Huayu97: Starting with Wu Song Fighting the Tiger

When Liu Xiang was helped ashore by two stagehands, he was frozen stiff and staggered as he walked, but he still had a smile on his face and gave Director Zhang an "OK" sign.

Director Zhang personally handed him a bowl of ginger soup, patted him on the shoulder, and said with a slightly reddened eye, "Liu Xiang, well done! It would be an injustice if this show didn't become a hit!"

Liu Xiang took a sip of ginger soup, and a warm current flowed from his throat into his stomach, making him feel so comfortable that he almost hummed out loud: "Director Zhang, don't praise me, this is the result of everyone's hard work."

He was wrapped in a military overcoat, walked to the group of extras on the shore, and greeted them with a smile.

The old man from Yangshan who had just taken the hot water bottle came over and handed him a hot roasted sweet potato: "Young man, eat up! It'll warm you up! I just roasted it in the fire, it's sweet!"

Liu Xiang took the sweet potato; its warmth seeped through his coarse cloth clothes and into his palm, warming his heart. He took a bite; it was soft, sweet, and fragrant, making his mouth water. He couldn't help but give a thumbs up: "Grandpa, your roasted sweet potato is so delicious!"

The old man grinned from ear to ear: "Eat as much as you like! I have plenty more at home!"

As Liu Xiang munched on a sweet potato, he looked at the wrinkles on the old man's face and a thought struck him. He remembered how famous Yangshan peaches were in his previous life; they were a nationally renowned specialty, selling for over ten yuan a pound. He leaned closer to the old man and whispered, "Grandpa, I have something to tell you, but you have to listen carefully."

The old man nodded: "Go ahead, I'm listening."

"Do you grow peaches?" Liu Xiang asked.

The old man paused for a moment, then said, "Yes, we grow peaches! Every family in Yangshan grows peaches, but they don't fetch a good price. At most, we sell them at the nearby market for a few cents a pound."

Liu Xiang's eyes lit up: "Grandpa, listen to me! After spring, expand your peach orchard and add more organic fertilizer to make the peaches bigger and sweeter. In a few years, these Yangshan peaches will be sold all over the country, fetching over ten yuan a pound—much more profitable than growing wheat! Then you can confidently build a two-story house and get your granddaughter-in-law married!"

The old man's eyes widened in disbelief: "Really? A pound can sell for over ten yuan? My few acres of peach orchards must be making a fortune!"

"Absolutely!" Liu Xiang said confidently. "In the future, city dwellers will love eating organic food. Your Yangshan peaches have a great taste and are very sweet; they're sure to be popular!"

Several fellow villagers from Yangshan gathered around, and upon hearing Liu Xiang's words, they rubbed their hands excitedly: "Young man, are you serious? Then we'll expand our peach orchards too!"

Liu Xiang smiled and said, "Of course it's true! Trust me, you won't go wrong!"

He then looked at several fishermen from Taihu Lake nearby, who were worried about not getting a good price for their catch. Liu Xiang walked over and patted a young fisherman on the shoulder: "Brother, the three whites of Taihu Lake—silverfish, white shrimp, and whitefish—are really good stuff!"

The young fisherman sighed, "It's good, but it doesn't fetch a good price. I can only sell it to nearby restaurants, and I don't make much money."

Liu Xiang grinned: "Big brother, listen to me. From now on, clean up these 'Three Whites of Taihu Lake' properly, give them fancy packaging, and send them to the big restaurants in the city. In a few years, these things will be sold all over the country, and you'll be counting your money hand over fist! What's a little hardship now? Good days are ahead!"

The fishermen's eyes lit up, and the leader, an older man, shook Liu Xiang's hand and said, "Young man, we'll remember what you said!"

At this moment, Director Zhang came over.

Hearing Liu Xiang talking about the "Three Whites of Taihu Lake," he chimed in, adding more details: "Liu Xiang isn't just making this up! A while ago, the CCTV program 'Everyday Cooking' came to Wuxi specifically to film the Taihu silverfish."

"I even went to watch. The chef's skills were truly authentic. He used silverfish from Taihu Lake, paired with local eggs, and simply stir-fried the silverfish with eggs. It was so delicious that you could almost swallow your tongue. When the camera showed it, the silverfish were crystal clear, and the eggs were golden and fragrant. It looked incredibly tempting. The director said that if this dish were broadcast, the whole country would know the fame of Taihu Lake silverfish!"

Director Zhang's words excited the fishermen even more, and they slapped their thighs and cheered.

The leading fisherman slapped his forehead, turned around and shouted to his companions, "What did I tell you! Brother Liu is a discerning man! Come on, let's go back to the boat and get some silverfish for Brother Liu and Director Zhang to try!"

Their home was really close by; their boat was moored in a tributary of Taihu Lake not far from the artificial waterway. The fishermen ran to the riverbank as they talked, and in just ten minutes or so, they returned with a cloth bag full of silverfish. The silverfish were white and shiny, looking very fresh, and still lively.

"Brother Liu, Director Zhang, these are silverfish we caught this morning, genuine Taihu Lake products. They're worthless, please don't mind!" The fisherman rubbed his hands together, a simple and honest smile on his face.

Liu Xiang quickly declined, saying, "Brother, you should keep it and sell it for money!"

The fisherman shoved the cloth bag into the crew member's hands: "What's the money in that! Brother Liu, you've been working so hard filming, your lips are all purple from the cold, have some silverfish to help you recover! We can even make silverfish scrambled eggs, everyone can have a taste today!"

Director Zhang laughed heartily, "Alright! We'll have an extra meal for the crew today! Cooks, get the kitchen ready!"

The crew's cooking team was also very efficient, quickly setting up a temporary stove outside the work shed. Several older women tended the fire, while the fishermen skillfully cleaned the silverfish, their movements were very practiced, and soon a rich aroma wafted out.

Before the sun had even set, several long tables were set up outside the work shed, and the crew members sat around them, creating a lively atmosphere like Chinese New Year.

The fried eggs with silverfish are golden and fragrant, the roasted sweet potatoes are soft, sweet and glutinous, and the braised pork made by the crew's cooks is fatty but not greasy.

The villagers from Yangshan brought their homemade rice wine, which was not very strong but had a rich and mellow flavor, and it was warm to the taste.

Liu Xiang sat in the middle of the crowd, trying a sip of rice wine while eating fried eggs with silver fish. Looking at the simple and honest people in front of her, she felt a warm feeling in her heart.

The old man from Yangshan took a couple of sips of rice wine, his face flushed, and grabbed Liu Xiang's hand, saying, "Young man, I'm turning my entire plot of land into a peach orchard this spring! You have to come and taste our peaches then!"

Fishermen from Taihu Lake also raised their wine glasses and came over, saying, "Brother Liu, let's plan well this year and try to get the 'Three Whites of Taihu Lake' to sell for a good price."

Director Zhang also raised his glass, smiling, and said, "Come on! Let's all toast Liu Xiang! To thank him for his contributions to this film!"

Everyone raised their glasses, the clinking of the glasses creating a crisp sound. Laughter and conversation filled the air, creating a lively atmosphere.

Liu Xiang raised his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp. The rich flavor of the rice wine spread in his mouth, warming him up all over.

Looking at the lights in front of him and at this group of lovely people, he suddenly felt that all the cold and suffering he had endured today was worth it.

The entertainment industry in the 1990s certainly had spoiled brats like Wang Bo and hypocritical businessmen like Zhao Dequan, but it also had good directors like Director Zhang, and a group of simple and honest villagers and fishermen.

At that moment, Kang Honglei's pager suddenly beeped.

He took it out and looked closely. There was only one line of text on it: Han Lei, bring Liu Xiang to the Taihu Hotel at 7 pm tomorrow. There is something to discuss.

Kang Honglei's eyes lit up.

Han Lei is looking for Liu Xiang, it must be about singing.

After putting down his wine glass, a happy smile appeared on his lips.

It’s just a good show.

Director Zhang noticed his expression and leaned closer to ask, "Is something the matter?"

Kang Honglei nodded, his eyes still shining: "Yes, and it's a good thing."