National Tide 1980.

In 1989, the people in Sunjia Village, Baoding Prefecture, Hebei Province were busy with more important matters.

In fact, the people of Sunjia Village were no longer accustomed to holding outdoor meetings, but on this day they suddenly held it again, with tables set up on the threshing ground and colorful flags hung.

The villagers of Sunjia Village rushed to tell each other the news as if they had discovered a new continent. They came to the threshing ground, stopped to watch, and speculated what big event was going to happen.

The matter was discussed at the village chief's house. Apart from the two Sun brothers, there were only the village chief and his wife. The next day, the village chief and several members of the village committee held a small meeting and the matter was settled.

A village meeting was to be held that afternoon, so the news did not fully leak out. The people who had come to the scene to watch the excitement immediately became buzzing with discussion, saying all sorts of things.

When the conference officially started, the scene was even more lively. Everyone was excited to hear that Sun Wufu had brought everyone an opportunity to get rich and that they could go to Japan together.

The scene was like a pot of boiling water, boiling non-stop.

No matter how much the village chief shouted, the crowd just wouldn't calm down, and he almost couldn't control the situation.

Although some people are more skeptical, they are short-sighted and selfish after all. They have complaints about whether their safety is guaranteed when going to Japan, whether they can earn money, and whether they will have to take one month less of salary and have to pay it to the village committee for free.

But after Sun Wufu personally came on stage to explain the reasons and answer questions, everyone thought about it and discussed it over and over again, and finally felt relieved. They also felt that paying one month's salary to the village committee was the most fair and reasonable method.

After all, those who can go to Japan to work have already received the greatest benefits. Everyone should share a little with those from their hometown and village who cannot go. Taking care of the vulnerable groups is also their due.

Moreover, even if someone goes to Japan to make money, there are still people in their family left in the village. Since everyone can get a share, it is not considered a loss at all.

So the rest of the things were easy. We went back to discuss the matter and decided that all the candidates who had registered would go to the county hospital for a physical examination in three days. Those with health problems would not be allowed to go.

Sun Wufu's brother Sun Sixi was also promoted to the village committee because of this incident. The village director Sun Qingyou made the decision to set up a position specifically for him - Overseas Economic Committee Member.

Although this matter seems a bit unfair, surprisingly, everyone is convinced.

Since you are convinced, it is fair.

A week later, the impact of this incident spread to the surrounding areas of Sunjia Village. Almost all the people in Sunjia Village, whether they were going to Japan or not, were in high spirits. Whenever they met others, they would spread the news of Sun Wufu's good deeds and tell others the story of their village's fortune.

Many people were envious after hearing this, even if they didn’t know how rich they could make, but just hearing that they were going to Japan was enough to make them excited.

So many people used various connections to run to Sunjia Village, hoping to see if there were any connections or possibilities so that they could benefit from it.

But at this time, Sun Wufu had already reported the names of the people who were going to go to Li Xiaojiang, so it was definitely too late for him.

Moreover, because the village committee shares a share of the wages of those who go abroad, the number of places also needs to be reviewed by Sun Qingyou, and people from other villages are not allowed, even if they are related to him.

However, these people did not gain nothing.

After all, the strong labor force in Sunjia Village has been lost, and accordingly, there are vacancies for hiring people to farm the land.

In the nearby villages, there are still many poor families with little land and many people who are willing to send people to earn this money.

And those families who happened to be preparing for an alliance with Sunjia Village faced even greater changes.

This month, the matchmaker who was responsible for bringing young men and women together in Sunjia Village had bad luck.

Because no matter whether it is the families in Sunjia Village who are looking for a daughter-in-law or marrying off their daughters, they are no longer in a hurry. Not only are they not in a hurry, but they are even planning to go back on their promises.

No matter you are a matchmaker or a matchmaker, it's useless and all your efforts are in vain.

…………

In late June 1989, the people of Sunjia Village began to busy themselves with visas and passports, looking forward to embarking on a journey to Japan as soon as possible.

Ning Weimin brought his wife and daughter to the blue southern French coastline city of Saint-Tropez to inspect his property and spend a holiday at the seaside.

On the afternoon of their arrival, they went to the Maxim's restaurant which had already opened for dinner.

Well-dressed waiters moved around the restaurant carrying trays loaded with tall, lacquered pepper shakers and rectangular straw bread baskets filled with crusty, fresh loaves of bread.

You can tell at first glance that this place maintains the tradition of the Maxim's headquarters in Paris and serves the most traditional French cuisine.

But to be honest, Ning Weimin has been eating these things since he came to France. In fact, he now misses the Chinese food in his hometown more.

However, although some of the chefs he brought from the Altar Palace have already arrived here, they still need to adapt to the environment, and it will take some time before the Chinese restaurant can officially open.

After all, the Republic is now locked out of the world's mainstream culture.

Authentic Chinese food is rare not only in the small town of Saint-Tropez, but even in Paris.

Many spices that are very common in the country are luxuries that are hard to find here.

Therefore, it is very necessary for those Chinese chefs coming from Beijing to adapt to the kitchen utensils here, understand the characteristics and types of vegetables and seafood in the local markets, and find out which channels to use to find Chinese food seasonings.

Otherwise it would be difficult for them to serve authentic Chinese food and demonstrate their true culinary skills.

So unfortunately, if Ning Weimin wants to have a satisfying meal in Saint-Tropez, he will have to wait patiently for a while.

I'm afraid it will take at least two weeks.

But despite this, Ning Weimin couldn't really complain about anything other than his dissatisfaction with the taste.

Because this Maxim's restaurant is a joint venture between him and the master, and the place he uses is a villa he bought in Saint-Tropez.

In order to entertain him, Alain Delon, as a partner, not only arranged the freshest ingredients for their family, but also reserved the best seat for him. Such special treatment was not available to other guests and was enough to make many European tycoons jealous.

As for what is the best location?

The upstairs terrace is the best spot.

You know, this villa is located on the most beautiful beach in Saint-Tropez.

It is surrounded by some pine trees and most locations overlook the sea.

Especially when sitting on the large terrace on the second floor, in addition to being able to clearly feel the sea breeze, see the sea water sparkling like broken diamonds and the sailboats and motorboats in the distance, Ning Weimin can also see the scene in the restaurant garden downstairs.

In the shadow of lush flowering trees, his wife was holding their one-year-old daughter, chasing a butterfly in the spots of sunlight, while the accompanying nanny was responsible for looking after their belongings.

Alain Delon's lover Rosalie was also there, holding their son.

This scene was warm and peaceful, enough to make Ning Weimin forget all his worries and feel peace in his heart.

"You've been much quieter than usual today. Is it because becoming a father has made you more mature, or have you been having a hard time lately?"

Alain Delon was sitting next to Ning Weimin.

He doesn't have to worry about the specific operation of the restaurant as there is a dedicated manager.

So now he is just dining with his family and friends as a treat.

Smoking a cigar and wearing cool and breathable linen clothes, he looked more idle than Ning Weimin.

"Before coming here, there was a little trouble with the business in Tokyo, but it has been resolved."

"Do you remember that I told you a long time ago that you should move to France. You have property and friends here, you won't have any troubles, you will live a contented life, and you will have everything you want." Ning Weimin knew what Alain Delon was referring to, and smiled and shook his head. "You are tempting again."

"I'm serious." Alain Delon said seriously, "I know it's easy to make money in Tokyo. The Japanese are very rich now, and they pay me the highest advertising fees. But there is only money there, no life, and it's too crowded. France is different. In addition to the richest people in the world, there is also the best wine and life in the world, the richest food and natural resources, the most charming women and scenery. If you move to France, you can party in Paris in spring, go to the beach for vacation in summer, go to the winery for wine tasting in autumn, and go hunting in the forest in winter. You can raise dogs, race horses, gamble, dance, yacht, sail, dive, even fly a plane and skydive, no matter how you want to live. Your money is enough for you to squander for a lifetime. Don't you think this kind of life is better than staying in Japan?"

It’s true that Alain Delon’s description is quite tempting, just like a scene in a movie.

Comparing the beautiful seaside scenery in front of him, even Ning Weimin couldn't help but let his imagination run wild.

"Hmm...Okay, I'll think about it."

"Consider it seriously."

Alain Delon said like an elder brother, "Believe me, you won't regret it. Most of the best things in the world are here. And you can have them as long as you want. You don't know how many people envy you."

At this point, the restaurant waiter came to serve drinks.

A bottle of Chardonnay was taken from the ice bucket and opened by the waiter.

Then the cork was handed to Alain Delon, and the waiter poured some wine into an exquisite, clear crystal glass.

The clear wine and wafting fruity aroma make one's mouth water and feel that life is infinitely beautiful.

Perhaps because this bottle of wine came from Alain Delon's private winery, he took a sip of the wine, nodded to the waiter with considerable satisfaction, and asked him to leave.

Ning Weimin took advantage of this gap in time to pick up the menu on the table and began to admire it.

This meal was arranged by Alain Delon, but he didn't need to bother choosing the dishes. The menu on the table had no practical significance and was just a decoration.

The reason why he held the menu was just out of curiosity. He admired the exquisite design and heavy texture of the menu, and wanted to see the prices of the dishes on it.

What he didn't expect was that the menu only had dishes but no prices.

"Aren't there prices on our restaurant's menu?" Ning Weimin couldn't help but ask curiously.

Alain Delon said nonchalantly, "Not only do our menus have no prices, but now other restaurants in Saint-Tropez don't have them either. You haven't been here for a long time. This is a new change in Saint-Tropez."

"what happened?"

"Because there is no need. There are more and more tourists here now. Even though it's only June, almost every table in Saint-Tropez restaurants has been booked by October, except for some that the restaurant owners deliberately keep. This restaurant is the same. Now only the restaurant has the right to reject and select guests. It is no longer the guests' turn to choose the restaurant. In the past, the restaurant required a minimum consumption of 10,000 francs to make a reservation. Now it has to be doubled. Anyway, it is well known that restaurants here follow an unwritten standard to screen customers - the thickness of their wallets. Since customers' consumption is bound to far exceed the normal standard, what's the point of marking prices?"

Ning Weimin was stunned for a moment, and it took him a moment to realize that the rule was similar to that of the nightclub in Ginza, and there were no prices on the wine list.

At the checkout, the mama-san would only calculate an amount based on the customer's spending and her own observations, and then hand over a small white receipt with the number filled in.

Then, based on the guest’s reaction, decide whether it is worth entertaining next time.

However, even so, Ning Weimin thought that spending at least 20,000 francs on a meal was much more expensive than the price standard in Ginza.

At least twice as expensive.

He was a little worried whether the customers here could really accept such an outrageous price.

"Is it that exaggerated? Oh, sorry, I'm not questioning you. I mean, when a restaurant opens its doors to customers, there will always be guests who accidentally walk in and want to eat, right? What about those guests who didn't make a reservation in advance and decided to dine at the last minute? Not everyone is rich."

But he didn't expect Alain Delon to just laugh and didn't care about his concerns at all.

"It's the same. It's the same no matter what kind of guests they are. Not all guests are rich, but we only serve rich people. No matter what you think, the restaurant's screening of guests has actually begun when the customer calls to make a reservation or when the customer comes to the restaurant to dine and asks for a seat in person. After the call is connected, the restaurant staff will ask your name to see if you are a guest of status and background. If, as you said, someone comes without making a reservation in advance, then in addition to the necessary inquiries, it is necessary to observe the guest's clothes, words and behavior. In short, this is a question of measuring whether the guest in front of you is a potential big customer or a small fish. Small fish are released, and big fish are caught. Of course, the best way is to clearly tell the other party, 'We have a table for 20,000 francs, do you think it's okay?' If the answer is no, then, sorry, there are no more tables in the restaurant."

"Is that really the case? This sounds like a kind of..."

Ning Weimin opened his eyes wide and almost said "this is robbery".

"Your words gave me a whole new understanding of Saint-Tropez. You meant that here, no matter who you are, you have to spend a lot of money. Never hesitate to talk about the minimum consumption. Only by spending the highest possible amount can you hope to find a table in one of the most popular local restaurants."

Alain Delon still curled his lips nonchalantly, "You're right, all of the above are an art of deception, forcing you to take out the last penny in your wallet in an irresistible way. After all, the magic of money never fails. But who can blame this place for being Saint-Tropez? This small city itself is not big, but it is the pearl of the world. All the rich people flock here, even Japanese tycoons are no exception. Moreover, the transportation here is not convenient. Most tourists have to take private yachts or helicopters. Parking and accommodation fees in the city are also quite expensive. In the summer every year, even ordinary country hotels cost at least 2,000 francs per night. All of this determines that it is not easy to experience the charm of this city. Ordinary people are not welcome here at all."

Then he beamed with joy again, "My friend, you should be happy, because this is why you invested here. I have to say that you have a good eye. Although our restaurant only opened in May this year, it is destined to make a lot of money. Now the daily sales are much more than we expected. There is also the Jinpodi Castle Hotel. Although it will officially open next month, our rooms are all booked until October. I believe you will be happy when you see the official financial statements."

This is true. As a direct beneficiary, Ning Weimin can no longer hide his happiness.

His eyes narrowed with laughter, but he spoke in a teasing tone.

"I should be happy. I am also glad that I opened my own restaurant and own my own hotel. Otherwise, according to your description, I might not be able to find a place to eat or stay here. Even if I did find one, I would still be ripped off."

However, what he did not expect was that Alain Delon refuted him in an even more exaggerated tone.

"That's not necessarily true. Don't say that so early. No one can keep their wallet here. Even you can't escape."

"Why? Do I have to pay for my meal here and stay in my own hotel?"

"No, no, of course, everything you said is free..."

"That……"

"Don't forget to tip. This is Saint-Tropez, you have to tip a lot. Generally speaking, the minimum tip is 20%! For a meal here, you have to tip at least francs. Especially if you are the owner of the restaurant, it would be too undignified not to tip or to tip too little. Those who work for you will despise you in their hearts."

Alain Delon's words successfully shocked Ning Weimin.

"Such a high tip? Are you sure? Don't tell me you have to pay this for every meal you eat here."

"Haha, I'm different. I'm a big star and I have fans everywhere..."

Alain Delon finally couldn't help laughing, as if he never tired of this kind of joke.

However, when Ning Weimin looked at Alain Delon's face, the next few words made his happiness and pride disappear quickly, and he almost broke down.

"Yes, my big star, it's a pity that you've gained weight and have a round belly. And you haven't released any new works for a long time. If you continue like this, your fans will be disappointed. You will be forgotten soon..."

"Hey, what's going on? I can't believe you said that to me..."

"Friends should tell the truth, right? Honestly, how long has it been since you last played a leading man? Are you still interested in making movies? Do you think you can still make action movies…"

Alain Delon was even more stunned. He couldn't understand why Ning Weimin, who was always good at speaking, could become so choking.

And the topic suddenly turned to filming.

But he did hear some hidden meaning in the words, which seemed not just a mockery.

After a moment's pause, he asked, "Are you... hinting at something?"

So Ning Weimin stopped pretending at this time. He took out a script with a smile and placed it in front of Alain Delon.

"When I was in Paris, I just talked with a French director named Luc Besson. I am going to sign a series of action films with him. There should be three films, and this is the general plot of the first one. Simply put, the protagonist is a father who kills people all over Europe to save his daughter. This role is a little different from your past image. It is not very handsome and elegant. It just needs to have the vicissitudes of real life, and perhaps a sense of maturity and frustration tempered by life. I think you are very suitable now, but I don’t know if you are willing to make movies again? If you are interested and eager to do something besides running hotels and restaurants, I think we can shoot this movie during the off-season of tourism."

Alain Delon picked up the script with great curiosity.

The name on it is: "Taken". (End of this chapter)