Huayu 1999: Starting with nothing but getting something for nothing

Yang Che said earnestly, "I know, but he's not the director, he's the screenwriter and producer. He didn't study abroad either, he's a native of Jingzhou. The director is Cheng Er, a native of Jingzhou."

"How do you know? Aren't all the famous and resourceful people in China second-generation rich kids?"

Yang Che blinked: "Is that person's name Yang Che?"

"It seems to be this name, yes, that's the name."

Driver Zhang said with a puzzled look, "I feel like I've heard that somewhere before."

Yang Che said expressionlessly, "I am Yang Che. The movie is called 'My Sassy Girl'."

Liu Xiaoli couldn't hold back any longer and burst out laughing.

Driver Lao Zhang was the first to react: "Oh my, a big celebrity! You'll have to sign an autograph for me later."

Even though he actually knew nothing about Yang Che.

"That's an exaggeration. I'm not a celebrity, haha."

The bespectacled man was embarrassed. He wanted to question it, but Liu Xiaoli's reaction made him have no choice but to believe it.

So when things quieted down, it became very awkward.

Liu Xiaoli glanced at him twice, still somewhat surprised that his movies were known to Chinese Americans.

It took 45 minutes to get to Irvine. Yang Che and Liu Xiaoli got out of the car in front of a restaurant.

The fare was $70 per person, which Yang Che paid together. He also told Lao Zhang that he would need the car the day after tomorrow morning.

The restaurant was a Sichuan restaurant, and it was fairly authentic, because Liu Xiaoli said there were many Chinese people in Irvine.

Yang Che ate his twice-cooked pork and rice until he was almost crying. At this moment, Liu Xiaoli didn't matter anymore.

Watching him eat so heartily, Liu Xiaoli felt that he was a very genuine person.

Liu Xiaoli paid the bill for dinner, which came to $45 including a tip.

Afterwards, Liu Xiaoli accompanied Yang Che to a hotel room, but they didn't check in. After all, it was already 9 pm, and although the population of this area was mainly Chinese, it was still America.

So when Yang Che offered to take Liu Xiaoli home, she didn't refuse.

The two strolled along the road, and Liu Xiaoli took the initiative to ask about the story of "The Myth".

This left Yang Che with a puzzled mind, so he slowly began to tell the story, starting with the dream of a modern person. So when they arrived at her building, he began to talk about Meng Yi and Yu Shu falling off the cliff together.

The house is a detached house on the side of the street, a very American-style two-story house with an attic, and it doesn't look very big.

"Sister Xiaoli, you've been running around all day, get some rest."

Liu Xiaoli brought up the topic casually to avoid awkwardness, and it's safe to say she's a screenwriter—she's a master storyteller. For a moment, I felt like I wanted more.

However, seeing his politeness and gentlemanly manners made me feel much more at ease.

She was actually quite afraid that he would make some unreasonable demands, even if he used an excuse like, "You haven't lived here for a long time, let me help you look at the house..."

"Goodbye then. I'll contact you tomorrow when I'm done with my work."

"It's a promise."

Yang Che smiled, waved, and left. Of course, he didn't actually leave.

He was gambling. Five minutes later, the lights came on inside, and Liu Xiaoli's figure appeared in the second-floor window.

Yang Che smiled and waved from the roadside, then turned around gracefully.

Liu Xiaoli, who had felt a sense of loss when she went upstairs, froze, but a huge warm current surged in her heart, making her feel warm, as if the heating in the room was stronger.

Suddenly she raised her hand and grabbed the window railing. She wanted to call out to Yang Che, but she quickly removed her hand.

Then she blushed.

She paused for a moment, then quickly rubbed her face and went to do her own thing, tidying up the bedroom and washing up.

But I always feel uneasy.

Yang Che left. He went back to the hotel, took a shower, brushed his teeth, trimmed his beard, and then changed into clean underwear and the same clothes he had just worn before leaving the hotel.

That is, 50 minutes after he left Liu Xiaoli's doorstep, he reappeared at her doorstep at 10:45 pm.

"Knock knock knock"

The knocking sound was like Yang Che's heartbeat. Although he had been planning and performing all along, he was still nervous at the moment of closing the net.

Sure enough, Liu Xiaoli wasn't asleep. She had just taken a shower and was soaking her feet while watching TV. She always soaked her feet to relieve fatigue after a long flight.

Hearing the knock, she felt a sense of vigilance mixed with a glimmer of hope. She quickly shook her head, slipped on her slippers, and went to the door. Looking through the peephole, she saw it was him.

My heart suddenly started racing.

She didn't open the door, but instead said, "Yang Che? Is something the matter?"

Her voice was very hoarse.

Yang Che paused for two seconds: "It's nothing, it's just that I just wanted to see you. I can't sleep. Could you please open the door? I'll just take a look and then leave."

Liu Xiaoli's face flushed red instantly, and she clutched her chest, feeling a little breathless.

She didn't know what to say, and opened the door in a daze.

Yang Che looked at her. She was wearing a champagne-colored silk nightgown with a shawl, and her hair was tied up. Under the light at the door, her bare skin looked particularly white, and her body seemed to be covered in moisture, like a piece of very smooth white jade.

Yang Che unconsciously swallowed.

It was perhaps the cold wind outside the door, or perhaps Yang Che's expression, that brought Liu Xiaoli back to her senses. Realizing that her clothes were inappropriate, she instinctively reached for the door to close and change.

Yang Che instinctively blocked the door.

In that instant, their eyes met, and Liu Xiaoli clearly saw the desire in Yang Che's eyes. That gaze was like a bee sting, and she instinctively tried to close the door and retreat.

Yang Che strode into the room, grabbed her hand, and kicked the door shut at the same time.

With a gasp, she collapsed into his arms.

"Let go!"

Yang Che felt as if steam was coming out of his nostrils as he said, "Liu Xiaoli, I like you."

Liu Xiaoli struggled, then shouted again in a deep voice, "Let go!"

Yang Che hadn't intended to force her, but she had come running... so he prepared to let go, but his hand seemed to disobey him and rubbed it again.

Liu Xiaoli stiffened, then her eyes turned icy cold as she gasped for breath, "I never imagined you were this kind of person! Let me go now, and I'll pretend nothing happened. Otherwise, I'll definitely call the police!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Che, who had already let go of her arm, put it back around her, looking very aggrieved: "What kind of person am I? You opened the door, you fell on me, and you even threatened to call the police. Liu Xiaoli, you can't take advantage of my feelings for you to bully me like this."

An angry Liu Xiaoli was puzzled, then somewhat confused... and then she suddenly pushed him away with all her might.

"I don't want to talk about this, and I don't know you well. Please leave now, and let's pretend we've never met."

Yang Che plopped down on the sofa: "I can't leave like this. If I leave, I'll really become a scoundrel in your eyes. Do I really deserve this?!"

Liu Xiaoli was stunned for a moment, then laughed out loud, speechless with anger. But looking at his aggrieved and indignant expression, she couldn't help but become suspicious.