A Journey Through the Worlds of Film and Television.

"Is Shaoan at home?"

"Here, here, it's Lu Cheng. Why are you carrying something here?"

"I went to the county town today and happened to meet Runye, so she asked me to bring you something."

Sun Shaoan was delighted when he heard this and quickly let Lu Cheng into the house: "Is Runye okay?"

"Very well. By the way, Runye also asked me to tell you to go to the city to see her in the next few days."

"Okay, okay, thank you very much. How about you stay for dinner?"

"No, the pot at home is hot too."

It’s no problem to have a meal at Tian Fujun’s house. After all, I’m doing him a favor.

But the Sun family was different. They were already hungry, so no matter how shameless Lu Cheng was, he would not stay for dinner.

After a brief chat, Lu Cheng turned around and went home.

After returning home, Lu Cheng made some food to fill his stomach, exercised for a while, and then took a rest.

In the following days, Lu Cheng planned his time well. In addition to working in the fields and treating villagers every day, he also taught himself medical skills and mathematics, physics and chemistry books. His life was quite fulfilling.

Fortunately, Lu Cheng had experienced the college entrance examination in later generations, and had fought his way out of a province with a high number of college entrance examination candidates like Henan Province, and scored a pretty good 211 university. Now it is not difficult for him to self-study mathematics, physics and chemistry.

On this day, just after returning from work in the fields, Tian Haimin, the accountant of the brigade, came to my door and said, "Lu Cheng, here is your letter. It seems to have been sent from Shanxi Province."

"Thank you very much."

Counting the time, He Fengying has been back in Shanxi Province for four or five days. This time she went to her mother's house, visited relatives, helped Lu Cheng to reconcile, and then sent a letter back. It is indeed time for her to come.

After seeing Tian Haimin off, Lu Cheng opened the envelope and found that it was indeed sent by He Fengying from Jin Province, asking Lu Cheng to go to Hejiawan, Liulin Town, Jin Province for a blind date in the next two days.

Lu Cheng put away the envelope, smiled slightly, and took another step forward.

The next morning, Lu Cheng asked for leave from the brigade and prepared to go to Liulin Town, Shanxi Province for a blind date.

When the village party secretary Tian Futang and team leader Sun Shaoan heard that Lu Cheng was going on a blind date, they immediately approved his leave.

Sun Shaoan even laughed and joked: "Lu Cheng, there are so many good girls in our area, but you didn't like any of them. This time you came all the way to Jin Province, you must bring back a wife."

"Thank you for your good words." Lu Cheng smiled, but he was thinking in his heart: Hammer King, I'm going to snatch your ball-headed little wife.

Transportation was very underdeveloped in that era. Not to mention airplanes and high-speed trains, even highways and provincial roads had not yet been built.

Lu Cheng left Shuangshui Village early in the morning. He first took a bus from Shigejie Commune to Huangyuan City, then took a bus from Huangyuan City to the county seat of Liulin Town in Shanxi Province, and then went to Liulin Town.

After all this trouble, plus the time waiting for the bus, it was already evening when we arrived at the county town where Liulin Town is located.

Whether it's a blind date or visiting relatives, there is no reason to go to someone else's house late at night.

Therefore, Lu Cheng could only find a guesthouse in the county town and stay there for one night.

After a whole day of reversing and turning, coupled with the bumpy ride in the car, Lu Cheng was really tired. He didn't read a book at night. He washed up in a hurry and fell asleep.

The next morning, Lu Cheng got up early, went out and ate a quick breakfast, then asked around and found the bus that passed through Liulin Town.

After another hour of bumpy ride, around eight or nine o'clock, Lu Cheng finally arrived at Liulin Town.

Lu Cheng got off the car, stretched his sore arms and legs, and was about to ask someone for directions when he saw a dark-skinned middle-aged man in a gray-blue cotton jacket approaching him. He took the initiative to ask, "Young man, are you Comrade Lu Cheng from Shuangshui Village, Yuanxi County?"

"It's me? You are?"

"Oh, it's you. I finally waited for you. I'm Xiulian's brother-in-law Chang Youlin. Aren't you here for a blind date with our Xiulian? Come with me."

"Yes, yes, yes, please come pick me up."

"What's the big deal? The roads here are not easy to navigate. It's your first time here, and it's hard to find the place without someone to show you the way. You came here yesterday, right? You must have had a hard time on the way here. Come, let me carry your things for you."

As he spoke, Chang Youlin enthusiastically took the luggage and gifts from Lu Cheng, hung them on the handlebars of a bicycle, and asked Lu Cheng to sit on the back seat of the bicycle and took Lu Cheng home.

"According to the time, you should have come in the past two days. I came to Liulin Town yesterday morning to wait for you. Did you come yesterday?"

"Yes, I took a whole day's bus yesterday and finally arrived at our Liulin Town."

"It's not easy to come here, you have to stay two more days this time. By the way, have you had breakfast? I'll take you to town to eat first."

"No, I've eaten in the county."

Although it was Lu Cheng's first time to come to Shanxi Province and his first time to meet the people here, he could feel the enthusiasm here very intuitively.

Hejiawan is not far from Liulin Town, only five or six miles away. As the two talked, they walked into a mountain village.

As soon as I entered the village, villagers along the way greeted me warmly: "You Lin is back? Is this the man who came to have a blind date with your Xiu Lian? The boy is really good-looking."

Lu Cheng was not embarrassed and responded generously. He took out a cigarette from his pocket and handed it to anyone who greeted him.

Lu Cheng didn't smoke, but this time he went out and bought five packs of Hongtashan cigarettes without filters, which cost 33 cents a pack. (Pictures of cigarettes from various eras)

Xiulian's home was located on a small slope. When the two got off their bicycles and were still 20 to 30 meters away from the yard, Chang Youlin called out, "Dad, Xiuying, Lu Cheng from Yuanxi County is here."

"Hey, it's coming."

Soon, a middle-aged man in his fifties, wearing a grey cotton jacket and with a beard, came out and greeted him enthusiastically: "Here you are, young man. I am Xiulian's father, He Yaozong. Come on, come into the yard."

Lu Cheng also hurriedly greeted him: "Hello, Uncle He."

As soon as he walked into the yard, he saw a woman wearing a plaid cotton jacket and with her hair tied up coming towards him. When she saw Lu Cheng, she also smiled.

He Yaozong introduced Lu Cheng: "This is the eldest girl in our family, Xiuying, Xiulian's sister."

"Hello, eldest sister."

"Oh, okay, okay, okay."

He Xiuying looked at Lu Cheng carefully again and said three good words in succession. It was obvious that she was quite satisfied with this young man who was on a blind date with her sister.

He Yaozong also enthusiastically introduced their family situation to Lu Cheng: "We used to live in an old kiln, but in the past two years, conditions have improved, so we built three new kilns."

Chang Youlin also quickly introduced: "Look at the paper-cuts on the windows. They were all cut by Xiulian. Xiulian has very skillful hands."

Seeing them standing and talking, He Xiuying quickly called out, "Dad, You Lin. Why don't you let him sit down and talk?"

A small square table and four small stools had already been set up in the yard. On the table were two large old-fashioned enamel tea trays, on which were decorated with festive Double Happiness patterns and two peony flowers, one red and one yellow.

One plate contained a plate of peanuts and the other plate contained a plate of melon seeds.

As soon as Lu Cheng sat down, He Yaozong beside him immediately took out a cigarette and said, "Lu Cheng, have a cigarette."

"Uncle, I don't know how to smoke."

"It's better not to smoke, so you don't have to cough when you get old."

He Xiuying quickly picked up a handful of peanuts and said, "Lu Cheng, eat some peanuts."

"Thank you, big sister. I won't eat yet. I'm just a little thirsty."

He Yaozong put down the cigarette box in his hand: "I'm thirsty, Xiuying, go get a bowl of vinegar."

"I just need a bowl of water."

He Xiuying has stood up: "We drink vinegar when we are thirsty. Come, come, I will show you our vinegar room. Our family's vinegar-making skills are inherited from our ancestors. People in the surrounding area like the vinegar made by my father..."