Chapter 3

Taking a long breath, Yin Jun lay on the bed, his thoughts a tangled mess.

Yin Jun should have been living in 2020, and he would have been 28 this year.

An orphan from a young age, he had always excelled academically, thus earning scholarships throughout his education and eventually graduating smoothly from university.

However, in that era, finding a good job was just as difficult. After much effort, Yin Jun finally landed a job at a small magazine.

The magazine was run by a wealthy young man who, in his youth, had been crazily infatuated with the stars of the 1980s and 1990s, especially those from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the West. Therefore, he created this magazine to commemorate the golden age of entertainment in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the West.

For the first three years, Yin Jun assisted the chief editor in gathering various materials. In the following three years, the chief editor, dissatisfied with the low salary and lack of prospects, left, and Yin Jun took over his position.

The magazine, published monthly, was not very popular, but due to Yin Jun's dedication, it did not disappoint the wealthy young boss. He would often give many copies to his group of friends, and the exquisite photos and interesting, detailed articles earned him a lot of face. Thus, the magazine managed to maintain a decent existence.

Yin Jun, not content with just his work, would also occasionally publish articles online and discuss them with his online friends, leading to a very interesting and fulfilling life.

Due to his busy work schedule and lack of money, Yin Jun did not have a girlfriend for the first few years. However, in recent years, he began to yearn for a family life. With the help of a group of aunties he met while jogging in the park, he attended several blind dates.

Unfortunately, he never found the right match.

Actually, this was partly due to Yin Jun himself. In his daily work, he was always in contact with top-tier beauties—though only in movies, TV shows, and pictures, these images were deeply etched in his mind.

Compared to them, ordinary girls in reality naturally seemed much less appealing.

Just as Yin Jun was telling himself to be more realistic and find a gentle and virtuous girl, he accidentally ran back to Hong Kong several decades ago.

Although Yin Jun did not yet know exactly which year he had returned to, from the appearance of Guan Zhilin, it was clear that it was before 1980. Guan Zhilin was born in 1962 and entered the entertainment industry at around 18, so this youthful look suggested it was at least a couple of years before that.

Not knowing how he had ended up here, but being certain that he was not dreaming and was indeed standing in Hong Kong several decades ago, was enough for him.

The most prosperous era of Hong Kong entertainment was roughly from the 1980s to the 1990s, a period of about 15 years, or at most 20 years. After that, it began to decline and gradually faded from people's view.

In the era in which Yin Jun lived, people could easily name Korean and Western stars. However, when it came to the era that gave the people of the 1970s and 1980s their deepest and most beautiful memories, many young people were completely unaware. At most, they might recognize a few aging male stars who occasionally appeared in movies, but they were no longer the mainstream.

Yin Jun did not initially understand this era, but as his work brought him into contact with it, he became deeply fascinated.

Whether it was the music, TV shows, or movies from Hong Kong and Taiwan, they were absolutely the most captivating and mesmerizing to the Chinese people at that time.

Although they eventually faded, the emotions and love they evoked remained.

When chatting with friends born in the 1970s and 1980s, they often mentioned this. Although the memories had gradually faded, the passion of those days still occasionally surfaced, turning into a heartfelt smile.

Perhaps it was for this reason that when Zhou Xingchi's movie was released, it achieved a nearly miraculous box office of 3.39 billion yuan in mainland China, stunning even the Americans who were used to high box office numbers, let alone the previous record of just over 10 billion yuan two years ago and just over 20 billion yuan the year before.

"We all owe Xingchi a movie ticket."

This was the most common phrase Yin Jun heard when interviewing people at the cinema entrance.

Perhaps this was the sentiment of that era!

Yin Jun, born in 1992, also loved the stars of that era in Hong Kong, but he never imagined that he would one day return to over 40 years ago, and at such a perfect time in Hong Kong.

What he had never dared to dream of had suddenly become a reality, which left Yin Jun deeply shaken.

Even when Guan Shihua called him for lunch, Yin Jun was still caught up in a whirl of emotions—excitement, anxiety, happiness, worry, excitement, confusion, and more.

Yin Jun was naturally handsome, with a touch of elegance, which was why Guan Zhilin had stared at him so intently.

Before eating, he changed into a simple T-shirt and shorts that Guan Shan had prepared for him, making him even more appealing.

Guan Zhilin, at the age of 16, was in the prime of her youth. Used to seeing dark-skinned, thin classmates, she naturally had a good impression of Yin Jun.

Perhaps because he was also from the mainland and was a handsome young man himself, Guan Shan was also kind to Yin Jun, inviting him to have a check-up at a bone clinic after lunch to see if he had any injuries, and then helping him get an ID card.

Zhang Bingqian, however, asked casually, "Junzi, you swam all the way here. Do you have any plans for the future?"

Yin Jun was not very sociable, but he was very observant.

When Zhang Bingqian pulled Guan Zhilin away from the room earlier, he had noticed that she seemed unwilling to let Guan Zhilin interact with him much.

Yin Jun guessed that it might be because he was poor and had nothing, and Zhang Bingqian did not want her daughter to develop feelings for someone her age and then have things progress from there.

During the meal and conversation, Yin Jun had subtly gathered some information.

It was 1978, a period of rapid economic development in Hong Kong. Many people were swimming to Hong Kong, and many were younger than Yin Jun, so Guan Shan and Zhang Bingqian did not suspect how he had arrived.

Guan Zhilin was about to turn 16, the perfect age for romance. Given Guan Shan and Zhang Bingqian's status, Guan Zhilin should focus on her studies and then grow up to become a high-level executive or follow her parents into the entertainment industry to become a famous star.

Stars, however, should not fall in love too early, especially with a poor young man like Yin Jun who had swum to Hong Kong.

Understanding Zhang Bingqian's concerns, Yin Jun did not get angry. They had taken him in and were helping him get an ID card, allowing him to stay in Hong Kong legally, which was a great kindness. He should not hold a grudge against Zhang Bingqian—after all, if he had a daughter in the future, he might think the same way.

After some thought, Yin Jun said, "I don't have any special skills, so I'll start from the basics. After getting my ID card, I'll find a factory or restaurant that provides room and board to support myself."

"That's a good attitude. You have to work hard to succeed," Guan Shan said, pleased. "I also worked hard to get where I am today! Work hard, Junzi, and you can make a name for yourself!"

"Good luck!" Guan Zhilin chimed in, though it was clear she was just being playful.

Zhang Bingqian's expression relaxed upon hearing Yin Jun's words.

As long as this young man had a sense of self-awareness, she did not mind letting him stay for a while.

After lunch, Guan Shan drove his Toyota to take Yin Jun to the bone clinic and the police station, returning home after about two or three hours.

Guan Shan was clearly very busy. After dropping Yin Jun off, he drove out again, saying he might not be back for dinner.

Guan Zhilin was not at home either. Zhang Bingqian was teaching her son to paint, and the maid was preparing dinner. Yin Jun returned to his temporary room alone.

The Guan family's living conditions were quite good, and they lived in a detached villa—called a "big house" in Hong Kong—so they had a small guest room for Yin Jun to stay in.

However, based on Yin Jun's understanding of Guan Zhilin, such good times would not last long. Around 1980, Guan Shan's film company would go bankrupt, plunging the Guan family into financial difficulties.

At that time, Guan Zhilin would have to work in the entertainment industry to support her family, thus spending the majority of her life taking care of her parents and brother.

According to some reports, Guan Zhilin's love for money was largely due to the financial needs of her family, who required a comfortable life.

This was evident from a statement she made when she wrote her will at the age of 40.

"My parents and brother depend on me more than I depend on them, so if I don't prepare in advance, I'm worried about their future well-being."

Of course, she also enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle. After tasting the sweetness of getting money from men, she naturally did not want to work hard to earn money, leading to many regrets.

According to the information on Baidu, Zhang Bingqian and Guan Shihua had already moved to the United States in 1975, but the fact that Yin Jun saw them still in Hong Kong suggested that the information was incorrect.

It made sense.

In 1975, Guan Zhilin was only 13. No matter how much Zhang Bingqian loved her son, she could not have left her daughter behind to go with her son.

Even if Zhang Bingqian hated Guan Shan for his infidelity, she should have taken her daughter with her.

Could a mother really leave her 13-year-old daughter with a father who often did not come home?

No matter how heartless she was, she could not do that!

(Thank you to Bookworm Yi Lao, Wandering Wind, and Yi Style Novel for the first chapter support. During the public version period, I will generally update one chapter in the morning around 9 AM and another in the evening around 6 or 7 PM. Please shower me with endless support, collections, and recommendations!)

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