Chapter 50: 《The Noble Family》

There isn't much to do for fun in Tianjin, which is why the people of Tianjin are all quite fun themselves.

For instance, this breakfast stall next to the Tianjin Foreign Studies University, near the filming location of *The Noble Family*, has become the designated spot for Lu Kuan to eat breakfast and banter every day.

*The Noble Family* started filming in late April and has already been shooting for a week. (Note 1)

As Master Niu ladled out some *gabacai* for Lu Kuan, he spoke like a crosstalk performer: "Those two sons of mine, they are the absolute worst!"

"The eldest wants me to go live in Beiping, and the second wants me to go live in the Magic City."

Lu Kuan took the large bowl with a "hiss-ah," the aroma of beans and spiced gravy hitting his nose and making his mouth water.

"Isn't that quite filial of them?"

"Filial my foot!"

Master Niu wiped his face with a sweat towel: "The eldest is in the Magic City, and the second is in Beiping! They're both just trying to get rid of me, damn it!"

Lu Kuan was left speechless; he had often felt inferior lately because he couldn't keep up with the old man's jokes.

The people of Tianjin have such sharp tongues; no wonder there are slogans everywhere in later generations forbidding drivers from telling jokes—they are just too witty!

A young girl’s figure drifted out from the crew's encampment, jogging from afar to nearby.

"Master, give me a bowl just like his, but no cilantro!"

She glanced at the fried cakes just out of the fryer, their outer crusts golden and crispy; she could almost imagine the "crunch" they would make with a light bite...

"And two fried cakes! Put it all on Lu Kuan's tab!"

Master Niu beamed: "You're here, girl? How come your mom didn't follow you today?"

The young girl wrinkled her delicate nose: "I'm an adult now, how could I let her boss me around all the time!"

Lu Kuan swallowed the mouthful of *gaba* in thick gravy with difficulty and said with dissatisfaction: "If you don't want your mom to boss you around, I have no obligation to boss you either. Why do you come looking for a free meal from me every single day!"

"Look at how stingy you are. You want to split the bill for a breakfast that only costs a few yuan?"

Lu Kuan glanced at Liu Yifei, who had grown familiar with him and was becoming increasingly "thick-skinned," then calmly wiped his mouth and set down his spoon.

"A big man like me can't bring myself to say things like 'splitting the bill.' You treat this time!"

The old men and women nearby giggled; this had become a daily morning ritual, watching these two young people from the crew bicker and banter.

The young man had bright eyes and clear brows, and the girl had a graceful and ethereal charm; they were both a perfect match and a delight to watch.

It made the old folks reminisce about their own lost youth...

Liu Yifei was so tempted her mouth was watering. She used her spoon to push aside the intrusive cilantro, carefully scooped up a small spoonful, and seeing the soup about to drip off the edge, she blew on it quickly before popping it into her mouth.

Lu Kuan watched her with amusement: "Stop acting so refined. Your mom isn't here. Eat up, we have to film later."

Liu Yifei gave him a fierce glare for ruining her lady-like image, then checked her watch and gasped in alarm!

She blew on it slightly, picked up the large bowl, and began to slurp it down...

"Delicious!"

Lu Kuan clicked his tongue; it seemed the interviews hadn't lied—you could already see the makings of a "female loser" in her.

The young girl then used her hands to grab a fried cake and stuffed it into her mouth whole.

The filling of the fried cake was delicate and sweet. Liu Yifei was eating in such a rush that a few drops of magenta bean paste dotted the corners of her mouth, and her porcelain-like skin seemed ready to break at a touch under the faint morning sunlight.

Even Boss Lu, who had seen countless women in his past and present lives, secretly swallowed his saliva.

This wasn't just high-quality; this was top-tier!

"Wipe your mouth, you're eating like a little pig."

Liu Yifei struggled to swallow the food in her mouth, reached out to take a napkin to wipe the corners of her mouth, and only then patted her belly and stood up to return to the crew.

The two walked side by side, the young girl deliberately hiding on his right to block the sun, looking at his sharp-angled profile: "I'm warning you, don't tell my mom."

Liu Ayi did not allow her to come out and eat food from street stalls.

"You already owe me 20 yuan and 50 cents. Keep track of it yourself, okay?"

Lu Kuan took out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, and pulled out a lighter to light it.

Even after traveling through time, he still hadn't managed to quit smoking; he had started again.

Liu Yifei snatched the lighter from his hand with lightning speed: "There's a lady present, can you be a bit more of a gentleman?"

Lu Kuan curled his lip: "Worry about yourself. You can NG eight hundred times in one scene. The director scolded you again yesterday, right?"

The young girl’s lively and innocent expression suddenly wilted: "Do you think I really have no talent? I've worked so hard and still can't satisfy them."

Lu Kuan smiled: "Actually, that's not it."

"Really?"

"Maybe if you mess up by accident, you'll perform well for once. Hahaha!"

Boss Lu had seen enough deceit in his past and present lives, and now he quite enjoyed the pleasure of teasing this young girl.

She was easy on the eyes and never got angry no matter how he teased her. Even when she was scolded by the director or given the cold shoulder by Chen Kun on set, she never held a grudge and forgot about it by the next day.

From a certain perspective, she could be considered to have a "divine constitution" in the entertainment industry.

Today, however, Liu Yifei broke the pattern and didn't engage in their usual back-and-forth banter. She walked forward with her head hung low, looking truly upset.

In all fairness, her talent was truly average.

Therefore, she could often handle roles like Wang Yuyan or Zhao Linger, which fit her image well, with ease, but she struggled with other roles.

"Xixi, why did it take so long to go to the bathroom?"

Seeing the two walking over from outside, Liu Ayi gave her daughter a reproachful look.

"Hello, Liu Ayi, you look beautiful again today!"

"This child, your aunt is already quite old!"

Liu Ayi spoke with feigned annoyance, but the smile on her face betrayed her.

"By the way, Little Lu, why don't you tutor Xixi in acting? This child hasn't received a formal acting education after all, and these past few days..."

She couldn't go on; seeing her daughter so depressed all the time pained her heart.

The tutor they had originally hired, Xiu Qing, had gone off to join another crew, and Lu Kuan's performance as the character Ouyang in the week before filming had already won over everyone, including Liu Guoquan and Chen Kun.

This reminded Liu Ayi of the advice Feng Yuan had given when they first met: "You can let that young man from earlier teach Yifei. He learned acting the same way I did, and his fundamentals are very solid."

"I studied Grotowski; it's very bitter and very tiring. Few people can persist, but she..."

Liu Yifei suddenly looked up: "I can persist! I'm not afraid of being tired!"

Boss Lu was noncommittal. His nature of "plucking a feather from every passing goose" couldn't be changed; he wouldn't spend his time and energy teaching the young girl for nothing.

The entertainment industry is all about equivalent exchange.

"Liu Nushi, Zhang is coming to visit the set today. You should call Manager Cheng; I have something to discuss with you all."

He decided to reach out with his "Lushan claws" toward the shares of Red Star Dock; he couldn't let a short-sighted, family-workshop-style agency mess up Liu Yifei's star path.

To be realistic, this cash cow would begin to show her potential after *The Noble Family* aired in March 2003.

By the time the role of Wang Yuyan became a massive hit, Liu Yifei's endorsement fees would have already soared to over 2 million.

How could the thick-skinned Boss Lu, who never left empty-handed, not take action in advance?

Note 1: *The Noble Family* originally started filming on 5/27; the time has been slightly altered here.

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(End of chapter)