Huayu: Reborn in 97, transferring to the Central Academy of Drama's star-studded class

The next day, with the crowing of roosters, Jiang Lai got up early. At the foot of the bed was a brand new coarse gray cotton coat, which was originally made by Sister Sun for her husband. Zhang Ziyi had begged for a long time before he got it.

The Bashang Grassland is at a high altitude and has low temperatures, with frequent mountain winds. You really can't do without this coat. Jiang Lai felt it yesterday; it was extremely cold at night.

He quickly changed and looked around with a sense of nostalgia. This place was similar to Songjiazhuang in Weixian County, where he used to live. The villagers all lived in adobe houses.

The materials used to build these houses are all taken from the earth beneath our feet. The main material is clay, mixed with straw, rice straw, and wet soil with straw fibers, to make mud bricks. When building the house, the mud is covered with straw and mud, and the bricks are stacked up one by one.

Anyone who has lived in an adobe house knows that it's quite cool in the summer. When I was a kid, I often couldn't resist picking at the mud stalks in the walls and got scolded for it.

Before reinforced concrete completely took over, this is how rural people built their houses.

Born on this land, living off this land, and dying on this land—this is why the older generation always has such a strong sense of belonging to their hometown, something that the modern young people, busy in the concrete jungle, often cannot understand.

Stepping out of the house, Zhang Ziyi was feeding chickens in the yard. Since she came here, she has been getting up early every morning to feed pigs and chickens.

Hearing the noise, she turned around and smiled.

"You're awake? I haven't cooked yet. Why don't you go back to sleep? I'll call you when I've finished cooking."

"No need, the stove is in the main house, right? I'll go start a fire!"

Jiang Lai waved his hand and ran off to the main house.

This farmer's house has two rooms: one is the main room connected to the stove, and the other is the room where Jiang Lai sleeps.

When he ran inside, Sister Sun was sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed) sewing shoe soles. The two nodded to each other, and Jiang Lai squatted in front of the stove, studying how to start a fire.

There were matches and a pile of dry grass next to the stove. He grabbed a handful of dry grass and threw it into the fire pit, carefully lit it with a match, and added two more handfuls of dry grass. When the fire was burning brightly, he picked up a few thick branches and threw them in.

Then, the fire went out.

Jiang Lai scratched his head and repeated the actions.

Sister Sun craned her neck to peek, then couldn't help but cover her mouth and giggle.

A moment later, Zhang Ziyi walked in and saw that Jiang Lai's face was covered in soot and he hadn't even started a fire yet. He quickly put down the winnowing basket in his hand and squatted down in front of the stove as well.

"Oh dear, that's not how you start a fire. You can't rush to put in the firewood."

Zhang Ziyi first lit dry grass, then picked up a few corncobs from the side and threw them in—the cobs with the kernels removed. Once those were burning, he added small pieces of dry firewood.

"Look, it's already on fire."

"So that's how this thing is used, haha."

Jiang Lai smiled awkwardly, watching Zhang Ziyi skillfully start a fire and cook, and could only help out.

After finishing their meal, Zhang Ziyi still had to fetch water, which was something Jiang Lai was supposed to experience as well. He immediately stepped forward, snatched the carrying pole, and carried it on his shoulder.

Zhang Ziyi couldn't dissuade him, so he followed him to the well not far from the village.

It was fine when the bucket was empty, but when the water was drawn up, Jiang Lai carried the carrying pole on his shoulder. The weight of several dozen kilograms almost knocked him over when he straightened up.

Zhang Ziyi didn't laugh at him; she had done the same when she first arrived. So she patiently demonstrated for Jiang.

"Keep your back straight, and don't put it directly on your shoulders first. Use your neck first."

Zhang Ziyi squatted down, straightened his back, and used his neck to lift the carrying pole, naturally shifting it onto his shoulders.

"Okay, I'll give it a try!"

Jiang Lai took it and tried again. This time he managed to lift it, but the two buckets of water swayed violently.

"Hey, hey, don't rush off! Take a moment to regain your balance."

Zhang Ziyi hurriedly stepped forward to help support Jiang Lai, who was then able to stand steadily, though the wooden board was digging into his shoulder and causing a sharp pain.

"When walking, take small, quick steps. Don't go fast. Let it bounce around like a bucket of water. Once you find that swaying feeling, you'll feel relaxed."

Jiang Lai silently remembered Zhang Ziyi's words, gritted his teeth and forced himself to walk. He had to rest several times on a short distance, and half of a bucket of water was spilled.

When Jiang Lai got home, his shoulder was burning with pain and he couldn't straighten it.

After that, Jiang Lai followed Zhang Ziyi to do farm work every day, feeding pigs, carrying water, cooking, and spending the rest of the time farming with Sister Sun.

Because of the high altitude, spring comes late here, and May and June are the golden period for planting.

Jiang Lai knew nothing about farm work and made a lot of mistakes, but he gradually got used to this kind of life.

Working from sunrise to sunset every day, it really feels like living a normal life.

Yate only comes occasionally. His main task now is to scout out suitable locations for filming, shoot some scenes, and make some storyboards. He's just waiting for Director Zhang to come so they can discuss and finalize the plans. He's quite busy every day.

Jiang Lai also asked why Director Zhang wasn't filming anymore.

Yate said that Director Zhang felt that July and August were the most beautiful months here.

Jiang Lai thought to himself that Director Zhang, being a cinematographer by training, had high standards for visuals.

Soon, Jiang had been here for half a month. One day at noon, after finishing his lunch, he filled a bucket with water, took off his shirt, and washed his body in the yard.

I work up a sweat every day, and all I can do to take a shower is wipe myself down.

At that moment, Yate walked in. "Hey, young man, you've gotten quite a bit stronger."

Jiang Lai smiled, wrung out a towel, draped it over his shoulder, and asked, "What's up, Director Ya? Any instructions?"

"We've already contacted the schools. One is a primary school in town with better conditions, and the other is in the next village, which will definitely be worse. You can choose one."

Jiang Lai's experience extends beyond rural life. Because the character he plays, Luo Changyu, is an educated youth who goes to the countryside to teach, he also needs to experience the life of a rural teacher.

He thought for a moment and said, "From the next village, I guess."

Yate raised an eyebrow. "Have you thought this through? The village next door is far inferior. The town has dormitories and a canteen. You can stay there temporarily and come back when the filming starts."

"It's fine, let's just go to the village next door. The script also involves teaching in a village," Jiang Lai insisted.

Seemingly surprised by Jiang Lai's choice, Yate's gaze was meaningful.

"Alright, let's go then."

Jiang Lai changed his clothes and walked with Yate under the blazing sun along the dirt road in the village.

It wasn't far, only three or four kilometers away, when a dilapidated mud-brick house came into view.

Why is it dilapidated? The mud-brick walls are pitted and uneven, the windows are gone and covered with newspapers, there are several large holes in the roof beams, and a dark-skinned, thin man is climbing a ladder and using mud to repair the roof.

Jiang Lai turned his head. This is the school?

Yate winked. "You picked this idol, didn't you?"

"Old Zhao! I've brought the man over!" Yate shouted to the dark-skinned, thin man.

The dark-skinned, thin man looked over, quickly climbed down the ladder, put down the bucket he was carrying to collect mud, and jogged over. He wanted to shake hands, but seeing his hands covered in mud, he hastily put his hands down.

"Hello, hello, my name is Zhao Aiguo, you can just call me Lao Zhao." Lao Zhao introduced himself to Jiang Lai.

"Uh, hello Brother Zhao, my name is Jiang Lai, you can call me Xiao Jiang."

"Oh, please don't!" Old Zhao hurriedly waved his hand, "Don't mention it, we, we don't do that here."

Yate laughed and said, "So you two are now acquainted. Well then, I'm off. Old Zhao, I'm leaving my little brother in your care."

"Don't worry, don't worry." Old Zhao rubbed his hands and nodded.

After Yate left, Jiang Lai also said politely, "I'll have to trouble Brother Zhao to take care of me for the next while."

Old Zhao still looked flustered, waving his hand and blushing as he said, "No trouble at all, I've already paid."

Jiang Lai felt a sense of goodwill towards the other person's honest demeanor and asked, "So when will we start teaching the children? And what will we be teaching?"

"Um...no class today."

Why?

"The children have all gone home to help with the farming, so today we..."

Old Zhao thought for a moment, then pointed to the roof, "You can help me repair the school today."

Jiang Lai looked at the mud-brick house. It seemed that rural teachers not only had to teach, but also had to do chores.