Chapter 00070: The Farewell Dinner
# The Farewell Dinner
Chapter 70
Novel: 1979 Golden Age
Chapter 70: The Farewell Dinner
The Beijing Film Studio covered a vast area, with the production facilities at the front and the residential quarters at the back.
The residential area was lined with several apartment buildings, each floor connected by a long corridor that served over a dozen households.
The living spaces were small, so pots, pans, and other kitchenware were often piled up in the corridors.
By mealtime, the entire building would be filled with the aroma of cooking.
Things were relatively manageable now, but by the 1980s, as the number of employees at the studio grew, housing became a scarce resource.
Single employees could sleep in their offices, but those who were married or had children had no choice but to fight over the limited housing.
There was even an incident where an actress named Gai Lili, who had been at the studio for a few years, had her single dormitory taken over by another actress who had recently married.
While Gai was away filming, the other actress broke into her room, threw her belongings out, and moved in without a second thought.
It just goes to show how important housing is, no matter the era.
On the day the filming wrapped up, as evening fell, the four main creators—Tang Guoqiang, Gong Xue, Zhang Jinling, and Chen Qi—gathered in one of the apartment buildings.
"Come in, come in! You’re just in time—I just bought some groceries!"
"Make yourselves at home. Don’t be shy. Have some candy, and here are some sunflower seeds!"
Wang Haowei and her husband warmly welcomed everyone.
Chen Qi glanced around the apartment, which was about ten square meters in size—cramped but tidy, with books taking up most of the space.
Tang Guoqiang, whose wife had some influence, had no trouble securing a place.
Zhang Jinling, who had just gotten married, had also been allocated a similar apartment.
Gong Xue, however, was a bit envious.
She was still living in a shared dormitory in the military and didn’t have her own place.
As for Chen Qi, he was a freeloader who could mooch off others indefinitely.
After some small talk, Wang Haowei said, "You all sit tight. I bought some meat and I’ll whip up a few dishes for you."
"We can’t let you do all the work. Let us help!"
"No, no, you’re guests."
After some polite back-and-forth, Gong Xue volunteered to assist in the kitchen.
Chen Qi knew how to cook too, but he was too lazy to help.
He wandered outside, where the air was filled with the mixed aromas of various households cooking.
Gong Xue rummaged through the ingredients and exclaimed, "You even bought ribbonfish?"
"I had to fight for it! It’s genuine winter ribbonfish from Zhoushan. Have you ever been to Zhoushan?"
"I went there a couple of times as a child. The ribbonfish there is really good. Look at the size of these—you must’ve bought the most expensive ones, right? At 38 cents a pound?"
"See? This is what I call living well!" Wang Haowei beamed, praising Gong Xue while playfully chiding Zhang Jinling, "You’re too careless, Jinling!"
"Yeah, yeah, I’m just here to eat!" Zhang Jinling replied, unfazed.
In 1957, there was a bumper harvest of ribbonfish in the south, and Beijing purchased 150,000 pounds of fresh ribbonfish.
The following year, they bought over a million pounds.
Ribbonfish was abundant, affordable, and delicious, making it a popular choice.
Local officials promoted it, claiming it was rich in iodine and could prevent goiter.
"It’s tasty, so hurry up and buy some!" they urged.
And so, the people of Beijing began enjoying southern ribbonfish.
The best came from Zhoushan, and the wider the fish, the more expensive it was.
"How do you plan to cook it?"
"Stew it, like we usually do."
"Stew? Actually, braised or sweet-and-sour would be good too," Gong Xue suggested with a smile.
But someone, like a ghost lurking behind her, chimed in, "Hey, hey, your Shanghai-style dishes are too heavy on the oil and sauce. We prefer lighter flavors. Do you think the director’s spices are free?"
"Well, frying it a bit before stewing would make it tastier."
"Is the oil free too?"
Tsk!
Gong Xue turned and glared at him.
Why was he so annoying?
"Get inside! You’re just getting in the way!"
Wang Haowei shooed him back into the room and said, "Xiao Gong, let’s just stew it. It’s easier, and we can have it with the broth. It’ll be more lively."
"Alright, I’ll follow your lead."
Gong Xue nodded, picked up a basin of ribbonfish, and began cleaning it with practiced ease.
Although oil was precious, since they were hosting guests, she used a bit to fry the fish before stewing it.
She lit the coal stove, added the seasonings, and let it simmer on low heat.
Soon, the aroma filled the air.
"Wow, hosting a feast, are we?"
"Smells like the 38-cent ribbonfish. Can we have a piece?"
"You had pork knuckle yesterday and didn’t share any with us. Go on, get inside!"
The neighbors came out to joke around.
Wang Haowei, no longer in her director role, became a friendly neighbor.
She looked at Gong Xue with increasing fondness and asked, "Xiao Gong, when are you heading back to the military?"
"Tomorrow."
"You’re such a good kid, perfect in every way. If there’s a role that suits you in the future, we’ll work together again."
"Thank you, Director Wang!"
Gong Xue smiled.
Due to her upbringing, she had a bit of a people-pleasing personality, always worried about offending others and caring deeply about how people viewed her.
Her behavior around Wang Haowei had its ulterior motives, but that was normal.
She wasn’t like Liu Xiaoqing, who would do anything to climb the ladder.
Before long, the food was served.
The centerpiece was a large pot of stewed ribbonfish, surrounded by several side dishes, rice, steamed buns, and a bottle of wine.
"Anyone want some wine?"
"Most of us are women, so I’ll pass," Tang Guoqiang said.
"Afraid you’ll have to explain yourself at home, huh?"
Tang Guoqiang rolled his eyes, too tired to respond.
Chen Qi chuckled, "If Old Tang isn’t drinking, neither am I."
"Then let me say a few words…"
Wang Haowei, clearly the one in charge at home, took the lead.
"From the moment Xiao Chen wrote the script for Romance on Lushan Mountain to now, it’s been over half a year, and we’ve finally finished filming. It’s been a wonderful experience, and we’ve all gotten along so well—no petty dramas or nonsense. For those of you who haven’t been in many productions, you might not realize how rare it is to have such a peaceful set. So, I want to thank you all. Let’s toast with tea!"
They clinked their cups and dug in.
In those days, a good meal was a treat, and everyone showed great respect for the food.
Chen Qi picked up a piece of ribbonfish.
It had been stewed until the bones were soft and the meat tender.
He removed the smaller bones with his fingers, then slid the main bone out with his mouth.
The flavor was incredible! After two pieces, he quickly ladled some broth.
"Drink the broth! It’s the most nutritious part—all the essence of the ribbonfish is in there."
"Just eat and stop talking. We all know how to drink broth," Tang Guoqiang grumbled.
"You need to pour it over rice—that’s the best way!"
Chen Qi poured some broth over his rice and devoured it in no time.
Too embarrassed to ask for seconds, he picked up a steamed bun and stared at it.
"What now?" Tang Guoqiang asked.
"I was thinking… if we sliced this bun, fried it, slathered it with sesame paste, and sprinkled it with powdered sugar, it’d be amazing!"
Everyone laughed.
Zhang Jinling’s round face shook as she chuckled, "Xiao Chen, you always act so mature, but when it comes to food, you’re like a kid."
"What kid? Have you ever seen a kid my size?"
"Sometimes you really do act like a kid—a mischievous one," Wang Haowei confirmed.
"That’s called having a childlike spirit. You wouldn’t understand!"
With no more filming responsibilities, everyone was relaxed and chatted freely.
They all had their own agendas, and Wang Haowei’s dinner was partly to strengthen connections, but that didn’t stop genuine friendships from forming.
"Xiao Gong, are you really heading back to the military tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"And Xiao Chen, your work is done too. Are you leaving as well?"
"Not me. I’m working on a new script, so I’ll keep staying at the studio’s guesthouse, eating and drinking for free."
He shamelessly admitted it without a hint of guilt.
Wang Haowei spoke candidly, "As a screenwriter, it’s fine for you to stay at the studio—people see you as an outsider. But if you decide to join us officially, things will be different. You’ll face a whole new set of challenges."
"I get it. I’ve already noticed some people giving me the side-eye," Chen Qi said with a laugh.
(End of Chapter)