In 1993, Hong Kong actor Kent Cheng went bankrupt. Chow Yun-fat secretly helped him get film offers, Andy Lau gave him a well-paid job, while a protégé he helped let him down. He learned what true friendship really means.
In the Hong Kong film industry of 1993, Cheng Che-shih—who had won the Best Actor award at the Hong Kong Film Awards for *The Lame Hero* just two years earlier—was facing the most devastating setback of his life.In his early years, riding the wave of Hong Kong cinema’s golden age, he had teamed up with a trusted partner to launch a film and television investment project. He had hoped to leverage his connections in the industry to build his career further, but unexpectedly, his partner secretly embezzled all the invested funds. The company he had founded instantly became insolvent and was forced to declare bankruptcy.To settle his debts, he sold off all the real estate and vehicles in his name. The many friends in the industry who had once sought to associate with him because of his fame now went out of their way to avoid him, afraid of being linked to him.
When he was at his wit’s end, the first person he called was Chow Yun-fat. The two had worked together on several Hong Kong films in their early years. Chow Yun-fat, who had always known how proud and independent he was, didn’t directly send him any financial aid; instead, he simply urged him over the phone to hold on for now.At the time, Cheng Che-shih felt a chill run through him. It wasn’t until later, when he gradually began receiving numerous offers from film crews, that he learned through industry contacts that Chow Yun-fat had already quietly spoken highly of him to producers and directors long before he had even asked for help—deliberately waiting until he was ready to return to the screen before accepting these opportunities.
Immediately afterward, he contacted Zhang Weijian, whom he had personally mentored when he was just starting out in the industry. Back then, Zhang Weijian was still working as an extra, and it was Zheng Zesheng who had actively provided him with plenty of on-screen opportunities and guidance on acting. Unexpectedly, instead of a response, he received a court summons.At the time, Zheng Zesheng was living in a small rented apartment, counting every penny even when buying groceries. The stark contrast between the warmth and coldness of human relationships hit him hard. Others couldn’t say for sure who was right or wrong, but he himself felt a mix of emotions.
Just when he was on the verge of giving up, Andy Lau came knocking on his door.The two had collaborated on numerous projects before and had always been on good terms. Without waiting for him to mention any of his difficulties, Andy Lau handed him an offer for a new film, offering a fee three times the industry standard at the time and asking him to serve as the film’s executive producer as well. The payment was transferred to his account that very day.This opportunity not only covered his debt but also carried no hint of charity; it was a dignified gesture fully commensurate with his many years of experience in the industry, sparing him any embarrassment whatsoever.
He struggled through it for ten years, and on the day in 2003 when he paid off his very last debt, he took the final IOU he had left in his hand and set it on fire. Since then, he has never again been as obsessed with money as he once was; when choosing film roles or projects, he now considers only whether they appeal to him.Later, when Andy Lau hit rock bottom after his business venture failed, he was the first to reach out to him—without a moment’s hesitation.
Thirty-three years have flown by, and as Zheng Zesheng looks back on those phone calls he made all those years ago, the old people and events buried in the passage of time are finally coming into focus.True friendship is never just empty promises made while pounding one’s chest at a drinking party; it is the willingness to not kick someone when they’re down, to avoid making excuses or passing the buck, and to quietly lend a helping hand when others are in trouble. It is when someone who has received a kindness remembers that past bond and turns to lend a hand when the other person is facing hardship.
