Gao Yuanyuan Zhang Guo

In the second week of August, the public opinion trend on the Chinese internet finally began to show subtle changes.

It wasn't that one side suddenly achieved an overwhelming victory, nor was it that any of the three parties involved finally stepped forward to make a definitive statement.

Rather, people are just tired of seeing it.

For nearly a month and a half, starting from the beginning of July, when you opened Tianya, the homepage featured three women and one man. When you opened Mop, the homepage still featured three women and one man.

The entertainment channels of portal websites like Sina update their headlines daily, changing the format over and over again, but they always feature the same few names: Zheng Hui, Fan Binbin, Gao Yuanyuan, and Faye Wong.

Wang Fei's lyrics have been analyzed word by word a hundred times, every song in Fan Binbin's "Chasing the Light" album has been dissected as a love letter, and every look in Gao Yuanyuan's eyes in "Whiplash" and "Those Years" has been screenshotted and annotated for analysis.

Every song Zheng Hui wrote was dug up to find emotional clues.

Netizens were initially excited. With SARS just over, people who had been cooped up for months finally had some juicy gossip to discuss. That jubilant mood reached its peak in early August when Faye Wong joined in.

However, a person's threshold can rise.

The same topic might seem fresh in the first week, exciting in the second week, and even spark some debate in the third week.

By the fifth or sixth week, even the most enthusiastic onlookers began to wonder if this thing was going to end anytime soon, since it was just the same old thing over and over again.

On the Tianya entertainment gossip forum, a post titled "Please, please talk about something else" was featured on the front page. The poster wrote: "I was cooped up for three months during SARS, and finally, after the lockdown was lifted, all I could do online for entertainment was talk about Zheng Hui and his three women. Fine, I read it, and I joined in the discussion."

But guys, it's been a month and a half! A month and a half! Now, just seeing the name Zheng Hui makes me want to close the webpage reflexively. It's not that I have a problem with him, I'm just really fed up. Can't we have something new?

"I hate Zheng Hui."

The comments below were numerous, most of them echoing the sentiment.

"I agree with the original poster. Now, opening a webpage is like going to work; the screen is full of the same topics, and there's no entertainment left."

"Honestly, if the people involved don't care, why are we worrying about them?"

Zheng Hui is probably working on something again, Fan Binbin is shooting magazines, Gao Yuanyuan has gone abroad, and Faye Wong is becoming more and more popular overseas.

The four of them are doing just fine, while we're arguing like this, our faces red with anger.

"What's most annoying is that you can't see any other information. I want to see what new movies or music are out, but when I click in, the first three paragraphs of the article are still talking about Zheng Hui."

"Aesthetic fatigue is a factor."

The public outcry didn't subside abruptly, but the initial fervor was visibly receding. It was like a pot of boiling water being removed from the heat; it was still bubbling, but no longer churning.

At this crucial juncture, on August 8th, the Venice International Film Festival announced the nominees for its 60th main competition. The news first appeared on Sina.com's international entertainment section, with the headline:

The 60th Venice Film Festival's main competition nominees have been announced: Zheng Hui's new film "Manchester by the Sea" and Leslie Cheung's directorial debut "Stealing Heart" are both nominated.

As soon as this news came out, major forums exploded almost simultaneously.

"Finally, something serious is happening!"

"Zheng Hui is going too far! One film per film festival a year? Last year it was 'John Wick' which won the Golden Lion, and this year it's going to Venice?"

"Leslie Cheung is nominated too? Wasn't 'Stealing Hearts' his directorial debut?"

"Leslie Cheung's directorial debut was nominated for Venice? That's incredible! I wonder if he can replicate Zheng Hui's success."

When was Zheng Hui's film "Manchester by the Sea" filmed?

"This man is being discussed about his love life all over the internet, and at the same time he's made a new film that's aiming for the top three? I'm speechless."

The focus of the discussion quickly shifted from the love triangle to the movie itself.

For netizens who have been immersed in the "Zheng Hui's love gossip" for a month and a half, this news is like a breath of fresh air.

Although the main character is still Zheng Hui, at least it's not those romantic entanglements anymore, so there's something new to watch. And this time, it's not just Zheng Hui; Leslie Cheung is also in it.

Two Chinese directors were nominated for the main competition at the Venice Film Festival. What's even more dramatic is that Leslie Cheung starred in "Manchester by the Sea," and now his own directorial work has also been nominated for the same film festival. He acted in and fought in his own films, which naturally generated a lot of buzz.

The phrase "Leslie Cheung versus Leslie Cheung" quickly spread on the forum.

The discussion has been completely taken over by new topics. Posts that were still stubbornly clinging to the three-way confrontation saw a precipitous drop in replies.

It's not that nobody cares anymore, but rather that there are newer and more worthy topics for discussion.

The tide of public opinion finally began to recede after a month and a half.

……

Beijing Capital International Airport, August 14.

Gao Yuanyuan pushed her mother's luggage cart as they walked out of the international arrivals exit.

Gao's mother walked beside her, her steps steady and her breathing even. Apart from being a little thinner than before the surgery and having a slightly pale complexion, she looked no different from any other middle-aged woman who had just gotten off a long flight and looked a little tired.

Gao's father and Gao Yu were already waiting at the arrival gate.

Through the crowd, Gao's mother spotted her husband and son in the distance. She quickened her pace, a smile on her face. Gao's father also took a few steps forward; his eyes were a little red, but his face was full of smiles. He reached out and took the carry-on bag from his wife's hand: "Are you tired?"

"Not tired at all," Mrs. Gao waved her hand. "I slept on the plane and I feel great."

Gao Yu stood beside his mother, his lips moved, but in the end he only said, "Mom, you've lost weight."

"It's good that you've lost weight; you used to be too fat," Gao's mother said with a smile, patting her belly.

Gao Yu looked at his sister, Gao Yuanyuan, who was standing behind her. Watching the family reunite, her nose felt a little sore.

It's been more than three months.

From receiving that phone call in early May to now, in mid-August, it has been a full three and a half months.

Only they and their family know what happened during that time.

The mother who was panting when she passed away, the mother with tubes and machines all over her body in the intensive care unit, the mother who opened her eyes for the first time after surgery and called her name in a weak voice...

Now, standing in front of her, he walks steadily and speaks with a strong voice, even complaining about how bad the airplane food is.

Gao Yuanyuan quickly stepped forward and gently wrapped her arms around her mother's from behind.

"Mom, let's go home." "Go home, go home." Gao's mother patted her daughter's hand: "I'll cook for you when we get home."

Gao Yu frowned slightly: "Mom, you've just gotten back, go and rest."

"What rest? I had enough rest during my three months in the US."

There was a sense of joy in Gao's mother's tone as if she had regained her freedom: "Now I can walk, jog, and cook. I feel uncomfortable when I'm idle."

The doctor said I can do anything that doesn't involve cooking oil fumes, like steaming fish, steaming eggs, stewing soup, and cooking porridge—no problem at all.

Mr. Gao smiled beside him; the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes were deeper than they had been a few months ago, but the heavy worry between his brows and eyes had completely dissipated.

……

August 18th, a hotel in Beijing.

Four days after the Huabiao Awards nominations were announced, Gao Yuanyuan gave an interview to a film magazine.

Previously, when she was not in the country, reporters were frantically trying to find her. They called Zhou Lin and Li Zongming, but both replied that she was taking her mother abroad for medical treatment. Once this excuse was given, the reporters felt embarrassed to continue pressing for interviews.

But recently, the Huabiao Awards nominations were announced, and reporters started asking questions again. When Li Zongming saw that Gao Yuanyuan had also returned, he arranged an interview.

"You Are the Apple of My Eye" earned Gao Yuanyuan nominations for both Best Actress and Best Newcomer (Actress) at the Huabiao Awards, as well as nominations for Best Feature Film and Best Director. The Huabiao Awards allow films to be nominated within three years of their release, and "You Are the Apple of My Eye" met this requirement.

The same goes for "My Sassy Girl," which received nominations for Best Actress and Best Director.

There's a little story behind this nomination for Best Newcomer.

The Huabiao Awards have clear eligibility requirements for the Best Newcomer (Actress) award: applicants must be under 30 years old and have not previously won any major film awards.

Gao Yuanyuan is 24 years old this year. Although she has acted in three movies, "Spicy Love Soup", "Whiplash" and "You Are the Apple of My Eye" and walked the red carpet, she has never won any performance awards and meets the application requirements.

Originally, Li Zongming did not plan to nominate her for this award because Gao Yuanyuan had already acted in several films, and if she were to apply, people would gossip.

But he later learned that Xu Jinglei had applied for the same award.

Xu Jinglei debuted earlier than Gao Yuanyuan, and has acted in both TV series and movies. She starred in the movie "Spring Subway," which Gao Yuanyuan did not take on. Although Gao Yuanyuan later surpassed her in fame, Xu Jinglei is still considered a star.

She hasn't won any major film awards, so strictly speaking, she does meet the eligibility criteria for the newcomer award. But it's always a bit... subtle for a female star who's been famous for several years to be nominated for a newcomer award.

Li Zongming had only one thought at the time: if she can claim it, so can we. We can't let her take it for free.

As a result, two already famous young actresses appeared on the nomination list for the Huabiao Award for Best Newcomer (Actress), which left many people in the industry feeling both amused and bewildered.

The interview took place in a hotel conference room. The reporter was a young woman in her early thirties, carrying a recorder and an interview outline. "Yuanyuan, you've been nominated for both the Best Actress and Best New Actress awards at the Huabiao Awards for your role in 'You Are the Apple of My Eye.' How do you feel about that?"

Gao Yuanyuan replied, "Being nominated is already a great achievement. I never imagined that 'You Are the Apple of My Eye' would bring me so much. The box office, the audience, and now this award nomination are all great encouragements for me."

The reporter asked, "Do you think you have a good chance of winning?"

Gao Yuanyuan said, "I don't really want to think about it. The Huabiao Awards are a very prestigious award, and all the nominated actors are very good."

I feel I still have a lot to learn. Being nominated is already an affirmation; whether I win an award or not, I'll let nature take its course.

The reporter laughed: "You've always had this attitude; it seems you're not particularly ambitious about awards."

Gao Yuanyuan thought for a moment: "It's not that I don't have ambition; of course, actors hope their performances will be recognized. But I don't tend to talk about it too much. Whether I win an award or not ultimately depends on the work I've done."

"What about the Best New Actress award? You've already become a top-tier actress with 'You Are the Apple of My Eye,' aren't you worried about controversy if you're nominated for the Best New Actress award?"

Gao Yuanyuan did not evade the question: "The rules for the newcomer award are that applicants must be under 30 years old and have not previously won any major film awards. I meet these rules, so my company registered me. As for whether people think I am a newcomer, that's open to discussion."

She paused, then smiled and said, "Actually, I feel a little embarrassed myself, but awards have their rules. Since I've been nominated, I'll take it seriously."

The reporter continued, "If you and Xu Jinglei were to win the Best Newcomer Award, wouldn't you find it a bit dramatic?"

"That probably means we're all still young," Gao Yuanyuan said. The atmosphere in the meeting room immediately relaxed.

After asking about the awards, the reporter finally got to the question they really wanted to ask.

"Yuanyuan, you've been abroad with your mother for medical treatment for a while now, so you must be aware of the recent online discussions in China, right?"

Gao Yuanyuan's expression remained calm: "I've seen some."

"So what do you think?"

"I think many of the posts are quite imaginative," she said.

The reporter pressed further: "Many people online believe that director Zheng Hui's 'Just the Way You Are' music video is a kind of public expression of your relationship."

Gao Yuanyuan blinked: "A music video is a work of art."

"But it contains a lot of very private DV footage."

Gao Yuanyuan said, "Director Zheng is a director, and he is very good at re-editing real footage into works with emotional expression. It's normal for the audience to have their own interpretation after watching it."

The reporter asked, "So what exactly is your relationship with Director Zheng?"

Gao Yuan didn't pause: "A cooperative relationship." The reporter was clearly dissatisfied: "Just a cooperative relationship?"

"We collaborated on 'You Are the Apple of My Eye' and also on some music videos."

Gao Yuanyuan looked at the other person and said, "This is the extent of my answer."

The reporter then asked, "What about Fan Binbin and Faye Wong? Would you mind if people compared you two?"

Gao Yuanyuan said, "I'm not the same type as them, so there's nothing to compare."

Binbin works very hard, and everyone can see her current achievements.

Faye Wong is an incredibly talented singer; her English album reaching number one on the Billboard charts is a source of pride for Chinese musicians.

"You don't mind?"

"Why should I mind?" Gao Yuanyuan retorted.

This question caught the reporter off guard.

Gao Yuanyuan continued, "If it's a comparison of works, that's normal. Actors and singers are always compared."

As for the rest, I don't think it's necessary to put every woman in the same story and make them enemies of each other. "So you deny the speculations online?"

Gao Yuanyuan said, "As I said, Director Zheng and I have a working relationship."

She spoke gently, but firmly, forcing the reporter to change the subject.

After the interview, Zhou Lin put away the recording pen and manuscript confirmation form, and accompanied Gao Yuanyuan out.

"To Ziyu Villa," Gao Yuanyuan said to the driver in the car.