Chapter 100 I've waited my whole life to finally meet Sister Jiang...
Four intangible cultural heritage teachers appeared; on the left were two women, and on the right were two men around sixty years old.
Standing in front of the large sign that read "Master of Double-Sided Embroidery," the young woman in the moon-white cheongsam was none other than Jiang Mingyue, whom all her fans had been longing to see.
Their Sister Jiang is back for a limited time!
The four guests, everyone present, and the viewers in the live stream were all stunned. The next second, screams of shock erupted both online and offline.
Ahhhhh, Sister Jiang! It really is Sister Jiang!
Wei Lai was completely taken aback. Didn't Mingyue say she would pick them up at 5 p.m. for a dinner party?
Then she realized something was wrong. Wei Lai looked closely and saw that Jiang Mingyue was standing in a position that represented an intangible cultural heritage teacher.
Wei Lai's eyes lit up with surprise.
He thought his luck had hit rock bottom and he was forced to choose the most difficult double-sided embroidery. Unexpectedly, God favored him and his master was Jiang Mingyue!
Wei Lai rushed forward immediately and gave Jiang Mingyue a big, warm hug.
Qi Sheng followed closely behind, "Mingyue! You've given us a tremendous surprise!"
Apart from the executive director Xiao Ma, who revealed a smile of hidden accomplishment, the rest of the directing team, including the screenwriter and director, all stood up in surprise and rushed to Jiang Mingyue to greet her.
"Ahhhh, Sister Jiang!"
"Hahaha, it's been a long time, Teacher Jiang."
"No wonder the magpie kept calling from the branch; it turns out a distinguished guest has arrived."
"Hello, Sister Jiang!"
The other three teachers didn't mind being overshadowed by Jiang Mingyue. They had met her before at a folk activity and liked the young girl very much; she was a promising young talent.
Surrounded by people, Jiang Mingyue didn't find it noisy at all; she saw genuine smiles on everyone's faces.
"Director Xu, Xiao Liu, Brother Wang, Xiao Guan..."
Jiang Mingyue exchanged pleasantries with the director team, calling out the names of each staff member, which warmed everyone's hearts.
It's impossible for guests who have worked with someone to remember the name of every single minor character, but Jiang Mingyue is different; she truly remembers each and every one of them!
Waaah, as expected of Sister Jiang, how could they not like her?
Guan Yue was stunned to see Jiang Mingyue appear unexpectedly, and couldn't help but stare at her intently.
Jiang Mingyue is really beautiful in person. She's tall and slim, and much prettier than she appears on TV.
Watching the interaction between the director team and Jiang Mingyue, Guan Yue couldn't help but grin.
I was really touched.
Zhao Xin'er's eyes flashed with surprise, but she quickly concealed it and joined the others in applauding, secretly glad that she hadn't chosen double-sided embroidery and didn't have to cooperate with Jiang Mingyue.
[Hahaha, the director team's reaction is so real, they're acting like me!]
The director was also dumbfounded. How could this be so funny? Hadn't they received prior notice internally?
[Look closely, the executive director, Xiao Ma, really wants to know why he's standing in the corner laughing.]
I'm so excited! Sister Jiang has really been living a fulfilling life since retiring from the entertainment industry.
How did Sister Jiang become a master of double-sided embroidery, an intangible cultural heritage?
[Don't worry, let Sister Jiang explain later.]
Jiang Mingyue's sudden appearance caused the popularity of the live broadcast of "Walking into Intangible Cultural Heritage" to surge, soaring from the bottom of the trending searches to the top spot like a rocket.
When fans heard the news about the future and clicked on the trending topic, they felt like they had missed out on a fortune.
[Ahhhh, I've actually waited my whole life for Sister Jiang's new variety show!]
Sister Jiang always surprises us; she's going to buy lottery tickets today.
[Sister Jiang looks so beautiful in her cheongsam, like a fairy descended from heaven!]
[Huai County's cultural and tourism industry is amazing; they even managed to invite Sister Jiang over!]
[It must have been an invitation from the production team.]
Some haters also seized the opportunity to make a scene, mocking Jiang Mingyue for resuming her career in the entertainment industry but still appearing on variety shows, implying that she can't let go of the fame and fortune in the entertainment circle and is just here to make money.
The trolls' comments, fanned by those with ulterior motives, quickly fermented and instantly sparked new public opinion.
[Jiang Mingyue's retirement from the entertainment industry was in vain] was ranked second on the trending searches.
On set, the directing team returned to their seats, and the director asked on their behalf, "Sister Jiang, I believe the fans are very curious about why you're here. Could you please explain?"
Jiang Mingyue looked directly at the camera and smiled playfully, "Everyone, first of all, let me clarify that I am really retiring from the entertainment industry, not making a comeback through this opportunity."
The people present smiled knowingly.
Jiang Mingyue continued to explain, "Ms. Shao Quan, a master of double-sided embroidery from Huai County, is my teacher. She is unwell today and asked me to fill in for her for the day, so I am honored to have this opportunity to see everyone again. Thank you."
After speaking, she bowed slightly to everyone to express her gratitude.
Goodness gracious! It turns out that after retiring from the entertainment industry, Jiang Mingyue returned to her hometown to learn a craft from a master of intangible cultural heritage.
People admire and respect her for retiring from the entertainment industry at the height of her fame and finding a lifestyle she loves.
The official Weibo account of "Exploring Intangible Cultural Heritage" simultaneously released a statement, directly tagging Jiang Mingyue's Weibo account, claiming that Jiang Mingyue is the last disciple of Ms. Shao Quan, a master of double-sided embroidery, and that she is working in her place today because her master is unwell.
Fans flocked to the official Weibo account, begging for help and asking Sister Jiang to log in to Weibo and come back to see everyone when she has time.
Tell Sister Jiang that we will always support her.
Tell Sister Jiang that whether she comes back or not, we will wait for her on Weibo.
Please take good care of Sister Jiang, production crew!
Of course, some netizens questioned the qualifications of Jiang Mingyue's apprentice and complained about it in the live broadcast room.
[Jiang Mingyue has only been out of the entertainment industry for less than three months. What skills could she have learned? Could she teach Wei Lai well? She probably only knows cross-stitch!]
[She doesn't need to teach me step by step; she can just cover my shift for a day and teach me some theoretical knowledge to get by.]
Look how beautifully she's dressed today; she's obviously here to gain attention and build popularity for her future live-streaming sales.
Jiang Mingyue is quite brave; isn't she afraid of being challenged and embarrassing herself in front of others?
The production team monitored online opinions in real time, and when they saw people questioning Jiang Mingyue's abilities, they immediately reported it to the chief director, Xu Daolai.
Director Xu informed the production team to adjust the program recording content, and the next episode would be a mentor showcase.
The original plan was for the guests to each follow their chosen teacher back indoors to immediately begin learning and understanding. Now, they've been forced to publicly humiliate Sister Jiang.
You know, Sister Jiang wouldn't dare to show her face so easily if she didn't have some skills; she never talks nonsense.
"These brainless idiots who criticize Sister Jiang every time they do it get slapped in the face every time."
Upon receiving instructions from the director, the program's producers immediately took control of the situation with a smile, saying, "In response to requests from netizens, we'd like to invite the four teachers to perform a piece of their respective specialties right here. Please give them a warm welcome."
Everyone present applauded in welcome.
Huaiqiang Opera teacher Wang Yun took the stage first, saying, "In order not to waste time, I will skip the makeup and perform a piece for everyone on the spot."
Everyone clapped and made friends.
While the Huaiqiang Opera teacher was performing, Jiang Mingyue and two other teachers went backstage to prepare for related work.
Five minutes later, the Huaiqiang Opera teacher received unanimous praise both online and offline, and thunderous applause filled the air.
[A true opera teacher's skill is immediately apparent; with just a glance and a simple hand gesture, Teacher Wang brought out the essence of the art.]
Although I don't understand the lyrics, that doesn't stop me from thinking that Teacher Wang sang very well.
Guan Yue graduated from the dance department, right? She's quite suited to Huaiqiang Opera. Looking forward to seeing how well she does.
[Could we let the other three guests learn some Huaiqiang Opera as well? Learning only one activity is so monotonous.]
Sister, too much meat is hard to chew. The production team must have thought this through. Ten days of immersive learning is better than just learning the basics in one or two days.
Next, Teacher Li (clay sculpting and sugar sculpting), Teacher Niu (Huai County pastry making), and Jiang Mingyue will all take the stage at the same time. The three of them will not interfere with each other. Teacher Li will be on the left, Teacher Niu on the right, and Jiang Mingyue in the center.
Because all three intangible cultural heritage items require time, performing them one by one would take too much time. The production team made overall arrangements and provided a full hour for each performance.
The four guests may approach and interact with the three teachers, but only to strike up a conversation.
Qi Sheng and Guan Yue went to the dough sculpting teacher. Qi Sheng was eloquent and praised the dough sculpting teacher's skills in various ways.
He didn't forget Guan Yue, constantly cuing her to answer questions and occasionally telling jokes that made the teacher and Guan Yue laugh out loud.
[Thank you, Brother Qi, for taking care of Yueyue. I will definitely support Brother Qi's dramas when they are released in the future.]
Guan Yue is clearly an i-person.
If I were Guan Yue, I would also follow Qi Sheng. Those who know, know.
[Our Sister Jiang doesn't eat people; all guests are welcome to come and chat!]
Zhao Xin'er naturally stood next to Master Niu, the pastry chef, and carefully and attentively remembered every step of Master Niu's pastry-making process. When she encountered something she didn't understand, she didn't hesitate to ask him questions.
Master Niu treated all four guests equally, answering whatever Zhao Xin'er asked.
Our Sister Xin is studying so diligently!
[No wonder he's a top student; he's focused on everything he learns.]
Kneading and mixing dough is quite strenuous, and Zhao Xin'er has thin arms and legs; will she be able to exert any strength?
[This intangible cultural heritage should be learned by male guests; it would be much better for girls to learn embroidery.]
[Could Sister Xin switch places with Wei Lai?]
Jiang Mingyue sat on the stool, holding an embroidery needle in her hand. Her expression was calm, her gaze fixed on the base fabric, and her hands moved slowly and deliberately.
The essence of double-sided embroidery is to embroider two designs with a single needle on the same piece of fabric. The outlines are the same on both sides, but the patterns are different.
Wei Lai moved a stool over and sat down next to her. "Mingyue, will my talking to you bother you?"
"No." Jiang Mingyue didn't look up, her hands continuing to move.
Wei Lai smiled upon hearing this, "Okay, what do you plan to embroider?"
He couldn't tell that the pattern on the fabric had only just begun.
Jiang Mingyue didn't keep them in suspense and said with a smile, "One side is a gourd, the other a cat."
Wei Lai couldn't imagine how to embroider these two completely different things.
[I can already feel Wei Ge's pain]
[Wei Lai: Even if my master is Sister Jiang, I still can't do it]
I can't even imagine what kind of assignment Wei Ge will hand in on the tenth day.
Wei Lai looked around, unable to offer any help. "Mingyue, why didn't you tell me that your master is Teacher Shao Quan?"
Jiang Mingyue replied matter-of-factly, "I originally planned to tell you at the dinner party tonight. Besides, I only received the news this morning and got a last-minute call from my master, so I was called here to save the day."
[This is the first time I've seen celebrities chatting casually in a live stream.]
Wei Ge plays for real.
[Friendly reminder: Sister Jiang is not a celebrity.]
[Envious of the amazing friendship among the adventure team]
This is the third time Brother Wei and Sister Jiang have collaborated, but why isn't anyone shipping them?
[I just can't ship them, there's absolutely no chance of them shipping each other. It's probably because Sister Jiang's first time as Wei Ge's on-camera PD was so memorable.]
[Haha, I get it. Brother Wei's reaction is always a beat slow; he's always slow to realize how formidable Sister Jiang is.]
"Mingyue, is Teacher Shao strict? If I can't learn it in ten days, will she think I'm stupid?"
Wei Lai was a little worried. He secretly wanted Jiang Mingyue to teach him, but she was only filling in for him for one day.
Jiang Mingyue paused in her work, looked up at him, and said, "Brother Wei, you think you can learn double-sided embroidery in ten days? You're dreaming. I have a foundation in embroidery from a young age. I've been learning single-sided embroidery from my aunt, so I can learn it quickly."
"I believe your master won't look down on you for being slow. As long as you put your heart into it, no matter what the final result is, as long as you've tried your best and have a clear conscience, that's enough."
Wow, Sister Jiang is so good at talking!
I think Brother Wei was almost moved to tears.
It turns out that Sister Jiang has been doing single-sided embroidery since she was a child. We still know too little about Sister Jiang.
【It's tough on Brother Wei, if it really comes down to it, we'll have Sister Jiang give you extra help every night, we don't mind.】
An hour later, everyone witnessed the works of the three teachers.
Pastry Chef Niu's cloud cakes are as white as snow, fragrant, and have a soft and fluffy texture.
Teacher Li's dough and sugar sculptures depict the twelve zodiac animals with remarkable lifelike detail.
Jiang Mingyue's double-sided embroidery was even more stunning. The front was a gourd and the back was a cat. The gourd was the same color as the gourd bracelet she had woven before, and the cat was adorable.
The guests and staff on the show personally watched her embroidery, making it impossible to fake, and the trolls in the live stream instantly disappeared.
[Prostration and worship]
[The work that Sister Jiang did after retiring from the entertainment industry is something that ordinary people can only dream of.]
[Do the haters feel any shame?]
Honestly, I'm not surprised that Sister Jiang can do anything. In my heart, she's already a goddess. No female star in the entertainment industry can compare to her.
Sisters, if you like Sister Jiang, don't cause her any trouble. There are so many female celebrities; everyone has their own preferences.
[This isn't meant to be disparaging; I'm a 50-year-old woman, just stating the facts.]
Thanks to Jiang Mingyue's help, "Exploring Intangible Cultural Heritage" went viral and successfully launched the new program from Shiliu TV. What pleased the TV station's executives the most was that the stock price hit the daily limit that day.
Some investors who had some capital bought shares as early as the first episode of the second season of the variety show when it aired, and sold them off before the stock hit its daily limit this afternoon, making a huge profit.
[Thanks, Sister Jiang, I made 300,000 yuan. But ladies, don't follow my example. The stock market is risky; invest with caution.]
I also invested and haven't sold yet. I predict this wave will continue to rise.
[Waaaaah, what am I going to do about ginger powder when I'm a student?]
Students should focus on their studies. Those who play the stock market are from wealthy families and don't lack money. We ordinary people should just live our lives peacefully.
Trust me, supporting other idols carries the risk of your image collapsing, but supporting Sister Jiang only leads to your haters collapsing.
Jiang Mingyue's Weibo followers also skyrocketed, exceeding 45 million in a single day, creating another miracle.
In the afternoon, we filmed some interviews indoors, as well as a two-hour cultural class.
What was supposed to be a dinner for the three of them turned into a dinner for the entire production crew.
As the host, Jiang Mingyue treated everyone out of her own pocket, leading the group to a time-honored dumpling restaurant in Huai County, where they ordered 500 dumplings plus some stir-fried dishes.
She also went to the braised food shop next to the dumpling restaurant and ordered a huge amount of braised food, practically buying out the entire shop.
Director Xu Daolai was being polite to Jiang Mingyue, not wanting her to spend money. "Oh, Teacher Jiang, it's already great that we can have a meal together. How could you possibly have to spend money?"
Jiang Mingyue said generously, "Director Xu, you are all guests, so this meal will definitely be on me. If you feel bad about it, you can treat me to a meal after the program is finished filming."
Director Xu smiled and said, "It's just a matter of returning the favor with a word."
Ten home-style stir-fries, including stir-fried pork kidneys, stir-fried pork liver, stir-fried clams with chives, and steamed eggs with fried dough twists, are full of wok hei (wok aroma) and have a perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors.
Five hundred dumplings with five different fillings: cabbage and pork, chives and pork, chives and egg, beef and corn, plus green vegetables and pork, were a hit with everyone.
The braised dishes are exceptional; the pig's trotters are tender and soft, the spiced beef is savory and delicious, the pig's ears are chewy, and the pig's head meat is mouthwatering.
The staff ate with gusto, their mouths greasy and completely satisfied. Sometimes, they found the food at the small restaurant even more delicious than what they ate at the big hotel.
Two female guests were also invited tonight.
Guan Yue and Zhao Xin'er originally didn't plan to come, but their agents insisted that they come, saying that since Jiang Mingyue had invited them, they should go openly and not be blamed by Jiang's fans for being ungrateful.
Guan Yue was on a diet and only planned to eat six cabbage and pork dumplings, but Qi Sheng gave her a piece of pig's trotter and told her to eat as much as she wanted, and then walk back to the hotel.
"Eat up, don't be shy, there's a whole table of food."
Guan Yue looked grateful. "Thank you, Brother Qi."
Qi Sheng waved his hand, "It's okay, just eat happily and work happily, don't overthink it."
Zhao Xin'er sat on the other side, not participating in the group's conversation, but quietly eating the dumplings in her bowl.
About half an hour later, Zhao Xin'er said goodbye to Director Xu, saying that she had something to do back at the hotel, and then left.
Director Xu asked if she wanted someone to take her back to the hotel, and Zhao Xin'er said her agent would pick her up.
At the entrance of the dumpling shop, agent Sister Hu was waiting downstairs. When she saw Zhao Xin'er come down, she looked at her with a hint of disappointment.
"Why didn't you stay up there a little longer? What a great opportunity! Didn't you see it's all over the trending topics today? Stocks have all hit their daily limit."
"Xin'er, the company doesn't expect you to become good friends with Jiang Mingyue, and you won't have any work-related interactions in the future. At least take this opportunity to get some of her attention."
"Didn't you notice that Guan Yue has been sticking to Qi Sheng all day? Qi Sheng kept mentioning Guan Yue on the show, and she got more screen time than you."
Sister Hu kept nagging in her ear, but Zhao Xin'er let it go in one ear and out the other, suppressing her restlessness.
Back at the hotel, Zhao Xiner picked up her phone, ready to film a dance to reward her fans. After opening Weibo, she found mostly trending news about Jiang Mingyue, or previews for the sixth episode of the variety show.
The preview for the sixth episode is surprisingly about the disappearance of a Chinese female student named Tingting during the live recording of the previous variety show.
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