Chapter 478: An Encounter in Taiwan

Chapter 478: An Encounter in Taiwan

Bangjie Village.

Sixty-Meter Avenue.

It was already after the Start of Winter, and if it were in Northeast China, it would likely be cold enough to make people shiver. However, in Bobai, the weather was quite unpredictable. Sometimes, people might still be wearing shorts and short-sleeved shirts, while other times, the weather could be cool enough to require long sleeves. Occasionally, the cold weather might come early, necessitating a jacket.

In short, at this time of year, any kind of weather in Bobai wouldn't be surprising.

This year's weather has been relatively normal, with the current weather being "clear and crisp," neither too hot nor too cold, making it perfect for a long-sleeved shirt.

With the cool weather, the ginkgo trees planted along the sides and center of the Sixty-Meter Avenue have transformed from green leaves to "golden leaves." These "golden leaves" not only fill the branches but also fall to the ground, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene.

Every year at this time, countless people come here to admire the scenery and take photos.

Ah Guanliu has been in the photography business for over ten years and is a well-known photographer in Shuangwang Town.

Ten years ago, Ah Guanliu's photography business wasn't doing well.

After all, his main market was the countryside, not the city, and rural people weren't very enthusiastic about the expense of taking photos.

Moreover, children from the 1980s were different from those of later generations. Modern children are constantly photographed from birth, recording their growth, and are used to posing for photos even at a young age.

However, children in the 1980s countryside had no idea what photography was. When they saw the photographer holding a camera and taking their picture, many would cry and refuse to be photographed.

Ah Guanliu encountered this situation many times, and it often ended without resolution.

Of course, there were still some rural people with slightly better conditions who had the awareness to take photos for keepsake purposes.

In the early years, Ah Guanliu's photography business only provided a basic living, and he didn't earn much money.

However, this situation changed when the Nayi Deng Clan rose to prominence.

As the Nayi Deng Clan became wealthier, more people were willing to take photos, and Ah Guanliu's business naturally improved. He had plenty of business every day, earning him a substantial amount of money.

What surprised Ah Guanliu even more was the construction of the Sixty-Meter Avenue and the planting of ginkgo trees. Every year, when the ginkgo leaves turned into golden leaves, waves of tourists would come.

Ah Guanliu keenly seized this opportunity, staying at the Sixty-Meter Avenue every day to take photos for people, and his business was incredibly successful.

"Click!"

Ah Guanliu finished taking photos for a few guests and then smiled, saying, "You can come back tomorrow to pick up your photos!"

The guests thanked him and continued to admire the scenery with others.

Ah Guanliu then started taking photos for the next guest.

Over the years, Ah Guanliu has taken countless similar photos and has gained a wealth of experience. He knows exactly which angles produce the best photos, so his shooting speed is very fast.

While Ah Guanliu was busy taking photos for the guests, Deng Shirong, who had just finished dinner, began to take a walk along the Sixty-Meter Avenue. He had spent so much effort and time searching for ginkgo trees and several years concealing their planting, all to create this beautiful scene. Naturally, he wanted to enjoy it as much as possible.

Deng Shirong wasn't the only one out for a walk after dinner. Many clan members, medical staff, and their families also enjoyed doing this. Even villagers from nearby villages and other towns came to walk and enjoy the scenery.

Clan members and others who recognized Deng Shirong greeted him.

Deng Shirong responded to each one, and before he knew it, he had walked to where Ah Guanliu was taking photos.

Ah Guanliu had just finished taking a photo for a guest and immediately smiled and greeted Deng Shirong, "Uncle Nine, out for a walk!"

Deng Shirong nodded and smiled, asking, "How's business today?"

Ah Guanliu beamed, "Not bad."

Seeing that he still had guests waiting, Deng Shirong chatted for a bit and then said, "You're busy, I'll just walk around."

Ah Guanliu replied, "Sure thing."

At this moment, the sun was setting, and the ginkgo leaves, illuminated by the sunset, presented a magnificent scene. Deng Shirong had a feeling that in the near future, this Sixty-Meter Avenue would become famous nationwide, becoming one of the most sought-after tourist spots in the hearts of the people.

"Ancestor Nine."

Just as Deng Shirong was lost in thought, someone greeted him.

Deng Shirong looked in the direction of the voice and couldn't help but smile, "Ah Bao, when are you and Xiao Feng getting married?"

Deng Sibao looked at Zhang Xiaofeng beside him and chuckled, "Ancestor Nine, we plan to get married next year, but the specific date hasn't been set yet!"

Nurse Zhang Xiaofeng was smiling broadly. After graduating from the nursing school, she chose to work at a rural hospital instead of a county hospital, hoping to find a suitable partner and marry into the renowned Nayi Deng Clan.

After her persistent efforts, she finally found the person she wanted.

Although their wedding date hasn't been set, they have already met their families and are officially engaged.

After a few more words, someone else greeted him, "Uncle Nine."

Deng Shirong nodded at Deng Sibao and his companion and continued chatting with others.

As the sky gradually darkened, the people who had come to the Sixty-Meter Avenue to walk and enjoy the scenery gradually left.

As Deng Shirong walked back, he was also considering installing landscape lights along the Sixty-Meter Avenue. The sunset scenery was indeed beautiful, but the night view created by landscape lights would be equally stunning.

Previously, he had not installed the landscape lights for two reasons: first, there was no immediate need, and second, he wanted to wait a few more years for the technology to develop further to avoid having to upgrade the lights too soon, which would be troublesome.

However, with the film city project now underway and the movie "The Opium War" scheduled to shoot here next year, installing the landscape lights had become necessary. This would allow the crew to see the beauty of the area, enhancing its reputation and avoiding the impression of it being a desolate mountain village.

Apart from the Sixty-Meter Avenue, landscape lights would also be installed along the riverbanks near the villa complex to enhance the night scenery.

Many landscapes that do not appear particularly beautiful during the day can transform dramatically under the glow of landscape lights, becoming breathtakingly beautiful and almost unbelievable.

...

The next day.

After breakfast, Deng Shirong rode his motorcycle to the Guangzhou Street section of the film city, which was under construction.

The current Guangzhou Street was almost complete, with only some finishing touches left. The construction speed was impressively fast.

In his previous life, Hengdian only took five months to build Guangzhou Street from a barren land. In comparison, Nage Film City had the advantage of a large reservoir, eliminating the need to dig rivers and lakes, saving a significant amount of work.

It was not surprising that Guangzhou Street could be built in the same amount of time.

The Nanning Architectural Design Institute had done an excellent job, designing and recreating Guangzhou Street as it was 150 years ago. Deng Shirong felt as if he had been transported back to the Guangzhou Street of the Qing Dynasty.

After visiting Guangzhou Street, Deng Shirong called Director Xie.

After exchanging pleasantries, Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Director Xie, Guangzhou Street is almost complete. Whenever you have time, you can come and visit to see if there are any additional details needed."

Director Xie was surprised, "What? Guangzhou Street is already finished so quickly?"

Deng Shirong laughed, "It's basically done, with just a few finishing touches left."

Director Xie was amazed, "The construction speed is incredible. My preparations are also almost complete, so I'll bring the main cast over in a few days to familiarize them with the shooting location."

Deng Shirong said, "Sure, when you arrive in Nanning, just call General Manager Huang, and he will arrange transportation for you."

"Okay, thank you, Mr. Deng."

"You're welcome. I won't disturb your work anymore. Goodbye!"

"Alright, goodbye!"

...

A few days later.

The construction of Guangzhou Street was officially completed, and Director Xie arrived with the main cast to familiarize themselves with the location.

Seeing the appearance of Guangzhou Street, Director Xie nodded in satisfaction. It matched his expectations perfectly, fully meeting the requirements for the movie. He praised, "Mr. Deng, the construction speed of your film city is truly impressive, and the authenticity of Guangzhou Street is outstanding."

Deng Shirong smiled, "I'm glad you're satisfied, Director Xie."

The other main cast members were also deeply impressed. They had come to this remote mountain village with the director, and they were pleasantly surprised by what they found.

First, the scenery along the Sixty-Meter Avenue left them in awe. When they passed through it, they were genuinely amazed by the beauty of the place, which completely refreshed their understanding of rural areas.

Second, the Guangzhou Street before them was exactly as the director had described. It took only about five months from the start of construction to completion, which was indeed impressive.

After touring Guangzhou Street, they noticed many workers still hard at work nearby.

Director Xie asked, "Mr. Deng, what are they building over there?"

Deng Shirong smiled, "They are building Hong Kong Street. Since we have Guangzhou Street, Hong Kong Street is a must-have."

Director Xie nodded, "Yes, building Hong Kong Street first is indeed necessary. It will be even more popular for filming."

"Once Hong Kong Street is complete, we plan to build attractions representing various dynasties of China. When all the planned attractions are completed, most movies and TV series won't need to go anywhere else for filming; they can come directly to our film city."

"I will spread this news to other directors in the industry, encouraging them to film here when needed."

...

Time flew by.

Before they knew it, winter break had arrived again.

At the luxurious residence in Wuyue Plaza, Deng Shirong once again picked up his grandchildren's report cards.

His granddaughter's report card was not surprising. As a self-taught prodigy who had completed all junior high school courses, Xiaodong's final exam scores were almost perfect, far outpacing the second place by over twenty points, a significant lead.

Don't underestimate these twenty points. The higher the scores, the harder it gets, and the top students usually have a difference of only a few points. A difference of more than ten points is already impressive, let alone twenty.

As for Dongzi's performance, it was consistently average.

Deng Shirong had already given up on pushing him. Since he lacked the talent for academics, there was no need to force him. With his parents taking care of him in the first half of his life and his children supporting him in the second half, he would lead a worry-free life.

After looking at the report cards, Deng Shirong smiled at his granddaughter and said, "Xiaodong, where do you want to go for the winter break?"

Xiaodong replied, "Grandpa, how about we go to Taiwan?"

Deng Shirong nodded and said, "Sure, wherever you want to go, Grandpa will take you there."

Dongzi added, "Grandpa, I want to go too."

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Alright, then we'll all go together."

...

The next day.

The three of them set off for Taiwan.

Due to well-known reasons, from the founding of the People's Republic of China up until 1987, there was no exchange between the two places. However, from 1987 to 1994, the situation began to change, though the specifics are not convenient to elaborate on.

Starting from 1995, the relationship between the two places became more normalized.

Therefore, Deng Shirong had no worries about taking his grandchildren to Taiwan for a trip, as it was not much different from traveling to other provinces in mainland China.

Taiwan shares the same roots and culture as mainland China, with the majority of its residents being descendants of people who migrated from other provinces. Some of these migrations were voluntary, while others were forced.

Upon arriving in Taiwan, Xiaodong and Dongzi were immediately amazed by the prosperity of the place.

Xiaodong, looking at the skyscrapers, said, "Grandpa, Taiwan is so prosperous, it doesn't seem to be any worse than Hong Kong!"

Deng Shirong replied, "Taiwan and Hong Kong are both part of the Four Asian Tigers. Taiwan has always been on par with Hong Kong, and in terms of economic output, Hong Kong doesn't even match Taiwan. Taiwan's current economic output as a province already exceeds one-third of mainland China's, which is indeed impressive."

Xiaodong's eyes widened in disbelief, "Taiwan's economic output exceeds one-third of mainland China's? That's so impressive!"

Deng Shirong nodded, "Yes, Taiwan's economy is indeed that strong right now."

In the 1980s and 1990s, Hong Kong and Taiwan were synonymous with wealth. An ordinary Hong Kong or Taiwanese person, once in mainland China, would be considered a true big spender. The economic gap between the two places was incredibly large.

However, this gap would rapidly shrink with the development of mainland China.

In the future, the most developed provinces in mainland China would one by one surpass Hong Kong and Taiwan in economic output.

Of course, if we talk about per capita, neither Hong Kong nor Taiwan could be compared to mainland China. But such comparisons are not very meaningful, given the vastly different populations of Hong Kong and Taiwan compared to mainland China. If mainland China's per capita income could surpass Hong Kong and Taiwan, its total economic output would have long surpassed the United States to become the world's first.

Surrounded by the sea, Taiwan is known for its beautiful mountains and rivers, lush forests, and fertile fields. With ample sunshine and a mild climate year-round, it has long been known as a "beautiful island," offering a wealth of natural and cultural attractions.

The most famous of these attractions is undoubtedly the "Eight Scenic Spots of Taiwan." Each era has its own version of these eight spots, and in this era, they are: Penghu Fishing Lights, Anping Sunset, Twin Lakes in Autumn, Datun Spring, Qingshui Cliffs, Alishan Cloud Sea, Lu Valley, and Snow-Capped Jade Mountain.

Since these eight spots are not all in the same city, touring them all would take a considerable amount of time. Therefore, Deng Shirong and his grandchildren decided to visit a couple of the closer spots and then return home for the New Year. They could visit the remaining spots in the future.

While enjoying the scenic views, another essential part of the trip was the food. Taiwan's culinary culture is primarily based on Taiwanese cuisine, which has been influenced by the culinary styles of various regions in China, including Min cuisine (Southern Min and Fuzhou), Guangdong's Chaozhou cuisine, Jiangsu and Zhejiang cuisine, as well as Hakka and Cantonese cuisine and Japanese cuisine.

A week later, Deng Shirong and his grandchildren visited a restaurant in Taoyuan County to try the local specialty, clay pot fish head.

While enjoying the food, they happened to encounter a table of guests who were on a blind date, which piqued Deng Shirong's interest, and he watched with great interest.

The blind date table had five people: the two main participants, their respective mothers, and a matchmaker aunt in her fifties.

As the matchmaker introduced the two sides, the name of the male participant caught Deng Shirong's attention. Not only did he share the same surname, but his name also included a generation name similar to that of the Nayi Deng Clan.

The male participant's name was Deng Changzuo.

Deng Shirong was certain that this person was not from the Nayi Deng Clan. Although he hadn't memorized all the names of the clan's over 3,000 members, he could recognize most of them at a glance.

The person in front of him, Deng Changzuo, was completely unfamiliar and could not be a member of the Nayi Deng Clan.

Deng Shirong speculated that this young man might be a branch of the Nayi Deng Clan or from the Shangjing Deng Clan's ancestral home.

"Thirteenth Sister, Changzuo is a high-achieving graduate from National Cheng Kung University, a very excellent young man," the matchmaker continued to introduce the male participant to the female side. "Moreover, Changzuo's grandfather was a general in the Nationalist Party, and his family runs a company, with very good conditions. You must seize this opportunity and not miss out!"

...

PS: My occupational illness is really painful; my waist and neck have been so uncomfortable these past two days...

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end