Huayu97: Starting with Wu Song Fighting the Tiger

Liu Xiang walked towards him step by step, her eyes as cold as ice, her murderous aura no less intense than that of the mercenary from before: "Wang Xianfu? So what? Let me tell you, don't think you can do whatever you want just because you have money! Don't think you can treat human life like dirt just because you have money! I'll spare your worthless life, get the hell out of here!"

Wang Bo was stunned by Liu Xiang's imposing manner; his legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground. He scrambled to pick up his riding whip, turned, and ran towards the door, shouting as he ran, "Liu Xiang, you just wait! I won't let you get away with this! My father will avenge me!"

Liu Xiang was too lazy to chase after him. This kind of spoiled brat was just a paper tiger, easily punctured. He turned to look at Zhao Dequan, who was cowering in the corner. Zhao Dequan was trembling with fear, his smile more like a grimace: "Mr. Liu... are you... are you alright?"

Liu Xiang said with a hint of sarcasm, "President Zhao, I'm sorry for causing this scene here."

Zhao Dequan quickly waved his hand, shaking his head vigorously like a rattle-drum: "It's alright, it's alright..."

Liu Xiang nodded; he didn't want to stay here any longer. This so-called high-class equestrian club was nothing more than a playground for the rich, filled with hypocrisy and scheming, every inch of air reeking of money. He felt nauseous just being there. He didn't reach for the chestnut horse; everything in the stable felt filthy to him, and he felt it would be too dirty to even touch it.

He turned and walked steadily toward the club's gate. The fight had left him a little dusty, but it did not diminish his imposing presence in the slightest.

As she walked out of the club, Liu Xiang glanced back at the white-walled, red-tiled building, her eyes filled with disdain.

Liu Xiang couldn't help but chuckle. This system was really a troublemaker. Unlocking a skill required owing four hundred beatings. When would that ever end? If she had known the unlocking conditions were this harsh, she should have negotiated with the system. Now the system was playing dead again!

But then he thought again and couldn't help feeling fortunate. If he hadn't had that fighting skill, he probably would have been a victim of that mercenary's fists long ago. Society in the 1990s, seemingly peaceful on the surface, was actually rife with undercurrents. The wealthy and powerful could trample on the dignity of others and even disregard human life. Today's incident was the best lesson of all.

Although this mercenary combat technique was hastily unlocked and the conditions were harsh, it was indeed very useful, with each move potentially fatal and capable of saving one's life in a critical moment. Liu Xiang clenched her fists, feeling the power flowing through her body, and sighed inwardly.

However, despite her reflections, Liu Xiang quickly turned her attention back to her main job.

He remembered the pager number Han Lei had given him, and the song "Borrowing Five Hundred Years from Heaven" from the banquet. His goal was clear: he wanted to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry of this era. Horse taming and fighting were just icing on the cake.

Songwriting skills should be put on the agenda soon. Singing is relatively easy to learn, and his current singing is only at the KTV level. But he is Liu Xiang, who is going to bring Wu Song to life and become a triple-threat star in film, television and music. He can't just rely on horse training and fighting for the rest of his life, can he? In the future, he not only needs to be able to sing, but also compose songs, and even write lyrics.

Liu Xiang straightened her collar, boarded a bus parked by the roadside, and headed back towards the Water Margin City film crew.

When Liu Xiang rushed back to the Water Margin City film crew, the sun was still high in the sky. A row of whitewashed costumes hung on the clothesline outside the work shed. A strong wind swept across the wasteland, and Wu Song's black robe fluttered in the wind.

Director Zhang was squatting by the artificial canal, smoking, his brow furrowed. Upon seeing Liu Xiang, he immediately stubbed out his cigarette in the mud and rushed over, his voice booming: "My goodness! You're finally back! If you'd been half an hour later, this scene would have had to be rescheduled for tomorrow!"

Just as Liu Xiang was about to explain, Xiao Li, the stagehand, grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the dressing room. Xiao Li moved with lightning speed, constantly muttering, "Brother Liu, hurry up! The costume team has ironed your outfit perfectly. Old Hong, who plays Jiang Menshen, has been warming up by the river for half an hour already. He even brought knee pads today, just in case he hurts you during your sparring match!"

The dressing room reeked of paint mixed with baby powder, making everyone sneeze. Liu Xiang sat down on a long bench, and makeup artist Sister Wang quickly applied his makeup, sketching out Wu Song's unruly eyebrows with an eyebrow pencil while muttering, "Young man Liu, your face really looks good on camera, but your complexion is a bit off today, with some dark circles under your eyes. Didn't you sleep well?"

Suddenly, Liu Xiang grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth: "Hey, I just sparred with someone a couple of times, it's nothing."

Sister Wang's hand trembled, and her eyebrow pencil nearly poked his eyelid. Startled, she patted her chest and exclaimed, "My goodness! Be careful! If you hurt his face, Director Zhang will skin me alive! He said yesterday that Wu Song's face is the face of the whole play, more precious than the tiger on Jingyang Ridge!"

Liu Xiang was both amused and exasperated, letting Sister Wang apply smears to his face, while his mind raced through the scenes of "Drunkenly Beating Jiang Menshen." These two episodes were the highlight of Wu Song's story, from his spirited demeanor at the Happy Forest Tavern, to his wandering life on the river, and finally to his valiant fight against Jiang Menshen's henchmen on the shore—each scene was interconnected, and none of them could be omitted.

Especially the scene where he jumps off the boat and fights, he not only had to portray Wu Song's drunkenness but also reveal his ruthlessness, and he also had to suffer in the icy cold water, which was no ordinary ordeal.

When he changed into his black robe, tied a wide leather belt around his waist, and carried the heavy prop whistle in his hand, the entire crew stared in disbelief.

"Wow! That's the real Wu Erlang! That look in his eyes, so fierce it could devour you!"

"Absolutely! Look at that figure, broad shoulders and a narrow waist. Just standing at the bow of the boat, he exudes the air of a chivalrous hero without even acting!"

"I was worried he was too young to handle the role, but now it seems I was worrying for nothing!"

Hearing the crowd's chatter, Liu Xiang grinned, deliberately swayed his body, and imitated Wu Song's tone from the opera, shouting with a lisp, "Innkeeper! Bring three more bowls of good wine! I can still drink!"

Everyone burst into laughter, and even the usually serious Director Zhang couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.

After laughing, he straightened his face, raised a megaphone, and shouted, "Stop joking! Everyone, take your positions! First scene: boating on the river! Lights! Sound equipment! Props! Get everything set up!"

In winter, the water in the artificial canals of Shuihu City is truly refreshingly cold.

When Liu Xiang stood at the bow of the wooden boat, the wooden planks beneath his feet were chilling. He glanced into the water, which was as calm as a polished mirror, reflecting the reeds on the shore and the earthen slope in the distance. But everyone knew that beneath this seemingly calm surface, the water was so cold it could make one's bones tingle.

The stagehand, Xiao Li, handed over a tightly sealed hot water bottle, rubbing his hands together as he said, "Brother Liu, you'd better keep this handy. Use it to warm yourself up before filming. The water was just tested; it's three degrees Celsius! It's almost as cold as ice water from the refrigerator!"