Returning to the 82 Mountain Village: An Encounter with the Journey to the West Film Crew at the Beg

Zhou Fangyuan squatted there, watching Lin Zhiqian's figure disappear into the woods.

The number of people eating around the area gradually decreased. Some people started packing up their things to continue filming, while others leaned against tree trunks and dozed off.

Xiao Li leaned closer and nudged him with her elbow: "What are you thinking about?"

Zhou Fangyuan shook his head and didn't say anything.

He stood up and stretched his legs, which had gone numb from squatting.

In the distance, Ma Dehua and Yan Huaili were still squatting on that big rock, slowly chewing on dried sweet potatoes.

The sunlight shone on them, on their costumes that they hadn't yet taken off, making them glow golden.

The afternoon sun peeked through the leaves, warming people's bodies.

After finishing their meal, those who wanted to take photos continued taking photos, and those who wanted to rest continued to rest.

Zhou Fangyuan squatted beside the carrying pole, watching everyone put the empty lunchboxes back one by one.

After finishing her last bite, Ma Dehua walked over with the empty lunchbox, tossed it into the basket, and then casually pulled a dried sweet potato from her pocket.

Zhou Fangyuan saw it, smiled, shook his head, and didn't say anything.

Yan Huaili strolled over slowly, put the lunchbox down, nodded to Zhou Fangyuan, and went back to lean against his big rock.

Xun Hao squatted down next to the camera with the freshly prepared food in his bowl, shoveling food into his mouth while talking to Wang Chongqiu about how to proceed with the afternoon's shots.

Xiao Li counted the lunchboxes on the side, counting them once and then again.

"Fang Yuan, two are missing."

Zhou Fangyuan stood up and looked around.

Under the tree over there, two young stuntmen were still squatting, holding lunchboxes, eating and chatting, showing no intention of returning the food.

"I'll go and urge them," Zhou Fangyuan said as he walked over.

When the two saw him coming, they quickly shoveled the last two bites into their mouths, shoved the lunchbox into his hand, wiped their mouths, and ran away.

When Zhou Fangyuan returned with the lunchbox, Xiao Li had already packed up the load.

The empty lunchbox was stacked at one end, and the bowls and chopsticks were piled up at the other end. He weighed it in his hand and found that there was almost no hot water left in the pot.

"Is it almost done?" Xiao Li asked.

Zhou Fangyuan looked around again. Ma Dehua and Yan Huaili were still chewing on dried sweet potatoes. The sun was shining on them, making them squint like two old oxen sunbathing.

The faint sound of Lin Zhiqian shouting commands could be heard from the distant mountains.

Xun Hao had already stood up and started calling people to prepare for the next round.

"Alright, that's enough."

Xiao Li bent down, put the carrying pole on his shoulder, and tested its weight: "Then I'll go down first, you go about your business."

"Okay, be careful on your way back."

Xiao Li responded, picked up his load, and walked down the mountain path he had come from.

The bamboo basket swayed on both sides, and his figure quickly disappeared into the bushes, with only the creaking sound of the carrying pole fading into the distance.

Zhou Fangyuan stood still and glanced at the people eating again...

By the time the day's filming ended, it was completely dark.

Zhou Fangyuan helped pack up the last few things and then followed the group back.

The mountain path was difficult to walk on, and no one had the energy to talk. All that could be heard was the rustling of footsteps and the occasional cough from ahead.

Ma Dehua walked ahead, having already taken off Zhu Bajie's costume and was now wrapped in an old cotton-padded jacket. Her shoulders were so sore that she switched hands to carry things every few steps.

Yan Huaili followed beside him, also walking silently. There were many action scenes today, and he had a slight strain in his leg, so he was limping, but he refused to let anyone help him.

Back at the guesthouse, Zhou Fangyuan was about to head to his dormitory when the woman on duty called out to him, "Hey, Xiao Zhou, there's news for you!"

Zhou Fangyuan paused for a moment, then turned around.

The older sister took out a large bag of mountain produce from the drawer, and then took out two letters and handed them to him. They were thick and sturdy, with slightly wrinkled edges, indicating that they had been carried on the road for several days.

The handwriting on the envelope was very neat; it was Uncle Zhao's handwriting.

Zhou Fangyuan felt a surge of warmth in his heart, tucked the letter into his pocket, and hurried back to his dormitory.

The lights were off inside; Old Chen and the others hadn't returned yet.

He reached the edge of the bed and sat down, opening the first letter in the dim light coming in from the window.

The letter paper was the kind of rough, yellowish paper, folded neatly into a square.

Uncle Zhao's characters are large, each stroke distinct, and in some places the ink has bleed, so you have to read them carefully.

"Fang Yazi, seeing this letter is like seeing you in person."

I had the people from the commune look at the medicinal herb books you brought back last time. They said we were much better prepared than Xiaoshi Village and were more willing to help us.

The expert who promised to be assigned to us last time has also come to provide guidance. He spent the whole day looking around the back mountain.

Experts say the location we chose is shady and damp, and the soil is suitable; several medicinal herbs can be planted next spring.

One type is Solomon's Seal (Polygonatum sibiricum), which thrives in shady conditions and grows perfectly in the forest behind the mountain. It doesn't require much care when planted, can be harvested in two or three years, and has a stable price.

One type is Paris polyphylla, which also grows in damp places and is more valuable than Polygonatum odoratum. However, it needs to be planted carefully. Experts say that it should be planted in raised beds with good drainage to prevent waterlogging.

Another one is Bletilla striata. Experts say that the soil there is suitable for it, and if planted well, you can see a return on your investment within a year.

We and a few other activists have already decided that we'll start by planting Polygonatum and Bletilla striata on the eastern rows after the Lunar New Year. Since Paris polyphylla has high technical requirements, we'll start by planting a small patch first.

The villagers who participated in the experimental field all pressed their red handprints. I folded that piece of paper and will show it to you when you have time to come back.

Old Li and Sun Niang's families were still hesitant to try it. Old Li said, "Let's wait and see how our planting goes in another year." Sun Niang's family had few laborers and were afraid of taking risks, which was understandable. We wouldn't force them; we'd just set an example first.

Fang Yazi, don't worry about things at home. Everything is fine. Just focus on your work and take care of yourself.

Finally, on behalf of the people of Qingshi Village, I want to thank the leaders of your film crew. Without your trip back, and without their support, this wouldn't have happened!

Zhou Fangyuan read the letter twice. The words on the letter were a little blurry, not from ink bleeding, but because his eyes were a little moist.

He carefully folded Zhao Bo's letter, placed it on the bedside table, and opened the second one.

The letter was thinner, and the envelope was written in careful, neat handwriting.

Zhou Fangyuan's lips curled up slightly. It's a girl.

The letter paper was torn from a workbook; it was gridded paper with rough edges.

Xiuxiu wrote her words with great force, and some places that might not have been written very well before were erased with an eraser, leaving faint marks.

"elder brother:

The dried sweet potato with fish-fragrant leaves is especially popular! My mom and I made another batch, adjusting the steaming time, and the aroma and sweetness of the sweet potato blended even better than before!

This can is for you to eat as dry rations. You can chew on a few when you're tired from filming.

Mom told you not to worry about home and to focus on your work!

Brother, the Lunar New Year is almost here. Will you be able to come home for the New Year this year? It's okay if you can't come back. Just take good care of yourself while you're away, wear more clothes, and don't get cold!

My mom asked me to ask you if your film crew had stewed chicken or fish for Chinese New Year. If not, she said she wanted to send you some cured meat.

I got first place in the class again! I use the pen you gave me every day, and all my classmates are so envious!

Brother, work hard! We're all waiting to watch Journey to the West!

Zhou Fangyuan's thumb trembled as he sat on the edge of the bed for a long time, holding the letter.