Hurrying slowly, Ning Weimin finally failed to arrive in the capital in time to meet Matsumoto Keiko, and he missed it again.
Even if he already has a net worth of hundreds of millions, it is useless to finally be willing to spend money to fly business class this time when he comes back.
If nothing else, it’s because things have changed beyond expectations.
Due to some personnel arrangements issues at the Beijing Studio, the location in Beijing was not well contacted, which conflicted with the needs of the "The Last Emperor" crew.
Therefore, the southern film crew, with Matsumoto Keiko as the main protagonist, encountered the dilemma of being unable to work.
If the actors and the location cannot cooperate in any aspect, the filming task will naturally not proceed.
Coupled with the government leaders of Shanghai City and people from the film and television industry there, many cultural celebrities attach great importance to this co-production film.
All parties have already issued official invitations countless times, hoping that Matsumoto Keiko herself and the "Li Xianglan" crew headed by Nomura Yoshitaro can arrive in Shanghai as soon as possible to enhance exchanges with people in the film, television and cultural circles.
After discussing with director Yoshitaro Nomura, Keiko Matsumoto felt that the best way at present was to put the filming in the capital on hold for a while and go to Shanghai to film the film first.
Then we turned around and came back to continue filming the scenes in Beijing.
Just like that, soon the entire southbound film crew packed up their things and chartered a flight to Shanghai again.
So at 7:40 in the evening on July 26, 1986, when Ning Weimin finally set foot on the land of his motherland in the dim sky and appeared in the airport hall of the capital, it was quite unlucky.
His lover had already left the capital.
At this moment, Matsumoto Keiko was at the Peace Hotel on the banks of the Huangpu River in Shanghai, accepting warm hospitality from celebrities from all walks of life in Shanghai, and feeling the infinite beauty of the reception banquet with stars holding the moon.
That night, she attended the dinner in a bright red dress and blinded the eyes of all the men in the room.
Both reporters and guests were attracted by her graceful and radiant image. I am afraid that when Li Xianglan was at her most prosperous in Shanghai, she was just like this.
Among them, many of Matsumoto Keiko's old friends in Shanghai came.
Movie star Wang Xingang praised Matsumoto Keiko's beautiful appearance with the words "As time flies, beauty is as beautiful as ever".
And Chen Yifei, a painter who has returned to the United States and has become famous overseas, although it was the first time he met Keiko Matsumoto in person, he was actually a fan of hers and had long admired her.
In public, I also presented him with a painting of Matsumoto Keiko that I painted, and they were very excited and happy.
We all have to admit that the city of Shanghai's attitude towards overseas filmmakers is indeed more enthusiastic and positive than that of Beijing.
After all, the capital at this time was still slightly conservative and only cared about political security and policy direction issues.
Even if they are welcomed and loved, they dare not show it freely without any scruples.
Huhai, on the other hand, had fewer worries and tried its best to show its hospitality.
It is no wonder that Matsumoto Keiko feels that Shanghai seems to be a more comfortable place to stay than the capital, and it is much more comfortable intuitively.
However, for Ning Weimin, the feeling of facing the two cities is exactly the opposite.
Because home is home.
Even if he is an orphan, even if he comes back alone this time.
But he has grown up here since he was a child and has lived under the Qianmen building his whole life.
The smell, sound, temperature, and light of the capital have long been engraved in his memory and deeply rooted in his bone marrow.
As soon as his feet set foot on the capital city, he felt refreshed and comfortable.
This may be due to my inner thoughts, but more importantly it is due to the customs and customs I am used to.
As the old saying goes, where one's local environment nourishes one's people.
In this world, only home can give people the most authentic sense of belonging.
It was an indescribable emotion that made people feel warm and reassured.
No matter how good the other place is, if it is not home, it will not have this effect.
Of course, it is also because home is something that everyone keeps in mind, just like the faces of parents, they are very clear and will never be out of shape.
No matter what kind of changes there are in the capital, they cannot escape Ning Weimin's eyes.
Even though it was only half a year later, Ning Weimin still noticed the acceleration of the development of the capital when he came back this time.
If nothing else, the lighting is very different from the past.
When the plane landed, the lights on the ground poured into the portholes and flickered.
Ning Weimin was really surprised when he found that the Capital Airport had turned into an enlarged football field with lights.
Although no new terminal has been opened yet, the sight of the flood of lights is enough to make people feel excited and feel the obvious progress of the city's power infrastructure.
You must know that before this, the capital city was very dark at night.
Not to mention there are few street lights and insufficient wattage. Even important transportation hubs such as train stations and airports have dim lights.
Moreover, due to insufficient power generation, power is always cut off to protect the industry. It is common for ordinary people to catch up two or three times a week.
Therefore, every household must prepare white wax. It is not strange for ordinary people's children to do their homework under the candle.
The only thing people are most reluctant to do is encounter a power outage during the viewing time of TV series, but other than that, it doesn't matter.
But now the Capital Airport can use lights so extravagantly, which is enough to prove the success of reform and opening up.
It shows that the capital is about to break away from the shackles of electricity and is about to fully enter the era of electrification.
Objectively speaking, although this is only equivalent to Japan's development level in the 1960s, it is still a remarkable achievement.
And when Ning Weimin took out his luggage, he quickly walked out of the airport gate first and met up with Luo Guangliang and Xiao Tao who came to pick him up at the airport.
An unexpected surprise appeared for him.
Because this time they don't have to worry about finding a taxi.
Luo Guangliang and Xiao Tao actually listened to Ning Weimin's words and obtained their driving licenses. They drove here.
And they were driving their own cars.
Although their car is surprisingly small, smaller than the MINI Cooper, with a displacement of only 65.
It looks just like the electric cars commonly known as "Old Man Le" that will be everywhere on the streets twenty years later.
But it is indeed a serious four-seater car that burns fuel.
Luo Guangliang took the initiative to help put away Ning Weimin's two pieces of luggage. One opened the front cover and stuffed it into the trunk, and the other was placed on the roof shelf.
Just seeing Ning Weimin staring at the car back and forth, he was a little embarrassed and very humble.
"Weimin, I made you laugh. Our car can't compare with the ones you've driven. It almost looks like a toy, right? But the key is that it's cheap. It only costs more than 9,000 yuan."
But Xiao Tao didn't feel embarrassed about the car. Instead, he was as proud as if he owned a private jet.
He was sitting in the driver's seat, showing off quite playfully.
"Welcome, welcome, warm welcome, welcome Brother Ning to come back to China again. How about I scare you? Brother Ning, thank you for persuading me and my third brother to learn how to drive. Now we can apply what we have learned, and we can actually ride a small car."
The car our two brothers bought is the first one in Beijing. It is called Fiat 126P, a serious Italian product, and there is also a car commonly known as "Little Potato", which was bought for us by Manager Sha.
Coming..."
"Okay, you kid, stop talking nonsense and drive quickly. It's an Italian product, but I'm still confused by your brother Ning. Weimin, don't listen to him, it's just a Polish product."
Luo Guangliang opened up. He didn't like Xiao Tao's glib teasing. He knew that Ning Weimin was tired and was afraid that Xiao Tao would upset him.
But to be honest, Ning Weimin didn't feel any resentment in his heart. In addition to hearing the friendly tone of the businessman, he also felt unspeakable satisfaction.
There is no doubt that making people around him better is one of the values of his existence, and it also gives him a sense of accomplishment.
So not only did he not mind Xiao Tao's exaggerated words, he was quite excited after getting in the car. He kept asking Xiao Tao about the performance of the car. The two of them had a lively chat, and they were very close.
Not to mention, Xiao Tao's driving skills are nothing to mention. He drives a car quite skillfully.
As soon as I hit the gas pedal, I drove onto the newly completed airport expressway.
He doesn't look like a newbie at all, but he looks very much like an experienced driver.
At the same time, in order to adjust the atmosphere in the car, he also turned on the radio in the car.
It was also a coincidence that at this moment, the radio that was turned on happened to be playing a song with a beautiful melody and a familiar male and female duet song.
"I am walking at an unchanging pace to accommodate your arrival. When you are in panic and hesitation, please follow me..."
"I have dreamy expectations and uncontrollable feelings. When you are not paying attention, please follow me..."
Who can believe it?
It's actually "Follow Me" from the movie "The Wrong Ride"!
Whether it is the title of the movie or the song, it is particularly appropriate for the occasion.
The three people in the car were stunned for a moment, and then burst into hearty laughter.
I have to say that this kind of coincidence in life is a humorous joke in itself.
At this point, Ning Weimin couldn't help but sigh sincerely as he looked at the brand new highway outside the window.
"Our capital is changing so fast. It's really different."
"You're referring to this highway, right? What's this? Well, I'll take you around after you rest for a couple of days. I remember you came back before the Spring Festival last time and it snowed heavily, so you didn't go anywhere much.
?”
"Seems to be."
"Don't we have a car now? There is no inconvenience anymore. Wherever you want to go, just tell me. I, Xiao Tao, am always at your disposal. While you are in the capital, I am your
A dedicated driver.”
"Thank you very much, but I don't really have anywhere I want to go. It's just the company or my home. The most I can do is go to the Temple of Heaven Park for a walk. So I understand, you should go about your business freely and don't worry about me.
It’s over.”
"Don't mention it, Brother Ning, you don't mind my "fashionable" hands. I also told you that I have traveled thousands of kilometers without any accidents. It's safe. Besides, there are a lot of things happening in our capital now.
New stuff. The Lido Hotel has the kind of 'disco' you mentioned. It seems to be called Zhu... Juliana's, which specially recruits foreigners. There is also Longtan Lake, which I heard is the first one.
A Sino-Japanese joint venture amusement park is also about to open. Are you tired of staying at home? Don’t you want to go and have a look? Let me tell you, the capital is changing every day. If you stay at home for months without going out,
, maybe it’s out of date..."
Xiao Tao drove the car onto the highway and started accelerating. He seemed to be showing off the flatness of the highway and his driving skills.
This white Fiat 126P was like an arrow, heading straight for the East Third Ring Road.
I dragged three older men with two large luggages and managed to reach over eighty miles without any effort at all.
As soon as the car arrived at the East Third Ring Road, Ning Weimin felt that Xiao Tao, who always liked to exaggerate and brag, was not exaggerating this time.
The Third Ring Road is like a big construction site, not to mention the roads and viaducts under construction.
After passing through the Third Ring Road and entering the East Second Ring Road, with Jianguomen Bridge as the center, various construction sites to be built and under construction are endless, and it seems that construction is starting everywhere.
Based on the impressions in his memory, Ning Weimin knew that these were high-end office buildings and hotels in the future.
What was even more unexpected was that Xiao Tao changed the route halfway and actually drove the car to Di'anmen on his own initiative, claiming that he wanted to meet Ning Weimin at a newly opened large restaurant.
"Wait a minute, the place your kid is taking me to, it won't be... it won't be Mingzhu Seafood, right?"
Ning Weimin's mind flashed with inspiration, and he suddenly thought of this answer.
They never expected that he would guess it right. Both Xiao Tao and Luo Guangliang were so surprised that they spoke almost at the same time.
One said, "What? You've been abroad all this time, and you actually know this place?"
Another said, "Yeah, they just opened their store not long ago. Brother Ning, you wouldn't tell me that the fame of this store has spread to Japan, right?"
I know, of course I know, why don’t I know?
Ning Weimin knew this restaurant for no other reason.
Just because this store is so dark, it is the first of the famous "three swords and one ax" in Beijing.
It is well known to everyone in the capital that it was one of the four most expensive restaurants in the capital in the 1980s and 1990s.
These four restaurants are Mingzhu Seafood east of Di'anmen, Da Sanyuan Restaurant next to Jingshan, Fei Niu Hotpot north of the former Oriental Hotel on Luomashi Street, and Shanfu Restaurant in Xinjiekou.
Beijing people are very humorous. Instead of directly saying that the prices of these four restaurants are high, they use metaphors of knives and axes.
It means that if you go to eat there, you will be brutally beaten and you will have to spend a lot of money. It is simply a knife-edge and an ax that exposes your bones. Eating a meal is like cutting flesh on your body.
As for why the first cut must be Mingzhu Seafood?
Mainly because in this day and age, eating seafood is something that you can’t be more awesome about.
The boss of Mingzhu Seafood is a Hong Kong native named Zhang Wanhong.
His greatest contribution to Beijing’s catering is to bring the Hong Kong catering service model to Mingzhu Seafood.
Anyone who has been here knows that in the days when state-owned restaurants were still the mainstay, it was pretty good to go out without letting the waiter scold you.
The characteristics of Mingzhu Seafood's service are proactively lighting cigarettes and pouring wine for guests and serving with a smile. These three points are enough to make customers happy.
In addition, six or seven authentic Cantonese chefs produced authentic tastes, which was in great contrast to the restaurants in the capital at that time.
Therefore, it became an instant hit after its opening and became well-known in the capital.
But the problem is that Ning Weimin is not someone who has never seen seafood. This is what he eats the most in Japan.
The so-called service is good, how can Mingzhu Seafood have as good a service as the Japanese?
Why would he come here to be taken advantage of, so he stopped him immediately.
"Xiao Tao, I accept your kindness. But it's really unnecessary. I know for sure that the owner of this shop belongs to Sun Erniang, and they just cut people into meat-filled buns. Killing people, killing people very hard.
Let’s forget it and don’t fall for his deception. Let’s eat somewhere else.”
Who knows that Xiao Tao is quite decent, "No, no need, Brother Ning, don't save it for me. I haven't told you the good news yet, our tricycle business is so profitable. Thanks to your blessing, Third Brother and I have
It’s a big profit. It’s just a meal, no matter how expensive it is, we can afford it. Don’t worry about it, we won’t let you spend money anyway.”
Look at what he said, this guy is really and really shocked, Ning Weimin is so angry and funny,
"What's the matter, you have to let me explain, don't you? As the saying goes, you can't do anything without doing anything, even if you work yourself to death, it won't work. If you want to treat me, then I have to be happy, right? I also told you, I am in Japan for seafood.
I'm tired of eating. Now I just want to have some taste of the capital and some home-cooked food. If you really think about me, just listen to me. Take me to the bathhouse for a bath first, and then we'll go to Uncle Kang's wine shop.
A bowl of noodles is better than anything else. Why should you take advantage of outsiders and suffer the consequences? No matter how easy it is for you to make money, there is no need to go out for a purpose, right?"
Don't say it, it will work once you say it.
Xiao Tao also thought about it, and San Sanran felt a little embarrassed.
However, just when he knew his mistakes and corrected them, Luo Guangliang, a more practical master than him, also intervened, which made Ning Weimin's face burn.
"Hey, isn't that right? Weimin, didn't you say 'four swords and one axe'? Why did you say 'three swords and one axe'?"
"Huh? Four knives and one axe? No way? This is the first time I've heard of this. Third brother, why don't you tell me which one I killed?"
"Okay, this first knife is of course your Tan Gong Restaurant, and this second knife is the turn of Mingzhu Seafood, this..."
Hey! Just ask, is this a redundant sentence?
God knows how much Ning Weimin hated his own mouth! ()