Chapter 16: "Under the Hawthorn Tree"
“What conspiracy?”
Chen Jin thought he had misheard.
Zhang Yimou?
What kind of international joke was this? Did Zhang Yimou really need to casually pull someone in for an audition?
Chen Jin clearly couldn’t believe it.
Su Wanyu had obviously heard it too. She certainly knew Zhang Yimou—after all, even those who seldom watched movies knew he had directed the 2008 Olympics.
The nationwide newspapers and media had been abuzz about it, and then there was that movie directed by him, something called *Three Guns*, which apparently had been heavily criticized.
Su Wanyu didn’t usually watch movies, but the young teachers in the office often talked about entertainment industry gossip.
So, in bits and pieces, she wasn’t completely in the dark.
“Director Zhang Yimou!”
Fu Lulu was also helpless but that was the reality. Recently, whenever she saw someone suitable at the art school, she would approach and ask a few questions.
Some assistant directors were even more ambitious, recruiting people off the street, while she had only been stationed at the Beijing Film Academy’s acting building.
Zhang Yimou had some extreme obsessive-compulsive tendencies; his demands on actors weren’t just high—they had to meet his aesthetic standards. So... the assistants like her bore the brunt.
It wasn’t that no agencies or friends had recommended amateurs to him, but considering Zhang Weiping, Zhang Yimou’s partner, wanted to maximize benefits by cultivating fresh talent, Zhang Yimou opted for the most common approach within the industry: an open casting call.
Female actor auditions were easy enough, but male actors were harder to find, especially during winter break. Zhang Yimou was pushing hard, so they could only try their luck near the art school.
Chen Jin’s relaxed way of walking just now made Fu Lulu unable to resist snapping a photo with her camera.
From her perspective as a female director, Chen Jin looked very delicate and sincere—not simply plain, because plain meant dressing simply and having an honest temperament. Chen Jin wasn’t like that; he appeared plain and genuine, like an uncut jade stone.
He lacked the crafted affectations that many art school students had, making him quite special.
Among the many boys coming and going, he was the one Fu Lulu sensed as different. Others looked either like pretty boys or spoiled young masters.
So she couldn’t help but step forward to strike up a conversation.
“...”
Chen Jin hadn’t misheard this time. Zhang Yimou?
It really was Zhang Yimou?
Seeing disbelief on Chen Jin’s face, Fu Lulu didn’t explain much—it was just a casting call after all.
Whether or not he could audition was still uncertain; that decision was up to Zhang Yimou.
“If you’re interested, leave me your number. I’ll shoot a vlog for you as material!”
Fu Lulu raised the camera at her chest. Chen Jin glanced at Su Wanyu, who was about to ask something, but Fu Lulu shrugged, “It’ll be quick—done in a minute!”
“Actually, I’m a student at Beijing Film Academy too, class of ’98, acting department!”
For some reason, Fu Lulu felt compelled to add that.
Su Wanyu immediately stepped back a few paces, giving space to Chen Jin. But Chen Jin suddenly asked, “Miss—”
“What did you just call me?”
Fu Lulu had just lifted her camera when she heard “miss,” and she quickly lowered it, wearing a half-smile.
---
“Director Fu!”
Chen Jin recalled her self-introduction. Actually, calling her “miss” was something he had learned from his future biopic—wasn’t that what people called each other in the future?
You couldn’t call someone in their thirties “auntie,” nor “sister.” “Miss” was the best choice.
Calling someone a little fairy was asking for a beating.
Had he called her wrong?
Damn it, I knew this old system was setting me up!
“Just keep calling me miss...”
Fu Lulu was a little surprised—this was the first time someone had addressed her like that.
“Miss, you said just now, you’re an assistant director on which movie?”
Chen Jin hurriedly asked.
*“Under the Hawthorn Tree!”*
Perhaps it was because of being called “miss,” Fu Lulu found this young boy in front of her quite interesting.
*“Under the Hawthorn Tree? That movie?”*
Chen Jin’s heart stirred. He had seen this film in his future biopic.
Not the original film, but when checking box office charts in the future, he had been curious and paused to take a look. It really was a film released that year.
He actually knew about all the big hit movies from this year, next year, and the year after, because the future Chen Jin—that is, himself—had a habit of checking various charts and trending searches on his phone.
Bit by bit, he had memorized a few.
“This future biopic is becoming more and more realistic!”
Chen Jin was almost no longer doubting this old system. Unless something unexpected happened, this was surely a future trajectory of his life.
That meant upcoming blockbuster films, the World Cup, TV dramas, and so forth were all real.
“Is this the film I’m supposed to audition for?”
Chen Jin asked instinctively.
“Yes, but not the audition itself. You’ll be notified to audition only after being selected!”
“So I have to have you shoot some material for that...”
Fu Lulu raised her camera again. Chen Jin understood.
All this was for nothing.
He had thought he could go straight to the *Under the Hawthorn Tree* audition—no wonder the mission hadn’t reacted.
Wait, it did!
[Mission]: Try to audition for an important role. (In progress, 1%)
“I don’t remember there being a progress bar before?”
“Damn, it really is an audition!”
Chen Jin suddenly caught the feeling. Seeing Fu Lulu raise her camera, he immediately started posing, even playing with subtle expressions.
---
“No, no, I want your most genuine and natural state!”
“Don’t act...”
As an assistant director, Fu Lulu immediately saw through Chen Jin’s little display.
But to be honest, those few moves showed she could tell he had some acting foundation.
Not weak at all, which surprised her.
“Your most genuine and natural state?”
Chen Jin stood there, and somehow a poster from *Under the Hawthorn Tree* suddenly came to mind.
He vividly remembered the male lead’s perfect white teeth.
“Yes... yes, exactly like that!”
“Hold it!”
“Very good!”
Fu Lulu had to admit, this art exam candidate who had suddenly appeared was quite skilled.
She switched her camera to shooting mode, eyes glued to the viewfinder. Chen Jin’s body relaxed completely, then he smiled gently at the lens.
A natural, open, sunny smile. The perfect white teeth seemed especially warm and approachable.
This time it was very plain and sincere.
A pure, honest smile that made people feel warm.
Many people show their teeth when they smile, but it looks ugly.
Yet some, when they laugh with teeth bared from the heart, evoke a genuine sense of joy.
Sometimes, watching them makes you smile too—that’s called contagiousness.
Chen Jin’s smile had that charm.
“Okay!”
Fu Lulu snapped her fingers, clearly pleased with Chen Jin’s performance.
After shooting the vlog, she took front, side, close-up, facial focus, and wide shots. Then she couldn’t help but review the photos on her camera.
By now, many art exam candidates and their parents had gathered around Chen Jin, some watching curiously.
Some didn’t know what Fu Lulu and Chen Jin were doing, but clearly, some were in the know.
Many parents of art exam candidates were connected in this industry.
“Hello, is this your son?”
Suddenly, one parent asked Su Wanyu, who was standing nearby.