My girlfriend was reborn.

Chapter 78 She once lived with such pride

After finishing the entrance exam, life suddenly seemed much easier.

When they returned that day, the two of them were given a brief scolding by Cheng Lingjun, but he didn't pursue the matter further. Otherwise, if their uncle had forced them to make reservations for two rooms, Zhou Heming would have been prepared to have his legs broken even though he hadn't done anything.

He returned to the days when he and Cheng Shuangjiang would study together in the secret base in the evenings, listening to Lu Bai play the piano, or studying scripts.

By the way.

In the November monthly exam, Cheng Shuangjiang scored a high score of 740, even higher than the last time.

Zhou Heming wasn't on the honor wall this time, since he only improved by one point and wasn't among the top students in his grade.

After school, as Zhou Heming walked down the first-floor corridor, he caught a glimpse of Cheng Shuangjiang's slightly smiling photo, along with the motto written below it.

May the moonlight flow to illuminate you.

It's a very simple sentence.

This gave the high school seniors who were studying hard another thrill, especially Jiang Rui.

Although Jiang Rui added Zhou Heming on QQ, he never contacted him. He would only occasionally update his status with fanfiction snippets.

Although it didn't specify who it was, and it was something like those sweet chat logs online, Zhou Heming could tell at a glance that it was written based on Jiang Rui's understanding of himself and Cheng Shuangjiang as the two characters.

"No, I don't think I'm that awkward."

In the secret base, Zhou Heming looked at Jiang Rui's latest jokes on his phone and protested indignantly.

"What did he write?"

Cheng Shuangjiang curiously took Zhou Heming's phone.

The above is a chat between a couple. The woman is lively and proactive, while the man is awkward and stubborn. They clearly care about each other a lot, but they always say one thing and mean another, which is quite interesting.

"Although A-He isn't that awkward, it feels like something A-He would do~"

The girl giggled and then whispered in Zhou Heming's ear.

"Who said 'I'm younger than him'?"

"No, I didn't, that's it."

Zhou Heming was speechless.

"What are you two whispering about again?"

Lu Bai, who was sitting next to the piano and carefully studying the script with a pen in hand, looked up.

"I'm saying how cute A-He is."

Cheng Shuangjiang answered as a matter of course.

"Him? Cute?"

Lu Bai found it hard to believe. She took out a small packet of dried mangoes from her bag, opened it, walked over to the two of them, and handed it to them.

Cheng Shuangjiang didn't eat because she was worried about getting a sore throat, so Zhou Heming took a small piece and put it in his mouth.

It's sweet and chewy.

"By the way, the interviewer I had during my interview was the same senior student, Feng Yu, who I borrowed the materials from."

Zhou Heming suddenly remembered.

"Really? Did you say hello to her?"

Lu Bai didn't care about the calories or the heatiness, and chewed the dried mango with gusto.

"I can't exactly say during the interview, 'Hello, Senior Feng Yu, I'm using the study materials you left behind,' can I?"

Zhou Heming felt that Lu Bai's line of thinking was a bit outrageous.

"Why not? Many actors will stay to say hello and make a name for themselves if they run into familiar crew members during auditions. In our line of work, having a presence is the most important thing."

Lu Bai scoffed.

"However, Senior Sister Feng Yu did ask me some strange questions."

Zhou Heming briefly addressed Feng Yu's question.

"Hmm, this is definitely not a normal interview question. Could it be that she already knows you? I've forgotten if I've mentioned your name before."

Lu Bai ate another piece of dried mango.

"Sister Feng Yu is Professor Cui's student. Although she studied film studies, she has also acted in several dramas and has a wide network of connections. In short, it's always a good idea to build a good relationship with her."

"I hope it will pass."

When will the results be available?

"At the earliest, it should be this weekend."

Zhou Heming recalled what Cheng Lingjun said: usually in early December, the university would inform students of the results of the orientation exam, only providing a pass or fail result.

Hundreds of people take the exam, but only a dozen or so spots will be available. And that depends on how well you perform in the college entrance exam. It's not as easy as you might think.

"Ah He can definitely do it!"

Cheng Shuangjiang encouraged him.

"If, and I mean if, you don't pass the exam, what are your plans?"

Lu Bai handed the last piece of dried mango from the bag to the two of them, and seeing that they didn't want it, he ate it himself.

"Then I need to study even harder, and then I might have to consider relevant schools in Yannan, such as those specializing in media."

Zhou Heming said after careful consideration.

Without those 60 points from the targeted exam, he wouldn't have been able to apply to drama school, even though he's a science major. Ningbo University's admission score is too far out of reach for him; it's not something you can guarantee by just working hard. So, if he wants to work in a related field, he'll have to consider changing schools.

The admission score for Yannan Media University is relatively low. Zhou Heming can be admitted if he maintains his current level. Moreover, Cheng Shuangjiang can use this opportunity to choose top universities in China, such as Yannan University or Tsinghua University, which is a good thing for their future.

"I still hope you can pass the exam."

Lu Bai, perhaps wanting to encourage Zhou Heming, said something, took out a wet wipe to clean his hands, and returned to the piano.

"Ah Bai, your art exam is coming up, right? It seems like it's around this time too?"

Cheng Shuangjiang asked again.

"I'm leaving tomorrow, don't worry, it's a piece of cake for me."

She waved her hand and picked up the script again.

"By the way, I haven't had a chance to ask before, but there's a line at the end of the script that I didn't quite understand. Do you know what it means?"

Lu Bai placed the script in front of the two of them and asked a question.

Zhou Heming looked over.

The parts highlighted in yellow are the dialogue between the female protagonist, Riko, and the ward director. At this moment, the ward director, who already knew that his days were numbered, experienced a relapse and became one of the patients in the hospice ward.

"Pear, although we will all die in the end, the stories we leave behind will not disappear, and everything we do will not disappear, not only for the patients, but also for their families. So, Pear, don't be sad. At least, I can still choose my own ending, can't I?"

Zhou Heming read this passage aloud.

In fact, Lu Bai didn't need to read the entire script in order to play that role, but she seemed to have a deep obsession and meticulousness, and she would definitely study the script thoroughly.

"What I can imagine is that hospice wards allow these patients to leave in a better state and comfort their families, but I always feel that there are other deeper meanings behind it."

Lu Bai muttered to himself.

Zhou Heming remained silent for a moment.

Cheng Shuangjiang, however, spoke thoughtfully.

"Ah Bai, do you know the concept of 'imagined community'?"

"what is that?"

Lu Bai, looking completely bewildered as if asking a slacker like, glanced at Zhou Heming for help.

Zhou Heming also shook his head.

"Simply put, the reason why humans have been able to stand out and become the masters of the earth is because humans have the ability to create and believe in fictional stories."

After a moment's consideration, Cheng Shuangjiang spoke in a way that Lu Bai could understand.

"These fictional stories could be myths, nations, ethnicities, or even identities. Think about it, wouldn't people in ancient times form tribes because they believed in the same gods, or form a nation because they believed they were of the same ethnicity? Just like you, you've identified with your identity as an actor, which is why you're working so hard to study the script?"

"That seems to make sense."

Lu Bai stroked his chin and nodded.

"Even in today's commercial marketing, people still like to tell stories. Handcrafted cars, artisans who have been making food for more than ten years, diamonds that represent eternal love—because people believe in stories, many things have a higher value."

When Cheng Shuangjiang mentioned this, Zhou Heming had a vague understanding of it.

"So you're saying that we've actually been believing in stories all along, which is why we have the society and civilization we have today?"

"Mmm, Ah He is so smart~"

Even at this moment, Cheng Shuangjiang did not forget to praise Zhou Heming.

“For example, Ah Bai and I didn’t know each other at first, but once we accepted that we were both students of Jiangcheng Middle School, many of our interactions became easier. The same applies to extending this concept to the country, nation, and civilization.”

"Many people act for these 'stories' that do not exist in reality and the 'meaning' behind them, moving towards an unattainable 'ideal' and even sacrificing their own lives for 'truth'."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Heming remembered that the girl's parents and grandfather had all been soldiers.

Soldiers are those who stand up for ordinary people they don't even know because they believe in those ideals.

Therefore, she must feel these things even more deeply. Zhou Heming quietly took the girl's hand, which was resting under the table, and exchanged a glance with her, knowing that she knew what he was thinking.

"So what does this have to do with the script?"

Lu Bai pondered for a moment, then frowned and asked.

"Ah Bai, think about it, what hospice wards do is add meaning to the process of patients dying, meaning that didn't exist before, doesn't it?"

Cheng Shuangjiang said softly.

"Even if fate has its own ending, we can still reach the end in our own way. The stories left behind, if they are known, can one day become a source of inspiration for others, right?"

She flipped through the script and quickly found the lines that Lu Bai had also marked with a marker.

"As it is written here, the traveler said, 'She just wanted everyone to know that she had lived so proudly, and always had.'"

Lu Bai stared at that line and remained silent for a long time.

"Like, well, we've discussed before, whether we would still write a story if we already knew it would end in tragedy."

Zhou Heming thought of something and then spoke up.

“Tragedy stories also have power. Perhaps after countless tragedies are piled up, one or two good endings will eventually appear. Tragedy is not the end, but the beginning of hope, just like Lu Xun’s theory of the iron house.”

This time, Lu Xun really said it.

"Now that you put it that way, I think I understand."

Lu Bai murmured to himself, took the script and walked back to the piano, quickly jotting down the discussion he had just had.

Zhou Heming glanced at the girl beside him.

Thinking about it this way, I realized that my counterpart in another timeline also used the "story" of that script to save Cheng Shuangjiang.

"The power of stories?"

Zhou Heming seemed to have vaguely grasped the meaning of Cheng Lingjun's statement that "articles have value".

*
Ningjiang University.

Inside the Faculty of Arts and Sciences.

Yan Ling is compiling and checking the scores and rankings of the targeted exams. Although it's a menial task, she takes it very seriously because it relates to many people's college admissions and their future destinies.

It is often said that the allure of the college entrance examination lies not in achieving one's desired outcome, but in the unexpected twists and turns.

She entered the world of drama inexplicably back then, and about a third of the reasons she still reads it are because she doesn't want to enter the workforce.

"Teacher, this piece of writing is really good. This student seems to have great potential."

On the other side, Duan Shiqing was recommending the script he had been correcting to his mentor, Professor Chen Guoping, a doctoral supervisor in film studies, vice dean of the School of Literature, and a man with a full head of white hair.

Professor Chen is usually very busy and only had time to come to the teaching and research office today, so Duan Shiqing was really eager to come.

"A funeral home? That does echo the film."

The script wasn't long, and Professor Chen himself quite admired Duan Shiqing, so he patiently sat down and looked at the computer screen.

He looked at it very carefully and attentively, not like he was browsing a high school student's exam essay, but like he was examining a masterpiece by a renowned artist.

Yan Ling looked over curiously.

She had naturally read that script because of Duan Shiqing's strong recommendation.

Yan Ling's assessment was that this child should not be given to any other school.

"To be able to grasp the core theme and create a work in such a short time, with a plot full of ups and downs, and unique thoughts and emotions, especially the ending, is very beautiful. It is hard to imagine that it was written by a high school student."

Duan Shiqing chattered on and on.

Although it has been said since ancient times that writers are jealous of each other, he still can't help but become talkative when he sees words that truly touch people's hearts.

"Xiao Duan, be quiet."

Professor Chen said something that immediately silenced Duan Shiqing.

Yan Ling felt a little smug.

Ten minutes later, Professor Chen let out a long sigh.

"Well, Professor?"

Duan Shiqing asked cautiously.

"This student is indeed very talented and deserves to be nurtured."

For an academic giant of Professor Chen's caliber, this script, while excellent, is far from being a masterpiece. Compared to some talented graduate students and undergraduates, it appears somewhat immature and rough.

Considering that this was written by a high school student with limited social experience during an exam period, it is sufficient to prove the author's own level.

Therefore, Professor Chen's evaluation is already very high.

After saying that, he thought about it for a moment.

"Is Xiao Cui writing a script on a similar topic recently? Forward this document to me and I'll take a look at it."

Professor Chen gave the instructions.

"Okay, I'll send it to you right away."

Duan Shiqing had previously converted the scanned document into a file and sent it directly to Professor Chen's WeChat.

After forwarding the file with some unfamiliarity, Professor Chen became curious again.

"How are this student's grades? Did they get a spot?"

Duan Shiqing immediately looked at Yan Ling, who was eating melon seeds.

"No, Professor Chen, I'm still compiling the statistics, please wait a moment."

Yan Ling immediately sat back down in front of the computer and rolled her eyes at Duan Shiqing.

What's his name?

"Let me see, Zhou Heming, from Jiangcheng Middle School, his admission ticket number is XXXXXX."

By this time, all the papers had been graded, so Duan Shiqing could directly see the names of the test takers.

"Jiangcheng Middle School."

Upon hearing this name, Professor Chen paused slightly as he swiped his phone.

He opened his WeChat friend list, quickly found a profile picture, and clicked on it.

The last time the two had a conversation was on September 10th, when the other person wished them a happy Teachers' Day.

"I've found it."

Yan Ling's voice made Professor Chen and Duan Shiqing unconsciously move closer.

*
Meanwhile, in the office.

Cui Ming looked away from the document on the computer screen, picked up his pipe, took a light puff, and then exhaled swirling white smoke.

"Something."

When Professor Chen forwarded the script, Cui Ming initially thought it was some of his mentor's relatives with literary dreams who had written some "masterpiece" and wanted him to critique it.

Just like amateur scientists in science and engineering, there are also many similar "amateur scientists" in the humanities. They range from history enthusiasts who like to interpret history from unorthodox perspectives and engage in nihilism, to self-proclaimed literary geniuses who can't even write a good limerick.

Due to the inherent subjectivity of the humanities, history and geography are relatively easy to distinguish, but in politics and literature, it's difficult to differentiate between right and wrong. An article that you think is utter nonsense might become a classic in the future.

Therefore, many people like to seek out these professionally trained individuals to embellish their own reputations, or to write something for them to comment on and praise.

But after actually watching it, Cui Ming realized he was wrong.

After thanking Professor Chen, Cui Ming carefully read the script again.

It has to be said that the content of this script coincides with an episode of the web series "Goodbye, Pear" that he is currently preparing. Although the basic character settings are very different, a lot of the content has inspired him.

"I don't know which student wrote it. I hope we can get in touch with them later."

Cui Ming is very professional. If he thinks the script is very good and wants to adapt it, he will directly contact the original author to obtain commercial authorization. After all, it is a commercial web series. If there are plagiarism accusations, it will drag down the entire production team.

"However, this one and the one Lu Bai gave me both seem to be quite good."

Cui Ming opened another document. It contained script ideas from a distant relative of director Lu Ban, with whom he had collaborated several times, and also from an actor who played an important supporting role in one episode of "Goodbye, Pear." He said it was something he had discussed with a friend.

In the past two days, the somewhat neurotic director even visited Ningjiang University with his personal motivational speaker to give Cui Ming a "friendly" face-to-face urging for his manuscript.

The idea behind this script is also quite good, and it shares a similar theme with the current one. However, the question of how to choose between them has become Cui Ming's problem.

and.

"And there's Lao Cheng's star pupil, I wonder how he did on the written test."

Cui Ming recalled Feng Yu's interview experience.

"Although his talent is not top-notch, he may shine brightly in certain specific fields, and he has good character and is worth cultivating."

"I never expected to meet three such talented young people all at once. Are we really getting old?"

Cui Ming took another puff of his pipe, his gaze falling on the graduation photo on the table.

In the photos, Cui Ming, Cheng Lingjun, and the other classmates were all in their prime, full of vigor and ambition, eager to enter the industry and make a name for themselves.

But times have changed. Some have long been buried in their busy lives, some have disappeared without a trace, their fate unknown, and some have forgotten their original aspirations, going along with the crowd. Now, there are very few people who can be contacted or sit down to chat.

"Alright, let's ask Old Cheng how his student did in the exam, whether he passed or not. I remember his name was Zhou Heming?"

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(End of this chapter)