32: Back to the capital

The filming process for the production crew went unexpectedly smoothly, much to Wang Xinming's surprise.

The acting skills, state of mind, and dedication of the two young actors were all gratifying to Wang Xinming, accelerating the speed of filming.

After more than two months of shooting, the scenes on the snow-capped mountain finally came to an end.

"I announce that it's a wrap." As the final shot concluded, Wang Xinming announced that production had wrapped, and filming was over.

"Oh, heavens." A crew member knelt directly on the ground, raised both hands, and kowtowed to the great snow-capped mountain.

"I feel like I've come back to life."

The filming of this production was too grueling; the high-altitude climate, combined with the winter season, meant snow could fall at any moment.

Daily supplies were scarce, and the production crew existed in a relatively closed-off environment; some crew members lost contact with the outside world the moment they joined.

Li Xiuwu also felt a sense of relief; he couldn't wait to leave.

"Director, we would like to go straight back to Beijing." Once they reached the city and had washed up and rested, Li Xiuwu truly did not want to stay in Sichuan any longer.

He had spent the entire New Year with this production crew.

"Hmm, you aren't attending the wrap party?" Wang Xinming asked them.

Li Xiuwu and Shu Chang shook their heads. The wrap party was a time for crew members and minor actors to celebrate together; the director and the leads didn't feel at ease there.

"Alright, I won't keep you then." Wang Xinming knew that given the grueling conditions of his production, the fact that the two of them had managed to persevere was already quite surprising to him.

Li Xiuwu and Shu Chang also went to say goodbye to Liu Xiao Ling Tong.

Teacher Zhang had a pretty good personality; he was very refined and not as abstract as he would become later on.

This world, how should I put it? The old gentleman was trapped in this role for his entire life.

...

At the Beijing airport, Li Xiuwu came out and picked up his phone to make a call.

"We are right at the exit, a little to the left of the pillar." Liu Yifei's voice came through the phone.

Li Xiuwu and Shu Chang pushed their luggage and walked over.

"Chang Chang, Li Xiuwu."

They saw a young girl waving her hand, with Liu Xiaoli standing beside her.

"Hello, Auntie." The two of them walked a few quick steps and arrived at their side.

"Let's get in the car first." Liu Xiaoli opened the trunk; Li Xiuwu put their luggage inside and sat in the car.

"Was the snow-capped mountain fun?" Liu Yifei asked.

"It wasn't fun at all. There was no signal, no water, no electricity, and we even had to melt snow just to wash our faces." Upon being asked by Liu Yifei, Shu Chang began to complain.

"It was that miserable?" Liu Yifei said, shocked.

"It was also very dangerous. The director made us sign life-and-death waivers behind everyone's backs. I wasn't old enough, so he couldn't decide for me; he made me sign it myself." Shu Chang revealed a piece of news.

"When? How did I not know about this?" Li Xiuwu was shocked; he hadn't even known that the director had made them sign life-and-death waivers behind his back.

"It was that night on Mount Gongga." Shu Chang said.

"We were trapped on the mountain with nothing. If we didn't descend, we might have died, but to descend, we had to sign the life-and-death waiver."

Li Xiuwu was speechless.

After a moment of silence, he said: "I'm never working with Wang Xinming again."

Liu Yifei and Liu Xiaoli were also stunned; having to sign a life-and-death waiver just to film a movie? They had only heard of Jackie Chan doing that.

"Forget it, we're back now." Li Xiuwu shook his head.

"Congratulations, Xixi, the TV series is currently a hit." Li Xiuwu congratulated Liu Yifei.

With the airing of "the story of a noble family," Liu Yifei received a lot of attention.

"Hmph." Liu Yifei looked a bit proud.

"The TV series' ratings are quite good, but the ones who attract the most fans are still the male and female leads." Liu Xiaoli dampened Liu Yifei's pride.

Although Liu Yifei had gained a certain level of attention, the conversion wasn't very good.

Everyone still yearned for the love story between the male and female leads, and the second female lead would only make people dislike her.

Li Xiuwu nodded; for people to like Bai Xiuzhu, it would take a few more years for the internet to spread.

"It's a good start, at least."

The car drove into the city center and slowed down; Li Xiuwu heard music playing from other cars.

"I am looking up, at the moon above, how many dreams are flying freely."

Li Xiuwu heard it and smiled knowingly; it was time for them to release theirs too.

...

Spring had arrived.

The flowers in the West Courtyard had all bloomed, and the fragrance was intoxicating.

"Wow, how beautiful." Seeing the courtyard full of blooming flowers, Shu Chang felt it was practically a sea of flowers.

"My mom and I took care of it." Liu Yifei said proudly.

In the Central Courtyard, a crabapple tree was blooming beautifully, and a row of birds had landed amidst the branches and flowers.

Five Little Fatty Birdss, with tiny eyes and white bodies, looked like sticky rice balls—they looked silly, cute, and adorable.

The Courtyard House actually had new members. Li Xiuwu was surprised; had they migrated south from the north for the winter?

"Hello there." Li Xiuwu reached out his hand, and a Little Fatty Birds tilted its head in a silly, cute way, looking at him.

A bolder one hopped onto Li Xiuwu's hand.

"Wow! It actually hopped onto your hand." Liu Yifei came over and happened to see the Little Fatty Birds on Li Xiuwu's hand.

Upon seeing Liu Yifei, the Little Fatty Birds spread its wings and flew back to the branch.

Liu Yifei ran over, stood under the tree, and looked up at the Little Fatty Birdss amidst the flowers, feeling very envious.

"How did you do that? All winter, I tried everything, but they wouldn't come down."

"So cute." Shu Chang also saw the Little Fatty Birdss on the branches.

Each one was like a white sticky rice ball; it was so heart-melting.

"Meow." Little Lion didn't know where it had run out from and stretched.

Suddenly, it saw Li Xiuwu, froze for a split second, stared at him for a good while, and then pounced directly on him.

Li Xiuwu held it, and Little Lion rubbed its head hard against Li Xiuwu's face, making meowing sounds.

"Aren't you going to meow anymore?"

"Alright, I'll take you with me when I go out from now on." He comforted Little Lion.

"Fine, Little Lion. I prepare delicious food for you every day, and as soon as Li Xiuwu comes back, you defect." Liu Yifei came over and tugged at Little Lion's ears.

Little Lion buried its head into Li Xiuwu's neck, refusing to look at Liu Yifei.

"Alright, you two take a break first. According to the latest management requirements, we need to be quarantined for a period of time." Liu Xiaoli reminded them.

"I'm sorry for implicating you and Xixi in being quarantined."

"It's okay. Living in this Courtyard House of yours is very comfortable. Xixi and I have been staying at your place for a while now." Liu Xiaoli said.

"You and Xixi are welcome to stay as long as you like. I'm alone anyway, so it's better if you're here. Chang Chang, you should come too; then you won't need to live on campus when you start classes at Beijing Film Academy."

Liu Yifei's eyes lit up, and she looked at her mother.

Liu Xiaoli hesitated. When Li Xiuwu wasn't home, it was fine for her and her daughter to be here; it could be considered helping him look after the house.

Now that Li Xiuwu was back, it wouldn't be appropriate for them to still be living here.

Liu Yifei suddenly thought of something and asked Li Xiuwu: "We also bought a two-courtyard Courtyard House on the south bank of Houhai, but why isn't it as comfortable as yours?"

During the New Year, they had picked out and bought a Courtyard House. After going to see it, they felt it wasn't nearly as serene as Li Xiuwu's Courtyard House. The air wasn't fresh at all.

"I don't really understand that either." Li Xiuwu shook his head; he couldn't explain it.