Wen Bao, this short but good-natured man from Yanjing who always smiles at everyone, comes from a family that runs a chain of hotpot restaurants. And it is the most distinctive mutton copper pot of Old Yanjing. When Tao Mu was reborn, their hot pot restaurant had become a listed chain company. To use a later internet joke to describe it, Wen Bao can be said to be a young master of a truly wealthy family. He is the kind of person who will go home and inherit the family business if he fails in acting.
But this guy probably doesn't like being a domineering president, so he works very hard when acting. Such as Golden Crow Award for Best Actor, Golden Lily Award for Best TV Actor, Golden Chime Award for Best Actor and so on, all kinds of awards with great gold content were brought home one after another. He is definitely not the same kind of person as Tao Mu, who works hard for seven or eight years to win an award.
But he's tall enough, anyway. Among the entire class of 2008 of Beijing Film Academy, including all departments, in the next ten years, the number of students who will be able to win prestigious awards such as Best Actor, Best TV Actor, Best Director, and Best Screenwriter will be no more than a handful. He met three of them at once, and they were from the same dormitory. We will be together day and night for the next four years. This is so lucky. It’s so cool!
Could it be that after being reborn and away from the cannon fodder buff in the original book, his luck has turned?
Tao Mu was daydreaming irresponsibly when suddenly a heavy arm was hung on his shoulder.
"—— Hey, buddy, I just saw you at the school gate." Du Kang threw his bedding roll on the bed, didn't make the bed, dragged Tao Mu and started to work: "Just in front of me. Good guy, a bunch of girls surrounded you, thin and plump, chirping, helping you run errands and pick up things for you. I envy you so much. You said I arrived at more than seven o'clock in the morning, queued for such a long time, and I didn't even dare to drink my saliva because I was holding my urine, but I was beaten by your pretty boy who came later."
"I was wondering! How good-looking must this guy be to make those girls from Beijing Film Academy throw away their reserve as future superstars and throw themselves at him like crazy. Then I stretched my head to take a look! Oh my god, my eyes were almost blinded. Not to mention that you are so handsome, you are also so well-dressed, and there are so many people around you, it's like a superstar visiting the campus. I saw that the media reporters who were waiting at the door all swarmed towards you. Some people even lamented that you should not apply to Beijing Film Academy because you are so handsome, but should report to Yan Film Academy."
"I was so sad at the time. It's the 21st century, why are these people still so focused on looks? You say you care about looks, then care about looks, but I'm a handsome guy with thick eyebrows and big eyes, 1.9 meters tall, I was able to get into Beijing Film Academy and I don't look ugly, why didn't anyone come to pay attention to me!"
"You don't know how I felt at that time. It was like a clear sky with a gentle breeze and a thunderbolt suddenly struck me. My heart instantly went cold. Do you know that famous line in Romance of the Three Kingdoms?"
"If you have Yu, why have Liang?"
"I thought at the time, whoever shares a dormitory with you will be in such bad luck! They will have to look at your face every day, and watch a bunch of girls rushing towards you, while everyone else will just become a background. Over time, how big a psychological shadow will be left! And it's more than just a shadow. I guess they will be so frustrated that they will grow green hair."
"Then, with a crack, this huge bomb exploded on my head. As soon as I saw you at the door, I knew it was over! It was over! How am I going to get through the next four years living in the same dormitory with a guy like you who is so handsome that he's beyond human? The pressure is just too great. I have maintained the title of the most handsome man in the school for nearly 20 years, and today I am done with it. Do I have it easy? I am just going to college to be an actor. Why do I have to suffer this kind of hurt..."
Du Kang doesn't need anyone else, he can perform a full-length stand-up comedy by himself. Besides, this kid has never stopped talking since he entered the dormitory.
Wen Baogao tried to interject a few words with difficulty but failed. He could only touch his nose awkwardly and waved his paws repeatedly to interrupt Du Kang. He wanted to jump up and cover Du Kang's mouth directly: "No, I say, buddy, can we chat when we get to the restaurant? Aren't you hungry?"
"I'm hungry!" Unexpectedly, Du Kang pulled his hands away and said confidently, "I'm so hungry that my stomach is sticking to my back. Isn't this just a few words to divert attention? Otherwise, I will faint here on the spot. Do you know how I fainted from hunger?"
Is there anything to say about this? !
The other three looked at each other, speechless.
He is worthy of being nominated for Best Actor more than twice, and has been in the running for seven or eight years without winning a single award. In a fit of anger, he switched to directing and made a movie, winning the Best Director and Best Picture awards in one go. He can also crush the popular young actors in a variety show, and has caused a bloody storm in the entertainment industry. He is a well-known director and variety show star!
It's hard to disagree with this comedy logic.
A natural comedian!
"Hey, if I faint from hunger in my dorm today, can the reporters give me a headline? Will my road to fame be less difficult?"
Du Kang was not finished yet. He stood there talking to himself on a whim, and then he laughed foolishly: "Don't you say that you should become famous as early as possible? If I can become famous like this once, I will be able to die with a smile on my face even if I starve to death."
Wen Baosheng slapped his head helplessly and looked up at the ceiling. Why did he come here to report with such a person! And we were assigned to the same dormitory! How am I going to get through these four years in college?
Thanks to Du Kang's outstanding performance, his four roommates in 301 became very familiar with each other on the first day of reporting.
At noon, Wen Bao really took a large group of people to the new branch of Wen Juxiang near Beijing Film Academy and treated everyone to mutton hotpot.
The decoration of the store inherits the characteristics of the old Yanjing store, with old-style furniture made of huanghuali wood, red lacquer carved hollow partitions, various tables and chairs are also old styles, and various palace lanterns are hung overhead. There is also a highly paid musician in the store who sits there playing the guzheng in a cheongsam. The sound of stringed instruments and pianos passed through the ears and was melodious. Wen Bao introduced it to everyone with great pride: "... sometimes we would invite veteran artists to sing Kyoto drums or tell crosstalk for everyone, which was very lively."
Wen Bao then pulled everyone to the bar and started taking pictures: "You will all be big stars and movie stars in the future. My dad specifically told me to take pictures when I invite you to dinner. And I also want you to leave your signatures. When you become famous, this restaurant will use your fame to promote itself."
"Is this your store?" Du Kang, who didn't know Wen Bao's background, was shocked. The truth is, when Wen Bao came to report, he was wearing a round-neck T-shirt that was almost deformed from being washed, a pair of beige casual pants that cost thirty yuan a pair at the wholesale market, and a pair of flip-flops on his feet. His hair is cut into a short, round shape, and he has two dimples when he smiles. No matter how you look at them, they are all poor people squatting in the corners of the old Yanjing alleys to bask in the sun. So much so that Du Kang was completely unable to associate this obviously high-end hot pot restaurant with Wen Bao.
"Yes! So from now on, you guys can get 20% off for dinner." Wen Bao bent his natural crescent eyes and said with a smile: "Roommate benefits, okay?"
"We're all roommates and you're only giving me a 20% discount? I'll kill you. You should at least give me two more plates of meat!" Du Kang snorted, looking very unworldly. He touched and touched everywhere in front of the bar and asked the waitress in cheongsam: "Hey, do you have any benefits for the boss's family? You said we are all roommates of your young master. At least for the next four years, we will all live together, right? With such a close relationship, shouldn't you at least give us a 50% discount?"
The amused waiter chuckled and joked without hesitation: "There is really no 50% discount. How about two pots of herbal tea?" It's dry and irritating in this autumn, so drinking some herbal tea will help to cool down. Four young guys share a dormitory!
"Sister, you are so open-minded!" Du Kang gave the girl a thumbs up: "You didn't bring shame to the people of the capital!"
"Can you guys stop being so funny? Aren't you all so hungry?" Tao Mu handed the signed "Celebrity Stamp Album" to the girl at the front desk and looked at Wen Bao: "Young Master, let's go."
Wen Bao admired Tao Mu's signature for a while and was immediately shocked: "Oh my god, Taozi, you practiced this signature specially, right? It's beautiful!"
Seeing this, the other two people stretched their heads to look over. Chu Suian, who had been silent the whole time, said with certainty: "This signature has definitely been practiced. This momentum of flying dragons and dancing phoenixes and swaying serpents is better looking than the signatures of those big stars."
Du Kang slapped Tao Mu's shoulder with his bear paw: "Hey buddy, I've figured out that you have a serious idol burden!"
Tao Mu smiled in a standard way, and said very reservedly: "Excuse me, excuse me." He couldn't say that he was used to it in his previous life. For a man who has transformed from a popular star to a movie emperor, his signature cannot be too shabby. It’s so shabby that even the agency team can’t let it go, right? So I can only take the blame with tears.
As soon as these words were spoken, Liu Yao, Meng Qi and the others, as well as Song Daozhen and others who had witnessed Tao Mu, a young man, preening himself in front of the mirror for more than an hour before leaving, all looked at each other and secretly agreed with Du Kang's words in their hearts - their kid's idol burden was indeed very serious.
"What a joke!" Du Kang couldn't help it. He hooked his strong arm around Tao Mu's neck and ruffled his fur with his other paw. He cynically destroyed Tao Mu's carefully made hairstyle early in the morning. "I say, kid, are you planning to be an idol in our simple Beijing Film Academy? You are really good! You are unconventional and have your own unique way! Everyone else is well-behaved and capable, but you insist on taking a different path, right? Let me see your shoes. You are wearing Mebon today, right? Do you still want to be a spokesperson for them?"
Da Mao and Xiao Pang also cheered on the side: "Hey, you know what, if Mebon really uses me, Mu Ge, as its spokesperson, their sales will definitely go up a lot just because of my Mu Ge's looks and fashion sense!"
"Appearance?!" Wen Bao and the other two, who had never heard of this word, were stunned.
Xiao Pang patiently explained, "It's the numerical value of appearance. My brother Mu said that everything has a rating standard these days. The face is the same. Whether you are handsome or not, whether you are good-looking or not, it all has a numerical value."
"This word is quite interesting!" Du Kang immediately laughed: "Then tell me, how would you rate my appearance?"
Before Big Hair and Little Fatty could reply, Chu Suian, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly said, "Well, didn't we say we were going to eat mutton hotpot? Where is our mutton produced? Is it of pure blood?"
This topic change was too abrupt. A large group of people looked at each other and burst into laughter.
I didn't expect that Chu Suian, a shy and timid man with thick eyebrows and big eyes, was actually such a reserved and reserved type! Sun Qiren didn't have to go home to get it.
Du Kang looked at Chu Suian in shock, his expression of disbelief was full of comedy effect.
Chu Suian looked up at the patterns on the ceiling calmly, and turned his head from time to time to discuss with his parents how the decoration style of the hot pot restaurant was particularly royal. Especially the ceiling. The patterns on it look a bit like the ceiling of Prince Gong’s Mansion... In short, it looks very unsophisticated. People are pointing fingers everywhere, but no one is looking at Du Kang.
Wen Bao laughed so hard that tears were about to come out. It was difficult to bring a large group of people into the private room. Mr. Wen, who had been staying in the kitchen for a long time, personally sliced mutton for everyone. The slices of mutton rolls were cut as thin as cicada wings and were light-transparent when lifted. In addition, the tripe, beef tripe, frozen tofu, white radish, vermicelli, and various vegetables put into the pot are also the freshest and tenderest.
When all the dishes were served, Boss Wen asked the waiter to open two bottles of Moutai and came over to toast them personally.
As a result, when he saw Mr. Song who was pushed to the main seat by everyone, he was immediately shocked: "Master Song? Is it you, Master Song? Oh my, it's really you! What a coincidence..."
Song Daozhen squinted his eyes and looked at Father Wen, but he couldn't remember anything.
Who is this person?
"Don't you recognize me?" Father Wen slapped his thigh, looking distressed. "I'm Wen Aiguo, Wen Xiaojiuer. In 1968, I just joined Songji as an apprentice. At that time, the head chef of Songji was still your grandfather. You were responsible for leading us apprentices. I learned the skill of making mutton hotpot from you. Later, I heard that your family was bullied by the grandson named Yao, and the whole family was criticized... You were also sent to Linhai Farm--"
"Oh!" Song Daozhen interrupted Wen Aiguo calmly, "I remember now. It's you."
Wen Aiguo also noticed that Song Daozhen didn't seem to want to talk about the past, so he smiled and said warmly, "Old man, why don't you try my cooking today and see if I can learn anything from you."
As he spoke, he picked up a piece of mutton with a serving chopstick, dipped it in the pot, and then respectfully placed it on the small plate in front of Song Daozhen.
Tao Mu took a small spoonful of each of the chives, fermented tofu, sesame paste, soy sauce, chili oil, and braised shrimp oil in front of him, and prepared a bowl of dipping sauce for the old man.
Wen Aiguo raised his hand enthusiastically, bent over, and said with a smile: "Would you like to try it?"
Song Daozhen picked up the mutton and dipped it in a small bowl, then slowly put it into his mouth and chewed it carefully, praising politely: "Not bad."
Wen Bao's eyes turned, and he looked at Tao Mu with a smile: "It seems that we are really destined to be together. My father actually knows your grandfather. According to the old saying, our two families are also old friends."
"Oh, it turns out that this young man is your grandson. His handsome features really look a bit like my senior brother." Wen Aiguo looked at Tao Mu, praised him casually, and said with a smile: "You and Wen Bao from our family are in the same dormitory? Look at the fate between our families. You must come often in the future. Uncle will give you a free meal."
Seeing that his father didn't seem to understand the situation, Wen Bao couldn't help but remind him, "This is my classmate Tao Mu, and these two are Du Kang and Chu Suian."
Wen Aiguo was stunned. What’s going on? The grandfather’s surname is Song, so why is the grandson’s surname Tao? Isn’t it the grandson but the grandson-in-law?
During the meeting, Wen Bao introduced the parents present to his father. When Dean Tao was introduced, Wen Aiguo suddenly understood. He looked at Dean Tao who was sitting next to Old Man Song and felt like he had figured it out. He immediately smiled happily and asked cautiously: "This... could it be the master's wife?" The old man's future partner?
Old Man Song: “…”
Dean Tao: “…”
The other onlookers: "..."
Old Man Song slammed his chopsticks down and scolded with a stern face: "What nonsense are you talking about! This is the director of the orphanage."
"Ah? Oh, oh, oh," Wen Aiguo then realized that he seemed to have misunderstood something. But he is also a veteran who has been in the business world for many years and is very thick-skinned. He acted as if nothing had happened and offered a glass of wine to apologize. Then he slipped out under the pretext of being busy outside.
The atmosphere was a little awkward for a moment.
Everyone looked at each other, and from time to time they stole a glance at Song Daozhen, whose face was so gloomy that it seemed as if ink could drip out.
Tao Mu coughed lightly, raised his glass and asked Chu Suian's parents: "Uncle and aunt, how long can you stay in Yanjing this time? Have you taken a good look around Yanjing City?"
Mother Chu immediately replied, "I haven't had time to go shopping yet. I came here to send An An off today. We originally thought that we would finish the serious business first, and then go shopping tomorrow. Then the child's father and I will go back. From now on, I'll ask everyone to take care of An An."
"That's for sure. Uncle and aunt, don't worry." Tao Mu smiled and said, "Why don't I accompany uncle and aunt tomorrow? It's rare for uncle and aunt to come here, and as a local, I must do my best to be a good host."
After that, he smiled and begged his brother Yao: "Brother Yao, can you lend me your car tomorrow?"
Liu Yao glanced at Tao Mu and teased their kid with a half-smile: "It's okay to lend you the car. But do you have a driver's license?"
Tao Mu was startled when he heard this, and forgot about it again.
It seems that I have to take the exam as soon as possible, otherwise it will be too awkward.
Seeing the stunned look on their faces, Liu Yao smiled and said, "I'll let Dahui follow you tomorrow."
Chu Suian's parents thanked him repeatedly: "Thank you so much for your trouble."
"No trouble. No trouble." Meng Qi said with a smile: "There are so many students in Beijing Film Academy, but these four kids can live in the same dormitory. This is fate."
"That's right." Chu Suian's mother immediately smiled and told her son: "An'an, you have to get along well with your classmates in the future, do you understand?"
Chu Suian is such a grown-up, but he still has to be reminded of such things by his mother in front of so many people. He immediately felt very embarrassed. He said impatiently, "Oh, I know. Mom, please eat some vegetables. The mutton hotpot here is delicious. It's much more authentic than the one we have in Shanghai. This mutton doesn't smell at all. Eat more."
Tao Mu smiled and asked Du Kang: "You came here to report, but your parents didn't come with you?"
Du Kang waved his hand: "They wanted to come along. But I felt that I was a grown man, and I was already in college, so why did I need my parents to send me? It was too embarrassing. So I didn't let them. I could also save two people's train tickets. I directly put the cash into my living expenses for next month."
Du Kang felt that his calculation was very clever. The others were speechless. This young man is really... sincere in his thoughts and outspoken!
Everyone enjoyed the meal very much.
After dinner, Wen Bao, a local, took two out-of-town classmates to buy daily necessities such as soap and towels. I also took the two classmates and Chu Suian’s parents to visit the attractions and shopping malls near Beijing Film Academy.
Liu Yaomengqi was going to go back to the store to take a look and send Dean Tao and Old Man Song back.
Damao's father was still thinking about it and wanted to talk to Tao Mu. However, Tao Mu was a little bothered by what Wen Bao's father said at the dinner. He politely declined Uncle Wang's invitation and got into Brother Yao's car.
This time Liu Yao was driving a seven-seater SUV, and Meng Qi sat in the passenger seat as usual. Dean Tao and Feng Yuan sat in the middle row, while Tao Mu supported the old man and sat at the back.
All the way in silence. When they arrived at the place, Tao Mu helped the old man get out of the car and sent him directly back to the restaurant.
The old man’s restaurant is called Song Ji. Tao Mu had never noticed it before, and just thought that Song Ji was just a random name given by the old man using his own surname. But listening to what Father Wen said today, it seemed like there is a connection here. And from what Father Wen said, Old Man Song originally had a wife and children. But since the first day Tao Mu entered Songji in his previous life, he had never seen any relatives of Old Man Song, not even his relatives.
"that--"
"Don't ask." Tao Mu just opened his mouth when he was interrupted rudely by Song Daozhen.
"Don't ask about what happened today. Never ask. And don't pry. If I find out that you're prying about it behind my back, you'll never be allowed to enter my house again in your life!"
Before Tao Mu could finish his words, he was bluntly rebuked by the old man. And look at the old man's serious and solemn face - not like usual, although he also likes to scold Tao Mu with a serious face, but at first glance he is arrogant and hypocritical.
The more the old man looks like this, the more serious the situation is. Tao Mu became more curious.
What is going on with Song Ji? Why haven’t the old man’s wife and children ever come to see him? Does the old man have any relatives? And who is that bastard named Yao that Father Wen mentioned? What did I do back then to let down the old man and his family? Is it related to the fact that the old man is now alone and helpless with no relatives or friends to rely on?
The more Tao Mu thought about it, the more he hated himself for being so heartless in his previous life. He didn't know anything about the old man's family affairs, and he never thought of asking about them. He wanted to get things straight. But he didn't want to confront Old Man Song. He nodded obediently: "I understand."
Song Daozhen looked at Tao Mu's eyes rolling around and knew that Tao Mu didn't listen. But he didn't want to get involved with Tao Mu. The appearance of Wen Aiguo and the words he said brought back the past that Song Daozhen least wanted to recall in his life.
He was tired and wanted to take a nap. He could only see the Song Ji of the past and the people who made the Song family prosperous in his dreams. And his little son who is not much worse than Tao Mu in terms of playfulness. When he woke up from the dream, he was still that lonely, eccentric and stubborn old man. No children, no one to rely on.
"You should go back. You have to accompany your classmate's parents to visit Yanjing City tomorrow. Don't come over. Let me have two days of peace and quiet."
Tao Mu was kicked out of the restaurant by the old man. He stood on the blue brick stone steps outside the courtyard. The two doors that were originally painted with bright red lacquer had long since become mottled and peeling due to the erosion of time. Even the high threshold was missing half of its side due to years of wind, rain and trampling. But the old man never tidies up.
This small courtyard was left to decay under the erosion of time and oil fumes. He lived alone in this huge courtyard. Every night after the restaurant closed, I wandered in the deserted courtyard with a big broom, walked through the silent corridor, and bypassed the hanging flower gate. The dry broom made a swish sound on the bluestone slabs. Occasionally, the night wind blew, and the old locust tree in the middle of the yard also rustled. This is probably the only sound coming from the courtyard at night.
Tao Mu clenched his hands into fists at his sides. He stood in front of the gate for a while, then turned and entered the orphanage.
He thought that Dean Tao might know something.
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