Chapter 65: Driven Mad with Jealousy

In the back row, Xing Fei and Ling Qi wore twisted expressions. They hadn't eaten breakfast and had arrived at the classroom ahead of Yan Gou'er and Wang Hong. At that moment, they were clenching their teeth so hard they felt like they might shatter.

In the past, the two of them were the most prominent figures in the class.

The Beijing Film Academy was no longer as glorious as it had been back in the early 2000s.

Back then, every graduating class was filled with brilliant stars. Many students already had several major masterpieces under their belts while still in school, and there was no shortage of Best Actors, Best Actresses, Best Television Actors, and Best Television Actresses.

Today, however, things were different. Entering the 2010s, the ways to debut had diversified endlessly. The Beijing Film Academy was long past being the sole source of cultivated stars; arguably, it was no longer even the most important one.

Basically, each class only had two or three prominent students. Those like Xing Fei and Ling Qi, who secured third or fourth lead roles in major productions, were already exceptionally standout figures. More common were people the general public had never even heard of, absolute unknowns.

Yet now, everything had changed.

Yan Gou'er had leaped over them to become the most dazzling presence in the class.

How could that be?!

How could this rustic girl with no status and no background surpass them?!

They felt as if their hearts were being clawed and torn by rats, agonizingly painful!

They harbored resentment!

They were consumed by jealousy!

Why hadn't they achieved stardom despite having such lavish resources and such formidable backers, while she managed to hit it big purely on luck? Was this fair?! It wasn't fair at all!

And why was it Yan Gou'er who participated in Cheng Cheng's film back then? Why couldn't it have been them?

If they had been the ones involved in Cheng Cheng's movie, wouldn't they have become famous too?

No, they definitely would have been even more famous than Yan Gou'er!

Furthermore—

*No More Bets*, why was your box office so phenomenal?!

Couldn't you just not be that good?

Couldn't you just crush Yan Gou'er's hopes once and for all?!!!

Starting from the second day of the National Day holiday when *No More Bets* raked in one hundred million at the box office, Ling Qi and Xing Fei had been viciously cursing: Let *No More Bets* bomb, hurry up and let the box office of *No More Bets* crash and burn!

Yet the box office figures of *No More Bets* seemed immune, as if nourished by their toxic curses. Not only did the numbers refuse to drop, but they climbed higher day by day. Such a phenomenon, defying all conventional box office laws, not only dropped the jaws of the general public, but also shocked everyone inside the industry!

Furthermore, *No More Bets* possessed not only a heaven-defying box office run, but also heaven-defying trending topics. Several hashtags rotated onto the hot searches every single day without repetition:

#Would you take an overseas job with a monthly salary of 150,000#

#Cheng Cheng filming speed#

#Cheng Cheng screen time#

#Almost failed to recognize Wen Lian#

#Who is carrying the box office of No More Bets#

#Yan Gou'er No More Bets breaks 1.5 billion poster#

#Li Yang actually eats toilet paper in movie#

#Qi Hao thanks Director Cheng Cheng for his firm choice#

#Fuhai City Public Security invites citizens to watch No More Bets for free#

#No More Bets enters 2021 box office top 5#

#Li Yang, I have always been waiting for an opportunity#

#No More Bets entirely handled by Cheng Cheng#

#Wen Lian posts long essay thanking No More Bets crew#

#Yan Gou'er iconic crying scene#

#Cheng Cheng catches attention of Chaoyang residents#

#Cheng Cheng rumored to have moved out of Chaoyang residential compound#

#Tourists to Southeast Asia drop by two-thirds during National Day#

#Cheng Cheng iconic scene alluding to Xianghua Entertainment and Fanghua Meiji#

#Cheng Cheng doesn't look like he's acting#

If he doesn't look like he's acting, why don't you get your ass in there and arrest him, dammit!

The relentless stream of trending searches left both Ling Qi and Xing Fei completely numb!

Why are you people involved in so much drama?

Aside from Weibo trending topics, major media outlets also published endless streams of articles:

"Domestic films that win both critical acclaim and box office success demonstrate cultural confidence" — Zhengguan News.

"No More Bets plays for pure authenticity!" — Tianxia Youth Net.

"Don't gamble everything on greed and ambition | Legal Eye on Dramas" — Jingfa Legal Affairs Network.

"No More Bets becomes a National Day blockbuster, the underestimated Cheng Cheng stages a comeback!" — Fuhai Entertainment Media.

Truly detestable!

...

Before long, the class bell rang.

Cai Tianxiang walked in right on the dot, placed his textbook on the desk, glanced at the roll call sheet, and raised his head:

"Yan Gou'er, is Yan Gou'er here?"

"Teacher, I'm here," Yan Gou'er stood up.

Cai Tianxiang nodded in satisfaction, his eyes filled with kindness as he said:

"Good. I watched your performance in the film; it was exceptional. Keep maintaining this state and effort in the future. Given your conditions, you have a real chance to make it big in the acting world."

The gazes everyone cast toward Yan Gou'er were filled with undisguised envy.

To have made an impression on Teacher Cai like this meant opportunities would surely follow her in the future.

Yan Gou'er nodded: "Thank you, Teacher Cai. I will keep working hard."

Cai Tianxiang said: "Mm, sit down."

Ling Qi's jealousy flared even hotter, and she muttered in a low voice:

"So what if she got lucky with one movie and caught a bit of hype? What's there to be arrogant about!"

Xing Fei chimed in: "Exactly, it's just a fleeting moment of hype. That forgettable face of hers will be forgotten by the public in no time. The domestic entertainment circle has never lacked beauties; what it lacks is a steady stream of resources."

Ling Qi agreed: "Spot on. This kind of fame lacks staying power, a mere flash in the pan. To establish a lasting foothold in the domestic entertainment industry, relying solely on temporary hype and luck is far from enough."

"By the way," Xing Fei asked, "didn't you participate in Master Gong's movie, Ling Qi? When are you entering the crew?"

Mentioning this, Ling Qi's face immediately lit up as she replied:

"I'm joining the crew this month, and the film's release date has already been locked in advance. It'll hit screens on New Year's Day."

Xing Fei said with envy: "Wow, New Year's Day! That's a prime theatrical slot! I'm so envious of you!"

Ling Qi asked: "What about you? When does your television drama start filming?"

Xing Fei answered: "It has already started. I'm joining the crew next week."

Ling Qi took Xing Fei's hand: "Wow, congratulations, feifei."

Xing Fei smiled: "Hehe, let's both do our best."

Their eyes met, the unspoken meaning clear: They wanted fame! Explosive fame! They wanted to tower above Yan Gou'er! To let Yan Gou'er know what truly mattered in the entertainment industry! It was certainly not one or two so-called blockbuster films!

You, Yan Gou'er, are a flash in the pan! Cheng Cheng is also a flash in the pan!

What truly matters is the ability to continuously output work.

Do you, Yan Gou'er, have that?

Does Cheng Cheng have that?

No!

Only we have it!

—

Wang Hong kept turning her head back, sneering softly:

"Gou'er, I bet Xing Fei and Ling Qi are dying of jealousy right now! They've filmed so many dramas, used up so many resources, and always act so haughty. Yet in the end, you filmed a single movie and surpassed them both. It's hilarious enough to kill me."

"Mm."

Yan Gou'er kept her gaze straight ahead, listening attentively to Cai Tianxiang's lecture, responding with a faint "mm" to acknowledge her.

Wang Hong was long used to her best friend's demeanor. Unfazed, she continued cheerfully:

"Seeing them wearing sour faces these past two days has been so satisfying. They used to always look down on us, thinking we had no resources and no background. Look at them now—who's the clown? Hahahaha!"

"You have no idea how much effort the two of them put into trying to get famous. One desperately hooked up with connections to find resources, while the other even bought trending searches and fake followers every single day. In the end, they posted on Weibo and couldn't even scrape together a hundred real interactions. After finally buying their way onto the trending list, the top comment asked, 'Who the hell are you?' I laughed so hard I almost died."

Yan Gou'er lowered her head to take notes in her textbook.

"That's why I say!" Wang Hong sighed with emotion. "Gou'er, it's truly great that you've made it. Seriously, with your mindset and conditions, you *should* be famous! If you aren't famous, it's not your problem; it's the industry's problem."

"It's wonderful!" she continued, looking at Yan Gou'er with eyes full of tenderness. "At least you won't have to walk down my old path."

Yan Gou'er paused her pen and looked at Wang Hong: "Honghong, that's not what you used to say."

You seem just a little too blunt!

Cut off mid-flow, Wang Hong gave an awkward chuckle and said: "Well, that was because I was ignorant. Who knew Cheng Cheng would be this formidable? If I had known, I wouldn't have been sitting here envying you back then; I would've submitted my resume too."

Yan Gou'er said: "Honghong, read and study with me. We will always wait for our opportunity; there's no need to—"

A self-mocking smile appeared on Wang Hong's face: "Gou'er, I can't turn back anymore. I've wasted too much time, and my heart can no longer settle down."

"Besides—" she looked at Yan Gou'er, "Gou'er, opportunities aren't something just anyone can wait for. Do you really think this kind of opportunity is easy to wait for? If Cheng Cheng hadn't crashed and burned, would he have ever found you?"

Speaking of this, Wang Hong felt a fresh wave of regret: "Sigh, I even mocked Cheng Cheng back then. I really deserve this. What a wonderful opportunity it was."

Yan Gou'er said: "If Director Cheng hadn't hit rock bottom, I probably wouldn't have had a chance..."

Yan Gou'er knew how lucky she was. It wasn't just a miracle that Director Cheng had sought her out.

From film preparation, censorship, shooting, post-production, marketing and distribution, to the theatrical release—wasn't every single step fraught with hardships? Wasn't every step a miracle?

During the preparation stage, Director Cheng Cheng had emptied his entire net worth, even selling his house, gambling everything to make the movie. During the filming stage, he demonstrated the talent of a top-tier director, organizing everything methodically and finishing the shoot smoothly.

During the post-production stage, he shouldered all the work single-handedly. Editing? He did it. Soundtracks? He did it. The theme song? He did it. Without sleeping or resting, he completed the editing in eight days.

During the publicity and distribution stage, when they faced a sudden schedule advancement and everyone else was at their wits' end, it was he who turned on a live stream, singing, performing magic tricks, writing novels, and acting in sketch comedies just to promote the film. People cursed him, and he swallowed the insults without wiping his face; people played tricks on him, and he pretended not to notice—all to trade for the audience's promise to go watch *No More Bets* during the National Day holiday.

During the theatrical release stage, it was once again his explosive acting skills that repeatedly broke out of the bubble and carried the box office.

Every single time, Cheng Cheng used miraculous methods to turn the tide.

And it was precisely these endless miracles that forged Yan Gou'er's explosive fame today.

Wang Hong said: "That's what I'm saying. Such an opportunity is exceedingly rare. Anyway, I don't have that kind of blessing."

Yan Gou'er frowned and said: "That may be so, but even if I hadn't met Director Cheng, I would have kept persevering."

Wang Hong cupped Yan Gou'er's face and said gently: "That's why this is where you deserve to succeed. Your idealism happened to align with Cheng Cheng's unconventionality."

Yan Gou'er was slightly stunned. She had never thought about it from that perspective before.

Wang Hong suddenly said: "Uhm, Gou'er, if Director Cheng has any projects in the future, could you put in a good word for me?"

Yan Gou'er replied: "I suppose I could. Director Cheng never cares about an actor's background when making films—Sister Wen Lian is an example, and so are Brother Li Yang, Brother Qi Hao, and Brother Meng Cai. But Director Cheng cares deeply about an actor's cooperation and adaptability. So Honghong, if you want to act in Director Cheng's films, you need to start reading books and studying acting skills from now on. If an opportunity arises, I will definitely recommend you to Director Cheng."

Wang Hong said: "Okay, okay. I'll read books. I will definitely read books."

—

After class, Yan Gou'er and Wang Hong chatted as they walked back to the dormitory.

On the way, Yan Gou'er suddenly received a call from Beret.

"Hello, Director Dao, is something the matter?"

"Okay, okay, I understand. Is everyone there? Will Director Cheng be coming too?"

"Mm-mm."

"I'll go back to the dorm to change clothes and be right there!"

Hanging up the phone, Wang Hong asked: "Gou'er, who was that?"

Yan Gou'er answered: "It was our assistant director. He said there's an offline interview tonight and notified me to attend."

"Oh oh!" Wang Hong nodded.

Back at the dorm, after changing her clothes, Yan Gou'er prepared to leave.

Wang Hong asked: "Gou'er, don't you need to touch up your makeup?"

Yan Gou'er shook her head: "No need, the organizer provides a makeup team. Touching it up now would just be a waste of effort."

"O-okay."

Yan Gou'er: "I'm heading out then?"

Wang Hong: "Mm-mm."

Yan Gou'er pushed the door open and left.

Looking at the closed door and the empty, silent dorm, Wang Hong's mood plummeted, sinking straight to the bottom:

She had laughed at Ling Qi and Xing Fei for wanting fame but failing to get it, laughing so happily, but wasn't she herself the least famous person in the entire dorm? Wasn't she the one who wanted fame the most?

At least Ling Qi and Xing Fei had resources at home and the capital to keep making mistakes. If one drama didn't work out, they could do a second; if two didn't work out, a third. As long as they gained enough familiarity with the public, they would eventually secure a foothold in the entertainment industry.

And now Gou'er had also achieved explosive fame. Even if she stopped cooperating with Cheng Cheng, countless resources would come looking for her.

What about her?

Where was her path?

Perhaps because it was too humiliating to speak of, she hadn't told Yan Gou'er that her opportunity had fallen through. Her ex-boyfriend—if he could even be called that—had tossed her aside after playing with her, completely failing to honor his original promises.

Ever since entering the Beijing Film Academy, it had taken her only two years to go from initial steadfastness to ultimate disillusionment.

By her junior year, she had begun using her physical advantages in exchange for resources, but her three successive boyfriends had all proven to be the wrong people to trust.

The words she had once used with smug satisfaction to lecture Yan Gou'er, urging her to trade her body for resources just like her, now felt like a heavy, stinging slap across her face.

In the end, she turned out to be the most foolish one of all.

She had neither maintained her integrity nor secured resources...

Ending up with an empty basket drawing water from a well...

What on earth had she been busy with all these years?