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

Zhou Fangyuan, carrying the brown umbrella, returned to Old Master Qian's small courtyard.

Mr. Qian and Mr. Song were drinking morning tea under the eaves, looking at the bright courtyard after the rain.

"Teacher Qian, Teacher Song." Zhou Fangyuan stepped forward and respectfully handed over the umbrella. "Here's the umbrella back. I was so grateful for it yesterday."

Mr. Qian took the umbrella and nodded.

"Hmm, it was sent back? Is Chang Qing alright?"

"It's been delivered. She's fine."

After a moment's thought, Zhou Fangyuan decided it was best to be honest. He then recounted the snippets he had overheard at Chang Qing's relative's house that morning, along with the aunt's questioning, in a tactful but clear manner.

Finally, he said, "So I thought I should tell you both."

"This was originally your instruction, and it's all aboveboard. But I'm afraid some gossip might spread and distort the truth, causing misunderstandings for you two and putting Comrade Chang Qing in a difficult position."

After listening, the two elderly people looked at each other.

Old Qian gave a soft hum, a hum that conveyed both understanding and disdain for worldly gossip.

"They don't use their minds on the right things, but their eyes and mouths are always busy."

I understand, Fang Yuan. You handled it well. Speaking up beforehand will clear your name.

Chang Qing... it's not easy living under someone else's roof. If there are similar situations requiring interaction in the future, please be mindful of your boundaries.

Old Song took a sip of tea and said calmly:

"A person with a clear conscience has nothing to fear, but it's always better to be cautious in this world. You are a thoughtful and upright child."

Seeing that the two elders understood, Zhou Fangyuan felt at ease.

As he spoke, Old Master Qian got up and went into the house. When he came out, he had a notebook in his hand, the very one that Chang Qing had returned yesterday.

He handed it to Zhou Fangyuan: "Take this."

Zhou Fangyuan accepted it with both hands, somewhat puzzled.

Mr. Qian pointed to the notebook.

"Afterwards, Huaimin and I added a few words. Take a look; they might offer some inspiration."

Chang Qing is a bright and hardworking child; she has already benefited greatly from this notebook. You have a different perspective; perhaps you can see another layer of meaning.

The old man gestured for him to turn to the last few pages of the notebook.

Sure enough, I saw two different and vigorous handwritings, filled with fragments of thoughts on the relationship between "qi and rhyme", "form and spirit", and "tradition and innovation".

There are also a few words of wisdom about "enduring loneliness" and "staying true to oneself," which are undoubtedly gifts from these two masters.

"This...is so precious! Thank you, Teacher Qian! Thank you, Teacher Song!"

A surge of warmth welled up in Zhou Fangyuan's heart, and he solemnly gripped the notebook tightly in his hand.

"Go on, the road ahead is long." Old Master Qian waved his hand, his gaze gentle.

Leaving Qian Lao's home, Zhou Fangyuan returned to his small room at the guesthouse, carrying with him a heavy expectation.

He pushed open the door and paused for a moment.

Yesterday, only a corner of the bed was made up, but now it's all neatly made, and even the floor looks like it's been swept.

On that old desk, the coarse cloth bag that was originally there was now even more bulging.

When Zhou Fangyuan opened it, he found it was full of small wooden carvings related to Journey to the West.

Wukong, Bajie, Tang Sanzang... and even a few little monkey spirits, the carvings are more vivid and interesting than before.

Underneath the bag was the note he had left for Xiao Zhang yesterday.

Turning it over, I found several lines of enthusiastic writing in pencil on the back:

"Huh? You actually managed to go see Director Yang? That's impressive! You're amazing!"

This bag of wood carvings on the table is for you, remember to take it! It rained yesterday and it's very damp, so we can't work in the yard. The wood is prone to warping from moisture.

If you have some free time and want to see what's going on, come find me at our makeshift art shed on the east side of the compound! — Zhang Youqing

Looking at the neat bed, the wooden carvings on the table, and the note, Zhou Fangyuan felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

This roommate, whom I wasn't particularly close to, expressed his kindness in the simplest way.

He put down his notebook, picked up a wooden carving of a monkey that looked somewhat like himself, and decided to go check out the art studio that Xiao Zhang had mentioned.

Bypassing the guesthouse compound, on a relatively dry open space to the east.

Sure enough, a simple but quite large shed was erected.

Inside, there were lights, the sound of hammering, and a faint smell of wood, paint, and paste.

Zhou Fangyuan walked in and found the place bustling with activity, with seven or eight graphic designers working diligently.

Some were painting and gilding the individual parts of the shrine, while others were making model frames, with tiny wood shavings flying in the air.

"Comrade Zhou! Over here!" Xiao Zhang, with sharp eyes, waved from beside a worktable.

Zhou Fangyuan walked over, and Xiao Zhang was looking at a pile of pale yellow wooden blocks and several "fruits" that had been roughly carved but had not yet been finely crafted.

Some experimental plaster blocks and clay blanks were scattered on the worktable.

"Busy, Comrade Zhang," Zhou Fangyuan greeted him, looking curiously at the wooden fruit. "What's this carved?"

"Ginseng fruit!" Xiao Zhang scratched his head, looking troubled.

"We need the props for the episode 'Stealing Ginseng Fruit' soon, and we're going to Sichuan to film it. It's extremely important! Everything else is easy to arrange, but this fruit is the hardest to get."

The team leader instructed that it didn't need to be as horrifying as the original story; just keep the human form.

However, even if you use the finest boxwood for carving, it is hard and delicate, but after applying the color, no matter how similar the lacquer is, it will never have the same juiciness, warm fleshiness, and precious luster as real fruit.

He's obviously a blockhead; a close-up shot immediately reveals the mistake!

An older man standing nearby, seeing that the visitor was Xiao Zhang's friend, took a drag of his cigarette and chimed in.

"We also tried using plaster, which is light, but it is brittle and easily damaged, and the color is also dull."

Sculpting from clay and firing it results in a heavy product, and the details are difficult to control... Sigh, this kind of thing that requires a "raw" texture is the most difficult to work with.

If we can't make it ourselves, we'll have to pay someone to do it.

Xiao Zhang picked up the half-carved wooden ginseng fruit.

"Look, wood is easy to carve, but this... this looks so tempting, like a magical treasure from the heavens. How can I make it? It's driving me crazy."

Zhou Fangyuan picked up the wooden blank, examined it carefully, and weighed it in his hand.

He recalled the various prop-making techniques he had seen in his previous life, and a simple yet potentially effective idea popped into his head.

"Comrade Zhang, fellow masters, I have a layman's idea, I don't know if it's feasible."

Everyone looked at him, and the two team leaders also came over.

"Let's make it with wax."

Everyone present was stunned.

Old Han, the head of the props team, realized what was happening and frowned: "Wax? We've tried that thing too, it looks more like a lantern than a fairy fruit."

Seeing the skeptical looks around him, Zhou Fangyuan smiled faintly and explained as he spoke about the method:

"We carve a mold out of wood, melt wax and pour it in, and after it cools, it will be the shape of a doll."

The wax is warm and smooth, but the wax texture is too strong, making it look a bit fake. It doesn't have the radiant glow of a divine treasure, right?

What if you apply a layer of latex glue after mixing the colors?

After listening, Lao Xiao, the head of the art department, pondered: "Latex glue... Oh! The one Old Wang uses for makeup?"

"That's right, it's a specially formulated glue. Once it dries, it will have a crystal-clear appearance. Add some glitter, and it will sparkle."

Moreover, it can be stored indefinitely without fading or changing color, and you can hang it on the tree to take pictures for as long as you like.

The surrounding workers felt there was great potential after hearing this, and they were all excited, thinking that the major problem had finally been solved.

But Lao Han still hesitated, and after a moment he gave his opinion.

"But we can only borrow that kind of glue from Old Wang. If we make a fruit and try to borrow his special glue, will he be willing to give it to us?"

Furthermore, what if the glue reacts with the wax, leaving the fruit sticky and whitish on the surface, making it look dirty under light? Wouldn't that be a waste of effort?

Wax is more expensive, the cost is higher, it's not worth it.