Chapter 7: The Wings Flapped by the Little Butterfly

"Hello? What's wrong? Calling me at this hour?"

After pressing the answer key, Zhou Yi felt a bit strange: "Shouldn't you be in class at this time?"

"Just finished class. I ran into something I can't decide on and wanted to ask for your opinion."

Cheng Hao's clear and beautiful voice came through the phone, and her slightly hesitant tone piqued Zhou Yi's interest: "Something that even you, the great beauty Cheng Hao, can't decide on? That's rare. Tell me about it."

Since meeting Cheng Hao in '98, he hadn't seen this woman hesitate once; even pulling out her savings to bet with him on the World Cup, she did it with incredible speed.

"Get serious, stop with the slick talk."

The woman on the other end of the phone spoke seriously: "I'm graduating soon, and today my teacher recommended I try to enter the People's Art Theatre, saying that with my skill and talent, they should accept me."

"Isn't that great? An iron rice bowl, this is a formal position."

"But I still have to get in. That's the People's Art Theatre."

Hearing Zhou Yi's casual teasing, as natural as drinking water, Cheng Hao on the other end retorted with a touch of annoyance: "Not everyone is as confident as you."

"Just give it a try. Anyway, there's no loss."

Sitting in the passenger seat, Zhou Yi shifted his bottom to get more comfortable, turned his head to look at the city streets rushing past outside the window, and smiled.

If he remembered correctly, Cheng Hao did indeed join the People's Art Theatre later, although she quit afterwards.

"But there's a problem now. A TV drama director sent me an invitation. The shooting schedule might be quite tight. If I take it, I feel I won't be able to focus on the exam for the People's Art Theatre."

"TV drama? What TV drama? How's the cast? What about the investment? If it looks good, then just push yourself a bit."

"It's called 'Li Wei Becomes an Official', the Qing dynasty drama you hate the most."

"... Don't throw the black pot on me; I can't bear that accusation." Although they weren't face-to-face, Zhou Yi still couldn't help rolling his eyes upon hearing this.

Wasn't it just a random boast he made after getting close? She actually remembered it for so long.

Cheng Hao on the other end of the phone giggled: "Then it depends on your performance. By the way, how are things in the Treasure Island? Did you see Richie Jen? What about Guo Fucheng?"

"No, haven't seen a single one."

Zhou Yi, tapping his fingernails, used his highly adaptable voice to speak in a sarcastic tone: "I'm just a pure amateur; how could I possibly meet big stars? Unlike you, who is already a somewhat famous movie star."

In '98, when he got into Peking University and came to the Imperial Capital early, because he often wandered around various art schools to look at beauties and earned money by singing, he accidentally met Cheng Hao, who was a sophomore at the Central Academy of Drama that year, and they gradually became close.

That year, although Cheng Hao was still a sophomore, her acting had already been recognized by her teachers, and in her sophomore year, amidst the jealousy of some people who whispered she had "stumbled upon good luck," she acted in her film debut, "That Man, That Mountain, That Dog."

Although the screen time wasn't much, it was a movie after all, and Cheng Hao's role was quite memorable.

So many graduates come out of the Central Academy of Drama every year; very few actually get to act in theatrical release films, let alone Cheng Hao at the time, who was still a sophomore.

The principle that fame must be seized early is understood by everyone who wants to mix in the entertainment industry.

Relying on her outstanding performance in the movie "That Man, That Mountain, That Dog", Cheng Hao received several invitations in '99, including "Chaotic Hero Lu Buwei" starring Zhang Tielin and Ning Jing, and "Desire Interception" with Wang Xuebing as the male lead, among others.

However, what surprised Zhou Yi was that Cheng Hao actually rejected them all.

In his impression, setting aside other things, Cheng Hao should have accepted these two dramas, "Lu Buwei" and "Desire Interception". But Cheng Hao stubbornly refused them, giving the directors the reason that she was currently busy with her studies and felt her acting skills were insufficient...

That was utter nonsense.

He hadn't seen Cheng Hao study so hard that she forgot to eat or sleep in her daily life; on the contrary, she even had time to watch his money-making performances.

Once, while eating skewers, he curiously asked, and the answer he got was that she felt the shooting schedules for both were too tight if she took both, and taking only one would easily offend people; after all, there were quite a few petty-minded people in the production teams of both. After thinking it over, she chose to reject them all.

In her words, she had already made a lot of money following Zhou Yi in the World Cup, enough to support her father's medicine and treatment expenses, so there was no need to push herself so hard; it was better to enrich herself at school.

"If only I were a movie star. Pity, no good movie scripts have come looking for me yet." Cheng Hao, already used to Zhou Yi's sarcastic tone, spoke with a touch of emotion, unmoved.

"Then don't wait. Even a dog watching your acting would shake its head; I reckon you can't count on movies for the rest of your life."

"... If you have the guts, stay in the Treasure Island and don't come back. If I remember correctly, you have final exams next month, right?"

"Thanks for reminding me."

Zhou Yi, with his fingers resting on the window ledge, unconsciously tapped: "Alright, I have things to do here. I'm moving soon. If there's nothing else, I'll hang up."

"As for that play, as for time, just squeeze it out. If you shoot faster, you can come back and prepare for the People's Art Theatre matters, right?"

Zhou Yi, who never made choice questions, gave an option to have it all, and then hung up the phone.

The Imperial Capital, Central Academy of Drama campus.

A bright woman sitting on the lawn of the playground looked down at the screen that suddenly lit up after hanging up the phone, and a faint smile appeared on her warm, goose-egg-shaped face.

Immediately, her slender index finger dialed the teacher's number in the phone book: "Hello? Teacher, I've thought it over. I'll focus on preparing for the People's Art Theatre matters instead. I won't act in the drama 'Li Wei Becomes an Official'."

"Are you sure? Cheng Hao? This is the original cast of 'The Yongzheng Dynasty'. This opportunity is rare."

"Teacher, you know me. I don't have much ambition; I just want to act quietly. The People's Art Theatre suits me better."

"..."

After some exchange, Cheng Hao, having hung up the phone, propped one hand on the ground and slowly stood up from the lawn—

She patted the grass stains off her floral long dress with one hand, and the woman looked up at the blue sky, her lively eyes filled with an indescribable smile.

Not long after, Zhou Yi, who had already started moving, received a text message: 【I've decided to focus on the People's Art Theatre side first. Thanks.】

"..."

Looking at this text message, Zhou Yi picked his teeth with his tongue, his expression somewhat strange, not knowing what to say for a moment.

If he remembered correctly, wasn't the drama "Li Wei Becomes an Official" the one Xu Zheng acted in?

To be fair, that drama did have a certain level of popularity.

Could this sister be staying in the People's Art Theatre from now on, acting in stage plays?