Huayu 1999: Starting with nothing but getting something for nothing

Qin Lan took the initiative to sit in the back seat, since Zhang Qin was too tall.

After getting in the car, Yang Che called Fan Xiaotian.

"I know there's a night shoot, but it's okay, I'll just go straight there... It's alright, what's so tiring about this... Okay, see you in a bit."

The distance from Lukou Airport to Gaochun Old Street, where the film crew was located, is more than 60 kilometers.

Perhaps she was a little tired from the flight, after chatting about the play for a while, Zhang Qin yawned.

As we all know, yawning is contagious, so in less than three minutes, both women were asleep in their seats.

Yang Che looked out the window with great interest; the airport was surrounded by vast rice paddies.

Soon we got on the Ningxuan Expressway. Looking around again, the terrain was flat, with ditches, ponds and small embankments everywhere. It was evening, and smoke was rising from the white-walled and black-tiled farmhouses in the village.

What a beautiful water town in Jiangnan!

It's a pity that there's no bridge across Shijiu Lake now, so you can only go around Lishui and can't see the lake view.

"Brother Zhou, do you have contact information for shops that sell fruit and drinks around the film set?"

Xiao Zhou paused for a moment: "Yes, Mr. Yang, please wait a moment while I move aside to find it for you."

"Just arrange it for me. Send some watermelons and Jianlibao (a popular Chinese herbal tea brand) to the crew. It's better to have too much than too little. Make sure everyone on the crew gets some. I'll settle the payment when I arrive."

Xiao Zhou was a little surprised, then grinned and said, "Mr. Yang is very generous. I'll arrange it right away."

Afterwards, Xiao Zhou stopped making phone calls while driving, pulled over to the side of the road, got out of the car, and told Yang Che before getting out that he was afraid of disturbing the two sleeping women.

Yang Che also got out of the car; he happened to be there to urinate.

Then it was all over. Getting out of the car felt like entering a sauna. The air was stuffy and sticky, and there was a hazy white mist on the highway, which was releasing the heat absorbed during the day.

I felt a little better after urinating, but I still felt sticky all over.

After making two phone calls, Xiao Zhou arranged the tasks Yang Che had instructed him to do.

Yang Che found that Xiao Zhou was quite organized in his speech and work. He asked the deliveryman to wait for him in advance in Gaochun Old Street, and he would pay for whatever was delivered in the end.

After getting in the car, Yang Che chatted with Xiao Zhou for a while and learned that the other party was the driver of the car rental company. However, he had been working with Fan Xiaotian's two groups and usually drove an Iveco van to pick up and drop off actors.

After chatting for a few more minutes, I learned that he used to drive a truck.

"Eight out of ten times I would encounter robbery on the road. I got married and had a child three years ago, so I stopped running away."

"When you have something to worry about, you become less daring."

"Yes."

Yang Che said, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "Brother Zhou, if you come to Beijing to develop your career, you can look me up."

"Oh, thank you, Mr. Yang."

Xiao Zhou thanked him very sincerely, even a little apprehensive.

Yang Che smiled; this was the normal attitude.

Of course, Yang Che is only in his early twenties, exudes the aura of a "big brother," and is also an investor in the production team. When he extends an olive branch to a middle-aged man, regardless of whether the middle-aged man wants to take advantage of the opportunity, he will subconsciously feel excited and apprehensive.

Yang Che wasn't making things up. Xiao Zhou has strong communication and coordination skills and a strong sense of responsibility. She can be a great executive producer. This position is essentially the lubricant for everyone on the crew.

After chatting for a few more minutes, Yang Che started to feel sleepy and then fell asleep.

After a bumpy ride, we realized we had already exited the highway and entered Gaochun County. The road conditions weren't great, and it was already dark.

"What time is it?"

"8 points."

Zhang Qin and the driver, Xiao Zhou, said in unison.

"Hmm..."

Yang Che stretched and turned to look at Zhang Qin, who was watching him. He raised an eyebrow at her mischievously, and Zhang Qin wrinkled her nose at him.

Then, the two of them tacitly looked away, and the corners of their mouths turned up slightly.

Yang Che glanced back at Qin Lan and saw that she was still lying across the back seat. Sigh! So flat.

So Yang Che glanced to the side again, and the streetlights flashed by, and he was spotted and glared at.

Yang Che smiled broadly.

Their relationship seemed to progress rapidly all of a sudden.

This is actually based on scientific evidence. Dim environments can make people more emotional, especially easily evoking the need for companionship, and making it easier for opposite sexes to form emotional connections or take their relationships to the next level.

The ambiguous atmosphere didn't last long, because Qin Lan woke up during another jolt.

Upon hearing Qin Lan's voice, both of them straightened up at the same time, which was quite strange.

It's not surprising, really. Throughout the journey, neither of them asked about the other's love life, so even if it wasn't Qin Lan, but a man, they would still avoid it.

After walking for less than five minutes, the group arrived at the dirt road parking lot of Gaochun Old Street.

Yang Che got off the car and saw a tricycle carrying watermelons and a Songhuajiang truck not far away, which he guessed were carrying soft drinks.

Xiao Zhou called a deputy director surnamed Jin on the film set and then asked the two cars to take a detour from the back of the ancient town, saying that someone would meet them there.

Yang Che and his group of four naturally headed towards the main street entrance. They could see simple red and white barriers set up at the street entrance under the lights, with two crew members guarding the area. In reality, at this time of day, there would hardly be any tourists.

Yang Che was very excited; he could finally see the filming location of this phenomenal drama. Fan Xiaotian said that they were filming the last night scene with Chang'e today, and everyone was quite present.

"Brother Che, are you hungry? I have some bread here."

"Where did you get the bread?"

"I didn't eat on the plane."

"You're really frugal. I'll go to the hotel for a late-night snack later."

"Okay then, I won't eat either, but I'm a little hungry..."

Yang Che quickened his pace to catch up with Xiao Zhou, and also got away from the talkative Qin Lan, letting her chat with Zhang Qin, the "elder sister."

As you walk past the street corner, you'll see that the entire street is made of wood and stone, with black tiles and white walls, wooden doors, and bluestone slabs. On both sides are old-fashioned general stores, cloth shops, shoe stores, blacksmith shops... This kind of street scene was a common sight in period dramas around the millennium.

It's clear that the production team didn't build many sets; they just slightly modified a few signs.

After walking a few more steps, I heard someone shout "Start!" followed by a lot of perfunctory cheers, the sound of firecrackers, and what sounded like the crackling of a bonfire...

Okay, filming has started.

Yang Che quickened his pace and, after passing two more intersections, could hear the whooshing sound of high-powered lights. Finally, he saw a film set in a small square, where two tape cameras were filming.

There were about thirty extras dressed in ancient costumes, half men and half women, who were cheering and celebrating.

You can also see Cheng Hong with white hair and purple clothes, Kou Zhanwen, Xu Zheng with two red blushes on his face, the youthful and beautiful Tao Hong, and the actor who plays Master Erniu. The five of them are quietly waiting in the corner.

Yang Che, who had stopped at the intersection, looked at Qin Lan and asked, "Do you know what kind of show this is?"

Qin Lan shook her head: "I don't know, which scene?"

"Do you know?"

Zhang Qin also shook her head: "This is the third unit, and I don't have the script for this part."

Yang Che glanced at Qin Lan with disdain, then sat down on the steps by the roadside: "You have the whole script, but there's only one celebratory scene. Chang'e is going to fly to the moon."

Qin Lan said, feeling wronged, "I didn't read that part either."