Chapter 14: The Freshmen of Northern Film Academy Begin Their Journey

Jiang Ye dragged his suitcase out of Terminal 3 at the capital airport. Despite it being September, Yanjing remained oppressively hot, and the afternoon sunlight reflected off the glass facade with a blinding white glare.

He wiped the sweat from his temple, unlocked his phone, and the blue icon of the ride-hailing app stood out vividly on the screen.

The app interface was much cleaner than it had been six months ago. After months of subsidy battles, the frenzy of red packet giveaways and overwhelming discount pop-ups had vanished, leaving only a simple notice at the top of the homepage: "First order for new users, 10 yuan off."

Jiang Ye navigated the app with ease, selecting the taxi option. In 2014, ride-hailing apps hadn’t yet introduced the flashy “comfort” or “business” options; there were only the basic taxi and the dedicated ride services.

The phone soon displayed, “Driver accepted the order,” and a Hyundai Elantra pulled up in front of him.

The driver jumped out briskly, efficiently opening the trunk while speaking in a thick Beijing accent: “Hey there, student! Here to register at the Film Academy, right? These days I’ve been shuttling loads of freshmen like you. Wow, that suitcase’s packed so full the trunk’s barely closing!”

The car sped onto the airport highway, the scenery outside rushing past.

Suddenly, a huge movie poster caught his eye.

A massive billboard for "Breakup Buddies" stood by the road, the exaggerated expressions of Huang Bo and Xu Zheng strikingly vivid under the sun.

From the car radio, a female announcer spoke in clear, standard Mandarin: “AliExpress, Alibaba’s cross-border e-commerce platform, today announced the launch of preparations for the 2014 ‘Double Eleven’ Global Shopping Festival. They plan to inject tens of millions of dollars in coupons and secure premium global traffic to attract overseas buyers. This marks AliExpress’s first participation in ‘Double Eleven,’ targeting over 200 countries and regions...”

The car slowly came to a stop at No. 4 Xitucheng Road in the HD district. The gray-and-white main building of Yanjing Film Academy stood solemn and understated under the September sun.

The school gate was simply and elegantly designed, with six gilded characters reading “Yanjing Film Academy” gleaming in the sunlight. A red banner on the right fluttered gently in the breeze, welcoming the 2014 freshmen.

This cradle of Chinese film talent traced its history back to June 1950.

With Premier Zhou Enlai’s personal approval, the Film Bureau’s Acting Arts Research Institute was officially established in Xisi Shilaoniang Hutong.

On September 14 that same year, 38 inaugural students held a simple yet solemn opening ceremony, marking the beginning of professional film education in New China.

By 1953, the school was officially renamed Yanjing Film Academy and gradually developed into the highest institution for film education in China.

Though the gate wasn’t wide, it was crowded at this moment.

Freshmen, parents, volunteers, and entertainment reporters armed with long lenses filled the area.

Many luxury cars were parked outside—Mercedes, BMW, Porsche were common sights, even a few nanny vans, clearly belonging to celebrity families or talent agencies escorting their new students.

However, a closer look revealed these vehicles were more understated than in previous years. After all, 2014 was the second year following the implementation of the “Eight-point Regulation,” and the entertainment industry’s ostentatious displays of wealth had somewhat abated.

The acting department’s registration area still maintained its “mini red carpet” tradition, but the reporters’ enthusiasm was noticeably diminished compared to past years.

Indeed, this 2014 batch of acting freshmen lacked the standout child stars or already famous young actors that previous cohorts had boasted.

For example, the 2011 class included Zhou Dongyu and Gulnazar, and the 2010 class had Yang Zi and Zhang Yishan.

Reporters could only focus their lenses on those freshmen with striking appearances, especially some girls with notably high looks, prompting an occasional burst of clicking shutter sounds.

Compared to the bustling acting department, the directing department’s registration area appeared much quieter, with only a few scattered students lining up.

Jiang Ye dragged his suitcase past the campus’s central “Pyramid” sculpture—a landmark of the Beijing Film Academy symbolizing filmmakers’ pursuit of the artistic pinnacle.

He stopped in front of the sign-in sheet, lowering his head to find his name:

2014 Undergraduate Directing Department | Student ID BFA2014D027 | Jiang Ye

“Junior, the acting department registration is over there,” said a senior girl in charge of the process, glancing up at him with a kindly smile. “This is the directing department.”

Jiang Ye froze momentarily, then realized what had happened.

Being handsome came with this kind of trouble!

“I’m in the right place, senior. I’m indeed in the directing department.” He smiled sheepishly and handed over his admission letter.

The senior took the letter, raised her eyebrows in surprise. “You really are in the directing department.”

She gave him a few more appraising looks, her face suddenly flushing slightly, and quickly lowered her head to continue the registration.

After finishing the formalities, Jiang Ye stood in the campus center and looked around.

Freshmen gathered on the playground for group photos, droplets from the fountain in front of the library sparkled delicately, and the preparatory bell for the opening ceremony rang faintly in the distance.

Back here again!

Four years passed, and now another four…

This feeling was indescribable.

Jiang Ye rolled his suitcase along the tree-lined path toward the dormitory area.

September sunlight filtered through the sycamore leaves, casting dappled shadows. The suitcase wheels clicked rhythmically on the stone pavement.

Suddenly, a gentle breeze wafted by, carrying a faint scent of citrus.

Jiang Ye looked up to see a young girl standing not far ahead.

She wore a simple white knit sweater and light blue jeans, with beige canvas shoes on her feet.

Her black hair was casually tied into a ponytail, revealing a graceful neckline.

Most striking were her eyes—clear and bright, the outer corners slightly upturned, as if holding a smile.

The girl seemed to notice his gaze and turned to look at Jiang Ye.

Their eyes met briefly; she paused slightly, then offered a polite smile.

Jiang Ye noticed a faint dimple on her left cheek.

“Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to Dormitory Building 7?” Jiang Ye stepped forward and asked.

She blinked, then pointed to a path on the right. “Just walk straight along this road. You’ll see a building with a red roof—that’s it.”

Her voice was crisp and pleasant, tinged with curiosity. “You’re... a freshman?”

Jiang Ye nodded. “Directing department.”

“Directing?” The girl’s eyes widened in surprise as she sized him up. “Are you sure you didn’t apply to the wrong major?”

She couldn’t help but laugh, a glimpse of a small canine tooth showing. “With your looks, you should’ve gone to the acting department.”

Jiang Ye stroked his chin mock-seriously. “Maybe it’s because I prefer directing others behind the camera?”

“Oh…” The girl tilted her head, her ponytail swaying gently. “Well then, if I ever go to an audition, Director, you’ll have to look out for me.”

She winked playfully and stretched out her hand. “Chen Yao, sophomore in the acting department.”

“Jiang Ye.” He shook her slender hand, feeling its warm softness. “Looks like I’ll have to work hard to deserve that kind of favor from a future star.”

Chen Yao giggled, sunlight dancing through her hair. “Then you better do your best, Director Jiang.”

She waved goodbye. “I have rehearsal now. Dormitory Building 7 is just up ahead. Hope to see you on set sometime.”

Watching Chen Yao’s retreating figure, Jiang Ye’s lips curved into a smile.

The rolling sound of his suitcase resumed, this time lighter and more cheerful.