Recaps

Chen Qi discussed the direction of Romance on Mount Lu with its newly appointed director, Wang Haowei, and they agreed to frame the film around love and optimism. The chapter ended as they prepared to discuss casting.

• Chen Qi arranged to sell plastic sandals with Huang Zhanying and told her to stock up on as many pairs as possible.
• Liang Xiaosheng told Chen Qi that Beijing Film Studio had chosen Wang Haowei to direct Romance on Mount Lu and took him to meet her.
• Wang Haowei explained that she had studied the script and wanted to reach a shared understanding with Chen Qi before filming.
• Chen Qi and Wang Haowei agreed to make the film a lyrical scenic story centered on love and positive feelings about building a new era.
• Wang Haowei and Chen Qi moved on to discuss casting.

Chen Qi and Wang Haowei agreed on casting and character styling for Romance on Mount Lu, and Chen learned he could remain involved through filming. With time on his hands, Chen sought a new project and called reporter Yu Jiajia to propose a news story promoting his tea stall.

• Wang Haowei described the qualities he wanted in the female lead, and Chen Qi suggested a gentler, prettier male lead and more mature styling as the story progressed.
• Wang Haowei agreed with Chen Qi and said he could advise on the film through the end of filming, while Chen Qi could continue staying at the guesthouse.
• Chen Qi returned to room 302, napped, and later talked with Liang Xiaosheng about the film and Ge You’s upcoming audition.
• Chen Qi teased Jiang Shan in the courtyard, then went to Jiang Huaiyan to borrow a telephone.
• Chen Qi called Yu Jiajia at China Youth Daily and proposed working together on a news story to promote his tea stall.

Ge You secured a salaried position with the All-China Federation of Trade Unions Art Troupe, while Chen Qi and Yu Jiajia arranged a newspaper-promoted performance at the Jingcheng Municipal Traditional Opera School. The school selected students for the event, including a twelve-year-old Liu Bei, leaving Chen Qi surprised by another young performer entering his orbit.

• Ge You passed his exam and joined the All-China Federation of Trade Unions Art Troupe's drama company, earning a steady salary.
• Chen Qi invited Yu Jiajia to help arrange a performance by traditional opera students for an educated-youth cooperative.
• Yu Jiajia and Chen Qi persuaded the Jingcheng Municipal Traditional Opera School's director to consider the event and offer newspaper publicity.
• The school chose students from several opera programs to perform, including the twelve-year-old Liu Bei.
• Chen Qi recognized Liu Bei's name and wondered why he kept encountering young girls.

Chen Qi used a traditional opera performance at Huang Zhanying’s big-bowl tea stall to attract customers, then seized on American journalist Eve Arnold’s visit as a chance to publicize the business. He encouraged Yu Jiajia to write a selectively flattering story, leaving his competitors’ stall struggling for attention.

• Liu Bei and five other young performers traveled with their teacher to Qianmen Archery Tower to sing at Huang Zhanying’s tea stall.
• One performer sang an excerpt from Mu Guiying Takes Command, drawing applause as Yu Jiajia photographed the crowd.
• Eve Arnold arrived with an interpreter, and Chen Qi introduced the tea stall and arranged for a performer to sing for her.
• Huang Zhanying served Eve a bowl of big-bowl tea, and Eve drank some before asking to take photographs.
• Yu Jiajia proposed a story about Eve and the tea, and Chen Qi argued that selecting true details to shape a favorable account counted as journalism.

Chen Qi’s tea stall drew a large crowd after Yu Jiajia’s report about its opera performance and American guest appeared on the front page. As a rival stall struggled, Chen Qi planned to bring its workers into the cooperative and expand into a general merchandise store.

• Liu Bei returned to the opera school and told her roommates about the crowd, the performance, and meeting the American guest Eve.
• Yu Jiajia learned that her article had passed review and would appear on the front page of China Youth Daily.
• After reading the article, the opera school’s director sent the performers back to the tea stall to continue their show.
• A rival tea stall west of the Qianmen Archery Tower lost customers to Huang Zhanying’s crowded stall and complained about Chen Qi’s success.
• Huang Zhanying said the cooperative needed more teapots, bowls, vats, and tables to meet demand.
• Chen Qi proposed taking in workers from the struggling rival stall, securing a storefront, and expanding the business into a small general merchandise store.

Chen Qi prepared the tea stall for a visit from the city’s top official, Leader Lin, and used the inspection to seek support for hiring more unemployed youth. Leader Lin praised the stall and its young workers, and Chen Qi planned to publicize the visit in the newspaper.

• Chen Qi and Huang Zhanying arranged the tea stall, displayed opera masks and English materials, and coached the workers in basic English.
• Leader Lin arrived at the crowded stall and praised its cooperation with the opera school and its growing foreign clientele.
• Leader Lin spoke with Chen Qi about his screenplay, encouraged the young workers to welcome foreign guests confidently, and asked whether they faced difficulties.
• Huang Zhanying asked to hire more people to help unemployed youth, and Leader Lin approved the idea.
• After Leader Lin left, Chen Qi told the group to post the newspaper report of the visit on their blackboard.

Chen Qi left the tea stall to join the preparations for Romance on Mount Lu, whose production team received a major budget and began planning auditions. As auditions approached, students at Beijing Film Academy speculated about the candidates, including Fang Shu and Zhou Lijing.

• Chen Qi told Huang Zhanying to keep running the tea stall and hoped she would have their own shop by his next visit, then rode off to Beijing Film Studio.
• Wang Haowei announced that Romance on Mount Lu had received a budget of 700,000 yuan and discussed buying Western-style clothes in Hong Kong with help from Fu Qi and Shi Hui.
• The production team reviewed prospective actors, and Chen Qi privately crossed Chen Chong, Chen Baoguo, and Wang Yue off his list of candidates.
• Wang Haowei announced that prospective actors would begin auditioning the next day and said the team could train several candidate groups.
• Zhang Fengyi, Xie Yuan, and Zhang Tielin discussed the auditions and expected Fang Shu and Zhou Lijing to be among the candidates.

Chen Qi judged auditions at the Beijing Film Studio for Romance on Mount Lu, advancing some male candidates while finding the actresses unsuitable. He continued searching for a leading lady who could embody the idealized goddess he wanted for the film.

• A teacher summoned Fang Shu, Zhou Lijing, Wang Yue, Zhang Tielin, Shen Danping, and Liu Dong to audition at the Beijing Film Studio.
• Fang Shu performed Chen Qi’s dialogue, and the judges provisionally advanced her despite Chen Qi’s reservations about her look.
• Chen Qi and the other judges evaluated the actors, ruling out Wang Yue and advancing Zhou Lijing and Zhang Tielin to the next round.
• Chen Qi judged Shen Danping and Liu Dong too ordinary for the leading role, and Wang Haowei agreed that finding the right actress was difficult.
• Chen Qi told Liang Xiaosheng and Ge You that he wanted a leading lady who would make audiences long for her and envy the male lead.

As Romance on Mount Lu’s casting stalled, Chen Qi met Tang Guoqiang, who agreed to be considered for the male lead. Back at the guesthouse, Chen Qi brainstormed future actresses and marked one as his choice, though he did not reveal her name.

• Fang Shu and Zhou Lijing continued discussing their roles and taking screen tests, while Chen Chong and other candidates were rejected.
• Chen Qi met Tang Guoqiang early at Beijing Film Studio, and they chatted before the production team arrived.
• Wang Haowei discussed Tang Guoqiang’s age and suitability, and Tang agreed to try for the male lead without expecting a guarantee.
• The team considered actresses to pair with Tang Guoqiang but could not settle on a candidate.
• Chen Qi listed several young actresses in his notebook, then circled an unnamed actress as his choice.

Chen Qi recommended Gong Xue for Romance on Mount Lu, prompting Wang Haowei to arrange an audition despite the difficulty of securing her from the General Political Department Drama Troupe. After meeting Gong Xue, the creative team discussed pairing her with Tang Guoqiang, leaving Chen Qi frustrated by how little influence a screenwriter had.

• Chen Qi told Wang Haowei that Gong Xue, who had played three roles in Sacrificial Red, might suit Romance on Mount Lu.
• Wang Haowei learned that Changchun Film Studio had waited four months and repeatedly negotiated with the General Political Department Drama Troupe to cast Gong Xue in Sacrificial Red.
• Wang Haowei asked Che Xiaotong to help her contact Gong Xue and privately invited her to audition for Romance on Mount Lu.
• Gong Xue met the creative team, answered Wang Haowei’s questions, read dialogue, and agreed to study the script while Wang sought permission from her troupe.
• The creative team discussed Gong Xue’s suitability and proposed pairing her with Tang Guoqiang, while Chen Qi left the meeting frustrated by his limited influence.

The crew finalized the cast of Romance on Mount Lu after testing Fang Shu and Gong Xue in the costumes, choosing Gong Xue as Zhou Yun and Tang Guoqiang as Geng Hua. As filming at Mount Lu approached, Chen Qi prepared to leave with the crew and reassured his parents that he would write to them.

• Fang Shu and Gong Xue tried on three Hong Kong-bought outfits while Wang Haowei assessed their suitability for the film.
• Tang Guoqiang told Chen Qi that the crew would travel to Mount Lu to experience the location and film its scenery before building interior sets back at the studio.
• Wang Haowei and the crew settled the cast, naming Gong Xue as Zhou Yun, Tang Guoqiang as Geng Hua, and Zhang Jinling as Geng Ying.
• Gong Xue went to stay at the International Hotel for a week to prepare for her role, and the crew made plans to leave for Mount Lu before winter.
• Chen Qi packed for the trip, reassured Yu Xiuli and Chen Jianjun that he would write, and apologized for leaving them again.

Chen Qi traveled by train with the Romance on Mount Lu crew, amusing Gong Xue and the others with tall tales before discussing his preference for popular fiction. The crew arrived at Mount Lu late at night and began their stay there.

• Chen Qi and Tang Guoqiang talked in the train passage about smoking, flying, and the discomforts of the journey.
• Chen Qi entertained Gong Xue with fanciful stories about bears and monsters, drawing in Tang Guoqiang, Zhang Jinling, and Wang Haowei.
• Wang Haowei asked Chen Qi about his literary interests, and Chen Qi said he preferred popular fiction that served the people.
• Chen Qi ate a boxed meal with the crew as the train continued toward Mount Lu.
• The crew got off at Shahejie Station after dark and reached Mount Lu sometime after ten at night.

After arriving in Guling with the film crew, Chen Qi explored the mountain town and considered writing a new novel to adapt as a screenplay. Just as he began thinking about a wuxia story, repeated noises from upstairs interrupted him, and he went to investigate.

• Chen Qi woke at the Guling Hotel, joined Tang Guoqiang and Gong Xue for a meal, and bantered with them and the chef.
• Chen Qi learned that Director Wang had gone scouting locations and chatted with the crew while eating.
• Chen Qi and the crew strolled through Guling, viewed Meilu Villa and the Guling East Valley Cinema, and took a group photo.
• Chen Qi sat down that night to plan a new novel and considered writing a wuxia story.
• Chen Qi heard repeated thumping from upstairs, got dressed, and went upstairs to find out what was happening.

Chen Qi asked Gong Xue about the Shanghai magazine Story Club and decided to write a martial arts story while waiting for her to learn more. Three days later, he helped the Romance on Mount Lu crew prepare to film, where Gong Xue struggled with her high-heeled walk during rehearsal.

• Chen Qi discovered that Gong Xue lived upstairs and asked whether Story Club accepted popular fiction submissions, so she offered to ask her family in Shanghai.
• Gong Xue twisted her ankle practicing in high heels, then sat down to write her parents a letter asking them to inquire about the magazine.
• Chen Qi considered several story ideas, settled on writing about Shaolin Temple, and began drafting his story.
• Three days later, Chen Qi helped the Romance on Mount Lu crew carry equipment at Mount Lu and recognized Five Old Men Peak from a pop-culture reference.
• Tang Guoqiang rehearsed his scene as Geng Hua, then Wang Haowei stopped Gong Xue's rehearsal because of the way she walked in high heels.

Chen Qi helped Gong Xue understand how to portray Zhou Yun after her first day of filming went poorly. Wang Haowei praised his practical guidance, and Gong Xue was impressed by him as she prepared to try again.

• Gong Xue struggled to perform naturally as Zhou Yun, and Wang Haowei stopped the takes to coach her.
• The crew filmed only one shot of Tang Guoqiang reading before dim light forced them to wrap for the day.
• Wang Haowei brought Gong Xue to Chen Qi's room to ask for his advice about her performance.
• Chen Qi told Gong Xue to portray Zhou Yun's confidence through her posture, smile, and bold stride rather than imitate overseas Chinese people.
• Chen Qi demonstrated how Zhou Yun should walk and react while sightseeing, making Gong Xue laugh and giving her a clearer sense of the character.
• Wang Haowei praised Chen Qi's explanation, while Gong Xue watched him with admiration.

Gong Xue completed her first scene on Mount Lu after following Wang Haowei’s advice to relax and focus on taking pictures. Later, she shared White Rabbit candy sent by her parents with the crew, while Chen Qi spotted a promising opportunity in Story Club’s call for submissions.

• Gong Xue successfully filmed her first scene, and Wang Haowei praised her progress.
• A parcel arrived for Gong Xue with a letter from her parents, White Rabbit candy, and a copy of Story Club.
• Gong Xue asked Wang Haowei how to share the candy, then gave Chen Qi two pieces and thanked him for helping her with the scene.
• Chen Qi read Story Club and noticed its submission rates, deciding that writing short fiction could provide him with a steady income.

He Chengwei, an editor at Story Club Magazine, read a martial-arts submission called “Kapok Kasaya” and was captivated by its fast-paced tale of a Shaolin relic, a brave young couple, and a temple under attack. The manuscript stopped just as Ding Mo fell from a cliff, leaving He Chengwei desperate to know what happened next.

• He Chengwei reviewed a hand-copied manuscript and decided the story could be used.
• He Chengwei received a new submission from Mount Lu titled “Kapok Kasaya.”
• He Chengwei read how Ding Mo met Lin Ying, learned Wang Cheng threatened Shaolin, and hurried to Mount Song.
• Ding Mo helped Master Yuanhui escape the attack on Shaolin, then drew the pursuers away with a fake kasaya.
• Qi Tianyuan defeated Ding Mo and knocked him off a cliff, and He Chengwei found the manuscript ended there.

Story Club’s chief editor accepted Chen Qi’s cliffhanger martial-arts story, Kapok Kasaya, and sent He Chengwei to meet its mysterious author. He Chengwei reached Mount Lu and learned that A Qi was Chen Qi, the screenwriter working with a film crew.

• He Chengwei showed the chief editor the manuscript, and the editor praised its cliffhanger and ordered it published in full under the name A Qi.
• The chief editor told He Chengwei to visit the author at Mount Lu and offer a payment of seven yuan per thousand characters if his work proved strong.
• Chen Qi reflected on his plans to adapt Kapok Kasaya into a film and described his changes to the romance between its leads.
• He Chengwei traveled to Guling and discovered that A Qi was Chen Qi, a screenwriter staying there with a film crew.

Chen Qi entertained the film crew with stories while working as a passerby on Romance on Mount Lu, then met He Chengwei, an editor from Story Club, who praised Kapok Kasaya and asked about its conclusion. Chen Qi finished recounting the ending, leaving He Chengwei moved to tears.

• Chen Qi joked during filming, and Wang Haowei redirected him to focus on Gong Xue’s scene and helped him add a gesture for her character.
• At lunch, Chen Qi told the crew about Shen Wansan’s wealth but stopped at a cliffhanger, claiming the rest involved feudal superstition.
• After returning to the hotel, Chen Qi met He Chengwei, the Story Club editor who had come to see the author of Kapok Kasaya.
• Chen Qi said the novel’s second half would be ready in a few days, then explained how Ding Mo avenged himself, became abbot, and parted from Lin Ying.
• He Chengwei cried after hearing Chen Qi recount the ending.

Chen Qi secured a writing deal with Story Club and submitted Kapok Kasaya, a wuxia story adapted from a movie plot. When the magazine reached readers in September, Liu Wanbao became engrossed in the serial and was left desperate to learn what happened after its cliffhanger.

• Chen Qi discussed genre limits with He Chengwei, who praised his storytelling and offered him seven yuan per thousand characters for submissions.
• Chen Qi accepted the offer and planned to write fighting-focused stories, adapting movie plots into fiction.
• Story Club’s September issue was printed and distributed across Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui.
• At Shanghai railway station, Liu Wanbao bought Story Club and started reading Kapok Kasaya while waiting for his train.
• Liu Wanbao became absorbed in the story, then cursed its cliffhanger and realized he had missed his train.

Liu Wanbao brought Story Club back to Chengdu and arranged subscriptions for local cultural stations after seeing how eagerly passengers discussed Kapok Kasaya. The issue sold out across Jiangnan and drew new subscriptions, while Chen Qi’s popular novel remained unnoticed by mainstream literary circles.

• Liu Wanbao returned to Chengdu, realized martial arts stories could entertain rural audiences, and persuaded the Jinniu District Cultural Center to order copies of Story Club.
• Liu Wanbao ordered sixty copies and sent author A Qi a letter praising Kapok Kasaya and inviting him to write about Sichuan.
• A Shanghai boy asked his father to subscribe to Story Club after classmates eagerly shared the magazine, and his father agreed after reading it in the public toilet.
• Story Club’s distribution staff reported that the September issue had sold out across Shanghai and other cities, with demand for at least thirty thousand additional copies and more than a hundred subscriptions from Chengdu.
• The Story Club editors credited Kapok Kasaya with boosting sales, discussed inviting A Qi to Shanghai, and considered future events for writers and readers.
• Chen Qi remained an overlooked popular-fiction author, and mainstream literary circles paid no attention to Story Club or Kapok Kasaya.

Chen Qi received a request to write a novel set in Sichuan but decided to wait until he felt inspired, while the crew of Romance on Mount Lu rehearsed and prepared for a National Day celebration. He watched Gong Xue film a heartbreak scene and praised her performance, though she privately doubted his sincerity.

• He Chengwei brought Chen Qi a new issue of Story Club and letters, and took the second half of Kapok Kasaya away.
• Chen Qi answered a letter from the Chengdu Jinniu District Cultural Center asking him to write a novel set in Sichuan, but postponed the idea.
• Zhang Jinling and Gong Xue rehearsed a scene in which Geng Ying tried to drive Zhou Yun away from Geng Hua.
• Wang Haowei announced that the crew would prepare performances for National Day, and Tang Guoqiang told them he would marry after the holiday.
• Wang Haowei directed Gong Xue to run in a heartbroken state, and the crew praised her after she repeated the scene for filming.
• Chen Qi praised Gong Xue's running, but she wondered whether he meant it because his approval mattered to her.

Chen Qi joined the Romance on Mount Lu crew and Guling Hotel staff for a National Day celebration, where Tang Guoqiang persuaded him to perform a duet. The chapter ended as Chen Qi and Tang Guoqiang were called to the stage to sing Toast Song.

• Chen Qi met Gong Xue and Zhang Jinling on a rainy walk, and Zhang Jinling insisted he prepare a song or dance for the party.
• Tang Guoqiang brought a cassette to Chen Qi's room and got him to practice Toast Song as their duet.
• On October 1, the Guling Hotel hosted a National Day celebration for the Romance on Mount Lu crew and hotel staff.
• Wang Haowei and the hotel manager hosted the celebration, which opened with a loyalty dance, Peking opera, and poetry recitals.
• Gong Xue, Zhang Jinling, and other women sang The Spring Water Tinkles, bringing the audience to life.
• The hosts introduced Tang Guoqiang and Chen Qi to sing Toast Song, and the crowd applauded enthusiastically.

Chen Qi performed a deliberately over-the-top song at the crew’s party, then gave Gong Xue acting advice after she asked about a scene she had filmed. Their conversation led Gong Xue to share painful memories of her childhood, rural labor, and military training, and Chen Qi left her with a way to draw on her emotions in future performances.

• Chen Qi sang theatrically at the party, making the crew laugh and tease him.
• Chen Qi met Gong Xue on a walk and agreed to explain how she could improve her acting.
• Chen Qi described three acting approaches and asked Gong Xue to draw on an emotion she had experienced herself.
• Gong Xue told Chen Qi about her childhood, her injury while working in the countryside, and her difficult march during army training.
• Gong Xue cried as she spoke about missing her parents, and Chen Qi encouraged her and told her to remember the feeling for her acting.