Huayu97: Starting with Wu Song Fighting the Tiger

"Alright!" Uncle Wang replied in a loud voice, his hands moving even faster. "Please wait a moment, gentlemen! It'll be ready soon!" He then asked, "What kind of beer would you like? We have Xishan Special Yellow Beer and Wuxi Beer! They're all good local beer!"

"Two bottles of Xishan Special Yellow beer, and three bottles of Wuxi beer!" Kang Honglei waved his hand grandly, acting like a nouveau riche. "It's my treat today, drink as much as you want!"

Xishan Tehuang is a local Shaoxing wine from Wuxi. It has a low alcohol content and a slightly sweet rice flavor, making it perfect for pairing with grilled skewers. Wuxi beer, on the other hand, is refreshing. When chilled, a sip is incredibly cool and invigorating.

The three of them found a greasy wooden table and sat down. They moved three plastic stools, the legs of which wobbled, and they had to put a piece of paper under them to make them stable. They had only been sitting for two minutes when a little girl in a floral dress came over carrying a plate.

The plate held freshly grilled lamb skewers, sizzling with oil, sprinkled with bright red chili powder and golden cumin powder, making one's mouth water with the aroma.

Ding Haifeng picked up a skewer of lamb, took a big bite, and the tender lamb mixed with the aroma of cumin exploded in his mouth. He squinted his eyes in satisfaction and smiled at Liu Xiang, saying, "Liu Xiang, congratulations. To be honest, you're more suitable to play Wu Song than I am. You have that tough, grassroots spirit that I can't portray."

Liu Xiang raised her glass, the Xishan Special Yellow wine inside gleaming with an amber light: "Brother Ding, I salute you for saying that. If you ever get the chance, you'll definitely be more famous than me. Your acting skills and your character will absolutely make you a superstar."

Kang Honglei also raised his glass, the rim of which clinked against the other's, making a crisp sound: "Stop talking! Cheers! Today, let's not talk about work, let's not talk about filming, let's just drink!"

"Dry!"

The three people's glasses clinked together, making a crisp sound. The mellow yellow wine, the refreshing beer, mixed with the aroma of lamb skewers, exploded in their mouths—it was incredibly satisfying.

In the 1990s, street food stalls didn't have fancy plating; the food was served on rough porcelain plates, but the portions were generous. You could sit on a plastic stool, eat skewers, drink alcohol, enjoy the evening breeze, and chat—it was pure bliss.

At the next table, some people were shirtless, playing drinking games and shouting "Five kings! Six six six!" at a deafening volume; others were singing while holding guitars.

There was also a young couple snuggling together, secretly holding hands, their faces as red as lanterns.

Liu Xiang took a sip of Xishan Special Yellow Wine. The warm liquid slid down his throat, making him feel comfortable and relaxed, as if every pore on his body was opening up. He looked at Kang Honglei and Ding Haifeng in front of him. One was a future famous director who had made countless classic works; the other was a future powerful actor who could play any role convincingly.

Now, they're with me, squatting at a roadside stall, eating skewers, drinking, bragging, and chatting. This feeling is so wonderful, it's like a dream.

Just as the three were enjoying their drinks, and Kang Honglei was enthusiastically recounting his embarrassing experiences as a sent-down youth in Inner Mongolia, a commotion suddenly broke out from a small food stall across the street, accompanied by exclamations from a girl, shattering the lively atmosphere of the night market.

"What are you doing! Let me go!"

"Trying to be a thug, huh! Believe me or not, we'll call the police!"

"Help! Is anyone going to do something about this?!"

Liu Xiang frowned instantly and put down his wine glass.

Looking up immediately, I saw six men in floral shirts with slicked-back hair huddled around a table at the shrimp wonton shop across the street, harassing several girls. The men were drunk, their faces flushed, and they were swearing and cursing.

This group of people are even more disgusting; they pull girls' hair and tear their clothes, which is nauseating to watch.

Among them was a short-haired woman in a beige sweater—none other than Lan Xiaoling. Her hair was disheveled, and her face was filled with terror, yet she still desperately protected a young girl beside her. That girl was the makeup artist from the film crew, barely in her early twenties, and she was so frightened that tears were streaming down her face. There were also two other girls, also script supervisors from the film crew, huddled in a corner, trembling with fear.

"Hold!"

Liu Xiang cursed and slammed the skewers on the table with a loud "bang." He stood up abruptly; at 1.85 meters tall, he exuded an intimidating presence.

Ding Haifeng and Kang Honglei also looked over, their expressions instantly darkening, their earlier enjoyment of drinking vanishing completely. Without a word, Ding Haifeng slammed his glass on the table, spilling a considerable amount of beer.

He rolled up his sleeves, revealing his muscular arms, and quickly caught up with Liu Xiang, cursing under his breath: "Damn it, acting like a hooligan in public? Do they think there's no one left in Wuxi? These little brats are asking for trouble!"

Although Kang Honglei was a director, he also had a fiery temper and was a reckless fighter in his youth. He grabbed an empty beer bottle from the side; the bottom was thick and it looked quite heavy. He followed behind, cursing and swearing, his glasses askew: "You little brats, daring to bully our crew, I'll teach you a lesson! I'll show you what's what today!"

Liu Xiang walked at the front, his steps quick and steady, the bluestone pavement beneath his feet making a "thump-thump" sound. His original body had trained at a martial arts school for several years, possessing a solid foundation in martial arts and brimming with confidence. His anger surged; these bastards dared to bully Lan Xiaoling and the others—they had truly lost their minds!

The six drunken men were stunned when they saw three burly men, each over six feet tall, walking menacingly towards them. They were clearly not expecting anyone to dare to meddle in their business.

Immediately, the burly man with the fierce look on his face stiffened and started yelling, reeking of alcohol and slurring his words: "What? You want to meddle, huh? Get lost if you know what's good for you, or I'll beat you all up! We're men of the underworld!"

Liu Xiang didn't waste words with him. You can't reason with this kind of person; you can only settle things with your fists. He walked up to him, reached out and grabbed the guy's outstretched wrist, his fingers tightening like iron clamps.

The guy screamed in pain, like a pig being slaughtered, his face instantly turning pale: "Ah! It hurts! Let go! Let go now! You're asking for it!"

With a sudden twist of her wrist, Liu Xiang heard a soft "crack" as the man's arm was twisted behind his back. He winced in pain, tears and snot streaming down his face.

Seeing this, the remaining five men stopped bullying the girl and rushed forward, cursing and swearing, each one baring their teeth and claws like hungry wolves pouncing on their prey.