Chapter 26

The film and television industry back then still operated with a sense of professional decorum. Most things were done in moderation; once a film was released, the promotional period was considered over. It wasn’t like the cutthroat environment later on, where directors and the main cast are forced to run around doing interviews and roadshows long after the film has hit theaters. For a premiere, you’d call up a few celebrity friends and familiar media outlets. Once the film played, everyone would offer some praise, red envelopes would be handed out, and that was that—everyone went about their business. A few kind words about the film were all that was required. Chen Ming didn’t have many friends in the industry, just a few classmates from his days at the Beijing Film Academy. In his past life, he hadn’t done very well for himself; held back by his own ego, he’d been too embarrassed to reach out to them. Now, he realized that youthful pride was like a push-up bra for a flat-chested girl—it only worked with padding, and once you stripped it away, there was really nothing there.