Huayu97: Starting with Wu Song Fighting the Tiger

Looking at Han Geng, who still retained a youthful air, Liu Xiang felt a surge of emotions. At that time, Han Geng was very young, with clear eyes and a clean, gentle smile, lacking the composure and weariness that would come with his future struggles in the entertainment industry.

He didn't say much, but stayed to help out for three days. Before dawn, he went to the market with Han Geng to buy vegetables, picking out the freshest pork and green onions. At noon, he rolled out dumpling wrappers in the kitchen. He had big hands, so the dumpling wrappers he rolled out were round and thin. In the evening, he helped clean up the tables and chairs and wash the dishes, making the greasy dishes clean.

Seeing how hard he worked, Han Geng's mother cooked him a variety of delicious meals every day, including braised pork, stewed ribs, and fried meatballs, ensuring he ate until he was stuffed. Before he left, she gave him a big bag of dumplings to take on the road and slipped a few bright red apples into his pocket: "Xiangxiang, eat these on the road, don't go hungry! Do your best on set, Auntie is waiting to see you become a big star!"

Liu Xiang nodded warmly, "Thank you for your kind words, Auntie. I will definitely work hard!"

Before saying goodbye to Han Geng and his mother, Liu Xiang went to a mobile phone store to buy a pager. Back then, cell phones weren't common, and pagers were the most fashionable communication tool. Having one on your belt made you feel incredibly proud. Liu Xiang chose a black digital pager, which cost him a thousand yuan, but he felt it was worth it. With a pager, it would be convenient for the film crew to contact him.

He clipped the pager to his waist, wrote down the pager number in a small notebook, then slung his satchel over his shoulder, put on his new overcoat, and swayed confidently toward the train station, ready to transfer to Chengde.

The journey from Beijing to Chengde was quite long. Liu Xiang bought a bus ticket and squeezed into the crowded carriage, his heart filled with anticipation. He watched the scenery rushing past the window, from the bustling city of Beijing to the gradually desolate suburbs, and then to the rolling mountains.

After what seemed like an eternity, the bus finally arrived at the station.

Liu Xiang, carrying a satchel, stepped off the bus with the flow of people. A gust of biting wind hit him in the face, making him shiver. He wrapped his woolen overcoat tighter and realized that late winter in Chengde was still very cold.

He immediately spotted the prominent characters at the entrance: "Chengde Mountain Resort". Several vans were parked at the entrance, one of which was heading towards the film crew's location. He got on the van and soon arrived at his destination. He took a breath and then relaxed as he got off.

There were many people in costumes coming and going; they were members of the "My Fair Princess" film crew.

Liu Xiang straightened her coat and walked inside with her head held high. Just as she reached the door, she was stopped by the security guard: "Comrade, who are you looking for? Do you have a pass?"

As soon as Liu Xiang introduced herself, she heard a cheerful voice behind her: "Liu Xiang! We've been waiting for you!"

He turned around and saw a middle-aged man in a military green jacket and a baseball cap striding towards him with a broad smile. It was Sun Shuping, the director of "My Fair Princess." Sun Shuping grabbed Liu Xiang's arm with surprising force, his smile wide and uncontrollable: "Let me tell you, I've been waiting for you for ages!"

Liu Xiang quickly greeted him with a smile: "Director Sun, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I just finished my scenes."

Sun Shupei looked him up and down, his admiration deepening: "Not bad, not bad! You look even more dashing in this outfit! I knew it, with your physique and looks, you exude an aura just by standing there!"

As the two were talking, a little girl suddenly appeared beside them. She had two braids with pink ribbons tied at the ends, wore a pink padded jacket, and had rosy cheeks like a ripe apple. Her big eyes, like two black grapes, darted around as she curiously looked at Liu Xiang.

Liu Xiang knew this girl all too well; who else could it be but Fan Binbin? At that time, Fan Binbin was only sixteen or seventeen years old, not yet fully grown up, with baby fat on her face and a touch of childishness, completely different from the powerful woman she later became known as "Fan Ye" (Master Fan).

Liu Xiang chuckled inwardly. Sure enough, she was two different people on and off screen. On screen, she was the charming and lovely Jin Suo, speaking softly and gently, but off screen, she was a bold and decisive person.

Seeing Liu Xiang looking at her, Fan Bingbing wasn't shy at all. She took small, quick steps forward and introduced herself in a cheerful voice: "Hello, brother, my name is Fan Bingbing, and I play Jin Suo in the crew! Are you the brother Liu Xiang that Director Sun has been talking about?"

Liu Xiang smiled and nodded, bending down to make sure her gaze was level with hers: "Hello, my name is Liu Xiang."

His voice was gentle, with a touch of magnetism. The moment he spoke, Fan Bingbing's eyes lit up like stars. She circled Liu Xiang again and again, tilting her head high, staring at his tall, 1.85-meter frame, exclaiming in amazement, "Wow, Brother Liu Xiang, you're so tall! Taller than Brother Zhou Jie in the crew! You're so handsome too, just like Wu Song himself, so handsome and powerful!"

Her undisguised infatuation made the script supervisor and staff next to her burst into laughter.

Sun Shupei playfully slapped Fan Binbin on the head, but the force was very light: "Binbin! Stop fooling around! Can't you see I'm talking to Liu Xiang? Hurry up and memorize your lines! Or I'll cut your screen time!"

Fan Binbin stuck out his tongue and made a face. Before leaving, he didn't forget to look back at Liu Xiang twice. The infatuation in his eyes was impossible to hide.

Liu Xiang was amused by the young girl and turned to Sun Shuping, saying, "Director Sun, thank you for thinking so highly of me. I'm just a newcomer with little experience. You can just give me a regular role, even a minor one is fine. I just want to learn from the crew and broaden my horizons."

He meant it sincerely. He knew how tough it was for newcomers on set. Getting into a big-budget production like "My Fair Princess," even for a small supporting role, was an incredible opportunity. He didn't dare ask for too much; he just wanted to learn as much as possible and gain more experience on set.

But Sun Shupei's next words completely stunned Liu Xiang.

Sun Shupei waved his hand, a confident smile on his face, and said decisively, "I want you to play Saiwei!"

"Saiwei?" Liu Xiang was stunned, his mouth slightly agape, unable to react for a long time. He remembered this character; he was a frequently appearing actor in the drama, one of the imperial bodyguards who followed the Empress, and the character was full of tension, so a good performance would definitely make him memorable.

But he never expected that Director Sun would entrust this role, which would feature a lot of characters, to a newcomer like himself.

"That's right! You'll play Saiwei!" Sun Shuping patted Liu Xiang on the shoulder, his tone full of trust. "The original actor for this role was injured, and I wouldn't have given you such a good role before. I thought about it carefully, and the male actors in the crew were either too weak or lacked presence. You were the most suitable. It was also a coincidence!"

Liu Xiang asked Sun Shuping, "Director Sun, you think too highly of me!"

Sun Shupei responded, "Your toughness and masculinity would probably be quite impressive and compelling on screen; you could really bring Saiwei's aura to life!"