Chapter 1005: A Concubine? Impossible!
That same night, as Bin Sheng and his group ran to the small woods to dig up the bodies of the Jin spies and rebury them in a proper location, a new film titled "The Legend of Li Shishi" premiered at the Puzhou Grand Theater.
The movie was crudely made and quite awkward.
Lao Nanfeng's portrayal of Emperor Huizong of Song was lackluster, entirely failing to capture the demeanor of an emperor. Cai Lin's performance as the adult Li Shishi also fell short, missing the legendary courtesan's captivating allure.
However, the film's depiction of young Li Shishi, played by Chen Yuanyuan, became an instant sensation.
At just twelve years old, Chen Yuanyuan played Li Shishi in the stages of eight to fourteen years old. Audiences were astonished to discover that this young actress was proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, excelling in both singing and dancing.
Moreover, despite her tender age, the little girl already possessed a charm that seemed to captivate all who beheld her, making one wonder: was this truly Li Shishi herself? No, this girl was even more Li Shishi than Li Shishi herself.
Thanks solely to Chen Yuanyuan, the film exploded in popularity!
Countless people flocked to cinemas just to catch a glimpse of the young actress who embodied Li Shishi more perfectly than the legend herself.
Lao Nanfeng quickly dispatched the memory cards containing the film to the cinemas in Gao Family Village, Xi'an, and Luoyang, arranging for immediate and intensive screenings.
That evening, as dusk settled.
In the backstage dressing room of the Flower World Star Agency, Chen Yuanyuan diligently practiced her "camera presence" in front of a mirror.
After watching her own performance in "The Legend of Li Shishi," she was somewhat dissatisfied with several aspects of her on-screen portrayal, feeling that her expressions were still a bit stiff and her posture not yet perfect.
So, she focused on her mirror practice...
Sitting beside her, Cai Lin couldn't help but chuckle. "You child, you're already so beautiful and yet so hardworking. What's next? Do you want to be famous across the whole world?"
Chen Yuanyuan gave a slightly embarrassed laugh. "Eh? Isn't it good to work hard? Back in the Pear Garden, if you didn't work hard, you'd be scolded by the madame. Now that I'm here, you, who acts like a madame, are actually laughing at me."
Cai Lin shook her head, smiling teasingly. "Don't call me 'madame.' That term is too much like a brothel, and the Heavenly Lord would be displeased. You should call me 'manager.'"
Chen Yuanyuan blinked. "Oh? Shouldn't I call you 'Boss'? What does 'manager' mean?"
Cai Lin chuckled. "Brother Nanfeng is the Boss. I just help him manage this place, so I'm called the manager."
Chen Yuanyuan's eyes lit up. "Oh, so a manager is like a shopkeeper." Saying this, she suddenly giggled. "You're definitely going to marry Brother Nanfeng, right? Then you'll be a boss too."
Cai Lin's pretty face flushed, then she sighed and shook her head. "I came from a brothel, even if I only sold my artistry, not my body. Still, my origins are humble. Even if Brother Nanfeng were to marry me, he wouldn't make me his main wife, at most, a concubine. A man of his status and position will surely marry a respectable young lady from a good family in the future."
Chen Yuanyuan stammered, "Uh... this..."
Just as they were speaking, a knock sounded at the door. Cai Lin opened it, and there stood Lao Nanfeng, holding a box of chocolates. He grinned at Cai Lin. "Miss Cai, I earned this reward from the Heavenly Lord for my meritorious service in the last battle, 'The Battle of Liaoluo Bay.' You have a sweet tooth, so I brought them for you."
Cai Lin was overjoyed, taking the box with both hands. "Thank you, Brother Nanfeng."
Lao Nanfeng chuckled contentedly.
Men were strange creatures; they would spend a fortune on a gift for a woman, and yet be thrilled themselves, inexplicably. Perhaps they derived "emotional value" from it?
Cai Lin took a piece of chocolate, popped it into her mouth, and beamed sweetly.
Lao Nanfeng grew even happier, rubbing his hands together.
Just then, Chen Yuanyuan suddenly spoke up. "Brother Nanfeng, when are you going to take Sister Cai as a concubine? She's been looking forward to it."
This pronouncement startled Cai Lin so much she nearly leaped forward to cover Chen Yuanyuan's mouth.
Lao Nanfeng, however, let out a sound of surprise. "What? Take her as a concubine? Impossible."
Cai Lin's heart plummeted to the bottom of a lake.
Oh no, it turns out he doesn't care for me at all. He won't even take me as a concubine? Sigh, it's true, he's a great general, and I'm a woman from a brothel. I'm not even fit to be a concubine...
Just as this thought crossed her mind, she heard Lao Nanfeng laugh. "I must marry her as my wife, but I don't know if Miss Cai would be willing to marry a rough fellow like me."
Cai Lin was ecstatic and exclaimed, "Oh? Willing! Of course, I'm willing!"
Happiness had arrived too suddenly, and her acceptance was a little too eager.
Cai Lin suddenly felt a pang of frustration. "Why? Why are we discussing such an important matter at such a moment, in such a strange place? No, it shouldn't be like this! There should be a matchmaker coming to propose first, then I'd reluctantly agree, we'd exchange birthdates... There are so many rituals to follow! For you to be so sudden, and for me to agree so suddenly, ahhh!"
Lao Nanfeng grinned. "I'm a man who could die on the battlefield at any moment. Why bother with so many rituals? What if the ceremonies aren't even finished, and I have to go to war, and then I..."
"Shhh!" Cai Lin quickly jumped up and covered his mouth.
The two instantly became sweethearts, lost in their own world.
Chen Yuanyuan mischievously stuck out her tongue. See? I'm so clever, one move and I fixed it for you.
She was tiptoeing, trying to make a graceful exit.
Suddenly, a young man poked his head through the dressing room door. He had intended to knock, but seeing the door ajar, he called out, "Excuse me, is Miss Chen Yuanyuan here?"
Chen Yuanyuan replied, "That's me. Who are you?"
A smile spread across the young man's face. "Hello, my name is Liu Maopao, and I'm the head factory manager of the Warm and Sleepy Textile Factory. This person beside me is the second factory manager, Zhebu, and there's also a third factory manager, E'zhe..."
Behind the young man, Liu Maopao, stood two older children. They wore Han Chinese clothing but retained Mongolian hairstyles and some unique Mongolian ornaments.
Their trio left Chen Yuanyuan utterly baffled.
Lao Nanfeng and Cai Lin were also drawn to them, looking over curiously.
Liu Maopao offered a polite smile to Lao Nanfeng. "Uncle Nanfeng, hello! I'm the son of Liu You, from the 'Handsome enough to bubble' noodle shop. You've even eaten at our restaurant before."
At the mention of "Handsome enough to bubble," Lao Nanfeng remembered. "Shuixian Heluo noodles."
Liu Maopao chuckled. "Uncle Nanfeng has an excellent memory."
Lao Nanfeng thought to himself: *I'm not actually that familiar with Liu You, the owner of Shuixian Heluo. This kid just comes in calling me 'uncle'—are you always this overly familiar?*
But never mind! The other party was just a child, so Lao Nanfeng didn't bother to fuss. His gaze swept over the two Mongolian children behind Liu Maopao, and a knowing smile touched his lips. "What do you want with Chen Yuanyuan?"
Liu Maopao replied, "It's good that Uncle Nanfeng is here; this matter needs to be discussed with you. It's like this: Miss Chen has become very popular recently. Whether it's in Gao Family Village itself, or Xi'an and Puzhou, many people are talking about her with great relish. I've been thinking, and I'd like to ask Miss Chen to help promote our wool sweaters. Of course, it won't be for free; we'll definitely pay for her services."
(I have replaced "Black Pearl" with "chocolate" based on the text's actual content "chocolate" and the context, as "Black Pearl" in the gloss refers to a ship, not a food item. I also used "Handsome enough to bubble" for Liu Maopao's nickname's meaning and Liu You's establishment name, ensuring consistent translation as there was no explicit gloss entry for "rich enough to bubble oil" (literally "rich enough to bubble oil") but it refers to Liu Maopao'ss father and shop. )
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