The Martial Artist Turned Movie Mogul-Chapter 1017 - 1016. Hero saves the beauty?

Her level of vigilance is too low?

Are you being serious? Even when she’s relaxed, she unconsciously stays alert to her surroundings!

This is clearly because you’re too extraordinary...

The speechless Tang Shu, thinking of Father Tang’s previous work experiences, instantly swallowed back the words that almost blurted out.

Confirmed—this is definitely not someone she can afford to provoke.

Over the remaining ten-odd days of winter break, Tang Shu took over Qianyun’s tasks, following behind Father Tang as his assistant. It could be said that aside from the kitchen, her presence was just about everywhere in Tang Village.

By the morning of New Year’s Eve, the Tang family father and daughter finally emerged from the small workshop. They headed to the nearby town to buy lots of couplets and "Fu" characters and began their house-decorating spree.

"Dad, move it to the right a bit... It’s tilted. Raise the left side slightly to straighten it."

"Like this?"

"Perfect!"

Tang Shu handed over the prepared paste. The big brush looked especially tiny in Father Tang’s hands. With a quick swipe or two, he spread the paste evenly, and the couplet was pasted flawlessly without the slightest gap.

"Dad, what kind of dumpling filling are we having this year?"

"There’s a lot of napa cabbage in the cellar. How about chopping it finely with some meat?"

"Sounds good. Can I help with anything? How about I bring the napa cabbage up from the cellar for you?"

Tang Shu looked at Father Tang with an earnest gaze. Despite being outright rejected over and over, she thought this seemed like the one task she could manage. But in the next second, Father Tang flatly refused her yet again without mercy.

"You’d better stay out of the way. Just go do whatever else you want."

"..."

How could you say that? I’m deeply hurt, truly.

Avoiding his daughter’s utterly dejected eyes, Father Tang pasted the final "Fu" character and headed straight into the cellar. Before going down, he spared her a glance—a glance full of meaning.

Tang Shu: "..."

Feeling metaphorically stabbed in the chest once more, someone stormed back to her room, angrily pulled out her phone, and started complaining to her boyfriend. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

[Tang Shu]: "My dad wouldn’t even let me carry napa cabbage!"

[Jing Yu]: "When you’re back, I’ll let you carry as much as you want, for as long as you’d like."

Tang Shu: "..."

What a terrible streak of luck—within five minutes, she was utterly outdone by both her dad and her boyfriend. Tang Shu consoled herself by thinking, at least today was the last day of the year.

***

On the first day of the new year, after eating dumplings, Tang Shu and Father Tang threw themselves back into the workshop.

This routine persisted until the eighth day of the Lunar New Year. After finishing up the Exquisite Plant work and finalizing three medicinal formulations, they finally left the Full Moon Plant growing in the cellar alone.

"Alright, if I study any longer this afternoon, my eyes are going to start seeing stars."

Father Tang had never been this exhausted before. When it was just him at home, he’d always stuck to a balance of work and rest. But ever since his daughter sent her friends away, he hadn’t set foot on the mountain in ages.

Tang Shu looked at the fragrant pills in her hands, a satisfied smile spreading across her face. But to Father Tang, she just looked a little silly.

"Dad, it’s a good thing I had your help."

Otherwise, who knows how much longer she would’ve had to study on her own.

Tang Shu tidied up the messy notes scattered across the workshop table, then opened her laptop to send several emails to Professor Yu in the capital, discussing and finalizing the dosages of the last few herbs.

Father Tang, already dressed and ready, stood by the door. "Finished?"

"Yep, about to wrap things up."

"Pack up, bundle up, and come into the mountain with me."

"Got it!"

Tang Shu eagerly followed suit, strapping Sleeve Arrows to both of her wrists. The two trudged through the snow, leaving a trail of footprints behind them, their packs steadily filling as they went.

After collecting a full snakeskin bag of mushrooms in two hours, the duo finally made their way home, laden with goods.

"Dad, are these a gift for Uncle Jing and the others?"

"Yep. They’ve been calling nonstop, whining about food. Who else would it be for? By the way, did you visit them when you came home before the New Year?"

"I did. Uncle Jing is stationed on duty this year. Uncle Han and Uncle Shan are both in the capital."

"Did you meet their kids?"

"Yeah, Uncle Han’s son, Han Qingcen, works a desk job. Uncle Shan’s son runs several companies and is always insanely busy."

Since their first meeting at a banquet, Tang Shu had established a sense of camaraderie with both of them. Each time she planned a visit to their homes, they’d kindly arrange to be there.

Father Tang didn’t respond to her words, simply carrying two plump wild rabbits as he headed toward Tang Village.

"When you return, bring them some gifts."

"Okay. Oh, Uncle Shan mentioned he’d come to see you when he has time. Did he bring it up with you?"

"Old Shan’s gotten so fat he has to catch his breath after two steps. I doubt he could even make it up to our house."

Tang Shu thought of Uncle Shan’s, well... significant size, and awkwardly closed her mouth.

Fair enough—it was truly hard to imagine Uncle Shan hiking up a mountain.

"Dad, do you really have no career expectations for me?"

Father Tang paused in his steps ahead, turning to glance at her. "Our Tang family has already lost enough and has no business empire to maintain. Besides... you have a good number of uncles who are still working."

Tang Shu pondered for a moment and quietly admired how wise her dad was. Naturally, Grandma Tang was just as wise.

Father and daughter returned to Tang Village and immediately got to work handling the game and mushrooms they’d brought back. From dehydration to roasting, the tasks were divided. But as usual, Tang Shu was only allowed to add firewood to the stove.

Even the gifts for others couldn’t be entrusted to her hands, said Father Tang sharply.

Meanwhile, far away in the capital, Xu Qianyun had been holding back a certain topic for many days. He finally found a chance to speak to his mother.

"Mom, I saw photos of you when you were young at Uncle Tang’s house."

"Oh, were they the ones of me teasing Xiao Shushu? Your sister was adorable as a child, don’t you think? Just like me."

"Yeah, Sis does take after you—about fifty percent, I’d say. But personality-wise... she’s another Uncle Tang entirely."

Xu Qianyun shuddered at the memory of Tang Shu’s no-nonsense street fighting and Father Tang’s effortless axe-swinging.

He was profoundly relieved he got along with this father-daughter duo. Becoming their enemy? The thought alone was chilling. Clearly, their combat power was off the charts. After all, even now, he and Qu Junfeng together could barely hold their own against Tang Shu!

"Mom, how on earth did you and Uncle Tang end up together?"

He was genuinely curious.

Father Tang and Xu Chengfeng were polar opposites in every conceivable way. The former was tall, rugged, and the epitome of a Northland tough guy, exuding a bandit-like aura one couldn’t ignore. Meanwhile, Xu Chengfeng embodied the phrase "gentle and refined scholar," exuding a strong literary charm.

From temperament to appearance, they shared absolutely nothing in common.

Lin Yunlan’s gaze softened slightly, as if reminiscing about her youth.

"In those days, everyone admired heroes. Old Tang was an absolute pro at heroically rescuing damsels in distress. I fell for him instantly."

"..."