Rebirth 1977 Great Era

Chapter 1019 The Dangerous Old Zhou Family, Meeting Zhang Guorong in Yau Ma Tei (Two Chapters Combined)
"You...you are Fang Yan?"

"Wait, how did you end up looking like this?" Zhou Zhaoqin hesitated after seeing Fang Yan's appearance.

The outline is in dialect, but upon closer inspection of the face, it's not the same person at all.

Even though several months have passed, Zhou Zhaoqin still remembers what the dialect looks like.

It certainly wouldn't be like this now.

"It's inconvenient for me to be in Hong Kong, so I just put on makeup," Fang Yan explained to Zhou Zhaoqin.

Then he revealed something that only Zhou Zhaoqin knew:

"Do you remember when you said you had an out-of-body experience?"

"While I was trying to save you, you were watching from the ceiling, and you could even see what was happening in the hallway outside." (See Chapter 497)
Zhou Zhaoqin was surprised. This was something only she and Fang Yan knew. She said:

"It's really you!"

Fang Yan nodded and said:

"That's definitely me, no doubt about it!"

With the addition of a dialect accent, Zhou Zhaoqin finally believed it.

After coming downstairs, she saw needles sticking out of her father's body and asked:

"What is this for?"

He said in dialect:

"Your dad isn't feeling well, so I'm here to help him get some treatment."

After speaking in dialect, he turned to Zhou Zhaoqin and asked:
How is your recovery going?

“Back when we were in the capital, you would get out of breath after walking just a few steps, but now you can jog.”

Zhou Zhaoqin said with a smile:

"Thanks to you, my health is gradually improving. I'm currently taking the medicine you prescribed every day, and I can do normal, non-strenuous exercise without any problems. And just like you said, the weather in the south is indeed suitable for my recovery."

"I went to the hospital for a check-up a while ago, and my lung function has recovered a lot. It's really quite amazing."

She paused after speaking, then added:

"However, recently some people have come to visit, wanting to know your prescription. Some even bought the prescription from our former maid."

Old Zhou looked apologetic:

"The confidentiality work was not done well."

Dialectal wave:
"It's alright. They need a prescription for emergency treatment, not for current care. If someone offers a high price, we can sell them the prescription we're currently using."

Zhou Zhaoqin suddenly realized:
“I see… We’ve already fired that maid; we couldn’t feel comfortable keeping someone like that at home.”

He nodded in dialect.

However, firing one servant is easy, but the remaining servants may not be loyal—in Hong Kong, a place where money is paramount, servants mostly work for money, and their loyalty is inherently limited.

He even suspected that the news of his presence at the hillside villa would soon spread through some channel.

“Actually, it doesn’t matter who you use,” Le Miao suddenly said. “Unless it’s someone from your own family, as long as the price is right, someone will always be willing to betray you.”

Zhou Zhaoqin turned her gaze to Le Miao and asked curiously:

"Who is this……"

“Le Miao, my manager at Tongrentang in Beijing, and also a friend, is now studying at the University of Hong Kong,” Fang Yan introduced.

Zhou Zhaoqin seemed somewhat dismissive of Le Miao's words, her tone carrying a hint of protecting her own servant:
"Why do you say that?"

Le Miao raised an eyebrow: "Isn't this common sense?"

Fang Yan shook his head inwardly. Zhou Zhaoqin had been well protected by Lao Zhou, and coupled with her illness since the age of nineteen, she inevitably lacked a deep understanding of the complexities of human nature.

Although Le Miao did not explicitly mention giving money to the servants upon entering the house, Old Zhou was as shrewd as he was and immediately understood that there was a hidden meaning in her words... She was implying that the servants in the house might not be reliable.

As a seasoned veteran of the business world with decades of experience, Lao Zhou immediately picked up on the underlying meaning.

He calmly picked up his teacup, a cold glint flashing in his eyes:
“Miss Yue is right. You can’t see into someone’s heart, especially in Hong Kong…”

Hearing her father say this, Zhou Zhaoqin had no choice but to accept it.

He turned to Fang Yan and asked:

"So, how long do you plan to stay here this time?"

"There are so many more things to do in Hong Kong than in Beijing! It's so much more interesting."

He said in dialect:

"After attending the wedding tomorrow, I'll return to Guangzhou next Wednesday and then fly directly to Beijing."

Zhou Zhaoqin exclaimed in surprise:

"We're in such a rush!"

Fang Yan smiled and said:
"There's nothing I can do, there's still a lot to do."

After saying that, he said:
"I only have a short time here. I need to prepare for the postgraduate entrance exam when I get back."

Hearing this dialect, Zhou Zhaoqin asked curiously:
"Didn't you just get into university? How come you're suddenly taking the postgraduate entrance exam?"

Explain the dialect patiently:

"I meet the requirements to participate in this year's postgraduate entrance examination. My current university courses are too basic for me, and I don't want to waste time, so I might as well take the postgraduate entrance examination in one go."

Zhou Zhaoqin counted on her fingers:

"Based on this calculation, you only have a few days left in Hong Kong before you have to leave."

He nodded in confirmation in dialect:

"Yes, that's right. I came here first to see my friends, and second to give you a follow-up appointment. I'll go back after that." As he spoke, he raised his wrist to check his watch. "Alright, ten minutes are up. I'll remove the needle from your dad first, and then I'll give you a follow-up examination."

Old Zhou cooperated and let Fang Yan remove the needle. Zhou Zhaoqin, watching from the side, couldn't help but say:
"I'm not in a hurry... By the way, you've never been to sea before, have you?"

Fang Yan, busy taking out needles, asked without looking up:
"no, what happened?"

Zhou Zhaoqin's eyes lit up, and she enthusiastically suggested:
"We have a boat docked at the pier, with a captain and crew all ready. We can go out to sea and have fun. We can even fish on the boat at night and cook our catch right there – it'll be so much fun!"

As expected of a top-tier tycoon, he is indeed very wealthy.

Having a large villa and a yacht? In those days, there was no yacht craze, and the number of wealthy people in Hong Kong who owned yachts was very small.

As far as he knew, the price of an ordinary yacht was at least several hundred thousand dollars. A fully equipped yacht like the one owned by the Zhou family, which could go out to sea at any time, would probably cost even more, perhaps several million Hong Kong dollars, which was equivalent to several lifetimes of expenses for an ordinary family.

But Fang Yan still politely declined:
"I really don't have the time. I came here with my superiors and I have to go back to report tonight."

"Ah?" Zhou Zhaoqin could not hide her disappointment. She had thought she could take this opportunity to show her hospitality, but she was unexpectedly rejected.

Old Zhou was secretly pleased; his daughter was still quite naive. He coughed lightly and then began to lecture her:

"They have important business to attend to in their dialect, so stop thinking about playing around..."

"I just wanted to show him the fun of going out to sea in Hong Kong since he rarely comes here," Zhou Zhaoqin muttered in defense.

Seeing this, Fang Yan softened his tone and said to her with a smile:

"Thank you for your kind offer, but I'm really busy this time... Let's do it next time. Next time I'll have more time and I'll definitely go out to sea with you."

"When will we have to wait?" Zhou Zhaoqin was still unwilling to give up.

After pondering for a moment, Fang Yan said seriously:

"It shouldn't be too long. We're about to start new business, and some new drugs are about to be launched. The Hong Kong market has great potential, and I'll come over specifically to coordinate. This trip is really too tight, and I just can't find the time."

Seeing his sincerity, Zhou Zhaoqin finally believed him and proposed a compromise:
"How about we have dinner at home tonight? I'll have the kitchen prepare some light dishes in advance."

Before Fang Yan could speak, Le Miao took over the conversation:
"I'm afraid that's inappropriate. Your household is already a focus of attention, and Fang Yan's identity is sensitive. What if someone notices..."

Li Chong, who had been silent all along, also spoke seriously:

“Miss Yue is right. From a safety perspective, it would be best not to have this meal here.”

"You..." Zhou Zhaoqin was both anxious and angry. She was about to retort when Old Zhou raised his hand to stop her.

Le Miao continued:

"Since a servant sold information before, it's hard to guarantee that there aren't similar 'spies' in the mansion now. It's better to avoid trouble and be cautious."

Although these words made Lao Zhou somewhat uncomfortable, he still nodded:

"That makes sense, safety first!"

After saying that, he addressed the dialect:
"It's best to be careful during this period."

Fang Yan said with a smile:

"Thanks for understanding."

After saying that, he turned to Zhou Zhaoqin and said:
"Come on, let me take your pulse."

"Stick your tongue out and show it to me."

Zhou Zhaoqin had no choice but to do as she was told.

After a period of examination, it was found that Zhou Zhaoqin's tongue was pale red with a thin white coating, and her pulse was thin, slightly rapid, and wiry. Overall, she showed the characteristics of a recovery period with both Qi and Yin restored and lingering heat not yet cleared.

"There's basically no problem, just continue with the treatment."

“Hong Kong is a great place for you to recuperate; recovery is only a matter of time,” Fang Yan said to Zhou Zhaoqin.

The treatment so far has proven that the method has been correct, which has given Fang Yan a wealth of practical experience.

After returning, I can enrich the medical records.

Zhou Zhaoqin said:
"But I'm still feeling a bit unwell. Should I adjust the prescription?"

He said in dialect:

Tell me, where does it hurt?

Zhou Zhaoqin said:
"I had a bitter taste in my mouth when I woke up, and I felt a bit heavy. I never felt this way when I was in Beijing."

Upon hearing this, Fang Yan lightly tapped the table with his fingertips, his gaze sweeping over the bronze incense burner filled with agarwood incense. He had already made up his mind:
"Your symptoms are called 'gallbladder ulcers,' and the root cause is damp heat trapping the spleen and gallbladder fire rising upwards."

"Hong Kong has a hot and humid climate. With the incense you often burn at home, the dry fragrance and dampness combine to make you feel heavy and have a bitter taste in your mouth when you wake up in the morning."

He took out his notebook from his canvas bag and quickly wrote down the proposed adjustments:
“Two more herbs need to be added to the prescription: 15g of Artemisia capillaris to clear damp-heat from the liver and gallbladder, and 10g of Eupatorium fortunei to resolve dampness and turbidity from the spleen. Also…” He looked up at Zhou Zhaoqin, “Starting today, stop using agarwood. Either open the windows for ventilation directly, or switch to burning cypress powder. Cypress is cool in nature and can clear heat and calm the mind, which is more suitable for your current constitution.”

Zhou Zhaoqin subconsciously glanced at the incense burner in the corner: "But agarwood can repel insects..."

“You don’t need incense to repel insects.” Fang Yan pointed to the neatly trimmed shrubs outside the window. “Have the servants boil water with neem bark and spray it in the courtyard every week. It’s more effective than incense. You already have heat in your body, and if you’re further aggravated by the dryness of incense, it’ll be like adding fuel to the fire.”

Old Zhou nodded in agreement.
"Fang Yan is right. I'll have someone replace the incense with cypress wood later, and also remove the carpet. This Persian carpet absorbs moisture, so it's definitely time to replace it with a rattan mat."

The dialect then shifted back to Lao Zhou:

"Your family's diet also needs to be adjusted. Ms. Zhou, add a small dish of pickled ginger in vinegar to your breakfast every day. This can invigorate the spleen and remove dampness, as well as guide the gallbladder fire downward. For lunch, you can have barley and red bean soup. Remember to stir-fry the red beans first, otherwise they will be too cold and damage the spleen."

"Oh, right," he suddenly remembered something, took out a paper package from his bag, poured out a small packet from it, and handed it to Old Zhou:

"This is a rush pith I brought from the capital. I take 3g every day, boil it in water and drink it as tea. It is especially effective in clearing away the deficiency fire in the heart meridian and relieving the bitter taste in the mouth in the morning."

Zhou Zhaoqin, clutching the oil paper package, exclaimed in surprise:
What are all these things you brought?

Fang Yan smiled and said:

"There's no way around it; the less common something is, the more you need to be prepared."

After saying that, Fang Yan picked up the silver needles that Lao Zhou had used and continued speaking:

"The house you live in, the smells you smell, and the food you eat are all things you should pay attention to in your daily life. When you are in Hong Kong, dampness is more difficult to deal with than dryness, so you should be careful."

Zhou Zhaoqin nodded seriously after hearing this.

After the doctor's visit, the matter of dialect was over.

Since Lao Zhou has been under surveillance because of the secret recipe, Fang Yan can no longer eat here.

We still need to leave quickly.

Old Zhou's wife was still sleeping upstairs, so Fang Yan didn't disturb her. After leaving a gift, he said goodbye to Old Zhou and his family. They came and went quickly, it wasn't even three o'clock yet.

"Where are you staying? How about we come over for dinner tonight? We can get a private room at the hotel, that should be fine." Zhou Zhaoqin came up with an idea.

Fang Yan thought for a moment after hearing her words and said:
"I'm at the Peninsula Hotel."

Zhou Zhaoqin said:
"It's not far! We'll come find you tonight!"

After saying that, she turned to her father and said:

"Dad, call ahead and reserve a private room, order the food, and then head over there tonight."

After hearing this, Lao Zhou thought it was a good idea, so he said:
"We'll come find you at five o'clock! Let's find a private room to eat."

"That way, no one will know what happened."

He said in dialect:

"Okay, I'll wait for you at the hotel at five o'clock."

Zhou Zhaoqin was quite happy to hear that Fang Yan agreed to have dinner together.

Then, together with his father, he saw Fang Yan and the others off.

There were servants all outside, so she could only act reserved.

He stood behind his father and then sent Fang Yan out.

After Fang Yan and his group got into the car, they waved goodbye to Lao Zhou and the others. Their attitude was very ordinary, and no one could tell anything from it. However, Fang Yan noticed that some people from other villas were looking at them.

Of course, it's also possible that they just saw Lao Zhou coming out to see someone off and took a curious look.

After Le Miao started the car, turned a corner, and sped away from Lao Zhou's villa in a short while.

Zhou Zhaoqin frowned as she looked at Le Miao's car seat.

Old Zhou greeted Zhou Zhaoqin:
"Alright, it's too sunny outside, let's go back quickly!"

Zhou Zhaoqin asked her father:

"Dad, what kind of person is this Le Miao in the dialect?"

Old Zhou looked completely bewildered:
"Friend, didn't they just say that?"

Zhou Zhaoqin said:
"Why do I get the feeling that she's acting like a woman who speaks a dialect?"

Old Zhou was both amused and exasperated.

"What nonsense! They didn't say that."

"Besides, the Le family is a large and influential family. How could they possibly be a concubine to Fang Yan?"

Zhou Zhaoqin said:
"You don't understand, this is how I feel!"

"And she spoke for Fang Yan even though Fang Yan hadn't said anything."

Old Zhou paused for a moment, then lowered his voice and said:
"You silly child, have you forgotten what they said? Still speaking in dialect here, as if you're afraid others won't know you're speaking in dialect?"

Hearing this, Zhou Zhaoqin finally realized what was happening and quickly glanced at the servants in her home.

These people all seem to have become repulsive.

……

On the other side, Fang Yan left Lao Zhou's house early, without staying for lunch, so now she has more time in the afternoon.

I was originally planning to visit the newspaper office and the movie set tomorrow, but I can go there now.

Fang Yan recalled that Chu Bin had said something before:

The newspaper office is located in the North Point Industrial Building, 499 King's Road, North Point.

Take the Star Ferry and then transfer to a bus; the journey takes about 40 to 50 minutes.

The filming locations were Shaw Studios in Clear Water Bay and a small film studio near Yau Ma Tei.

Fang Yan asked Le Miao:

"How long does it take to drive to North Point Industrial Building, Shaw Studios, and Yau Ma Tei? Which one is the closest?"

Le Miao pondered for a moment and said:
"Starting from Conduit Road, it takes about 20 minutes to get to the North Point Industrial Building if there's no traffic; it takes about 40 minutes to get to Shaw Studios in Clear Water Bay; and about half an hour to get to Yau Ma Tei. Actually, Yau Ma Tei is the shortest in terms of distance."

Fang Yan considered it for a moment. The filming location in Yau Ma Tei was a small team. If he went there to take a look, he might be able to spot some problems more easily.

So he spoke:

"Let's go to Yau Ma Tei first, and then stop by the newspaper office. We'll decide whether to go to Shaw Studios later, depending on the time available."

Le Miao nodded, turned the steering wheel, and the car slowly drove away from Gande Road.

It was a little past two in the afternoon, and the sun was shining brightly.

Le Miao drove his black sedan down Conduit Road, the windows half-rolled up, letting in the salty sea breeze.

Fang Yan looked out of the car and saw the red roofs and white walls of the hillside villa area that he had just come out of, appearing and disappearing in the shadows of the palm trees.

After the car made several sharp turns, the shimmering waves of Victoria Harbour suddenly came into view. The Star Ferry trailed white waves, drawing arcs on the azure sea. In the distance, cargo ships were slowly entering the port, and the steel booms of cranes outlined the geometric contours of the industrial era on the horizon.

These views are hard to find in inland areas, and the three people in the back seat were all looking out.

However, everyone remained vigilant from time to time, watching out for any followers behind the car.

Once the car entered the city, the concrete jungle suddenly became dense.

There are more vehicles now.

They all breathed a sigh of relief when they realized they weren't being followed.

On Nathan Road, double-decker buses spew exhaust fumes as they weave through neon signs.

It evokes many scenes from Hong Kong movies for people with dialects.

A clerk in a cheongsam and a coolie in a straw hat brushed past each other on the sidewalk. Under the copper gourd sign of a herbal tea shop, a waiter was stirring the summer purse in a large earthenware jar with a long-handled wooden ladle.

He said in dialect:

"I found that people here are more health-conscious than those in the mainland. There are soups and broths for cooling down everywhere on the streets."

Deng Cai, sitting in the back seat, said:
"Actually, it's pretty much the same in Guangzhou."

We arrived in Yau Ma Tei just after 2:30.

The streets here are half a head shorter than those in Tsim Sha Tsui. The old tenement buildings are crammed together, and the tin signs under the arcades are shining in the sun. The flag of "Snake King Fun" flutters lazily in the breeze.

The whole place felt like a steamer, unbearably hot.

Le Miao found a shady spot and parked the car at the entrance of a narrow alley.

Overalls were hanging haphazardly in the alley, and several shirtless Indian men were squatting against the wall eating curry rice. They glanced up at the strangers, then looked down and started picking at their enamel bowls.

Wild Indian Brother!

Fang Yan and his companions couldn't help but take a few more glances.

In 70s Hong Kong, although the Indian community was not mainstream, it had formed a sizable community, primarily engaged in three types of work:
The first type, which is also the one that made their third brother's name famous, is policeman and security guard.

Since the British colonial period, the Hong Kong Police Force has had a tradition of recruiting Indian officers, commonly known as "Red-Headed Indians" because they wore red headscarves. They were mainly responsible for grassroots patrols and maintaining order.

In addition, there are service industry workers, concentrated in the catering industry such as curry houses, retail such as spice shops and rickshaw drivers. Indian business owners can often be seen in street stalls and small shops in Yau Ma Tei, Tsim Sha Tsui and other places.

Finally, there are manual laborers, some of whom are engaged in heavy physical work such as construction and moving. They mostly live in old urban areas such as Kowloon City and Mong Kok, forming small communities.

However, these people are also divided into groups; Sikhs are generally police officers and security guards.

The service industry is mostly populated by Punjabis.

The laborers are mostly Tamils.

The social classes are clearly defined.

In addition, there is another type of person who is in business, namely the merchants of Gujarat, who are generally engaged in the textile trade and spices.

"Yau Ma Tei is so big, where is the film set?" Deng Cai asked, looking around.

He said in dialect:

Let's ask around!

“I’ll go,” Li Chong volunteered.

Everyone saw him go to a stall selling herbal tea, ask the vendor a few questions, and then run back.

“They said it was in Temple Street,” Li Chong said.

Le Miao said:

"I know, let's go, get in the car."

The car started up again and wound its way through the narrow streets of Yau Ma Tei.

Le Miao tapped the steering wheel with her fingers, then suddenly turned the wheel to the left, and the car plunged into a narrow alleyway that smelled of salted fish.

As soon as I turned the corner, the noise of people suddenly became deafening.

"We're here!" Le Miao said.

At this moment, everyone saw that the archway of Temple Street was shiny in the sunlight, and the red-background, gold-lettered signs for "divination" and "fortune telling" were densely packed, like playing cards scattered by the wind.

Le Miao parked the car in a gap, and Fang Yan opened the car door, immediately being swept into the sweltering crowd.

The air here is filled with the smells of incense, sweat, and chili oil from stir-fried snails. At a fortune-telling stall by the roadside, a blind man is tapping a metal stool with his cane and singing in a hoarse voice, "The thread of fate is thinner than paper, and the destiny of wealth is thicker than a wall."

Fang Yan also saw the film set at this time. It was an old warehouse, and there were extras dressed in mainland costumes at the entrance.

It's obvious they're filming a movie.

"Let's go take a look," Fang Yan called to the group.

Then they walked into the warehouse and looked inside. It was dimly lit, with carbon lamps buzzing overhead, illuminating the makeshift "Tongrentang" set.

They are currently filming a scene where people are queuing to see a doctor.

To Fang Yan's surprise, he actually saw Zhang Guorong, who played himself, here.

He is twenty-two years old this year, with a handsome face and exquisite features. His every move exudes youthful vitality, while also revealing an elegance and composure beyond his years. If we disregard box office appeal, he is more suitable than Ti Lung to play the role of Fang Yan.

At this moment, a young man wearing glasses and holding a tin teacup walked over and asked:
Who are you?

The person in the dialect answered in Mandarin:

“I was introduced by David.”

The middle-aged man's hand trembled upon hearing this, and he looked surprised: "Big Boss!"

"Huh?" Fang Yan was completely confused.

The other party quickly bowed and explained in Mandarin with a Cantonese accent:
"They called this morning and said the big boss would be coming in person. He's in his twenties, wearing an expensive suit, speaking mainland dialect, and is very handsome! He'll also be accompanied by a bodyguard, one of whom looks like a mountain."

After speaking, he glanced at Wang Feng.

Then, smiling obsequiously at Fang Yan, he said:

"It has to be you!"

Fang Yan looked at his "cheeky" face and asked:

"who are you?"

The other party smiled and said:
"Hey, I'm the person in charge of this film set! My surname is Wang, my given name doesn't matter, boss, you can just call me Xiao Wang!"

After saying that, he spoke in dialect:

"I didn't think the boss would come, but I never expected you to show up. I'm truly...overwhelmed!"

PS: The basic chapter of 6000 words has been updated.

There will be an extra chapter later.

(End of this chapter)