1978: Female educated youth, don’t want an illiterate husband

With the family matters settled, Mr. Feng, the father-in-law, rekindled his fighting spirit and worked through the night to prepare materials to report his decision to accept the important task.

Cheng Xuemin felt a great weight lifted from his heart, and his last worry before going to Hong Kong was also gone.

He devoted all his energy to the final preparations before departure.

The day before he was to leave, a figure knocked on the door of Cheng Xuemin's office at Yanying Film Studio.

It was Gong Xue.

She wore a simple floral shirt, her face showing signs of fatigue from the photoshoot, but her eyes were bright and her smile remained gentle.

She came in carrying a brown paper bag.

"Xuemin, did I disturb you?" Gong Xue placed the paper bag on the table and said, "The filming of 'Mom, Love Me Again' just wrapped up yesterday. They cut a rough draft, and Director Xie asked me to show it to you and give you some feedback."

Cheng Xuemin took the paper bag and laughed, "Filming wrapped up so quickly? Director Xie, are you really efficient?"

Gong Xue sat down opposite him and casually chatted about the fun things that happened during filming, her tone light and cheerful: "Filming this movie really exhausted me, but it was also quite interesting."

Especially that little guy, Liwen, he's such a clever fellow! He has an amazing sense of the camera, and he can cry on cue. Director Xie praised him, saying he was born for this, and is better than many adult actors!

Cheng Xuemin listened with a smile on his face, but he knew exactly what was going on in his mind.

Gong Xue's words revealed her reluctance to part with the "Mother" crew, as well as her longing for her upcoming trip to Hong Kong and a hint of barely perceptible envy.

She went around in circles, but eventually got back to the main point.

Sure enough, Gong Xue changed the subject, her tone tinged with a hint of probing and self-deprecation, but her eyes involuntarily drifted out the window towards the direction of the team that was gathering and preparing to go to Hong Kong:

"Sister Zhu Lin is so lucky! She gets to go to Hong Kong and broaden her horizons. We're stuck filming all the time in Beijing. I heard... even Xiao Li went with her this time?"

Cheng Xuemin nodded and said without avoiding the question, "Yes, Xiaoli has a significant role in 'Shaolin Temple.' She may be needed for post-production dubbing and reshoots. Going to Hong Kong is also for work."

Gong Xue gave an "oh," her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes.

After a moment of silence, he raised his head, his eyes shining with an almost pleading light, and his voice lowered: "Xuemin... I know your mission this time is important and time is tight."

"I just... I just wanted to ask if you have any new projects coming up? Are there any roles I could try out?"

Even if it's just a small role, a bit part is fine! I just want to learn from you guys and broaden my horizons.

She put it tactfully, but the meaning couldn't be clearer.

Looking at the determination and eagerness to break through in her eyes, Cheng Xuemin sighed inwardly.

Gong Xue is talented, hardworking, and has a good image. Her performances in "Romance on Lushan Mountain" and "Mother" are evident to all.

However, her acting roles seem to be confined to the image of a gentle and demure woman, which she is clearly not satisfied with.

Cheng Xuemin hesitated for a moment, then hesitated before speaking, his tone cautious: "A new script... is indeed being conceived."

The subject matter might be a bit unusual, as it's set in Hong Kong and involves rather complex issues.

He saw Gong Xue's eyes light up instantly and quickly added, "However, Gong Xue, I need to make things clear to you beforehand."

The script is still being polished. Even if it gets approved, the female characters in it... may not be the traditional female leads, and their roles will not be very significant, or even somewhat... marginalized.

This is quite different from your current acting style, so don't have too high expectations.

Gong Xue, however, seemed to have grasped at a straw and hurriedly waved his hand, his tone urgent: "It's okay! It's really okay! Xuemin, I don't care about roles or how many scenes I have!"

I'd be happy to participate in your film, even if it's just a few shots!

I just want to try something different, to push myself a bit! I'm getting tired of always playing the same type of character!

Seeing her undisguised excitement and determination, Cheng Xuemin felt reassured.

He had actually reserved a character for the role when he was conceiving "Redemption".

A resilient and forbearing Chinese woman with a complex inner world amidst the turmoil of Hong Kong. Her role is not large, but it is very compelling and requires the actress to have sufficient depth and expressiveness.

Gong Xue is undoubtedly one of the most suitable candidates for this role.

But he can't say for sure right now, because he doesn't plan to immediately start assembling the "Redemption" crew; he wants to wait a bit longer.

“Okay, I understand what you mean.” Cheng Xuemin nodded, giving her a clear signal. “I’ve noted down this role. Once the script is more finalized and we have some progress on the project, I’ll let you know first.”

But for now, you'll have to wait in Yanjing; the post-production promotion for "Mama" still depends on you. We'll go to Hong Kong first to pave the way.

"I understand! I understand!" Gong Xue nodded repeatedly, a genuine smile spreading across his face, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. He said gratefully:

"Xuemin, thank you! Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity! I will definitely prepare well and will not let you down!"

She chatted for a few more minutes about the post-production arrangements for "Mother," then got up to say goodbye, her steps becoming much lighter with satisfaction.

Cheng Xuemin watched her departing figure, shook his head, and smiled.

This girl is really career-oriented.

April 18th, the day of departure finally arrived.

Inside the waiting hall of Yanjing Airport, a delegation of twenty people heading to Hong Kong, along with four staff members dispatched by the ministry, stood in neat rows.

The team members, dressed in matching dark-colored Zhongshan suits or Lenin suits, carrying simple luggage, had expressions of excitement, nervousness, and a hint of solemnity on their faces.

Many of them were flying for the first time, and it was their first time "going abroad." They looked around the spacious and bright waiting hall with curiosity, and at the huge Soviet-made Ilyushin Il-7 passenger plane outside the window.

As the head of the delegation, Cheng Xuemin, together with Huang Jianzhong, the deputy head of the delegation, conducted a final headcount and checked the documents and luggage.

The four staff members were scattered around the group, their eyes warily observing their surroundings.

"Everyone's here!" Huang Jianzhong reported in a low voice.

Cheng Xuemin nodded, his gaze sweeping over the line.

Li Lianjie looked excited and was gesturing to Ji Chunhua and Hu Jianqiang beside her; Yu Hai, Yu Chenghui and other veteran workers appeared much calmer and were talking in hushed tones.
Zhu Lin and Liu Xiaoli stood together, their faces beaming with expectant smiles;
Brother-in-law Feng Jiazhao was standing with the taciturn Zhang Yimou, and he even seemed a little nervous as he adjusted his collar. Zhang Yimou, on the other hand, was silently observing the surrounding environment, his eyes focused, as if he were composing a picture.

"Comrades!" Cheng Xuemin raised his voice, "Let me emphasize discipline one last time before boarding! Follow orders in all actions!"

After boarding, please take your assigned seats. Do not move around or make loud noises! Understand?

"Understood!" the crowd responded in unison, their voices echoing slightly in the waiting area.

The boarding process was orderly, and the roar of the huge Ilyushin Il-75's engines made one's heart tremble.

Ji Chunhua and Xiong Xinxin, who were flying for the first time, felt their legs go weak when they stepped onto the gangway, feeling both scared and excited.

The cabin was not spacious, the fabric of the seats was worn, and there was a faint smell of engine oil and disinfectant in the air.

The team members found their seats according to their boarding passes, curiously fumbled for their seat belts, and peered into the cramped portholes.

The plane accelerated on the runway, and a strong sense of acceleration pushed them back into their seats, causing several young people to gasp softly.

As the plane defied gravity and soared into the clouds, a suppressed gasp of amazement rippled through the cabin.

Through the porthole, the outline of Yanjing City grew smaller and smaller until it disappeared beneath the clouds.

After the flight stabilized, the tense atmosphere gradually eased.

After a short flight, the plane landed at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport for a layover.

The team members need to complete their exit procedures here and transfer to a flight to Hong Kong.

My brief stop at the international departure hall of Shanghai Hongqiao Airport was filled with novelty and excitement.

After completing the complicated exit procedures, the team members sat on plastic benches and waited for their connecting flight.

Compared to Yanjing Airport, the international departure area here seemed more modern, with English signs on the walls. Occasionally, blond-haired, blue-eyed foreigners would walk by with their suitcases, attracting curious glances from younger team members like Sun Jiankui and Du Yuming. Li Lianjie, clearly a veteran in the team, crossed his legs, leisurely swinging his feet, looking at his slightly nervous teammates with a mysterious smile on his lips.

He nudged Ji Chunhua with his elbow, lowered his voice, and said with a boastful tone, "Ji, stop looking around. When we get on that big plane to Hong Kong, that's where the real stuff is! There's something good there!"

Ji Chunhua was immediately intrigued and leaned closer to ask, "What good stuff is it? Little Li, tell me! Is it even better than that flight from Yanjing to Shanghai?"

"Of course!" Li Lianjie deliberately kept everyone in suspense, her eyes sweeping over Xiong Xinxin, Du Yuming, and the others who were listening intently. "It wouldn't be fun if I told you! Anyway, it's a windfall! I guarantee you'll be amazed!"

"Hey, Little Li, stop teasing me!" Hu Jianqiang scratched his head anxiously. "What is it? Is it something delicious or something to drink?"

Even Yu Hai and Yu Chenghui, two usually stern and unsmiling martial arts masters, couldn't help but cast inquiring glances at them.

Feng Jiazhao was both nervous and curious, and whispered to Zhang Yimou next to him, "Mouzi, what did Li Lianjie say?"

Zhang Yimou's dark face remained expressionless, but his sharp gaze swept over the duty-free shop signs in the waiting area. He shook his head and muttered, "I don't know! It might be... something unique to airplanes."

Zhu Lin and Liu Xiaoli stood a little further away, watching Li Lianjie's cryptic act, and exchanged a smile.

Liu Xiaoli whispered to Zhu Lin, "Sister Lin, look, Little Li is showing off his little bit of experience again. It's just Moutai and Zhonghua cigarettes."

Zhu Lin smiled and said, "Let him show off. As long as everyone is happy. It's normal to be a little excited about going abroad for the first time."

Finally, the boarding announcement came over the loudspeaker.

The flight to Hong Kong was a larger Boeing aircraft, with the prominent logo of an international airline painted on its fuselage.

The boarding process proceeded smoothly, but the team members' excitement and anticipation were noticeably stronger.

Upon entering the cabin, the interior space was indeed much more spacious, the seats were more comfortable, and a faint fragrance permeated the air.

The flight attendants, dressed in well-tailored uniforms, greeted passengers with sweet smiles in fluent English and Cantonese.

All of this was incredibly novel and exciting for the team members.

After the plane took off smoothly, the tension was gradually replaced by a comfortable travel weariness.

Just then, the flight attendants pushed out elegantly decorated food carts and began to serve the meal.

First, hot towels and drinks were provided, followed by the main meal.

The meals were much more plentiful than those on domestic flights, including steak, salad, bread, and desserts. The cutlery was gleaming, which made some team members feel a little overwhelmed, and they quietly observed the way the foreigners sitting next to them ate.

Just as everyone was engrossed in devouring their steaks, the real surprise arrived.

Another small food cart was pushed out, with two items neatly arranged on it: one was a small white porcelain bottle with a striking red label of Guizhou Moutai liquor on it;

Another type is a hard-pack cigarette with a red box, printed with the words "Zhonghua" (中华).

"Ladies and gentlemen, would you like some Moutai liquor or Zhonghua cigarettes? They are provided free of charge on this flight." The flight attendant asked with a smile in Mandarin with a Cantonese accent.

The cabin fell silent for a moment, followed by suppressed gasps and whispers.

"My God! It's really Moutai!" Ji Chunhua's eyes widened, and he almost jumped up from his seat.

"Chunghwa cigarettes! And they're free?!" Hu Jianqiang stared at the familiar red packaging, unable to believe his eyes.

Yu Hai and Yu Chenghui exchanged a glance, both seeing shock in each other's eyes.

Having traveled extensively, they knew how scarce and precious these two items were in China; ordinary people could never even see them, let alone enjoy them for free.

Feng Jiazhao's hand, holding the knife and fork, froze in mid-air as he looked at the small porcelain bottle and cigarettes the flight attendant offered him, unsure whether to accept them or not.

Zhang Yimou was also stunned for a moment, then a look of understanding flashed in his eyes. He silently took a bottle of Moutai, placed it on the small table, and examined it carefully.

Li Lianjie smugly accepted a bottle of Moutai and a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes, raising her eyebrows at Ji Chunhua and the others, her meaning clearly: See? I didn't lie to you, did I?
The team members accepted this unexpected windfall, their faces beaming with unbelievable joy and excitement.

"Ahem!" Seeing this, Cheng Xuemin had to stand up and remind them, his voice not loud but clear enough, "Comrades! You can taste the wine in moderation, just to get a feel for it, but don't overdo it, so as not to affect your image and subsequent work."

Cigarettes… Considering the confined space of the cabin and the presence of female passengers, smoking is generally discouraged. Those who wish to smoke must wait until the plane has landed. Please maintain discipline and be mindful of your surroundings!

Hearing Cheng Xuemin's reminder, everyone calmed down. Excitement aside, discipline couldn't be forgotten.

Most people only took a small sip of Moutai to savor its spicy and mellow flavor.

They didn't smoke any cigarettes. Yu Hai, Yu Chenghui, and Huang Jianzhong each took a few loose cigarettes and carefully put them in their pockets, planning to try them after they got off the plane.

Although the cabin was filled with the aroma of alcohol and an excited atmosphere, everything was orderly.

This unexpected surprise greatly relieved the fatigue and tension of the long flight, and also filled the team members with more complex curiosity and imagination about Hong Kong, which they were about to arrive in.

After several hours of flight, the captain announced over the loudspeaker that he was preparing to land, reminding passengers to fasten their seatbelts and straighten their seatbacks.

Outside the porthole, the azure South China Sea and the gradually clearer outline of the land could already be seen.

Suddenly, the plane began to descend sharply, tilting its fuselage and heading towards the runway in a near-dive posture.

The scenery outside the porthole zoomed in rapidly, with dense high-rise buildings, narrow streets, and even clothes drying on balconies becoming clearly visible, as if you were about to crash into them at any moment!

"Oh my god! We're going to crash!" Feng Jiazhao was experiencing this kind of landing for the first time. He turned pale with fright, gripped the armrests of his seat tightly, and cried out.

"Why...why did this plane land like this?!" Yu Chenghui frowned, his body involuntarily stiffening.

Young people like Ji Chunhua and Hu Jianqiang were so frightened that they closed their eyes and dared not look anymore.

Even though Liu Xiaoli was mentally prepared, she still couldn't help but gasp and sweat when she experienced this thrilling scene again.

Zhang Yimou stared wide-eyed out the window, seemingly stunned by the extreme landing maneuver and the drastically compressed cityscape outside.

The plane skimmed almost past the rooftops of residential buildings, its tires slamming heavily onto the runway with a screeching sound. The fuselage shook violently a few times before slowly gliding and slowing down.

Even after the plane came to a complete stop, many people in the cabin were still in shock and panting heavily.

Cheng Xuemin unbuckled his seatbelt, stood up, looked at the pale faces of his team members, smiled, and explained:

"Don't be nervous, everyone. This is a characteristic of Hong Kong's Kai Tak Airport. The airport is located in the city, with a short runway and surrounded by tall buildings, so the landing angle is particularly steep, making it feel like you're about to crash into a building."

Locals in Hong Kong even joked that in Kowloon City, you could bring an airplane down with a clothesline.

His relaxed tone eased everyone's tension.

Feng Jiazhao, clutching his chest, said with lingering fear, "My God... this was terrifying! My first time on a plane and this happened..."

Li Lianjie chuckled, with a hint of superiority from someone who'd been there before: "You'll get used to it, you'll get used to it! Hong Kong isn't that big of a place, it's already a miracle that an airport could even be built!"

The first step onto Hong Kong soil was met with a mix of tropical humidity, bustling noise, and a completely unfamiliar atmosphere.

Kai Tak Airport's terminal was bustling with people, announcements in various languages, crowds dressed in all sorts of clothing, and flashing neon billboards...

Everything was completely different from the mainland. The strong visual and auditory impact left the newly arrived team members somewhat dazzled and at a loss.

"Teacher Cheng, Director Huang, over here!"

Fu Qi, the person in charge of Great Wall Film, who had been waiting at the airport, waved to Cheng Xuemin and his party as they came out after completing their immigration procedures.

"there!"

Cheng Xuemin also saw Fu Qi, waved in that direction, and then signaled everyone to follow!
"Teacher Cheng! Director Huang! You must be tired from your journey! Welcome to Hong Kong, the car is ready outside!"

Fu Qi came forward and shook hands with Cheng Xuemin to express his welcome.

……

Please vote with monthly tickets and subscribe to the full chapter! Thank you! Thank you! (End of Chapter)