Huayu: From charlatan to great entertainer

Chapter 501 The Ashes of the Old Year, the Rise of the New Year

On the evening of the 31st, in the living room of the main villa of Wenyuhe Mansion, Lu Kuan, returning from work, pushed open the door and entered the house to find a family dinner just beginning.

"Xiao Lu is back."

"Father-in-law, Uncle, I'm sorry for the traffic jam."

There were no outsiders present today; my father-in-law, Ankang, and Liu Yue, whom I had arranged to meet before, came as guests.

Liu Yifei was sitting next to her father, An Kang. Hearing the noise, she immediately turned her head, a smile appearing in her eyes: "Is it snowing heavily outside again?"

"Yes, there's a car accident on the way. Don't go to the premiere of 'Let the Bullets Fly' tomorrow, I'll go by myself."

"Go ahead, staying at home is pretty boring, I still have to stay for three or four months."

She slowly stood up, her pregnant belly showing its rounded curve under the loose cashmere dress, and reached out to take her husband's coat.

Lu Kuan stepped aside and gently pressed his fingertips on her wrist: "Don't touch me, it's cold outside, I can do it myself."

He shook the snow off his coat and casually hung it on the coat rack in the entryway. Just then, Liu Xiaoli came out with the dishes and greeted Chef Qiao, who had come to cook that day, with a smile.

"Mr. Lu, you're done here. I'm about to leave."

"Master Qiao, it's been a long time." Lu Kuan shook hands with him warmly: "How are you doing at home?"

A while ago, Lao Qiao said he had an urgent matter and asked for leave. The whole family, who were used to his cooking, were craving it.

“It’s nothing serious. It was my daughter who gave birth. I went back to cook some food for her. Now it’s all right, her in-laws have come to take care of her.”

Liu Xiaoli laughed and said, "You should have said so earlier, Lao Qiao! I wanted to share in your daughter's good fortune. Our Qianqian is still 5 months away, may everything go smoothly for her too."

Master Qiao immediately chimed in, "Of course! Miss Liu looks incredibly lucky!"

An Kang, Liu Yue, and the others all wore smiles; this master chef was quite the smooth talker.

He is skilled, eloquent, and trustworthy. He never reveals what he sees or hears at his employer's home. Even in ancient times, Old Qiao, who retired from state banquets, would be someone who could stay with a noble person.

Liu Xiaoli was delighted to hear this. She told Master Qiao to wait a moment, and then went to the storage room on the first floor to get a Moutai tote bag.

Master Qiao took a closer look and saw that the Moutai liquor and Zhonghua cigarettes were laid out at the same level at the opening of the bag. He quickly declined, saying, "This won't do! This won't do! My salary is already high enough. Where else in all of Beiping can you find such an easy job?"

"Why not?" Liu Xiaoli said playfully, flipping her wrist to carefully stuff the bag into Master Qiao's arms. "Those who work from home all have a share. The New Year is coming soon, so I'm preparing some things for you to bring you joy."

"I'm afraid you won't like other gifts, but cigarettes and alcohol are things you'll consume during holidays, right? Go home now!"

After much back and forth, Master Qiao said with gratitude, "Oh, this New Year's gift is a bit too much. I really feel bad about it."

He glanced helplessly at Lu Kuan, who smiled and nodded in acknowledgment, so he reluctantly accepted the gift.

"Then I'll go first. Mr. Lu, Ms. Liu, please let me know if you need anything."

"Okay, go slowly on the road."

Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei didn't care about these household chores; their elderly mother took care of all the nannies, cleaners, drivers, and cooks.

Those who perform meritorious service are rewarded, and those who commit wrongdoing are punished. We are also never stingy with these generous treatments during holidays.

Especially since Master Qiao had been with them for four or five years, knew them well, and was in charge of the food, it was even more important to win them over, to put it bluntly.

Xiao Liu found it a bit strange: "I remember giving everyone cigarettes and alcohol during the Mid-Autumn Festival, so why is Master Qiao reacting so strongly this time?"

The four people in the room were all looking at her and laughing, which made the little girl even more puzzled.

Lu Kuan went upstairs to change clothes, and her uncle Liu Yue demonstrated to his niece on the spot, picking up two bottles of Moutai from the table and stuffing them into his handbag.

"See? Two bottles of wine are poured in, swaying back and forth, not very elegant, but three bottles aren't quite enough."

"But if I stuff two more packs of Zhonghua cigarettes next to it, won't the bag be full?"

Liu Yifei pressed further, "That's not that much, is it?"

Liu Yue laughed and said, "You may not have noticed the bag your mother just took, but Master Qiao has worked at state banquets and recognized it at a glance."

"The Moutai box and the Zhonghua box are level. What does that mean? It means there's cash underneath the Moutai box. Judging by the thickness, it's usually around 50,000 yuan."

Xiao Liu was taken aback for a moment, then covered his mouth and laughed, "This couldn't have been a design by the Moutai factory, could it? So that when those who want to apply for loans walk into your office with their things, you only need to glance at them like this..."

"Go away! You can joke about your dad, but why are you including me in this?"

Liu Yifei made a funny face: "My dad is accepting US dollars now, the denominations are different!"

"Don't talk nonsense!" An Kang couldn't stand his daughter's ramblings any longer. He hadn't even taken office as the education counselor at the Chinese embassy in the United States yet, and he had already been accused of accepting bribes.

"Make way, make way! The food is served!" Liu Xiaoli placed the last pot of chicken soup on the table, and Boss Lu also changed his clothes and came downstairs. The family sat around the table.

Apart from Liu Yifei, the other four people drank alcohol.

Liu Xiaoli smiled and said, "Xiao Lu, why don't you take the lead?"

This is the mother-in-law being polite and flattering, establishing his position as the male head of the household.

"No, today is to celebrate my father-in-law's upcoming departure to the United States to assume his new post. He should preside over the ceremony, after all, he's the highest-ranking official in our family now, isn't he?"

Liu Yifei held her teacup and teased her father relentlessly: "Dad, why don't you take a case of Moutai with you when you leave later?"

Everyone laughed.

An Kang, former First Education Secretary at the Chinese Embassy in France, participated in the Paris Hanfu fashion show during the Sino-French Cultural Year from 2004 to 2005. Despite the media offensive launched by Zhou Jun and Huayi, the event was a great success and became a highlight of cultural exchanges between the two countries.

This event not only effectively mitigated negative public opinion, but also further promoted in-depth cultural interaction between China and France.

Building on this foundation, the Chinese Embassy in France launched a series of cultural exchange programs, including lectures on Eastern aesthetics, joint screenings of Chinese and French films, and the "China-France Film and Television Talent Exchange Program" led by Ankang, among others, offering a rich variety of content.

The most commendable example of demonstrating great power style and diplomatic wisdom is the "responsibility shown in a crisis" incident during this year's Paris Olympic torch relay.

The director of the Confucius Institute remained calm under pressure and issued an early warning. He skillfully used the "Lunyu" (a traditional Chinese language and rhythmic writing style) to resolve the conflict and successfully protect the safety of the disabled torchbearer. This act quickly became a popular story and won widespread praise.

Therefore, in December of this year, An Kang was officially transferred from his position as a first-class education secretary (equivalent to a section chief) to the Dongda University Embassy in the United States as an education counselor.

This position is generally a deputy director-general level position, but a small number of veteran diplomats may be assigned a minister-counselor level position, equivalent to a director-general level position.

The time traveler's butterfly wings stirred up too many world lines, especially the two parts he spent the most effort and energy on: the movie and Liu Yifei.

Ankang's promotion stemmed from this, and it also reflects Lu Kuan's strategic planning for future cultural expansion overseas.

The education counselor is not only responsible for education affairs, but also supervises overseas educational institutions such as Confucius Institutes.

The son-in-law was polite, and the father-in-law was not to be outdone. After much back and forth, Liu Yifei, who was starving, raised her cup and waved it away.
"Come on, everyone, stop being modest. I'll host today."

"Dad, go to the United States and develop your career well. As the education counselor, in addition to your educational duties, you will also be responsible for cultural promotion and exchange. Remember to look out for your own family in the future, understand?"

"I understand, you're in charge." An Kang nodded vigorously.

"And Uncle, you're a leader in the Enterprise Bureau of the China Development Bank, aren't you? I heard Mom mention last time that there are loans for high-tech companies? DJI and Butian Pictures from Wenjie are definitely qualified, aren't they? Actually, doesn't online ticketing software development count?"

Liu Yue laughed and said, "See, I came as soon as I got the news!"

Xiao Liu nodded in satisfaction and joked, "Okay, that's enough. Otherwise, wouldn't it be a waste to drink such expensive wine today?"

"Our family is currently facing a very tight cash flow!"

Liu Xiaoli was amused by her daughter and playfully patted her hand: "You're so rude! Are you a female bandit?"

"That's how it is for married daughters," An Kang said with a helpless smile. "Luckily, Liu Yue and I brought some things with us today, otherwise I don't know if we would have been allowed in."

"Haha! You're exaggerating, Dad. Best wishes for your work, cheers!"

"Cheers!" "Cheers!"

Snowflakes fell softly outside the window, weaving a soft silver net in the night, gently enveloping the entire Wenyu River area.

The glow of the streetlights pierced through the swirling snow, casting hazy, warm yellow patches of light on the French windows, like a flowing watercolor painting.

Inside the restaurant, however, was a warm and cozy scene of family gatherings.

After eating and drinking for a while, Liu Yifei watched the men beside her toast one after another, and playfully licked her lips: "Watching you guys drink is so enjoyable. It'll be a long time before I can have a glass of red wine again."

An Kang asked curiously, "Why does Qianqian still have an alcohol addiction now?"

"No, just an occasional little drink, it's part of the enjoyment of life."

Lu Kuan revealed: "She's a bit of a drunkard. Before she got pregnant, she often dragged me to drink, and after drinking, she would sing on the terrace."

"Luckily, your house is like a little kingdom, otherwise it would be too disturbing to the neighbors," Uncle Liu Yue said with a smile.

Liu Xiaoli looked at her son-in-law with a flushed face: "Xiao Lu, have you thought of names for the twins?"

Boss Lu said seriously, "No, I need to consider it carefully. I'll have their birth dates and times matched. This needs to be done with caution."

Xiao Liu joked, "Haha, look at Lu Kuan. When we asked him to think about our wedding date, he just gave me the runaround. It took him half a year to come up with the right name for both of our names."

Liu Xiaoli sighed inwardly, realizing that no matter how carefree and unrestrained a person was before, once they became a father, a sense of responsibility would quietly take root in their bones.

What is Sisi's due date?

Mr. Lu remembered it better than anyone else: "May 12th, but it's considered full term from April 21st."

A full-term baby is one that has grown to a certain extent in the womb and is capable of surviving outside the womb.

Once full term is reached, even if the due date has not yet arrived, labor may begin naturally at any time, but the specific timing varies from person to person.

An Kang nodded: "I understand. I will definitely ask for leave and rush back then."

Liu Xiaoli waved her hand: "It depends on the situation. Xiaolu has arranged everything, including hospitals, doctors, and emergency response."

"Everything was perfect at the last prenatal checkup, there's no problem."

An Kang looked at her daughter with relief, knowing that the family tragedy of that year had hurt her. Time flies so fast; now her daughter is going to be a mother.

Intellectuals still held onto hopeful expectations: "May 12th, the due date, is also a day ordained by God."

"Xiao Lu did so many good deeds during the earthquake, and the school building he donated saved so many children. All the living and the dead will pray for and bless Qianqian and the children. These are all merits."

Good deeds bring good fortune; this is the simplest explanation of cause and effect and reincarnation.

The time traveler's righteous act during the national mourning will ultimately be remembered and appreciated by countless people, and will be returned to his bloodline.

Liu Yifei said with a mix of anticipation and helplessness, "These two little ones are growing too fast. In the last three months, their bellies will swell up like they're being inflated."

Lu Kuan laughed and said, "Weren't you proud of yourself for being able to give birth, having twins at once? Now you're starting to worry."

"Hehe, if I complain a bit more now, the baby in my belly will hear me and come out to kiss me."

After finishing a glass of wine, Liu Xiaoli said, "Pregnancy not only makes you gain weight, but it also makes you more cunning."

The girl sighed, "There's nothing I can do. It's survival of the fittest. I'm afraid I'll become the dumbest one in the family of four, and then we're doomed."

After chatting and laughing for a while, Ankang took his leave first, as he was leaving the capital the next day.

Boss Lu saw him off, and the two chatted briefly in front of the car.

"Xiao Lu, I heard that Leader Liu intervened this time. What do you think, should I...?"

"No need, that would be too sensitive. I'll repay the favor."

An Kang nodded: "Then I'll listen to you. Let's not cause any more trouble for others."

Given the latter's current rank and status, a job transfer that is reasonable, legal, and in line with the trend is not difficult.

An Kang nodded: "Then I'll listen to you. Let's not cause any more trouble for others."

He immediately remarked, "This time, with a change of post location and a leadership reshuffle, the situation must be quite complicated."

Lu Kuan smiled and said, "The financial crisis has severely damaged the global economy, and we need to increase our holdings of US Treasury bonds, maintain the stability of the financial market, and support the safety of dollar assets."

"It is natural to have a smooth transition when you first come to power, but now the world is increasingly showing a 'G2' trend and pattern, and there will definitely be a lot of verbal battles in the future."

The first discordant voice in the previous life was at the Copenhagen Climate Conference at the end of 09, which demanded that we undertake the same emission reduction tasks as developed countries.

Are you kidding me?
We are, and will remain for a long time, a developing country. What nonsense are you spouting?
Then, at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Hillary Clinton raised the banner of "returning to the Asia-Pacific," and the Filipinos and Vietnamese began to jump around in a frenzy.

It can be said that Ankang will soon be in a completely different working environment than he has been in France, which will be relaxed at times but tense in the medium to long term.

As the saying goes, "ducks are the first to know when the river warms in spring," meaning they are always the first to sense the changing situation.

I wonder how far my father-in-law will go in this era of disorder, and whether he will have the ability to help North American industries and personnel safety.

"Dad's gone?" Only Xiao Liu and his uncle were left drinking tea in the living room. Everyone knew they had something to talk about, so no one disturbed them.

Boss Lu nodded: "Yes, this trip to America is long and arduous, but I'm going to pave the way for the great cause of the reunification of our motherland."

Liu Yue smiled and said, "Xiao Lu, the bank has been holding meetings quite frequently lately. Judging from the draft for comments, the 'Opinions' from above will be released soon, probably after the first quarter economic work conference."

He paused for a moment: "That is, early March."

This refers to the "Opinions on Giving Full Play to the Supporting Role of Science and Technology in Promoting Steady and Rapid Economic Development" issued by the State Council, which the two had discussed many times before.

The "Opinions" were issued against the backdrop of the fact that in January and February 2009, the added value of Dongda's industry increased by only 0.8%, a sharp drop of 12 percentage points year-on-year, and the GDP growth rate was expected to drop to 5%-5.5%, far below the level of previous years.

With declining corporate profits and increasing employment pressure, there is an urgent need to cultivate new growth points through technological innovation to offset the risk of decline in traditional industries.

Lu Kuan nodded: "With the guidance of the 'Opinions,' the restructured China Development Bank should have a list of specific industries for which it provides loans, right?"

"The key areas we are currently aware of include new energy, new materials, biomedicine, and information technology. I think DJI and the special effects industry are pretty much guaranteed to succeed."

"What about the credit limit?"

"For a single project, the entry review will be conducted. If it passes the review, the estimated value will be around 3 to 4 million yuan. This is my preliminary estimate based on the output value and service scope of DJI and Butian Pictures. The actual value may fluctuate up or down."

Lu Kuan laughed and said, "That's pretty good too. It's 6 to 7 million yuan. If we save that money, we can create movie-watching benefits for the audience."

Xiao Liu and his uncle both laughed, knowing that this meant they were about to start a subsidy war.

"By the way, if any of our clients in the real estate or energy sectors are having financial difficulties, Uncle, could you please keep an eye out for them?" Liu Yue asked curiously, "Is this about acquisitions?"

Both Liu Yifei and the other person in front of them were quite surprised and asked why Jie was thinking of venturing into real estate and energy.
Boss Lu laughed and said, "Not really. I have an idea that I need to think about slowly. We can keep in touch by phone anytime."

"no problem."

Liu Yue didn't linger. He asked his niece a few more questions and then left. He provided loans to Wenjie in a legal and compliant manner, and such a high-quality company was also generating revenue for him, a mutually beneficial arrangement.

For the industry, having 6 to 7 million fresh funds can alleviate the situation somewhat.

Wuyue has submitted its listing application. Apart from Bingbing, Deng Wendi, and Xinlang, most of the other shares are held by shareholders arranged by Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei.

Yang Mi also called. Even though he had become the top star of LeEco Culture, he still spoke to his "best friend" in a nice tone and returned three percent of the original Huayi shares.

If one's loyalty during the voting process is not absolute, it will result in a significant loss of points. At this moment, she wouldn't dare to be hypocritical even if she had ten times the courage.

With Bingbing's 7.7%, Lu Kuan and Liu Yifei hold approximately 34.7% of the shares through nominee arrangements. If we consider Huayi's market value of 118 billion on its first day in the previous life, this would be an enormous windfall.

However, firstly, the market value on the first day will be distorted due to investors' impulsiveness, and banks cannot value the pledged assets at the maximum limit.

Secondly, given that Zhou Xun, Huang Xiaoming, Zhang Jizhong, and others have long been working for the time travelers, it would be unreasonable for him to keep all the shares after the company goes public.

At that time, a portion will be allocated and transferred to several celebrity shareholders at the original price or a lower price.

Even though Zhou Xun had no intention of buying the initial shares, now that Boss Lu was going to share the profits with everyone, that wouldn't be the way to conduct oneself, and he didn't lack the money.

Let alone the richest man, even a township enterprise boss wouldn't act with such a lack of magnanimity.

This is also to maintain the stability of the new Wuyue Culture, including the star studio system that Fan Bingbing has officially decided to implement, in which the company and the artist's company will hold shares in each other.

The remainder was transferred to Xiao Liu, plus the 7.7% returned by Bingbing, totaling around 27.7%. In addition, there was Lu Kuan's indirect shareholding in Xinlang, and the funds pledged were quite substantial.

Compared to the extremely low net asset value per share of Transcender starting from Series A, this is an investment with a return of dozens of times, not to mention that other strategic goals have already been achieved.

After tidying up, Liu Xiaoli went back next door. Her elderly mother, who had drunk too much, was about to have a good sleep, leaving only the young couple in the living room watching TV to pass the time.

On the last day of 2008, in the last two hours, even the workaholic time traveler lost his fighting spirit.

The Huayi matter is settled, let's take a break for now.

In the living room of Wenyuhe Mansion, only an amber-colored floor lamp was lit, its light spreading across the sofa like melting honey.

Liu Yifei drank some tea for a while, then curled up in Lu Kuan's arms. Her pregnant belly, bulging under her loose cashmere dress, looked like a round little moon.

Lu Kuan gently placed his palm on her abdomen, his fingertips unconsciously stroking her abdomen to the rhythm of the TV series' ending theme song, making her ticklish and want to dodge.

On screen, Jing Tian, ​​who plays Chu Yuxun, once again utters her "wise words." This is a rebroadcast on Travel Channel during non-prime time, but the ratings are still quite high.

"You've been watching 'Meteor Shower' all day long now?"

“Yeah, it doesn’t require any brainpower, you can just laugh it off, isn’t that great?” Xiao Liu suddenly remembered the news from earlier in the day: “Bingbing’s new script, ‘My Love from the Star,’ is also very interesting. It might even be more popular than ‘Meteor Shower.’”

Speaking of which, there was a rumor that the screenwriter of "My Love from the Star" wrote the script based on the image of Yoo Yi-bi from her previous life, for example:

Yoo Yi-bi debuted at the age of 14, and Cheon Song-yi debuted at the age of 16;
They all had their mothers as agents or assistants, all came from divorced families, and all had hit shows after filming.

When Cheon Song-yi entered the film industry, she wanted to transform into an action star and work with so-called top actors, with the goal of becoming famous throughout Asia. This is consistent with the story of Liu Cixin in his previous life, when he was 18 years old and worked with Hendrik Willem Van Loon and Jet Li on a movie.

There are also examples such as best friends stabbing each other in the back, and frequently hanging out with friends outside the entertainment industry. For instance, when Cheon Song-yi is in a bad mood, she goes to Hong Bok-ja, who owns a comic book store.

However, asking Xiao Liu, who aspires to be a performing artist, to play such an exaggerated role now would be too uninteresting for her.

Unless the male lead is a washing machine.

Lu Kuan remained noncommittal: "Probably. Bingbing is quite representative in the fashion field. This is a fashion film, designed to trick women into buying clothes."

In the Korean version of "My Love from the Star", Cheon Song-yi changed a total of 145 outfits, averaging 6.9 outfits per episode, covering all scenes including formal wear, coats, and loungewear.

All clothing items are from top brands such as Chanel, Gucci, and Balmain, with no affordable alternatives. There are also 48 hairstyles, 216 accessories, and much more.

There is no better way to drive traffic to Wenjie Mall's flagship store and Alipay than this TV series. We can fully expect the "streets to be deserted" when it airs in 2010.

"It's been a long time since I filmed a TV series. I don't know if I'll have the chance in the future."

Boss Lu chuckled and changed the channel. He couldn't stand Jing Tian's acting skills: "It all depends on yourself. Filming TV dramas is for leisure, so the performance requirements are relatively low."

Xiao Liu nodded: "I feel like I'm getting more and more picky now. There are some roles that I just can't muster any interest in."

She snuggled closer to the man and said, "I definitely want to try playing any villainous female supporting character or negative bad woman role in the future."

“Bad woman…” Lu Kuan rubbed his chin, suddenly remembering a villainous female character in a movie who was very dramatic and had great potential for performance after being translated into Chinese.

It is the film adaptation of Gillian Flynn's novel of the same name, "Gone Girl," starring Rosamund Pike as a vengeful woman.

The film had a budget of $6100 million, grossed $3.7 million worldwide, and received an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

However, the novel will not be published for another four years, so the time traveler can only "passively intercept" it.

“I read a short story in the United States that was quite interesting. It was about a girl from an intellectual family who took revenge on her cheating husband.”

Xiao Liu's eyes lit up. Could this mean he could transmigrate into a book again?
Let the washing machine play the role of a scumbag after playing a pure love story!

"Speak quickly!"

"A... artsy young woman discovers that her husband, who wrote a series of children's books for her, is kissing a young female student in an alley, having an affair."

"So she started writing a diary, using the changes in her handwriting over 365 days to fabricate evidence of domestic violence, hiding menstrual blood-stained underwear deep in the refrigerator, even calculating her ovulation period to get pregnant, and then cleverly making herself disappear so that the whole world would believe that her husband killed her."

Mr. Lu shrugged: "The rest is just a matter of slowly deciphering the mystery. In the end, the two of them will strangle each other like two venomous snakes, and finish this 'living burial' drama of their marriage under the flashing lights of the media."

Liu Yifei suddenly straightened up, and the folds of her cashmere skirt fluttered down like flower petals.

Her pupils dilated slightly, like a cat discovering a new toy: "Interesting! Is there a script?"

"No, I saw it in one of those novels in the hotel lobby to pass the time."

"How about it?" Xiao Liu leaned closer, her nose almost touching his chin, the jasmine scent of shampoo mixed with the milky smell unique to pregnancy wafting over him.

"I'm not going to act." Her intentions had already been seen through by the washing machine, which used its index finger to push his wife's forehead back.

Xiao Liu looked dissatisfied: "Why?"

"This just so happens to be during the preparation period for 'Ball Lightning.' Do you think you have time every time? This is neglecting your duties."

Lu Kuan smiled and pinched his wife's increasingly plump face: "We'll be starting pre-production work on 'Ball Lightning' in March. You definitely won't be able to make it this time. Zhou Xun will take over Lin Yun's role."

Bingbing announced this news at the Wuyue press conference this afternoon, and Zhou Xun and Huang Xiaoming have already started studying the script.

Zhou Xun is alright, as they had already collaborated on "Tangshan" before. Huang Xiaoming, on the other hand, cherishes this hard-won opportunity and is determined to play the role of a "loyal minister and righteous man."

Liu Yifei's withdrawal from "Ball Lightning" was a reluctant decision made after careful consideration. Although she had strongly resisted, she eventually gave in.

The main considerations are postpartum breastfeeding and physical recovery.

Breastfeeding needs no further explanation;

Childbirth can easily lead to pelvic floor muscle relaxation and diastasis recti. Returning to the film set too early may aggravate the damage, causing urinary incontinence or lower back pain, or even long-term chronic diseases.

Xiao Liu has already booked postpartum yoga and Kegel exercises, hoping she won't become a haggard housewife after giving birth. She's still very concerned about how attractive she is to the washing machine.

From face to figure.

With her due date in May, if she were to return to acting, she could at most go to work at the Beijing People's Art Theatre. Her acting career would only be able to resume with her next film.

"Another year without being able to perform on stage, ugh! My cravings are kicking in!"

Liu Yifei suddenly trembled, her fingers gripping the sofa armrests spasmodically, and she curled up like a shrimp: "No... I can't hold back..."

She bit her lip and sobbed, rubbing her forehead against Lu Kuan's shoulder. "Give me a role... or I'll explode..."

Lu Kuan raised an eyebrow at his wife's exaggerated performance: "You're really having an attack, but unfortunately we can't give you an injection now, so there's no cure."

"Go to hell!" Liu Yifei broke down instantly, throwing a punch at the glib-tongued bastard.

Er leaned against her husband's chest again, her eyes filled with seductive allure: "Hey, are you... hmm?"

"What can we do?" The washing machine's large hands had already moved from the pregnant belly, exploring the causes of geological movements through the warm and soft cashmere sweater.

Due to glandular development and fat accumulation, Xiao Liu has reached the pinnacle of his life.

"No! Me too..."

Hormones during pregnancy play a role, directly stimulating the central nervous system, coupled with increased blood flow to the pelvic cavity during pregnancy.

All of this often caused the young lady considerable distress, making her completely unable to resist this level of teasing.

Liu Yifei lay on top of her husband, gently biting his earlobe: "Or we can go back to the room, I'll help you..."

The girl made a gesture.

Boss Lu sighed helplessly: "Forget it, once you've seen the ocean, other waters seem insignificant; once you've seen the clouds of Wushan, other clouds seem pale in comparison. That's just not enough to satisfy my thirst."

"Besides, I'm afraid you'll get tenosynovitis if you keep doing this. Your hands must be so sore every time!"

The girl chuckled and affectionately pinched her husband's thick cheek: "You're just bragging! Why don't you mention that my hands are calloused from all that walking?"

"Cocoons are great! They provide much better friction!"

"Get lost! I told you to do prenatal education, and you've either been lying or doing this kind of thing, haven't you?" Liu Yifei squinted at Xijing and warned, "You little brat, watch your mouth from now on!"

The Heavenly Generals were overthrown, but unfortunately, modern washing machines are powerless to resist.

She tried to pull her husband up: "Come on! Let's go for a walk, freeze you like a grandson, and you'll naturally calm down and become less interested in anything."

"Oh right! I remember I bought some fireworks last time. It's almost midnight, let's go for New Year's Eve!"

Mr. Lu said helplessly, "Let's not. If we fry it all up later, it will wake up the child's maternal grandmother."

"It's alright! Old people sleep a lot! They'll just go back to sleep when they wake up!"

. . .

Pregnant Liu Yifei was truly lawless; she bullied the entire family that night without any restraint.

"Be careful, don't get blown up!" Xiao Liu was wrapped in a thick white down jacket, the fur collar fluttering gently in the night wind.

She stood under the Roman colonnade of the main villa, a cashmere scarf wrapped twice around her neck, her pregnant belly neatly concealed by the hem of her down jacket.

Lu Kuan carried the fireworks box from the garage to the open space: "The fuse is very long, so it's very safe."

He glanced at his wife, who was wrapped up like a rice dumpling: "You can see her even if you sit on the bench, be careful not to slip."

"Ok!"

The fuse gleamed coldly in the night. The lighter clicked, and Lu Kuan turned and ran, the hissing sound of burning gunpowder echoing behind him.

Liu Yifei chuckled as she watched him stride up the steps in two quick steps, the wind whipped up by the hem of his down jacket turning the snowflakes into miniature whirlwinds.

Just as the first golden fireball shot into the sky, Lu Kuan pulled his wife into his arms. Liu Yifei took the opportunity to tuck her cold hands under her husband's clothes and comfortably rest her head on his shoulder.

The exploding fireworks illuminated the Wenyu River, and the frozen surface reflected countless points of light, as if diamond fragments were flowing beneath the ice.

Boss Lu was stunned: "Holy crap, Old Cai sent over something really big! Won't this attract Uncle Hat's attention?"

Xiao Liu didn't say anything, but her beautiful eyes were already engrossed in watching.

The golden fireball exploded in the night sky, instantly turning into thousands of streams of fire that scattered and fell like an inverted golden waterfall.

Immediately afterwards, a second firework shot into the sky with a sharp whistle, exploding at its highest point into a dazzling purple-red peony, its petals layered upon each other, painting the entire snowfield with a magnificent color.

These are aerial special effects fireworks produced by Cai Guo-Qiang. The first one is a "golden waterfall" special effects firework, and the second one is a "peony blooming" shaped firework.

The light in Liu Xiaoli's bedroom next door was off. Hearing the noise, the elderly mother soothed the meowing cat and went to the window.

Seeing the young couple sitting on the bench under the eaves covered with blankets, he smiled and went back to bed. His dream of his grandson and granddaughter being born was interrupted.

Click play to continue.

"Wait!" Xiao Liu suddenly pulled his phone out of his pocket.

Boss Lu was taken aback: "Isn't it a bit too late to take pictures now? The coolest part from just now is gone."

"What are you taking pictures for? So girly! There are only seconds left until New Year's Eve, I'm going to give you a good kiss right when 2009 begins!"

The washing machine smacked its lips: "Your feelings... are a little domineering. No wonder you made me brush my teeth and rinse my mouth earlier. It turns out you planned this all along."

"Haha! Who told you to have the smell of alcohol on your breath?"

"boom!"

As the last firework shot into the sky, trailing a trail of flame, Liu Yifei was already nestled in her husband's arms, cupping his face in her hands, her fingertips digging into the short hair behind his ears.

Her eyelashes were edged with gold in the afterglow of the fireworks, and the flickering flames in her pupils danced.

Their lips touched, their tenderness boundless.

Love lingered amidst the fireworks that rose into the sky above Beiping. Liu Yifei looked up, gently tracing her husband's brow bone with her fingertips, her voice as soft as snow falling on ice: "This year has been so long..."

"It's too long, it feels like I've lived a lifetime." Lu Kuan squinted at the embers of the fireworks.

The girl's voice was swallowed up by the distant sounds of firecrackers. She wanted to say something, but suddenly felt that words were too pale.

2008 is like a film strip illuminated by fireworks, each frame rolling through my heart.

Those vows made amidst the earthquake ruins, the smiles exchanged under the Olympic fireworks, the overlapping seals on marriage certificates, and the heartbeats of the fetus on prenatal checkup reports—all have transformed into the frost that has now formed on my eyelashes.

She buried her face in her husband's neck, letting her lingering emotions transform into warm breath.

The old year fades away, the new year begins.

(End of this chapter)