Chapter 18: Searching for Someone

The letter reached the *Dream of the Red Chamber* production crew quickly. After all, they were both within the city of Beiping, only a few dozen to a hundred kilometers apart.

The guesthouse was already bustling with most of the lead actors required for the production. However, the official training for the cast wouldn't begin until 1984; 1983 was merely a year of preparation. The filming of the *Dream of the Red Chamber* television series was handled with such meticulous care that the casting process alone spanned two years.

Zhang Li lived in a single room at the guesthouse. Although it lacked a private bathroom, the accommodations were several times better than what Li Yousi had. Each morning, after finishing her training with the instructors, Zhang Li would sit at her desk to read. She hadn't quite settled into her relationships with the rest of the crew yet, mostly because everyone was still getting to know each other. She was also staying in a traditional courtyard house. Just as she was reading, someone shouted from outside.

"Comrade Zhang, it looks like there's a letter for you."

Taken by surprise, Zhang Li immediately stepped out the door. She wondered who could have written to her. It was likely her parents; since she was just reaching adulthood, they were surely worried about her being so far from home. She walked up to the postman, signed for the letter, and took it.

A quick glance at the sender made her pause. It was from Beiping. Then she looked at the name—Li Yousi!

In that instant, it clicked. "He really came to Beiping!" she whispered in surprise, covering her mouth with the hand holding the letter. She had assumed that when Li Yousi said he was coming to Beiping, he was just humoring her to keep her from crying when she left Jincheng. Yet, a trace of worry flickered in her heart—why was he in Beiping? If he were mistaken for a vagrant, that would be quite troublesome. Besides, he couldn't just neglect his work at the Art Troupe.

Carried by a flicker of concern, she quickly tore open the letter.

—

"As you can see, I am currently at the Literary Federation's courtyard guesthouse in Beiping!"

"Basically, I wrote a story and submitted it to *Beiping Literature* magazine. They accepted it and invited me here to edit the manuscript!"

—

The letter was only a hundred words or so long. He had glossed over the details with effortless ease.

Zhang Li’s mouth fell open in astonishment. "Huh?"

Writing a novel? Passed the submission process just like that? And he was only in Beiping to edit a draft? How did that sound so much like he was quietly showing off? Zhang Li felt a bit suspicious—not of his writing, but of whether he was just playing the part of a cool intellectual.

"How strange! You've been writing this novel for nearly a month and didn't tell me a single word about it!"

A small surge of irritation welled up in her. It was simple, really; being away from home for over a month in a strange city made one feel a bit out of sorts. This became the spark for her frustration: "It's not that far away, and he knew how to write a letter, yet he didn't come to see me!" she grumbled to herself.

Deep down, however, she was overjoyed.

Taking the bus from her guesthouse to the Literary Federation's guesthouse would take about three to four hours. Zhang Li checked the time; the crew ate lunch promptly at 12:00. It wasn't time yet, so if she left now, she should have enough time.

Watching Zhang Li's expressive face, a petite girl nearby grew curious. This delicate girl was the actress playing Tanchun. Since they were both actresses in the "Grand View Garden," they had a decent relationship.

Tanchun walked over with a smile. "Oh! Comrade Zhang, what are you looking at? You don't look quite yourself."

Although Zhang Li was mentally grumbling about Li Yousi, the hint of a smile never left her lips. "What do you mean?"

"Who wrote you that letter? Can I see?" Tanchun made a playful gesture to grab it.

The mere pretense was enough to make Zhang Li snatch the letter back, a reaction that told Tanchun it was no ordinary correspondence.

"Oh my! Can't I even take a peek? Was it written by some actor? An old flame? Or someone you met at the Central Television station?" the young girl teased, tugging at Zhang Li’s sleeve with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Even without makeup, Zhang Li was the most beautiful and elegant girl in the entire crew. She had spent a week at the Central Television guesthouse, and during that time, the actors there had seemed unable to take their eyes off her.

"Not at all," Zhang Li lied without batting an eyelash. "It’s a colleague from the Jincheng Art Troupe who came to Beiping. He asked me to come see him! It’s been a long time, so we’re going to meet up."

"You've only been in Beiping for a month and a half. How long could it have been?" Tanchun covered her mouth to hide her giggles.

She had already guessed most of the truth, but Zhang Li remained stubborn and refused to admit it.

It was the weekend, so they didn't have training. Zhang Li threw on a padded jacket and headed out. "Comrades, please tell the instructor I’m heading out to meet an old friend for lunch!" she called back. She ducked into her room to grab something before hurrying off.

Having been with the crew for a month and a half, the girls loved exploring the city. Whenever they had a break, they would form groups to visit famous tourist spots. They had already seen the Great Wall, the Summer Palace, the Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven, so she knew the general layout of the city.

She checked the bus routes and found the street where the Literary Federation was located. clutching the letter in her hand, she felt a mix of nervousness and excitement. She wondered what she would say to Li Yousi when she saw him. She wanted to take him out for a meal, go for a walk, and hear all about his recent experiences. Most importantly, she wanted to ask about his writing.

Transitioning from an instrumentalist in an Art Troupe to a writer was a massive change; to be honest, Zhang Li hadn't fully processed it yet.

When the bus stopped at the street corner, Zhang Li asked around as she walked, "Comrade, do you know where the Literary Federation's guesthouse is?"

Her gentle southern accent was something most people couldn't resist, and they happily pointed the way. Soon, she found the courtyard house she had been dreaming of.

She stopped at the entrance and asked, "Is there a Comrade Li staying at your guesthouse? He’s from an Art Troupe and wears a military uniform. He has a refined look and is about 1.78 meters tall."

Such a description was rare in the guesthouse, so following the directions, she soon found the door to his room.