Chapter 00021: The Old, Young, Sick, and Disabled
# The Old, Young, Sick, and Disabled
Chapter 21
Novel: 1979 Golden Age
Chapter 21: The Old, Young, Sick, and Disabled
Given Ge You's personality, he had originally planned to wait a few days before paying a visit.
However, to his surprise, Chen Qi invited him to a small gathering the very next day.
Ge You took it seriously and even washed his hair before heading over.
At dinner time, he knocked on the door of room 302 with a hint of nervousness.
Chen Qi opened the door and greeted him, "Ah, perfect timing! Come in, come in! I went back home during the day, and my mom packed me some food. I figured I couldn't finish it all by myself, so I thought I'd invite you over. Don't mind the simplicity."
"Please, don't say that. I'm the one intruding... Oh, hello, Teacher Liang!"
Ge You was still being polite, but Liang Xiaosheng chuckled and said, "You'll get used to him after spending more time together. He's the least formal person you'll ever meet. Always so rigid and serious—it's exhausting. Come, sit here!"
Liang Xiaosheng helped set things up, opening a few aluminum lunch boxes.
"I asked the canteen chef to heat these up for us. Chen here also went out and got some food from a local eatery, along with a bottle of wine. Can you handle a drink?"
"I can manage a few cups!"
Ge You's eyes lit up.
He was a fan of good wine, and when he saw the dishes, his eyes sparkled even more—there was meat and dumplings!
They turned the table sideways, with two sitting on the bed and one on a chair.
They used enamel mugs as wine cups, each pouring about two taels of wine.
Chen Qi smiled and said, "I've saved up almost forty yuan, and today's the first time I've spent any of it. That little shop is run by the educated youth cooperative, selling loose wine and such. I'm not sure how it tastes, though. Come on, don't be shy, let's dig in!"
In those days, having a good meal wasn't easy.
Chen Qi had been living away from home, and only when he went back did he get such treats.
Liang Xiaosheng had it even harder, with his family struggling to make ends meet, so they had to save every penny.
For a while, they just focused on eating.
After a while, the conversation started flowing, fueled by the wine.
They chatted about this and that, nothing too serious, but for men, drinking and boasting were part of life's simple pleasures.
Eventually, the topic turned to Ge You's work.
His mood instantly soured, and he sighed, "I've taken so many exams for different jobs, but I haven't passed any. The commune where I used to work even wants me to go back, saying the pigs I raised miss me—both the big ones and the little ones. Sigh, I've lived 22 years, and the only ones who remember me are the pigs."
"Don't say that. Heaven has great plans for you, but it first tests your resolve. Didn't your parents say they were helping you find something?" Liang Xiaosheng asked.
"The All-China Federation of Trade Unions' cultural troupe is hiring, but I still have to take an exam. My dad's been coaching me personally, and he even picked a topic for me—'Feeding Pigs.' He says it's close to life. But honestly, I don't know how to do anything else except feed pigs."
"Then why don't you perform it for us? Let's see how it goes."
"No, no, I can't do that. It's too embarrassing!" Ge You waved his hands in refusal.
"Even though we've just met, let me say something, and don't take it the wrong way," Chen Qi interjected.
"I think your mindset is part of the problem. If you feel embarrassed performing in front of us, how are you going to perform in front of the judges? You're already subconsciously thinking it's something shameful. How can you pass the exam like that?"
"I... I..."
Ge You wanted to argue but quickly gave up, sighing in defeat.
"Maybe you're right. And I get so nervous. I practice fine at home, but when I get there, I just freeze."
"Then try to relax. For example, take deep breaths. I find that helps me relax," Liang Xiaosheng suggested.
"I've tried that. It doesn't work."
"Well, then..."
Liang Xiaosheng scratched his head.
He was a writer, not a performer.
"Everyone gets nervous during exams. There's no way around it," Chen Qi said, but then he added, "But you could try forcing yourself to relax by moving around—marching in place, doing some exercises, or jogging a few laps. Just get your body moving."
"Does that really work?" Ge You asked skeptically.
"Have you ever gone for a run? Even though you're tired afterward, don't you feel a sense of relief, even satisfaction?"
"I guess that's true!"
"So, give it a try. It might help, at least a little."
What Chen Qi didn't explain was that exercise releases endorphins and dopamine, which make you feel better and give you a sense of accomplishment.
But he didn't bother going into that.
Instead, he raised his enamel mug and said, "Here's to your success in the exam!"
"You'll do great!" Liang Xiaosheng chimed in.
Ge You, emboldened by the wine, almost teared up.
His emotions were running high.
"Thank you both for your kind words. I will pass this time. If I don't, I'll feel like I've let you both down!"
They clinked their mugs and drank.
The bond between them was growing.
Chen Qi was deliberately fostering this connection.
He had been at the Beijing Film Studio for a while now, and though he was sociable, he hadn't made many friends.
Most of the people there were either seasoned veterans, middle-aged folks like Jiang Huaiyan, or tough cookies like Liu Xiaoqing.
He was too young, and everyone treated him like a kid.
Liang Xiaosheng and Ge You were different, as was that little girl.
Tsk!
Chen Qi took a sip of wine and glanced at the motley crew around him—old, young, sick, and disabled.
…………
Chen Qi had arrived in mid-April, and now it was early May.
That meant he had to finish revising the script.
Today was Tuesday, and every Tuesday afternoon was designated for study sessions across all units.
Work and production stopped, and schools didn't hold classes.
This tradition had been around for years, and later, when televisions became common, TV stations also chose Tuesdays for maintenance.
So, that afternoon, there were no programs on TV.
Instead, the screen displayed a "colorful disc," officially known as the "PM5544 TV Test Card."
In the afternoon.
The sunlight grew stronger, signaling the arrival of early summer.
Chen Qi took a short nap and then grabbed the thick, brick-like script.
He headed to Jiang Huaiyan's office, only to find that Jiang wasn't there.
Instead, his daughter was sitting inside, munching on sunflower seeds while doing her homework.
"Brother Chen!"
"Where's your dad?"
"He's in a meeting. He'll be done soon."
Jiang Shan glanced at the script in his hand and asked, "Is that the script you wrote? I heard from my dad it's a love story. Can I take a look?"
"You're just a kid. What do you know about love? This is bourgeois stuff."
"Bourgeois? Hmph, I'm even learning English. Is English bourgeois too?" She waved her textbook, which was clearly an English primer.
"You guys have English classes now?"
"Our school is a pilot program!"
The previous year, the Ministry of Education had proposed introducing foreign language classes starting from the third grade of elementary school, but it was still in the experimental phase and hadn't been widely implemented.
Chen Qi wasn't familiar with this, so he could only express surprise.
He sat down in a chair to wait for Jiang Huaiyan, but after a while, there was still no sign of him.
Bored, he glanced at the little girl bent over her homework and suddenly asked, "Do you know the word for 'pig'?"
"Of course! Pig!"
"How about 'dog'?"
"Dog!"
"Chicken?"
"Chicken... Oh, chicken!"
"How do you say 'beautiful'?"
"Ha, you can't stump me! Beautiful!"
"Chicken is beautiful. Can you translate that?"
Jiang Shan frowned and tried, "Chicken... is beautiful?"
"Well, in translation, we aim for accuracy, fluency, and elegance. This sentence could be translated as..."
Before Chen Qi could finish playing the role of a know-it-all, Jiang Huaiyan walked in.
"Oh, Chen, you're here. This afternoon, the whole factory is having a meeting, and each department is holding one too. We just finished ours."
"I just got here. I wanted to show you the script."
"Shan Shan, go outside and finish your homework."
"Okay!"
Jiang Shan reluctantly grabbed her bag and left, while Jiang Huaiyan took the script and began flipping through it.
After a while, he nodded.
"You've made some good changes. Your writing is very precise, hitting all the points we suggested. From my perspective, it's already up to standard. But the studio's rules require the entire literature department to review it, followed by the vice president in charge of this area, who will make the final decision on whether it passes. Don't worry, though. It should be fine. I'll keep the script here for now."
Jiang Huaiyan smiled and added, "Chen, your age can be misleading. I didn't expect you to have such a knack for writing."
"It's all thanks to the guidance of my teachers. I'm just good at executing their advice."
"Good at executing? That's a fresh way to put it. Alright, you can head back now. I'll call you when I need you."
"Sure!"
Chen Qi left the office and saw Jiang Shan standing in the hallway, leaning against the windowsill as she worked on her homework.
She was 12 years old, not particularly tall, with a larger frame.
She hadn't quite grown into her features yet, so she didn't stand out much.
But Chen Qi knew what she would look like in the future—a broad face, striking features, and an innate lack of pettiness.
This type of actress was rare, and in later years, they would become almost extinct, replaced by a sea of small faces and delicate chins.
He sneaked up behind her and suddenly shouted, "Boo!"
"Ah!"
Jiang Shan jumped a foot in the air and turned around, ready to scold him, but Chen Qi had already dashed away.
She went back inside, grumbling, "Dad, that guy is so annoying."
"He's not much older than you. He's just playing around. He's really talented at writing. You should learn from him when you have the chance."
In Jiang Huaiyan's eyes, Chen Qi, at 19, was still a kid.
"Who wants to learn from him? I'm going to study at a foreign language institute!"
Jiang Shan huffed and went back to her homework.
After a while, Jiang Huaiyan had to step out again, and she heard a rustling outside.
The annoying guy had returned, but he didn't come in.
Instead, he tossed a few pieces of candy through the door—leftovers from Yu Xiuli's stash—and said, "Have some candy. Study hard!"
Then he disappeared again.
Jiang Shan looked at the candy.
It was a local Beijing specialty called "red shrimp crispy candy," with a thin, crispy shell and a layered filling that tasted pretty good.
She hesitated for a moment, then unwrapped one and popped it into her mouth.
"Hmph! Might as well eat it. It's free, after all!"
(End of chapter...)