msmithbooks Chapter 25: Offering Advice and Reaping Rich Rewards
Chapter 25: Offering Advice and Reaping Rich Rewards
After Su Xiao finished speaking, the scene did not linger on an empty shot.
The camera switched completely and captured Su Xiao.
It's not in a studio.
She appeared on Dongmen Pedestrian Street, the most bustling street in Shenzhen.
In 1992, Dongmen Pedestrian Street, as the core commercial area of Luohu District in Shenzhen, was in a period of rapid development during the early stages of reform and opening up.
Dongmen Commercial Street is characterized by its dense cluster of small vendors and low-end goods, and is one of the earliest commercial districts to be formed in Shenzhen.
At this moment, the crowd surged, shoulder to shoulder.
The fashion of the early 1990s converged here.
A woman with wavy, permed hair wore a brightly colored floral dress and stylish high heels.
The flared jeans worn by young men are not completely out of style yet, but more young people are starting to wear tailored jeans, paired with T-shirts printed with English words or images of Hong Kong stars.
Vendors push mobile clothes racks filled with colorful and trendy Cantonese-style shirts and trousers.
On the street, a tape recorder played Cantonese pop songs, mixed with the sounds of bargaining.
[Like a lovesick fool, like a dreamer. I still hope you learn to cherish yourself. Even if we are separated someday, I will miss you. I really miss you.]
Su Xiao had changed into a more approachable off-white dress, and carrying a microphone with the Guangdong TV logo, she walked into the crowd with a cameraman.
The camera was focused on the first interviewee, a young man in his early twenties.
He was wearing a T-shirt that was considered fashionable at the time, printed with the English words "Nothing is impossible".
She wore trendy dark blue jeans and white Feiyue sneakers.
Her hair was styled with mousse and stood up slightly, and she was carrying a black faux leather bag with an image of the Great Wall printed on it.
"Hello, comrade! We are from Guangdong TV. May we interview you?" Su Xiao stepped forward with a smile.
The young man was taken aback at first, then broke into a bright smile and readily replied in slightly accented Mandarin, "TV station? Sure!"
"Judging from your attire, are you here in Shenzhen on business?"
"It's not about doing tasks, it's about taking risks!"
The young man corrected him.
"I'm from Zhuzhou, Hunan. I worked as a fitter in a factory back home for three years, but it was boring. I heard there were more opportunities here, so I quit and came here. I just found a job in an electronics factory. After training, I can earn this much a month, even with overtime."
He held up three fingers, his face beaming with undisguised pride.
"Three hundred yuan?" Su Xiao asked cooperatively.
"Yes, it's equivalent to three or four months of work back home." The young man's voice rose eight octaves. "It's tiring, but it's worth it! Look at this street, what don't we have? There's a video player right outside our factory gate, we can watch Hong Kong movies at night. Once I save up some money, I'll buy a mobile phone to carry around, that'll be really cool."
The camera shifts to a middle-aged couple choosing clothes.
The man was wearing a slightly oversized light gray suit, no tie, and brown leather shoes.
The woman had trendy wavy hair and wore a purplish-red polyester shirt and black trousers.
The two were carefully browsing through clothes at a stall with signs that read "Shanghai Woolen Sweaters" and "New Guangzhou Styles".
"Hello, comrades. Excuse me. I see you're picking out clothes. How does shopping now compare to a few years ago?" Su Xiao asked.
The woman looked up, still holding a beige cardigan in her hand. Upon hearing this, she immediately smiled; fine wrinkles lined the corners of her eyes, but she was full of energy.
"Oh dear, that's nothing compared to what we had before! You needed coupons to buy things, and you had to queue up. There were only a few styles available, and they were all drab and dusty. Look at all this now!"
She pointed to the stalls that were covered with hanging items.
"Red, yellow, floral—the designs are so beautiful, and the materials are so good too."
She shook the cardigan in her hand again. "This one is pure wool, from Shanghai. It's a bit pricey, but it looks presentable."
Her husband nodded in agreement, adding, "The main thing is that we have some spare cash now. I work at a construction company, and she works at an electronics factory; our combined income is much better than before. Our child is starting middle school soon, so we can buy her something nice so she won't be looked down upon when she wears it out."
The man didn't talk much, but his tone was sincere, conveying a sense of satisfaction at living a good life.
Next, the camera captured an elderly man resting on a bench by the street.
His hair was gray, he was wearing a blue Zhongshan suit, the top button fastened meticulously, and he was wearing liberation shoes.
Holding a straw hat, he quietly watched the endless stream of people and vehicles in front of him.
Su Xiao walked over, squatted down, and asked gently, "Grandpa, are you resting here all by yourself? Do you think Shenzhen has changed a lot?"
The old man turned his head, looked at Su Xiao, then at the camera, remained silent for a few seconds, and then slowly said, "Changes? Huge upheavals."
He raised his hand and pointed to a high-rise building under renovation across the street.
"That used to be my family's paddy field. And over there, the fishpond. I've lived here for fifty-eight years. Even going to the county town used to feel like a long way. Now look..."
……
In front of the television screen, countless viewers held their breath in suspense.
From spirited and adventurous young people to thrifty working-class families who are willing to spend money, and finally to elderly people who have witnessed the changing times...
These vivid faces and simple words intertwine with the melody of Lin Hanjiang's stirring song "The Story of Spring".
Art elevates life, and life ultimately validates art.
Su Xiao concluded her speech before the camera:
"Dear viewers, this is the story of spring, the miracle unfolding on the shores of the South China Sea. It's not just about skyscrapers, but also the smiles on the faces of ordinary people, the bulging pockets, the courage to dream, and truly good days! This spring breeze has turned the shores of the South China Sea green, and it will surely sweep across the entire land of China! 'The Spring Breeze of Reform,' next time at the same time, we will take you into… Goodbye!"
As the program ended, the melody of "The Story of Spring" played again as the closing theme song played.
In front of the television, in the living rooms of many families, the channel remained unchanged for a long time.
They have experienced too much in the fourteen years of reform and opening up.
Living in this turbulent era, with rapid changes happening every day, we are also overcoming challenges alongside our country.
Su Xiao stood in the broadcast control center, surrounded by flashing indicator lights and monitor screens.
The huge main screen was playing the end credits of "The Spring Breeze of Reform," while in the background, the melody of "The Story of Spring" lingered for the last time, fading until it disappeared.
The program has ended.
The control room was silent for a few seconds, then various feedback data began to scroll rapidly on the console screen.
The technician's voice broke the silence:
"Signal transmission was normal, and there were no broadcast incidents throughout the entire process."
"The call center reports that the hotline is overwhelmed with calls; all lines are full."
"Preliminary viewership data is being transmitted..."
Su Xiao was somewhat stunned.
Successful.
A surge of scalding heat rushed to my eyes.
I came back from Kyoto full of energy.
She has barely slept a full night in the past few days.
They persuaded the station's leadership to approve the project, assembled a temporary team under pressure, wrote, revised, and revised the program plan again, and coordinated filming and editing...
Each step felt like a challenge.
There were dissenting voices within the station. No one was sure whether a brand-new program with a clear political and documentary flavor could capture viewers during prime time.
Fortunately, she managed to get it.
"The preliminary ratings are in, with an average rating of 46.2% and a peak of 49%! This breaks the record for all our station's self-produced programs since its inception, exceeding the previous record by a full 14 percentage points."
After all, it's a local TV station, so it can't be found in many places.
While it can't compare to the staggering figures from the CCTV Young Singers Competition, which garnered nationwide attention, this is already a miraculous number that deserves to be recorded in the history of local TV stations.
Uncontrollable cheers and applause erupted in the control room.
Su Xiao understood that it was Lin Hanjiang's opinion that led to her being given an important position.
That young man's ideas seemed to be inherently different from others.
The word "benefactor" jumped into her mind without warning.
……
"Achoo! Achoo!"
I wonder who's thinking about him.
Lin Hanjiang was counting the money that Guangdong TV had sent him in his dormitory.
It's more than 2000 yuan.
That's just the money for an exclusive interview.
This money was for strategizing; the Guangdong TV program "Spring Breeze of Reform" even had a name he came up with.
The general direction was also the advice he gave.
All that's missing is a complete project plan for them.
Su Xiao was also surprised when she heard this, and said that if the leader adopted this plan, he would give him an extra planning fee.
Guangdong TV is still rich; the thickest wad of cash on the desk came from their payments.
Lin Hanjiang couldn't help but exclaim how generous the 5000 yuan was.
There were two stacks of money next to it, which were for the copyright fees of the performance.
The teacher gave me a red envelope containing 2000 yuan.
Li Guyi's company bought the copyright for Zhang Ye for 1000 yuan.
If it weren't for his father's 20 yuan debt, Lin Hanjiang would have laughed like a pig.
In 1992, a young college student had 8000 yuan in his pocket.
I wonder how many beautiful women have thrown themselves at him.