Chapter 5

In fact, people have a deep prejudice against the so-called "cultural youth." After being spread through the internet, sensitivity, moaning without reason, and pretentiousness have become the labels of cultural youth. They pretend to be ethereal and detached from the world despite being penniless.

This is actually the pseudo-cultural youth, who like the bourgeoisie, the niche, and like to separate themselves from the masses. The more obscure the reading, movies, and songs, the better, as if this gives them a sense of being unique and refined.

Lin Han has met many true cultural youth, who look just like ordinary people but are dedicated to certain aspects of their lives. True culture is not about being pretentious; it is about living a different and meaningful life in the ordinary.

He once met his industry manager, who would write small poems from time to time, and knew a teacher at a nearby technical university who loved singing. He had also seen the photos taken by the owner of a guesthouse in Dali.

These people use cultural works to enrich their lives, cultivate their character, and express themselves. Culture has become a kind of faith for them.

There is no need to go to Tibet to purify the soul, no need to take a 45-degree selfie at Starbucks, and no need to talk about foreign classics all the time. All that is needed is genuine reading and understanding.

Some people think that culture is about being fresh and refined, a life of soy milk, but that is just the entertainment aspect of culture they see.

True culture should be Cui Jian's passionate "Nothing to My Name," the heartfelt singing of Wang Cailing in the TV series "Spring," and Thoreau's continuous search for a spiritual home. It is a kind of spiritual value.

True culture is a faith, a belief in the power of the spirit. Lin Han hopes he can achieve this.

Life must have some pursuit, otherwise, what's the difference from a dried fish?

The types of books in Lin Han's mind are actually not many. He is a typical science fiction enthusiast and is not particularly interested in other genres of novels. Even the most popular "Harry Potter" he only read the first part, but he did finish "The Lord of the Rings."

Good books are always limited. When the production of science fiction novels cannot keep up with his reading, some classic books became his target. He even bought the original novel of "Game of Thrones" because his ex-girlfriend liked the TV series, but before he was transported, he never saw George R.R. Martin finish the novel, a series of his lifetime.

"Maybe I can bring the most classic science fiction novels to this world, along with those science fiction movies," he said to himself, while using the remote control to turn on the TV.

Although he has the original owner's memory, he still feels that he does not fit into this world, lacking a sense of belonging. The simplest way to understand a society is to watch the news and read history.

At this moment, the TV is broadcasting the evening news, with a bunch of unfamiliar political figures interacting and visiting each other, domestic technological achievements, and the suffering of foreign people.

Although it is a bit boring, Lin Han watches it with great interest, carefully matching the positions of these people with those on Earth to better understand them.

After watching the news for half the night, Lin Han goes to bed early. The newly changed sheets fully satisfy his mild obsession with cleanliness. If he had the money, he would replace everything in his home.

He keeps staring at the guitar on the wall. He has never played an instrument, but he admires those who can casually play a chord, finding it very cool and handsome.

The guitar without a case seems a bit off. Is there some dust that hasn't been wiped off? It feels like a cat's paw in his mind. Is it the dust from not being used for a long time?

As he thinks, sleepiness envelops Lin Han. The fatigue of his mind after being transported and the tiredness of his body after cleaning the house all relax at this moment.

He sleeps soundly until around 8:30 in the morning, when the loud sound of whips comes from the nearby park. It is the sound of the elderly men exercising by whipping giant tops.

After washing up in the toilet, Lin Han changes into a more comfortable set of clothes, puts on his wallet, phone, and keys, and prepares to go out to find food and visit the library.

Beijing has the largest library in the country, with an unknown number of books. Lin Han wants to see if there are the books in his memory, which will help him with his future plans.

With a "bang," he closes the door and finds his neighbor, who is walking a German Shepherd, returning. The owner of the German Shepherd is a handsome young man, but the dark circles under his eyes are quite heavy.

"Hey, big director, you haven't moved out yet? I thought you would have slunk back to your hometown to farm. What are you still hanging around in Beijing for? No production team dares to hire you; you shouldn't be in the entertainment industry."

Though he looks good on the outside, he is a mess inside. Lin Han, hearing these open insults, is not bothered but frowns and retorts, "What I do has nothing to do with you, does it?"

After absorbing the original owner's memory, Lin Han immediately recognizes his neighbor. His name is Zhang Qian, an actor. His agency once tried to use connections to get Zhang Qian into the "Beyond the Solar System" production as the third lead, but Lin Han refused.

At that time, no one knew that "Beyond the Solar System" would fail so miserably. With extensive publicity and the support of the book's fans, everyone expected the movie to gross at least 1.5 billion, but it only made less than 50 million.

Zhang Qian had gone through great lengths to get the role of the third lead, which in such a big production would usually go to a rising star or someone with a strong background. Being rejected, it's no wonder he harbored resentment.

However, Zhang Qian was lucky to have missed the movie. The lead actors, who were once top stars, were severely impacted and have not yet returned to their former positions, even after more than a year. This disaster affected not only the original owner but also the actors and investors.

Now, every time Lin Han and Zhang Qian meet as neighbors, they exchange sarcastic remarks. A fallen phoenix is worse than a chicken.

Zhang Qian is very clear about Lin Han's situation of being unofficially blacklisted. Knowing that Lin Han has no strong connections and cannot make a comeback, he finally shows his true colors, as if to vent all the resentment he has accumulated.

"Hehe, it has a lot to do with me, but I know you don't have much money in your account, right? Can you still afford the rent, my big director neighbor? Hahaha, my dream is to win the Oscar for Best Director, just thinking about it makes me laugh. When I get back, I'll have to watch that interview again."

Zhang Qian's laugh is very unpleasant. Lin Han snorts and walks forward, saying with particular disdain, "I don't know when you became a landlord, but you really think you're the police of the Pacific, don't you? Don't bother, talk to me when you get a lead role in a big production, I don't chat with nobodies."

There's no point in talking to such people. Lin Han turns down the corridor and reaches the elevator. At this moment, a young woman in pencil pants catches his eye.

Her black hair is tied back, her long, slender legs paired with a warm-colored sweater, and she makes cheap clothes look like a supermodel. Her slightly made-up face looks very delicate, combining the innocence of a girl and the allure of a woman.

She is also the original owner's neighbor. "Lin Han, if you can't afford the rent now, I can lend you some. Don't listen to Zhang Qian; he didn't mean it."

"Thank you for your kindness, but I'll walk my own path and let others talk."

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