Chapter 116: Two in One

Chapter 116: Two in One

"You, why have you become like this?" Before going to bed, Political Commissar Zhou saw his wife's "new look" for the first time in over a decade of marriage. She was wearing pajamas, her face framed by her hair, and under the light, her skin showed no signs of wrinkles, making her look like a young girl.

Zaohua dejectedly said, "This is me now."

She glanced at Political Commissar Zhou and felt ashamed. Before, when she tried to look younger, there were still signs of aging. But now, she actually looked younger, which was embarrassing!

"You, you, don't come any closer." Political Commissar Zhou's face turned red, feeling embarrassed, as if he was about to sleep with a much younger woman.

Zaohua said, "You're leaving tomorrow anyway, so you won’t have to see me like this often."

She touched her hair, though embarrassed, unwilling to ruin her new hairstyle. Tomorrow, she planned to show off to others. It was only awkward between us as a long-married couple, but she wasn’t embarrassed in front of others.

"Once you’re gone, I’ll go chat with Shen Hai."

The Shen Hai she referred to was Gao Lili’s husband.

Political Commissar Zhou widened his eyes. "What are you doing?"

"Not doing anything special. I just look way younger than my age now, so I can chat with younger people like Shen Hai, and also Captain Gu, and Xiao Gao."

Political Commissar Zhou's face turned pale.

"You're just saying this out of spite. I don't believe you." Political Commissar Zhou snorted, feeling frustrated and thinking he needed to talk to Gu Cheng about it.

As he thought about it, he felt Zaohua lying next to him. Political Commissar Zhou couldn't help but blush again. Honestly, this new look suited her well. Zaohua wasn't ugly. With her hair framing her face, only the central part of her face was visible, with smooth and beautiful lines, almost like his daughter.

The next day, as he left home, Political Commissar Zhou was deep in thought. After a day or two, he finally found Gu Cheng, pulled him into a corner, and whispered, "You need to be prepared."

Gu Cheng glanced at his watch, holding a thermos cup, without lifting his eyelids. "What's happened now?"

"Men age faster. You're ten years older than your wife. Be careful, in five or six years, she might look like your daughter. Will you dare to go out?"

Gu Cheng chuckled. "Do I look old? In a few years, you might look like my father."

Political Commissar Zhou was even more distressed by Gu Cheng's reply. Why wasn't this guy getting white hair? Many male officers went grey quite quickly. Given how hard Gu Cheng worked, you’d think he’d have grey hair by now.

Gu Cheng and Political Commissar Zhou returned home together. Qin Yao and Zaohua were talking in the yard. Political Commissar Zhou coughed and, without saying a word, went into the house.

Gu Cheng said, "Is he shy?"

Zaohua's daughter, Zhou Jiajia, said, "My dad is just proud and secretly happy."

"Uncle Gu, if your wife became prettier, wouldn't you be happy? My dad is secretly pleased."

Zaohua laughed and scolded, raising her voice. "What are you babbling about, you little troublemaker?"

"Mom, I'm just saying Dad is secretly happy. Uncle Gu, aren't you envious? Maybe you should encourage Aunt Qin to dress up more."

Gu Cheng said, "Your Aunt Qin doesn't need to dress up. She's always been this beautiful."

"Wow, imagine if Aunt Qin hadn’t married Uncle Gu, she’d still be Sister Qin."

Gu Cheng twitched the corner of his mouth. "..."

The girl next door speaks quite harshly. Having such a daughter is like having "a real thorn in your side."

Captain Gu sneered and said no more. He definitely wouldn't argue with this kind of "thorn in my side."

Qin Yao and the two children went back into the house. Gu Cheng slipped over to his wife's side to play the victim. "Look, someone was being passive-aggressive about me getting old."

"Why don’t you sneak into their house and take her homework? That’ll give her something to worry about," Qin Yao said with a mischievous smile, offering a bad idea.

Gu Cheng: "...Then Lao Zhou would think I’ve gone crazy."

"Sigh, all we can do is hope that Lao Gao's daughter grows up to be sharp as a tack, giving him a headache," Gu Cheng secretly wished.

Qin Yao shook her head. "Let’s not talk about our future son making you jump with anger, only for others like Lao Gao to watch the joke."

Gu Cheng laughed. "Yaoyao, don’t give them an inch and take away our own pride."

"Pay attention to this child in front of you. His name is Mingming, and he’s sharper than you think. Here’s the evidence—look at this hulusi," Qin Yao said, using a tone that would become popular decades later to introduce her son to Captain Gu, who still didn’t fully grasp the situation.

Little Mingming didn’t understand what was going on. He was too young to comprehend the string of words from his mother's mouth, his innocent, watery eyes wide open, a picture of innocence.

The little guy bore a seven or eight points resemblance to Gu Cheng. His young face exuded a clear kind of naivety, his mouth slightly open, revealing a set of white teeth.

Gu Cheng noticed the hulusi in Qin Yao's hand. Seeing the oddly chewed mouthpiece, his mouth twitched. His own son was truly "sharp-tongued and quick-witted," like a little monster.

Gu Cheng hesitated. "How are they doing in their studies?"

"Let your son play for you. Come on, bring out the two little troopers of the family and let Captain Gu assess your level."

Qin Yao ushered the two kids toward Gu Cheng. The two little ones, like small tumbling dolls, swayed as they held their hulusi, blowing unsteady notes at their father.

They blew with all their might, but the notes were all over the place, squeaking and squawking.

Gu Cheng: "..."

"I understand what you’re trying to say. The more they play, the more guilty I feel toward you. Here, let me play with you."

"Not Mingming's. I don’t want his."

Qin Yao laughed as she watched the father and sons play. Today, a sample copy of *Towards the Blue Sky* arrived. The publisher had previously contacted her, asking if she wanted to change the title to *Flying Towards the Blue Sky*.

Qin Yao had been hesitant before, but she still preferred the title *Towards the Blue Sky*. "Fly" felt too light and airy, like it was floating away, while "walk" felt solid and grounded, like you were taking steady steps toward something important.

Step by step, walking toward the blue sky, like climbing a staircase to the heavens.

A ladder belonging to humanity.

While Gu Cheng looked after the children, Qin Yao had some time to carefully unwrap and read the sample copy. It wasn’t that she couldn’t read with the children around, but she was worried about their little mischievous hands dirtying or tearing the book.

These two-year-old boys were at the peak of their curiosity and destructiveness. They would chew and taste everything, and their hands were skilled at causing trouble—tearing and folding pages despite being told not to. If you told them not to touch something, they'd deliberately go and touch it.

If you didn’t warn them, they’d lose interest in touching it.

—That’s just how kids are—always testing boundaries.

Precious things needed to be kept away from these two little scamps. After all, this was the first sample copy, and Qin Yao didn’t want her own children to tear it apart.

"The publisher also sent a letter saying that two film studios are interested in turning my story into a movie. They even mentioned that a screenwriter from one of the studios wants to meet with me."

"Gu Cheng asked, 'Is it a man or a woman?'

'I don’t know, I won’t find out until I see them.'

Qin Yao was quite interested in this screenwriter, after all, he was from the largest film studio in the country. He had written several excellent film scripts, and screenwriters of this era were known for their cultural depth. Qin Yao was eager to exchange ideas with him.

The screenwriter was named Sun Qing, a fortysomething middle-aged man. When he came to visit Qin Yao, he made quite a spectacle, arriving in a car from the 'First Film Studio' with a bright red sign that was hard to miss. It was parked outside, causing quite a stir in the residential compound. Those who didn’t know better might have thought they were here to scout for a movie.

'Are they here to make a movie?'

'If they’re making a movie here, will we get to see a good one? Will our kid be in it?'

'I don’t know, but a fellow villager of mine was in a movie once, it was called 'Mine Warfare.''

'Wow, did he become famous in the village?'

'Haha, they covered his face in so much mud that even his own mother didn’t recognize him.'

'Since our story is set at sea, they probably won’t cover us in mud, right?'

'Don’t even think about it. If it’s not one of the leading roles, you won’t even be noticed in the movie.'

At that time, being an actor in a movie gave people some fame among the public, but it wasn’t a big deal. After all, there weren’t any movie fans who chased stars yet, and actors' salaries weren’t high. Most of them were theater actors.

'Are you Comrade Qin Yao? Hello, I’m Sun Qing. I’ve read your works; your writing is lively and full of energy. Many leaders at our studio praised you and wondered what kind of female writer could write such an article. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.'

Qin Yao smiled, 'Mr. Sun, you flatter me. I feel embarrassed hearing these words. Rather than saying my writing has vibrant energy, it’s more like it’s still a bit immature.'

Sun Qing laughed, 'Don’t be too modest. Whether it’s mature or not, great writing often comes naturally, like a stroke of genius.'

'Many authors write their best work as their first. Comrade Qin Yao, I’ve read two of your books, and each one shows improvement. Your narrative structure is innovative, somewhat like a modern-day 'Water Margin.'

Qin Yao chuckled, 'You’re scaring me; how could it be compared to 'Water Margin'?'

Her work was clearly a high-level, highly engaging story.

'I thought you’d write about melancholic things, but your writing is nothing like that.'

Qin Yao and screenwriter Sun Qing discussed the adaptation of the novel into a movie. Adapting a novel into a film required significant changes, emphasizing conflicts and contradictions, and making the narrative more concise and complete.

As the original author, Qin Yao provided some suggestions for the adaptation.

'Comrade Qin Yao, I’m grateful to have visited you. You’ve given me a lot of inspiration. Adapting a script is a new creation and cannot be taken lightly...'

When there was a bustle at Qin Yao’s house, Gao Lili next door immediately noticed. Upon hearing that it was people from the film studio, her heart skipped a beat, and a rush of excitement surged to her head.

'People from the film studio? Are they here to invite Qin Yao to act in a movie? As the female lead?'

Gao Lili bit her lip, feeling extremely anxious. She wished she could immediately 'volunteer' herself.

'If they need more actors, they should choose me instead. Qin Yao has small children and wouldn’t be able to leave to act in a movie.'

Gao Lili speculated that Qin Yao would likely refuse the movie offer. She assumed that the film studio had heard about Qin Yao’s beauty and wanted her to play a role just for her looks. But if the film studio people met her, they might change their minds.

Thinking of this, in order to make a splash, Gao Lili quickly dressed up, changed into a new set of clothes, and went to knock on the door of Qin Yao’s house next door.

'Xiao Qin, Comrade Qin, I heard people from the film studio came to see you?' In her eagerness to become an actress, Gao Lili raised her voice dramatically."

Qin Yao and Sun Qing walked out. "Lili, I'm discussing the script with the screenwriter," Qin Yao said.

"Oh really? This is the screenwriter? He really looks impressive and exudes the charm of knowledge." Gao Lili's eyes were fixed on Sun Qing, who smiled at her upon seeing her. He was used to such enthusiastic female relatives.

The older they get, the more enthusiastic they are, while the younger ones still maintain some reserve.

Sun Qing said, "Sister-in-law, you live next door? Would you like to come in and listen too?"

"Sister-in-law?" Gao Lili was stunned. Why is he calling me ‘sister-in-law,’ making me sound so old? Is he really just a young screenwriter, barely in his twenties? "Comrade, you sure look precocious."

Sun Qing was a bit confused. Was "precocious" a compliment for his youth or was it saying he looked old?

Qin Yao quickly interjected, "Comrade Sun, this is Gao Lili, my neighbor, in her twenties."

"Oh, oh." Sun Qing had a sudden realization and immediately corrected himself, "Comrade Gao, hello. I'm quite old, over forty actually. You're still my junior. I should have followed local customs and called you 'sister-in-law,' but I mistakenly called you 'auntie' out of clumsiness."

Sun Qing, being skilled with words, spoke beautifully.

Gao Lili didn't mind the slip. "Are you guys making a movie? Do you still need actors? Would you consider me for a role?"

Sun Qing coughed. She could act, but the script required many outstanding female characters. Gao Lili's appearance made her suitable to play the elder of the protagonist, but how could he ask a woman in her twenties to play an older role? It was just that this family member looked "more mature than her age."

"Our script is being filmed up north, so it might not be a good fit. We're only here to discuss the script adaptation with Qin Yao. She's the original author, and our studio hopes this film can win the National Excellence Award..."

As Sun Qing talked about the movie, he went on and on about how much the leaders at the studio valued the project, how much they esteemed Qin Yao, and how he had been appointed as the chief screenwriter, taking the adaptation seriously...

His long speech gave Gao Lili a headache, and she had to find an excuse to leave.

"Since it's about the script, I won't get involved since I don't understand it. Xiao Qin, I'm leaving. Comrade Sun, if you need a female actor in the future, feel free to find me. I’d be happy to help out if needed."

After Gao Lili left, Sun Qing looked at Qin Yao and said regretfully, "Comrade Qin, you'd be perfect for a role."

"Really, Comrade Qin, if you're free, come act in the movie. You have such expressive eyes."

Qin Yao quickly declined, "I'm not available right now. Professional matters should be handled by professionals. The cultural center has some talented people. Maybe your studio could pick some."

Qin Yao wanted to introduce Lan Baiyu to Sun Qing. Lan Baiyu, after winning an award for her recent play, seemed to have truly unlocked her acting talent and had become an amateur actress.

This film required quite a few female actors, and Lan Baiyu might have a chance to participate. If Lan Baiyu succeeds in the future, she would remember Qin Yao's favor.

"Okay, Comrade Qin, are you still busy with your writing?"

Qin Yao nodded. "Yes, I'm working on another novel. I've written about three hundred thousand characters so far."

Sun Qing was stunned for a moment. "What? You've written a new book? And it's three hundred thousand characters? Was it all written this year?"

"Pretty much. I started around the Spring Festival. I wrote thirty thousand characters back then."

Sun Qing marveled, "You write incredibly fast."

Qin Yao's writing speed wasn't extraordinarily surprising. Some could write seven to eight hundred thousand characters in a few months, but many took three years to write just one book. Qin Yao had finished one last year and, after not resting for long, had started another. Her creative energy was admirable.

"It's alright," Qin Yao said humbly.

"Can I take a look?"

"Sure."

As Sun Qing read Qin Yao's new work, he was completely absorbed. "If this book is ever adapted into a movie in the future, I want to be the screenwriter."

Qin Yao shook her head and said, "The story adapted from Old Master Gu's experiences is more suitable to be turned into a television series. The plot is so rich and complex."

After seeing off Screenwriter Sun, everyone in the residential compound knew that Qin Yao's work was going to be adapted into a movie again, which left everyone in awe.

"Xiao Qin is really talented."

"Indeed, if she weren't talented, why would they transfer her to the cultural center? I think she'll have a great future."

"Actually, a woman doesn't need to be that remarkable."

……

Qin Yao and her husband didn't pay much attention to this gossip in the residential compound, but the incident still affected Qin Yao.

An elderly woman approached Qin Yao at her door with a seven or eight-year-old girl. The elderly woman was someone Qin Yao knew—she was the mother-in-law of the original female lead, Bai Qiuling. The girl, Jiang Xue, was Bai Qiuling's youngest daughter.

When Jiang Xue had first come, she was only three or four years old. Now she was seven or eight and attending elementary school, three years younger than her brother Jiang Hao.

Old Lady Ge, Bai Qiuling's mother-in-law, stopped Qin Yao. "Comrade Qin, my little granddaughter likes to write articles too. Could you teach her how to write like you?"

Old Lady Ge was envious that Qin Yao could make money writing books. She had heard that adapting them into movies could earn dozens or even hundreds of yuan, which an average family couldn't earn in a year.

The old lady thought this kind of work was suitable for girls. They wouldn't need to show their faces in public; they could just write articles and earn money. It was a good path for girls.

In the future, when looking for a spouse, they could boast about their talented daughter, helping her find a good match.

"Is this Xiao Xue?" Qin Yao noticed Jiang Xue, who was dressed in clean clothes. Her eyes darted around, and she didn't seem like someone who could sit still for long. She was probably forced by Old Lady Ge to come and learn.

Most kids dread writing essays and classical Chinese, and few would love writing from a young age.

"Learning should start from a young age. Comrade Qin, please take her as your student. I'll have her kneel down and kowtow to you as a formal apprenticeship." Old Lady Ge hadn't liked Qin Yao much before. She disliked Qin Yao's best friend, Chen Baozhen, even more, thinking the two sisters were up to no good.

In Old Lady Ge's eyes, women should honestly take care of children. Chen Baozhen, however, even learned to play a musical instrument, which was considered a waste of time. Learning it was pointless since she could only become a music teacher.

The cello, in Old Lady Ge's opinion, had a sound worse than the suona played in the village, though at least the suona was bright and clear.

Old Lady Ge had once asked Chen Baozhen how many bird sounds she could play on the cello. Chen Baozhen didn't even respond. It was just some foreign instrument. What was there to be arrogant about?

Qin Yao's ability to write articles was different. It allowed her to earn money at home and even adapt her work into movies, earning her praise as a great talent.

Qin Yao was both amused and embarrassed. "The child is too young. Let her study properly at school first and master her language textbooks."

"Schools don't teach anything real. To learn true skills, one must formally become an apprentice and recognize a master."

"Xiao Xue, kowtow to your master now. In the future, if you run into Uncle Gu, you should call him master's master." Old Lady Ge still held onto the old societal views. To formally learn from a master, one had to kneel and kowtow, offer incense, and inform the heavens. Only through such a ceremony would the master truly see you as a "disciple." Only then could you learn real skills.

"Xiao Xue, kowtow quickly." Old Lady Ge glared at her granddaughter, urging her to kneel and hug Qin Yao's leg, calling her master. Old Lady Ge had her calculations. Qin Yao could only take so many apprentices. If others hadn't realized this yet, their family would get ahead by having Xiao Xue formally become an apprentice first.

If everyone else figured it out later, it would be too late for them. Fortunately, Chen Baozhen's daughter couldn't even hold a pen properly yet. Even if she wanted to learn, it would be too late.

Jiang Xue hesitated and shook her head. She pressed her lips tightly together. To her, this felt like something out of a horror movie.

She already disliked writing essays at school. Now Old Lady Ge wanted her to formally become an apprentice and learn to write articles. If she really became Qin Yao's apprentice, how miserable her future would be.

"Grandma, why don't you let my brother learn? Why are you making me learn?" Little Jiang Xue felt wronged. She was only seven; how many characters could she even recognize? Was she supposed to write a book now and break her hand?

Old Lady Ge said, "I'm doing this for your own good. Your brother can't sit still. This is suitable for girls to learn. Teacher Qin is a woman, and you're a girl. You'll definitely be fine learning from her."

"Comrade Qin Yao, once our Jiang Xue becomes your disciple, she'll be just like your own daughter. It's like destiny has brought us together, since you don't have a daughter yet.

"Xiao Xue, stop putting on a show and hurry, kneel down and kowtow three times."

Qin Yao couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation. The child of the original female lead was actually being forced to become her disciple. What strange plot was this, just like a martial arts novel, requiring kneeling and incense.

Comrade Qin Yao took another glance and thought, my goodness, the basket Grandma Gao brought had actual incense in it. She wondered where she got it from, since even the temples were gone. Where would she find incense?

"Old lady, take your child back. The girl is too young, and writing is all about passion. If she enjoys it, she'll write on her own and eventually develop her own style."

Jiang Xue hurriedly said, "Grandma, listen to her. I really don't love writing."

"Oh, please, what do you kids know? You all just want to play. You need to be pushed a little. Your dad was also a bit of a troublemaker when he was young," said the old lady seriously. "To master a skill, you need to start young and practice diligently. You're younger than your brother, so you still have time to develop your skills. He's past that stage."