Huayu 1999: Starting with nothing but getting something for nothing

"When the host asked her what her secret was, if it was a joke, most people would say 'murder,' not 'I have killed someone.' 'I' is the subject, and 'have' represents the experience. In psychology, when lying about something you haven't done, you would say you did it, rather than 'I have done' certain things."

Later, after experiencing some things firsthand, Yang Che felt even more that what his friend said made a lot of sense.

Therefore, many secrets in the entertainment industry that are eventually exposed will one day suddenly become known to people as things that were once revealed as jokes, but at the time people thought they were jokes and no one took them seriously.

Yang Che and Gao Yuanyuan returned to Anzhenli after having a meal of dumplings.

Gao Yuanyuan started complaining as soon as she entered the room. It wasn't actually dirty; it was just that things were placed haphazardly.

However, Gao Yuanyuan had no interest in helping her tidy up. As soon as she entered the room, she took the initiative to give her boyfriend a wall slam.

Yang Che wanted to tease him, but it wasn't appropriate.

However, when the two moved to the bedroom and fell onto the bed, Yang Che called Xiao Pang. Gao Yuanyuan glanced at the call and then closed her eyes, pretending not to see it.

Moreover, after the call connected and she heard Xiao Pang's voice, Gao Yuanyuan's voice became louder, and Yang Che knew that she was not doing it on purpose.

Yang Che could sense her nervousness instantly.

So Little Fatty went crazy.

The next day arrived in the blink of an eye, October 2th.

Yang Che and Gao Yuanyuan left the newly renovated Anzhenli, picked up Li Xiangdong from Tazhai, and went to Yungang first.

Then they went straight to Wangdu County in Baoding, which is Li Xiangdong's hometown.

When they arrived, it was just noon. Li Xiangdong's father was waiting at the door with enthusiasm but also a bit flustered. There were several relatives with smiles on their faces, and his mother and some other women were preparing eight dishes in the old house.

Li Xiangdong was a little embarrassed.

As if he had expected this, Yang Che took two packs of cigarettes from the back seat and opened them.

"Come on, let's have a smoke."

So, the Li family's son settled down with a wealthy boss in the village, which dispelled some of the unpleasant rumors, especially since Li's father had already started paying off his debts in the latter half of this year...

Neighbors and relatives looked at the soft Zhonghua cigarettes in their hands, and then at the large and small bags being taken home; their smiles were incredibly sincere and eager.

That item wasn't purchased by Yang Che, nor did he give Li Xiangdong's parents any red envelopes.

During the meal, Yang Che overheard a group of relatives arguing about which family's daughter Li Xiangdong should choose... They were arguing so heatedly that their faces turned red.

Looking at Li's father with a simple smile by the kang (a heated brick bed), and Li's mother holding a bowl and shedding tears at the small table on the ground, Yang Che felt a sense of disorientation again.

After arriving in Longcheng at 4 p.m., Yang Che's parents gave Li Xiangdong a red envelope containing 500 yuan.

Li Xiangdong was very grateful for this. He did not stay overnight. After having a drink of water, he left for the train station.

Yang Che was sitting on the sofa, showing off his certificate of bravery, when there was a knock on the door.

But it was Zhang Tao, my dad's colleague and also our upstairs neighbor.

"Hello, Uncle Zhang!"

Zhang Tao looked surprised: "Oh, Xiao Che is back! You're a big celebrity in Longcheng, the pride of the bus company compound."

Yang Che thought to himself, "If you're here to watch the show, then watch the show. Why are you putting on such a show?"

He was fully prepared mentally for returning to Longcheng to be a "monkey" (a term used to describe someone who is obsequious or humiliated).

Seeing his parents' smug yet feigned modesty, Yang Che simply wore a well-behaved smile.

Wang Weiqing said disdainfully, "Old Zhang, don't say that. If you keep praising him, he'll get too big for his britches. But I still trust this kid. Look, the belt he's wearing is the one I bought for him when he was in school."

"That's right, Xiao Che has been steady since he was a child."

Yang Yuanchao picked up the certificate of bravery from the coffee table. This time, Wang Weiqing did not say anything about "disregarding his own safety." Although this era is divided, people still value the spirit of dedication.

Zhang Tao offered another round of praise. During this time, there was another knock on the door. It was Old Liu and his wife from downstairs, who were also there to see the "monkey"—or rather, to drop by.

Wang Weiqing was overjoyed and quickly served the dried fruit, fresh fruit, and snacks that Lao Fan had brought.

While greeting the guests, he asked, "Son, how did your graduate school entrance exam go?"

"......."

Old Liu's family was much more direct; after praising Yang Che for a couple of minutes, they started asking how much money he had made.

"I read in the newspaper that it was over 3000 million US dollars. Wow, that must be 2.5 million!"

Before Yang Che could even speak, his neighbor Lu Zheng, who appeared out of nowhere, provided the answer, giving a very good explanation of box office revenue, copyright, and revenue sharing.

"The lion's share goes to the bosses and the production company. Xiao Che, am I right?"

"Uncle Lu is still so knowledgeable, he knows everything about movie revenue sharing. You're right, I'm just a paid employee, haha."

"Don't try to fool me, kid. The movie magazines all say you announced that you're going to give people a share of the profits."

"You even read movie guides?"

"Ha ha ha ha."

The family members immediately burst into laughter.

Zhang Tao explained, "Ever since your movie was released, our company has started ordering movie tickets."

"......"

And so, Yang Che's house remained lively until after 6 p.m., when everyone declined Yang Yuanchao's offer of dinner and said their goodbyes.

It's perfectly acceptable to drop by and visit to see the successful younger generation and satisfy your curiosity, but to stay on the first day of someone's family reunion is incredibly tactless.

"Son, when are you leaving?"

"I'm not sure. I'll just stay here if I have nothing else to do. I'll leave whenever you get annoyed with me."

Wang Weiqing laughed and scolded, "I find you quite annoying right now."

Yang Yuanchao, who was turning on the colored lights on the balcony, watched the mother and son chatting and laughing, watched the children running, chasing and playing outside the yard, and watched the colored lights of each household gradually light up. He felt a deep warmth in his heart.

"Yang Che, have a drink with Dad tonight."

"Sure, Mom, you should have some too."

"Okay. Have some."

"......."