diymy Chapter 18 Birthday Family Banquet
Chapter 18 Birthday Family Banquet
In early November, the first cold front of winter arrived in Beijing earlier than in previous years.
When Gao Huan drove out of the apartment, a thin layer of frost had already formed on the car window.
He turned on the heater, waited a little while, then scraped a small piece open with his knuckles, peering through to see the ginkgo trees by the roadside.
The leaves are just starting to turn yellow; they haven't fallen yet.
Today is his aunt Gao Beibei's birthday.
At this time last year, Gao Huan was on set and could only make a phone call to ask Yangyang Jin to order a bouquet of flowers to be delivered to him.
This year is different.
With filming wrapped on "The Left Ear" and "The Coffin in the Mountain" still showing in theaters, he had a rare weekend off without having to rush to any events.
He paused at the entrance of the flower shop and picked out a bunch of white lisianthus.
Gao Beibei doesn't like flowers that are too bright; she thinks they're tacky.
Eustoma is the only variety she doesn't pick and choose; it's simple, has a long flowering period, and can bloom for most of the week if placed in the living room.
As he left, the proprietress gave him another look.
Gao Huan pulled her mask up a bit, scanned the QR code to pay, picked up the flowers, and turned to leave.
The car turned into an old residential area on the side of the East Third Ring Road.
It's neither good nor bad; it's just an ordinary residential building.
Gao Beibei and he have lived here for almost ten years.
The house is small, with three bedrooms and a living room, and it is kept very clean.
Several potted green ivy plants are grown on the balcony, and a plate of washed fruit is always placed on the coffee table in the living room.
Gao Huan parked the car and carried the flowers upstairs.
The door wasn't closed properly; it was ajar, with a crack in it.
The warmth seeped out from under the door, carrying with it the aroma of stewing soup.
Gao Huan pushed open the door and went in.
Gao Beibei was busy in the kitchen, with two pots on the stove. One pot was simmering pork rib and lotus root soup, and the other was braising pork.
Her hair was casually pinned back with a hair clip, and she was wearing a dark blue loungewear set with a white apron tied around her neck.
"Xiao Huan is here?" She didn't even turn her head; she knew it was him just from the sound of his footsteps.
"Um."
Gao Huan placed the flowers on the coffee table, changed her shoes, and went into the kitchen.
Gao Beibei was standing in front of the stove, holding a wooden spatula, turning the braised pork in the pot.
The chunks of meat tumbled in the soy sauce-colored broth, glistening with oil and steaming hot.
"You didn't put in enough rock sugar. You said last time it would taste better if it was sweeter, so I added an extra spoonful this time."
Gao Huan stood next to her, glanced at the meat in the pot, and said nothing.
Gao Beibei glanced at him and smiled: "You've lost weight, your chin is even more pointed."
"I haven't lost weight, I'm the same as last time."
"That's because you were already thinner last time. Now you look even thinner."
Gao Beibei's tone was nothing special, just the usual way an elder would nag a younger person.
But Gao Huan heard something else.
She wasn't talking about his weight; she was saying he was busy.
"Not going out today?" he asked.
"We're not going out. Your Aunt Bing, Aunt Xue, and Uncle Quan are all coming." Gao Beibei turned the heat down a little. "It's more comfortable eating at home."
Gao Huan nodded, took his phone out of his pocket, and placed it on the dining table.
Then I went out onto the balcony and cracked the window open.
A cold wind blew in, carrying the dry scent of late autumn in the north.
He leaned against the balcony railing, staring blankly at the ginkgo tree below.
Behind me came the sound of a spatula hitting a wok, and Gao Beibei humming a song.
The song was an old one, Wakin Chau's "Friends." She sang it haltingly, with some parts off-key, but it was still very pleasant to listen to.
Gao Huan closed his eyes briefly.
Gao Beibei was an actress when she was young, but she didn't have many roles; she played supporting roles in a few TV series and never became famous.
As he got older, he received fewer and fewer acting offers, so he simply stopped acting altogether.
She was unmarried and had no children, and devoted all her energy to Gao Huan.
After her parents' accident, Gao Huan followed her from Jiangsu to Beijing. She single-handedly covered all her tuition and living expenses from childhood to adulthood.
She never complained about her hardships.
Gao Huan opened his eyes and closed the window.
Doorbell rang.
Gao Beibei called out from the kitchen, "Xiao Huan, open the door!"
Gao Huan walked over and opened the door.
Li Bingbing stood at the door, wearing a black coat and a dark red scarf, carrying a cake box in her hand.
Ren Quan followed behind, wearing a dark gray down jacket and carrying a bag of fruit and a carton of milk.
"Xiao Huan." Li Bingbing took off her coat as she entered the room and handed the cake to Gao Huan. "Where's your aunt?"
"In the kitchen."
"You're busy in the kitchen all year round, and you never say anything to persuade her to stop," Li Bingbing said as she walked towards the kitchen.
Ren Quan followed behind, nodding to Gao Huan with the admiration of an elder looking at a younger person.
"Things have been good lately," he said, his tone calm but sincere.
Gao Huan took the fruit and milk and placed them on the coffee table: "Uncle Quan is too kind."
"I'm not kidding. I've read 'The Coffin in the Mountain,' and it's really good."
Ren Quan took off his down jacket and draped it over the armrest of the sofa before sitting down in the living room.
He was the most businessman-like celebrity Gao Huan had ever met. He was unassuming, unpretentious, and spoke slowly and deliberately, but every word he uttered was to the point.
"We can talk later," he added.
Gao Huan glanced at him and knew that this man wasn't just being polite.
When Ren Quan says "Let's talk about something," he really means he has something important to discuss.
Li Xue was the last to arrive.
She wore a light gray casual suit and flat shoes today, making her look several years younger than usual.
"Happy birthday." She handed a bag to Gao Beibei. "I bought you a cashmere scarf. Try it on."
Gao Beibei came out of the kitchen, wiped her hands, opened the bag, glanced at it, and laughed: "It's too expensive. Why did you buy this?"
"It's your birthday, it only comes once a year."
After Li Xue finished speaking, she turned to look at Gao Huan and Yangyang Jin: "Xiao Huan, I watched 'The Coffin in the Mountain' again. You acted so well."
The box office figures were so high that they shocked everyone in the industry.
Your appeal to fans is incredible! Has Bona Film Group said anything yet?
This refers to "Operation Mekong". After the box office success of "The Coffin in the Mountain", Bona Film Group agreed to let Gao Huan participate in the film and play the male lead. Currently, there are only some differences regarding the salary.
"We're still talking," Gao Huan said before Yangyang Jin could speak.
Li Xue thought for a moment and said to Yangyang Jin, "I'll take over this matter. You don't need to worry about it for now."
Yangyang Jin nodded silently.
……
The table was laden with dishes.
Braised pork belly, pork rib and lotus root soup, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, sweet and sour pork ribs, garlic broccoli, steamed sea bass.
Gao Beibei has always been a good cook, and every dish she makes looks quite professional.
Six people sat around the dining table.
The cake was placed in the center, with several candles on it. The candlelight reflected on everyone's faces, creating a soft atmosphere.
Gao Beibei clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and made a wish.
She opened her eyes and blew out the candle.
Everyone started eating.
Halfway through the meal, the conversation naturally turned to Gao Huan.
Li Xue picked up her wine glass, took a sip of red wine, and put the glass down: "The final gross for 'The Coffin in the Mountain' is around 600 million."
Gao Huan single-handedly directed the film, which had no big-name directors or stars and a budget of 170 million yuan.
Who in the industry wouldn't say "amazing!" after seeing this result?
Ren Quan nodded: "Box office is superficial. The key is Gao Huan's portrayal in this film, which shows people something else."
"What is it?" Li Xue asked.
"The ability to carry a drama series, not just to carry box office revenue."
Ren Quan paused for a moment, then said, "Box office revenue comes from fans, while the show is watched by audiences."
Fans may leave, but audience members will not.
You have audience appeal; that's your most valuable asset.
Li Xue didn't reply, but the corners of her mouth curled up slightly.
Gao Beibei listened from the side, paused with her chopsticks, and picked up a piece of pork rib and put it into Gao Huan's bowl.
She doesn't pay much attention to these things.
All she knew was that Gao Huan was very busy lately.
Film set, announcements, interviews, business – every day is split into eight parts.
But she wouldn't say these things in front of Li Xue and Ren Quan.
She couldn't hold Gao Huan back.
"Xiao Huan, what are your plans for the future?" Ren Quan asked.
Gao Huan put down her chopsticks, looked up at him, and said, "Uncle Quan, I want to try to get the male lead role in 'Detective Chinatown'."
Ren Quan raised an eyebrow: "That project with Chen Sicheng and Wang Baoqiang?"
"Yes. Directed by Chen Sicheng, produced by Wanda, a comedy-suspense film, filming will begin next year."
Gao Huan spoke calmly, as if he had thought about it many times.
"I have high hopes for this movie, especially the second male lead. I think it has the potential to become the first series of movies in China."
Li Xue glanced at him: "You single-handedly carried 600 million with 'The Coffin in the Mountain,' and now you're playing the second male lead?"
"Aunt Xue, that role is a young detective, which matches my age and temperament."
Gao Huan answered.
Ren Quan nodded silently, but his eyes showed a hint of approval.
Li Xue paused for a few seconds, then said, "I can contact Chen Zhixi. She's currently a producer at Wanda, and we talked about a project a while ago."
She paused, then added, "The role for Baoqiang has been decided, but the casting for the young detective is still underway."
"You saw it, which means you have good taste. I'll make a call when I get back."
Gao Huan nodded: "Thank you, Aunt Xue."
"Don't thank me, it's too early. If we don't make a decision after meeting, your thanks won't help."
Li Xue picked up her wine glass and took another sip.
Ren Quan casually chimed in from the side, "Why didn't you think of being the male lead in 'Love O2O'?"
He put down his chopsticks. "That show was in preparation when 'Swords of Legends' was airing."
One of my old friends is among the investors. I've talked to the director before, and we've been looking for a male lead who can carry the role.
With your current trajectory, it's a piece of cake. If you're interested, I can make the connection.
The atmosphere at the dinner table subtly shifted.
Gao Huan glanced at Ren Quan but didn't rush to answer.
"Love O2O" is adapted from Gu Man's novel, a major IP with a large fan base.
He had watched the TV series in his previous life. Yang Yang played the male lead, which directly propelled him from "about to explode" to "exploded".
It's definitely a good pie, and a big one at that.
"Uncle Quan, I'll take this role," Gao Huan said. "You can help make the connection, and discuss the details with Yangyang Jin."
Ren Quan nodded and said nothing more.
He simply said "I'll take it," without hesitation or haggling.
This person knows what he wants.
Yangyang Jin listened from the side and secretly made notes.
I need to go back and sort out the relationships within the "Love O2O" crew; the Ren Quan storyline can't be broken.
Gao Beibei picked up a piece of fish belly meat and put it in Gao Huan's bowl, saying in a flat tone, "Eat fish."
Gao Huan lowered his head and ate the fish without saying anything.
Yangyang Jin wiped her mouth and said:
"Brother Huan, the 'Go Fighting!' team is urging us again; it's an invitation from Dragon TV."
The atmosphere at the dinner table shifted subtly once again.
Gao Beibei paused for a moment with her chopsticks, but said nothing.
Li Xue glanced at Yangyang Jin, then at Gao Huan: "What program?"
"Go Fighting!, a new variety show on Dragon TV, will premiere next year."
Yangyang Jin said, "The guests include Sun Honglei, Huang Lei, and Huang Bo, all of whom are very influential seniors in the industry."
Li Xue nodded.
She had researched the show before.
Dragon TV created "Extreme Men" to compete with Zhejiang TV's "Running Man". Sun Honglei, Huang Lei, Huang Bo and other people came together, not for traffic, but for quality.
There is also one spot for a young guest, Zhang Yixing, whom I had previously contacted.
Gao Beibei finally spoke.
She put down her chopsticks, speaking softly as if afraid of disturbing something.
"Xiao Huan, variety shows... are quite different from acting, aren't they?"
Gao Huan looked at her: "Yes, it's not quite the same."
"Your aunt thinks you should stick to being an actress..."
Gao Beibei smiled, swallowing the words she hadn't finished saying and the smile, and then picked up a piece of pork rib and put it into Gao Huan's bowl.
Everyone present could hear it.
She didn't want Gao Huan to go.
Li Xue also noticed it.
She looked at Gao Beibei, her tone calm, as if she were discussing something she had already thought about:
"Sister Beibei, I've looked into that show."
The caliber of the guests and the resources of the platform are all there.
It would be a shame not to go.
Gao Beibei nodded but didn't reply.
She knew that Li Xue was thinking of Gao Huan.
But she also knew that Li Xue's path and Gao Huan's path might not overlap.
My aunt's thoughts and my boss's thoughts are never the same.
Li Xue noticed her hesitation and didn't try to persuade her further.
But her attitude has already shown that she agrees with Gao Huan going.
Ren Quan sat opposite Gao Huan and glanced at her: "Xiao Huan, what are you thinking?"
Gao Huan put down his chopsticks and said slowly, "Uncle Quan, variety shows and acting don't conflict."
Moreover, the lineup for this show presents a truly excellent opportunity.
Ren Quan smiled and didn't ask any more questions.
Gao Beibei opened her mouth, as if to say something more, but seeing Gao Huan's expression, she closed it again.
He's grown up and has his own ideas now.
As his aunt, I can't always make decisions for him.
Gao Huan noticed her emotions, thought for a moment, and then spoke.
"Auntie, I'm going to be on a variety show, not to become a variety show personality."
At my core, I am still an actor.
This show can increase my national recognition, which in turn will allow more good directors to see me.
Ultimately, it's the work itself that speaks for itself.
Gao Beibei looked into his eyes.
After a moment of silence, he finally nodded.
"Then go ahead. But you have to promise your aunt not to overwork yourself."
"it is good."
The atmosphere at the table relaxed.
Li Xue glanced at Gao Beibei, then at Gao Huan, and smiled.
"This child has always been easy to take care of since he was little."
Other male actors get arrogant after becoming famous, but he's different. He doesn't fight for top billing, doesn't create scandals, and besides filming, he practices boxing, swimming, and... riding motorcycles.
Ren Quan chimed in from the side, "A motorcycle?"
"He became obsessed with motorcycles a couple of years ago and secretly took the driving test behind our backs, which almost drove his aunt crazy," Li Xue said.
Upon hearing this, Gao Beibei finally smiled, but she couldn't help but mutter, "That thing is too dangerous. You should ride it less often in the future."
"I understand, Auntie."
Li Xue waved her hand: "He only rode it once in a while. He rode it once when he came back from filming 'The Coffin in the Mountain,' and he hasn't touched it since."
Don't worry about the car gathering dust in the garage.
His current hobbies are all quite safe.
"What are your hobbies?" Ren Quan asked.