Against the Current Hong Kong 1979

These days, it's really inconvenient to contact people without a mobile phone.

Nobody knows when the mobile phone was invented, or how long it will take for it to become widespread.

Currently, the mainstream method of communication is still by landline, with only a few households having installed cordless phones.

Zhang Shuai'an exchanged contact information with Liu Tianci, Shen Xicheng, and the owner of Heming Bookstore.

For now, he has left Aunt He's phone number. Once he moves and gets his own phone line, he'll notify them to change it.

It was getting late, and everyone went home.

Liu Tianci said he would give Jackie Chan his contact information tomorrow and tell him to wait for a call.

Zhang Shuai'an nodded in response, and then took He Jiatong back to Aunt He's house. He also needed to tell Aunt He about his plan to move.

Aunt He was overjoyed to see the two of them return and even made them some late-night snacks.

That evening, everyone watched "Young Detective Bao Qingtian" together.

Although filming has finished, the final two episodes will not air until next weekend.

The two children from Aunt He's family kept asking Zhang Shuai'an what the ending was.

Zhang Shuai'an naturally wouldn't spoil anything, and simply told them to wait.

He Jiatong tried to give the two siblings spoilers, but was met with disdain and was then silenced by her aunt with a slap.

"Auntie, in order to make it easier for us to film in the future, Jia Tong and I will be renting a place tomorrow."

Zhang Shuai'an found an opportunity to say to Aunt He, "I've really troubled you these past few days. I will definitely repay your great kindness in the future."

"Oh dear, what are you talking about!"

Aunt He was so embarrassed that she glared at Zhang Shuai'an: "You and Jia Tong are both my nephews, why are you saying such polite things? It's just that your aunt is useless and hasn't made any money, otherwise if we moved to a bigger house, you and Jia Tong wouldn't have to move, and we could save some rent money."

Zhang Shuai'an grasped Aunt He's hand and said, "Auntie, don't worry. Although we've moved out, this is still our first home after arriving in Hong Kong. We'll come to visit often in the future, and we hope you won't find us bothersome."

"How could that be?" Aunt He was also filled with mixed emotions. She had thought that it might take Zhang Shuai'an and the other two a year or two to find a job, and she had also prepared herself to support them indefinitely.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Shuai'an proved himself so capable that in just over a month, he not only found a job but also became a popular star on the TV station.

On the contrary, she has been married and living in Hong Kong for two or three decades, and is still doing so-so.

Luck is truly an unpredictable thing.

……

next morning.

Just after eight o'clock, Aunt He's landline rang.

When the phone rang, Zhang Shuai'an nudged He Jiatong and said, "Go answer the phone."

"Brother An, why aren't you answering?" He Jiatong woke up groggily and asked Zhang Shuai'an.

Zhang Shuai'an said, "You're close to the phone."

He Jiatong: "..."

He had no choice but to get up and answer the phone: "Hello, who is this?"

The other party gave their name.

He Jiatong replied unconsciously, "What? What dragon? Never heard of it!"

As he spoke, he was about to hang up the phone.

Zhang Shuai'an immediately sat up, rushed over, and grabbed the microphone: "Hello, this is Zhang Shuai'an. May I ask who you are?"

"I am Jackie Chan." Jackie Chan's voice came from the other end of the line.

"Oh, hello Uncle Long." Zhang Shuai'an said subconsciously, "I'm a big fan of yours, I've watched your movies since I was a child."

Jackie Chan: "..."

It took Jackie Chan a while to recover, and he said somewhat awkwardly, "Mr. Zhang is really funny. I'm only 25 years old this year, just six years older than you, so I don't deserve to be called Uncle Long. You can call me Brother Long or Ah Long, it's fine."

"Then let's go with Brother Long," Zhang Shuai'an said. "I wonder what brings Brother Long to see me?"

Jackie Chan said bluntly, "I'll treat you to dim sum, are you in?"

"Where?" Zhang Shuai'an asked.

Jackie Chan said, "Sheung Wan, Queen's Road Central, Fu Lung Tea House."

Zhang Shuai'an didn't know where he was, but he replied, "Okay, I'll wash up and then leave."

Jackie Chan asked, "Then you'd better hurry. I've already had my agent drive over to pick you up; they should be there soon."

After hanging up the phone, Zhang Shuai'an looked completely bewildered. He Jiatong said, "Don't be confused. Jackie Chan is treating us to dim sum. Hurry up and get ready."

"Oh, oh, oh." He Jiatong finally came to his senses. Even though he had only been in Hong Kong for a little over a month, he already knew about Jackie Chan's fame.

The two quickly washed up, changed into clean clothes, and then went downstairs to wait for the car.

It only takes about ten minutes to drive from Sheung Wan to Chungking Mansions.

They had barely reached the bottom of the stairs when someone came up to them and greeted them: "Are you Mr. Zhang?"

"May I ask who you are?" Zhang Shuai'an looked at the man, who was around thirty or forty years old, wearing a black suit, large black-rimmed glasses, and a short mustache. He had a slightly gangster-like air about him.

The man introduced himself with a smile: "My name is Chen Zhiqiang, Jackie Chan's manager. Mr. Zhang is indeed a man of great talent; not only is he handsome, but he also has the aura of a superstar."

"I've long admired your name, Mr. Chen, you flatter me," Zhang Shuai'an replied very politely.

Chen Zhiqiang looked at the tall and burly He Jiatong and asked, "And who is this?"

Zhang Shuai'an replied, "He's my friend, and currently also my assistant."

"Nice to meet you." Chen Zhiqiang shook hands with He Jiatong and then said, "The car is parked across the street, let's go over there."

More than twenty minutes later, the car finally arrived downstairs at the Fulong Grand Tea House.

The reason is simple: there was a slight traffic jam for a while.

Upon arrival, Chen Zhiqiang told Zhang Shuai'an and He Jiatong to go up first while he went to find a parking space.

Zhang Shuai'an led He Jiatong into the tea room.

The tea room was filled with the aroma of food, and a rather stylish melody played, accompanied by a hoarse and melancholic voice singing: "A cool breeze carries tidings, the autumn moon is boundless. Seeing my longing for my beloved, each day feels like a year. I am..."

Hearing this, Zhang Shuai'an was startled. Wasn't this the sentence that Zhang Weijian would use as a catchphrase in "The Duke of Mount Deer"?

A young waiter stepped forward and asked, "Welcome, gentlemen. Private room or the main hall?"

"We had an appointment," Zhang Shuai'an replied. "Jackie Chan invited us."

The waiter glanced at Zhang Shuai'an, thinking that since he was so handsome, he probably wasn't a conman: "Third floor, room 08."

Zhang Shuai'an then asked, "Excuse me, what music are you playing here?"

"It's 'Autumn Regret on a Journey,' sung by the blind musician Du Huan," the waiter casually explained. "He used to perform in our restaurant; this is a recording."

Zhang Shuai'an then asked, "What's this melody called?"

The waiter gave Zhang Shuai'an a strange look: "It's local southern music."

Zhang Shuai'an still didn't know what Di Shui Nan Yin was. Seeing that the other party was getting a little impatient, he didn't ask any further questions. He figured it was probably some kind of southern music genre.

"Thank you." He said thank you, then went up to the third floor and knocked on the door of room 08.

But instead, Hong Jingbao's voice rang out: "Come in!"

A short while later, someone opened the door.

When Zhang Shuai'an saw who opened the door, he immediately called out, "Uncle Ying, we meet again."

Lam Ching-ying blushed and solemnly corrected him, "Don't call me Uncle Ying, you can call me Brother Ying! I'm only twenty-seven years old, not that old, I just look a bit mature."

Jackie Chan burst into laughter, saying, "When we called each other this morning, he called me Uncle Long too."

"Mr. Zhang, please sit down, don't stand." Hong Jingbao waved to Zhang Shuai'an and the other man, "Order whatever you'd like to eat."

"Thank you, Brother Sanmao."

Zhang Shuai thanked Hong Jingbao, saying, "You can just call me Anzai."

Jackie Chan couldn't help but complain, "That's not fair! Why don't you call him Uncle Bao? He looks so much older than me."

"You old man!" Hung King-po smacked Jackie Chan on the head without any hesitation. "Eat your shrimp dumplings."