mijobooks Chapter 86 cannot be just a vase.
Chapter 86 cannot be just a vase.
The autumn evening breeze blew in through the half-open window, carrying a hint of early autumn coolness.
But she felt incredibly choked up inside.
Although Teacher Cui didn't name names in her speech, everyone in the class could tell that she was giving her a warning.
Yang Mi bit her lip. She actually wanted to argue back, as she had also suffered hardships during her years of filming.
Hanging on wires in the dead of winter, working late into the night to meet deadlines, reshooting again and again... it wasn't that she didn't try.
But for some reason, when Teacher Cui listed the names of Lin Ruiyang and the senior students from the 96 star class, her grades, which she could have used to comfort herself, suddenly seemed particularly insignificant.
This sense of loss is unbearable.
She sat alone in the rehearsal hall for a long time until it was completely dark outside before slowly standing up.
As soon as she stepped out of the teaching building, she heard someone calling her from not far away.
"Yang Mi!"
She turned around.
A woman wearing a baseball cap was standing under the tree waving at her.
It was Zeng Jia, Zhou Xun's former agent before she switched companies. At that time, the company was undergoing internal restructuring and intended to have her manage Yang Mi.
"Sister Jia?" Yang Mi was taken aback.
"Why are you here?"
"I just came from the company." Zeng Jia took two steps closer and glanced at her.
"What's with that expression? Did the teacher scold you?" Yang Mi forced a smile.
"Is it that obvious?"
"Your emotions are written all over your face," Zeng Jia couldn't help but laugh.
She and Yang Mi had known each other for quite some time. This girl was usually very clever, sweet-talking, and good at handling things—a typical little devil. But when she was truly wronged, her emotions were also very obvious.
"Let's go, I'll treat you to dinner."
"I don't really want to eat it."
"Come on."
Zeng Jia grabbed her arm: "At your age, you want to lose weight by not eating? What, will all you'll look like on camera later?"
Yang Mi was finally made to laugh.
The two left the school and went to a Sichuan restaurant on the back street of Beijing Film Academy.
The shop wasn't big, but the walls were covered with posters of Hong Kong and Taiwanese celebrities. The owner was clearly an enthusiast, as even stills from "My Fair Princess" were neatly displayed.
After ordering, Zeng Jia looked at her and said, "So, what happened?"
Yang Mi was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly asked in a low voice, "Sister Jia, do you think I... am an actress now?"
This time, Zeng Jia was taken aback: "What's wrong with you?"
"I'm asking you seriously."
The private room suddenly fell silent.
Zeng Jia slowly put away her joking expression: "Did someone at school say something about you?"
"No," Yang Mi shook her head.
She then added softly, "I just suddenly realized how ridiculous my previous thoughts were."
She briefly recounted what happened in class today.
This includes newspapers, Lin Ruiyang, and Cui Xinqin's remarks.
Zeng Jia did not speak immediately after hearing this.
She was well aware that Yang Mi had had a smooth and successful life all these years.
She started acting at a young age, was beautiful and had a natural talent. At that time, the senior actress in the company did not renew her contract, so she became a key talent to be cultivated, and her resources were much better than those of her peers.
In this situation, people are prone to the illusion that they are very close to success.
The cruelest thing about the entertainment industry is that you think you've made it in, but you're just standing at the door.
"Sister Jia." Yang Mi suddenly looked up.
Is it particularly difficult to become an internationally renowned actor?
Zeng Jia was silent for a while, then sighed: "It's not that it's particularly difficult, it's that it's a completely different world."
Yang Mi's expression suddenly froze.
Zeng Jia continued, "What you're in contact with now is mostly the mainland and Hong Kong and Taiwan TV drama circles, such as period dramas, idol dramas, and martial arts dramas. This is enough for most actors to make a living for a lifetime."
"But the film industry is inherently harder to enter than the television industry, not to mention the international film festival system, where it's no longer about how pretty you are."
She paused for a moment.
"To put it bluntly, pretty girls are the least valuable in the entertainment industry."
Yang Mi subconsciously clenched her hands.
"Especially for someone like you, it's too easy for the market to push you towards becoming a star or idol. But true big-screen actors often have to do the opposite."
Like Zhou Xun, whom I mentored before, actors like them, besides having talent, also need to have life experience, depth, and even a bit of awkwardness, because the camera magnifies reality.
The private room quieted down, and the aroma of the dishes that had been served filled the air.
But Yang Mi lost her appetite again.
"However—" Zeng Jia suddenly changed the subject.
"It's actually a good thing that you're asking these questions today."
Why?
"Because you've had it too easy before," Zeng Jia said, looking at her.
"It's good that the young girl is ambitious, but the worst thing is that she doesn't know where she stands. Now that someone has woken her up, it might not be a bad thing."
Yang Mi remained silent for a long time before hesitantly speaking, "Sister Jia."
"Um?"
"I know I'll be following you from now on, so please help me avoid taking on those random roles in the future."
Zeng Jia's expression turned serious: "Are you serious?"
"Mmm," Yang Mi said, lowering her head.
"I want to study acting properly, so that... I don't want people to just think of me as a pretty but talentless person in the future."
Zeng Jia quietly watched Yang Mi, her hand holding the food in her hand pausing in mid-air for a few seconds before slowly putting a piece of boiled beef into her mouth.
The spicy red oil flavor spread in my mouth, just like the flame that suddenly ignited in the eyes of the little girl in front of me.
"It's really rare to hear you say that."
Zeng Jia pulled out a tissue to wipe her mouth, her playful expression completely vanishing, replaced by the scrutiny and composure of a seasoned agent.
As an agent who has been in the industry for many years, she has seen too many young artists who say they want to be "people's artists" but can't resist commercial endorsements and quick money.
But at this very moment, Yang Mi was doused with cold water and began to reflect on herself.
"Sister Jia, I'm serious, I really can't be more serious." Seeing that Zeng Jia didn't immediately respond, Yang Mi leaned forward anxiously, her eyes full of stubborn defiance.
The ruthlessness and resentment she revealed at that moment stirred something within Zeng Jia.
Zeng Jia stared at her for several minutes before her tense face finally relaxed, and a relieved smile appeared on her lips:
"Alright, since you've put it this way, it would seem petty of me for not supporting you as your older sister. I can't speak for everything else about Rong Xinda, but you know the style of Director Li Shaohong and Director Li Xiaowan when it comes to artistic pursuits."
"Thank you, Sister Jia!" Yang Mi's eyes immediately lit up with joy.
"Don't thank me yet," Zeng Jia said softly, taking a sip of her tea.
"Since you've brought up Lin Ruiyang, you should know that he's quite unique in the industry. His approach is completely unreplicable; he's a true prodigy. So, comparing yourself to him is just making yourself uncomfortable."
Yang Mi gripped her chopsticks tightly and said in a low voice, "I didn't want to compete with him... I just wanted to make sure that next time he or other big directors were casting actors, I could stand confidently in front of their cameras."
Zeng Jia smiled, picked up a piece of tripe and put it into Yang Mi's bowl: "That's the right thing to do. Eat! After you've eaten your fill, go back to school tomorrow and honestly take Teacher Cui's scolding. Practice your fundamentals thoroughly."
Yang Mi picked up the piece of tripe and stuffed it into her mouth. The spicy juice exploded on her tongue, making her eyes slightly red.
But she didn't even frown. Instead, she chewed hard, as if she wanted to swallow all the pent-up anger in her heart along with the food.
The meal was eaten quickly, and by the time we paid the bill and left the Sichuan restaurant, the night had completely fallen.
Zeng Jia hailed a taxi by the roadside and turned to Yang Mi to explain:
"Alright, go back to your dorm and get some rest. I'll go to the company in a couple of days, organize the existing high-quality resources, and send them to you. Take a look at them yourself."
"Okay, Jia-jie, take care." Yang Mi waved obediently.
(Congratulations to our leading lady for receiving a Best Actress nomination at the Shanghai Magnolia Awards for her role in "All Things Grow"!)