Chapter 430 Reunion with Jiang Zhi (7,000 words update!)
Lu Yanhe was always happy to meet He Yunlan and Liu Yiyi.
He genuinely liked both of them.
Because they all gave him a sense of sophistication without being snobbish, passion and purity.
Most importantly, even though they could have easily built successful lives in big cities, they chose to give up the prestige of prestigious universities and the convenience of urban life, and instead returned to this underdeveloped place to use their knowledge, skills, and expertise to help make it a better place.
After dinner, having eaten and drunk his fill, Lu Yanhe prepared to return to the inn to rest.
Since they had all had a few drinks, He Yunlan asked a local friend to pick them up and take their luggage.
We stayed at the same inn as last time.
The room had already been reserved for them.
He Yunlan said, "I'll take you out for breakfast tomorrow morning, and then we'll go check out Tongfu Inn."
Lu Yanhe nodded and said okay, then added, "Brother He, you should get some rest too. Thank you and your wife for your hospitality. I'm so happy to be able to taste your wife's cooking again."
He Yunlan smiled and patted Lu Yanhe on the shoulder, hugged him, and whispered in his ear, "Yanhe, compared to everything you've done for Jiangzhi, what are we? Thank you, thank you so much."
A bittersweet feeling welled up in Lu Yanhe's heart.
In truth, what did he do? He simply did a few small favors within his job duties. He made no sacrifice whatsoever, yet he received such heartfelt gratitude from He Yunlan, someone who had truly sacrificed a great deal. Lu Yanhe felt deeply honored and somewhat guilty, realizing he hadn't done or thought more deeply enough.
“Brother He, you’re too kind. Jiangzhi is a city that deserves to be known by everyone,” Lu Yanhe said. “Especially the people here. It’s because the people here are so good that this city is so good.”
He Yunlan smiled.
He patted Lu Yanhe's face and said, "Let's not talk about anything else. I've already recognized you as my brother and kept you in my heart. You call me 'Big Brother,' and I'll treat you like my younger brother. I'm not very capable, and I've put all my effort into this small town. But don't worry, Lu, if your crew or your film comes to film here, as your older brother, I will definitely do everything in my power to provide you with the most convenient conditions."
Lu Yanhe nodded.
"Thank you, brother."
-
Lu Yanhe used to be quite afraid of these kinds of situations. He would find it rather cheesy to see two grown men pouring out their hearts to each other.
But when it really comes to this, especially after having a few drinks, even if you're not drunk, your defenses are like an iron lock that's been rusted and loosened. So, things you wouldn't normally say, sweet nothings, and heartfelt words just come out in a torrent.
After arriving at the inn, Lu Yanhe lay down on the bed and looked out the window at the dark blue night sky and the stars that shone like scattered diamonds.
I could not hear human voices, only my own heartbeat and breathing gradually calming down.
He recalled the conversation he had with He Yunlan and Liu Yiyi at the dinner table that evening.
He might have gotten a little carried away at that moment, because he was actually thinking about something he never dared to imagine before.
What else can he do for Jiangzhi?
The next day, Lu Yanhe woke up very early.
The main reason was that I had drunk alcohol the night before, went to bed early, felt dizzy, and slept well without any dreams.
Outside the window, birds chirped sweetly, their calls as clear as falling pearls. I opened the window and looked out; the morning mist swirled around Jiangzhi, making the city seem like a dreamlike fairyland.
Lu Yanhe stretched, reached for his phone, and snapped a picture of the scene.
He sent it to Chen Siqi.
It's only 5:30 in the morning.
Lu Yanhe originally thought that Chen Siqi was still sleeping at this hour.
To everyone's surprise, Chen Siqi replied instantly: I'll be there in ten minutes.
? ? ?
Lu Yanhe was extremely surprised.
He immediately washed his face, tidied his messy hair, and went downstairs.
Zou Dong has also woken up and is practicing boxing in the courtyard of the inn.
"Yan He, why are you going out so early?" Zou Dong lowered his fist.
"Good morning, Dong-ge. You can continue with your work. Siqi will be here soon. I'll go to the door to meet her," Lu Yanhe said.
Zou Dong nodded and watched Lu Yanhe jog out.
To Lu Yanhe's even greater surprise, Chen Siqi had actually driven herself there.
Her car emerged from the morning mist, and stopped in front of Lu Yanhe, bathed in the sunlight that pierced through the clouds.
Chen Siqi got out of the car, holding onto the car door with one hand, and gave him a slightly tired but still bright smile.
Why are you up so early today?
"I went to bed early yesterday," Lu Yanhe explained. "What about you? Why are you up so early too?"
"I didn't get up early, I didn't sleep at all," Chen Siqi said. "I finished work very late yesterday, and I thought I might as well drive over here and sleep here."
Lu Yanhe suddenly realized.
"You're driving while fatigued."
Chen Siqi: "It's okay. I know my own situation. If I'm really sleepy, I'll just park the car on the side of the road and sleep."
Lu Yanhe: "You're just being stubborn."
"Let's find a place to have breakfast first, and then I'll take a nap." Chen Siqi tilted her head back and yawned, the morning light falling between her eyebrows and neck, outlining her graceful lines.
Lu Yanhe suddenly realized that Chen Siqi seemed to be getting more and more beautiful? Her appearance didn't seem to have changed much, but something about her seemed to have changed a lot. A kind of fullness, like a peach nearing ripeness. Realizing this, Lu Yanhe's cheeks suddenly turned a little red. This thought was involuntary, but it also made him a little flustered, worried that Chen Siqi would notice something amiss.
-
Lu Yanhe originally planned to have breakfast with He Yunlan at eight o'clock in the morning, but Chen Siqi was busy finishing her breakfast and catching up on sleep, so Lu Yanhe accompanied her to find a breakfast shop that opened very early on the street.
Chen Siqi ate a bowl of noodles, while Lu Yanhe ordered a bowl of tofu soup.
"You eat so little?"
"I'm having dinner with Brother He later; I made plans with him last night."
"Oh." Chen Siqi ate her bowl of noodles quickly. "I'm really too sleepy. I won't go with you to see Tongfu Inn this morning. You can go by yourselves. If I don't contact you at noon, don't worry about me. I'll sleep until I naturally wake up."
Lu Yanhe nodded with a smile.
"good."
After finishing her meal, Chen Siqi stretched lazily.
"Going to sleep."
-
In the morning, He Yunlan took Lu Yanhe to see Tongfu Inn.
This inn is built entirely in the style of ancient times, with no modern elements whatsoever.
Lu Yanhe said, "This is exactly how I imagined it to be."
Lu Yanhe had described the appearance of Tongfu Inn in great detail, and even drew a sketch for them.
Including the general layout and style of the inn.
Lu Yanhe was actually quite surprised when he recalled these things. He hadn't expected that he could remember so clearly these unrelated events from a drama he had watched many years ago.
Some plays truly become a part of our memories and our lives.
Lu Yanhe walked around Tongfu Inn inside and out.
"We haven't done any more detailed planning yet, but the main structure is already finished," He Yunlan said. "Do you think it meets your requirements?"
“It fits perfectly.” Lu Yanhe nodded, his eyes sparkling. “This is exactly what I imagined Tongfu Inn to be like.”
He Yunlan smiled and breathed a sigh of relief.
He Yunlan knew that he had won the construction rights for Tongfu Inn from many tourist cities by taking advantage of connections. If it weren't for Lu Yanhe's help, Jiangzhi would not have been able to compete with other popular tourist cities, neither in terms of geographical location nor economic conditions.
After securing this project, he mobilized every available resource to build the inn. He personally oversaw every step and meticulously monitored every detail. He Yunlan didn't want to waste such a hard-won opportunity failing to meet Lu Yanhe's requirements.
The inn was not decorated at all, with only simple tables and chairs.
However, even so, Lu Yanhe was already able to match the current conditions with the Tongfu Inn in his memory.
Lu Yanhe felt a strange sensation. This sensation was perhaps similar to a wanderer who had been away from home for many years suddenly tasting an authentic dish from his hometown. The moment it entered his mouth, through the stimulation of his taste buds, a flood of memories rushed in, telling him from every part of his body where he came from.
To keep the inn private before the official broadcast, to ensure smoother filming, and most importantly, to allow for the potential future development and construction of a large-scale real-life Qixia Town, Tongfu Inn was built in a sparsely populated suburb.
Because in the script, the environment of Tongfu Inn and Qixia Town is a relatively rough and rugged place, not so picturesque, so a courtyard was specially built outside Tongfu Inn, surrounded by a wall, and "township-style" treatment was done inside.
Lu Yanhe was increasingly moved by what he saw.
"I suddenly regret not reserving a role for myself in 'My Own Swordsman,' so I could be filming here." Lu Yanhe sighed deeply, somewhat regretfully.
He simply couldn't bring himself to play any of the main roles in the show. He was so deeply immersed in the drama that he couldn't imagine himself replacing any of them, including Yan Xiaoliu.
He Yunlan said, "We have abundant natural resources here. If you need to film a movie, this place is always open to you."
Lu Yanhe nodded with a smile and said, "Okay, thank you, Brother He. I've heard several people complain that filming in Jiangzhi is very difficult. There's a difficult leader who's extremely demanding of the crew. I asked them what was so demanding. They said this difficult leader insisted the crew sign an environmental protection agreement with very high compensation fees, which was quite frightening. I said, 'Then just tell the crew not to damage the environment.' They laughed and said filming probably wouldn't have any impact on the local environment at all."
He Yunlan said indignantly, "They're all excuses. I've made it very clear that what I'm asking for is that we can't cause irreversible damage here. Some film crews want to cut down a few trees in the forest so they can use a crane, and other film crews keep saying that in order to shoot the most beautiful scenes, they want to make some artificial modifications to some of our landscapes. How could I agree to that!"
Lu Yanhe: "It's alright, Brother He, don't get agitated. I also think you did the right thing. Jiangzhi is such a beautiful place, we can't let it suffer long-term damage for a little short-term gain. Jiangzhi is getting better and better, let's take it slow, it's good."
He Yunlan nodded and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Only you would agree to my requests without hesitation."
"Because what I hate most is the behavior of causing harm to others for one's own sake," Lu Yanhe said. "Moreover, I believe that there is nothing in this world that absolutely has to be done in a certain way. The fact that they insist on doing it in a way that damages the local environment only shows that they are lazy and unwilling to put in the effort to think of a compromise."
-
After visiting Tongfu Inn, the two strolled around the neighborhood before preparing to return to the city.
He Yunlan asked, "Is Siqi still sleeping?"
“She hasn’t contacted me yet, she must still be sleeping. She didn’t sleep all night, so let’s leave her alone for now.” Lu Yanhe smiled. “She told me before she went to sleep that if she didn’t contact me by noon, it meant she hadn’t woken up, and told me not to wake her.”
"You two really work very hard," He Yunlan said with emotion. "Sometimes I even see you suddenly going live at one or two in the morning to write scripts."
"No, it's just because I had insomnia at night and couldn't sleep, so I just got up." Lu Yanhe explained to himself with a smile, "I didn't work that hard. I admit I work hard, but if I really want to talk about what I'm working so hard for, it seems like it was only during my senior year of high school that I worked hard for the college entrance exam for a whole year."
He Yunlan: "Your experience is legendary. Have you ever considered making your story into a movie?"
"Huh?" Lu Yanhe was taken aback.
“I think many people will be interested in your story, especially since it’s based on a true story. Many parents will probably want to take their children to see it,” He Yunlan said.
Lu Yanhe fell into deep thought, remained silent for a while, and then said, "But I feel that my experience is not very replicable."
“Nobody watches the movie to replicate your methods for getting into Zhenhua University; everyone wants to experience the spirit of hard work you had back then,” He Yunlan said.
Lu Yanhe snapped out of his daze and said "Oh".
"I... I really hadn't thought of that." Lu Yanhe said, both amused and exasperated. "On the contrary, I wanted to write your love story with your sister-in-law into a script and make it into a movie."
"Huh?" He Yunlan was taken aback, and her cheeks suddenly flushed with embarrassment. "What's so interesting about our story being made into a movie?"
Lu Yanhe said, "It's true, I was really moved myself."
"Sigh, it's just self-pity." He Yunlan suddenly sighed with a sense of loss.
"Hmm?" Lu Yanhe was somewhat surprised.
He had never seen this side of He Yunlan before.
He Yunlan said, "It's fine for Yiyi and me, it's all our own choice. But sometimes when we look at Xiaohu, he's here with us, but the educational resources in Jiangzhi are indeed not as good as other places. Right now he's in elementary school, which is a little better. His mother and I can still help him catch up on things that the school doesn't teach, and we can teach him English so he has an English-speaking environment. But as he goes to junior high and then high school, the different schools and environments will have a greater impact on him. We're also considering whether Yiyi or I should take Xiaohu to Jiangguang for junior high. We can't let him suffer."
This is a very real problem.
Even someone as eloquent and adept at finding ways to encourage others as Lu Yanhe was momentarily speechless.
“Actually, there’s another way, which is for my parents to take him to school in Jiangguang, but this kid is very stubborn now. As soon as he heard that he had to leave us to go to junior high school, he refused to go no matter what, and even deliberately failed the exam.” He Yunlan’s tone was also helpless.
Logically speaking, allowing He Yunlan's parents to take him to school in Jiangguang is the best solution. It allows He Yunlan and Liu Yiyi to continue working and living in Jiangzhi while ensuring Xiaohu's quality education.
However, life is not rational, and neither is the relationship between relatives, or between parents and children.
Trying to reason with an eight-year-old is simply unreasonable.
Faced with this reality, Lu Yanhe was momentarily at a loss for words.
-
Sometimes, Lu Yanhe has to confront a world full of huge differences and stark contrasts.
His self-satisfaction, however, is not the self-satisfaction of this world.
The world is vast, and he may not have the power to change it. But at least for people like He Yunlan and Liu Yiyi, whom he has encountered in real life, he hopes to do everything in his power to help.
-
In the afternoon, after finishing lunch, Lu Yanhe returned to the inn to find Chen Siqi.
Chen Siqi had just washed her hair and was sitting by the window, lying on a wicker chair. Her black hair swayed in the breeze, like water plants in the water.
"You woke up early?"
"I just woke up." Chen Siqi put down her iPad and said, "Did you finish eating with them?"
"Yes, I've finished eating," Lu Yanhe asked. "Did you eat lunch?"
"Not yet. I saw a rice noodle shop online with really good reviews. I'll go eat there after my hair dries."
Lu Yanhe nodded.
Do you have any plans for this afternoon?
"No, I'm just staying here for a couple of days, taking a vacation." Lu Yanhe laughed. "The biggest advantage of Jiangzhi is that although it has become quite popular, the total number of tourists is still not high because the transportation is really inconvenient. I walked around with Brother He this morning, and we were basically not recognized by anyone."
“The crowds here aren’t dense, and if you’re wearing sunglasses, people won’t recognize you unless they’re very close,” Chen Siqi said. “Being able to stay here for two days and have a vacation is really comfortable.”
“Okay.” Lu Yanhe nodded. “I’ll come over and stay for a few days whenever I have time, especially when I’m rushing to finish a manuscript. I think my thoughts will definitely flow smoothly when I’m writing here.”
Chen Siqi laughed.
“I advise you not to be too optimistic. I know too many writers who often say things like, ‘Rent a house by the sea, look at the ocean every day, and your mind will be refreshed so that your inspiration will flow,’ or ‘I lock myself in a hotel, cut off from all contact with the outside world, so that I can write without distractions or disturbances.’ It’s all fake,” Chen Siqi said. “If you can’t write, you still can’t write. No environment can help.”
Lu Yanhe couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Okay, you're right."
-
In the afternoon, Lu Yanhe accompanied Chen Siqi to eat the bowl of rice noodles she wanted, and the two of them wandered around Jiangzhi.
One of the most attractive things about Jiangzhi is its many small shops, each unique. Some are bookstores, filled with old books published thirty or forty years ago—books you might not find anywhere else. Others are local clothing and accessories shops. Chen Siqi always makes sure to pop into these shops when she passes by, never missing a chance to browse.
When you get tired of walking around, sit down at a roadside cafe and have a cup of coffee.
Because there weren't many people, when someone occasionally recognized us, we would just chat and laugh for a while, then wave goodbye.
This feeling is extremely rare.
Around four or five in the afternoon, they suddenly passed by a middle school.
"Hmm?" Chen Siqi looked at the school inside the wall.
"This school looks... pretty old, like it was built twenty or thirty years ago and hasn't been renovated."
Unlike many renovated middle schools, the iron railings next to the school gate of this middle school are even covered with vines, and the green plants are as lush as the sea.
Inside the school gate, a few students in school uniforms were scattered across the spacious playground.
Lu Yanhe and Chen Siqi both stopped at the same time, staring blankly at the school in front of them.
Lu Yanhe said, "Actually, if we could film 'Love Letter' here—"
Before Lu Yanhe could finish speaking, a clear bell rang out on campus.
As if a seal had been broken, a clamor of voices spread across the campus in an instant.
It's like a certain formation has been activated.
Lu Yanhe and Chen Siqi seemed to wake up from a dream, exchanged a smile, and quickly left the school gate before the students rushed out.
They entered a small alley next to the school, which was lined with many shops. They went into one of the bookstores. The owner, sitting by the door, glanced up at them. Backlit, he couldn't make out their features, only that they were a man and a woman. He assumed they were a student couple from the neighboring school, smiled, said nothing, and then lowered his head again.
Lu Yanhe and Chen Siqi walked inside. The bookshelves had only two categories of books: romance novels and fantasy adventure novels, clearly targeting a specific market. However, as they continued further inside, towards the very back, they found quite a few slightly more serious books.
The doorbell rang, and someone else came in.
"Boss, has the new issue of 'Jump Up' arrived yet?!" a very crisp girl's voice asked.
Lu Yanhe and Chen Siqi were taken aback, not expecting to run into readers of "Jump Up" here.
The shop owner said, "Not yet, it probably won't arrive until tomorrow or the day after."
"Oh dear, why is it taking so long?" The girl who came to buy "Jump Up" didn't get what she wanted, but she still went inside. "Ruo Ruo, do you want to come to my house to do your homework later? My mom won't be back until nine o'clock tonight."
Another girl's voice rang out, tinged with excitement, "Really? That's great!"
The moment that voice rang out, Lu Yanhe's heart skipped a beat.
That sound...
A gentle breeze blew, causing the white gauze curtains to flutter and float in the air.
The setting sun weaves through the white gauze curtains, creating ever-changing light and shadow.
This scene suddenly overlapped with a scene from my memory.
Lu Yanhe turned his head and looked over with some confusion.
As he walked between the bookshelves, he saw two girls.
One of them was clearly excited, very lively and agile, holding her friend's hand and rummaging through the bookshelf for something.
The other one was more delicate and quiet, but definitely not the type of girl from a modest family. Her smile was like a flower with morning dew, fresh, beautiful, and full of vitality like the first light of dawn.
When Chen Siqi noticed Lu Yanhe looking at the two girls, she was somewhat surprised and followed his gaze.
The somewhat carefree girl was holding a book and pointing to something on it for the girl next to her to see.
The girl next to her, with her ponytail, bare face, yet possessing a delicate and serene beauty, leaned close to her friend's face and smiled, her eyes curving like crescent moons.
Chen Siqi immediately understood.
OK, the perfect leading lady for "Love Letter" has arrived.
-
Fortunately, at least their faces are honest, so they won't be mistaken for liars.
However, when they suddenly appeared in front of the two girls, the girls stared wide-eyed as if they had seen a ghost.
When the more lively girl let out a scream, the bookstore owner immediately asked, "What's wrong? What's wrong?"
I don't know what he thought it was, but when he rushed over, he was holding one of his shoes in his hand.
-
Am I dreaming?
The girl named Zhang Ruozhi gently slapped her friend's hand away.
"You pinch yourself, why are you pinching my arm!" Zhang Ruozhi scolded playfully.
Liu Lingmeng's big eyes were still staring incredulously at Lu Yanhe and Chen Siqi sitting opposite them.
"This is unbelievable!" Liu Lingmeng said. "I even dreamt of running into you last night. How could my dream suddenly come true? Did some Bodhisattva hear my prayers?"
Lu Yanhe and Chen Siqi both laughed.
This girl named Liu Lingmeng is so interesting.
However, although Lu Yanhe and Chen Siqi did not communicate, they both knew that the reason they were sitting here with these two girls was because of the girl named Zhang Ruozhi.
Zhang Ruozhi doesn't resemble the girl in "Love Letter" in my memory. Zhang Ruozhi has a very small oval face, and her features are so exquisite that they seem to have been measured with a ruler. However, the feeling she exudes is exactly the same as the girl in "Love Letter."
When she smiles, she appears somewhat quiet and shy, but her eyes hold a lively and pure light, like a deer's.
Chen Siqi explained, "We're here on vacation. We've been to Jiangzhi before, you know?"
"I know, I know." Liu Lingmeng nodded immediately. "Everyone says that you made our city popular. In the past two years, the number of tourists has been increasing."
The following sentence was said to Lu Yanhe.
Zhang Ruozhi also looked at Lu Yanhe with her signature curious eyes, probing them.
When Lu Yanhe saw that look in her eyes, he had only one thought: it's too similar, it's really too similar.
Liu Lingmeng looked at Lu Yanhe with some confusion, wondering why Lu Yanhe kept staring at Zhang Ruozhi.
That look in his eyes seemed to suggest some other intention.
She looked at Chen Siqi again.
Even though his girlfriend was sitting right next to him, he made no attempt to hide his interest in Zhang Ruozhi, and Chen Siqi showed no jealousy or resentment whatsoever, letting it go as if she didn't see it.
What's going on?
Liu Lingmeng's brows furrowed unconsciously.
(End of this chapter)
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