Chapter 00195: He Qing
# He Qing
Chapter 195
Novel: 1979 Golden Age
Chapter 195: He Qing
"Beep beep!"
The loud honk of a horn scattered the pedestrians as a blue-and-white bus, locally produced in Hangzhou, slowly pulled into the station.
As soon as the doors opened, He Qing hopped off lightly, opened her small floral umbrella, and made her way to a guesthouse affiliated with the provincial cultural department.
She was 17 years old, standing about 165 centimeters tall, with a naturally beautiful face.
However, her baby fat made her cheeks chubby, giving her a more approachable, girl-next-door vibe rather than the stunning beauty one might expect from a historical drama.
"Hello, comrade. I'm here to see Manager Chen in room 331. I came by a few days ago."
"He's not here. I saw him leave this morning."
"Do you know when he'll be back?"
"How should I know? If you want to wait, do it outside. Don't loiter in the lobby."
Feeling a bit down, He Qing stepped outside, still holding a greasy paper package in her hand.
There was nothing else to do but wait.
Last year, Chen Qi and Yang Jie had come south to scout for actors and had met He Qing once.
At the time, they hadn't talked much, and she thought nothing would come of it.
But then, out of the blue, that same screenwriter, Chen, had returned, now calling himself "Manager Chen," and offered her a small role in a movie.
It was for *Tai Chi 2*!
The role was something about a "Holy Maiden" or "Fairy" from the Red Lantern Society.
Another girl from a Yue opera troupe, Tao Huimin, had also been chosen, but she was from a troupe in Rui'an, Wenzhou, and it was a hassle for her to travel.
The two hadn't met yet.
He Qing stood under her umbrella, squatting by the entrance, watching the rain wash over an anthill as she waited.
---
It was early summer.
The lotus flowers hadn't yet bloomed, but the view was filled with endless stretches of green lotus leaves.
The West Lake, with its delicate beauty, was wrapped in a misty rain that seemed to carry the scent of bygone eras, adding to the charm of this Jiangnan landscape.
At the edge of this picturesque scene was a young girl in a floral dress, standing by the lake with an umbrella, lost in thought.
Suddenly, she stamped her foot, turned away in a huff, and her figure disappeared by the lake, bringing the entire scene to life.
The 1980s were a time of raw, unpolished tourism.
Places like Lingyin Temple's Feilai Peak had statues that people could climb on freely, with no one to stop them—just like swimming in Dragon Pool at Mount Lu.
But most people were still struggling to make ends meet, and only a handful had the luxury of leisure to enjoy such sights.
"Ahhh... ahhh... ahhh... the beauty of West Lake in March, the spring rain like wine, the willows like smoke..."
On the Broken Bridge, Chen Qi belted out a tune in his raspy voice, completely disregarding the poetic atmosphere.
After finishing, he sighed deeply.
"Throughout history, how many beautiful legends and tragic love stories have unfolded here by West Lake?"
He turned around, only to be met with Ji Chunhua's less-than-handsome face.
Pretending not to notice, he turned back.
"Xiao Ji, why is it always you? I can't even express my emotions properly with you around."
"Hehe, I feel like I don't belong here either."
"If you know you don't belong, then stop following me so closely. Stay at least three meters away!"
Ji Chunhua obediently stepped back, still grinning foolishly.
"Brother Qi, what were you singing just now? It sounded great!"
"It's a theme song for a TV series I'm working on. Have you heard the story of Xu Xian and the White Snake?"
"Of course, I'm from Zhejiang... Brother Qi, are you writing *The Legend of the White Snake*?" Ji Chunhua asked excitedly.
"I will in the future. Alright, let's head back."
*The Legend of the White Snake* was filmed in 1992, by which time Zhao Yazhi was already 39. Though she was still beautiful, she lacked the youthful charm needed for the role of Hu Meiniang.
In 1987, Taiwan had opened up for veterans to return to the mainland to visit relatives, easing cross-strait tensions and increasing cultural exchanges between the mainland and Hong Kong.
Chen Qi thought it would be best to film *The Legend of the White Snake* a few years earlier, with himself as the producer, to add another achievement to his resume.
Of course, he couldn't share these thoughts with Ji Chunhua.
Shaking his head and sighing, he wandered back to the guesthouse.
Before he even reached the entrance, he saw a small floral umbrella spinning around.
The owner of the umbrella looked up, her eyes curving into crescents as she smiled.
In the delicate voice of a Jiangnan girl, she called out, "Manager Chen! Brother Chunhua!"
"Xiao He, what are you doing here again? Coming for a free meal?"
Ji Chunhua's eyes lit up, and he scurried over, his face beaming with excitement.
"Do you think I only come here for food? My parents visited me yesterday and brought some things. I thought I'd share them with you."
He Qing held up the greasy paper package and smiled.
"Here, it's some local specialties from Quzhou—sesame cakes and duck feet."
"Wow, thank you so much! It's still raining, so if you're not in a hurry..."
Ji Chunhua came from a poor family and had spent years in a martial arts troupe, so it was no surprise he was so eager around a pretty girl.
But he didn't dare make any decisions without his boss's approval.
He glanced at Chen Qi, who shrugged.
"Since you're here, you might as well join us."
"Ah, thank you, Manager Chen!"
He Qing smiled.
She hadn't come specifically for the food, but a good meal was always welcome.
The guesthouse had high standards for its meals.
---
In those days, guesthouses weren't open to just anyone.
People from the same system stayed in guesthouses affiliated with their own system.
Chen Qi, being part of the cultural sector, had to stay in a cultural guesthouse.
Given his rank as a deputy department-level official, his accommodations were quite luxurious.
The conditions at the opera troupe weren't great, so He Qing rarely got to eat well.
Here, she indulged, taking bite after bite of meat.
Ji Chunhua, acting like a devoted admirer, took care of her every need.
Chen Qi couldn't bear to watch and casually asked, "Xiao He, have you performed in any plays at the troupe?"
"Yes, I have!"
"Have you ever played a leading role?"
"No, I'm a backup actor."
"So your skills aren't quite up to par, and you're just a substitute?"
"It's the Zhejiang Kun Opera Troupe! All the seniors are highly respected. I'm only 17—how could I possibly take a leading role?"
He Qing swallowed a piece of meat and wiped her mouth.
"In troupes like yours, if you don't get a leading role, do you just stay there indefinitely?"
"What else can I do? The troupe provides food, housing, and a salary. There are performance opportunities too. If I can't get a leading role, that's just my fate. I can't blame anyone for my lack of skill... But don't worry, Manager Chen. If you give me a role in your movie, I'll do my best!"
He Qing patted her chest and continued eating happily.
In front of this man she'd only met three times, she felt no awkwardness.
Her liveliness and straightforwardness stood out among all the women Chen Qi had met—Cai Ming didn't count; she was in a league of her own.
After a few more words, Chen Qi lost interest in the conversation.
Right now, He Qing was just a chubby girl.
It wasn't until she turned 27 that she would reach her peak beauty, and even at 40, she would still be stunning.
For now, the best he could do was recommend her to the *Dream of the Red Chamber* TV series crew, helping to complete the set of adaptations for the Four Great Classical Novels.
She had already played Lianlian in *Journey to the West*, Xiao Qiao in *Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, and Li Shishi in *Water Margin*.
Her role as Qin Keqing in the movie version of *Dream of the Red Chamber* felt a bit like padding the cast...
The greasy paper package had been opened, and Chen Qi picked up a duck foot to try.
It was a spicy and fragrant cold dish.
Quzhou was one of the few places in Zhejiang where people enjoyed spicy food, and the flavor was quite good.
As he ate, he suddenly thought of another famous person from Quzhou—Zhou Shuren, also known as Lu Xun.
Wait, no, that wasn't right.
He was thinking of Zhou Xun.
She was only 7 years old now.
Gao Yuanyuan was just 2, Fan Bingbing would be born in four months, and Liu Yifei wouldn't arrive for another six years...
"Sigh, they're all from different generations."
Chen Qi chewed on the duck foot and sighed inexplicably.
For now, he'd better focus on his "sister Xue."
(End of Chapter)