Chapter 51

Chapter 51: Xiezhi [7]

Translator: Xah

Editor: Ayish

Zhang Qiu looked back. Bai Guangan had sat down to eat with his friends, and the scorching heat just like a needle piercing on his back had disappeared.

Returning to their room, they happened to meet Qi Xi in the corridor. Next to him was his assistant Xiao Wang. Qi Xi’s hair was messy and he looked tired. He nodded as a greeting at them. Xiao Wang urged him to go back to sleep because at four o’clock tomorrow he had to go to the desert.

Qi Xi yawned as his head becoming bigger once he heard it. “It’s really killing me. I haven’t seen any production team is in such a hurry.”

“No other way, it’s Director Zhang’s film. Brother Qi, you insisted again. Go back to bed quickly.”

“I originally wanted to carve fox for Xiao Jiang, but was dragged into the production team as soon as I arrived. Now, I will have to go to the desert tomorrow. Next time, I will definitely not accept this kind of job.” Qi Xi touched little Jiangshi’s head and unhappily said, “Who cares about Director what-his-name, is it not good to be a pretty face? In the end, what had Sister Ping misunderstood about me?”

Xiao Wang looked nervously around him and reminded, “Brother Qi, what’s this all about? You’re so straightforward. If the rest of the crew heard you, they thought you were unhappy with the director.”

Qi Xi had wanted to say more but Li Shu had already gone back with Xiao Jiang in his arms. Zhang Qiu followed behind and with a smile on his face said good night to Qi Xi.

When Zhang Qiu went back to his room, he looked at the time —had yet passed ten o’clock. He thought Senior Brother should not be sleeping yet. He called and the phone was answered after it rang for a long time. Senior Brother was breathing a little heavy. Zhang Qiu just wanted to ask if he was not feeling well but the phone was hung up.

Zhang Qiu, who was holding the phone, recalled that Senior Brother’s repressed voice just now was so sweet that he knew what the other side was doing.

Never expected that the intellectual Lu Feng also played crazily like that ah! Zhang Qiu looked up and saw Li Shu looking at him. He became nervous and said, “No! My back is still hurting.”

“You showed a look like that, I thought you wanted it.” After Li Shu saying that, he held Zhang Qiu in his arms. Zhang Qiu’s body turned straight as a ramrod. He felt a big cold hand resting on his small back with a strength that was always strong and his comfortable straight as ramrod body turned soft.

Li Shu made him drowsy. Zhang Qiu recalled that Qi Xi would go into the desert tomorrow. He stopped and fought to raise his spirit to say, “Going into the desert, still haven’t notified ——”

“Don’t worry, they already know.” Li Shu saw that Zhang Qiu was too sleepy to open his eyes. He kissed Zhang Qiu on the forehead and whispered, “Go to sleep.”

Zhang Qiu was so sleepy that he fell asleep as soon as he heard Li Shu’s murmur. Li Shu covered Zhang Qiu with a quilt. Then he got up and went to the bedside. He stared at a place for a long time, then turned around and went to bed. Someone who had been sleeping soundly rolled directly into his arms.

Li Shu’s original cold look seemed to melt away and he fell asleep with the person in his arms.

Zhang Qiu woke up in the car. It seemed that since he met Li Shu, the place where he was woken up was often in the car. Lu Feng drove in front of him. In the copilot was Senior Brother. In the middle seat were Pixian Hui Wang and Li Shu. He occupied the whole back row. Of course, his family’s Xiao Jiang sat cross-legged beside him, with his face propped up. Wondered what he was thinking.

“Daddy.” Xiao Jiang was the first to find Daddy awake and climbed into Zhang Qiu’s arms. Zhang Qiu touched his son’s hair and looked out. In the distance, the desert spread beyond his sight. It was magnificent and orange-red under the rising sun.

Li Shu heard the voice and handed over a bottle of milk. “Eat some in the car first.”

“Where are we going?”

“The Taklimakan Desert.”

Zhang Qiu had heard from his teacher when he was in high school that the desert which was called the Sea of Death by the local people could only be entered but not get out. Many explorers had never come out after entering the desert. One could see the danger that the desert hold . Even if a movie had to be filmed, it would not be in such a dangerous desert.

They were indeed in the right direction.

“I heard that Director Zhang’s original plan was to shoot in a smaller desert. Su Zhicai temporarily increased his investment and asked to come here in order to better reconstruct the script scene.” When Pixian Hui Wang said the last line, he laughed. It was clear that Director Zhang did not know that they had become the cannon fodder for Su Zhicai’s charge. He also thanked Su Zhicai very much. Even in interviews with reporters, he thanked Su Zhicai very much. If there were more investors in China who respected the film and television culture like this, the domestic films would be bound to shine brilliantly.

Their driving continued, but they did not enter the desert. They could see the local people’s living quarters in the most marginal areas. There were many curious tourists here to explore. The local people provided supplies such as camels, dried food and water, and also led the way so as to make money, but only in the edge of the desert, not deep into the hinterland.

From far away, it was seen that two vehicles were parked —a big couch bus and a black off-road vehicle. By this time the sun had risen completely.

Zhang Qiu recognized one of the vehicles which he saw picked up Qi Xi at the airport yesterday. It seemed that the crew had arrived. They got out of the car and there was a robust middle-aged man with suntanned skin came over. Because of being affected by sandstorm, he appeared rough and fierce-looking, but just with a smile he appeared somewhat simple and honest.

He introduced himself as Kangba, who also spoke Chinese when receiving foreign tourists for many years. He asked if they were going to take pictures in the desert.

In Kangba’s eyes, Zhang Qiu’s group was the rich Gongzi type with soft skin and tender flesh. They looked more delicate than the stars that came here today, especially carrying a fat baby doll of three or four years old. This baby doll looked pretty with white tender skin like a girl baby doll, unlike his family’s baby who was as robust as an ox.

“Yes, we come to see the beauty of the desert.” Hua Ting said.

Zhang Qiu smiled to follow up with, “When we came to Hami to play, we happened to hear that some movie stars were coming here, so we planned to come and see if we could bump into them and ask for a signature or something. We haven’t seen any stars for such a long time.”

Pixian Hui Wang looked at Zhang Qiu, who was saying nonsense without ashamed, and then looked at Li Shu. He did not know who influenced whom. Now Zhang Qiu was more and more able to dig holes for people to jump.

Kangba listened to Zhang Qiu and said, “You really come to the right place. See, these vehicles are the ones that made the movie. My little brother just brought them into the desert. If you want to see, I can take you in and it will be alright. However these people are not very good-tempered. They are especially fierce and look down upon others. Oh, there is a pretty one like a maiden who looks like a good talker. You can take a picture with that one, he’s not arrogant.”

The pretty one like a maiden should be Qi Xi. It seemed that Kangba looked for people to take picture with but only had Qi Xi’s agreement.

They naturally agreed to negotiate the price. Kangba had to prepare things, even if they did not go inside the desert but only at the edge of the desert, they had to be well prepared. He said to them, “Don’t think this lot of stuff is troublesome. The desert is constantly changing. At that time, these are life-saving treasures.”

Zhang Qiu’s group of people naturally listened to Kangba’s arrangement. Kangba seemed to be in a good mood. In passing he said, “Thanks to your good luck, the camels that made into the movies in front of you have odor and said to have been installed with tools. Only six camels were used. The rest is just enough for you guys.” When everything was finished, he carefully explained to them the common sense and rules to pay attention to when entering the desert.

The people of this side all had faith. Kangba’s whole family fed on the desert, so they were completely revered the True God in the desert. He knelt on the desert and prayed before they set out.

“Let’s go!” Kangba grinned. “True God will bless us.”

One person per camel. Zhang Qiu tied Xiao Jiang to his bosom, face to his chest. Xiao Jiang was covered up well, so that the sandstorm could not blow into Xiao Jiang’s mouth and nose. Kangba recommended the sand-proof clothes. The camels walked slowly in the desert. It was a bumpy ride but soon they adapted to the rhythm.

They set out early in the day and the desert was not too hot. Along the way, there was disagreement with the landscapes of the inland, making Zhang Qiu not able to open his eyes. About half an hour, this kind of scenery had made people somewhat exhausted, especially when the sun had risen. It was only 10 o’clock, but the temperature was already high. They were covered up, and were sweating all over the body, that they could twist out the same water. (Editor: I guess they can squeeze their sweat from the clothes?)

Zhang Qiu held Xiao Jiang in his arms tightly. Fortunately, he had a cool darling that could make him comfortable. (Editor: All hail Xiao Jiang!)

After more than ten minutes of riding, Kangba blew a whistle. When they were going, Kangba gave whistle to each of them. The sound was loud and sharp, and it could be heard through the sandstorm. This whistle was used to call for help or to stop something.

Kangba, who led the way in front, came back, looking angry which could be seen through only one eye.

“These filmmakers are so disobedient. We said that they can’t go too far. They’re already on the border of True God’s sentinel. I’ll teach Aishan a hard lesson later!” Aishan was Kangba’s little brother. Kangba said this, but was still worried about his little brother, and said to them, “It’s dangerous to go inside. Otherwise, I’ll take you guys back first, or you guys can wait here for me now——”

Li Shu said decisively, “No need, they should be nearby. Look for them first.”

Kangba thought it was possible for them to be nearby. He had warned his little brother that he could not enter the realm of True God. He thought they were on the border of the realm. He said, “Then you guys must keep up with me. Don’t fall behind.”

The golden desert was like an endless hill. Kangba took them over a hill and walked along the top of the desert hill for about ten minutes. Sure enough, he saw a group of people filming in the yellow sand with the broken walls and ruins.

Their camels quickened their pace and soon came to the front. They had about a dozen people. They had all kinds of shooting equipment on the ground; two off-road vehicles parked not far away; the camels rested under the broken walls; and two people were fighting in the distance. When they went over, the director shouted cut, obviously satisfied.

Kangba had found his little brother and gave him a good lecture. Aishan, in his early twenties was tanned. He felt chagrin by his big brother’s scolding. “Big brother, they don’t like the scenery there. They said the scenery here is good and they can make good movies. I can’t help it.”

“They have finished shooting, now go back.” Kangba said in a fierce tone.

Aishan was still afraid of his big brother and True God’s anger, so he nodded hurriedly. A man came next to him and said no, they hadn’t finish shooting, there’s a scene and so on. After that, the assistant director of scene affairs consulted with the Kangba brothers.

Qi Xi spit a mouthful of saliva because he had a bite of sand just now. Today, it was Xiao Zhang who followed him. Xiao Zhang rushed to pass the water. After Qi Xi finished gargling and wore a mask, he then went to Zhang Qiu.

“Now I really suspect that some of you have a crush on me.”

“Haha, who do you guess?” Zhang Qiu laughed and teased back.

Qi Xi swept around Zhang Qiu’s group of people and found that the group was busy with each other. They didn’t give him any face at all. He snorted, “That’s to say, of course it’s you——” Then he noticed someone’s cold eyes and said, “Of course it’s Xiao Jiang in your arms.”

“That’s enough for you. My family’s Xiao Jiang has not fully grown, can’t date.”

Zhang Qiu finished saying, and Xiao Jiang in his arms showed his head. His face was white and he weakly said “can’t date”. Zhang Qiu knew that his son’s constitution leaning towards Yin and the Yang qi was too concentrated in the desert; he would be uncomfortable with the sun. And neither was he in the mood to fight with Qi Xi anymore. He stroked his son’s head, “Are you thirsty? Drink some water and take a rest.”

Reorganized and taking a rest, Kangba brought a lot of starve off food. They sat behind the broken walls and ate baked bread in the sandstorm. It’s as dry as a stone. Xiao Jiang made an artful sluggish grinding tooth. Zhang Qiu looked until he got tired and tore down the dried beef to feed Xiao Jiang. He himself stuffed the dried baked bread into his own mouth. When the wind blew, his face was covered full of sand that his throat hurt.

Because of Kangba’s objection, the film crew stopped negotiating. Everyone rested in place. After that, a shadow blocked their light. Zhang Qiu looked up. It was truly an inevitable clash between enemies. It was the man who chatted up Li Shu yesterday in the restaurant. He was called something Bai Guangan.

The other person brought an apple, smiled like a big tailed wolf and asked his son if he would like to eat it.

Xiao Jiang gave other person his butt, obediently sat in Zhang Qiu’s arms and chewed the dried meat. He didn’t even look. Li Shu was even more unreasonable. He reached out and wiped baked bread dregs on Zhang Qiu’s and handed him a water bottle. Zhang Qiu was about to take it, but his hand hadn’t move yet, Li Shu directly fed him water.

“Pfft, hahahaha.” Qi Xi, who was in perfectly good condition beside him, suddenly laughed and looked at Bai Guangan. “That’s enough. I’m tired of looking at your old face. Don’t cause uneasiness here.”

Xiao Zhang, who was drinking water, heard the words “old face”, spurted out the water directly. He was so anxious that he had to cover Qi Xi’s mouth.

Trembling, Xiao Zhang stood up and apologized to Bai Guangan. “Teacher Bai, my family’s Qi Xi is talking nonsense because of sunstroke. Don’t mind him. I’m sorry.”

Qi Xi and his assistant both played red face and white face. Bai Guangan’s face, while standing in the same place, had turned green and then white. He turned around and went away.

[T/N: play of faces like in opera. red is good person, white is villain]

Qi Xi was still there, covering his stomach and laughing, “It’s a great satisfaction ah! I disliked him, seeing him not very pleasing to my eyes for a long time.”

“Brother Qi, whoever you want to dislike, but it can’t be him. If Sister Ping knows, she’s going to kill me.” Xiao Zhang looked like he wanted to cry, sitting on the ground and gnawing at the steamed bun, thinking about how to explain to Sister Ping when he went back.

Zhang Qiu did not pay much attention to the entertainment circle, but he also knew the widespread frequent lively discussions, such as Qi Xi, which burst out only this year. However, he did not know the regular talks. As for this Bai Guangan, he had never heard of him before. When he saw Xiao Zhang’s desperate face, he asked curiously, “This Bai Guangan is not very famous, but you are so afraid of him.”

Xiao Zhang’s stomach felt acidic. When he heard Zhang Qiu asked, he gave Zhang Qiu the general story.

Bai Guangan used to be the supporting role of major TV dramas. He took the best supporting actor award with a movie some time ago. The filmmaker’s set up was especially good, and later Bai Guangan had a small burst. And the later stage hype also gave him strength. In any drama character, he got real main actor and was the current site traffic [online] of the young people and the like. It’s almost as good as putting on a double heart of virtue and art.

In fact, everyone in the circle knew that Bai Guangan was a GAY, or a GAY married to a rich woman. When the rich woman died, Bai Guangan played even more fiercely. This film had a part of Bai Guangan’s investment, and plus his acting skills were really solid. Recently, he also had some heat. After Director Zhang thought about it, he just nodded his head and agreed to let him play the role of male number one.

“On the night I got off the plane, the ugly creature groped me at the door of my room asking for a script practice with me.” Qi Xi added at a leisurely pace.

Zhang Qiu just wanted to say that he was devoted to the script. He knew what it meant when he looked at Qi Xi’s playful eyes. He thought: popular circle is in a mess.

According to Xiao Zhang, Bai Guangan had a wide network, small assets and good reputation. He was very careful. This time when he went back, he would surely give Qi Xi an underhanded punishment. Qi Xi’s temper was too short. At first, there was only envy in mind as a whole. The black fan always hated the seductive and bewitching Qi Xi that uwas not a man. They definitely be back to designate manuscripts that Qi Xi acted self-important and disrespecting his seniors and so on.

“Brother, my dear brother, can I ask you to bear it in the future?” Xiao Zhang was going to kneel.

Zhang Qiu knew Xiao Zhang was begging in vain, at the thought of Qi Xi’s Xiezhi characteristics. As expected, Qi Xi smiled and said, “Brother Zhang, I am even afraid of enduring myself.”

Xiao Zhang: Give up all hope eating baked bread.

They were bickering here, and suddenly there was a quarrel outside. Zhang Qiu’s voice stopped. Pixian Hui Wang took the lead to go out. Zhang Qiu followed them. Kangba was red with anger and shouted, “Can’t meant can’t. You can’t get in.”

The director also got really angry. “What kind of attitude did I pay to hire you for?”

“Don’t be angry, Kangba brothers, we don’t ask much, that is, the scenery in front of us can be better, and we will return after the shooting, absolutely no more words. You see, it’s only thousands of meters ahead, it’s not very far. Let’s finish shooting earlier and withdraw earlier. Otherwise, my personal investment will be yours to compensate.” Bai Guangan said the figure.

Zhang Qiu saw Kangba was hesitating. The angry director at the side also did not back down. After the he had a good discussion with Kangba, and at last, he had to listen to Kangba for everything. They couldn’t stray away. If something went wrong, withdrew immediately. Only then did he agree to go further to the place Bai Guangan had said.

“I’m really sorry you guys. I’ll have to take them with to go. Or else I’ll let Aishan take you guys back.” Kangba’s face was still red because of the anger moments ago.

Zhang Qiu’s group waved their hands together; meant to go together and have more to look after kind of words. They were meant to be following the crew in the first place. Now it seemed that someone actually guided them somewhere. How could they let it go?

Kangba was more trusting and reassured with Zhang Qiu’s group, who always listened to him all the way: not letting them does whatever, and they resolutely did nothing, unlike those filmmakers. He promised to lead the way partly for money, but he was afraid that those people would lose life for displeasing the True God.

In order to catch the time to shoot, the crowd immediately set out. The black off-road vehicle was loaded with equipment; the director, Bai Guangan and the two women of the production team rode on the left over vehicle. Qi Xi followed Zhang Qiu’s group to ride on a camel.

It would be noon, and a walk under the sun would make you dizzy. Zhang Qiu was holding Xiao Jiang, and about half an hour later, he heard Kangba whistled. Zhang Qiu knew that they finally arrived. He uncovered the veil, and was shocked speechless by the scenery in front of him.

In the distance of an endless desert, there was a forest of green. Zhang Qiu felt cool without even entering it.

The director’s team also was attracted by the strange scenery. Although they had heard of oasis in the desert, they had never seen it before. Such oasis in a dried-up place was like a rising hope.

“The scenery there is wonderful!” The director came down and pointed to the distant greenness.

Kangba’s face was blue and he said stiffly, “No, that’s where True God lives. We can’t go in.” It’s offensive to even be here.

The director saw Kangba was not up to negotiating, his face did not look good, but he listened to Kangba’s words. The crew began to unload things and install shooting equipment. Kangba touched the camel’s neck and looked at the distance. After a while, he looked at the sky again. Suddenly, he lay on the desert with his head in the direction of the oasis.

Zhang Qiu initially thought Kangba was praying, but after a while, Kangba stood up with fear in his eyes, “The storm is coming, go quickly!” He took his younger brother standing next to him and shouted, “Get on the camel and hurry up.”

The crew was stunned by Kangba’s temporary change of attitude. They had already setting up the equipment but had to be loaded back again. Everyone was not very happy. They felt that Kangba was playing with them, but they were afraid that it was also true. They hurried to collect the equipment.

“Don’t tidy up. You can’t drive the car either.” Kangba’s anxiety was not faked.

Li Shu pulled Zhang Qiu onto his camel. Xiao Jiang was sandwiched in the middle. Lu Feng was sitting with Hua Ting. When danger came, he was afraid that the sandstorm would disperse the people away. Seeing this, Qi Xi also went with Xiao Zhang. The director in the crew was obviously unwilling to let go of the equipment and instruct people to hurry into the car. Kangba waved and shouted. “Don’t, don’t!” After having said that, he rode on his camel and went away.

When Kangba left, the extra camels that had been stationed in the same place began to scatter around restlessly. The crew panicked at first sight. Some people took the camel and went straight up behind Kangba. Seeing this, the director would be afraid too. He hurried to get on the vehicle, thinking that the vehicle would run faster than the camel.

Li Shu followed Kangba closely. The camel under him could feel something; it sped up and ran wild in the desert. Zhang Qiu almost spit out.

Zhang Qiu did not know how long they had been running. Zhang Qiu felt that the wind whistling in his ears was really loud. The sandstorm was blowing so fast that he could not tell the direction at all. There was a whistling in front of him. Li Shu followed the whistle.

“True God bless and protect, True God bless and protect.” Kangba prayed in his mouth. Suddenly, in the vast desert, he saw a broken wall of the ruins of a city building. He burst into tears with joy and cried out, holding Aishan in his arms. “The True God has revealed.” With a strong whistling in his mouth, he jumped down from the camel.

Zhang Qiu and the group followed closely. Kangba spoke very fast and it mixed with the dialect here. At this time, Zhang Qiu understood everything.

The camels couldn’t be in scatter. It would be hard for them to walk out on their two legs. Therefore they led the camels to the inside of the broken wall; tied the camel’s eyes with black cloth strips, for fear that the camels would be frightened and run around; and finally tied them up with ropes.

Kangba tested the direction of the wind with his hands covering his eyes, pointing in one direction, “Dig, and try to bury your body in it.” When he said this, Aishan had dug with his hand. A car braked sounded outside. The director’s legs were wobbly; Bai Guangan’s face was white and his head was grey ash. Kangba repeated the words again, and the people in the vehicle hid behind the stone wall and began to dig holes.

Li Shu and company were there very quickly, even joining the pits. Several people lay down. Li Shu, Pixian Hui Wang and Lu Feng swept the sand over them. A row of people only showed their tightly wrapped heads and buried them as low as possible.

The sand was burning hot at noon, and Zhang Qiu felt that he was almost suffocated.

The wind that just now was howling slowly stopped. Zhang Qiu saw another vehicle coming in the distance through the broken wall. Kangba saw and cursed. He shouted from a distance, “Come over quickly, keep your body down…”

Kangba hadn’t finished yet, and Zhang Qiu saw a tornado and hurricane moving to their side as fast as it could, dispersing Kangba’s words.

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