Faced with everyone's curiosity, Kun Yun didn't keep them guessing.
"In Japan's Hokkaido, Mount Asahi's South Peak had long been neglected due to environmental and various other factors, especially after the development of the North Peak," Kun Yun explained. "Now, with the construction of the 'Brightest Star in the Night Sky Viewing Spot,' the Hokkaido government is investing five billion yen. The South Peak's tourism status is now equal to the North Peak."
Everyone clicked their tongues in amazement. A celebrity influencing a local government's tourism resource allocation? It sounded like pure fantasy… but the more you thought about it, the more surreal it felt.
If the words hadn't come from Kun Yun himself, they would've dismissed it as some marketing ploy spouted by clickbait accounts.
"I wonder when I'll have even half of brother Jiu's influence," Zhou Dakong mumbled under his breath.
Half? Chef Lan, who had a good grasp of the current celebrity scene, couldn't help but find Zhou Dakong's ambition a bit... bold.
Even among the current top five rising stars like Lin Xia and Zhou Guowu, few could match Chu Zhi's level of influence.
Lan Wuyi quipped, "When you manage to read even half as much as Xiao Jiu, then you can start thinking about influence."
"…" Like a bucket of cold water dumped over his head, Zhou Dakong immediately fell silent.
Brother Jiu read every single day, including historical texts. Zhou Dakong had tried to follow suit, lasting only two days—well, to be exact, just half an hour on the first day. He couldn't help but wonder: how did brother Jiu manage to stick with it? Historical books were so boring!
"Teacher Chu's influence is really one of a kind," Li Cheng joked. "With influence like that, you should be making more movies. Our patriotic-themed films always struggle at the box office."
"Didn't the last one just break 800 million?" Zhang Xiaodong casually exposed the truth.
"Teacher Xiaodong always hits where it hurts," Li Cheng replied. "I was trying to sound pitiful—maybe Teacher Chu would lower his appearance fee."
"Hahaha, if it's Teacher Li inviting, definitely a discount. A bone-breaking one," said Chu Zhi with a smile.
"If that doesn't work, we can send in Dakong. He's willing to perform for free," Lan Wuyi chimed in.
"Mhm! Mhm!" Zhou Dakong nodded like a bobblehead. "I'm free, Director Li. Look at me!"
"We'll work together if the opportunity comes," Li Cheng responded politely.
Of course, "if the opportunity comes" was the polite way of saying "probably not." It wasn't that Li Cheng looked down on Zhou Dakong—more that his films, mostly spy thrillers, required smarter-looking leads. And well… Zhou Dakong had a firmly rooted image as the lovable fool.
"The Hokkaido government seized the opportunity," said Kun Yun. "But for Manyuan Village..."
He paused, then continued, "I hope it can also bring in some tourism income."
"If you hadn't mentioned it today, I wouldn't have known about the situation in Japan," Chu Zhi said. "Since Mushroom House chose this location, it should generate a decent amount of income."
After dinner, the group settled in for a casual night chat, led by Li Cheng and Zhang Xiaodong. The two shared how, back in the day, they used up all their living expenses just to attend auditions. It sounded rough, but as Zhang Xiaodong put it, "We had it better than most. Some of our classmates never even got an audition."
The next day's task was moving pineapples. Chu Zhi and Tan Lu were on dishwashing duty after lunch, so the heavy lifting went to Zhang Xiaodong, Li Cheng, Zhou Dakong, and Min Jeongbae.
Compared to bananas, pineapples were much tougher to carry—heavier, bulkier, and the distance was farther. Luckily, the four strong men split the work.
Well... except Min Jeongbae, who was a bit physically weaker. Li Cheng and Zhang Xiaodong often played roles in war and espionage films, so their physiques were clearly the result of consistent training.
"Jeongbae, you really need to take better care of your body," Li Cheng said.
Wearing a bamboo basket stuffed with pineapples, Min Jeongbae was too out of breath to respond.
Meanwhile, Chu Zhi and Tan Lu headed to the kitchen.
It was at least twenty square meters. Kitchens and studies had something in common—people always bought loads of books or cooking tools, believing it meant they'd read or cook more often.
The two divided the dishwashing duties. For Tan Lu, it was both thrilling and nerve-wracking to be alone with her idol.
There were a lot of dishes—eight people's worth. Chu Zhi tackled the greasy plates while Tan Lu washed the rice bowls, which was easier.
"Alone with Jiu-yé… Should I say something?
Ask about his depression? Probably too personal.
Maybe talk about music? His new album?" As she zoned out, Chu Zhi's voice pulled her back.
"You can turn off the tap for now. Let's rinse everything with cool water at the end."
"Oh—okay!" Tan Lu snapped out of it and shut off the gushing faucet. She looked over at her idol, who had filled half the sink and was soaking the dishes with detergent.
Right. She noticed that many of her idol's habits were similar to her father's. Not that young people didn't conserve water—just that they didn't pay attention to the little things.
He also never wasted food. His plates were always spotless, not just the rice bowls but the stir-fried dishes, too.
Chef Lan was always pleased because of this.
Her idol was perfect, Tan Lu thought. The only thing that worried her was how often he would gaze off into the distance, looking lost in thought.
Within ten-odd minutes, the dishes were clean and neatly put away. Just as they were about to take a break, they heard Kun Yun's voice from the front yard, calling everyone to come watch the sunset.
Nothing more beautiful than a glowing sunset, peaceful and warm.
Scenery could heal the soul. Chu Zhi found himself captivated, red light dappled across his face.
Birds took flight in the distance, a perfect match for the old poetic line: "Sunset glows as lone wild geese fly."
The picturesque moment was captured by the photographer. Everyone at Mushroom House stood silently, soaking in the view for a good half-hour.
After this calming moment, Kun Yun quietly pulled Zhou Dakong and Tan Lu aside.
"Dakong, Little Sis—we're planning a surprise for Xiao Jiu tonight," he whispered.
"A surprise? For brother Jiu?" Zhou Dakong asked. "But his birthday's on September 9, isn't it?"
Tan Lu nodded. She had memorized her idol's birthday.
"Oh? You actually know Xiao Jiu's birthday?" Kun Yun raised a brow. "Didn't even remember Chef Lan's birthday last time."
He gave a look that said: "Well, go ahead, explain that."
"No no, it's different! I just have a bad memory," Zhou Dakong quickly defended. "Brother Jiu's birthday is on September 9, so that's why he's called brother Jiu!"
Well then. The rumors around Chu Zhi's nickname were only getting weirder—some said it was because he liked to drink, others because of his birthday. None of them were true.
"It's not his birthday," said Kun Yun. "Xiao Jiu won an award, and Mushroom House is throwing a celebration for him."
"Of course I'll help!" Zhou Dakong said quickly. "Whatever you need me to do."
Tan Lu also chimed in, "What exactly do you want us to do, Teacher Kun?"
He pulled them close and explained in hushed tones. Soon, the three of them began decorating. Naturally, Zhang Xiaodong, Min Jeongbae, and the rest were all in on it too.
When night fell, Chu Zhi was asked by Chef Lan to help replace a pressure cooker and deliver some fruit to the villagers. By the time he returned to Mushroom House, it was already 8:30 PM.
As soon as he stepped in—
"First, let's congratulate Xiao Jiu! His original song 'Zhongguo Ren' (Chinese People) has received the Outstanding Song Award in the cultural tribute to the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Party," Kun Yun announced.
Min Jeongbae added, "Our leader can write any kind of song. With talent like that, of course he won an award."
"Congrats, brother Jiu!" Zhou Dakong shouted, setting off a party popper.
🎉Pop! Pop! Pop!🎉
Tan Lu and Lan Wuyi's hands burst with colorful ribbons. Overhead, the living room rafters had even been decorated with balloons—there was definitely a festive vibe.
===
"Sunset glows as lone wild geese fly" (落霞与孤鹜齐飞) is a line from the classic Chinese essay "滕王阁序"(Téngwáng Gé Xù)- by Wang Bo.