A family of intellectuals who are good at art
Born into a family of intellectuals and parents who were teachers, Wu Xiangmei practiced liberal educational ideas, believing that their children should be fully respected and able to freely explore their own growth path.
In such a warm and relaxed atmosphere, Xiaomei has shown a strong interest in performing arts since she was a child.
After entering secondary school, she joined the school's drama troupe without hesitation. Even though she has to practice her voice and memorize lines every day, even if she is often busy until late to go home, Xiang Mei's eyes always shine with happiness.
Under the guidance of her seniors, her increasingly skilled and wonderful acting skills have also been appreciated by her teachers.
In her junior year of high school, Xiang Mei planned to be admitted to the Central Academy of Drama and seriously study her favorite acting career. However, her parents wanted her to study at a prestigious university and serve the motherland.
It's long overdue, and dreams come true
The days at Tianjin University were monotonous and boring, and although Xiang Mei diligently completed all her homework, she always felt that she was missing a piece of her heart. Until one day, the well-known director Xie Jin wrote to her and invited her to audition for a role in the new drama "Women's Basketball No. 5".
Xiang Mei was surprised, it turned out that a relative sent her photo to the crew, and the director fell in love with her temperament at a glance.
Getting this opportunity, Xiang Mei was simply ecstatic. She immediately took a leave of absence and began an intensive month-long training session. In order to play a good player, she insisted on running and playing ball every day until her legs were sore.
However, thinking that the acting career she had been dreaming of for a long time was right in front of her, Xiang Mei's heart was full of strength.
As soon as the show started, it was an unprecedented success. The audience was all moved by the moving plot, and was also infected by the sincere and warm friendship of the characters. On the set, Xiang Mei was like-minded with other actors and became close friends.
When everyone's eyes sparkled, she knew she had finally found her heart.
A double harvest of work and romance
At the film studio, Xiang Mei met her future husband Chi Xi. At that time, Chi Xi Dao was only a small staff member of the production team, but he was enthusiastic about his work and often worked overtime until late at night.
The two met frequently in the workplace and gradually became acquainted.
In 1959, after getting along and getting to know each other, Xiang Mei and Chi Xi finally entered the palace of marriage. Their relationship is very good, and after marriage, Xiang Mei will often visit her husband's office, and send snacks made by herself every once in a while.
Witnessing his lover's promotion step by step, Xiang Mei is extremely proud of him.
Soon after their marriage, their son Chi Jing was also born. Despite this, Xiang Mei did not give up on her career. When her son was just 100 days old, she returned to the film team and starred in many well-known works.
With work and family at the same time, she has become a role model for many people to learn from Xi.
The family comes first and then goes out of the mountain
In 1966, Xiang Mei's screen career came to an abrupt end. In that particular era, people like her with a bourgeois family background became scapegoats, and no matter how talented they were, they were useless.
Those ten years were her darkest and most chaotic years, she lost her job, her family was scattered, and only Chi Jing's small tree became her spiritual sustenance.
It wasn't until 1977 that the environment finally improved, and Xiang Mei was relieved. With the strong support of her husband and son, she re-entered the entertainment industry and participated in a number of hit TV series.
The audience saw that Chi Jing, who had grown up, could already take charge on her own, and they were sincerely happy that Xiang Mei's career was back on track.
After entering middle age, Xiang Mei gradually put more attention to her family. She will spend a lot of time with Chi Jing to learn Xi life, and the two generations have become friends. I often take my husband out for a walk and visit landmarks.
Even if she is no longer filming, Xiang Mei also feels that her life is complete.
Rumors and turmoil, husband and wife depend on each other
Xiang Mei and Chi Xi were enjoying their retirement when their peace was shattered by an anonymous post. In 2021, someone published an article online slandering Xiang Mei's children for being unfilial and living in embarrassment.
These fabricated rumors immediately went viral on the Internet, causing an uproar in public opinion.
At first, both Xiang Mei and Chi Xi Dao were hit by the malicious description in the post. They can't understand why someone would make something out of nothing, deliberately create facts, and hurt others.
Fortunately, their son Chi Jing quickly found out about this post and clarified the facts for his parents as soon as possible to stop the rumors from spreading.
With the help of his son, the turmoil finally subsided. Xiang Mei and Chi Xi said that they relaxed and snuggled up to each other. Even at the age of eighty, their love can still overcome difficulties and never break up lightly.
The white head is not separated, and now waits
Today, Xiang Mei and Chi Xi Dao have grown old and can be called a model of affection. Although their children are not around, they will often call home and care about the daily life of the old couple.
Every Spring Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival, Chi Jing will also bring her family back to Beijing from abroad to reunite with her parents.
Looking at the juniors surrounding their knees, Xiang Mei and Chi Xi Dao had happy smiles on their faces. Although they are faltering in their seventies and eighties, they still get up early every day, lean together to read newspapers, play chess, chat, and complain to each other.
They have used more than 60 years of watching and helping each other to deduce the true meaning of life.