Peak-forest garments, the place Meng Wanning decided to visit on a whim.
Chen Cheng wasn’t particularly interested in this artificially developed ancient village, but Meng Wanning in traditional Bouyei attire truly caught his eye.
Her complexion was naturally fair, which seemed even more translucent against the dark blue garment.
Her black hair was woven into a fine braid, adorned with colorful beaded flowers, and complemented by the sparkling silver accessories, adding a unique charm.
"Sir, do I look like an authentic Bouyei girl?"
Meng Wanning spun around, her skirt sweeping across Chen Cheng’s trouser legs as she laughed and looked at the man before her.
"Good thing we live in a lawful society now."
Chen Cheng said with a smile, "Otherwise, I would have to kidnap you to be my bandit bride."
Meng Wanning chuckled, "Sir doesn’t need to kidnap me; I already belong to you."
Chen Cheng watched the smiling beauty before him and casually offered his hand, "Shall we go?"
Meng Wanning placed her hand in his, and the two strolled along like a couple of tourists, taking pictures as they walked.
Chen Cheng had originally lacked interest in these cookie-cutter tourist spots.
But now, walking hand in hand with Meng Wanning on the ancient stone path, seeing the joyous smile on her face, his mood unexpectedly lifted.
Whether the scenery was beautiful seemed no longer important; what mattered was the person beside him.
The two headed deeper into the village, and soon the crowd began to thicken.
"Is it a temple fair?"
This was Chen Cheng’s first reaction.
He looked at the thick crowd ahead and said with a smile, "Our luck isn’t too bad."
Meng Wanning also stood on her toes to look, "Does the Bouyei Ethnic Group have temple fairs, too?"
"I don’t think so..."
Chen Cheng smirked, "Whatever it is, let’s go check out the scene."
They squeezed in only to discover that the filming site was quite large.
It was not a movie or a drama, but a large-scale promotional film, seemingly about cultural heritage. The site was bustling; in addition to camera-toting crew members, there were numerous actors and extras in ethnic costumes, all in a flurry of activity.
A man clad in a director’s vest and wearing a cap was shouting into a megaphone, "Props team, move that dyeing rack a bit to the left! And, extras need to show more energy, give us that festive cheer!"
Meng Wanning said with a smile, "This is quite interesting."
"Looks like we’ve stumbled onto a big event."
Chen Cheng thought for a moment, "If you make it on the Spring Festival Gala this year and become famous, you’ll truly be a big star."
Meng Wanning chuckled behind her hand. She softly said, "I’m all made up when I go on stage, who would recognize me aside from the name?"
"And, Peking Opera usually comes on in the latter half, by which time not many people are watching."
After hearing this, Chen Cheng asked, "Isn’t that a waste of effort, then?"
"Sir, I never wanted to be famous, not to mention a big star." Meng Wanning spoke sincerely, "It’s because you asked me to, that’s why I agreed."
"Cough, it’s really incomparable."
Chen Cheng lamented, "Wan Wan, you truly are a rare light."
Meng Wanning blinked, "Compare? With whom?"
Her mind quickly ran through the list of women associated with Chen Cheng. From what she knew, none of them were involved in art or performance like her.
"I mean, compared to most people who want to be on the Spring Festival Gala."
Chen Cheng explained, "They are all desperate to be famous, engaging in all sorts of publicity stunts and networking, just for those few minutes of fame. Yet you, who clearly have the talent and the opportunity, couldn’t care less."
Meng Wanning, with her arm linked through Chen Cheng’s, gently leaned on his shoulder, "Being famous isn’t important to me. What I love is Peking Opera itself; just being able to perform on stage is fulfillment enough. As for everything else, it’s all passing clouds."
Chen Cheng was drawn to Meng Wanning’s purity and simplicity, one of the reasons he was captivated by her.
At that moment, the director started using the megaphone again, "Attention all departments, get ready for the next scene! Costuming, check the actors’ outfits!"
The hubbub rose again, and the scene was abuzz with activity.
Chen Cheng and Meng Wanning continued to stand on the sidelines, watching the crew and actors hurriedly prepare.
Suddenly, the crowd erupted with a surge of shrieks, from both men and women, all shouting the same name.
Amidst the chorus of screams, Yu Xinwei, also dressed in Bouyei traditional clothing, emerged surrounded by the crowding fans.
If Meng Wanning was a quietly blooming lily of the valley, then Yu Xinwei was a vibrant, burning red rose.
One restrained, the other flamboyant, two contrasting types of beauty, both impressive in their own right.
Meng Wanning watched Yu Xinwei, who was being loudly cheered on, and murmured, "Is this the aura of a star?"
Chen Cheng had not expected to encounter this woman, who once asked him for five hundred million, at this place.
Yu Xinwei’s face, previously all smiles, froze when she saw Chen Cheng, and a flicker of panic passed through her eyes.
She stopped in her tracks, her gaze firmly fixed on Chen Cheng, as if pinned to the spot.
The noise around her gradually blurred, and it seemed as though the world contained only her and Chen Cheng.
Chen Cheng looked back at her, his eyes calm and composed, without the slightest hint of evasion.
He simply nodded in greeting, a subtle motion that however made Yu Xinwei even more unsettled.
She took a deep breath and then her eyes shifted to Meng Wanning, who was clinging to Chen Cheng’s arm.