Chapter 60: Even If the Sky Falls, It Won’t Snow

Chapter 60: Even If the Sky Falls, It Won't Snow

In the private room, the dishes were all served, and everyone chatted while eating.

When discussing the predictions in the "Divining Rice" column, Gu Huiling asked curiously, "Why aren't you worried that the predictions might fail?"

Lin Yufan couldn't say that they weren't making predictions but merely stating facts.

She smiled and explained, "It's not that I'm not worried about the predictions failing; it's normal for predictions to fail. What I meant earlier is that I'm not worried about the failure damaging our reputation. If a small column in the inaugural issue doesn't succeed, we can simply replace it with another. With such predictions, if you get it right, people will remember you. If you get it wrong, people will just laugh it off and probably won't even remember it."

Gu Huiling nodded repeatedly, "That makes sense. It's like getting your fortune told at a temple. If it's accurate, you'll remember it for a lifetime. If it's not, you'll explain it away as the gods helping us avoid a disaster."

Gu Huiling was good at conversation, and her words resonated with everyone, who all agreed that it made sense.

From "Divining Rice," the topic shifted to the Huaihai Campaign. Gu Huiling curiously asked Zhao Zhiao, "Mr. Zhao, do you think the Nationalist forces will lose this time?"

Zhao Zhiao responded cautiously, "Until the very end, nothing is certain."

Gu Huiling said, "I heard the fighting has been brutal. The Nationalists are suppressing information everywhere, so the situation must be quite dire."

Shen Jie also nodded, "Yes, I've seen discussions in the newspapers. If the Nationalists lose this battle again, the region north of the Yangtze River will undoubtedly fall to the Communists. The chances of the Nationalists reclaiming it are very low."

Gu Huiling spoke more directly, "I don't know who came up with the idea of partitioning the country along the Yangtze River, but it definitely won't work. No matter who governs the country, we can't let it fall apart."

Shen Jie, having had a bit to drink, became more talkative, "It won't fall apart. If the Communists successfully take Xuzhou, their next target will be the capital, Nanjing. With this momentum, they will surely push forward. Success depends on the right timing, location, and people..."

Zhao Zhiao quite admired the patriotic sentiments of Director Shen and his wife, but he preferred not to reveal his political stance in public, so his words were somewhat ambiguous.

"Currently, the Nationalist Government has relocated to Guangzhou, and the situation will ease somewhat. It all hinges on the top-level strategy; there's still a chance to hold on."

Lin Yufan knew Zhao Zhiao wasn't suited to express his stance, so she took over the conversation, "Whoever governs the country, we can't decide. The people will make their own choice."

Gu Huiling laughed, "That's right, we can't decide, and it doesn't affect our lives. In Hong Kong, even if the sky falls, life continues as usual!"

Lin Yufan continued ambiguously, "Some people ask which party we support. Honestly, who we support isn't important. What matters is who can develop our country effectively. I believe the final outcome will be the people's choice."

"Mrs. Zhao, you're right. The people aren't as easily deceived as they were decades ago, so the final result will surely be the people's choice." After saying this, Gu Huiling gently clinked glasses with Lin Yufan, "Let's toast."

Zhao Zhiao raised his glass and set a rule for everyone, "Today, let's stick to movies and avoid politics."

Ever since he accidentally answered the same question in unison with Lin Yufan earlier, Wang Muxun had felt the pressure of Zhao Zhiao's aura. He didn't dare to speak up anymore and focused solely on eating.

*

After hanging up with Ji Shuping, Wang Junyao sat on the sofa in her bedroom and sighed heavily.

Hui Lan brought her a cup of hot tea and couldn't help but ask with a smile, "Madam, why the sigh after talking with Miss Ji?"

Wang Junyao took the teacup, "Every time I chat with Shuping, I feel happy. It's not that I'm shallow; I have more than enough allowance every month, so I'm not worried about money. I just enjoy talking and chatting with her; it makes me feel at ease. But now, there's a Miss Xu to consider... the daughter of a shipping magnate is surely a far better match than the Ji family, which has no one."

Hui Lan picked up a small blanket and draped it over Wang Junyao's knees, "But you can't let go of Miss Ji, can you?"

"Am I asking for too much?" Wang Junyao held the teacup but didn't drink, "I haven't met this Miss Xu; I don't know her temperament or character, nor what she looks like. Ah... life is always like this; it's hard to have it all."

Hui Lan advised, "Then don't think too much about it. Just let things unfold naturally."

Wang Junyao shook her head, "I can't just let things unfold naturally. Zhi Ao is helping to arrange this. He's so picky; the family he chooses will be a good match."

Hui Lan smiled and gently massaged her shoulders, "Then what do you think of the First Madam chosen by the Eldest Master?"

Wang Junyao didn't want to comment.

She encountered Lin Yufan’s polite rebuffs several times, which made her somewhat uncomfortable.

After a while, she finally found something to criticize about Lin Yufan: "It’s been so long since she got married, but she still hasn’t gotten pregnant."

Hui Lan shot back: "The three concubines have been with the Eldest Master for so many years, and there’s no sign of a baby either, is there?"

Yes, maybe there’s something wrong with Zhi Ao?

As Wang Junyao thought about it, she suddenly realized that her beloved son might be the Fifth Branch’s only hope.

Wang Junyao, who had been sighing just a moment ago, suddenly felt a surge of energy.

She placed her teacup on the table and headed downstairs for a walk.

"Mrs. Peng hasn’t asked us to hang out for a while. Tomorrow is Sunday, let’s see if the second concubine wants to join us for a Pingtan performance." With that, she went downstairs.

When she reached the downstairs, she saw Zhao Lixiang about to leave. Wang Junyao asked him, "Where are you off to right after waking up from your nap?"

Zhao Lixiang was holding a sketchbook in his hand: "I’m going to the Ji family to take Miss Ji, the one you’ve been so concerned about, for her check-up."

"Doesn’t her family have a driver? Why do you need to take her?"

Zhao Lixiang looked at his mother: "Mom, you’ve been so unpredictable lately, I can hardly keep up with you. Didn’t you say Miss Ji was pitiful and asked me to look out for her? I’m just following your advice. Besides, her foot is injured, but I haven’t seen you ask the kitchen to make pig trotter soup for her..."

Wang Junyao: "She’s been resting at home every day recently. Her family has a kitchen and servants, so there’s no need for us to go out of our way to send her soup. I just got off the phone with her, and her foot is pretty much healed. I didn’t hear her mention needing a check-up. Maybe you should call and check if she even needs to see the doctor today."

"I’ve already asked." Zhao Lixiang walked out briskly.

*

Ji Shuping lay on the warm chair in her bedroom, deep in thought.

The phone rang, and she reached out to pick it up: "Hello!"

Hearing the voice on the other end, a small smile played on her lips, "It’s not that serious. Zhao Lixiang, that fool, insisted I rest, so I decided to take a few days off. Anyway, I’m just spinning my wheels at the newspaper office."

After a moment of silence, listening to the other person, Ji Shuping sighed: "It failed, he’s totally unaffected by my tactics... Yes, I know... I think we should stop trying... Let me think, give me some time... Can I see you? I’ll come to you."

She quietly jotted down the address the other person gave her and said, "I’ll come to you once my foot is better."

Just as she hung up, she heard the sound of a car horn outside. She knew Zhao Lixiang had arrived.

*

Lin Yufan quickly rewrote the script for *The Gold Heist*, and Zhao Zhiao was the first to read it.

Lin Yufan had written some novels privately before, but this was her first time writing a script.

After reading it, Zhao Zhiao was impressed by his wife’s ability to adapt. She didn’t simply copy the novel but made major and bold changes.

She made the protagonist more charismatic and the behavioral logic more polished.

Moreover, the movie version of the heist added a female lead, who was A Long’s great partner and strategist, a master strategist, like a modern-day Zhuge Liang. There was no predictable romance between the male and female leads; instead, they shared a pure camaraderie with no romantic undertones.

After finishing the script, Zhao Zhiao didn’t hold back his praise: "Your script is even more brilliant than the novel, and it’s elevated to a higher level."

"Really?" Lin Yufan sat at the inner bar counter, pouring him a drink. She loved hearing him say nice things: "How is it elevated? Tell me more."

"With the addition of the female lead, the antagonist’s intelligence also grows, making the plot twists even more impressive. The final showdown, besides the patriotic sentiment, also adds depth to the human element. People are inherently selfish, and when faced with such a huge temptation of gold, there’s bound to be conflict and struggle. This point of conflict is written very cleverly."

"What else?"

Zhao Zhiao thought seriously: "Also, the male and female leads break the conventional storytelling by focusing on friendship rather than romance. This puts it a step above most movies on the market."

Lin Yufan said, "There can be friendship between men and women, just like the friendship between me and Wang Muxun."

Zhao Zhiao took a sip from his glass, "You are, but he is not."

He prided himself on his keen eye for people, "That Wang Muxun doesn't even dare to look me in the eye, which is definitely a sign of guilt!"

Lin Yufan was speechless; her man could get jealous over anything, even a passing dog.

To make his point, Zhao Zhiao added, "If we're talking about friendship, like the one between you and Gui Xiang, or Tie Long, that's real friendship!"

Lin Yufan: "..."

The next morning, Lin Yufan had the script sent to Shen Jie and his wife.

In the afternoon, Shen Jie and Gu Huiling personally visited Lin Yufan to discuss the script, the proposal, and the upcoming creative issues.

In the first-floor meeting room, Director Shen Jie praised the script, believing that except for a few scenes that needed revision due to impracticality, the rest could be used directly.

Shen Jie sincerely remarked, "I hesitated to add a female lead because a love plot would feel out of place in this story. Unexpectedly, Mrs. Zhao solved this problem ingeniously. She added a female lead to cater to different audiences without introducing a love plot, enriching the storyline."

Gu Huiling, sipping her black tea, said, "Frankly, the script is more polished than the novel. If it weren't for some formatting issues, I would doubt that this is Mrs. Zhao's first time writing a script."

Lin Yufan explained, "Initially, another author wrote 'The Gold Heist,' but unfortunately, they fell ill and couldn't continue. We hired another author, but their style didn't fit. Eventually, I had to write it myself. With only three days to write, some plots weren't handled well, and the overall work felt rushed. This time, I focused on making the plot and characters more exciting."

Gu Huiling, both sincere and articulate, said, "I'm not just flattering, Mrs. Zhao, but you have a natural talent for this."

Lin Yufan modestly smiled, "I've also done a lot of research on my own. By the way, you don't need to be so formal, just call me Yufan."

"Alright, Yufan, you can call me Sister Gu."

As part of the Zhao family, Gu Huiling offered top-notch service and emotional support.

They discussed the script first, and Lin Yufan made minor adjustments based on the director's feedback.

Later, Gu Huiling presented her proposal to Lin Yufan. It covered shooting costs, personnel, schedules, promotion, and expected box office shares, all meticulously planned.

As an experienced producer, Gu Huiling's plans were mature, and the budget was well-managed.

Basically, it all met Lin Yufan's expectations.

Lin Yufan also called her Fifth Brother to join the discussion.

Lin Yuwu had been busy setting up a film company, temporarily registering it at the publishing house and merging offices.

The upcoming shooting of 'The Gold Heist' would be supervised by Lin Yuwu on behalf of the film company, overseeing the director and producer.

Finally, when it came to casting, Shen Jie said, "Previously, because there was no female lead in the book, the female lead hasn't been selected yet. Many mainland actresses have recently arrived in Hong Kong, so there should be plenty of options. The male supporting roles have mostly been cast recently. For the male lead, I've interviewed over ten actors, but none seem right for A Long."

Gu Huiling also sighed, "Shen is picky—the young ones aren't wild enough, and the wild ones aren't good-looking enough. If we can't find the right person, we can't start shooting, and that will delay the schedule. Yufan, do you have any recommendations for the male lead?"

Lin Yufan wasn't familiar with movie actors; she didn't have a specific person in mind when she wrote A Long.

So when asked for a recommendation, she couldn't think of anyone specific.

Lin Yuwu, though a layman in film, was a quick learner and good at socializing, keeping up with conversations on unfamiliar topics.

Most importantly, he was resourceful.

Hearing Shen Jie's requirements, Lin Yuwu immediately said, "I do have someone to recommend!"

Shen Jie looked up and asked, "Which actor?"

"Not an actor. He was a minor leader in the Green Gang, recently arrived from Haicheng. He speaks standard Mandarin, is handsome and muscular. He’s skilled in combat and tough, but he has never acted before, so I’m not sure if he’s a good fit. But he is indeed very handsome and has a strong underworld vibe!" Lin Yuwu recommended. After he finished speaking, both Director Shen and Gu Huiling became interested.

Gu Huiling asked curiously, "Handsome, very strong, and was part of a gang chapter. Old Shen, do you want to meet him? He might be perfect."

Shen Jie said, "I want to meet him."

Lin Yufan asked, "Does it matter if he can't act?"

Shen Jie explained, "It doesn’t matter if he can’t act. I’ll coach him. What matters is if he’s the right fit and has potential."

Shen Jie set up a meeting with Lin Yuwu for the next day.

The next day, after the meeting, Director Shen immediately cast the former Green Gang leader as the male lead, A Long.

*

Since Wang Liu was caught by Xiao Zepeng sneaking into Cui Yuan's house, Wang Liu had completely calmed down in Special Operations Team 1.

Now he was incredibly respectful toward the team leader, and his cooperation at work had reached an all-time high.

Early that morning, Wang Liu came to the team office and stood in front of Xiao Zepeng's desk, leaning over to check the box on the windowsill where letters were usually placed. He wanted to see if there was any mail for him.

There was no mail for him there, but under a book on Xiao Zepeng's desk was what looked like a telegram.

Wang Liu moved the book aside to see whose telegram it was. When he moved it, he saw it was addressed to Xiao Zepeng, and it contained a string of code.

Familiar with the code, Wang Liu quickly decoded it. It said: "New photos of Dong Zhen have been sent."

New photos of Dong Zhen?

Who’s that? It rings a bell. Wang Liu racked his brain but couldn’t place the name.

He turned around and asked, "Who is Dong Zhen?"

Long Jing, who’d been working in the office early, shook his head, indicating he didn’t know, while Deng Kuan was busy organizing materials with the team and didn’t respond.

However, Director Gao, who was passing by the window, stopped when he heard this.

Director Gao hurried over, picked up the telegram, and examined it closely. He was momentarily stunned, then took the telegram.

As soon as Director Gao left, Xiao Zepeng arrived.

Wang Liu immediately reported, "Team Leader Xiao, you got a telegram. Director Gao took it."

Xiao Zepeng walked out and knocked on the door of the director's office.

"Director!"

Director Gao waved at him, "Come in and close the door."

Xiao Zepeng entered the office, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

Director Gao handed him the telegram, "How did this telegram end up opened and left out in the open?"

Xiao Zepeng explained, "Previously, Deputy Director Zhuang assigned the task of finding Dong Zhen. It is said that Dong Zhen came from Chongqing, so I asked a friend in Chongqing to help gather information about Dong Zhen. I received the telegram yesterday, but I forgot to lock it up after opening it due to an urgent task."

Director Gao scolded, "You’re being careless. With so many people around, what if the information leaks?"

"I'm sorry, Director. It was my negligence," Xiao Zepeng apologized.

After Xiao Zepeng was transferred from Chongqing, he worked diligently and responsibly, saving Director Gao a lot of trouble. However, there was one issue: he treated Zhuang Ziguang and Director Gao with the same attitude.

He didn’t see Director Gao as his real boss.

So, Director Gao couldn’t bring him into his inner circle. This time, he finally caught Xiao Zepeng’s mistake. After scolding him a few times, he softened his tone and added, "Forget it, considering you just transferred here, I won’t pursue this matter further. Be more careful from now on."

Xiao Zepeng replied respectfully, "Thank you, Director."

Director Gao reminded him again, "For the letters arriving from Chongqing, keep an eye on the timing and remember to have someone watch the mailbox. Make sure Dong Zhen’s photos don’t go missing again."

Xiao Zepeng nodded, tucked away the telegram, and started his report.

*

Up in Zhang Aiming’s room on the third floor of the Zhao Family Garden.

Zhao Zhiao teased the cat on the table and said, "The gold’s been moved to a secure location this time. Just give me a heads-up when you need it. Remember the address."

Leaning by the window, Zhang Aiming reached out to stop him, "Don’t tell me."

Zhao Zhiao was surprised, "Why?"

Zhang Aiming looked slightly serious, "I might have been exposed."

"How so?" Zhao Zhiao became tense.

Zhang Aiming explained, "Jingji tipped me off that Xiao Zepeng, the captain of the Special Operations Team 1 at the Hong Kong office, received a telegram. The content was that Dong Zhen’s photos are on the way."

Zhao Zhiao thought for a moment, "There’s still a chance. I’ll find a way to intercept the letter."

"The letter must be intercepted. However, Jingji suspects this is a trap because Xiao Zepeng is usually very cautious. For such an important telegram, he didn’t lock it away but deliberately left a part of it exposed for others to see. It’s very likely that Xiao Zepeng has already received the photos, but he deliberately released the telegram to fish, to see who would take the bait."

It is indeed very likely that I have been exposed, Zhao Zhiao said, "What are your plans?"

Zhang Aiming replied, "This is Hong Kong, after all, not the mainland. The Nationalist Party doesn’t have free rein here. For now, it’s safe for me to stay here. Fortunately, you haven’t joined the party, so in their eyes, you might just be a businessman providing me with shelter and investing politically. You should still be someone they want to win over."

Zhao Zhiao nodded, "By the end of the year, I will donate a sum of money to both the Nationalist Party and the Democratic League. Since they think I'm a fence-sitter, I’ll play the part of a proper fence-sitter. However, I'm worried that someone might start surveilling this area in the future. You should pretend to be sick and stay in Zhao’s Garden unless it’s absolutely necessary."

Zhang Aiming agreed, "I’ll stay put for now. Let's wait until this situation passes. I’ll definitely have to go out to carry out missions later."

Zhao Zhiao couldn't control Zhang Aiming, so he didn't press further.

Zhang Aiming handed Zhao Zhiao a few photos, "Thorn found these in Cui Yuan's room. The people in the photos are probably members of the Confidential Department who frequent Zhen'an Apartments."

Zhao Zhiao glanced at them and recognized the person in the photos.

"I didn’t expect this person to be from the Confidential Department. The Confidential Department is a world unto itself, with all kinds of people."

"Not surprising."

"He once tried to approach me through someone else to invest in his magazine."

Zhang Aiming suggested, "You might want to reach out to him. He might be useful in the future."

"Alright. I’ll think about it."

After coming down from the third floor, Zhao Zhiao went back to his study for a while. Looking at the manuscript of "The Mantis" on his desk, he picked it up and read it again.

The more he read, the stronger the sense of familiarity grew.

He rubbed his temples and leaned back in his chair, lost in thought.

It was nearly ten when he headed to Lin Yufan's bedroom.

Lin Yufan was in her room revising a script. He sat beside her, silently watching her edit without a word.

When she finished a section, Lin Yufan glanced up and asked, "What’s on your mind?"

Zhao Zhiao let out a small sigh, "I’m thinking about Wang Muxun..."

"You should just move in with him," Lin Yufan couldn't help but tease him before he could finish, "You’re either jealous of him or you miss him."

Zhao Zhiao chuckled, "I meant I was thinking about his story ‘The Mantis.’"

"Didn’t you say he’s a bad writer and anyone who likes his story has no taste?" Lin Yufan's greatest strength was her good memory; she remembered everything he said.

Zhao Zhiao: "I’m not saying it’s good, but that story is weird."

Lin Yufan put away the manuscript, "What do you find strange about it?"

"I’ll tell you once I figure it out."

"Just tell me now," she wanted to know if Zhao Zhiao's doubts were the same as hers.

Zhao Zhiao got up to take a shower, "I haven't figured it out yet."

"You’re such a tease!" Lin Yufan muttered, putting the manuscript into the drawer.

Her period had started, and her back was a little achy, so she went to bed early.

Soon after, she heard him climb into bed and whispered, "Warm my belly for me."

His warm hands pressed against her belly, soothing her, while his lips kissed her neck and ears.

Even when they weren’t making love, just kissing was a delight. He could kiss her soft lips and tongue endlessly, their kisses lingering until she was flushed and glowing.

*

On January 16, 1949, the Huaihai Campaign came to an end. The People’s Liberation Army took Xuzhou, and the Nationalist army was crushed and surrendered.

When the news broke, those with Wanxiang Magazine flipped to the ‘Ask Mi’ column.

It said: "Ask Mi: When will the Huaihai Campaign end, and who will win?"

"Mi Xian: It ends on January 16, 1949. The Communist army wins, and the Nationalist army is crushed."

At the time, Shen Jie and Gu Huiling were visiting Xu Aizhou’s home.

When Gu Huiling heard the Huaihai Campaign had ended with the Nationalist army’s defeat, she exclaimed, "Have you seen the ‘Ask Mi’ column in Mrs. Zhao’s magazine?"

Mrs. Xu, munching on chestnuts, said, "Wanxiang? I have the first two issues, but I haven’t read them yet. What’s going on?"

Gu Huiling insisted, "Hurry, check the first issue! It’s incredible—Mi Xian is practically a prophet!"

Mrs. Xu quickly called the maid to fetch Wanxiang Magazine.

After reading the ‘Ask Mi’ column in the first issue, Mrs. Xu looked up and asked, "What’s today’s date?"

Her youngest daughter, Xu Yinger, who was also watching, said, "It’s the 16th—today!"

Mrs. Xu gasped, "This is too precise! This magazine is from two weeks ago! The timing and outcome are spot on. Who is this Mi Xian?"

Xu Aizhou took the magazine and examined it closely: "Holy cow! Mrs. Zhao’s magazine has some real talent. If I ever meet this person in real life, I’d totally bow down to them!"

As they chatted, Xu Yinger flipped to the *Ask Mi* column in the second issue of *Panorama*.

"Mom, look, in the second issue, Mi Xian says it’s gonna snow in Hong Kong on New Year’s Eve?!"

"What?!"

Xu Yinger repeated: "It says here it’s gonna snow in Hong Kong on New Year’s Eve!"

Mrs. Xu, Gu Huiling, and the others crowded around.

"That’s totally nuts! Snow in Hong Kong? That’s as likely as the sky falling!"

"Maybe it’s a typo?"

Snow in Hong Kong? No freaking way!