That night.
Zhang Ye's house.
The villa's main door was wide open. Zhang Ye was busy in the open kitchen, washing the vegetables and cooking. He did all of it by himself. For the first meeting of the main cast and crew of In the Name of the People, Zhang Ye did not choose to hold it at a restaurant. Instead, he chose to hold it at his own home. This was because this gathering had an extraordinary meaning to him.
Outside.
There was a knock on the door.
Ning Lan was the first to arrive. "Zhang'er, I'm coming in."
Zhang Ye held the kitchen knife and said with a smile, "Come on in, the door's still open."
Ning Lan looked around. "Where's Minister Wu?"
Zhang Ye said, "Oh, she's working overtime today."
Ning Lan laughed. She didn't even change out of her shoes and walked in in her high heels. "You should have said so earlier. If you had, I wouldn't have knocked on the door."
Zhang Ye smiled and said, "Big Sis, will it kill you to be a little more polite?"
Ning Lan chuckled and said, "There's no need to stand on ceremony with me."
Zhang Ye ordered her, "Oh right, help me take care of our daughter. She's upstairs."
After a while, Ning Lan brought Sisi downstairs.
Outside, Yao Jiancai came in. "Yo, you're cooking?"
Zhang Ye laughed heartily. "That's for sure. I'll broaden your horizons!"
Yao Jiancai asked, "Is your wife around?"
"No, I'm working overtime." Zhang Ye said.
Yao Jiancai also became more casual. He went over to look for tea leaves and rummaged through the cabinets without the slightest bit of politeness. "Where's your Da Hong Pao? Quickly take it out! "
Sisi went downstairs. "Daddy, who are they?"
Zhang Ye patted his daughter on the head. "They're all your uncles and aunties. Have you greeted them yet?"
Sisi shook her head, feeling a little shy.
Yao Jiancai was also excited. "This is our daughter, right? Do you know me? "
Sisi tugged at her father's shirt. "Daddy, play with me."
Zhang Ye smiled and said, "Daddy is cooking something delicious. Go and play with your Auntie Ning."
Ning Lan clapped her hands. "Sisi, come. Auntie will play with you. Let your father cook for us."
Outside the door, Zhang Xia also slowly walked in, "Are you all busy? Hehe. "
Yao Jiancai greeted Zhang Xia.
Ning Lan also smiled and said, "Grandma Zhang, why did that kid manage to invite you out of retirement as well?"
Zhang Xia smiled and said, "Yeah, I had no choice but to come." Then she asked Zhang Ye, "Your wife isn't around?"
Before Zhang Ye could say anything.
Soon after, Jiang Hanwei also arrived.
When Jiang Hanwei came in, he said, "Minister Wu isn't home?"
Zhang Ye rolled his eyes. "She's not around. She's working overtime and probably won't be back before 9 PM. Eh, aren't you guys really interesting? Why is it that the first thing you guys ask when you come in is my wife around?"
Ning Lan smiled and said, "Your wife is now an important leader of the Central Publicity Department. If she were around, would we still be talking to you so casually? No matter what, you have to behave yourself. "
Zhang Ye said, "Don't bother about her. She is her, and I am me."
Dong Shanshan arrived shortly after. "Zhang 'er, your wife —"
Without waiting for her to finish, Zhang Ye bluntly said, "My wife isn't around. Feel free to sit."
Everyone arrived one after another.
Sun Qishuo — a master in the field of drama.
Shu Han was once an A-list superstar.
Jiang Bin — a veteran actor who had been in the industry for 30 years.
There were about a dozen people, and there was no need for introductions. They all knew each other, but some were more familiar with each other, and some were less familiar with each other.
Half an hour later.
The dishes were placed on the table, and the drinks were poured.
Zhang Ye said confidently, "Come, have a taste of my cooking!"
Dong Shanshan smiled and took a bite. "It's not bad."
Ning Lan smacked her lips. "It's edible."
It was Shu Han who supported them. After all, she did not have much of a relationship with Zhang Ye in the past. "It's quite delicious. I didn't know that Director Zhang had such culinary skills."
Zhang Ye said, "My wife broke her leg years ago. It was during that time that I learned to cook."
Ning Lan raised her glass. "Let me suggest that we have a toast first. It's really not easy for us to be able to gather here today, especially Old Jiang. You really managed to invite him here."
Jiang Bin also wondered, "Yeah, didn't the two of you argue with each other back then?"
Jiang Hanwei said calmly, "Work is work, and personal relationships are personal relationships."
Ning Lan asked, "Why is Shanshan here too? You don't lack films, do you? "
Dong Shanshan smiled and said, "He came to my studio and begged me to do it. My heart softened, so I agreed."
Zhang Ye was floored. "Did I?"
Everyone laughed.
With a glass of wine in their stomachs, the dinner table became lively.
Zhang Ye stood up and said, "Let me say a few words. I've called everyone here today to have a meet-up, but it's actually just a gathering of old friends. All of us here should know each other, right? Some of us have deeper friendships with each other, while some of us might have a grudge against each other. But after drinking this glass of wine and having this meal, let's put the past behind us. Let's all work hard together and do a good job on the show. As veterans of the industry, it's time for us to show some results to the world. Don't drop the ball. "
Yao Jiancai said, "I'm just afraid that you'll drop the ball first."
Ning Lan agreed, "Yeah, everyone here is a Best Actor or a Best Actress, right?"
Zhang Ye blinked. "Is that so?"
Shu Han smiled. "Of course it is. Old Ning doesn't need to be mentioned, right? She probably can't even count the number of Best Actress awards she's won. I've also won it twice. "
Jiang Hanwei said stiffly, "I've won four."
Yao Jiancai laughed and said, "I've won one and four Best Supporting Actor awards."
Jiang Bin smiled. "I haven't counted, but there should be two or three in the country."
Sun Qishuo said, "Does drama awards count? If so, I've won eight or nine. "
Dong Shanshan looked at Zhang Ye. "I've won one too."
Zhang Ye exclaimed, "You've won one too?"
Dong Shanshan smiled and said, "I only won it last year. It was just a Best Actress award for a short film."
Ning Lan said in amusement, "A Best Actress award for a short film is still a Best Actress award."
Zhang Ye wiped his sweat. "So I'm the only one who isn't one?"
Dong Shanshan said, "Not only have you never won a Best Actor award, you've never even acted in a TV series before."
Zhang Xia also laughed when she heard that. She said with a sigh, "A guy who hasn't even acted in a TV series before actually dares to rally everyone to make a TV series. Little Zhang, just how gutsy do you have to be to do this? In the entire entertainment industry, if you claim to be second in courage, no one would dare to claim to be first. "
Zhang Ye smiled and said, "Then why do all of you still dare to participate?"
Shu Han laughed. "Because we all know what you're capable of."
Ning Lan smirked. "That's right. Others might have forgotten about your capabilities, but how could we forget? This time, only you, Little Zhang, can bring together a bunch of us old fogies who are past our prime and retired."
Zhang Ye gave a fist and palm salute and said, "Thank you, everyone. Alright, you're making me feel pressured. I'll do my best not to drag down the Best Actors and Best Actresses. Although I'm the director, if there's any problem with my acting, please feel free to criticize and correct me. I won't get angry."
Everyone rolled their eyes.
You're not just the director, are you?
The person in charge.
The producer.
The executive director.
The lead actor.
You've taken all the credit you can, so who can point it out to you!
"Don't listen to his nonsense. Let's drink up."
"Right, back then, this kid would respond 100 times to anyone who criticized him. If he were the kind of person who could accept criticism, he wouldn't have offended so many people over the years."
"Haha, you're right."
"Do you still remember that time? Zhang'er caused a scene at the police station without saying a word. Those poems are still around and have become a tourist attraction at the police station. "
"I heard about it back then, but I don't know the details. Little Dong, quickly tell us about it."
"Shanshan, get lost!"
"Haha, everyone wanted me to say it."
"Alright, then I'll talk about some embarrassing things."
"Get lost!"
Idle chatter.
Teasing.
Reminiscing about the past.
Recounting the past in detail.
Everyone drank one glass at a time and were all very happy.
Finally, Zhang Ye suggested, "Come, let's take a picture together."
Ning Lan said, "Alright, today is really worth commemorating."
Dong Shanshan asked, "So the production crew is officially established?"
Zhang Ye smiled. "Yes, it's officially established."
Zhang Xia said, "Come, let's take a picture."
Shu Han said, "Grandma Zhang, stand in the middle."
Zhang Ye said, "Quick, quick, let's take a picture."
"Three."
"Two."
"One."
"Eggplant!!!"
There were countless points to criticize in just one picture.
Dong Shanshan's peace sign was stuck on Zhang Ye's head.
Zhang Ye mischievously pinched Yao Jiancai's face.
Ning Lan pinched Shu Han's chin.
Shu Han laughed heartily as she tiptoed. She was taller than everyone else by more than half a head.
After the picture was taken, everyone gathered around to have a look and laughed heartily.
Even Jiang Hanwei couldn't help but shake his head in amusement.
Dong Shanshan urged, "Hurry up and post it on Weibo."
Zhang Ye was having none of it. "My image is too ugly."
Yao Jiancai said, "My face is already deformed, but I haven't complained about it yet!"
Ning Lan said, "It's pretty good. Hurry up and post it!"
Zhang Xia said, "We can't just post a picture. We have to say something."
Shu Han said, "Now that the production crew has been established, we have to inform the public."
"Then what should we write?" Zhang Ye asked.
Shu Han laughed and said, "That's definitely your job."
Yao Jiancai said, "Yeah, we're not as good at writing as you are at it."
Ning Lan looked at him. "You've been locked up for more than three years. Have you turned stupid? Can you still write? "
This group of old-timers were all as mischievous as teenagers. Perhaps deep in their hearts, they did not want to admit that they were old.
So they came back.
So today, they made a comeback.
For dignity?
For faith?
Or for lost honor?
Zhang Ye smiled. "Alright then."
After uploading the photo, Zhang Ye closed his eyes and thought for a while. When he opened his eyes, he was already smiling and typing on his cell phone. Very quickly, Zhang Ye's first Weibo post since his return was released to the world once again.
Weibo text:
"The surging Yangtze River flows east, the waves wash away all heroes."
"Whether it's right or wrong, success or failure, it's all gone."
"The green mountains are still there, and the sunset glow several times."
"White-haired fisherman and woodcutter, accustomed to watching the autumn moon and the spring breeze."
"A pot of muddy wine is a happy reunion."
"How many things have happened in the past and present? They are all just jokes."
Finally.
A line of small words.
"Hello, World of Martial Arts, how have you been?"
"— Zhang Ye and the lead cast of In the Name of the People are staying."
Yao Jiancai cheered loudly, "Good!"
Ning Lan said excitedly, "Well written!"
Shu Han gave him a thumbs up.
What a surging Yangtze River flowing eastward!
What a good 'the green mountains are still in the sunset glow'!
What a good Jianghu, how have you been?
A few lines of small words were soul-stirring!
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