Huayu97: Starting with Wu Song Fighting the Tiger

One day in 1997

Outside the heavy iron gates of the Beijing Film Studio, the morning mist hadn't completely dissipated yet, and the area was already filled with extras waiting for work. Inside, in the duty room by the window, Liu Xiang hunched her shoulders and rubbed her hands together, her eyes glancing every now and then toward the factory gate.

He's not from this era!

Three days ago, Liu Xiang was lying on the hard bed in her modern rented room, staring at the backend of her online novel on her computer screen. Looking at the pitiful subscription data, her fingers were typing rapidly on the keyboard, and she was still thinking about the satisfying face-slapping moments in the next chapter.

As a web novelist who constantly works himself to the bone, he has boundless passion and endless stories to write, but his body can't withstand the strain. His dark circles from staying up all night are darker than the bottom of a pot; stomach medicine and eye drops are his constant companions. He's thirty, but looks forty. Then, a violent headache strikes, and when he opens his eyes again, he's become this unfortunate soul born in 1997 with the same name, Liu Xiang.

Liu Xiang, born in 1997, was a genuine country boy. He came to Beijing with a dream of becoming an actor, and his physique was a gift from heaven: 1.85 meters tall, with thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a straight nose, he exuded a natural air of heroism. Even more remarkable was that this young man had trained at a martial arts school at the foot of Mount Song since childhood, possessing genuinely solid martial arts skills, and his long fist techniques were powerful and impressive.

Unfortunately, despite his exceptional martial arts skills, reality had worn him down, leaving him devoid of any passion. He became timid, cowardly, and tongue-tied. Despite having a martial arts school diploma, he couldn't even find a role as an extra. In the end, he only managed to get a job in the security team at the Beijing Film Studio through a distant relative's connection.

The original plan was quite simple: by guarding this door, he was bound to run into a few directors, screenwriters, and actors, right? If some influential person took a liking to his decent-looking face or his decent martial arts skills, he might just be able to rise above his station and fulfill his dream of becoming an actor.

Unfortunately, the original owner waited for half a year, but forget about getting a benefactor, she didn't even get a minor role. She spent every day squatting in the duty room, watching the actors come and go outside, her anger burning ever brighter, but her spirits dwindling. Yesterday, on the night shift, she caught a chill, and in her anxiety and anger, she collapsed onto the doorstep of the duty room. When she woke up, her soul had been replaced by Liu Xiang, a 21st-century online novelist.

At this moment, Liu Xiang rubbed his temples, his mind still filled with the original owner's memories. Looking at his strong and powerful hands, feeling the strength contained within this body, the passion that life had worn down instantly reignited within him.

In my past life, I wrote so many stories about rebirth and triumph, and I never thought I'd actually experience it myself in this life. Standing at 1.85 meters tall, with impressive fighting skills, and in 1997, a golden age brimming with opportunities, if I still can't make something of myself, then I'll have truly wasted this chance to be reborn.

"Xiangzi, what are you daydreaming about?" Security Captain Zhou came out of the inner room carrying an enamel mug. "Hurry up and brew some tea on the table, let's have some hot tea, brothers!"

Behind the duty room stood a worn-out desk with a tin tea box and an enamel mug printed with "Serve the People." Liu Xiang responded, walked over, picked up the tea box, pinched a pinch of tea leaves, put them into the mug, and poured in boiling water. The tea leaves slowly unfurled in the water, releasing a delicate aroma.

Team Leader Zhou leaned against the doorframe, watching Liu Xiang's retreating figure, and couldn't help but sigh.

This kid is good-looking and skilled, but he's too quiet. If it weren't for the original owner's distant relative making arrangements, he wouldn't have taken in such a taciturn guy as a security guard.

Liu Xiang brewed the tea, placed the enamel mug on the table, and couldn't help but glance at the factory gate again. The morning mist gradually dissipated, and the sun peeked out, shining on the snow so brightly it was hard to open one's eyes. More and more extras gathered at the gate; some hunched over to avoid the wind, others huddled together smoking and chatting, each with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation on their faces.

Just then, a car horn sounded from afar, and a Santana slowly pulled up in front of the factory. The door opened, and a man wearing a leather jacket and sunglasses stepped out—it was Li Tianming.

Li Tianming has recently become a household name across China thanks to a martial arts film, attracting attention wherever he goes. Liu Xiang, from the 21st century, had seen the film's explanation online in her previous life, never imagining that she would actually see him in person in this lifetime.

"Brother Tianming! Brother Tianming!" The extras at the door instantly erupted in a frenzy, swarming around him with crumpled notebooks and pens in hand, shouting for autographs. Li Tianming wore a polite smile, waving as he walked forward, while his assistant, who was following him, was busy stopping people, sweat beading on his forehead.

Just then, a man wearing a woolen overcoat and with slicked-back hair squeezed in, carrying an exquisite gift box. The man looked to be in his forties, with a shiny watch on his wrist, exuding an air of distinction that stood out from the disheveled extras around him.

Liu Xiang recognized him at a glance; it was Zhao Shanhai.

He had seen this person in the news in his previous life. Zhao Shanhai was an import and export trader, and by 1997 he was already a well-known bigwig in Beijing. This man, relying on his wealth, was domineering and arrogant. He loved to promote celebrities and also loved to force them to do things they didn't want to do. Later, Li Tianming refused to submit to him, and was secretly tripped up by him, causing his career to stagnate for several years.

"Teacher Li! Teacher Li!" Zhao Shanhai squeezed in front of Li Tianming, smiling as he handed over a gold-embossed business card. His voice was booming, "I'm Zhao Shanhai from Shanhai Trading. Our company is holding its annual meeting at the end of the year and we'd like to invite you to be a guest. The appearance fee is negotiable; just name your price!"

Li Tianming took off his sunglasses, glanced at the business card, and frowned. He was a stubborn man and couldn't stand Zhao Shanhai's arrogant and domineering attitude, so he immediately shook his head: "Mr. Zhao, I'm sorry, my schedule is full at the end of the year, I'm afraid I can't make it."

"You can reschedule!" Zhao Shanhai persisted, taking two steps forward, his smile widening, but a hint of malice lurked in his eyes. "Mr. Li, please do me the honor! Our company's clients are all here because of you. I'll double your appearance fee! No, triple it!"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding extras gasped, and the murmurs grew louder. Double the appearance fee—how much money would that be? It would probably be enough for these extras to earn for half a lifetime.

Li Tianming's face darkened, and he took a step back, his tone turning cold: "President Zhao, I said I'm not going, please stop bothering me."

After saying that, Li Tianming was about to walk inside, but Zhao Shanhai stopped him, his smile instantly vanishing, his tone laced with threat: "Teacher Li, you're not giving me face, are you? In this capital city, there's no one I can't invite! You'd better think it over, or you'll regret it!"

The air around them grew still at those words. The extras were too scared to utter a sound, and even Li Tianming's assistant shrank back, clearly intimidated by Zhao Shanhai's reputation. The security guards at the factory gate also noticed the commotion, but Zhao Shanhai looked formidable, and they all huddled in the gatehouse, none daring to approach.

Liu Xiang, who was on duty in the duty room, saw everything clearly and his heart skipped a beat. He knew Zhao Shanhai's methods; if this kid really got entangled with Li Tianming, he was probably in for a rough time. Moreover, as someone who wrote light novels, he actually disapproved of this kind of situation deep down.

The original owner's cowardice still lingered in his bones, making him want to shrink back, but now Liu Xiang's passion had surged. He gritted his teeth, opened the door of the duty room, strode out, and stood between Li Tianming and Zhao Shanhai.

"Sir, noise is prohibited at the factory gate. If you continue to cause trouble, we will call the police." Liu Xiang's voice was neither loud nor soft, but it carried a firm tone.

Zhao Shanhai paused for a moment, then looked Liu Xiang up and down. He saw that Liu Xiang was wearing a faded security guard uniform, and although he was decent-looking, he lacked any air of authority; he was clearly just a lowly security guard. He chuckled, about to speak, when suddenly someone darted out from the crowd.

The man had a face full of scars, wasn't tall, but was as strong as a bear. He was Wang Ba, an extra who was waiting for work at the factory gate. Wang Ba usually liked to bully people because of his size. Seeing that Zhao Shanhai was in a bad mood, he wanted to flatter him and curry favor with this big shot.