Huayu 1999: Starting with nothing but getting something for nothing

After an unknown amount of time, Gao Yuanyuan appeared in front of the bathroom sink with a blank look in her eyes. Her wrists ached a little when she turned on the tap.

"Could it be tenosynovitis?"

The moment the thought crossed my mind, I felt a surge of embarrassment and annoyance. I looked up at the mirror in front of me and found my face flushed and my eyes somewhat glazed over.

I quickly washed my hands and then my face, and then I felt much better.

After dawdling for a while, I thought about it and went back to the bedroom. Seeing the satisfied and smug smile on his face, I couldn't help but feel annoyed again.

"Honestly, you drugged me."

"You're the one who drugged me, otherwise why would I be feeling so bad? But I still thank you, heroine, for helping me detoxify."

Gao Yuanyuan complained, "My wrist hurts."

Yang Che pulled one side over and gently rubbed it, saying with a smile, "Look at those TV dramas, if the male lead is poisoned, the female lead always sucks out the snake venom with her mouth. Of course, squeezing it out with your hands is slower."

Gao Yuanyuan pouted and hit him; she couldn't stand his words.

However, she enjoyed the intimacy between them at that moment, and she could clearly feel that they were closer now.

Before they knew it, it was evening. Yang Che drove her back to Fengtai as usual, to the same intersection as last night, and into the back seat of the car. But this time, Gao Yuanyuan made no attempt to stop her boyfriend's two big hands.

After a long while, Gao Yuanyuan muttered, "I can't bear to part with you, I miss you right now."

"Then why do you insist on coming back? How about we go back now? I will respect your decision 100%."

Gao Yuanyuan shook her head, giving her a reproachful look: "Don't tempt me, I have to go. See you tomorrow, darling."

Yang Che said helplessly, "I'll be starting filming soon, so we won't have many more days together."

"Oh dear, school's starting soon too, and then..."

When Gao Yuanyuan finished speaking, she seemed to remember something and stopped talking. She leaned over and pecked him, then opened the car door and drove away. When she reached the entrance of the residential area, she turned around and smiled sweetly. He was watching her from the intersection. She raised her arm and waved vigorously before walking briskly home.

On his way back, Yang Che received a call from an unknown number. It was the same vendor he had met at noon. The vendor introduced himself as Li Xiangdong and asked to meet him the next morning.

Yang Che had no objection, so at 7:30 the next morning, he met Li Xiangdong at the entrance of the No. 8 Courtyard community.

Li Xiangdong carried a bag containing two baked buns and a piece of donkey meat.

After another round of polite thanks, he said, "I'll have it for breakfast."

Yang Che accepted the money without hesitation, taking all 260 yuan that was offered.

However, he took out another 10 yuan from his pocket and handed it back along with the 10 yuan from the 260 yuan: "It's not for the meal, it's for the two packs of cigarettes, which cost 240 yuan. I can't take more than that."

Li Xiangdong paused for a moment, then smiled and accepted it.

Without saying anything more, Li Xiangdong took his leave and turned around. After walking a dozen steps, he heard Yang Che call him.

"Li Xiangdong, there's a job I'd like you to do?"

"What?"

The two took a few steps toward each other, and Yang Che calmly explained the matter of the crew's food supply.

Li Xiangdong wasn't that stubborn; he understood immediately without Yang Che explaining it in detail.

The film crew has a meal allowance, paid per person, with a balanced diet of meat and vegetables, and meals are delivered to the crew at fixed times and locations.

"I'll think about it. It'll probably take a little over a month. You don't need to answer me now; just let me know before tomorrow."

Li Xiangdong smiled and said, "No need to think about it, I'm willing to do it. Mr. Yang thinks highly of me, thank you, Mr. Yang."

"Then write down his phone number... His name is Liu Chang, I'll say hello to him. We have more than 20 people starting work on September 3rd, so you won't have much time."

"clear."

"Then it's a pleasure to cooperate."

"Thank you, thank you, Mr. Yang."

Li Xiangdong was particularly moved. Yang Che was neither polite nor condescending; he communicated with him on an equal footing.

Yang Che waited until he left before going upstairs. Trust is trust, but caution is caution.

In today's era, it's not just the economy that's booming and thriving.

When Yang Che was having dinner at home, he received a call from Xiao Ke saying that the mixing was finished, so Yang Che went to Baihua Hutong again.

For the next two days, Yang Che spent his days at home dating Gao Yuanyuan.

Yang Che had suggested taking her out to play, but Gao Yuanyuan wasn't really interested in going.

She said, "I just like staying at home, you know? The thing I fear most is attending events with a whole room of strangers. I don't know whether I should speak, what to say, or how to avoid talking to others."

Many times I would hide in the bathroom, only going out when I felt someone might come looking for me. Although I've filmed several movies and TV series, working with crews of hundreds of people, I'm still afraid of all kinds of lively social occasions.

"Huh? We seem to be complete opposites."

"That's true. You're very quiet when there are many people around, but you become a chatterbox when you're alone."

"Exaggeration."

"......."

Although the two had become so intimate that they were almost completely open with each other, they had never taken that final step.

It wasn't just because she had to go home every night, nor was it just because she wasn't mentally prepared; it was also because her body wasn't prepared.

Damn it, my period started!!!

On August 30, Gao Yuanyuan did not come to Courtyard No. 8 again because her family was going back to their hometown and would not come back before the start of school on September 2.

Even if she didn't go back to her hometown, she wouldn't come to Courtyard No. 8, because Yang Che said he had to talk to people from the TV station, which was obviously nonsense.

It was because Yang Che had to pick up Fan Bingbing, but Fan Bingbing hadn't mentioned it since she mentioned it briefly on the phone that day.

So when Fan Bingbing received Yang Che's call at 4:35 pm, shortly after landing, she was pleasantly surprised, after all, she had already mentally simulated taking a taxi back to her rented room.

5 p.m., outside Beijing Capital International Airport.

Yang Che spotted the chubby boy pulling a red suitcase by the roadside at a glance. His lipstick was very attractive, his hair had grown to his shoulders, he was wearing sunglasses, a gray-green shirt, and a pair of cropped jeans.

She was youthful and radiant, a completely different feeling from Gao Yuanyuan.

"Little Fatty".

Fan Bingbing was initially delighted upon seeing the faces inside the car, but then, noticing the stares of the surrounding passengers, her face darkened instantly. She jumped into the small, secondhand white van that was already parked in front of her, as if she had just robbed a bank and was fleeing...

After getting into the passenger seat, Fan Bingbing took off her glasses and pleaded in her eyes, "Brother, please stop calling me 'Little Fatty,' okay? Besides, where am I fat?"

Yang Che watched her sway her hips and said, "Tsk, buckle up. I bought my driver's license. Why are you only wearing lipstick?"

Fan Bingbing immediately struck a pose: "Looks good, right? I only put it on after you finished your call. If I wasn't worried about you waiting too long, I would have liked to put on a full face of makeup."

Yang Che laughed and said, "Women dress up for those who appreciate them?"

Fan Bingbing blinked, as if pondering the meaning of those words.

"Yeah, you've already cast me as the female lead, so you must really admire me and like me a lot."