Chapter 36: A New Drama Arrives

“Tongrentang started as an old apothecary; Master here is like a carefree king who lets everything go...”

Inside Courtyard No. 10, Pitiao Hutong, Teacher Yu Qian held a cigarette in his left hand and a bamboo clapper in his right, punctuating his words with rhythmic strikes.

“The Medicine King sits right in the center, with ten great physicians flanking him on either side...”

Sitting at the stone table in the courtyard, Zhang Yuan clapped along to the rhythm of the *guankou* (rapid-fire recitation).

One sang with passion, the other listened with delight.

“I could sing until tomorrow and still not finish; what I sing is: may everyone enjoy good health and a life of both fortune and longevity!”

As the last word was sung, the rhythm landed perfectly on the beat. With a sharp *clack* of the bamboo clapper, this nearly 600-word rendition of "Tongrentang" was delivered by Brother Qian in one breath, leaving a lingering aftertaste.

Though he might not perform crosstalk even once or twice a year, his decade of childhood training showed. He didn't stumble once or mispronounce a single word during this difficult *guankou* segment; this was the profound foundation of a "Crosstalk Queen."

*Clap, clap, clap, clap... Bravo!*

Zhang Yuan cheered and applauded.

【Received thanks from Yu Qian, Solo Crosstalk Foundation +2!】

Brother Qian’s requirements weren't actually high; he was simply grateful to have an audience willing to listen and offer applause. Unfortunately, even such low expectations were hard to satisfy in this era.

“How was it, little brother? Not bad, right?” Brother Qian wore an expression of pure refreshment, as if he had just downed an ice-cold beer on a sweltering summer day.

This new roommate was truly great!

Previously, Zhang Yuan had looked for roommates, but they all found his vocal warm-ups annoying.

But Zhang Yuan was different. Not only did he not find him annoying, he listened with genuine interest.

Of course—others might not understand, but how could Zhang Yuan not? In a few years, if one wanted to hear this man perform crosstalk from such close proximity, they’d have to fight for tickets.

“Not bad? I’d say it was comparable to Lian Kuoru,” Zhang Yuan immediately complimented him.

*Though I’d still rather hear you sing "Learn to Meow"...* Zhang Yuan left that part unsaid.

“Oh ho, I wouldn't dare,” Brother Qian said, though his mouth curled into a wide, satisfied grin.

Lian Kuoru was a master of storytelling (*pingshu*), and her daughter, Lian Liru, had inherited her mantle, being rated as a National First-Class Actor, an inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, and a recipient of special government subsidies, standing alongside names like Shan Tianfang, Liu Lanfang, and Tian Lianyuan.

【Received thanks from Yu Qian, Guankou Foundation +1!】

Brother Qian was generous, handing out attribute points at the drop of a hat, though his culinary skills remained questionable.

After the performance, the two chatted for a while. Brother Qian had business to attend to and headed out, leaving Zhang Yuan to his own devices.

But just as he settled down, his phone began to buzz incessantly like it was on fire.

“Zhang Yuan, today is Thursday!”

He picked it up to see a message from Liu Qianqian.

*Damn it, I’m not even on set anymore, and you’re still counting on me to feed you!*

“I’m in Beijing; I can’t exactly rush to Tianjin just for fried chicken.”

“Fine, I’ll write it down in my little notebook. Once filming is over, I’m coming to Beijing to find you. You must pay me back!”

*Why does she make it sound like I owe her?*

“How have things been at the film set lately?” Zhang Yuan changed the subject.

*It’s so boring without you...* Liu Qianqian typed a few words, hesitated, and then deleted them one by one.

“Hmph, I’m having a blast without you... Mom is here, talk to you later, bye~”

Zhang Yuan put down his phone, thinking to himself: *If you don't come looking for me, I'll come looking for you.*

After all, he was still keeping an eye out for a certain production related to her.

If you were to ask which production, it was only two words.

*Xianjian* (Legend of Sword and Fairy)!

It was just that the time hadn't come yet.

“Yuan-ge, how have you been since returning to Beijing?” As if they had coordinated, just as Liu Qianqian finished chatting, Shu Chang sent a message.

“Doing great. No one is bullying you on set, are they?”

“No, everyone is very nice. It’s all thanks to you, Yuan-ge.”

“By the way, I’ve been reading poetry lately. I really love Yu Kwang-chung’s 'Nostalgia'.”

“Oh, I’ll check it out when I have time,” Zhang Yuan replied after a moment of pause.

This modern poem was very famous. Zhang Yuan remembered its content; it spoke of the author's longing for the mainland while residing on the island.

Its most famous feature was the repetitive use of the format: "I am on this side, [someone] is on that side."

Zhang Yuan knew that as a top student, Shu Chang had a bit of a "literary youth" temperament, often speaking in a subtle and indirect manner.

*I am on this side of the film set, and you are on that side of Beijing...*

Shu Chang wasn't worrying about national affairs, nor was she pining for her ancestral home.

Zhang Yuan chatted with her a bit more, covering everything from studies to daily life.

To his chagrin, the conversation was interrupted by a sudden ringtone. Zhang Yuan wondered what was wrong with him today—why were so many people looking for him?

He picked up the phone and immediately sat upright in his lounge chair.

It was Li Dawei calling!

Since his scenes had finished, if Li Dawei was reaching out proactively, it could only be for a few things.

Either there was reshooting, or there was new work!

“Zhang Yuan, do you have time today?” Li Dawei was very direct, getting straight to the point.

“Yes, what is it?”

“A friend of mine has run into a bit of trouble. Actually, you’ve met him.”

“When we first met, he was at the dinner table sitting next to me. His name is Yang Tao.”

Zhang Yuan immediately recalled the image of a middle-aged man—ordinary-looking, but possessing the aura of a leader.

But despite his ordinary appearance, the man was the Deputy Director of the Railway Performing Arts Troupe!

It was only natural he had that aura.

He didn't have many purely commercial works; his projects leaned more toward the artistic. He had won many awards, though he wasn't widely known to the general public.

His most famous work was a collective childhood memory for the post-80s generation: *The Little Dragon Man*!

“Director Yang is in trouble, and you're looking for me?”

“I really do need to find you for this. Don't worry, you won't lose out. I'll give him your contact info, and you two can talk in detail.”

A short while later, Yang Tao called him. He didn't act with the pretension of a senior or an official. Hearing that Zhang Yuan lived in Pitiao Hutong, and since he wasn't far away himself, he decided to visit in person.

“This is a nice place.” Upon entering, Yang Tao scanned the surroundings and sat down at the stone table in the courtyard with a smile.

After some pleasantries, they finally got down to business.

“Zhang Yuan, I heard from Dawei that you performed very well on the set of *Glamorous Gossip* and provided him with a lot of help.”

“It was Director Li who championed me.”

Hearing this, Yang Tao thought to himself that the kid was quite humble and remembered his roots, which immediately earned him some goodwill.

At the last banquet, although he had highly praised Zhang Yuan's analysis of the novel's plot, what had impressed him even more was Zhang Yuan's perspective on the film's market and script adaptation.

Li Dawei had listened to his mother and had spared no effort in praising Zhang Yuan in private; this time, it was Li who had proactively suggested letting Zhang Yuan try to help.

“As it happens, I have a new drama about to start filming. It's currently in the pre-production stage.”

“This drama is also adapted from a novel, but there has been some internal disagreement regarding the direction of the adaptation.”

As he spoke, a hint of irritation appeared on Yang Tao's face, clearly indicating his displeasure.

Zhang Yuan was curious: what kind of novel could unsettle a man like this?

Then, the five words that came out of Yang Tao's mouth left Zhang Yuan overjoyed, far exceeding his expectations!

“*The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber*.”

Zhang Yuan knew this project all too well!

Or rather, everyone who lived through that era knew it.

The 1993 version of *The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber* was widely recognized as the strongest version!

How strong was it? It could be summarized in two sentences

"The cast is full of veteran actors, and the beauties are as numerous as dogs."

Of course, for the current year of 2002, this was still a "brand new" version.

Zhang Yuan remembered that this production had two directors, one of whom was the famous Hong Kong director Randal Wong.

He could never remember the other one, and he hadn't expected it to be Yang Tao!

Director Yang discussed the current state of the production in detail with Zhang Yuan.

Only then did Zhang Yuan realize that the problems facing *The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber* were far more complex than those of *Glamorous Gossip*...

(End of Chapter)