Visiting the Set

Beep, beep, beep—

Car horns blared through the narrow, bustling street.

"Chu, if you stick with the boss, you'll never have to worry about food. Just keep doing your best; there's a lot of potential for you. You've got the skills and the look, and with the boss backing you, who knows? You might even get cast in a movie. That would be amazing!"

Fish Head Xu had his hands on the steering wheel, his face still brimming with excitement as he looked at the traffic jam ahead. He kept going on, "Become a star, and you'll make so much money that your hands will cramp from counting it. You can date beautiful women, drive fancy cars, live in a big house—life would be perfect!"

"Really?"

Yang Chu leaned back in the passenger seat, listening to Fish Head Xu's vision of the future while his eyes were fixed on the busy crowd outside the car window. For some reason, he recalled the books he had read in the library.

It seemed like after his internal system had regained control of his body, and he had resolved the crisis of death, finding a job with Fish Head Xu and no longer facing immediate survival problems, he suddenly felt that many things seemed to lack meaning.

Since losing his subconsciousness, even the basic desires driven by physiological instincts seemed to fail to excite him.

Instead, flipping through books in the library and exploring the infinite mysteries of his own body seemed to captivate his interest more.

He slowly rolled up the window to block out the noise from outside, and Yang Chu looked indifferently at the busy streets and the cityscape.

The garish billboards, one shop after another, the newspaper kiosks and dessert stands by the roadside, and the streams of people coming and going.

Everything seemed so close yet so distant, as if they were two different worlds.

"Brother Xu, what do you think is the meaning of our lives?" Yang Chu suddenly asked, somewhat out of the blue.

"Wow, Chu, you're asking me such a profound question?"

Fish Head Xu, in the driver's seat, heard this clearly and responded dramatically.

Yang Chu kept looking out the window. He wasn't really asking Fish Head Xu; he was more or less pondering the question himself.

Fish Head Xu, oblivious to Yang Chu's thoughts, continued talking, "Chu, I have no idea how to answer that. I never went to school, not even finishing primary school. If I had known better back then, I would have bought properties or land, or even gold, with the money I made. Now, I wouldn't have to be hustling…"

As he spoke, a rare expression of regret and nostalgia appeared on his face.

He wasn't young anymore, almost forty. His stamina was declining, and with injuries accumulating, he couldn't become a stunt coordinator. Now, he could only play minor roles in films and TV shows to make a living.

"So who should I ask then?"

Yang Chu asked with a smile, seeing how serious Fish Head Xu was and teasing him a little.

"Ask those educated folks."

Fish Head Xu pursed his lips, honking the horn to hurry along a slow-moving pedestrian. He continued, "Those so-called 'Four Great Talents' or whatever—they either write books or run newspapers to make big money, or they're on TV babbling on all day. I have no idea where they get so much to talk about."

"Haha—"

Yang Chu laughed heartily. It seemed that only when he talked with Fish Head Xu did he truly feel some emotion.

Their old Toyota passed through the narrow, bustling streets and soon got onto Clear Water Bay Road. The road became more open, and after about twenty minutes, they arrived at Tai Po Tsai.

Fish Head Xu pulled over at a roadside dessert shop and dragged Yang Chu out of the car.

"Brother Xu, so considerate of you to know I'm hungry again and buying me dessert?" Yang Chu joked as they walked into the shop.

"Wow, Chu, you have no shame! You earned several times more than me today, and you still want me to buy?!"

Fish Head Xu snorted loudly and explained, "When visiting the set, it's not good to come empty-handed, especially when it's my big brother we're seeing. Gotta make a good impression."

He then called to the shop owner, "Boss, five each of double-skin milk, mango, coconut milk, ginger milk pudding, and sweet potato, all to go."

"Alright, just a moment," the shop owner, seeing such a big order, got busy right away.

Most of the items were ready-made, so it didn't take long to prepare.

Yang Chu and Fish Head Xu carried a bunch of sweet desserts back to the car.

They drove ahead, and soon they arrived at a series of continuous buildings built around Tai Po Tsai.

"Chu, see that? This is the largest film studio on Hong Kong Island. When I first worked with my big brother as a stuntman, it was here too. You wouldn't believe how many movies were shot here back in the day. Nowadays, it's mostly TV dramas, and I heard they also do some on-location shoots over in Tseung Kwan O."

Fish Head Xu kept his eyes on the road while excitedly introducing the place to Yang Chu.

"There do seem to be a lot of people."

Yang Chu noticed the bustling crowds and vehicles outside, and on a tall building, the golden letters "SB" were prominently displayed.

"Hey, Fish Head Xu! Long time no see! Here to visit the set?"

As they passed a guard post, an elderly guard recognized Fish Head Xu and called out to him.

"Yeah, I heard my big brother is shooting a new film. As his little brother, I've gotta come and check it out."

Fish Head Xu warmly greeted the guard and reached into the back seat to grab a dessert, handing it over. "It's hot, Brother Yuan. Have some dessert to cool down."

"Thanks a lot!"

The guard, called Brother Yuan by Fish Head Xu, accepted the dessert with a big smile and pointed inside. "Your big brother should be shooting over in Old Street right now. You know the place."

"Thanks, Brother Yuan. Let's have tea sometime."

Fish Head Xu waved with a smile and drove into the studio lot.

After parking the car, Yang Chu and Fish Head Xu carried the large pile of desserts into the set.

This ancient costume film set wasn't very large, and Fish Head Xu knew it well. They quickly found the crew.

Just as the sun was about to set, the crew was wrapping up for the day, and there were busy people everywhere.

"Big Brother, I'm here to visit!"

Fish Head Xu saw a middle-aged man with a resolute face dressed in ancient costume among the crowd and shouted excitedly.

"Wow, Fish Head Xu, you've hit the big time! Haven't seen you in ages!"

"We haven't seen you at the Little Monkey Group's game lately. Is it because you won money from me last time and haven't shown up since?"

Fish Head Xu's shout caught the attention of many around him. Several people who knew him greeted him warmly.

The middle-aged man with a resolute face came over, glanced at the pile of desserts in Fish Head Xu's hands, and raised his eyebrows slightly. "It's enough that you came to see me. Why bring so many desserts? Do you think making money is easy?"

"It's just that I haven't seen you in a while, Big Brother. It's so hot, thought some desserts might help cool us down," Fish Head Xu chuckled, not taking it seriously.

"You're not like before now; don't spend money so freely. Just set it down," the resolute-faced man said. He picked two desserts from the pile and handed them to the director on set. Then he smiled and called out to the crew members, "My little brother bought some desserts. Everyone come and have some!"

"Thanks, Brother Biao!"

Many crew members around shouted their thanks.

After everyone had taken most of the desserts, the resolute-faced man looked at Yang Chu and asked Fish Head Xu, "Ah Xu, who's this?"

"Big Brother, this is a new friend I made, Chu. He's helped me out before." Fish Head Xu pulled Yang Chu over and introduced him with a smile.

"I'm Bai Biao, Ah Xu's big brother. Thank you, Chu, for your help," the resolute-faced man said, his hands instinctively clasped in a greeting gesture. Then he realized and chuckled, extending his right hand to Yang Chu.

"Nice to meet you, Brother Bai," Yang Chu shook hands with him. From just a few words, he could see that Fish Head Xu had a good relationship with his big brother.

"Uncle Guo, can I have some dessert too?"

At that moment, a young man in ancient costume, with a strikingly handsome face, suddenly appeared behind Bai Biao, smiling brightly.

"Ah Xu, Chu, this is Gu, the lead actor in our movie," Bai Biao introduced with a laugh. "Gu is even more into his role than I am. What do you think? Handsome enough, right?"

"Not just handsome—he's off the charts!" Fish Head Xu exclaimed first, his cross-eyed gaze practically sparkling.

Yang Chu couldn't help but nod. The stuntman Wu he had doubled for was already incredibly handsome, but this young man in costume took it to another level—there were no words to describe how striking he was.

"Alright, we'll be heading out now."

After a few more exchanges, Fish Head Xu and Yang Chu

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Fish Head Xu and Yang Chu prepared to leave.

Bai Biao had a night shoot coming up and couldn't get away. Even though the crew had packed dinners, they didn't intend to stick around just for that.

As they left the film studio, the sky had started to darken.

Once they got back to the car, Fish Head Xu drove them back along the same route on Clear Water Bay Road.

As they drove along a slightly desolate stretch after the junction of Clear Water Bay Road and Sai Kung Road, Fish Head Xu suddenly spotted a lone figure walking by the roadside. He immediately hit the brakes and called out to the person, "Hey, brother, there's no one around here for miles. Need a lift?"

Yang Chu wasn't surprised by Fish Head Xu's friendliness—this was just how he was.

When the car stopped, Yang Chu glanced out the window at the man standing by the roadside. He looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties, with a short buzz cut and a large backpack slung over his shoulders. His clothes were plain, different from what most people in Hong Kong were wearing at the time. His face bore the look of someone who had been on the road for a while.

"I don't have any money," the man with the buzz cut said. He seemed surprised that someone would offer him a ride, but instead of accepting, he clarified that he didn't have any money.

"It's along the way. Why would I charge you? The nearest bus stop is several miles away," Fish Head Xu replied, waving his hand. "So, are you getting in or not?"

The man with the buzz cut looked at Fish Head Xu and Yang Chu inside the car. He suddenly broke into a modest smile, seemingly unbothered by the idea of getting into a car with two strangers. He clasped his hands in a polite gesture and said, "Thank you, then."

"We're all brothers under the sky," Fish Head Xu replied heartily. After the man with the buzz cut got in, Fish Head Xu restarted the car and asked, "Where are you headed, brother? We're going back to West Kowloon."

"What a coincidence. I'm headed to West Kowloon as well," the man with the buzz cut said, flashing a bright smile. "To Old Tan's Café on Nanking Street."

Fish Head Xu thought for a moment and said, "I don't know Old Tan's Café, but I know Nanking Street. I'll drop you off there, and you can find it yourself."

"Thank you," the man in the back seat clasped his hands again in a polite gesture.

He seemed to relax a bit more than when he was standing by the roadside, perhaps sensing that Fish Head Xu and Yang Chu meant him no harm.

"Have you practiced martial arts?" Yang Chu suddenly asked, turning his head to look at the man in the back seat.

Ever since the man had gotten into the car, Yang Chu had been observing him. He wasn't particularly tall or muscular, but his build seemed more compact and refined than the stuntmen on the set. There was also an aura about him, different from ordinary people.

After seeing the man make two polite gestures, Yang Chu suddenly recalled the way Bai Biao had acted back at the film studio and had a hunch.

The man with the buzz cut didn't seem surprised that Yang Chu had noticed he practiced martial arts. Instead, he smiled faintly and replied, "Twenty years, without interruption."

His tone was calm, but it carried a subtle confidence that was hard to ignore.

Yang Chu nodded and didn't say more for the moment.

Fish Head Xu, however, got excited upon hearing that the man practiced martial arts. "Brother, you practice martial arts? What style? I've trained a bit myself! Back in the day, I learned some Hung Gar and Pak Mei under my big brother."

"Just a small, lesser-known style," the man with the buzz cut smiled modestly, showing no interest in revealing his lineage.

Fish Head Xu didn't mind that the man didn't disclose his martial arts school. Instead, he seemed to get even more excited, diving into the topic enthusiastically:

"It's great to practice martial arts, Chu. You should train a bit when you have time. For stunt work, it's good to know a little of everything. If you've got a foundation, you can do more impressive moves in martial arts films. My big brother and the others used to perform in Cantonese opera, and later on, they learned all sorts of martial arts styles. It makes the action scenes look really good. It's a whole different level compared to those who haven't trained.

"But there's one thing you have to remember—pull your punches when you're filming. There was a famous martial arts star back in the day, and we were all scared to shoot scenes with him. We're just acting, but he took it like it was real, chasing you down and not letting go, even when he'd stepped out of frame."

Yang Chu in the passenger seat and the man with the buzz cut in the back listened to Fish Head Xu ramble on, neither of them interrupting.

However, Yang Chu noticed that the smile on the man's face seemed to grow as he listened.

The car drove through the brightly lit streets, weaving through alleyways and bustling roads, and soon they arrived near Nanking Street.

The man with the buzz cut thanked Fish Head Xu and Yang Chu once again with a polite gesture, then left with his large backpack, disappearing into the lively street.