Chapter 130
Seeing that she seemed to have finished filming, Chen Yutong immediately called Zhou Xiao back to the car. They were now preparing to descend the mountain and head towards the pomelo grove below. Zhou Xiao returned to the car at the signal and took the opportunity to check the footage captured by the camera.
"Is there time-lapse photography?" She, who had been looking down at the photo, was now looking at Huang Wentao excitedly. Huang Wentao, who was sitting in the back seat with one hand holding the roof handrail, looked a little unhappy, but still said "hmm" softly.
He had just mentioned time-lapse photography to Zheng Yongnuan, but Zheng hadn't been particularly interested, let alone anyone else. Unexpectedly, he'd seen someone who showed some interest, so he just hummed in response. But just as he was about to speak again, his other hand covered his mouth again. The turn in the mountain road was making him feel uncomfortable.
Huang Wentao had mentioned this to the fruit farmers earlier, and he confirmed it again before leaving. According to the fruit farmers, the "time-lapse" technique was specifically designed by their supervisors to be filmed here last year. However, it was a time-consuming and cumbersome process for them.
Since there weren't many people in town who knew how to edit, this time-lapse photography piece sat there gathering dust for almost a year. This time, I was just thinking about whether I could use it, because if I didn't, I'd just put it away.
The promotional video Zhou Xiao shot this time is for netizens, and for her, time-lapse photography can add more vitality and interest to the film.
After careful consideration, Zheng Yongnuan and Chen Yutong both concluded that, given the current state of the internet, traditional promotional videos were no longer as appealing in this rapidly evolving world. Zhou Xiao's appeal was precisely the audience they lacked.
Therefore, Zhou Xiao herself holds the initiative in this shoot. Of course, they will also provide her with drone footage to enrich the video content. As for reporter Zheng Yongnuan, she will rely on her own skills to travel to Weizhen and follow along to provide a solid foundation.
As they spoke, the car had pulled up to the side of the road. The only way to enter the pomelo grove was to get out and walk. Zhou Xiao stepped out of the car and stepped onto the loess. Looking into the forest, the pomelo trees stretched across the hillside, countless in number, divided into different areas by age.
Just as he was thinking, there was a sound of a puff of grapefruit peel being sliced open. Zhou Xiao turned his head and saw that Huang Wentao, who had been "on the verge of death" in the car, was now full of energy. He inserted the key to his electric bike into a golden fruit hanging from the grapefruit tree. As he broke it open, a faint grapefruit fragrance lingered in the air.
"Come and try it." Zheng Yongnuan took the peeled pomelo from his hand. This pomelo tree was obviously an old tree. The most obvious thing was that the skin of this pomelo was thinner than any Zhou Xiao had seen before.
The pomelo pressed into my hand had about four or five segments, much smaller than a typical honey pomelo. But the exposed flesh was crystal clear and yellow, appearing incredibly tender and juicy.
Zhou Xiao didn't even have to peel the pomelo carefully; the intact flesh quickly separated from the surrounding rind. The perfectly ripe pomelo flesh seemed brimming with juice. As soon as it entered his mouth, the juices quickly burst in his mouth with the gentle chewing of his teeth. The clear, sweet taste was tinged with a hint of sourness, and the pomelo fragrance wafted through the air. The perfect combination was truly delicious.
Perhaps it was because of the old tree, but Zhou Xiao didn't feel the slightest bit of bitterness in it. Instead, it was sweet. Zhou Xiao, who hadn't tasted this flavor in a long time, was instantly overwhelmed by memories.
Back in the day, her family bought them by the sackful. The pomelo's skin was so rough and thick, it didn't need to be beaten or tumbled, so it kept for a long time. Since they were near their original habitat, many people bought the slightly cracked ones, which were cheaper. She still remembers sitting next to Ms. Zheng as a child, watching her pick the yellow crystals from the cracked flesh and smile at Xiao Zhou, while she chatted with Lao Zhou, urging him to save money and buy whole ones next time...
Recovering from his thoughts and finishing his pomelo, Zhou Xiao washed his hands at the nearby tap before grabbing his camera and heading back into the forest. In about half an hour, the pomelo orchard would be flooded with pickers. Zhou Xiao's purpose was to photograph the scenery, while Zheng Yongnuan and his group waited for the pickers to arrive and capture the bountiful harvest.
At Chen Yutong's prompt, Zhou Xiao entered the pomelo grove, her goal clear: the stone bridge she'd initially spotted at the top of the hill. After walking for nearly ten minutes, she finally spotted the bridge behind a small hill. Holding her camera, Zhou Xiao was somewhat surprised to see the quaint yet dilapidated old-fashioned stone bridge in her lens; she'd initially assumed it was still usable.
The broken stone bridge, reflected in the stream's surface, and the drooping branches of the fruit trees along the bank, were truly beautiful. The cuckoos in the forest began to sing in the morning, a sight only heard in September. Their chirping blended with a variety of clear bird calls. With ordinary cell phone cameras and the naked eye, it would be difficult to spot these birds so active in the forest. However, in Zhou Xiao's camera, birds of various colors, using the contrasting colors, freely dart through the pomelo grove.
The next moment, a flock of egrets skimmed across the stream, perching on the dilapidated stone bridge. Like a live fish being released into the water, the scene was vibrant and imbued with the atmosphere of a rural garden. The scene captured by the camera—the wind blowing through the woods, the birds singing, the water moving—was particularly beautiful.
A distant sound like a large truck echoed, and Zhou Xiao witnessed her most stunning sight yet. An indescribable number of birds took off from the pomelo grove, drawing a beautiful arc across the sky. Startled, the birds dispersed.
The birds were disturbed by the local orchard pickers, bundled up tightly and carrying bamboo baskets and tools as they trudged across the loess toward them. The baskets no longer needed to be carried down the mountain or loaded onto large trucks. With the expansion of the production chain, Duwei Town has installed monorail transport vehicles in every orchard, making transportation much simpler and more convenient than manual labor.
After seeing Chen Yutong behind these people, Zhou Xiao came out with his camera and some of the footage he had taken. The theme of the promotional video Zhou Xiao wanted to shoot for pomelo was also a local agricultural product, a derivative of pomelo - honey pomelo tea.
The combination of China's geographically indicated pomelo and local honey is enough to make your mouth water. Furthermore, the profit margins of these additional products are higher than those of pomelo alone, making them more conducive to the development of the local economy. Duwei Town has already developed a comprehensive industrial chain, though it's still relatively unknown.
This time, Chen Yutong's hands were used for the shoot, demonstrating a series of operations such as washing, peeling, slicing, and boiling the pomelo. This was also the reason she came to find Zhou Xiao, as the local person in charge had already prepared the props.
When the two of them got on the village's three-wheeled motorcycle, Zhou Xiao and Chen Yutong could only hold on to anything that was fixed to avoid accidentally hitting their heads on the broken carriage.
"Oh my god, I shouldn't have taken the shortcut!" Chen Yutong wailed as she was jolted around. Zhou Xiao beside her wasn't much better. But the driver turned around when he first heard the two of them, then went back on his own.
The road they took was a dirt road built by the townspeople themselves. By the time they reached their destination, they were both grinning. Zhou Xiao had been protecting her camera the entire way, and only after she got out of the car did she see the scene before her.
This is an old, local earthen fort-style dwelling, its exterior walls constructed of thick rammed earth, while the lower half is layered with large pebbles reinforced with yellow mud. The entire structure resembles a courtyard house, with delicate carvings visible on the eaves, wooden windows, and railings. A sturdy pomelo tree stands at the entrance, creating a truly photogenic scene.
According to Chen Yutong and Zhou Xiao, the site was built with the financial and labor of local residents, specifically for filming, to address last year's pomelo overabundance and explore e-commerce opportunities. Unfortunately, without good publicity, the site was built and filmed, but no one saw it and no traffic was generated.
Just as Chen Yutong was about to wash the pomelo, Zhou Xiao looked at the pomeloes already placed on the table, then looked up at the pomelo tree next to him and said to Chen Yutong, "How about you pick two yourself?"
Under the blazing sun, each person worked under the shade of a tree. As the sun slipped beneath the clouds, a mist rose from the stove, carrying the rich aroma of pomelo. A sauce of shredded pomelo peel, pomelo pulp, and rock sugar was almost ready.
A hand appears in the camera, slowly pouring pre-prepared local honey from mid-air into the teapot. As the mixture stirs, the sweetness of the honey and the delicate fragrance of the grapefruit intertwine and transform within the small bowl. A wooden spoon scoops a spoonful from the teapot, revealing the amber honey and the translucent grapefruit flesh, already blending seamlessly. The tea is then gently scooped into a container, and the honey grapefruit tea is ready.
When Chen Yutong saw Zhou Xiao put away the camera, she broke down and said, "I will never take photos again!" She didn't expect that the tutorials others took only two or three minutes, but it took her almost an hour to shoot it. Otherwise, why would people always say that only she knows the bitterness and pain involved?
"Thank you for your hard work." Zhou Xiao put the camera into the bag and pulled up Chen Yutong who was sitting on the stone slab. She couldn't help but admire the heat resistance of this person in front of her. He was not afraid of the heat at all even in such a strong sun.
"We finished so quickly. Should we go find Teacher Zheng?" Although Chen Yutong had just experienced a small breakdown, she knew in her heart how efficient this was. In addition, the emotional value Zhou Xiao provided as a cameraman was really good, which did not make her feel annoyed at all.
Zhou Xiao glanced around, having already taken the opportunity to record it. He then thought about the pomelo grove at noon, which he hadn't filmed yet, and nodded to Chen Yutong. Of course, this time, the two of them had learned their lesson and took the slightly longer road.
The scooters rattled by as we reached the pomelo grove, a scene bustling with activity. Freshly picked pomelo from the mountains was being transported down the monorail, and the roadside was lined with large trucks waiting to be loaded. Everything was bustling with activity.
After Zhou Xiao finished photographing the pomelo grove at noon, she was forced to snap some evening shots. She finally understood why Chen Yutong had come to see her the previous time in the lychee orchard. She glanced at Chen Xiaojie, who was in the car and said he was in charge of the drone and also served as a part-time driver. Then she looked at Chen Yutong, who was running off into the distance. She was helping someone retrieve a drone stuck in a branch...
On the way back, no one spoke much; after all, everyone was exhausted after a long day. Chen Yutong and Huang Wentao, in particular, spent the latter half of the trip running around picking up drones. Zhou Xiao actually wanted to say, since they weren't so good at it, there was no need to fly so far.
"Let's find a place to have dinner," Zheng Yongnuan said from the back seat, her brows furrowed. Although it was already mid-September, it was still incredibly hot in Fujian Province. She'd been a bit sunburned by noon, but she didn't say anything. It wasn't until she got back to the car that anyone noticed her discomfort.
The car had already entered the city. When driver Chen Xiaojie saw that they had just missed a green light, he slapped the steering wheel and cursed softly. Zhou Xiao and Chen Yutong, sitting in the second row, exchanged glances and then tacitly looked away, looking out the window. But it was this shift in focus that made her seem to notice something.
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