some students: "Yo, the big director is back."

One after another they joked; Lin Nan helplessly waved his hand, "Keep it low profile, keep it low profile..."

"Haha, you should be high profile; this is a Silver Bear..."

Before Lin Nan could even put his luggage down, the news spread through the school: The Silver Bear Director is back.

Just as he finished setting up his computer, a call came; it was the Directing Department office.

Lin Nan stuffed the Silver Bear into his chest and went out.

In the office, several leaders started making Lin Nan pose for photos, and he had to hold the trophy in his hand.

"Did you see when you came back? We said we'd put up a banner for you, and we did; it's worthy of your Best Director trophy, hahaha."

Lao Jiang happily took photos of Lin Nan; other teachers also came over to take group photos; the Directing Department's report for this year could add another highlight.

After another half hour of fussing, Lin Nan finally came out of the office and turned around to bump into the Deputy Director of the Performance Department.

"Lin Nan, come to the Performance Department tomorrow morning for a meeting." The Deputy Director completely ignored whether Lin Nan agreed or not and walked away.

Lao Jiang stood at the office door, watching this scene, and smiled: "Go ahead; the Performance Department is preparing to draft you as a laborer for the re-examination. You're not a judge; just sit there and watch, a tool person. Besides, you are one of the final-round judges, so consider it advance preparation, hehe."

Lin Nan was quite speechless; they had unilaterally conscripted him.

Zhu Zhu Yawen was attending an event; he replied saying they'd gather after he finished.

Lin Nan returned to the dormitory alone; first, he notified the company to apply for the release permit for "Hidden in the Dust," and then asked finance to keep an eye on recent incoming funds, as the copyright income was agreed to be soon.

He opened his computer and first browsed the portal websites; he saw the news of his return to the country had been exploded, along with photos of him in a taxi at the airport; Lin Nan couldn't help but admire these people.

He persisted until nightfall before collapsing into bed; the jet lag was considered successfully adjusted.

Early the next morning, after eating breakfast and resting for a while, Lin Nan headed straight for the Performance Department.

In the small meeting room, Lin Nan was the youngest in the grade; the others were all teachers and some graduate students, not just from the Performance Department.

Besides the self-introduction, dialogue, vocals, and physicality same as the preliminary round, the performance question type for the re-examination was group improvisation.

After the leaders finished explaining the general process, they looked at Lin Nan: "You were originally scheduled for the final round; since you won the award, we thought we'd strike while the iron is hot and call you over to liven up the atmosphere of the re-examination." The Director said with a smile.

Lin Nan was speechless; this wasn't a reason to make him call out numbers during the re-examination.

Looking at the envious eyes of several graduate students, Lin Nan opened his mouth and smiled: "How is this livening up the atmosphere? Shouldn't the art exam let them perform with a calm mind? Being too nervous or too excited isn't good, right?"

"Haha, that's exactly the effect we want; only then can we better see the students' ability to adjust their mindset."

In the meeting room, everyone started laughing.

Lin Nan originally thought he'd have a good assignment; after the meeting, he found out he was assigned to call out numbers, right at the entrance of the exam classroom, with candidates queuing a few meters in front of him and the exam hall behind him.

The weather in the first lunar month was still cold; he'd have to dress warmly when the time came, after all, he'd have to stand there for two or three days.

Ning Hao came to the school, mainly to see Lin Nan; "The Stone" was already finished filming, and he was preparing to personally oversee the post-production.

"You're walking on two legs now with awards and box office; it's simply rock solid."

Ning Hao's envy was unmasked; holding the Silver Bear, he looked at it again and again, then looked up at Lin Nan: "Assigning you to call out numbers, that's really something; that scene must be very interesting. This is a rhythm that doesn't let newbies take the exam properly."

Ning Hao was also surprised that Lin Nan was assigned to do this, but mostly he found it fun.

Just imagine a Berlin Best Director standing in front of a group of art exam candidates; how much pressure would they feel?

"I'm looking forward to it too." Lin Nan figured it out; he'd just treat it as playing.

"By the way, remember to coordinate with the people from Light & Shadow; the promotion has to follow; is setting the release date for May Day in time?" Lin Nan asked.

Ning Hao patted his chest: "Absolutely no problem; we were careful during filming; you also have to cooperate with the promotion, okay?"

"Of course."

The release permit for "The Stone" didn't need worrying about.

"Hidden in the Dust" had just been submitted; any news would take at least one or two weeks at the earliest.

The re-examination was about to start; only during this time of the annual art exam did the Film Academy have that feeling of a sea of people.

At nine in the morning it officially began. Lin Nan got up early, ate breakfast, and had quite a bit of preparation work to do.

He went to the Performance Department's office to sign in and pick up the roster, then followed a group of re-examination judges toward the examination hall.

A sea of examinees, seizing every second in the open air to adjust their state.

Although the weather was rather cold, many students weren't dressed bulky—at most a down jacket—bare-faced or in light makeup, looking full of vigor.

As the teachers' group drew near, the students gradually quieted down and looked over.

The current students maintaining order were already in position; the examinees voluntarily lined up. In front of the examination hall was a roughly ten-meter passage, temporarily strung up with colored ribbons.

Lin Nan followed them into the classroom. The teachers took their seats, with one spot left at the side—clearly meant for Lin Nan—but he figured he wouldn't have time to sit.

"Five per group, you may begin," the deputy director said.

Lin Nan took the roster and walked out.

The students looked at Lin Nan; the noisy chatter vanished in an instant. "Senior Lin Nan, are we starting?"

A second-year student maintaining order asked. Lin Nan nodded.

Many below recognized Lin Nan and began whispering—seeing this great director at an arts exam!

Plenty of eyes were shining; the news of the Berlin Silver Bear for Best Director had only just been reported not long ago, and he was at the peak of his fame.

Lin Nan was also a director of high-box-office commercial films, tough and reliable—ordinary actors couldn't necessarily meet him even if they wanted to.

"Re-examination, five per group. Check your number plates. Numbers one through five, you may go in now."

Five people stepped forward, checked the roster in front of Lin Nan, then entered in order.

All were handsome men and beautiful women—otherwise they wouldn't have dared come to the Performance Department, let alone reach the re-examination.

Lin Nan stood outside waiting, chatting off and on with a few second-year juniors, waiting for those five to come out the other door before calling the next group in.

Those who had performed well were still a bit anxious, let alone those who had underperformed—right now the pallor was clearly visible on their faces.

Group after group went in, then came out again; every kind of expression could be seen.

Lin Nan flipped through the roster and actually spotted a few names from his memory.

"Xu Jiao Xu Jiao Junyan… Yuan Yuan Shanshan…"

Right now they all still looked green and fresh.

Some of the more outgoing ones actually took the initiative to greet Lin Nan, and he quite cheerfully chatted with them for a few lines.

"Numbers two-eleven through two-twenty."

Lin Nan called out once more. The number entering had expanded from five to ten, but the time hadn't been extended—the re-examination still had a large element of luck, and the teachers were already beginning to tire.

A whole morning passed, and even Lin Nan, who had been calling numbers, started going face-blind—let alone the teachers inside.

There was only a one-hour break at noon. Lin Nan saw that many arts-exam students, quite experienced, only ate a few bites.

It started again promptly at one in the afternoon—this was the arts exam, after all; otherwise everyone would be resting at this hour.

"You're Xu Jiao Xu Jiao Junyan?"

Lin Nan asked, looking at the information for the group before him.

"Yes, Lin Dao. Is there something?"

Lin Nan nodded. "Nothing—just do your best."

"Thank you, Lin Dao." The ten people said in unison, looking a bit flattered—this was the first time Lin Nan had spoken to anyone beyond calling numbers.

The afternoon passed quickly too; the line grew shorter and shorter, and the first day was over.

In the evening the Performance Department had a special meal, and Lin Nan joined in.

"Director, you'll have to set me up with a desk and chair outside tomorrow," Lin Nan said with a smile.

"Haha, you're not going to come in and sit there? You can take a look while you're at it."

When the extra meal ended, the deputy director reminded them, "Everyone get some rest early, don't hold up tomorrow's main business."

"We won't."