Barbara Yung, a lively fish
"People say being loved is happiness, so why don’t I feel it at all?" Barbara Yung asked with a laugh.
"Because you love him more than he loves you. He’s the one being loved."
"Is that so?" Her eyes crinkled into crescent moons as she giggled coyly, "Go ask him, go ask him!"
Of course, I didn’t actually go ask Kent Tong (湯鎮業): Do you love her more, or does she love you more? Matters of the heart are best left without outside opinions. But Barbara’s remark—"Why don’t I feel it?"—brought to mind little moments where the sense that "he’s the one being loved" became unmistakable.
Half a year earlier, on an afternoon when Barbara and Michael Miu (苗僑偉) were leaving for a performance abroad, Kent Tong and Jamie Chik (戚美珍) came to see them off at the airport.
That day, Barbara’s suppressed emotions overflowed. This usually sweet and playful girl broke down in bitter tears.
In the airport restaurant, Jamie and Michael sat at a small table, whispering tenderly, lost in their own world. And Barbara? Beside her, Kent was yawning repeatedly, as if he couldn’t even muster the energy to speak.
His indifference stung her deeply. Seeing how attentively Michael doted on Jamie only made her feel more neglected. A wave of sadness and humiliation washed over her, and her tears began to fall.
Her crying startled everyone around her, even Kent was taken aback.
The poor girl was too upset to speak. Tears streaked down her face, dripping slowly onto the lace of her dress.
Kent stared in confusion, completely baffled by her outburst. It’s just a short separation, why so dramatic? he must have thought.
From a few tables away, Michael, assuming it was just a lovers’ quarrel, remarked, "Just give in to her, isn’t that easier?"
But Jamie understood. Girls’ hearts are much the same. She shot Kent a meaningful glance.
At first, Kent didn’t get it. He muttered, What’s going on with girls?
Barbara’s tears kept flowing, but her beloved remained unresponsive, which only deepened her hurt.
The others at the send-off watched awkwardly as she sat there crying, Kent frozen beside her, unsure how to comfort her. Strangers nearby kept staring.
It was an excruciating moment.
Meanwhile, Michael held Jamie’s hand and whispered, "What’s upsetting her?"
Jamie smiled sweetly at him, her face glowing with contentment and joy.
When Kent finally noticed their tender exchange, even the densest person would’ve understood. Barbara, no longer holding back, let out a loud sob.
It was a scene straight out of a young girl’s romantic fantasy. Kent finally leaned in, kissing her tear-streaked cheek, murmuring sweet nothings as he held her close. Before long, Barbara’s tears turned to smiles.
Once she wiped her eyes, she looked up, her usual clever, lively grin back in place.
Looking back, she laughed at her own childishness.
Yet, it was clear just how important this boyfriend was in her life.
"Go ask him, go ask him," she repeated, "See who he thinks is more important to whom."
As she spoke, Barbara’s expressions were animated, her big eyes blinking, her prominent front teeth adding to her playful charm.
Perhaps this was why she stood out in the entertainment world.
"Many say I’m lucky, but honestly, I’ve had my share of hardships," she admitted.
Her "hardships" came from feeling she’d endured much, learning the fickleness of human nature. Still, compared to actors who struggled for a decade without success, she had it better, didn’t she?
"I suppose," she conceded.
TV had brought her fame, fortune, and a deep love. No matter what the future held, the sweetness of romance made the inevitable struggles of work easier to bear.
"If I marry and my husband says, ‘Quit acting,’ then I’ll leave the industry."
She didn’t know if her future husband would be Kent,after all, the future was unpredictable. But for now, just seeing him made her happy.
"People say, ‘Barbara, you’re so career-driven.’ But I’m not. I just believe in doing things well. If I marry, I’ll be a good wife. If my husband doesn’t want me working, I’ll happily be a housewife."
Before that day came, she renewed her contract with TVB for five more years.
Five years—no short commitment. Many actors hesitated at such a long term. Yet she didn’t think twice, handing another five years of her youth to the network.
"Because I have no choice," she said. "Unless I quit TV entirely, five years is the only option. I don’t insist on two or three years because, to me, there’s no big difference. Maybe it’s because I’m a girl, if I decide to marry anytime, the company won’t stop me. As long as I don’t appear on rival networks, it’s fine if I stop acting after marriage."
Barbara tilted her head, her expression dreamy, lost in thoughts of marriage.
"Love is exhausting," she sighed. "And I’m so emotional. When I’ll marry is still a mystery."
Life is just one mystery after another, it’s all about how you unravel and accept them.
If Barbara hadn’t entered showbiz, she might never have met Kent.
"But then I’d have met someone else," she giggled. "There’s no escaping it."
Like most girls, Barbara adored being enveloped in love. Mentioning her sweetheart brought endless softness and joy to her eyes.
Just watching her, even my own heart felt lighter.
I didn’t ask: When Kent is with you, how does he adore you? When he holds your hand, how does it make you feel?
If I had, she’d surely say again: "Go ask him, go ask him!", her eyes eager, like a child waiting for an answer.
"Sometimes I really do feel like a kid who never grew up," she admitted.
She called herself overly sentimental.
"I cry at the smallest things. Even when singing, if the lyrics are sad, I’ll start laughing mid-song. Good thing I’m not a professional singer, otherwise, I’d die of tears."
Yet at this moment, she was all smiles.
"I can’t promise when I’ll suddenly get sad. In the blink of an eye, I might be overcome with sorrow." She blinked her big, dewy eyes, grinning mischievously. "Don’t let me cry on you then."
Barbara’s lovely face was like an ever-shifting painting, her expressions fluid. In just thirty minutes, she cycled through countless moods, playful sulking, light melancholy, vivacity, raw emotion. Regardless of how well you knew her, it was impossible not to be enchanted.
Barbara was delightful, her charm flowing like a lively little fish.
Kent, what incredible fortune brought you to her?
"Go ask him!" She giggled, offering the same cheeky reply.
翁美玲一条活泼的鱼!
“人们说被爱是幸福的，可为什么我一点也感觉不到？” 翁美玲笑着问道。
“因为你爱他多于他爱你。他才是被爱的那个。”
“是吗？” 她眯起眼睛笑得像月牙，撒娇似地说：“你去问他，你去问他！”
我当然没有去问汤镇业：你爱她更多，还是她爱你更多？ 感情的事，外人最好别“多嘴”。但翁美玲那句“我怎么不觉得？” 却让我想起一些片段，那种“他才是被爱”的感觉油然而生。
半年前的一个下午，翁美玲和苗侨伟到外地演出，汤镇业和戚美珍来送机。
那天，翁美玲压抑的情绪突然爆发了。这个平日娇俏的小姑娘，狠狠地哭了一场。
在机场餐厅里，戚美珍和苗侨伟坐在小桌旁轻声细语，依依惜别。而翁美玲呢？她身边的小汤呵欠连连，连话都懒得说。
他的冷淡让翁美玲很难受，再加上看到苗侨伟对戚美珍的温柔呵护，她更觉得自己被冷落。一时间，伤心和“没面子”的情绪涌上心头，眼泪止不住地往下掉。
看到她哭，周围的人都吓了一跳，汤镇业也愣住了。
而这小姑娘，难过得说不出话，任由泪水爬满脸颊，再一滴滴落在裙子的花边上。
汤镇业完全不明白她为什么哭，心想：不过是短暂分开几天，至于这么难过吗？
隔了几张桌子的苗侨伟以为是小情侣闹别扭，劝道：“让让她不就好了？”
但戚美珍看懂了——女孩子的心事，大抵相似。她朝汤镇业使了个眼色。
汤镇业起初还没反应过来，嘀咕着：女孩子到底怎么回事？
翁美玲的眼泪越流越多，可心上人毫无反应，她心里更难受了。
其他送机的人见她坐着掉眼泪，小汤却呆呆站在一旁，都不知道该怎么劝。连陌生人也频频侧目。
那一刻，真是尴尬极了。
另一边，苗侨伟握着戚美珍的手，轻声问：“她为什么不开心？”
戚美珍甜甜一笑，脸上写满幸福和满足。
汤镇业看到他们的样子，再迟钝也该明白了。翁美玲的眼泪彻底决堤，索性“哇”的一声哭了出来。
少女的情怀总是诗。小汤终于低下头，轻轻吻了吻她的脸，搂住她的肩，柔声说着情话。翁美玲靠在他怀里，没多久，眼泪就化作了笑容。
擦干眼泪后，她一抬头，又恢复了那个熟悉的、灵动的笑容。
回想起来，她只觉得当时的自己孩子气。
但我们却能感受到，这个男朋友在她生命中有多重要。
“你去问他，你去问他，” 她重复道，“看他觉得我们谁对谁更重要。”
翁美玲说话时表情丰富，大眼睛忽闪忽闪，配上两颗可爱的兔牙，显得格外灵动活泼。
或许，这正是她在影视圈脱颖而出的原因。
“很多人说我幸运，其实我也挺‘惨’的。”
她的“惨”，是因为觉得自己“吃过不少苦”，深深体会过“人情冷暖”。但比起那些熬了十年仍半红不黑的艺人，她已经好多了吧？
“算是吧。” 她承认道。
电视圈带给她名利，也带给她一份浓烈的爱情。无论未来如何，蜜糖般的爱情暂时冲淡了工作中不可避免的艰辛。
“如果结婚后丈夫说‘别拍戏了’，那我就退出娱乐圈。”
她不知道未来的丈夫会不会是汤镇业——毕竟世事难料。但现在，只要见到他，她就很开心。
“很多人说，‘翁美玲，你事业心很强’，其实不是。我只是做事就要做好。将来结了婚，我也会做个好太太。如果丈夫不喜欢我工作，我就安心当主妇。”
在成为主妇前，她又和无线续签了五年合约。
五年，不是短时间。许多艺人因此犹豫，但她毫不犹豫地把五年青春交给了无线电视台。
“因为我没得选，” 她说，“除非不拍电视，否则只能签五年。我不坚持只签两三年，是因为觉得三年和五年没太大差别。可能因为我是女孩子吧，我想，如果我突然结婚，公司也不会拦着。只要不去其他台，婚后不演戏也没关系。”
说到“结婚”时，翁美玲歪着头，一脸憧憬。
“感情很折磨人，” 她说，“我又是个很情绪化的人，什么时候结婚，也是个谜。”
人生本就是一个接一个的谜，关键在于如何解开和接受。
如果翁美玲没进娱乐圈，或许不会认识汤镇业。
“但我可能会认识别人呀，” 她娇俏一笑，“反正逃不掉的。”
和大多数女孩一样，翁美玲喜欢被浓烈的爱包围。提到心上人时，眉梢眼角尽是藏不住的温柔与欢喜。
看着她，连旁人的心也不自觉柔软起来。
我没问：汤镇业和你在一起时，他有多沉醉？他轻轻握住你的手时，你又是怎样的心情？
如果问了，她一定又会说：“你去问他，你去问他！”——眼里满是热切，像个等答案的孩子。
“有时候，我真觉得自己像个长不大的孩子。”
她说自己太感性了。
“特别容易触景生情。就连唱歌时，如果歌词太悲伤，我会唱着唱着哭出来。幸好我不是职业歌手，不然肯定‘哭死’。”
此刻的她却笑意盈盈。
“我不敢保证自己什么时候会突然伤感，说不定一眨眼就悲从中来。” 她眨着水汪汪的大眼睛，调皮地笑道：“到时候可别被我吓到哦。”
翁美玲的俏脸像一幅变幻的画，神采流转。短短三十分钟里，她展现了嗔怪、轻怨、活泼、真情……无论交情深浅，都让人看得入迷。
翁美玲是可爱的，她的情韵如一条灵动的小鱼。
小汤，你真是几世修来的福气啊。
“你去问他嘛！” 她咯咯笑着，又一次这样说道。
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