Chapter Eighteen
The editor's constant reminders for updates were like a relentless drumbeat, finally pushing Yuzuru Hanyu to complete the picture book "The Bear Family".
The little bear Aben in the story always brings warmth to those around him. He helps his friends generously, is friendly and harmonious with his neighbors, and is respectful and filial to his parents. The story is full of the healing feeling of home, and the editor praised it highly as soon as it was finalized.
Meanwhile, Yuzuru Hanyu's arrangement of the song "Life" has made a comeback on the domestic music platform DGD Music, firmly occupying the top spot on the charts. The philosophical thoughts on life in the melody have touched the hearts of countless listeners.
Just then, an unexpected collaboration offer came her way—a highly anticipated domestic film wanted her to compose the theme song for it. This was a rare opportunity, and Yuzuru accepted without hesitation, immediately pulling Yukimura along to book tickets to China.
The nights in Shanghai never disappoint. When the plane landed at Pudong Airport, the city was already lit up with neon lights. The lights on both sides of the Huangpu River outlined the dazzling silhouette of this international metropolis. The traffic was heavy and bustling, making it a sight to behold.
After a short rest, the two went to a dinner organized by producer Lin Yu, which was their first meeting with the main creative team.
The private room was already quite full. Director Qin An had not yet arrived. Lin Yu stood up with a smile and introduced Yuzuru and Yukimura to everyone, warmly inviting them to sit down.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the door to the private room was pushed open, and Director Qin An walked in with a seven or eight-year-old boy by the hand, apologetic smile on his face: "I'm sorry to have kept you all waiting! Something came up at home, and I had to pick up my child from school, which made me a little late. I'm so sorry."
Most of the people at the dinner table were married, and upon hearing this, they all smiled and expressed their understanding, then chatted and joked about their own daily lives taking care of their children. Lin Yu briefly introduced everyone present to Qin An, then handed the reins of the conversation to the core director.
Qin An was exchanging pleasantries with everyone when the little boy beside him curiously opened his round eyes and looked around at everyone in the room.
When his gaze fell on Yuzuru and Yukimura, he suddenly tugged gently at Qin An's sleeve. Qin An leaned down, listening to the little boy's whisper, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, before looking towards Yukimura's direction.
"Are you Yukimura Seiichi?" The little boy's voice was soft and sweet, with a hint of timid expectation.
With a smile in his eyes, Yukimura replied gently, "Yes, I am Yukimura Seiichi."
"You can speak Chinese!" Director Qin An was clearly surprised, his tone full of delight.
“My wife has been learning Chinese, and influenced by her, I’ve also learned some, though I’m not fluent,” Yukimura explained politely.
"What a coincidence! My son and I are both your fans!" Qin An couldn't hide his excitement. "Speaking of which, I heard the song 'Life' and felt that the melody and artistic conception were a perfect match for our movie, so I specially asked someone to find the arranger. I never expected it to be your wife! This fate is truly wonderful."
Qin An spoke quickly and conveyed a lot of information. Yu Sheng quietly filled in the details that Yukimura had missed in Japanese.
"Can...can I take a picture with you?" The little boy hid behind Qin An, only showing half of his face, his eyes sparkling as he looked at Yukimura.
“Of course.” Yukimura got up and walked to the little boy’s side, bending down to cooperate.
Qin An immediately took out his phone to capture the moment when his son was in the same frame as his idol. The little boy shyly leaned closer to Yukimura, unable to hide the smile on his lips.
"This child is also learning tennis. He watched your Wimbledon match a while ago and keeps saying that he wants to take you as his role model and become a tennis player as good as you in the future," Qin An added with a smile.
After exchanging pleasantries, Qin An invited everyone to start eating, and the meal proceeded in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.
When the event ended, Lin Yu and Yu Sheng agreed on a time to discuss the contract the next day, and then said their goodbyes.
The following afternoon, when Yuzuru came out of the film company, Yukimura was waiting for her under the shade of a tree downstairs. "The contract negotiations went smoothly," Yuzuru said with a tired but satisfied smile. "However, the production schedule is quite tight. Next, we need to see the sample footage and adjust the melody according to the plot, so I'll have to stay here for a while longer."
Yukimura naturally had no objection and reached out to take the file bag from her hand: "That's fine, it's a good opportunity to experience the customs and culture of China."
The story in the sample footage was far more impactful than Yuzuru had imagined. Set in the Republican era, the film follows Shi Nan, an intelligence agent who infiltrates the enemy camp and marries their leader, Li Linfen. Through numerous perilous maneuvers and struggles, their initial tentative interactions blossom into a secret love, yet they never forget their national duty. Ultimately, they choose to sacrifice their lives to complete their mission, both dying before dawn.
The moment the screen went dark, Yuzuru was already sobbing uncontrollably. She recalled the painful history of the invasion of China in her past life. Although China had not experienced such suffering in the present timeline, the patriotism and selfless dedication conveyed in the film still deeply moved her. That courage to sacrifice personal interests for the sake of the country and uphold one's beliefs transcends time and space, inspiring awe and respect.
In the days that followed, Yuzuru devoted himself entirely to composing the theme song.
She and the director team held repeated meetings, polishing the melody frame by frame from the sample footage. The demo was revised again and again, from the details of the arrangement to the emotional expression, striving to make every note fit the plot.
After the final draft was completed, the film crew invited a national-level singer to perform the song. When the finished product was released, even Qin An couldn't help but exclaim, "This is exactly the feeling I wanted. It perfectly matches the mood of Shi Nan and Li Linfen."
With their mission successfully completed, Yuzuru and Yukimura finally had some free time.
Before returning to Japan, the two decided to explore the city thoroughly and check out the surrounding scenic spots and delicious food.
After a day of rest and rejuvenation, Yuzuru dragged Yukimura into "walking mode"—the winding paths, pavilions, and towers of Suzhou gardens were so enchanting that people lingered there.
The incense smoke wafts from Jiming Temple in Nanjing, and its ancient walls and black tiles exude a Zen-like atmosphere; the food is so delicious that you can't stop eating from one end of the street to the other.
Shanghai's xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) are as thin as paper; bite into one and the delicious broth bursts out, the meat filling is firm and springy. Yuxingji's crab roe noodles are coated with golden crab roe and crab meat in every strand, the taste is fresh, mellow and sweet, and with ginger shreds to remove any fishy smell, the flavor is absolutely amazing.
Da Hu Chun's old-fashioned pan-fried buns have a crispy bottom, a soft and chewy dough, and a savory meat filling that's just the right amount of salty and fragrant. They're also delicious with fresh pork ribs and rice cakes. The pork ribs are fried until golden and crispy, tender on the inside, and paired with soft and sticky rice cakes. Dipped in sweet bean sauce, the sweet and savory flavors are irresistible.
When you arrive in Suzhou, you can't miss the authentic Suzhou flavors: in addition to the sweet and soft osmanthus cake, there is also the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish with thin skin and generous filling. The sweet and sour gravy coats the crispy fish, and every bite is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside; the Suzhou soup dumplings with thin skin and fresh juice should be sipped while they are hot and then dipped in fragrant vinegar, which is fresh but not greasy; the black rice cake has a unique grain aroma, is sweet but not cloying, and becomes more and more flavorful with each chew.
When strolling around Nanjing, you can find salted duck with white skin and tender meat, rich in braising aroma, and it becomes incredibly delicious with just a touch of salt and pepper. Duck blood and vermicelli soup features smooth duck blood, crisp duck intestines, and vermicelli soaked in the flavorful duck broth. Served with fried tofu and cilantro, a warm bowl of this soup is incredibly comforting. There's also plum blossom cake with a thin skin and generous filling, topped with red dates and raisins, crispy at the bottom, and soft, sweet inside. The aroma when it's fresh out of the oven is irresistible.
In addition, they also tried sweet and sour pork ribs, smoked fish, sweet fermented rice balls, osmanthus sweet taro sprouts and Meiling porridge from Nanjing. Each dish had its own unique flavor, which made Yuzuru eat to his heart's content. He wished he could try all the delicacies.
Unfortunately, the overindulgence in food and drink over the past few days finally took its toll on his stomach and intestines.
That morning, Yuzuru began vomiting and having diarrhea, becoming severely dehydrated. Yukimura rushed her to the hospital for an IV drip. Lying on the hospital bed, she was pale and looked at Yukimura with a pitiful expression, like a child who had done something wrong and wanted comfort.
Yukimura sat on the edge of the bed, reached out and touched her forehead, his tone filled with concern and helplessness: "You can't be so greedy next time. You were rushing to meet deadlines and your sleep schedule was irregular, so your body was already weak. How can your stomach handle eating such a variety of foods all at once?"
Yuzuru pursed his lips and replied softly, "Okay..."
After receiving the IV drip, Yuzuru rested for two days before gradually recovering. With the start of the new semester at the University of Tokyo approaching, the two packed their bags, filled with memories and gains, and boarded a flight back to Japan.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
