Chapter 1

At the press conference for "Gone with the Lipstick," a reporter asked me how I would evaluate my performance. If it were the old me, I could hardly imagine myself brazenly saying, "I performed quite well; I might even win Best Actress."

I do not know when I fell in love with him, perhaps it was when he invited me to dine at upscale restaurants. He smiles like a playboy, yet he is particularly restrained, never being abrupt with me. The most intimate gesture he makes is simply to ruffle my hair

My mother and I have lived in the mainland for a long time, and from what we have observed, being a celebrity is truly glamorous and dazzling. One does not even need to be extremely famous; having a modest level of recognition is enough to earn a substantial fortune.

However, after all, it is one's own achievement, and no matter how bad it is, it can be tolerated, which is not very objective. The best food critic I can think of—my beloved, Fang Bo'an—is at this moment accompanying a woman to shop at the mall, having dinner together, kissing in the car, and then sending her to the airport

Fang Bo'an did not come; was it because he did not see the ticket, or is there another reason holding him back

Continuing on, I have already fallen out with Fang Bo'an, and no one will buy me any awards now

The reason I immediately suspected something was amiss with this nomination is that I clearly remember on the first day at the filming location, I was completely at a loss, which left Director Huang very dissatisfied. After several days, I still made no progress at all, and he directly slammed the script down in front of the monitor and walked away.

He raised his eyes to look at me, gently arching his eyebrows

Once again receiving the filming notice, I gathered my spirits and arrived at the scene early, asking other actors to help me rehearse. I vowed to be a good student, at the very least not to force the teacher to reprint the exam paper

I couldn't tell whether he was being sarcastic or serious, and I didn't know how to respond. After a moment of hesitation, I replied, "Alright."

As soon as the thought crossed my mind, I took action and went out to the supermarket to buy ingredients. In the end, I followed an online recipe and made a dish of curry chicken thighs and a cheese and egg sandwich, which turned out to be quite tasty

By reading more entertainment magazines, one will come to know that my mentor, Fang Bo'an, is the chairman of Taifeng Group, Ji Zi. He was sent to study in the United Kingdom at a young age, made his first investment at eighteen, co-founded a company with friends at twenty-two, and at the age of thirty-five, he remains effortlessly charming, able to summon the wind and rain at will

In recent years, the mainland film market has developed rapidly, with an increasing output of films, regardless of their quality; it is better to have more than none. By the twenty-first century, the mainland has evidently become a significant box office for global cinema, with a continuous emergence of new directors and new actors.

When I heard this news, the first thought that came to my mind was: Has someone bought me an award?

Are you saying that I am outdated

He grasped my wrist and suddenly pulled me to sit on his lap. He took down the cigarette and placed my hand on the piano keys, the sound tinged with tobacco wafting into my ears, "I will teach you"

Perhaps it was he who allowed me to take his arm and enter the private cocktail party, to experience the extravagance of life, yet he did not permit me to indulge beyond 1:00 AM, insisting on sending me home. His friends joked, saying, "Be careful not to lose your glass slipper." He merely smiled without rebuttal, leaving me to ponder endlessly

I understand, I understand, it is like the recent trend of using retro filters to enhance photos, which is a form of compliment

Two months after the completion of the MV shoot, Meng Shengping personally called me to express his gratitude for the MV I helped him shoot, stating that he liked it very much. He also casually asked if I would like to attend his concert

In the midst of my surprise, I said, "My house does not have a garage." He logically replied, "Then let's find a house that has a garage."

I am quite familiar with the name Meng Shengping, but I do not know much about the person himself. Moreover, his appearance is not of the type I appreciate, and I do not enjoy listening to his songs. Therefore, when I saw him at the filming site shaking hands with everyone and saying "thank you for your hard work," then quietly taking a wet tissue from his assistant to wipe his hands, and subsequently engaging in a lively discussion about charity with the MV director, I inexplicably found him to be somewhat hypocritical

The reason I know so much detail is that all of this is published on the cover of a gossip magazine, with a headline that is typical of the magazine's sensationalism, implying that Fang Bo'an and her former lover have rekindled their romance and are sweetly going out together

It may be because music videos were introduced earlier than films, the widely circulated version regarding my entry into the industry is that Meng Shengping, with his discerning eye, recommended me to Director Huang Zifan

Over the years, Meng Shengping's popularity remains as strong as ever, maintaining an annual concert where ticket acquisition relies on luck and scalpers (the term 'scalpers' should be omitted, as Teacher Meng cannot stand these two words and will get angry). The seat he reserved for me is very close to the stage, ensuring a fantastic visual experience

However, what took me by surprise was the Best Actress nomination that this film brought me

In fact, my emotional fluctuations are not significant; I even feel a great deal of sympathy for Director Huang. I am the leading actress determined by the production team, and he cannot replace me. However, he is known for being temperamental, and if provoked, he might resign from his position.

By the time my first film was released, I had been with him for a year. He likes cheerful, confident, and radiant women, which has subtly influenced a change in my personality.

Despite some disagreement from my family, I have still decided to take this step, which has led to the creation of today's Tang Yike

It is necessary to mention a person—Meng Shengping. He should be an idol for my mother's generation. Perhaps due to his baby-faced appearance, he looks increasingly youthful, and does not exhibit the stiffness often associated with cosmetic procedures, which is quite remarkable

With Huang Dao's departure, the entire crew was put on hold. It is said that he had an extensive discussion with the screenwriter throughout the night, making sweeping changes to the script, which delayed the process by five or six days. The script that eventually reached my hands seemed to still retain the warmth of just having come out of the printer

In the blink of an eye, the film has wrapped up, a bouquet of flowers is presented to me, and the sound of congratulatory applause fills the air. My agent takes me around for photos, yet I remain somewhat detached, as if I have only just begun to grasp a hint of the experience. The distance feels like that of a seasoned veteran on set, still a long way to go before it truly feels complete.

Next, I should talk about how Fang Bo'an and I parted ways

Thus, I naturally moved out of my grandparents' house to live independently

Later, we met in person. By that time, I had gained considerable insights into acting, and I truly regarded Director Huang as my mentor. His unrelenting criticism greatly benefited me, not to mention that he earnestly taught me how to face the camera

Before the concert began, I looked around in boredom, and it was truly a sea of people. As soon as the lights went out, the screams erupted, the stage lights illuminated, and classic songs played one after another, yet the seat next to me remained empty.

After completing the roadshow in the mainland and bidding farewell to another winter, I have no work arrangements this week. I returned from school, lay on the sofa, and on a whim, I decided to learn cooking

Since it was Fang Bo'an who invited me into the industry, it is impossible for him to only let me play a minor role

I walked over and leaned against the piano

The agent comforted me by saying that Director Huang is a great director with a strong temperament, and everyone has experienced it; it is not that your performance was poor. I was just afraid that I would cry on the spot and then go to complain to Fang Bo'an

Otherwise, he would take me to the home of a famous director, where, while having afternoon tea, he would sit at the piano with a cigarette in his mouth and play Bach's Goldberg Variations

Since Hollywood began to dominate the Hong Kong film market, the golden era of Hong Kong cinema has slipped away like a handful of quicksand, flowing into the river of history, never to be retrieved. A multitude of Hong Kong filmmakers have turned their attention to the mainland.

Fang Bo'an rented an apartment to me, which includes a bedroom. The kitchen, bathroom, and living room are all mini-sized, but the furniture and facilities are complete. Notably, the view from the window overlooks Victoria Harbour, so it is understandable that the rent is quite high

My Screen | Directed by female filmmaker Huang Zifan, "Floating Lipstick" is an action, drama, and light science fiction film with a touch of cyberpunk style. Although it does not have a high box office reputation, it is still passable. Huang Zifan's name remains prominent.

Their preferential treatment towards me is, in fact, another form of restriction. I wish to engage with production teams outside of the Hong Kong circle, but it is nearly impossible

The Hong Kong film industry seeks to share in the profits and must produce films that cater to the tastes of mainland audiences, while also nurturing its own talent, of which I am one.

I was somewhat surprised that he still remembered me, because in this music video, he did not need to appear on screen. He came to the venue just to greet the staff, and apart from handing me a bottle of drink, we hardly exchanged a few words from beginning to end

I honestly answered, "I cannot play."

In my eyes, Fang Bo'an is Nile Blue, a hue that lies between green and blue. It resembles the emotional world of adults, which is vague and ambiguous, mixed with many elements, and sometimes involves more than just two people. Gone are the days of adolescent indecision, where one must hear the other say "I like you" for the heart to find its peace and settle down.

Who would have thought, it was just a little bit away

The gossip goes that even during his rebellious phase when he ran away from home, he went to France to race horses. With countless affections concentrated on him, having never experienced the hardships of the world, he naturally possesses a certain aristocratic demeanor

My fan friends should all know that I like blue

Later on, I learned by chance that after I left the private room that night, the people inside began to discuss me. However, it was merely a minor episode, and among them, someone remarked that I resembled a female star from the Shōwa era

I cannot precisely articulate the nature of my relationship with him, but I am well aware—I must not inquire too deeply

In their view, actors do not possess a halo; they are merely a profession, which equates to hard work without substantial financial reward. Furthermore, they are followed by paparazzi when they go out, and whatever they do is reported in the newspapers, leaving no room for privacy.

Meng Shengping entrusted someone to bring me two concert tickets. When Fang Bo'an invited me to watch the musical, I secretly slipped one of the tickets into his wallet.

To celebrate the arrival of my first payment, Fang Bo'an gifted me a red convertible sports car

Not long after the completion of "The Floating Lipstick," the company arranged for me to shoot the music video for Meng Shengping's new song

My name and photo are also in the lower right corner, as for the content inside, I did not open it to see.

At that time, my agent also candidly remarked that I was indeed quite fortunate

At first, my grandparents opposed my decision to become an actor. They believed that I should focus on completing my studies, then intern at a large company, and become a white-collar worker in an office.

Director Huang had no time for pleasantries, as there were many tasks awaiting his supervision. He only said to me, "Without you, there is no this play. You are talented; in the future, watch more and think more, and you will go further."