Entertainment and culture in those days started with cultural propaganda teams.

Chapter 16 Liu Xiaoli's Expectations

Looking at the sprightly old man before him, Xu Yang naturally had no reason to refuse.

"Of course, sir. If you want to learn, I'll teach you every morning," he said with a smile, his attitude sincere.

Upon hearing this, the old man's wrinkled face broke into a wide smile, and he repeatedly said yes.

"My name is Zhao Weiguo, and I live in the building behind. I used to be a soldier and practiced military boxing. In recent years, I've always felt stiff and my body feels tight. Seeing you practice this and feel so comfortable, I wanted to join in and get some exercise." Old Master Zhao spoke frankly, with the straightforwardness characteristic of a soldier.

Xu Yang then broke down the starting stance of the Vajra Kung Fu and taught it to Grandpa Zhao move by move, demonstrating and explaining the coordination of breathing as he went.

Grandpa Zhao studied very seriously. Although his movements were a bit stiff, his earnestness reminded Xu Yang of how he used to scrutinize the movements in videos back then.

After teaching for about twenty minutes, more and more people gradually entered the courtyard.

There were middle-aged women carrying shopping baskets out the door, middle-aged people pushing bicycles to get to work, and young people squatting at the door brushing their teeth with enamel mugs in their hands.

Many people glanced at them as they passed by, their eyes lingering on Xu Yang for a particularly long time.

Xu Yang knew that his face was his natural trademark.

He wasn't intimidated at all and continued practicing confidently. His movements were fluid and graceful, so much so that several elderly people who were on their way to the park to practice qigong were captivated.

After teaching a set of lessons, Old Master Zhao had sweat on his forehead, but his face was flushed, and he kept saying "good" to everyone.

"Little Xu, your technique is good, not mystical, but very practical. I'll come again tomorrow morning, so don't sleep in!" Old Master Zhao patted Xu Yang's shoulder with considerable force, then left with his enamel mug, satisfied.

Xu Yang watched the old comrade leave and was about to go back to wash up when he turned around and saw Liu Xiaoli standing at the entrance of the building, holding two lunch boxes in her hands, smiling at him.

Today she wore a light blue floral shirt, and instead of braiding her hair, she loosely tied it back with a hairband, revealing her smooth forehead and slender neck.

The morning light slanted in from the east, enveloping her in a soft halo.

"I didn't expect you to be able to teach people martial arts." Liu Xiaoli walked over and handed him two of the lunch boxes.

"Soy milk and steamed buns, I just bought them."

Xu Yang took the lunchbox, which was still warm to the touch.

He opened the lid, and the sweet aroma of soy milk mingled with the meaty fragrance of steamed buns, making his stomach growl involuntarily.

Upon hearing this, Liu Xiaoli smiled and said, "Eat quickly. You must be hungry after practicing all morning."

Xu Yang didn't stand on ceremony and took a big bite of a steamed bun.

The buns have thin skins and generous fillings. The meat filling also includes scallions and shiitake mushrooms. When you bite into them, they are juicy and flavorful.

Seeing Xu Yang eating with great satisfaction, Liu Xiaoli smiled.

Then she said, "I just saw Grandpa Zhao learning kung fu from you. He's not easy to talk to; he usually ignores people when they try to talk to him."

"The fact that you were able to get him to speak up means that he finds you agreeable."

"Sister Xiaoli, who is this Grandpa Zhao?" Xu Yang asked casually.

"A veteran of the Korean War, someone who made meritorious contributions. Before retiring, he was the head of the city's armed forces department. He was known for his stubbornness, but he was especially kind to the children in the compound. When I was little, he would always give me candy," Liu Xiaoli said, her tone tinged with affection.

Xu Yang secretly made a mental note of it. It seemed that his unintentional act that morning had actually created a good connection.

After breakfast, Liu Xiaoli went to work at the opera house.

Before leaving, she told Xu Yang that his third uncle and aunt had gone out early in the morning, and that Xu Yang would be home alone during the day.

"If you're bored, go out for a walk. You have the key, don't you? Oh, and I'll be back with lunch." She hopped on her old-fashioned bicycle and turned back to give her one last word before leaving.

Xu Yang stood at the entrance of the building, watching her figure disappear into the green shade of the sycamore trees, before turning around and going back into the house.

The moment he closed the door, he let out a long breath.

A daytime spent alone is a rare moment of peace and quiet.

Xu Yang returned to his room, locked the door, and then summoned the door to his personal room.

He pushed open the door and immediately went to check the condition of the solar panels and outdoor power supply.

The four boards were bathed in the morning light, and the indicator lights on the MPPT controller were flashing green, indicating that they were charging normally.

"Great!" He breathed a sigh of relief; with this, the electricity problem for his portable house was initially solved.

"The electricity problem has been solved, but the water problem is not so easy to solve."

"I've tried it, and the stuff in the toilet can be flushed away, although I don't know where it goes."

"If the water problem could be solved, this portable house would be even more appealing."

"Alright, time to get back to writing."

Xu Yang put his thoughts aside and returned to his newly planned study to continue writing the script.

Time flies, and it's almost noon.

Xu Yang was worried that Liu Xiaoli would return early, so he left his personal residence.

After looking at my phone for a while, there was a knock on the door.

Outside, Liu Xiaoli was carrying not only a lunchbox but also a guitar on her back.

It seems she's really eager to hear herself play the guitar.

"Let's eat first, then you can play the guitar," Liu Xiaoli said with a smile.

It's clear she's really looking forward to it.

Xu Yang took the guitar from her shoulder, carefully leaned against the wall, and then took the lunchbox from her hand.

"Thank you for your hard work, Sister Xiaoli. You came back to deliver lunch in the middle of the day." He laid out the lunchbox on the table. It was steaming hot and topped with braised pork and a poached egg.

"Anyway, the theater is nearby, only a ten-minute bike ride away." Liu Xiaoli sat down at the table, picked up her chopsticks, but didn't rush to eat. Her gaze drifted to the guitar on the wall.

Xu Yang noticed her gaze and chuckled inwardly. This girl's curiosity about the guitar was greater than that of the food on the table; she said she would eat first, but her eyes were already glued to the guitar case.

"Xiaoli, have you ever heard guitar singing before?" Xu Yang asked casually, picking up a mouthful of rice.

"Yes, I've heard him play, but I felt his playing was just average," Liu Xiaoli said somewhat nervously.

Xu Yang's heart skipped a beat when he saw her reaction.

Could the person she's talking about be the man she married in her past life?

Judging from the timeline, the two people should know each other.

Moreover, the Liu and An families should have a relationship, and their parents should know each other.

After all, they are all families of government officials.

"Then I'll play a little bit first. I'm getting itchy fingers just looking at the guitar." With that, Xu Yang strummed the strings.

No matter what, I have to show off properly and open Liu Xiaoli's eyes.