Chapter 107

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

Guben and Wang Fan had different styles; under his narration, the Southern Song hero resisting the Jin took on a touch of tragic grandeur.

Lin Xiyu took advantage of a break in filming to hand him a bottle of mineral water, letting him wet his throat.

"Not bad, just like that..."

Director Du nodded with satisfaction: "The last paragraph, shoot it in one go, and today's task is finished."

"After we finish, find a restaurant and we'll get together."

The assistant director smiled and echoed: "Celebrating the Quancheng Water promotional video, honored to be on the Central Television Station's prime-time seven o'clock News Broadcast."

"Hooray!"

The program group's staff were all fired up, cheering loudly and enthusiastically.

"Xiao Bin, it's up to you."

Cameraman rotated the lens, aiming at Guben again: "Whether we can get off work early for dinner depends on your performance."

"No problem, one take..."

Guben was confident, not even looking, casually tossing the empty bottle behind him.

His aim was good; the empty bottle clattered into the trash can.

A cool and handsome move that brightened the eyes of those watching.

"You brat, stop showing off, look at the camera..."

Director Du laughed and scolded, waving his right hand to signal the start.

Guben smiled with pursed lips at the camera and immediately began speaking.

—

"Xin Qiji is a six-sided warrior praised by CCTV, combining politics, military affairs, calligraphy, poetry, and painting in one, and is the Song Dynasty writer with the most surviving lyrics, leaving behind more than 600 poems for posterity."

"His lyrics are mainly bold and unconstrained, with grand momentum, filled with strong patriotic feelings and heroic spirit."

"His calligraphy excels in running and cursive script, with vigorous and powerful brushwork, full of vitality."

"His paintings focus on landscapes and flowers and birds, with a fresh and natural style and profound artistic conception."

"He is a versatile talent in both civil and military affairs, who fights enemies on horseback and writes poetry after dismounting, a young general of literary strategy and martial tactics."

"His bold and stubborn personality and persistent enthusiasm for the northern expedition made it difficult for him to establish himself in the officialdom."

"Galloping across the battlefield to recover the Central Plains was his lifelong unfulfilled wish; for a great man, a life of great ambitions unfulfilled—how tragic."

"When mentioning Xin Qiji, do you first think of the heroic young general, or the great writer whose ambitions were hard to realize?"

—

Guben indeed lived up to expectations, without any mistakes or omissions, reciting the lines word for word.

Passed in one take; Director Du excitedly slapped his thigh and jumped up from the horse stool.

"Ouch."

He got up too hastily, moved too violently, his body swayed, and he twisted his waist.

"Director Du, are you alright?"

Li Yan saw his complexion was off and hurriedly stepped forward to support him.

"Hiss."

Director Du rubbed his old waist and drew in a sharp breath of cool air.

"A sore waist is no small matter, quick quick quick, take Director Du to the hospital."

The program group was in a flurry of confusion; the assistant director and park staff negotiated and drove the minibus parked at the doorway inside.

Two male colleagues supported Director Du into the vehicle from left and right; Li Yan, not reassured, also went to the hospital.

"Well, the dinner party is off again."

Cameraman watched the minibus drive away and helplessly tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Wang Fan secretly probed for information: "Director Du usually looks quite sturdy, why is a sore waist so serious?"

"An old problem."

Cameraman said casually: "Lumbar disc herniation; it acted up once when filming last year, and he lay in bed at home for a month."

"Hey..."

Wang Fan continued gossiping: "If Director Du really ends up hospitalized after lying down like this, what will you all do about the upcoming filming?"

"We'll see how it goes."

Cameraman helplessly shrugged his shoulders: "Maybe after Director Du is discharged from the hospital, or maybe they'll send another director over."

"If the director changes, the content being filmed won't change, right?"

Wang Fan rarely appeared on camera and didn't want his scenes to be cut.

"Want to know?"

Cameraman saw through his little thoughts, smiled black-belliedly, and crooked his finger at him.

"Want to."

Wang Fan didn't think much of it and shamelessly leaned over.

"Tell me first..."

Cameraman leaned close to his ear and asked: "Did you actually see under Li Yan's skirt just now?"

"Heh heh, didn't expect you to be into that too..."

Wang Fan chuckled and arrogantly threw him an ambiguous little glance.

He thought Cameraman was like him, interested in women's privacy, and didn't notice the cold glint that flashed through his eyes.

"What are you smirking at? Hurry up and say it."

"Sister Yan looks quite proper, didn't expect her to be so wanton, wearing something so sexy..."

He hadn't finished a sentence when his neck was grabbed again.

Cameraman successfully threw him down, then punched him in the right eye.

"Pfft."

Lin Xiyu looked at his matching pair of panda eyes, couldn't hold back her laugh, and sprayed out a mouthful of drink.

—

Director Du sprained his waist, filming paused.

Rarely getting half a day off, Guben was in high spirits, accompanying Lin Xiyu shopping on Quancheng Road.

Quancheng Road is the most prosperous commercial street in Old Jinan City, and in its most central area are two landmark buildings: the Department Store and Qilu Gold Shop.

There were many people in the Department Store; even though it wasn't the weekend, it was still packed with people and bustling with customers.

Lin Xiyu bought a delicate pair of Small Scissors at the counter on the first floor of the Department Store.

Grandma's small feet, beautifully called Golden Lotus, were in fact a cruel torture for women.

The broken toes had dead skin, thick and hard, making the soles of her feet ache painfully.

Grandma often used scissors to trim the dead skin; the big scissors at home were heavy and awkward to use, so she bought her a new pair so she could use them more easily.

The Small Scissors cost 10 yuan; the salesperson issued a receipt, and Guben snatched it away, determined not to let her pay.

It was the same when they had lunch; Lin Xiyu wanted to split the cost, but he wouldn't let her, as if letting his Girlfriend spend money was losing face.

She remembered what Grandma said: the big gentlemen of Shandong are male chauvinists to the core.

To control such a man, you have to learn to stroke his fur the right way. Once he's comfortable, he'll obey you in everything and pour out his heart to you.

Lin Xiyu stayed silent for a while, and then felt relieved.

Let him spend if he wants to spend; stroking his fur also consumes energy, just treat it as an equivalent exchange—the corresponding advertising fee she earned through her physical labor.

—

Coming out of the Department Store, Guben pulled her into Qilu Gold Shop again.

Lin Xiyu had never visited Qilu Gold Shop before; upon entering the magnificent hall, she felt a bit dazzled.

Qilu Gold Shop is very high-class, with luxurious decoration; the dragon and phoenix reliefs on the pillars in the hall are all glittering gold, giving people a very high-end feeling.

There were relatively fewer people in the gold shop; some customers were browsing gold jewelry, and some were buying jade vessels.

People buying gold jewelry were mostly doing so for engagement.

The local engagement custom in Jinan is the Three Golds.

Gold necklace, gold ring, gold bracelet.

Once the groom's family gives the Three Golds and invites relatives and friends to a wedding banquet, the engagement is considered settled.

Once engaged, they are fiancé and fiancée, with an official status.

Elders tacitly accept them as one family; some cohabit before the legal age, but they must have a Marriage Certificate to have children—without one, they cannot register the household.

—

Guben pulled her around the hall once, stopping at the counter selling Jade Bracelets.

The price of Jade Bracelets ranged from a few hundred to over a thousand; seeing the two were a couple, the salesperson warmly came over to greet them.

Lin Xiyu was a bit intimidated, her gaze darting around, not daring to look them in the eye.

A Jade Bracelet costing over a thousand—she didn't have the money to buy one.

"This one, take it out."

Guben lowered his eyes, scanned the glass display case, and pointed to one style.

"This style is not bad; a young lady wearing it would look very pretty."

The salesperson's eyes lit up, smiling as they took it out.

This was a bracelet with a white base and floating flowers; the base was very clean, clear and transparent, without any impurities, the patterns like dyed, very lively and elegant.

"Try it on."

Guben took the bracelet and put it on Lin Xiyu's wrist.

Lin Xiyu's skin was fair, making the bracelet look even more eye-catching, giving people a feeling of their heart skipping a beat.

"Do you like it?"

Guben looked at her with Pamper, starlight flickering in his eyes.

"I like it."

Lin Xiyu, in front of outsiders, couldn't refuse his face, and went along with his wishes saying she liked it, but was actually panicking.

A bracelet costing over a thousand was too extravagant.

Their relationship wasn't intimate enough to accept such a valuable gift.

"How much?"

Seeing she liked it, the smile in Guben's eyes deepened.

"Original price 1600, can give a twenty percent discount."

The salesperson's calculator clattered: "Total is 1280."

"I'll take it."

Guben nodded very generously.

"Still want the jade pendant?"

Seeing him so lavish he didn't even blink, the salesclerk took him for a big spender and was delighted.

"No..."

"Yes..."

Lin Xiyu and Guben spoke at the same time.

Lin Xiyu's eyes widened suddenly, and she tugged hard on his clothes.

Guben ignored her hint, followed the salesclerk to the counter, and continued picking out jade pendants.

"Men wear Guanyin, women wear Buddha."

The salesclerk beamed and pushed hard: "This ice-type Maitreya Buddha with floating blue flowers is from the same piece of material as that bracelet just now; wearing them together is just right."

"This one?"

Guben agreed without hesitation.

"The jade Buddha is never discounted."

The salesclerk smiled with narrowed eyes: "If you buy another one, I'll give you twenty percent off all three."

"Don't buy it."

Lin Xiyu spoke before Guben.

"Do you have pierced ears?"

Guben seemed not to hear, leaned forward, and his gaze fell on her earlobe.

"Mm."

Lin Xiyu glared at him resentfully: "My grandmother pierced them when I was little."

"Then buy some earrings."

Guben teased with a smile, reached out and pinched her earlobe.

The earlobe was fleshy and felt good to pinch.

He couldn't help it and pinched a few more times.

Lin Xiyu's breath caught, and the skin where he touched her ear burned hot.

"The earrings come in the same material too."

The salesclerk quickly took the earrings over, afraid he might change his mind.

Lin Xiyu glanced at the price and felt a pang.

"Count them together."

Guben, just as the salesclerk wished, bought the whole set.

"Bracelet 1600, jade Buddha 580, earrings 220, twenty percent off, total 2356."

While the salesclerk was writing the receipt, Lin Xiyu nervously broke into a cold sweat on her forehead, wondering how he could pay when he didn't look like he had that much money, when he took out a check from the wallet he carried with him.

Lin Xiyu: "..."

She was shallow.

She had forgotten he was a wealthy young master who ran his own company...

—

The jade Buddha needed a string threaded through it; while waiting, Guben, with nothing to do, kept playing with her earlobe.

Lin Xiyu glared at him, but he didn't mind; instead, he pushed his luck, and while no one was paying attention, he put his arm around her waist and pulled her into his embrace, kissing her earlobe.

"Stop fooling around, or I'll ignore you."

Her earlobe burned hot, Lin Xiyu was so nervous she could barely breathe, afraid someone would see.

"Come with me to BJ tomorrow."

Seeing she was really angry, Guben licked his lips reluctantly and let her go helplessly.

"Going tomorrow?"

Lin Xiyu's breath caught: "So soon?"

"I originally wanted to wait a few days, until the company opened..."

Guben had his own plans: "Since Director Du twisted his waist, filming will definitely be delayed, so we won't wait; we'll go to BJ first, settle the matter, and avoid future complications."

"What are you going to BJ for?"

Lin Xiyu sensed something unusual in his meaning.

"To take you to meet Sixth Grandfather."

Guben thought carefully: "I always feel Grandfather agreed too easily; I'm afraid he still has a trick up his sleeve. Grandma and Grandpa are open-minded and won't have prejudices about family background; the only variable is Sixth Grandfather. Grandfather probably wants Sixth Grandfather to step in and be the bad guy who breaks them up. I need to be on guard and can't let him succeed."

Lin Xiyu was a little panicked: "What if your Sixth Grandfather doesn't like me?"

"Rest assured, I know what I'm doing."

Guben was confident: "When we meet, listen to me; do whatever I tell you to do. I understand Sixth Grandfather's knot better than anyone."

"Knot?"

Lin Xiyu's eyes suddenly widened: "What knot does he have?"

"That's a long story."

Guben teased with a smile, deliberately selling a secret: "I'll tell you when I have a chance."

"Fine."

In front of outsiders, Lin Xiyu couldn't keep asking, so she could only force down her doubts.

—

Donghua Street No. 9.

"You must pay today; if you have no money, get lost."

Huang Daye's son's brother-in-law, Yan Hao, at his son's instigation, brought people to cause trouble again; two hooligans wielding clubs smashed things in the yard, incredibly arrogant.

Even the Pomegranate Tree was not spared; they broke several tree branches.

"My brother-in-law's yard—many people want it. These days, who doesn't know that resettlement housing is fragrant, and everyone likes living in new buildings? Yesterday there was a big spender who offered three hundred thousand just like that. If it weren't for Director Huang speaking up for you, they would have driven you out long ago."

"You only paid two hundred thousand and are still playing deadbeat here, stalling and refusing to pay. What right do you have? Don't you know how much interest two hundred thousand accrues in one day?"

"If you keep dragging this out, interest will be calculated as a high-interest loan. If you don't pay, I'll have the lender come collect from you. By then, if you still can't come up with the money, it won't be as simple as a few insults—cutting off a few fingers would be perfectly normal..."

—

"Jing Daniang, why don't we just pay?"

Wang Daye and his son went out to find a shop, and Zhang Dashan and his sister were not home either. Dashan's wife was terrified, shrinking timidly behind Grandma.

"Does your family have enough?"

Grandma straightened her spine, using her frail body to shield her from the lecherous gazes of the two hooligans.

"The money is enough."

Dashan's wife said trembling: "The cabinet key is with Dashan; I can't get it out."