[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-rising-in-1979":3,"chapter-rising-in-1979-rising-in-1979-chapter-214":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Rising in 1979",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2260922,4412,"Chapter 214: Too Shameful! (Guaranteed Dual-Chapter Merge)","rising-in-1979-chapter-214",214,"\u003Cp>Long introduced himself: “I’m Liu Rulong, the manga author of ‘Heroes Emerge in Youth.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he pointed toward Wei Ming, Zhuang Che interrupted: “Then you must be the original author, Wei Kuangren?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming nodded: “Yes, it’s me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing him confirm, Zhuang Che studied him more intently: “So you’re also Wei—Wei Ming—and the one who wrote ‘Liu Liu’s Her’ and ‘Dream Camel Bell’?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming’s eyes widened—how did she know so much? Could it be…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuang Che extended her hand and shook his: “Let me introduce myself—I’m Zhuang Che, Gong Rui’s mother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming: So it’s true—I expected to meet her, but not right at the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuang Che: “Your younger brother Xizi stayed at my place for a while—he spilled all your secrets. Now everyone in my family, young and old, is your fan and your song fan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Auntie, hello,” Wei Ming smiled brightly. “I should’ve recognized you sooner—you look just like Snow Sister, identical, absolutely identical!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuang Che never expected the famed writer Wei Ming to be so flatteringly sweet—but I love hearing it!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Long: “I didn’t expect it either—I need to get to know him again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then came the warm small talk between Wei Ming and Zhuang Che; Liu Rulong couldn’t get a word in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After entering the publishing house, Long went to find his screenwriter; Wei Ming stayed chatting with Zhuang Che in the reception area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Auntie Zhuang was also a lover of literature and film, from a decent family background—Uncle Gong was a Pudong villager, but she grew up in Puxi since childhood, watching films from the Republican era, so she carried refined elegance without being overly worldly—a cultured Shanghai elder lady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming also asked her about Shanghai’s atmosphere in the 1930s and 40s, gathering material.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard you’re also in business? Clothing?” Auntie Zhuang asked as they chatted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming nodded: “Just a minority stake—my two friends handle the day-to-day.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Beijing, if Zhu Lin’s parents had asked, they might’ve disapproved—he was a great writer meddling in money-grubbing affairs; merchants were unsafe, and even writers weren’t safe—workers were better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this was Shanghai—Auntie Zhuang praised his vision: “Storing money in the bank is the worst option. With reform and opening up, investing in business to make money multiply is the smart move. I’m bullish on fashion too—girls on the streets wear prettier clothes now, spending half a month’s salary on one outfit doesn’t hurt a bit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder Snow Sister has such great taste—Gong Rui’s father works in fashion design.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This gave Wei Ming an idea: if Dongfang Xintiandi grows big enough, he could open a branch in Shanghai—this city had more vitality in fashion spending.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, Auntie Zhuang invited Wei Ming over for dinner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Wei Ming knew her place was too small—where would he sleep at night?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he declined: “Auntie, Long and I have to go to the Animation Studio afterward—we don’t know when we’ll finish.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, your novel ‘The Legend of the Heavenly Book’ is being made into a film, right? My little grandson can’t wait to see Dan Sheng at the cinema.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, that’s why I’m here—I’ll probably stay at the Shanghai Animation Studio guesthouse tonight. I’ll visit properly when I have time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By then, Long had already collected his fee; Wei Ming took the chance to take his leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as he left, Auntie Zhuang went to the darkroom to develop photos—she re-washed two of her daughter’s pictures to use on the cover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at her daughter in Hong Kong fashion, Auntie Zhuang beamed: I gave birth to her!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People say middle children get less attention in big families, but her second daughter was the most beautiful—impossible not to favor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a child, Auntie Zhuang loved taking her second daughter to the movies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But her luck was terrible—when the down-to-the-countryside campaign came, her older sister and brother already had jobs, her younger sister was too young, and she was the one chosen—she wandered outside for years, suffering endlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now things have turned around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, Auntie Zhuang thought of young Wei Ming—what kind of relationship did he have with Xiao Xue? The age gap seemed too big.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they were closer in age—even just three or four years apart—he’d be an ideal son-in-law.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, Wei Ming and Liu Rulong went to the Animation Studio; Wei Ming had been there before and just greeted the gatekeeper to enter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Long had never been—he came with a pilgrim’s heart, expecting animated characters on the walls, but the walls were clean, leaving him slightly disappointed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But inside the office building, familiar animated characters appeared everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Long wanted to stop and stare at every step—the first was obviously the studio’s flagship: the Great Sage from ‘The Monkey King’s Rebellion in Heaven.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then came Nezha’s rebellion against the sea, Afanti riding his donkey backward, the little tadpole searching for its mother, the fishing cat, Zhu Bajie eating watermelon, the Clueless and the Unhappy, the Proud General, the carp leaping over the dragon gate—every character.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the remaining blank spaces, Long felt his Dan Sheng would surely earn a place too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since they’d already coordinated, Wang Bairong, head of the production workshop, wasn’t surprised when Wei Ming and Long knocked on his door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not surprised—but thrilled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Writer Wei, congratulations! You’ve brought glory to our nation!” He gripped Wei Ming’s hand tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, the overseas success of ‘The Game of the Brave’ had inspired these animators too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, ‘Nezha Conquers the Sea’ had sold some overseas rights; now Mr. Why had gained fame abroad—so the Shanghai Animation Studio + Mr. Why collaboration on ‘The Legend of the Heavenly Book’ would have far more convenience for overseas promotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He even imagined: if Wei Ming’s overseas fame surged in the next two years, ‘The Legend of the Heavenly Book’ might earn even more foreign exchange!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Wei Ming sat down, he introduced Long to Wang Bairong: “For the next two months, please take good care of my brother. He’s usually quiet, but his passion for animation is pure—he couldn’t even walk past the characters on the walls.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, of course—Little Liu’s talented. Your design for Dan Sheng was used in many scenes—the film’s credits will include your name.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Long turned bright red with excitement—this was the Animation Studio’s third animated feature; it was his honor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Wang Bairong cautiously asked Wei Ming: “Could ‘The Game of the Brave’ also be made into an animated film?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wanted to strike while the iron was hot and earn more foreign exchange—this leader had real drive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming replied: “I have no objection—but can the Animation Studio produce two films in the short term?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the planned economy era—the Animation Studio’s annual animation output was strictly scheduled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One feature-length animation consumed a huge portion of the yearly quota, crowding out other projects; feature films were harder to produce, required higher precision, so for years they’d mostly made 10- to 20-minute shorts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was a real problem—producing one more feature meant canceling several shorts. Wang Bairong pondered: “If it’s a co-production, maybe we can loosen the quota—I’ll talk to the leadership.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming: “Then I’m fine with it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A novel isn’t meant to be adapted only once—but each adaptation brings money; he hoped everyone would adapt it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the Beijing Animation Studio or Shanghai Animation Studio wanted to make a live-action version, he’d fully support it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Special effects in this era couldn’t use CGI for lions or crocodiles from the novel—but filming real lions and crocodiles was still possible, though it might be hard on the actors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, Director Wang told Wei Ming that ‘The Toothless Tiger’ was finished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Want to take a look?” Director Wang invited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming stood up: “Sure—this year’s Animation Studio output is too rich; my story feels like a fraud among them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn’t being modest—the studio had revived after the hum of silence; the past two years were transitional, with most talent poured into the anniversary film ‘Nezha Conquers the Sea,’ so the shorts were mediocre and few stood out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this year, they’d nearly returned to their peak—early releases included ‘The Snow Child,’ ‘Three Monks,’ ‘Ginseng Fruit,’ and ‘Zhang Fei Judges the Melon’—all well-known classics. ‘The Toothless Tiger’ paled beside them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Bairong laughed: “Writer Wei, you’re too modest—it’s your debut, after all; there’s still room to grow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming and Long watched the unreleased ‘The Toothless Tiger’ with Director Wang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then they were taken to the ‘Legend of the Heavenly Book’ production floor, meeting directors Wang Shuchen and Qian Yunda, character designer Ke Ming, and art designers Qin Yizhen, Ma Kexuan, and others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching them hand-draw every frame—it was truly grueling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming joked to Long: “Starting tomorrow, you do this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standard film frame rate is 24 frames per second—24 drawings needed for every second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That means 1,440 drawings per minute, 86,400 per hour!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A typical film runs 90 minutes—requiring hundreds of skilled workers to draw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, this was the highest standard; most animation, especially TV animation, used two or three frames per drawing, plus cel animation to save time and effort—since viewers didn’t pay, just passable was fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Director Wang Shuchen was good with people—he smiled: “We won’t make Little Liu do this—he has talent; he’s got more important work.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When a bell rang, Director Wang Bairong said: “Clock’s out—Writer Wei, Little Liu, let’s grab dinner at the canteen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sure—would you two directors join us?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At his invitation, Directors Wang and Qian joined for dinner; Wei Ming’s main goal was introducing Long to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t really want Long to become a tracing clerk—he wanted Long to learn real skills from these masters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dinner, they were assigned a two-bed room in the Animation Studio guesthouse—Long could stay here free for the next two months, while Wei Ming was leaving the day after tomorrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Long was still buzzing; when alone with Wei Ming, he talked nonstop about the awe of seeing so many artists drawing together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming said: “In these two months, don’t just bury your head in work—watch, learn, make friends.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh? Make friends? Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming: “Because someday we might produce our own animation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Long was stunned by Wei Ming’s ambition—he’d never thought of it; China already had the Animation Studio, and they’d pushed animation to its extreme—why would another studio be needed? Wei Ming asked: “Do you think China’s animation output is enough?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Definitely not—I’ve only seen two animated films in my whole life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it’s not enough, we’ll make our own—what’s the fear?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Animation Studio’s glory wouldn’t last much longer—when it collapsed, the 90s generation would grow up under the bombardment of Japanese and Disney animation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Policy neglect and its side effects bore primary blame—but if policymakers saw animation’s vast potential, change might still come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming felt that since he’d chosen the path of a children’s storyteller, since he wanted to nourish this generation with stories, why not do more?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Long’s fate could change too—he’d realize his personal value. Being in a Japanese club had no future—could a club earn 12 billion yuan in 20 days?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming patted Long’s shoulder: “Think of Walt Disney, think of Osamu Tezuka—they built their legacies through animation. Do you want to be China’s Disney and Tezuka?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Long’s eyes sparkled—he was fired up. He was about to vow his determination when someone shouted downstairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Room 303—there’s a call for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming stuck his head out: “Who’s it for?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For Wei Ming.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Coming!” Wei Ming told Long to process it all—he went downstairs to answer the phone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Auntie Zhuang finished work early and handled shopping and cooking; once done, family members returned home one by one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the dinner table, she calmly said: “Today, our publishing house welcomed two young people—the manga artist and original author of ‘Heroes Rise in Youth.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gong Ying paused, wondering who that was, when Gong Yu immediately said: “Wei Ming came to Shanghai?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gong Ying: “Oh, right, right—that guy who creates three spirits from one qi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuang Che: “Yes, the young man is incredibly handsome, and already accomplished.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, Gong Yu’s older brother and nephew both asked their mother about this extraordinary man; the nephew even wanted to personally beg for updates on ‘Black Cat Detective’—two months per issue was torture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They talked too much, yet Gong Yu remained strangely silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dinner, she volunteered to wash the dishes and asked: “Where is Wei Ming staying in Shanghai? Still at the Writers’ Association guesthouse?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhuang Che: “Ohoho, you even remember where he used to stay?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, he’s staying at the Shanghai Animation Film Studio guesthouse—this time he’s here for the animated film ‘The Legend of the Heavenly Book.’” She reluctantly told the truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, shortly after, Gong Yu excused herself to buy something at the convenience store and slipped away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She went down, of course, to call Wei Ming—she feared he’d leave as soon as he finished his work; it was rare they were in the same city, and not meeting would be a terrible regret—they hadn’t seen each other in so long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming answered the phone: “Hello.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hello~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Snow Sister!” Wei Ming instantly recognized her voice—his decision to tell Aunt Zhuang where he was staying had clearly paid off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My mom said you came to Shanghai.” Gong Yu’s toes began scribbling on the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming: “Mm, today I went to the Art Publishing House. Guess what—I ran into Auntie downstairs, and we talked for ages. She’s changed my whole impression of Shanghai’s old ladies.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My mom really is a nice person.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did she praise me when she got home?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She did, she did—said you’re good-looking and young but already accomplished.” Gong Yu kept fidgeting, embarrassed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming asked again: “How’s your movie going? Almost done?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“About another month of shooting left.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming: “Then what time are you done tomorrow? I want to take you out to dinner.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And pay you back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Coincidentally, Gong Yu said: “I only have scenes in the morning—after that, I’m free.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Perfect. I’ll pick you up at the Shanghai Animation Film Studio at noon. Spend the whole afternoon with me—I leave the day after tomorrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gong Yu reluctantly agreed, her cheeks flushed—this little Wei was too direct, even a little domineering, but she liked it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming: “I can’t be indirect anymore, Snow Sister. You need to catch up to Lin Jie’s pace—and you must treat both of you equally.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t bear to let go of the two great beauties of north and south—so he’d just be a bit of a scoundrel. Though his conscience would torment him, this was the price of greed—let him be tormented thoroughly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gong Yu happily paid for the call, but stumbled as she walked away—who had the bad manners to dig a hole on the ground?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming returned to his room. Long was doing a ridiculous handstand, his face redder than ever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you doing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just had too many unrealistic fantasies—I tried to calm myself down,” Long righted himself. “Now I’m calm, Ah Ming. Let’s achieve the great mission of making Chinese animation dominate the world!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming: “You’re still fantasizing—but I love it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their hands gripped tightly. Long added: “For the next two months, I’ll learn every step of animation production and meet more like-minded people who can help us realize our dream.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This guy’s enthusiasm was too high. Wei Ming worried—the market wasn’t mature yet. Even Disney’s animation output was extremely limited, so there was no need to rush.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s start with manga—cultivate readers’ reading habits,” Wei Ming said. “When I finish this novel, I’ll write you a long manga story—enough to keep you busy until graduation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh my goodness!” Long was thrilled. “What’s it about?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming had already conceived the idea while creating ‘The Legend of the Terra Cotta Warriors.’ He said: “The Qin Dynasty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, Long headed early to the production workshop to chase his dream. Wei Ming took a slow taxi to the Shanghai Animation Film Studio to find Director Xie Jin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was in the editing room. After receiving Xie’s permission, Wei Ming toured the post-production of ‘The Herdsman’—it was eye-opening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It differed greatly from what Wei Ming knew from his past life—twenty years had passed, and the technology had advanced drastically. He watched carefully, asking questions whenever he didn’t understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By noon, Director Xie wanted to invite Wei Ming to eat in the canteen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No need—I’ve made plans to eat outside. Thank you for today’s guidance, Director Xie. Goodbye.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he reached the studio’s entrance, Gong Yu was already waiting. Two months had passed—she looked much better than when she finished ‘The Herdsman,’ her skin fairer and softer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Wei Ming emerge from inside, Gong Yu was surprised—she’d assumed he’d come from outside to pick her up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two walked out side by side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I got here early—I was watching Director Xie edit his film and almost missed our appointment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You didn’t miss it—I just finished too,” Gong Yu said. “Did you see me in the film?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I saw you—the scene where you marry the male lead. Then I couldn’t watch anymore.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gong Yu blushed fiercely: “That was acting—it wasn’t real!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know. But it still made me unhappy,” Wei Ming said. “Enough of that. Let’s go to the Bund.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But aren’t we going to eat?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes—to eat at the Peace Hotel on the Bund.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Peace Hotel?” Gong Yu, a native of Shanghai, had never eaten there. “Let’s not—it’s too expensive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming smiled: “Yesterday I collected my manga royalties from your mom’s office—I got over two hundred yuan. That’s plenty.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gong Yu thought: Even if ten people came, it’d still be enough—but still, it was extravagance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here, take this.” Wei Ming pulled out a piece of paper and slipped it into Gong Yu’s hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s this?” Gong Yu stared at the green thing in her palm, then realized: “Oh! It’s U.S. dollars!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder she was from Shanghai—she was worldly. Lin Jie had never seen one before and had accused him: “Are you trying to fool me with yen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming: “You helped me take photos—you gave your time and effort. Those pictures cost you money. I won’t count every cent—take this hundred dollars, exchange it for foreign exchange coupons, and buy whatever you want.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t need this much,” Gong Yu declined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You say you don’t need this much? That means you want to settle every single cent with me,” Wei Ming said sternly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gong Yu pouted. Why be so stern? She took it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming smiled, walking beside her, their fingers occasionally brushing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When we get to the Peace Hotel, I’ve got another surprise for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What surprise?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I tell you, it won’t be a surprise.” Wei Ming teased. They took a taxi to the Bund, strolled along the riverbank, and walked to the Peace Hotel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the way, they saw the Lovers’ Wall and leaned against it. There was nothing special there—what mattered was who stood beside you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Ming looked boldly at Snow Sister; her gaze met his, tender and warm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then a surprised voice came from behind: “Second sister!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",3193,"2026-06-19T16:30:58.707Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","19c57d8e0c70bbe6cea786c0294862f241f33551f6ac749c676c27ad50d3f0ef","rising-in-1979-chapter-215","rising-in-1979-chapter-213",509,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Frising-in-1979-cover.jpg"]