Huayu97: Starting with Wu Song Fighting the Tiger

As dawn broke and the aroma of fried dough sticks and soy milk from breakfast stalls still wafted through the hutongs of Beijing, Liu Xiang, her heart pounding, said goodbye to Li Yujun and Fan Xiaoxuan at the hotel entrance.

"Brother Liu Xiang, you must work hard on your filming after you go back to the set. Let's go for a walk in the alley and do square dancing when we have time!" Fan Xiaoxuan held his arm tightly, her big eyes full of reluctance. The joy she felt while dancing in the square yesterday hadn't faded yet, and her voice still carried a soft Taiwanese accent.

Li Yujun stood to the side with a faint smile on her face, but there was a hint of tenderness hidden in her eyes. She handed over a package of oil paper: "These are sugar-coated sesame cakes that I specially bought this morning. Take them with you to eat on the way. The boxed lunches on set probably won't suit your taste."

Liu Xiang took the oil paper package. The warmth seeped through the paper, and the sweet aroma of sugar-coated sesame cakes filled his nostrils, warming his heart even more. Looking at the two pretty girls before him, one lively and charming, the other gentle and graceful, he was momentarily speechless. He could only nod vigorously, "Take care of yourselves too. I'll come find you after I finish filming!"

After watching the two women for a while, Liu Xiang turned around and hailed a yellow van, heading straight for the filming location of "Princess Pearl".

Film crews in the 1990s didn't have nearly as many fancy equipment as they do now. The clapperboard was made of wood, its edges worn smooth and weathered. The sound engineer carried the heavy cassette recorder, having to rest every few steps for fear of bumping or damaging it. Even the director's chair was a small stool borrowed from a local villager, creaking as soon as you sat on it.

For the next month, Liu Xiang spent all her time on the film set.

I get up before dawn every day and run to the film set in the dark, my feet wet with dew.

Sometimes a scene had to be filmed more than ten times, and if the director wasn't satisfied, it had to be redone. He was so exhausted that his back was so sore he could barely straighten up, and when he got back to his dorm at night, he could fall asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. But he didn't complain at all; instead, he felt full of energy. At that time, the entertainment industry was all about real acting skills. There was no celebrity endorsement, no stunt doubles, and he had to carry every shot himself, which fascinated him.

In her spare time, Liu Xiang would chat with the actors in the film crew.

Zhao Wei has a very outgoing personality and often shows off her newly bought Motorola mobile phone to everyone. After pressing a few buttons, she proudly says, "This thing cost more than ten thousand yuan."

Lin Xinru speaks softly and gently, and she often asks Liu Xiang for advice on lines. The two of them would get together and study the script to refine their expressions.

Alec Su is a top student; during breaks from filming, he would be engrossed in an English book, saying he wanted to take the TOEFL and study abroad.

A few people gathered together, munching on candied hawthorns that cost five cents each, chatting about their dreams for the future, and their days were simple yet fulfilling.

Liu Xiang would also think of Fan Binbin. She didn't have many scenes, and after each shoot, she would stay on set, sit on a small stool behind the director, watch the senior actors act, and secretly take notes in a crumpled little notebook.

Liu Xiang wanted to talk to her more, but every time she approached, the assistant director would call her to touch up her makeup or rehearse. So, she didn't have a chance to have a proper chat.

Finally, Saiwei's scenes were all filmed.

When filming wrapped up that day, the production manager cheerfully handed Liu Xiang a thick manila envelope: "Liu Xiang, you did a great job this time! Here's your payment, five thousand yuan, please!"

Liu Xiang took the envelope, feeling its solid texture, and was overjoyed.

With what he had saved before, he now has nearly 15,000 yuan in savings!

In this day and age, that's not a small amount either.

He happily returned to his dormitory with the envelope in his pocket to pack his luggage.

As soon as I stepped outside, I saw Zhao Wei, Lin Xinru, Zhou Jie, and Su Youpeng standing at the door.

They were also carrying several plastic bags filled with fruit and snacks.

"Liu Xiang! Congratulations on wrapping up filming!" Zhao Wei rushed over first, handing him a large bag of milk candies, the wrappers gleaming in the sunlight. "These are what we pooled our money to buy, for the road!"

Lin Xinru smiled and handed over a notebook with pictures of Xiao Yanzi and Ziwei on the cover, which she had drawn herself: "These are some dialogue tips I copied down. You can take them and use them when you're filming in the future."

Su Youpeng patted him on the shoulder, quite forcefully: "If you ever come to Taipei, remember to look me up! I'll treat you to braised pork rice!"

Several people chattered and offered their blessings; these enthusiastic friends became a cherished memory for him!

He thanked everyone one by one, and was about to turn around and jump into the old Jinbei van parked by the roadside when he saw the assistant director leading Fan Binbin and a crew assistant over.

Fan Binbin was wearing a blue dress with a cute little hair clip at the neckline. She was holding an old cloth bag with "Welcome to Beijing" printed on it. Her face was as white as paper, her lips were bluish-purple, and she was trembling slightly.

"Liu Xiang, it just so happens you're heading back to the city," the assistant director said, rubbing his hands together with a troubled expression. "Binbin has a persistent high fever, and the crew's car is heading into the city. Could you keep an eye on her for a bit? This is the crew's assistant; she'll be coming along. But if it's convenient for you, it would be best if you could lend a hand!"

Liu Xiang's heart skipped a beat. She quickly stepped forward to support the swaying Fan Binbin. The moment her fingertips touched Fan Binbin's arm, she was startled by the burning temperature: "Why is your fever so high? You didn't even tell me!"

Fan Binbin was startled by his sudden action, her body trembled slightly, but she quickly shrank back, avoiding his hand, her voice a little urgent: "Don't touch me! Brother Liu Xiang, I have a fever, you'll catch it! Stay away from me!"

Liu Xiang remained silent. After getting into the car, she sat next to Fan Binbin so that she could take care of him on the way.

Fan Binbin tried to move to the side, but the back seat was too cramped, and she couldn't move at all. Her eyes reddened with anxiety, and tears welled up in them; she looked pitiful.

Liu Xiang's heart softened, and she no longer cared about whether it was contagious or not.

He reached out and touched her forehead again. This time she didn't pull away, but her shoulders trembled slightly. His large, warm palm pressed against her burning forehead, making her sigh with comfort, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Silly girl!" Liu Xiang's voice softened unconsciously, tinged with concern. "You have a fever and you're still pushing yourself? Go and rest for a while!"

As he spoke, he took off his coat and draped it over her. The coat still carried his body heat, warm and cozy, enveloping her small body. Fan Binbin was stunned for a moment. When she looked up at him, tears welled up in her eyes even more, but she dared not speak. She simply leaned back obediently in her chair, letting him take care of her.

The crew assistant was a young woman in her early twenties, clearly someone who disliked trouble. Her eyes lit up when Liu Xiang offered to take over: "Brother Liu Xiang, that's wonderful! I've been so busy lately, I was just worried about not having time to look after her! Please go ahead and help. Once we get to the hospital, I'll settle the medical bills and then go back to the set!"