Chapter 2

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Regarding continuing with college…

University is definitely something he wants to pursue.

And if possible, Lin Hao also wants to keep studying hard. With his past life’s academic performance, getting into the top university in Beijing wouldn’t be a problem—he’d even considered taking leisurely walks by the famed Lotus Pond there.

He once watched the students jogging around the campus of this top-tier institution, feeling envious, wishing he could be one of them.

But now, for Lin Hao…

Those two top universities are just as out of reach as they were in his past life. He’s traveled to this new life, yet all the knowledge stayed behind with his previous self. Now, he’s a total blank slate. If you asked him what he remembers, he’d say only the names of a few courses: calculus, linear algebra, mathematical analysis…

That’s about it.

He’s forgotten too much from university, and even more so from high school. If he really had to study, he wouldn’t exactly be unwilling, and he’s not entirely incapable of learning. But after working hard for a while, he figures he might just manage to get into an average university.

But would going to an average university really mean much to him? It’s not that studying isn’t good—it’s just that, deep down, his future plans still gravitate toward the entertainment industry.

He might as well stick to his old line of work, he sighs, though he secretly feels a bit excited. Alright, I admit it, I actually enjoy this kind of thing. But now, I don’t have to be so rushed about it.

…

Inside the room, the movie continues to play; Stephen Chow is mourning his pet cockroach, and Gong Li isn’t the big star he remembers.

“Brother Hao! What’s for lunch today?” After watching for a bit, Xu Wei pauses the film and looks up to ask.

“What do you feel like eating?”

“Hehe, I’m good with anything; I was just asking!”

Xu Wei’s just making small talk. He knows exactly what it’s like to live with a wealthy and generous landlord, especially one with high standards for food—that’s the dream.

Before, he would have just been glad to have something to eat, but now he actually gets to look forward to what they’ll have each day. Sometimes, he even feels like eating out with friends isn’t as nice as eating at home.

Cough cough, time to snap himself out of it.

“I was just being polite. If we’re making beef stew with radishes for lunch, there’s no time to go grocery shopping now,” Lin Hao chuckles. Food delivery isn’t as convenient as it will be in the future. Rather than constantly ordering takeout or eating out, Lin Hao’s choice was to hire a chef at home who could take orders directly.

If you have money, you might as well enjoy it, right?

The cost of living and wages here are worlds apart from what they used to be; it took him a while to get used to thinking, “ten yuan is actually a lot of money.” This year, the national annual average salary is just around 5,500, though that number feels a bit inflated.

In smaller cities, a monthly wage of two or three hundred is about standard. But it’s not that surprising—his limited knowledge of economics tells him that someone like Jack Ma could raise the average income for a lot of people.

…

Anyway, the point is that Lin Hao’s family has money. Though he isn’t particularly extravagant, he has a very generous attitude towards it. Hanging out with him, Xu Wei gets to enjoy good food and drink at lunch, almost forgetting about the annoyances from the morning.

Still, you can’t entirely blame the company.

1994—last year—was the year of the Moyan Three Heroes: Dou Wei, Zhang Chu, and He Yong. You might not recognize the latter two today, but the first one is pretty famous, right?

The first one Lin Hao knows best because of his relationship with the diva Wang Fei, and at this time, the two of them are living together in a courtyard house in Beijing.

Wow, who would have thought that, in 1994, while Wang Fei was starring in Chungking Express and dropping several hit albums, she’d end up living in a small Beijing courtyard for the sake of love? This woman really goes all out for it.

After lunch, Lin Hao’s mind starts wandering again. He’s got another year before he can attend college. Although he’s pretty confident he can get into the Central Academy of Drama, what about before then? He doesn’t want to waste a whole year.

Of course, he should use it to… boost his grades and prepare for the arts exam for assistant directing, since confidence alone isn’t a guarantee for admission.

…

And when it comes down to it, he can’t just coast through the future.

If he plans to get back into his old industry, he needs to look at the current landscape.

The 1990s are still dominated by Hong Kong and Taiwanese entertainment; it’ll only start declining in the early 2000s. But for Lin Hao, this is his prime age. So, if you think about it, it’s really a shame to waste this time when mainland film and television aren’t very developed.

But if he doesn’t waste it, then what? Invest in films?

Doesn’t seem possible.

He has a bit of cash, but not enough to get scammed.

Even though his past self was an actor, he doesn’t know all the ins and outs of the industry. Not to mention shady bookkeeping practices, let’s just talk about props. Someone could charge you thousands for a straw hat—not unheard of.

Take, for instance, the movie The Legend of Zu, where Xiao Zhan’s costume supposedly cost a hundred thousand. Lin Hao didn’t buy it, but maybe a master’s touch really does come at that price.

Apart from money, he doesn’t know anything else. Should he assemble his own crew or try to network through historical patterns and catch a good role?

Nope.

Firstly, the film industry isn’t well-developed enough to allow anyone with money to pull it off as they might later. There’s no established industry chain.

And as for networking… well, it’s not 2019 or 2020 when overnight fame was possible. Just talking about roles, they’re all divided up in circles. Getting a role that could lead to fame? Not likely, maybe a 1% chance. And news isn’t that easy to come by either.

…

So, after thinking it over, Lin Hao realizes he can’t take the typical shortcuts. Unless he goes down some unique path, like by some miracle meeting Wang Fei and catching her eye… well, that’s a bit of a stretch.

And even if he did get her attention…

He doesn’t really think he has any talent—he can’t write songs; he can barely hum a tune.

And then? Nothing.

It’s frustrating; it’s hard for a time-traveler who can’t seize an advantage. He’s spent so much time adjusting to this life. It’s taken him ages to adapt. He might as well keep his head down and live simply. Study, graduate, then figure it out.

And because of this delay, he ends up preparing for the arts exam just in time for the Central Academy of Drama’s famed 1996 star class. The class had Zhang Ziyi, Liu Ye, Yuan Quan, Mei Ting, Qin Hailu, and Qin Hao…

For so many stars to come out of one class, besides individual ability, there was definitely some good timing and circumstances involved. Fame relies a lot on luck. So, he’ll treasure this chance, work hard, and give it a try, though he won’t put all his eggs in one basket.

…

“What are you thinking about, Brother?”

“I was thinking about Dou Wei,” Lin Hao says, grabbing a piece of beef. Today’s radish isn’t great, but it’ll do.

“What for?”

Lin Hao munches thoughtfully. The beef isn’t bad, and he says, half-heartedly, “Nothing much. I heard he’s pretty popular in Beijing—seems impressive.”

In front of this crowd, he keeps a straight-laced image. Because these rock guys, honestly… well, they’re not exactly model citizens. At least, last time he met a few of Xu Wei’s buddies, there were girls hovering around them, and they were talking about doing…well, things.

This crowd calls these girls “guo’er.”

The term guo’er is famous in the Chinese rock scene, not as a compliment for beautiful women, but for girls who idolize rock bands, follow them around, and willingly engage in, let’s say, “extracurricular activities” with them. Some girls would go through an entire band.

Apparently, Dou Wei has had his share of stories in the rock scene. But then again, he’s also settled down with the diva Wang Fei…

Hey, speaking of which, maybe he should find out where Dou Wei lives and try to catch a glimpse of the diva? Not for any other reason, just to see her from afar and, if possible, without disrupting her life.

Just to pass the time, right?

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