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

Zhang Youqing first used a brush to carefully outline the Monkey King's silhouette on the catalpa wood.

The goal is to make the most of the wood while avoiding any flaws.

Picking up the carving knife, this time I made a particularly steady and careful cut, unlike the quick and skillful cuts I usually make when working on small items.

Instead, he pondered every cut, pausing from time to time to check the blueprints or feel the grain of the wood with his fingers.

Zhou Fangyuan didn't leave either, just watched from the side, occasionally handing over a tool. Xiao Zhang was completely absorbed in it, and didn't even hear the call to get dinner.

As time passed, a lifelike, lively, and spirited rough sketch of the Monkey King gradually emerged on the wood.

Xiao Zhang was sweating profusely as he carved, already imagining how successful the piece would be. His excited eyes were fixed on the wooden blank.

His expression gradually became somewhat "foolish," and the corners of his mouth involuntarily stretched out.

His eyes burned with intensity, as if the man had seen something, and he slowly removed his outer garments.

It's like a child finally getting the toy sword they've always dreamed of.

That silly grin, filled with infatuation and smugness, made Zhou Fangyuan, who was standing next to him, unable to help but laugh.

"Hey, watch it, you're drooling all over the wood!" Zhou Fangyuan joked.

Xiao Zhang then suddenly realized what was happening, but instead of being annoyed, he chuckled.

"What do you know? This is called getting into character! I'm like a monkey in the Water Curtain Cave watching its king take shape!"

With the rough blank completed, the finishing stage begins.

Xiao Zhang's outgoing, obsessive enthusiasm vanished instantly.

He pursed his lips, held his breath, and even his breathing became light and slow.

Holding various types of scrapers and sandpaper, he carefully polished every texture, afraid of making the slightest mistake and ruining his hard work.

He patiently adjusted and modified the direction of the monkey's fur, the focus of its eyes, and the movement of its clothing.

The carving was completed late at night.

A sleek and spirited Monkey King stands on the table, exuding both spirituality and majesty.

"That's fantastic!" Zhou Fangyuan exclaimed sincerely.

Xiao Zhang let out a long sigh of relief, wiped his sweat, but was still not satisfied: "There's only one last step left, coloring!"

The natural color of the wood is beautiful, but once it's stained, its layers and charm come out even more! We need to study how to mix the colors carefully.

Then, the two began to discuss under the lamplight.

"The gold headband should be shiny, but not a dull gold; it should have the calm and understated feel of old gold."

"The eyes are the most crucial part! You need to leave highlights, the pupil color should be deep, and they need to be expressive; they can't be drawn lifeless..."

They discussed it passionately, as if they weren't just coloring a wooden carving, but collectively giving a character a real life.

The night outside the window grew deeper, but the small dormitory room was made exceptionally bright and warm by the passion for creation.

You're done!

Under the dim yellow light, the wooden sculpture of the Monkey King, with its gleaming golden headband, fiery eyes, and battle robe patterns that seemed to sway in the wind, was truly full of divine power and vitality, as if it were about to leap out of the ground!

Zhou Fangyuan and Xiao Zhang stood side by side, looking at the work they had created together, their hearts filled with a sense of accomplishment.

"Good! Now it's really alive..."

Xiao Zhang let out a long sigh of relief. He was tired, but his eyes were full of excitement.

"It's alive," Zhou Fangyuan said, admiring the wood carving. He patted Xiao Zhang on the shoulder with a smile and then brought up the topic.

"Comrade Zhang, do you remember the specifications for the small wood carvings I mentioned to you last time? There were some rough ones, and some more detailed ones."

"Of course I remember that, I carve every day."

Xiao Zhang picked up a rag, gently wiped the table, and smiled at Zhou Fangyuan.

"What, want to add more orders?"

"I wanted to discuss a new approach with you."

Zhou Fangyuan sat at the small table and tapped his finger on the surface.

"I was thinking, could we make some larger, more refined, and proper decorative pieces?"

Of course, it's not about achieving that level of museum-quality!

That would be too labor-intensive and time-consuming, but it must look good, be solidly made, and with a base, it can be sold as a high-end product.

He looked at the wooden carving of the Monkey King, paused, and emphasized:

"The appearance should remain the same as in our pilot episode. The new look hasn't even been filmed yet, so it's like trying to draw a tiger but failing and not achieving the best effect."

After listening, Xiao Zhang nodded but didn't reply immediately. Instead, he walked to the corner of the wall.

He picked up a few pieces of the remaining catalpa wood, tapped them with his fingers, and carefully examined the grain before turning around: "We'll use this wood! As for the labor..."

He held up two fingers: "Let's say two cents each."

Just as Zhou Fangyuan was about to speak, Xiao Zhang didn't even give him a chance to open his mouth this time.

"Just two cents, Comrade Zhou, don't haggle over this!"

Exquisitely carved ornaments are a great way to hone one's skills and improve one's craft! Besides…”

His tone became sincere as he looked at the graphic.

"Your drawing is the real treasure. I might not be able to figure out Sun Wukong's posture and spirit on my own."

You've really given me a huge boost, it's enlightened me! From now on, let's stop being so formal with all this "comrade" stuff!

You're my brother Zhou, just call me Youqing.

Seeing that he was resolute and that his words were reasonable and warm, Zhou Fangyuan stopped being coy and nodded in agreement.

"Okay, I'll do as you say."

He thought of Old Pig, walked to his bedside, and took out a calligraphy copybook used to hold pictures.

"This is Pigsy's new look. Here, take this."

Xiao Zhang took the blueprints and saw the adorable Pigsy on them. His face lit up with joy: "Great! You have quite a few treasures!"

"However, there is one thing," Zhou Fangyuan solemnly instructed.

"You have to carve these things in your spare time without interfering with your main job. We can't put the cart before the horse and let it affect the important work."

"Don't worry, Brother Zhou!"

Xiao Zhang tilted his head back and patted his chest loudly.

"How could I not do my duty? I promise not to cause the crew any trouble whatsoever!"

The matter was settled, and the two admired the wooden carving of the Monkey King for a while before taking their breaks.

The next day at noon, during a break, Zhou Fangyuan carefully wrapped the wooden sculpture of the Monkey King in a soft cloth.

Together with Xiao Zhang, they delivered it to Zhang Jinlai.

A light knock opened the door, and only Zhang Jinlai was inside.

He invited the two of them in. When he saw Xiao Zhang, his expression was no longer as sullen as before, but it wasn't exactly enthusiastic either; it was a kind of peacefulness that was somewhere between familiarity and politeness.

He first smiled at Zhou Fangyuan, and when he saw Xiao Zhang behind him, he nodded slightly as a greeting.

"Come in and sit down," Zhang Jinlai said in a low voice, stepping aside to make way.

There was a copy of "Journey to the West" spread out on the table, and next to it was a notebook full of writing, clearly he had been studying it intently.

Zhou Fangyuan smiled and handed over the cloth bag: "Jinlai, I brought you something. See if you like it."

Zhang Jinlai took it and began to untie the cloth bundle.

The soft cloth was slowly lifted, and as the richly colored and lifelike wooden sculpture of the Monkey King gradually came into view, he was clearly stunned.

Zhang Jinlai subconsciously moved closer, bringing himself into the brighter light.

His gaze shifted from the gleaming golden headband to the bright, piercing eyes... He looked very slowly and carefully.

"This...this is too exquisite."

He finally raised his head, looked at Zhou Fangyuan, and then turned to Xiao Zhang, his eyes filled with clear surprise and gratitude.

"Master Zhang, this skill... is truly excellent, exceptionally excellent."

He still didn't say much, and his voice wasn't loud.

But that heartfelt affection and appreciation was conveyed through his eyes and his exceptionally earnest tone.

Receiving such a thoughtful and well-intentioned gift, he naturally treated Xiao Zhang with much more warmth and friendliness than he would a stranger.