Huayu: This director specializes in promoting young actresses.

Chapter 14 Junko's First Visit to the Lin Family Home

About an hour later, Tian Xi woke up groggily. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw him sitting next to her reading a script. Sunlight shone on his profile. She coughed deliberately.

"You're awake? How are you feeling?"

"Mmm, I've had enough sleep!" Tian Xi stretched and shoved the hot water bottle back into his hand. "Here, Feng-ge, warm yourself up too."

When filming started in the afternoon, Tian Xiwei was indeed like a different person. Her previous drowsiness was completely gone, and she was in much better condition than in the morning when filming the scene where she bickered with her brother.

"Cut! Okay!" When Zhou Ming called for a stop, Tian Xi was still panting, but she proudly raised her chin at him.

"Good, that's the right state."

Around five o'clock, the last scene was filmed. It was a solo shot of Liu Haochun. She stood by the window, looking at the sunset outside, her eyes filled with a tender longing for her brother. Her expression was just right.

"Cut! That's a wrap!"

The crew was busy packing up when Tian Xiwei walked up to him and deliberately said loudly, "Brother Feng, I'm coming to your house tonight. I want to learn how to make braised pork from Aunt Wang!"

"Sure, but I'm afraid you're too slow to learn it."

Liu Haochun also came over, still holding the hot water bottle, and asked in a low voice, "Brother Feng, shall we go over now?"

"Okay, let's go back to the hotel to change our clothes first, then we'll leave. You stay with Weiwei, I'll go get a taxi."

After the two went downstairs, they hailed a taxi and got in with Tian Xiwei and Liu Haochun. As soon as they closed the door, the driver turned and smiled, "Which tatami mat are you going to?"

The driver was a man in his fifties, speaking with a loud, clear voice in the local dialect of Chongqing.

Lin Feng smiled and gave the name of the neighborhood: "Driver, to the neighborhood near Guanyinqiao... thank you."

"Okay!" The driver turned the steering wheel, and the car smoothly merged into the traffic. "Are you filming a movie or a TV series? I saw on TV yesterday that there was a film crew shooting here, is that you?"

"It's us, making a low-budget film."

"That's great!" The master's eyes lit up, then he looked at Tian Xiwei, "This girl looks so cute, is she the lead actress?"

Tian Xiwei was a little embarrassed by the praise, but replied in her dialect, "Uncle has such good taste."

She grew up in a mountain town and speaks the local dialect fluently. She chatted enthusiastically with her driver, from funny stories on set to which noodle shop is the best. Her driver listened with great laughter, occasionally patting the steering wheel and saying, "That's right, that's right."

Liu Haochun sat to the side, looking completely bewildered. She could only understand a few words from what her master, Lin Feng, and Tian Xiwei were saying, such as "small noodles" and "filming," but it was mostly like listening to gibberish.

She quietly tugged at Tian Xiwei's sleeve and whispered, "What are you two talking about?"

Tian Xiwei was getting into her story when she turned around and laughed, "My master was asking us about the film crew, speaking in dialect. You probably couldn't understand him, could you?"

"Um..." Liu Haochun lowered his head a little embarrassed.

The driver noticed she wasn't saying anything, glanced at her in the rearview mirror, and gestured with his chin towards Lin Feng: "Hey, why isn't that girl in the back saying anything? Is she shy?"

"She's from out of town and doesn't understand the local dialect," Lin Feng explained.

"Oh—out of town?" The driver drawled, then suddenly switched to Sichuan-accented Mandarin. Although his accent was still heavy, it was at least understandable. "Don't be shy, young lady! We people from Chongqing are very hospitable! Is this your first time here? Are you settling in?"

Liu Haochun was taken aback by his master's sudden change in tone and nodded after a moment of surprise: "Yeah, I'm used to it. It's nice here."

"That's good, that's good!" The driver then started talking about the city's attractions in his Sichuan dialect, "You should see Jiefangbei, and Hongyadong is even more beautiful at night!"

They chatted and laughed all the way to the entrance of the residential area. After paying the fare and getting out of the car, Liu Haochun suddenly said, "Brother Feng, Weiwei, wait for me a moment, I'm going to the fruit shop next door to buy something."

"No need to buy anything, we have everything at home."

"Yeah, we're already at the door," Tian Xiwei complained softly from the side.

Liu Haochun ignored her and quickly walked towards the fruit shop next door. A few minutes later, she returned carrying a bag of fresh fruit, including apples, bananas, and a few oranges—all common and reliable varieties.

"Why buy these?"

Liu Haochun smiled, said nothing, and simply followed him.

He knocked on the door when he got there, and it opened quickly. His father opened the door, smiled broadly when he saw them, and said, "You're back!"

"dad."

"Hello, Uncle Lin!" Tian Xi greeted sweetly, walking inside with practiced ease. "Uncle, I'm here to freeload again!"

"Welcome, welcome! We've been waiting for you." The father beamed, his gaze falling on Liu Haochun with a hint of confusion. "This is...?"

"This is Weiwei's friend, Liu Haochun. He's also an actor in the production crew. They came over for dinner together," he introduced from the side.

Liu Haochun quickly bowed and said nervously, "Hello, Uncle."

"Alright, alright, come in and sit down." Lin Jianguo stepped aside to let them in, then called out to the kitchen, "Wife, everyone's here!"

When her mother came out of the kitchen and saw Tian Xiwei, she smiled and said, "Weiwei, you're here? Come on in, the braised pork will be ready soon."

"Auntie!" Tian Xi ran over, grabbed Wang Hui's hand and shook it. "I've been waiting to eat your braised pork for days!"

"Greedy cat." He patted her hand, then turned to see Liu Haochun. "And this is?"

"Hello, Auntie, my name is Liu Haochun." Liu Haochun quickly handed over the fruit in his hand, a little embarrassed, "I didn't know what you liked to eat, so I just bought some random things."

"You're here, why did you buy fruit?" Wang Hui took the fruit, smiling as she looked her over. "This child is so well-behaved and sensible."

She turned to him and said, "Xiaofeng, this girl seems quiet and gentle. Please take good care of her on set."

"Okay, Mom."

Liu Haochun blushed slightly at the compliment and whispered, "Thank you, Auntie," feeling relieved.

Tian Xiwei watched from the side, her heart skipping a beat. Oh no, this is terrible! Aunt Wang actually praised her for being sensible!

The father gestured for them to sit down and poured them both a cup of hot water: "Haochun, where are you from? Your accent doesn't sound like you're from here."

"I'm from Northeast China," Liu Haochun replied.

"The Northeast is great! The people there are so straightforward! Is this your first time in this mountain city? Are you getting used to it?"

"I'm quite used to it, it's just that I can't understand the dialect a bit." Liu Haochun smiled.

"That's normal, that's normal. Our dialect sounds like a foreign language to outsiders." The mother brought out a plate of washed strawberries and placed it on the table. "Have some fruit to quench your thirst."

"Thank you, Auntie." Liu Haochun picked up a strawberry and ate it in small bites.

He handed Liu Haochun a tissue: "Wipe your hands." Then he said to his mother, "Mom, Haochun can't handle spicy food very well, so put less chili in the dishes tonight."

"I know, I know. I made two extra light dishes," my mother said. "Steamed sea bass, winter melon meatball soup, and braised cabbage with pork cracklings. None of these are spicy."

"Thank you, Auntie," Liu Haochun said quickly.

Listening from the side, Tian Xiwei felt a little resentful. Why did Brother Feng always think of her? She quickly said, "Brother Feng, I want your cucumber salad, with lots of chili peppers!"

"You can handle spicy food? I'll mix it for you later."