Chapter 8: Long Live the People

"Yes!" Li Yousi nodded heavily.

Zhang Li stepped back, looked up at his slightly upright face, and only then voiced her thoughts:

"The director mentioned that 'Dream of the Red Chamber' is a national-level TV production. It will be a long process; we might not have time to come home for a year or two. And the standards for the production crew are even stricter than those of the Art Troupe..."

She was rambling, trying to deny how melancholy she had felt just a moment ago.

"Mm-hmm!" Li Yousi continued to nod, listening to her pour out her heart, and finally added:

"Your production crew is in Beijing, right? You should have time to go out during your days off, right?"

"Yes, we do have holidays!" Zhang Li said.

"Then that settles it. In half a month, I’ll come to Beijing to see you."

"Eh???" Zhang Li looked bewildered, but hearing that, she felt a little comforted.

Does this mean Comrade Li Yousi is going to Beijing specifically for me?

"But if you go to Beijing without any official business, wouldn't that make you a 'blind drifter'?" Zhang Li asked, a bit panicked.

"Blind drifter" was a specific term for peasants who drifted blindly from rural areas to cities in those days, later evolving into a derogatory term used by some city dwellers for people from the countryside.

"And your job at the Art Troupe is very good; you mustn't lose it..."

Li Yousi took a gentle breath and continued:

"Comrade Zhang Li, don't worry. When I go to Beijing, I definitely won't be a 'blind drifter.' I have business there."

He decided to tell Zhang Li about his novel-writing once he arrived in Beijing.

Yesterday, after Wang Hai finished reading Li Yousi's novel, he immediately ran over to tell him that their propaganda department had fully recommended the manuscript to "Beijing Literature," and there shouldn't be any major issues with it getting published.

So, Li Yousi felt somewhat confident about his trip to Beijing.

"Good, you must work hard."

Having said that, Zhang Li turned around, ready to leave. However, the more she thought about her earlier actions, the more she couldn't help but feel embarrassed and shy.

Then, she suddenly thought, 'I'm about to be an actress; I shouldn't feel embarrassed and shy over something like this. Isn't this normal?'

~

Back in the courtyard, the sounds of the flute and guzheng had stopped. Everyone looked at Li Yousi with a hint of curiosity and intrigue.

Zhu Chunsheng coughed. "Everyone, continue, continue."

Finally, he leaned over to Li Yousi and asked, "An old flame?"

Li Yousi rolled his eyes at him. "Teacher Zhu, that’s quite a way to put it—just a friend!"

If someone were to report him to the police station... wouldn't he be the next one targeted in the crackdown? Li Yousi sat back down in his seat, looking very serious.

...

Zhang Li tucked the thumb-sized wooden carving into her bag and walked step by step toward the bus.

Director Wang Gui'e was standing by the door, calling out, "Hurry up, Comrade Xiao Li, the bus is about to leave."

Zhang Li ran toward the vehicle, caught her breath, and said, "Thank you, Teacher."

Wang Gui'e looked at her suspiciously and leaned in to whisper, "Did you go see a sweetheart?"

"No, Teacher Wang, you're overthinking it." Zhang Li shook her head quickly to deny it.

"A young man from the Art Troupe?" Wang Gui'e probed.

"Yes."

"Let's go, get on the bus first..." Wang Gui'e patted her shoulder, led her onto the bus, and then whispered, "Once you're at the Art Troupe, you must practice hard! Being an actress in the future is much better than being in the Art Troupe."

The implication was clear: the boy from the Art Troupe didn't seem to be a good match anymore.

Even in this era, the idea of "marrying into one's social status" was slowly creeping back.

Joining the "Dream of the Red Chamber" production—a project supported by the state—would make it hard not to become famous. Both the actors and the directors were under immense pressure.

Once you have a hit TV series under your belt, your prospects wherever you go are much better. Some head to Hong Kong, others to film studios, and some even aim for wealthy old men... The future was so bright it kept them awake at night!

If it weren't for the fact that Li Yousi couldn't pass the rigorous vetting, he would love to enjoy such a bright future too.

"..." Zhang Li didn't reply; it was clear Wang Gui'e had misunderstood something.

The bus started moving, accompanied by Zhang Li's somewhat anxious thoughts... So, this is how she was headed to Beijing...

Following behind their bus was a postal truck, carrying the very letter Li Yousi had sent—the manuscript submission.

—

Three days later!

They exited the Beijing Railway Station. Zhang Li brushed back her hair, looking travel-worn, as the group from the production crew poured out.

Zhang Li felt a chill in Beijing. "It's so cold!"

It was early November.

It had already snowed in Beijing. In Jincheng, except for the coldest days during the Chinese New Year, it rarely snowed. A few days ago, she was still wearing a coat in Jincheng, but now she had to put on a padded jacket.

Zhang Li couldn't adapt to Beijing's weather immediately and shivered.

She continued to gaze into the distance.

Inside the Beijing Railway Station, everyone seemed to be wearing military-green overcoats. However, the more fashionable ones were already wearing colorful foreign clothing.

A young man from the crew, with whom everyone had become somewhat familiar over the past few days, walked over.

He asked, "Comrade Zhang Li, do you need help with your luggage?"

Zhang Li, still holding her large suitcase, turned and smiled: "Sorry, no thank you~"

She wasn't naive; she knew what was on his mind.

Wang Gui'e also walked out of the station and asked, "Xiao Zhang, you're not used to this weather, are you?"

Zhang Li nodded vigorously. "Beijing is so cold."

"This is the north, so it's cold, and it snows in November." Wang Gui'e linked her arm with hers and asked, "Do you want to go out and take a look?"

Zhang Li nodded.

Wang Gui'e turned to the director and said, "I'm going out with her to have a look. You all go to the guesthouse first."

After a while, Wang Gui'e took the young girl she admired so much onto a bus to see the real Beijing.

Zhang Li stood in front of Tiananmen!

In the center of the Tiananmen Gate Tower hung a massive portrait of Chairman Mao. On either side were two slogans:

On the left: Long live the People's Republic of China!!!

On the right: Long live the great unity of the people of the world!!!

At that moment, the young girl saw the grandeur of the capital for the first time. She realized, "So, outside of the Art Troupe, there are such magnificent places as this~"

1983!

The fifth year of the Reform and Opening-up!

By evening, red lanterns were hung beside the gate tower, glowing brilliantly.

"Cars," a rare sight in Jincheng, were already being used as taxis in Beijing. Zhang Li looked back at Director Wang Gui'e. "Beijing is truly amazing..."

"Yes, let's go. We'll head to the CCTV guesthouse first, and tomorrow I'll take you to the studio to take a look."

Wang Gui'e nodded, having shown the young girl the sights of Beijing, before taking her hand and heading toward the CCTV building.

—

At the same time, in the mailbox of "Beijing Literature," an envelope was slowly being dropped in...