Chapter 106
What a coincidence - even if Xiong Dapao hadn't come to find Chen Meilan, she would have needed to pay him a special visit soon anyway.
Some say that when Chinese men meet a woman they fancy, they can imagine their future children's names at first sight. In fact, running a business requires similar foresight and planning abilities.
Chen Meilan had already worked out everything about Factory 271's clothing and accessories brand - from the brand name to where to hire designers, the brand image, positioning, and even the visual identity and BIS planning systems. She just needed the funding in place, then she could have Xue Mingfang execute the plan.
After product launch, there was another crucial step: finding distributors across the country.
With just a dozen well-resourced and financially strong distributors helping to open sales channels, a large clothing factory could fully revitalize its operations from production to market launch to sales.
Xiong Dapao himself was in clothing distribution and was an excellent agent. With Xiong Xiaohua managing store sales, he frequently traveled nationwide and knew many fellow distributors. If Chen Meilan could win him over, she wouldn't have to worry about distribution, so today she planned to do exactly that.
Yan Zhao had to go out to visit the Land Resources Bureau.
It was almost noon, and all the children were eating at school, not coming home.
Chen Meilan needed to discuss business with Xiong Dapao, so naturally she had to treat him to a meal.
She asked Xiong Dapao, "Would you like to try some paomo? There's a shop at the entrance of our village that makes pretty good ones. Shall I order some for us?"
Xiong Dapao remained silent while Yan Dongping nodded his head repeatedly like a pecking chicken.
Chen Meilan went out to the paomo shop at the village entrance to place the order.
The shop was run by Second Sister Liu, a villager who gave generous portions and maintained good hygiene.
Once ready, her husband would deliver the food directly to their door.
After placing the order, she headed back home. Just as she was about to enter, she heard Yan Dongping speaking in the courtyard: "Don't be angry. It's Chen's loss that she didn't marry you. Look how well you're doing now - you're a big boss, driving the only Crown car in the city. You're leagues ahead of that coward Yan Xishan, and even Yan Zhao."
Chen Meilan stopped in her tracks.
Like a bolt from the blue - that good-for-nothing Yan Dongping was badmouthing her again, wasn't he?
Sure enough, Yan Dongping continued: "You don't have any business dealings with Chen anyway. We're not trying to cause trouble for her, but what kind of business can a woman run? Just wait and watch her go bankrupt. Factory 271 is a military factory, Old Gu definitely won't invest in her. You just need to secretly enjoy watching this unfold."
At this moment, Chen Meilan was peeking through the door crack. She saw the expressionless Xiong Dapao stand up with his hands behind his back, pacing around while admiring her courtyard.
The courtyard had vegetables planted by Yan Zhao. As September approached, most had already been harvested.
There were three sunflowers that had reached maturity, their heads already yellow. The children hadn't wanted to pick them yet - they were planning to wait until Yuanyuan came home from school tonight, then they would harvest them and each enjoy a big flower head.
Xiong Dapao walked over to the sunflowers and suddenly reached out, roughly handling them. Good heavens - he was causing all the seeds that the children had been looking forward to for half a year to fall to the ground.
If he had any expression at this moment, Chen Meilan thought it would surely be one of schadenfreude and smugness.
It was like finding out that the seemingly trustworthy Zhu Shimao could also betray you.
Chen Meilan had always had a very good impression of Xiong Dapao. She deeply regretted not ending up with him and had even thought that if she had been reborn earlier, before having Yuanyuan and when Xiong Dapao was still unmarried, she would definitely have wanted to start a family with him.
But look at him now - it proved that while Xiong Dapao said nothing and appeared honest on the surface, he actually looked down on her because she had once rejected him, and was even hoping to watch her fail at running Factory 271.
How could he be like this?
This wouldn't do.
Xiong Dapao was extremely important to Chen Meilan. Without his help introducing resources, she and Xue Mingfang would have to travel all over the country, visiting distributors one by one. With 32 provinces nationwide, finding distributors and agents would take at least a full year.
But if she could win over Xiong Dapao, that year could be compressed into one month. With Xiong Dapao connecting with distributors and holding a distributor conference in Xiping City, the products could quickly flow to private department stores nationwide, generating quick returns and getting Factory 271's cash flow moving.
Just then, Yan Dongping said with a laugh: "Besides, Chen Meilan's first child was a girl, while your ex-wife's first child was a boy. Just based on this alone, she's not as good as your ex-wife..."
With a bang, Chen Meilan pushed open the door and said with a smile: "Our Boss Xiong served in the military and is educated. Gender equality is written into our basic national policy. Yan Dongping, are you trying to get Boss Xiong to hit you by talking like that?"
Yan Dongping jumped to his feet, looking embarrassed.
The sunflower was already fully ripe and yellow, and Xiong Dapao was startled by Chen Meilan. His hand that was gripping the sunflower made a swooshing sound as he accidentally broke off the entire flower head.
This was Little Wang's sunflower - he would definitely cry when he came home tonight and saw this.
Being caught gossiping behind someone's back - that was their current awkward situation.
Seeing Chen Meilan's displeased expression, Yan Dongping tried to smooth things over: "Boss Xiong's son is really something. He's only eight years old, but you wouldn't believe it - the other day he secretly took his father's car and drove it all the way to the main road. Who would believe an eight-year-old could drive?"
Xiong Dapao's poker face lit up, his eyes gleaming - clearly, he was very pleased with Yan Dongping praising his son.
An eight-year-old taking and driving a car to the main road - in Chen Meilan's view, that child seemed to be heading down the path of a spoiled rich kid.
Carefully picking up the sunflower head that Xiong Dapao had broken off, Chen Meilan added: "Like father, like son. Our Boss Xiong has seen combat - how could his son be anything less than exceptional?"
"That's right, that's right. But Meilan, our Zhaozhi is also outstanding. I heard she's been in magazines and newspapers because of her TV drama role," Yan Dongping, knowing he had spoken out of turn, quickly tried to make amends by praising Yuanyuan, thinking this would please Chen Meilan.
People are so difficult!
This was exactly what Chen Meilan had been waiting for. She smiled and said: "Indeed. That year when I was 18, the wool mill wanted to introduce me to a soldier for matchmaking. But the mill's party secretary was my sister-in-law's father, Zhou Renyi. He later told me that the young man wasn't interested in me and had chosen another girl instead, rejecting me..." She deliberately paused before continuing, speaking in reverse: "Oh my, when I heard that the young man wasn't interested in me, I was so devastated and heartbroken for a long time. But thinking about it now, it's good that the soldier rejected me. If he hadn't rejected me back then, how could I have had such a lovely daughter like Yuanyuan? Don't you agree, Yan Dongping?"
Who needs whom anyway?
Chen Meilan said this both to explain why she and Xiong Dapao had missed their chance in the past, and to clearly tell him that because of Yuanyuan, she had never regretted that period of marriage to Yan Xishan.
Xiong Dapao's face was expressionless, unable to move.
But his hands could move, and he had quite a strong grip.
Chen Meilan thought it wasn't a big deal, but with a crack, Xiong Dapao broke off another sunflower.
Now not only would Little Wang cry, but Yuanyuan would probably cry too, because this sunflower was hers.
Chen Meilan was fuming but still had to discuss business first: "Boss Xiong, when our Factory 271's clothing is ready, could you help organize and invite the biggest clothing distributors from around the country for a distributor conference?"
She wanted Xiong Dapao to directly invite nationwide distributors to Xiping City for a clothing agency meeting, to get them to become agents and launch the product with a bang.
Xiong Dapao stiffly nodded his head, his eyes fixed intently on Chen Meilan.
If his gaze were laser beams, they would probably have burned Chen Meilan to ashes.
"When the time comes, we'll need you to put in some good words for us in front of the distributors. Let's set the date for January first next year," Chen Meilan added.
Yan Dongping felt something was off. Chen Meilan didn't have money, and Gu Xiao wouldn't invest in 271 either. How could she be so sure that her product would be launched in January and even plan to hold a distributor conference?
Also, Xiong Dapao should have been quite curious about Chen Meilan, but since she had once rejected him, didn't he not want to help her?
But this was the first time Yan Dongping saw someone nod like Yan Xishan, nodding in a way that truly embodied the phrase "bowing and scraping."
Moreover, Xiong Dapao, who was usually expressionless, had his jaw dropped now, his mouth unable to close, and drooling. The drool flowed down his chin, all the way to his chest, and was about to reach his navel.
Chen Meilan acted quickly, catching the round sunflower before it fell to the ground.
The sunflower's disk was dry, and the seeds were falling off one by one.
Xiong Dapao was still drooling, as if struck by lightning!
He was shocked.
He was confused!
So, it wasn't Chen Meilan who rejected him?
Zhou Renyi's daughter was Zhou Xueqin, who was the best friend of his ex-wife.
So, it was Zhou Xueqin and her father who were behind this, right?
And they introduced him to such a troublemaker?
The child ran away as soon as it was born, leaving him to play both father and mother?
Drool, Xiong Dapao's drool, kept flowing down.
Just then, the phone at home rang. It was actually Xue Mingfang calling, saying that Liu Jingjing had just arrived in Xiping City today and wanted to come over for a visit. He asked Chen Meilan if she wanted them to come.
And Chen Meilan, having already settled things with Xiong Dapao, didn't feel like entertaining them for dinner.
Taking advantage of the phone call, she found an excuse to say she had to go out and sent the two of them away.
Xiong Dapao left with drool dripping all over the place, and even in the car, it continued to flow.
It was Yan Dongping who found a tissue and wiped him up, or else his chest would have been drenched.
Yan Dongping thought Xiong Dapao should go to the hospital because his mouth just wouldn't close!
He pushed it up, it fell, pushed it up again, and it fell again!
...
Second Sister Liu brought three bowls of mutton soup herself, passing by Xiong Dapao's Crown car. Seeing Chen Meilan locking the door, she asked, "I just made the food, are you not going to eat it?"
Chen Meilan watched Xiong Dapao's car leave the village before turning back and unlocking the door: "It's fine, leave it, I'll eat it slowly by myself."
Second Sister Liu found it odd. Could Meilan really eat three bowls of mutton soup by herself?
She had to tease her: "Wow, you're really something now, aren't you? After becoming the leader of the soldiers, you can eat three bowls of mutton soup in one go?"
"Why don't you join me and we can be leaders together?" Chen Meilan took the tray and said.
Second Sister Liu laughed immediately: "Come on, don't think I don't know. Those retired soldiers you're raising, all they can do is collect fake money."
This is what they say: good deeds don't spread, but bad deeds do.
A group of retired soldiers didn't become famous for anything else. They sold clothes and caught thieves all day, but no one knew about it. However, the incident of them collecting five hundred yuan in fake money spread all over Yanguan Village.
This made Chen Meilan, who was a leader in the eyes of her neighbors, look anything but glorious.
Three bowls of mutton soup couldn't be finished in one sitting, so Chen Meilan picked out a small bowl for herself and put the rest in the fridge.
Then, she started reading "Bridges of Madison County."
In the afternoon, the locust tree rustled in the wind. As Chen Meilan was flipping through the book, she suddenly heard a girl outside the courtyard, fuming: "Xue Mingfang, my dad says you're now a manager, but why are you still wearing this old military uniform? You look so outdated."
This was Liu Jingjing's voice. She and Xue Mingfang had come over for a visit today.
But it sounded like they weren't getting along very well.
Chen Meilan then opened the courtyard door and called out, "Liu Jingjing?"
"Sister-in-law, hello," Liu Jingjing smiled from afar. "Isn't he a manager? Why doesn't he have a suit?"
"Is it just for a suit that you want to break up with me?" Xue Mingfang retorted.
Clearly, they had been arguing all the way here.
Liu Jingjing got angry and turned to Chen Meilan: "Sister-in-law, look at his attitude. Can I not break up with him?"
Xue Mingfang was choked, and Chen Meilan simply said, "Then break up. It's not like you're married with kids and it's hard to divorce. Breaking up a relationship is nothing difficult."
"Sister-in-law, that's what you said. I'm breaking up with Xue Mingfang. Okay, I'm leaving. Goodbye." Liu Jingjing said decisively.
Liu Jingjing had just arrived in Xiping City today, and now she was breaking up with Xue Mingfang.
Nowadays, young girls are so capricious when it comes to relationships?
And she left without a word, waving her hand and really leaving.
But Liu Jingjing was only eighteen, and it wasn't easy for her to come to Xiping City from the capital. A little girl might get lost. Chen Meilan pushed Xue Mingfang: "Hurry up and chase after her, what are you standing there for?"
Xue Mingfang sighed deeply and said, "No need. She came with a girl from their compound, and that girl is waiting for her at the village entrance."
"Did you offend her, little girl just arrived?" Chen Meilan asked again.
Xue Mingfang spread his hands, not knowing what to say.
It could only be said that a little girl's temper was really hard to figure out.
When she first heard he was a manager, Liu Jingjing was just like when they first started dating. She called him every day, sang songs, told jokes, read her favorite poems, and planned to visit him.
But as soon as she got off the train, she started throwing a fit because he wasn't wearing a suit and tie, but an old military uniform.
They argued all the way to Yanguan Village, the crux of the conflict being: the suit.
Liu Jingjing also brought a companion, who felt Xue Mingfang had embarrassed her by not wearing a suit and wanted to break up.
After explaining the background, Xue Mingfang said angrily, "Leader, what is this supposed to be?"
"Break up then. If there's a good one next time, I'll introduce you to her," Chen Meilan said decisively.
She gradually felt that although Xue Mingfang and Liu Jingjing looked like a good match, Xue Mingfang was simple and honest, down-to-earth, and without family background, someone who had to endure hardships to achieve success.
Liu Jingjing, being a compound kid, had her life arranged by her father, not worrying about work or money, not needing to endure much hardship.
In terms of personality and life experiences, the two were on different paths, and it was better to part early.
Chen Meilan turned back into the courtyard.
Xue Mingfang stood with his hands on his hips at the courtyard gate, suddenly looking up and seeing that the wall of the coal factory across the street had a new slogan. The other day it still read: "One person gets sterilized, the whole village is honored."
Today it had changed to: "Poverty is shameful, wealth is glorious."
Next to it, some mischievous person had scribbled: "Non-surgical abortion, circumcision, phone 8822338."
Xue Mingfang stared at the slogan, slowly reaching into his pocket. To entertain Liu Jingjing, he had been eating only two big buns a day for half a month, saving 50 yuan to treat his girlfriend. Well, now she left just because of a suit.
This was indeed "poverty is shameful, wealth is glorious."
But even though he was poor, he worked hard, never dragging the country's back, sweating every day.
Why was he still shameful?
And just then, he looked up and saw an old man with fair skin and a refined demeanor, accompanied by a few people, walking over. Seeing him, the old man stopped and looked at him from afar.
After a while, he ordered someone to knock on Chen Meilan's door.
Xue Mingfang was still thinking about the suit.
This old gentleman was wearing a very decent and nice suit!
The courtyard gate was open, and Chen Meilan had just turned back when she heard someone knocking. Seeing it was Gu Xiao, she said, "Professor Gu, come in."
"That military young man, is he your worker?" Gu Xiao first asked.
Chen Meilan motioned for Xue Mingfang to make tea and said, "Yes."
Gu Xiao glanced at Xue Mingfang indifferently and didn't say anything more.
In fact, Chen Meilan didn't know that Yan Xishan's family had been a landlord, and their courtyard had been taken over by the Revolutionary Committee during the Cultural Revolution. This place had once been the Revolutionary Committee.
At that time, Gu Xiao was imprisoned in this courtyard, and then Su Wen had pleaded with Yan San Ye.
Mr. Yan the Third secretly released him.
Upon entering the courtyard, Yan Dongxue was quite surprised by the changes, having not visited in a long time. Gu Xiao slowly strolled through the large room that once housed the main hall of the landlord's mansion, then moved on to the other rooms. No one knew that he had once been confined in that grand hall, where a broken wall at the back allowed him to escape.
Chen Meilan had set out a bamboo chair and said, "This is all we have at home. Do you find this stool comfortable?"
Gu Xiao replied, "In Southeast Asia, I also sit on chairs like this."
Bamboo-woven chairs are particularly comfortable in the summer.
With the crisp autumn air, the leaves of the pagoda trees at the back of the courtyard, no longer the deep green of midsummer, were gradually turning yellow. The sound of the wind through them was no longer the dull, heavy noise of summer but had become thin, crisp, and light, soothing one's emotions.
After sitting for a while, Gu Xiao added, "I especially love the autumn in Xiping City."
The sky is high, cloudless, the wind not fierce but persistent all day.
Though the weather is still warm, the cool breeze can make one feel refreshed.
Gu Xiao must have arranged with Yan Dongxue and his two assistants beforehand. Seeing Gu Xiao sit down, they prepared to leave. Yan Dongxue even pulled Xue Mingfang, signaling him to leave with him.
They cleared the space to give Chen Meilan and Gu Xiao a place to chat.
As soon as they left, Gu Xiao began to ask, "You said you were the only one who talked to Su Wen before she passed away. Did she ever tell you if she regretted anything in her life?"
Seeing Chen Meilan remain silent, Gu Xiao continued, "I gave you a day to watch 'Bridges of Madison County.'"
Chen Meilan still didn't respond. Xue Mingfang had only half-prepared the tea when she lowered her head and started adding longan to it.
Gu Xiao grew impatient: "Miss Chen, I know Su Wen was your mother. For us Chinese, there are three taboos: not speaking ill of elders, teachers, and superiors. So you shouldn't talk about Su Wen in front of outsiders. But times have changed. Your current leader says, 'Black cats, white cats, whichever catches the mouse is a good cat.' Only by talking seriously with me can you become that cat that catches the mouse."
Indeed.
Recently, the village received an upper-level task, as if waiting to welcome Gu Xiao and confront Chen Meilan. The slogans on the walls had changed.
Once it was, "One person gets sterilized, the whole village is honored."
Now it's, "Poverty is shameful, wealth is glorious."
The wealthy old man from Singapore is in the opposition camp and has many grievances about the current policies of this country. Upon returning, without needing anyone to tell him, just by looking at the shocking slogans on the walls, he became even more disdainful of the country's current policies.
Once people fought against and cursed capitalists, now they shamelessly fawned over them.
With such national policies, how can you expect capitalists to respect you?
Without respect as a foundation, the other party's attitude remains one of charity. How much can they really give you?
"I heard you were quite close with Ms. Wang Gebi. Let's not talk about my mother-in-law. What about Wang Gebi? Do you still plan to take her case and get her released from prison?" Chen Meilan changed the subject to ask this.
Gu Xiao replied very succinctly, "I originally planned to take Mi Lan and Mi Xue to Singapore, but I won't now."
Then he added, "As for Wang Gebi, I have notified the military court to withdraw my letter and reiterated my political stance, stating that I will always stand against China. Wang Gebi's political views and stance are the same as mine."
This statement is intriguing.
Wang Gebi is currently in prison, convicted only of having ties with spies. She has repeatedly argued that her political stance is the same as the country's and refuses to accept labor reform education.
Gu Xiao's words, though light, would prove that Wang Gebi's political ideology is not only problematic but also in the form of counter-revolution, meaning she would be sent to a regular prison for labor reform.
A sixty-year-old lady sent for labor reform sounds quite harsh.
After all, the most pitiful are Mi Lan and her son.
If Wang Gebi hadn't been so eager to get out of prison and had handed over the 'Land Use Certificate' to Yan Zhao and his brother earlier, telling them where it came from, things might have been different.
Yan Zhao is stern but soft-hearted, and Yan Wei is even softer. They have been providing Mi Lan with living expenses until now.
Perhaps, if they had softened their hearts, Mi Lan and her sister could have gone abroad.
Now, with Mi Lan unable to do any physical work and Yan Wei cutting off her support, she might starve to death in the capital.
But this is Wang Gebi's own doing, no one else's fault.
Conversation requires artistry. Chen Meilan took a deep breath and asked Gu Xiao, "Do you think, like the protagonists in 'Bridges of Madison County,' you and my mother-in-law had such a relationship?"
Gu Xiao nodded.
Fortunately, Yan Zhao wasn't there; otherwise, he would have been furious.
This old man stubbornly believes he had an extramarital affair with Su Wen, which is quite infuriating.
"You also think 'Bridges of Madison County' tells a story of true love," Chen Meilan continued.
Gu Xiao nodded again. Indeed, he loved Su Wen.
If it weren't for her risking her life to let him go, there would be no him today.
So Gu Xiao believes Su Wen also loved him.
Among the endless children, an absent husband, and a nagging mother-in-law, only he was spiritually connected with her.
He doesn't regret the persistent harassment he caused Su Wen, stubbornly deluding himself that he was her soulmate.
A perpetrator, a criminal, yet he sees himself as Su Wen's soulmate.
"You also think we all look ugly, don't you? For money, we'll do anything," Chen Meilan said with a smile.
Gu Xiao didn't speak, but it seemed he agreed with Chen Meilan's words.
"At the time, Professor Gu escaped by train, right? Currently, trains are only just speeding up. Before that, the speed of Chinese trains was always 40 mph. Jumping off at that speed wouldn't break a leg, just scratch the skin. Under such conditions, knowing that my mother-in-law would become a target once you left, why didn't you jump off the train and return to face everything with her?" Chen Meilan questioned further.
Gu Xiao was taken aback.
Chen Meilan then said, "So even if it was true love, compared to your life and future, life and future were still more important, right?"
...
"You always think my father-in-law is bad, but under those circumstances, he risked his future, was mocked for wearing a green hat, and never divorced my mother-in-law. They were separated due to professional constraints, but he never stopped taking care of her, insisting on her innocence. In comparison, what about you? If you really thought you loved her, why didn't you jump off the train, return, and bravely face everything with her? You think giving thirty thousand is great, but if I offered you thirty thousand for your life, would you give it?" Chen Meilan continued.
If it weren't for the old man's advanced age, Chen Meilan would have further asked: Can someone who fears death and lives in cowardice talk about love?
"If it weren't for my mother-in-law risking her life to send you away, you would just be a handful of yellow earth and a pile of bones. What right do you have to sit in my courtyard and speak to me with such an arrogant attitude, forcing me to admit to an extramarital affair that never happened?" Chen Meilan added.
If the other party wants to talk, fine. In Chen Meilan's view, so-called true love is all nonsense.
Pure love is willing to risk one's life.
Someone who doesn't even dare to risk their life has no right to talk about love.
If it weren't for Su Wen risking her life to send him away, where would he get the right to sit here now?
Anyone can look down on Chen Meilan, this nouveau riche, muddy-footed entrepreneur, but not Gu Xiao.
Because even his life was given by Su Wen.
This must be a deeply painful blow to Gu Xiao.
But Chen Meilan had to force a smile and add another sentence: "Doesn't my second brother look ugly when he's seeking investment? But if my mother-in-law had been a bit crueler and not let you go, my father-in-law might have already risen to the position of commander, and they would have been reunited long ago. My second brother and Yan Zhao would certainly not be what they are now. You know that my mother-in-law's calligraphy was taught by my father-in-law, a husband teaching his wife, and you also know they had four children, proving how harmonious their relationship once was. You personally destroyed the happiness of a family, so why do you still mock their children? I don't think you have the right to mock my second brother."
What's so impressive about that? The tragedy of Yan Zhao's family has paved the way for Gu Xiao's success today.
...
"What's there to discuss about 'The Bridges of Madison County'? If my mother-in-law were alive and could foresee everything, knowing that the person she risked her life to let go is now returning so arrogantly, looking down on this and that in the land where she once lived, and even smearing her reputation, do you think she would still let you go?"
Chen Meilan felt that this old man had a strong heart, so she continued to speak, one sentence after another.
She wanted to repay all that he owed Su Wen to this old man.
What's the difference between a black cat and a white cat if they catch mice?
When did investment become a form of charity?
What right did he have to offer charity to Su Wen's children?
Gu Xiao's face had turned pale, and he sat there, trembling like a leaf on the tree in the courtyard.
But Chen Meilan wasn't done yet; she had much more to say, to make this old man feel utterly ashamed.
However, just then, a faint song came from outside the door. It was Yuanyuan, coming back from school, singing: "Flowers fill the sky, clouds fill the sky, sifting gold through a fine sieve leaves half a sieve of sand... the water in the sandy river can't be held back, the brother walks to the ends of the earth, holding his sister's hand."
The song hadn't finished when a dark-skinned girl with two small braids pushed open the courtyard gate and walked in.
Seeing another grandfather in the courtyard, she grinned: "Hello, Grandpa."
Gu Xiao looked up in response and saw a girl standing at the gate.
This girl's dark skin, her smile, her tilted head.
Aliali: 673eb950c4f3f33ac4ee7f08Through the years, she was just like a lovely girl from the past, who would go out to play every day and return like this.
Singing, laughing, her voice arriving before her.
Following closely was Qin Yu, who entered and said, "Meilan, hurry up, Zhou Yu called to say that 'Return to the City' has been scheduled on CCTV, and they're about to air the trailer. Not just the kids' scenes, but the young people's scenes are even more interesting. It's about our childhood experiences, the black fifth category, smashing and looting, the educated youth, and it's really interesting. Let's go watch it on your big color TV."
This TV series could be said to be Zhou Yu's life's work.
He had been applying to get it on CCTV, but due to the sensitive era and its deviation from major policies, he was afraid it wouldn't make it and planned to air it on local satellite TV.
Who would have thought it would actually get on CCTV?
Chen Meilan had to hurry to turn on the TV; she was eager to see the trailer.
Yuanyuan, seeing the old grandfather in the courtyard looking at her and seemingly not moving to go inside, timidly asked, "Grandpa, I acted in a TV series called 'Return to the City'. I played a rural girl who sings folk songs very well. Would you like to watch it with us?"
Gu Xiao stared at Yuanyuan, his breath stopping for a moment.
Chen Meilan took her daughter's hand and said, "Grandpa doesn't need to, Grandpa doesn't want to watch."