Chapter 101: 90: Quancheng Water Family Chapter 101 The Boy My Female Cousin Likes

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"I hope so."

Wu Meng looked expectant: "I guess this is my only chance to be on TV. Just getting my face on camera is enough; I wouldn't dare hope for more."

"Does the well at your house have a name?"

Director Du, hearing the two young girls talking about himself, looked over happily.

"No."

Wu Meng felt a bit of awe toward Director Du and quickly reined in her smile.

"What do you usually use this water for?"

Director Du never strayed from his line of work, wanting to dig up some more attractive gimmicks.

"Washing clothes, cooking..."

Wu Meng failed to grasp his deeper meaning.

"Concealing heavenly objects."

The assistant director felt it was a pity: "This is spring water; using it to wash clothes and cook is such a waste. At least brewing some tea would be more acceptable, wouldn't it?"

"Drinking tea is a must."

Wu Meng was a bit naive: "Before the yard had running water, tea was definitely brewed with this water."

Director Du smiled and pointed out: "Don't you feel that tea brewed with this water tastes better than tap water?"

"My dad says it tastes good."

Wu Meng nodded: "When Grandpa was alive, he also liked to brew tea with well water."

"That's it."

Director Du slapped his palm and smiled smugly: "Brewing tea with spring water is a specialty of our old Jinan siheyuan. Not only for brewing tea, but also integrating spring water culture, spring charm, water charm, and food charm into one, and combining it with beautiful scenery, delicious food, and beautiful people to create unique old Jinan-style delicacies."

"Wow, Director Du is so amazing."

Wu Meng admired him to the point of prostration: "How did you think of this? Speaking in complete chapters, one set after another—I couldn't come up with this even if I racked my brains."

"Otherwise, I wouldn't be a director."

Director Du was a bit carried away by the little girl's flattery: "Do you think I've spent these decades for nothing? Working as a director requires real talent and learning."

"Director Du is absolutely right."

The assistant director quickly flattered him.

"These words are meant for you......"

Director Du immediately put on a stern face and glared at him disdainfully.

"Cough cough."

The assistant director's old face turned red, and he coughed embarrassedly twice.

"Pfft."

Wu Meng couldn't hold back and laughed, spraying it out.

—

Uncle Wu, being a great chef, produced dishes like Sweet and Sour Carp, Nine-Turned Intestine, Stir-fried Kidney Flowers, and Fish Slices in Vinegar Sauce. Every time a plate of these fragrant, colorful, and delicious famous dishes was brought out of the kitchen, the small courtyard would erupt in unified exclamations of praise.

"Are they all frogs?"

Director Du laughed and shooed them away: "What are you croaking about here? Hurry up and set the tables, prepare for filming."

To capture the spring charm, water charm, and food charm in one, combined with beautiful scenery, delicious food, and beautiful people, creating unique old Jinan-style delicacies as mentioned by his old man.

The program group specifically chose Qu Shui Ting Street as the filming location.

Qu Shui Ting Street is the most beautiful street in the Old City District, connecting to Xi Gengdao Street.

On one side were old houses with blue bricks and broken tiles; on the other was clear, bottom-visible stream water. Families living by the water rinsed rice and washed clothes here, perfectly depicting the Quancheng scenery described by Lao She, where every home has spring water and every household has weeping willows.

The program group's staff set up tables by the stream and laid out delicious delicacies.

Water plants swayed, and willows were green.

Indeed, famous dishes filmed against the backdrop of beautiful scenery turned out better.

Cameraman kept switching lenses, filming the dishes from all angles.

Whenever he zoomed in close, the sound of swallowing saliva could be heard behind him.

"Alright, stop standing around, come over. One piece each, everyone try some."

After filming ended, Director Du gave an order, and eager cheers rose by the stream.

The program group's staff rushed over in a swarm, fighting to stretch out their chopsticks.

Cameraman was sly and sneaky; without a camera on him, he secretly filmed his colleagues' eating manners.

By the time Lin Xiyu picked up her chopsticks, a plate of Stir-fried Kidney Flowers was gone.

Just as she wanted to move to another spot to grab some Nine-Turned Intestine, before her arm could stretch out, she was bumped by a male staff member's elbow, her body tilted, and her chopsticks fell to the ground.

"Hahaha, the essence of grabbing food: fast, ruthless, accurate."

The assistant director grabbed the last piece of Nine-Turned Intestine and, very smugly, stuffed it into his mouth right in front of her.

Lin Xiyu rolled her eyes in her heart, silently turned around, and didn't want to give him the satisfaction.

"What kind of people are these? Are their movements too fast? Now I know what 'wind sweeping away remnant clouds' means."

Wu Meng didn't get any Nine-Turned Intestine either; she resentfully clamped a piece of Sliced Liver and put it in her mouth, chewing hard.

"The sweet and sour carp tastes pretty good."

Guben picked up a piece of sweet and sour carp with his own chopsticks and held it out to Lin Xiyu.

Lin Xiyu ate it with great satisfaction, and her poor little heart finally got a little comfort.

Under the assistant director's guidance, the disc operation was carried out very thoroughly.

A male staff member picked up a plate and licked the syrup from the sweet and sour carp clean.

Director Du couldn't bear to watch and turned his head away in disdain.

He refused to admit that this useless kid was his subordinate.

"Hahaha."

Wu's father watched with delight, rubbing his round belly and laughing very happily.

With someone cheering him on, this head chef's achievement value was maxed out, and he experienced for a moment what it felt like to be a culinary master.

—

"Xiyu, let's make a skirt together."

After finishing the food shoot, Li Yan was calculating in her head, wanting to take advantage of the interview to ask Wu's mother to make a few sets of suitable clothes.

"I'm not doing it; her family uses all good fabric, making a set isn't cheap."

Lin Xiyu felt bad about spending money and casually brushed it off: "My female cousin sells clothes; I'll get two pieces from her and just wear them casually."

"Your female cousin sells clothes?"

Li Yan's eyes lit up and she became energetic again: "Why didn't you say so earlier? This is great material for filming."

"Uh."

Lin Xiyu didn't expect her to be so dedicated, just like Director Du, never straying from their line of work even after three sentences.

"Let's not film, there are too many people at the night market, it's quite chaotic......"

She hesitated a bit, fearing that like last time with those few women causing trouble, she would attract some ill-intentioned people and ruin her female cousin's business.

"What's wrong with the night market?"

Li Yan didn't know her true thoughts and mistakenly thought she felt setting up a stall at the night market was embarrassing and she was too ashamed to promote it.

"What our show wants is the real life of ordinary people; your female cousin works during the day and sets up a stall at night, striving for a living, braving wind and rain, working hard without complaint. Such an inspiring story must be filmed."

"Cough cough."

Lin Xiyu felt embarrassed for her female cousin: "Actually, she isn't as inspiring as you say."

"I think this is feasible."

Li Yan's eyes grew brighter the more she thought: "At your female cousin's place, we can dig deeper into her highlights, such as her emotional history, why she is so inspiring, what her goals are, and what motivates her to do this?"

"Cough cough."

Lin Xiyu coughed twice guiltily.

Her female cousin wanting to make money so much was naturally not just because of the stimulation she received from her maternal grandmother's family selling beds; it was just making the most of the situation.

The boy she liked had a disabled father, a deceased mother, and a grandmother with a mental disorder at home.

Her female cousin often sent things to his house, using her meager wages to subsidize that family.

Because of this, Aunt Da was very angry and strictly forbade her from associating with that boy again.

Her female cousin outwardly agreed but inwardly disobeyed, continuing to do as she pleased in private.

Among the family, only Lin Xiyu knew the truth.

But she didn't dare to say it ah ah ah!!!

She was even more afraid Li Yan would keep digging deeper and bring about Aunt Da's pursuit and killing.

By then, not only would her female cousin be sliced into pieces by Aunt Da, but she, who knew the truth and didn't report it, would also lose her life.

—

"Xiyu, do you have any concerns?"

Li Yan saw her frowning and felt puzzled: "If you're worried about saving face, there's no need; we're ordinary common people, earning money through our own efforts, there's nothing embarrassing about it."

"I don't think it's embarrassing."

Lin Xiyu couldn't say it outright, breaking out in a cold sweat from anxiety.

"Sister Yan, I have a request."

Wu Meng truly deserved to be a best friend; sensing something was wrong, she proactively helped her out: "Can you help my mom film some clips of making clothes? Promote it on TV to help her get more business."

"What's wrong with that......."

Li Yan was indeed distracted by her and readily agreed: "I just said I wanted to find your mom with Xiyu to make a skirt together; this girl keeps making excuses, I don't know what she's concerned about?"

"Go do it."

Guben had been paying attention to the movements of the three women; hearing this, he reached from behind and tugged at Lin Xiyu's clothes hem: "I'll give you the money, just consider it a graduation gift for you."

"Tsk tsk."

Li Yan said somewhat sourly: "Look, having a boyfriend makes all the difference; unlike us, no one loves or cares for us, and we still have to pay for our own clothes."

"Even if someone wants to pay for you, you have to accept it."

Cameraman reacted quickly and smoothly chimed in.

"Forget it."

Li Yan glanced at him disdainfully: "You don't earn as much as I do; save some money to save up for a wife."

"I also want to save up."

Cameraman shamelessly moved closer: "You need a wife first, right? Why not marry me?"

"What are you thinking, dreaming in broad daylight, you're not even that kind of person......"

Li Yan extended a finger, pressing it against his forehead, and pushed his big face that was close to her back.

"Sigh."

Cameraman was left utterly speechless by her one-finger Zen divine art: "Wanting to marry a wife, why is it so hard?"

"Heh heh."

Wu Meng watched the show in silence, and was amused again by the two's interesting interaction.

—

No. 1 Courtyard, Xi Gengdao Street.

Cameraman set up the camera in a suitable spot inside the room and recorded the whole process.

Li Yan flipped through the clothing styles in the sketchbook, choosing the style she liked.

"Can all the clothes in the sketchbook be made?"

"They can all be made..."

Wu Meng proudly boasted for her mother: "My mom used to be a backbone of the business at Clothing Factory No. 6; her craftsmanship, you can rest assured, is absolutely flawless."

"Is that so?"

Li Yan smiled and flattered: "Wu Ma is clearly dexterous at first glance, and she and Wu Ba look like a married couple, a match made in heaven."

"Heh heh."

Wu Meng felt deeply agreed: "My relatives and friends all say that, so I look like both of them; when my dad takes me out, outsiders say I look like my dad, and when my mom takes me out they say I look like my mom, keeping them both happy all day, especially delighted."

"I told you so."

Li Yan seized the opportunity to boast about herself: "My eye for people is extremely accurate; if I say it's a married-couple resemblance, then it is."

"Just for the fact that you're so good at looking..."

Wu's mother waved her hand generously: "All the fabrics you pick today, twenty percent off."

"That's great."

Li Yan happily supported: "Xiyu, hurry up and pick; just for Wu Ma's generosity, we should make a few more sets to wear and show our faces on television."

"Xiyu has a good figure and fair skin; wearing this skirt will definitely look good."

Wu's mother was delighted hearing this, took off a white-bottomed orchid-waist dress from the mannequin, and handed it to Lin Xiyu.

"Put it on and try."

Wu Meng smiled and encouraged her.

"This is a skirt made for someone else, right?"

Lin Xiyu hesitated a bit: "If I wear it, wouldn't that be not quite right?"

"It's fine."

Wu Meng kept giving her signals: "This is a sample, it can be tried on."

"Alright."

Lin Xiyu understood her meaning; she wanted her to put it on and show it to the audience in front of the television, to drum up business for her mother.

"Go change in the inner room."

Wu Meng beamed with joy and pushed her into her own bedroom.

Lin Xiyu closed the door and took off her clothes.

"Wow, Xiyu, your figure is really great."

Wu Meng's amazed voice followed: "Front convex and back perked; if Guben saw you like this, he'd surely be charmed to death..."

"Shh, keep it down."

Lin Xiyu was made to blush deeply by her, her ears even turning pink.

"Your face turning red makes you even prettier."

Wu Meng's envious gaze stayed glued to her, almost drooling.

"Can you not look at me with such a lovesick gaze?"

Lin Xiyu was quite speechless: "So disgusting; luckily Qu Peng didn't see you like this, otherwise he'd surely be scared into a heart attack."

"Tsk~~"

Wu Meng pouted indignantly: "Why mention him; I've long since given up."

"Really given up?"

While Wu Meng sighed, Lin Xiyu quickly put on the skirt.

"If not given up, what else can be done?"

Wu Meng was disheartened: "He doesn't have me in his eyes at all, and I don't want to torment myself anymore; anyway it's impossible, better to give up early."

"Giving up is good; then Li Liang has a chance."

Lin Xiyu tidied the skirt, looked in the mirror, felt everything was flawless, and walked unhurriedly toward the door.

"Why mention him again?"

Wu Meng shouted loudly behind her: "I just broke up, and you use him to stimulate me; can't I even breathe comfortably?"

"What's this about a breakup? Who broke up?"

The words had barely fallen when the door swished open, and Wu's mother's surprised gaze looked straight into the room.

"No, nothing, Mom, you misheard."

Wu Meng trembled all over in fright, and facing her mother, forced out a smile uglier than crying.

"Still dare to lie to your old mother!"

The next second, a ghostly wailing scream rang out in the room.

"Ay ay ay, Mom, listen to me, I didn't lie to you, no early romance, no fooling around, these two boys have nothing to do with me."

"I've never dated Qu Peng; at most it was just a secret crush."

Li Liang is even more of a baseless claim; it was Xiyu talking nonsense, she just wanted to stimulate me.

"Ouch, stop hitting, it hurts so much, hit any more and the feather duster will break."

Li Yan: "......."

Cameraman: "......."

This scene of "motherly kindness and filial piety," the two of them eating melons on the spot, isn't that a bit inappropriate?

"What's going on? Why hit the child?"

Wu's father heard the commotion outside, and just as he was about to come in to check, a figure darted out from inside the house, nearly knocking him over.