Huayu: From "Good Fortune Across the Sky" to becoming a top star

"Are you leaving today?" Liu Haochun asked Jiang Xun. "Aren't you going to watch my performance?"

Jiang Xun shook his head in Zhou Dongyu's direction, leaned closer to her, and lowered his voice: "Look at Dongyu's expression, I feel like she wants to eat me up."

Liu Haochun followed his gaze and met Zhou Dongyu's resentful look.

Liu Haochun quickly lowered his head, pretending he hadn't seen anything.

She didn't try to stop her anymore.

We are all adults, and everyone has their own things to do.

"If you finish filming before me, remember to come visit me on set. If I finish filming earlier, I'll visit you on set too."

Jiang Xun nodded.

The two planned to finish their boxed lunches before leaving.

After all, the journey from the film crew to the airport is quite long, and there's not much to eat along the way, so it's better to eat a full meal before setting off.

The boxed lunches served on Zhang Yimou's film crew were of a very high standard.

Braised beef brisket with potatoes, braised pork ribs, stir-fried shrimp, stir-fried broccoli, plus a winter melon soup—four dishes and one soup, a balanced mix of meat and vegetables.

These were all prepared and delivered from a long distance in the city, wrapped tightly in insulated boxes, and were still warm when they arrived.

After spending a day and a morning together, Liu Haochun was completely captivated by Jiang Xun's personal charm.

Jiang Xun didn't know exactly what kind of charm she possessed, but anyway, she always loved to follow him around.

By this time, the desert sun was high in the sky, and it was unbearably hot.

But Liu Haochun was still wearing that thick cotton-padded coat and was standing next to Jiang Xun. The thick sleeves of the coat were rubbing against Jiang Xun's arm, and there was almost no gap between the two of them.

Jiang Xun subtly moved to the side.

Liu Haochun followed and continued to stay close, maintaining the same distance as when they first touched.

Jiang Xun sighed helplessly.

A calm mind brings coolness.

He silently repeated it to himself several times, then chose to eat without any distractions.

"Is it good?" Liu Haochun tilted his head to look at him.

"Well enough."

Upon hearing this, Liu Haochun immediately picked up his chopsticks and kept piling meat and vegetables from his lunchbox into Jiang Xun's bowl, adding several pieces of each.

Aren't you going to eat?

"Sigh, I want to eat." Liu Haochun sighed, his gaze lingering on the meat and vegetables for a moment before firmly looking away. "But I have to stay as thin as I am now."

"That director Zhang is really bad."

"Mmm!" It was the first time Liu Haochun had ever spoken ill of Zhang Yimou to someone else, and it was incredibly exciting.

"Boom!"

Just as they were finishing their meal, a thunderclap suddenly rang out in the sky.

Just moments ago, the sky was cloudless, but now dark clouds have suddenly descended, instantly swallowing up all the light.

Zhang Yimou immediately lost his appetite.

He put down his lunchbox, stared at the sky, and uttered two words in a deep voice: "So annoying."

Jiang Xun didn't take it to heart at all. Instead, he subconsciously shook his head and teased Liu Haochun, casually humming a little tune:

"Ugh, I'm working late again."

You boarded an empty train.

It's the last subway train again.

His tone was casual and lazy, yet his voice was clear.

Liu Haochun put down his lunchbox, clapped his hands, and exclaimed with admiration, "That was beautiful!"

Only when Zhang Yimou looked at her did she quickly shake her head, feigning frustration: "This weather is so annoying—"

"This is what farewell weather should be like." Jiang Xun looked up at the increasingly dark sky. "When I left my hometown for Yanjing, it also rained heavily."

Liu Haochun nodded, a deep sadness lingering within him.

Soon after, large raindrops began to fall from the sky, pattering against the tent.

The air was filled with the unique fragrance of sand dampened by rain.

Just like scenes from an animal documentary, the weather can change drastically in a second, with a sudden storm and everything coming back to life.

The rain poured down harder and harder, and Zhang Yimou's last glimmer of hope vanished.

He picked up the walkie-talkie, his voice filled with utter helplessness: "Protect the equipment! Everyone, get out of the rain!"

Jiang Xun and Liu Haochun also packed up the lunch boxes, exchanged a glance, and stood up at the same time, rushing out to help.

After a flurry of activity, all the equipment that needed protection was moved under the tent, and Jiang Xun was soaked to the bone.

He ran up to the RV that was temporarily his, and looked out the window. Liu Haochun was still busy in the rain, his small figure running back and forth in the rain.

"Haocun, come in quickly!" Jiang Xun rolled down the car window and waved to her.

Liu Haochun shielded her eyes with her hand and saw Jiang Xun waving at her through the dense rain.

She hesitated for a moment, originally intending to return to her own RV, but still resolutely headed towards Jiang Xun.

"Come in quickly." Jiang Xun reached out from the car and pulled her in.

Liu Haochun got into the car and first bent down to take off his shoes.

She was wearing a pair of cloth shoes, which had just been running around in the muddy sand. The soles of her shoes were covered in mud, and sand had even gotten inside.

Once in the car, Jiang Xun realized something was wrong.

He was just about to let Liu Haochun take a shower when he suddenly remembered that she didn't have any clean clothes to change into in the car.

"How about... you go take a shower first, and I'll go to your car to get your clothes?" he asked tentatively.

Liu Haochun blushed, wondering what she was thinking when she got into Jiang Xun's car.

She tucked her wet hair behind her ears and shook her head: "I'll just rinse my feet first."

As she spoke, she pulled off her heavy cotton-padded coat, revealing a light pink T-shirt underneath.

Thanks to the thick cotton-padded coat, the clothes underneath weren't very wet, except for the collar which was a little damp.

"Then I'll get some water and help you wash," Jiang Xun said as he walked towards the bathroom.

"Huh?" Liu Haochun was taken aback, and his little feet, clad in white socks, visibly shrank back and hid under the chair.

"Oh, it's nothing, don't be so polite with me." Jiang Xun didn't even turn his head, and took a basin to get warm water.

Liu Haochun sat in the chair, becoming somewhat restless.

Hearing the sound of water coming from the bathroom, her toes couldn't help but curl up, leaving a faint wet mark on the floor.

Jiang Xun came out carrying a basin half-full of warm water. Liu Haochun quickly stood up and opened his arms to catch the basin: "Brother Jiang Xun, um... I can do it myself."

When Jiang Xun was on the grasslands, he was incredibly busy.

Dozens of cows! Besides preventing them from getting lost, we also have to be careful that they don't get attacked by other wild animals.

He's someone who can't sit still, in other words.

He loves to work!

He's been so bored these past few days, and now that he finally has some work to do, he has to make the most of it.

"You sit down, I'll do it!"

Liu Haochun was genuinely embarrassed, but he steeled himself and sat down, biting his lower lip and lifting his leg.

Jiang Xun squatted down and took off her socks, then casually hung them to dry.

He subconsciously sniffed his hands; they had no smell at all.

Then he grabbed her little feet and looked them over, wondering where to start.

No, make your move.

Her little feet were white and tender, with five pink toenails, like five budding flowers, nestled quietly in Jiang Xun's palm, motionless.

Finally, Jiang Xun gently placed those small feet into the basin of water and gently rubbed them with his hands.

"It's so itchy..." Liu Haochun couldn't help but whisper, his voice barely audible.

Jiang Xun looked up and saw that Liu Haochun's face was as red as the sunset.