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A Trip to China

Author :  Jing-Er, in Chinese

Date :  23 August 2001

Translation :  Martial Arts Movies and TV Series - Wu Jing

Original Compilation :  Jing Wu Men

Day 6, Part 2 - Lunch

As we traversed along, Wu Jing saw a production crew was on board a fixed boat, and he shouted to him, "Are we going to be doing some filming here?"

"Yes," came the reply.

Wu Jing muttered to himself, "Gosh. I might have to dip in the river today. While the river looks nice, it's actually very rancid and dirty. The toilet is just over there."

When we returned to the shooting base, the packed lunches for the production team had arrived and we were invited to join in. We were thinking that we had already been imposing on them but did not know how to decline their offer when Wu Jing told us to bring along three packed lunches and follow him to Ye Eatery. Ye Eatery was located just beside the shooting base. It is a small building - apart from the kitchen, it can only house two big, round tables. Wu Jing greeted the lady boss and told her two prepare two dishes for him. We noticed the table looked as if it was pustulating and without thinking, we grabbed some tissue papers from the table and began wiping it. 

Later, Wu Jing pointed to the chair where Tina was sitting and said Jia Jing-Wen has sat there before. He also mentioned a bunch of other names, which came as a surprise to us: He had such an awesome memory!

The customers sitting around the other table had wanted to take a picture with Wu Jing but was spurned on the account the Wu Jing was not wearing any shirt. Wu Jing said that he had given his words that he would whip up a few dishes for us (Yet another oath made a year ago... How did he remember so clearly? ) and went into the kitchen.

Wu Jing sure has a flair for cooking. As he prepared the dishes, he gave orders to the lady boss to pass him the necessary items. It aroused the curiosity of the customers by the other table as well as those who just came.

"Hey, isn't that the person who did that Taichi serial...Now what's his name? Something Jing, eh?"

One by one, Wu Jing served us a few dishes. Wu Jing's culinary skill was fairly good, and we thought the food he made was more delectable than the lady boss'. We would finish practically everything each time he went into the kitchen.

"How could it be? You've finished everything?" said Wu Jing, with disbelief, when he returned with another dish.

"It's true. This piece of tomato is for you!"

Looking at the piece of tomato, Wu Jing exclaimed, "Huh? Really? You're so cruel!"

Spicy and Sour Cucumber was one of Wu Jing's specialty, and it was also Carry's favourite. She even requested Wu Jing for the recipe!

Wu Jing was again dumbfounded to see that we had eaten everything when he came out of the kitchen, "Impossible!"

Wu Jing related to us that the more common version of Spicy and Sour Cucumber is a cold dish and only his family would cook it with heat and that only three person in this world knew how to prepare it: his grandmother, his mother and him.

I secretly whispered to Ninnie, "Huh? Can his sister do it too?"

Looking at the watch, it's about time for Tina and Carry set off. They were going to board a bus to Hangzhou and thence, take a plane to return to Taiwan, so they said, "Brother Jing, we are leaving."

Wu Jing raised his head and glanced at them, "Ah? You are leaving (passing away) at such a young age?"

"Let's go. I'll see you off at the bus bay." Amidst our chuckles, Wu Jing stood up and left with them for a while.

During lunch, Wu Jing told us talk he is providing financial support to two kids, "Hmmm... they haven't shown me their report cards yet."

Wu Jing did not want them to know that he is financing them so as to prevent the children from comparing against each other. He was so thoughtful and considerate. Actually, Wu Jing had the intention of setting up a school, but running a school requires quite a huge sum of yearly expenses which he could not afford at the moment. 

There was once when Wu Jing served as a relief teacher. It was winter, and Wu Jing went jogging with a group of children, running from Beijing Shishahai Sports School to the foot of Jing Hill, the place where, the Emperor of Ming Dynasty, Chong Zhen hung himself. There, Wu Jing instructed them to ran up to the hilltop. 

The kids, mayhap under the impression that they could dawdle, were running very slowly and Wu Jing said that he would race against them and they could rest only after they overtook him. Our elder brother Wu Jing was not merciful at all and, sparing no effort, he reached the top with the timing of one minute. The children had to run up and down the hill in the snow for three more rounds, until Wu Jing shouted, "Stop!" Then Wu Jing ordered them to do hand-stand.

After the physical training session ended, when they returned to school, Wu Jing let them took a warm bath first while he waited outside. He only entered the bathroom on confirming that all the kids had taken their shower. But by the time Wu Jing stepped inside, the water has turned iced cold!

We were speechless. If we were to meet such a coach, it's hard not to defer to him. Later, we had a discussion... we even entertained the idea of  beefing ourselves up and attempting a race at Jing Hill.

After lunch, we returned to the shooting arena. We saw Xue Yue-Wen brushing pass. We queried Wu Jing, "Isn't that's Shaolin Temple's Zhi-Chao?"

Wu Jing replied, "Spot-on," and immediately shouted to him in Cantonese, "Monster, you have some fans over here!"

As we were giggling, Xiao Yue-Wen, who was nicked-named Monster, sauntered here and chatted up with us. But before he could say much, someone alerted him to be discreet in his speech... perhaps for the fear he would talk to much, and revealed the plot... It's a pity! We thought we could frisk out some of Wu Jing's scandals from his mouth.

Then, a few people shouted together from a distance, "Wu Jing, Young Master, time for shooting!"

Wu Jing turned around and hurried away. We wanted to explore the area but the bag of local goodies was still with us. Since Tina and Carry, the first group of photographers had left, the second group, Ninnie and Xiang, delightfully went around with the cameras, leaving the three of us behind looking after the goodies, particularly Tina's pineapple tarts which she specially instructed that we had to take a snapshot of Wu Jing eating them.

Half a day was gone before Ninnie and Xiang returned. Merrily, they related to us that they had captured some shots of the inn where Xiao-Hong was telling stories and the bridge where Bei Yuan-Qing was injured by Dan-Dan.

Seeing the smug look on Ninnie's face, I said matter-of-factly, "You should go there at night. The current lighting is not right," to which, unexpectedly, she took it seriously, "Aye, you're right!"

That the five of us staying around the place must have brought in unwarranted attention from the public. Constantly, passers-by stepped into the the filming arena uninvited, and there were even some who had the effrontery to venture a look at the monitor of the director's video camera. Whenever the production crew sent one group away, another group would come.

Realising we were causing inconveniences to the production team, we felt embarrassed. However, as we didn't have the chance to tell Wu Jing that we wanted to take our leave, we dared not walk away. Thus, we stayed in one corner with the cameras kept, trying our best not to misled passers-by into entering the filming ground.

Some time passed, and during a break, Wu Jing, sweating heavily, with faced being tanned red by the sun, approached us, "Do you wish to go back first? It's sweltering here."

We nodded our head and hastily passed the big bag to him. Looking at the carrier, Wu Jing asked, "What's this? For me?"

Wu Jing had been doing quite a few action scenes continuously under the hot sun and wearing thick layers of wind-proof clothes, perspired a lot. Sensing his tired yet caring look, I was really anxious. I felt guilty, he had been too benevolent to us.

We returned to the hotel to rest and was reluctant to go anywhere. It was baking, even though the sun wasn't particularly bright. We didn't bring along any sun-screen and ended up being charred. Due to the heat, we were completely exhausted. Once we returned our rooms, we were too lethargic to even move an inch. We just wanted to have a nap...

We were reminded of Wu Jing... He was still working...

It's evening. At last, it's raining. Looking at the rain through the window, the first thought that came to our mind was, "Since it's pouring, Wu Jing should be able to rest earlier? Does he still have to douse himself in the river?"

We didn't utter any word, but all of us were concerned about Wu Jing...

The night had fallen and we would be departing tomorrow. I had lots of things to say, yet I didn't manage to voice out anything. I thought I should write a letter to Wu Jing. As I was bathing, I heard Xiang's voice outside, "Do you have any pieces of writing paper? I wish to write a letter."

What a coincidence! 

Once I stepped out of the bathroom, I could see paper scattered all over the bed, "Could you pass me a few pieces of paper. I would like to pen a letter."

Yun-Qi was thinking of the same matter too. As we cuddled ourselves on the bed, contemplating of the happenings during the past two days, trying to sort out our thoughts, we received a call from Ninnie, "Do you have a pen to spare? I am writing a letter..."

Great minds think alike! The more I deliberate, the more confused my mind became... Perhaps I should turn in now, my mind might be more lucid in the next morning...

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