PCJ – Chapter 403 The Whirlwind of Meizi’ao

The arrival of the Great Tomb Chronicles film crew created a whirlwind of excitement in Meizi’ao village. Men, women, and children alike flocked from all corners of the village to the Meizi’ao Primary School playground, where the crew had parked all their vehicles. Although the recently constructed Meizi’ao Hotel had its own parking lot, it couldn’t accommodate the entire film crew and their equipment trucks, which included a fleet of over a dozen large trucks loaded with props and filming equipment.

The hotel was already bustling with tourists, drawn by recent media reports and the news of the film crew’s arrival. Travel agencies had been making inquiries with Meizi’ao Hotel, but it had reached full capacity, as all the rooms had been booked by the film crew.

“Isn’t this a rare treat!” Zhang Jiwang laughed. “In the past, we could barely get a chance to watch a movie here, and now they’re filming one right in our village.”

Zhang Manyin chuckled, “Right? Back in the day, folks had to trek to Fengshui Bridge just to see a movie.”

“Your son Youping struck it rich, all right! Went to watch someone else’s movie and even ended up bringing home a girl!” Zhang Dechun laughed heartily.

Zhang Manyin joined in, laughing, “Your son Shunlin was just a little kid back then, trying to court a girl from Yidushui, only to get smacked down hard. His face was swollen like a pig’s head!”

The younger generation, however, was mostly interested in the actresses. Even though Meizi’ao had grown wealthier, and the women had begun adopting more fashionable clothing and makeup, the actresses from the city had an allure they simply couldn’t match.

“Wow, city women sure are glamorous, all dressed up and polished like that,” said Zhang Enzhong, his eyes shining as he watched. Little did he know his wife had slipped up behind him and, with a sudden yank on his ear, made him yelp. The onlookers chuckled.

“You sneak out here to gawk at these girls while I’m home making tofu alone?!” she scolded him. Fierce as she was, Zhang Enzhong, thin and wiry, was no match for his strong-built wife.

“Now, listen, honey, these city women might look good on the outside, but they don’t hold a candle to our rural women when the lights go out!” he protested, yelping as she continued to tug his ear. The villagers laughed even harder at the spectacle.

“Enzhong, how does your wife measure up to those city women?” Zhang Qigao shouted out jokingly.

“I wouldn’t know; I’ve never touched one!” Enzhong called back, dodging his wife’s angry swat as he quickly passed the question back to Qigao, who winced as his own wife, She Chun’e, pinched him hard in the side. Since having a child, She Chun’e had become the household’s queen bee, and poor Zhang Qigao was now at the very bottom of the family pecking order.

Nearby, Zhang Yuanbao’s eyes sparkled with excitement as he watched the star actors arrive. “Look, it’s Chen Choumao! I’ve always admired him; he’s so cool! And look at Chenchen, she’s gorgeous! When I grow up, I’m going to marry her!” he declared.

His sister Zhang Runtian, however, rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right, when pigs fly! You’re just dreaming,” she scoffed.

Meanwhile, Zhang Jiaohua, observing the crowd, wondered if the actors were truly here just to film a movie. Something didn’t sit right with him; he felt a strange, prickling sense of danger.

Then, as if on cue, a convoy of sleek, black cars arrived, much more impressive than the usual vehicles seen in Xintian County. He could tell right away that these were special vehicles. Even before seeing who was inside, Zhang Jiaohua felt the intense, oppressive presence of someone watching him. He looked up to see an old Daoist priest in one of the cars, who seemed equally surprised.

“What is it, Master Xie?” asked He Shouye, who was sitting beside him.

“That child is unusual. I glanced at him, and he sensed it immediately,” replied the old Daoist Xie Yunliu, his gaze lingering on Zhang Jiaohua.

“Nonsense. He’s just a kid,” scoffed He Shouye, dismissing the priest’s remark.

“No, I’m certain he felt it,” Xie Yunliu murmured, shaking his head thoughtfully. His instincts told him that there was something special about this place and this boy.

The three sleek black cars pulled into the Meizi’ao Hotel’s parking area. The hotel was a collection of modestly furnished buildings, elegant without being ostentatious, and comfortable without any hint of excess.

Liu Qiaoye, the manager of the Meizi’ao Scenic Area, greeted them. “Welcome, honored guests. I am Liu Qiaoye, in charge of the scenic area here. Please, make yourselves at home.”

“Thank you, Manager Liu,” replied He Shouye politely, recognizing that Liu Qiaoye was no ordinary village woman. Here in Meizi’ao, she was the authority.

“Mother,” Zhang Jiaohua said quietly as he approached Liu Qiaoye after the guests had been shown inside.

“Jiaohua, what brings you here?” she asked, her expression softening.

“Those people—they give me a bad feeling. I felt like one of them was staring at me like a snake eyeing its prey. I think they’re dangerous,” Zhang Jiaohua said, a note of concern in his voice.

“Sweetheart, we run a hotel. Whoever arrives is a guest. Even if they are up to no good, that’s a matter for the police. I’m a hotel manager, not a police chief,” she replied with a smile.

“But, if they’re here to cause trouble, they’ll harm Meizi’ao. I’m certain they’re headed for Luo’atang!” Zhang Jiaohua replied with a frown.