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

In Yanjing, this is the courtyard house area.

Evening smoke, mingled with the fragrance of early summer flowers, curled and swirled in the courtyard.

Wearing an apron, Mrs. Feng was bringing out a plate of freshly stir-fried vegetables from the kitchen, but her face was etched with a lingering worry.

Feng Jiayou sat on a stone bench in the courtyard, holding an English textbook in her hand, but her gaze was somewhat unfocused, not concentrating on any words.

The baby squirrel, which is already learning to talk, is playing around the little brother who has just turned 100 days old.

These two toothless little creatures can really play together.

However, Feng Jiayou, who was standing nearby, was not in the mood to pay attention to their special interaction.

At this moment!

The rumors and gossip outside are like the pervasive autumn wind; even with the doors and windows tightly closed, they can still seep into the courtyard.

Although her husband, Xuemin, sent telegrams or made brief overseas phone calls almost every week to let her know he was safe, the malicious speculations about him being stranded and not returning, or having disappeared without a trace, still hung like dark clouds over their usually warm and cozy home.

Feng Jiayou could even feel the mixed sympathy and curiosity in the eyes of her classmates and neighbors, making her feel like she was being pricked by thorns.

"Jiayou, Jiamo, Yumei, Juan'er, come out for dinner." Mother Feng placed the dishes on the small stone table in the courtyard, her voice carrying a deliberately feigned ease.

"Oh, Mom's here." Feng Jiayou closed her book, forced a smile, and got up to help set the table.

His movements were somewhat slow, revealing that he was preoccupied.

The eldest sister-in-law Ke Yumei, the second sister-in-law Sun Juan, and the carefree Feng Jiamo, who were in their respective rooms, also gathered around and talked about recent events.

Just then, there was a loud, urgent knocking on the courtyard gate.

Feng's mother and Feng Jiayou exchanged a glance, both somewhat surprised.

Who could it be at this point in time?
Mrs. Feng wiped her hands and went to open the door.

As soon as the door opened, Wang Yang, the former director of Yanying Film Factory, stood outside, his face beaming with a rare, almost radiant, excitement, with even the beads of sweat on his forehead glistening.

Behind him was Secretary Liu from the factory office.

"Director Wang? What brings you here? Please come in!" Mrs. Feng was taken aback and quickly stepped aside.

"Great news! Huge good news!" Before the old factory director, Wang Yangren, had even fully entered the courtyard, his booming voice had already carried in, making the grape leaves in the yard seem to tremble.

He strode into the courtyard, setting aside all formalities, and looked intently at Feng Jiayou: "Jiayou's home too! Good! Perfect timing!"

"Grandpa Wang, what good news?" Feng Jiayou put down her chopsticks, her heart leaping into her throat, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes.

Is there news about Xuemin?
still is……

The old factory director, Wang Yang, took out a document from his briefcase and waved it excitedly:

"Scholar Wu! It's that kid Scholar Wu! He's in Hong Kong! He's caused quite a stir!"

He took a deep breath, as if trying to calm his overly excited emotions, but his voice still trembled:

"Just received official notification from the ministry! The overseas rights to 'Shaolin Temple,' directed by Xue Min, have been sold! Guess how much they sold it for?"

Feng's mother and Feng Jiayou held their breath, staring intently at Wang Yang.

The old factory director, Wang Yang, held up two fingers, then gestured an eight, his voice suddenly rising, almost shouting:
"Twenty-eight million! US dollars! Guaranteed profit sharing! The first payment has been transferred!"

"Buzz!"

Feng Jiayou felt as if bells and drums were ringing in her head, and her mind went completely blank.

Twenty-eight million? US dollars? She wondered if she had misheard.

Mother Feng was so shocked that she opened her mouth wide, not even noticing the rag in her hand fall to the ground.

"How...how much? Old Wang...tell me clearly, how much?" Mother Feng's voice trembled, and she had to hold onto the edge of the stone table to steady herself.

"Twenty-eight million! US dollars! Did you hear that? It's a minimum guarantee! That means if the movie does well at the box office after its global release, we'll get a share of the profits! We can earn even more US dollars!"

The old factory director, Wang Yang, repeated excitedly, his wrinkles crinkling into a wide smile, and continued:

"It was a call from Old Wu in the ministry! It's absolutely true! That kid Xuemin has done a great service to our Yanying Film Studio and to the country! This is fantastic news!"

A huge wave of surprise washed over them, instantly dispelling the worries and gloom of the past few days.

Feng Jiayou's eyes reddened, and tears welled up uncontrollably. She quickly wiped them away with the back of her hand, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up in a smile.

Mother Feng also realized what was happening, and excitedly patted her chest, saying repeatedly, "Good! Good! That's wonderful! This child... this child is really... I knew he could do it! I knew it!"

The courtyard was instantly filled with a joyful and excited atmosphere.

Former factory director Wang Yang then spoke in detail about the ministry's commendation and the factory's plans, repeatedly assuring them that Xuemin was doing very well over there and was preparing for the film's premiere.

After Wang Yang left, the courtyard returned to tranquility, but the atmosphere was completely different.

The afterglow of the setting sun spilled into the courtyard, warm and bright.

"Mom! Did you hear that? Twenty-eight million! US dollars!" Feng Jiayou grabbed her mother's hand, as happy as a little girl, and spun around on the spot, her face beaming with pride and happiness. "Xuemin did it! He really did it!"

"I heard you, I heard you!" Mrs. Feng grinned from ear to ear, her wrinkles at the corners of her eyes smoothing out. "Now let's see who dares to gossip behind our backs! My son-in-law is someone who makes big money for the country!"

"Another twenty million US dollars in foreign exchange, my brother-in-law is just too amazing!" Feng Jiamo said with longing, "If only my brother-in-law could take me to Hong Kong!"

"You should focus on your studies first. Your sister has never gone out with your brother-in-law, so when will it be your turn?" Mrs. Feng was overjoyed, but gave her youngest daughter a disapproving look.

The second sister-in-law next to her also kept congratulating the eldest sister-in-law. The eldest sister-in-law, Ke Yumei, also had a rosy complexion. Although the old factory director did not mention her husband, Feng Jiazhao, she must have owed some credit to him for going out with her brother-in-law this time.

However, it had indeed been a long time since she had heard from her husband, and her sister-in-law, Ke Yumei, missed him dearly.

Perfect timing, what I said came true!
Just as the whole family was celebrating, the newly installed telephone in the house suddenly rang.

The crisp sound of the bell was particularly pleasant in the courtyard at dusk.

Feng Jiayou's heart skipped a beat, a strong premonition welling up inside her. Like a nimble swallow, she rushed into the house and grabbed the telephone receiver.

"Hello?" Her voice trembled slightly with a hint of anticipation.

"Jiayou, that's me."

On the other end of the phone came Cheng Xuemin's familiar and gentle voice. Though carrying a slight static noise from the overseas line, it struck her eardrums with exceptional clarity. It really was him!

At the moment this good news arrived, Feng Jiayou's tears welled up again, this time tears of joy.

"Xuemin!" she cried out, her voice choked with emotion, a thousand words stuck in her throat, yet she didn't know where to begin.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying? What happened at home?" Cheng Xuemin's voice immediately became tense.

"No! It's nothing! It's good news! Huge good news!" Feng Jiayou quickly wiped away her tears and smiled through them. "Director Wang just came to our house! He told us everything! 'Shaolin Temple' sold for 28 million US dollars! Is that right? Is it true?"

On the other end of the phone, Cheng Xuemin seemed to pause for a moment, then chuckled softly, his tone carrying a hint of relief and indulgence:

"That old factory director, he's quick with the news. Yes, it's true! The contract was just signed not long ago, and I didn't expect the ministry's announcement to come down so soon."

"That's great! That's really great!" Feng Jiayou said excitedly. "You have no idea what those people outside have been saying lately. Although Mom and I didn't believe them, we were always very worried... Now that's great, let's see what they have to say now!"

“Silly wife, why bother with them? Don’t you trust your man?!” Cheng Xuemin’s voice was gentle yet firm. “Everything is fine here. Shaolin Temple is premiering in Hong Kong in a couple of days, and the publicity campaign here is huge.”

"Once the premiere is over and we get a preliminary response, I'll make some arrangements to take the crew back to Yanjing."

"You're coming back?" Feng Jiayou's voice was full of surprise.

"Well, I'll go back to see you and the little squirrel, and also give you a progress report." Cheng Xuemin paused, his tone becoming somewhat mysterious. "Besides, I'm going to bring you a surprise this time."

"A surprise?" Feng Jiayou's curiosity was piqued. "Twenty-eight million US dollars is already a huge surprise! Is there anything more surprising than this?"

Cheng Xuemin chuckled softly on the other end of the phone, his voice warm and magnetic as it traveled through the static: "The US dollars are for business, to give an account to the country. The surprise for you is a private matter, it's between the two of us."

"What is it? Tell me quickly!" Feng Jiayou couldn't help but whine, feeling like a kitten was scratching at her heart.

"I can't tell you now, or it won't be a surprise," Cheng Xuemin said, keeping everyone in suspense with a cheerful tone. "You'll find out when we get back, and I guarantee it will make you happy."

Although Feng Jiayou was itching to talk about it, she knew her husband's temper; if he didn't want to talk about something, asking him wouldn't help.

She had no choice but to suppress her curiosity and said coquettishly, "Hmph, still keeping me in suspense! Fine, I'll wait. You'd better come back soon!"

"Don't worry, once the premiere is over, the follow-up work can be handled by Mr. Fu and his team at Great Wall. The box office performance of 'Shaolin Temple' in Hong Kong is Great Wall's business; my main task is complete."

"There are still a few scenes left to film in 'Redemption,' but that won't stop me from going back now," Cheng Xuemin explained patiently, his tone relaxed. "By the way, Jiayou, when does Yenching University start summer vacation?"

"Summer vacation? There's still about half a month left, starting in early July." Feng Jiayou was a little puzzled, wondering why her husband suddenly asked this.

“Early July…the timing is perfect.” Cheng Xuemin seemed to be calculating something.

"What's just right?" Feng Jiayou asked, even more surprised and puzzled.

"You'll find out when the time comes." Cheng Xuemin used this sentence again to shut down her question, but the smile in his tone was even stronger. "Anyway, it's a good place, you'll definitely like it. Just think of it as... a honeymoon."

"Honeymoon?" Feng Jiayou's heart pounded, and her face flushed.

When she and Cheng Xuemin first consummated their marriage, it was very simple; there was no honeymoon trip at all.

Later, Cheng Xuemin was busy with his career and she was busy with her studies, so the two rarely saw each other, let alone went out together.

This unexpected honeymoon surprised and delighted her, but also left her somewhat bewildered.

"Hmm! I'll keep the specifics of where we're going a secret for now." Cheng Xuemin's voice was enticing. "Trust me, it will definitely be one of the most unforgettable trips of your life."

Feng Jiayou felt as sweet as if her heart were filled with honey, and all her worries and grievances vanished at that moment.

She nodded vigorously, even though she knew her husband on the other end of the phone couldn't see her: "Okay! I'll do whatever you say! I'll wait for you to come back!"

The two chatted for a long time, sharing intimate thoughts, until Cheng Xuemin seemed to be urged by someone on the other end, and they reluctantly hung up the phone.

After hanging up the receiver, Feng Jiayou was still immersed in immense happiness and anticipation, a dreamy smile on her face.

When Feng's mother walked in and saw her daughter's expression, she understood most of what was going on. She smiled and shook her head: "Was that Xuemin calling? What did he say that made you so happy?"

"Mom!" Feng Jiayou rushed over and hugged her mother, burying her face in her shoulder. Her voice was muffled but full of sweetness. "Xuemin said he'd be back in a couple of days! He also said... he'd give me a surprise and take me on our honeymoon!"

"Honeymoon?" Feng's mother smiled and gently patted her daughter's back. "Great! You should go out and have some fun! You two have had it so tough."

At this moment, the courtyard was filled with a long-lost, relaxed and joyful atmosphere.

The woman next to her, who had also wanted to call her husband, felt even more disappointed when she saw that her sister-in-law had hung up and hadn't let her answer the phone.

"Sister-in-law, Xuemin said on the phone that my brother is still busy on set and isn't at the hotel, so he couldn't let you answer the phone!" Feng Jiayou was very considerate of her sister-in-law and quickly explained when she saw Ke Yumei's disappointed expression.

He then added, "But Xuemin also said that my brother and the others will be back after the Shaolin Temple premiere. It'll be in a few days!"

"Yes, yes! It's alright, it's alright. The men are outside, business is important!" Sister-in-law Ke Yumei said repeatedly.

At that very moment, Cheng Xuemin, who was in his suite at the Peninsula Hotel in Hong Kong, had just hung up the phone, a gentle smile still on his lips.

Outside the window, the lights of Victoria Harbour never sleep, bustling and vibrant, but his heart had already flown across mountains and rivers, returning to the courtyard house with its warm lights and beloved family.

Fu Qi knocked on the door and came in, holding a schedule in his hand: "Teacher Cheng, the final draft of the premiere's program is out. Please take a look."

In addition, Sir Shaw and Raymond Chow both sent flower baskets to wish "Shaolin Temple" great box office success.

Cheng Xuemin composed himself, took the schedule, quickly glanced through it, and nodded:
"No problem, let's proceed according to this procedure. Let's send a message to Sir Shaw and Mr. Zou to express our gratitude."

He walked to the window and looked at the endless stream of car lights below.

The battle in Hong Kong started very well, and for Cheng Xuemin, his mission of leading the delegation to Hong Kong was basically accomplished.

After all, the box office revenue from the subsequent screening of "Shaolin Temple" in Hong Kong belonged to Great Wall Film Company, which was agreed upon when Fu Qi invited him to co-produce "Shaolin Temple".

As a co-production, Shaolin Temple's overseas US dollar rights belong to China, while the Hong Kong dollar box office revenue in Hong Kong belongs to Great Wall Film Company.

Therefore, the rest of the work was handed over to Fu Qi. With the huge hype of over 28 million US dollars, it would be hard for Shaolin Temple's box office in Hong Kong to be low.

Now, Cheng Xuemin's task is to take the crew back to Beijing after Shaolin Temple is officially released in Hong Kong for a progress report.

His next stop will be the Cannes International Film Festival in early July, where he will be accompanied by the cast and crew of "Shaolin Temple" and "Redemption".

While my wife is on summer vacation, I'll take her out for some fun. Hasn't she always wanted to come out and broaden her horizons with me?
This was the big surprise Cheng Xuemin prepared for his wife.

I'm sure my wife will be overjoyed when the time comes!
……

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