Chapter Ninety-Four: Hoping My Wife Will Respect Me

Chapter Ninety-Four: Hoping My Wife Will Respect Me

Whether the host is treated as a servant at home, burdened with all the household chores, only he knows for sure. However, many people are curious about how Zhang Le and Yang Xin’er divide their chores when they’re at home together. Unfortunately, they forget that Zhang Le comes from a humble background, while Yang Xin’er’s claim of being pampered is hardly an exaggeration. The way these two allocate their household tasks is, naturally, no mystery.

Yang Xin’er’s retort left the host a little shaken, but since the question was already asked, he could only press on and nod.

“Let me tell you a joke,” Zhang Le said with a smile.

The host was surprised and puzzled, as were the audience members below the stage. Why did Zhang Le suddenly decide to tell a joke?

“A husband said to his wife: ‘Let’s divide up the housework.’ The wife replied: ‘Sure. First, the dirty and tiring work should be done by the man—like mopping the floor, scrubbing the toilet, wiping the tables, and so on.’ The husband thought for a moment and said: ‘That’s reasonable.’ The wife continued: ‘You were the top scorer in the college entrance exam, a perfect score in science, while I studied music and performance. Anything electric should be handled by you—washing machine, refrigerator, rice cooker, iron...’ The husband hesitated and struggled for a while, then finally said: ‘All right.’ The wife then said, smiling: ‘Men are supposed to handle outside affairs, women handle inside affairs. Anything involving dealing with outsiders should be done by you—grocery shopping, paying utilities, fetching the newspaper and milk...’ The husband, growing exasperated, said: ‘Fine, fine. So what do you do?’ The wife smiled and said: ‘Don’t be impatient. The kitchen’s full of greasy smoke, it’s bad for the skin, so you should cook.’ The husband rolled his eyes and asked: ‘Can you just tell me what you actually do?’ The wife chuckled: ‘I have lots to do! I can accompany you, supervise you, praise you, comfort you, and so on.’”

A brief silence fell over the venue after Zhang Le finished, then someone couldn’t help but chuckle. It wasn’t a raucous laughter, but a knowing smile. The exchange between husband and wife, as recounted by Zhang Le, was truly amusing. It was clear to everyone that Zhang Le was poking fun at himself for doing all the chores at home.

“It seems Director Zhang handles all the household chores at home,” the host said with a wry smile. “Looks like Director Zhang is destined to be one of those ‘henpecked’ husbands! Even a talented man like him is no exception; I find some comfort in that. But what’s happening to this world?”

Zhang Le laughed and replied, “There are no men who fear their wives, only men who respect them!”

“Well said, Director Zhang! When I get home, I’ll tell my wife I don’t fear her, I respect her! And I’ll ask her to respect me, too! Mutual respect is the foundation of a harmonious society and a harmonious family,” the host said earnestly. His words, however, elicited a burst of laughter from the audience.

Many people enjoy watching Zhang Le’s interviews, and even take notes during them. His answers are always witty, yet laced with humor. Yang Xin’er, after spending so much time with him, seems to have adopted some of his style as well, occasionally dropping sharp remarks of her own.

The concert in Jincheng was a resounding success. The venue, holding tens of thousands, was packed to capacity, and tickets were almost impossible to obtain. This made Zhang Le and Yang Xin’er especially popular with a certain profession: ticket scalpers!

Tickets for their joint concert were resold by scalpers at several times the original price, yet countless fans were willing to pay the inflated rates just to see them perform live.

Online discussions of Zhang Le and Yang Xin’er’s concerts grew ever more lively. Since the last show in Yanjing, rumors had spread that taking one’s beloved to their concert was almost a surefire way to win her heart. Their concerts were practically matchmakers.

Married couples who attended found themselves rekindling the passion of their early romance. Couples who went together seemed to fall even deeper in love, more genuine and sweeter than before.

Their concerts became so popular that it seemed if you didn’t take your partner to see Zhang Le and Yang Xin’er perform, you simply didn’t love them. If you truly loved someone, you’d take them to their concert.

After the Jincheng show, Zhang Le and Yang Xin’er sent their parents home and didn’t linger, as they had to rush to the next stop.

Their interview on Bashu Satellite TV caused quite a stir. No one expected that the two had already reached the stage of discussing marriage. Some attentive netizens even speculated about their wedding date, estimating it would be impossible in less than three or four years.

But what people talked about most was Zhang Le’s proposal and their future wedding, which was so romantic. Zhang Le’s line, “When the peach blossoms scent the mountains, will you marry me, my darling?” became an internet sensation, inspiring countless variations.

When the snowflakes fill the sky, will you meet me, my darling?
When the moon is dark and the wind is high, will you sleep with me, my darling?

Zhang Le’s home island of peach blossoms also attracted much attention, especially from people in nearby cities, who became fascinated with the place. Quite a few couples even planned to hold their own weddings there among the blooming peach trees.

Peaches nurture, apricots harm, and beneath the plum tree lies the dead!

To enter the wedding hall when peach blossoms are in full bloom is undoubtedly auspicious.

The enchanting scenery of Zhang Le’s hometown had already been flaunted by the couple on Weibo, and now Zhang Le and Yang Xin’er were turning his home into a true Peach Blossom Village.

When the peach blossoms bloom, how beautiful it will be.

The resort in Zhang Le’s hometown had been under construction for more than half a year and was nearly complete, though some entertainment and accommodation facilities still needed improvement. With the full support of the villagers, construction proceeded swiftly.

However, the true draw would come when the mountains were covered in peach blossoms.

Zhang Le and Yang Xin’er had ten concerts planned, touring ten cities across the country, expected to be completed in just over two months, finishing right before the end of the year.

“There’s no need to tire yourself so much. The movie can wait. ‘Flirting Scholar’ isn’t scheduled to compete with ‘No Way Out’ and will premiere after the Spring Festival rush, right?” Yang Xin’er said to Zhang Le.

Zhang Le had been incredibly busy lately, not only with the concerts but also with the post-production of his film. If not for his excellent physical condition, he would have been overwhelmed long ago.

As the director, he couldn’t completely delegate post-production. Every detail was crucial. A single misstep could ruin a masterpiece.

“‘No Way Out’ is set for release on January 26, a week before the Spring Festival. To make the final cut in time, we must hurry, submit it for approval, and lock in the release date,” Zhang Le said, shaking his head.

“Sigh, I shouldn’t have insisted you team up with me for these concerts,” Yang Xin’er said, a little downcast. “I know you’re only doing this for me, forcing yourself to join me.”

“What are you saying? There’s no forcing involved. As long as you’re happy, I’m willing. It’s tiring, maybe a bit exhausting, but it’s fulfilling,” Zhang Le said, smiling as he gently stroked Yang Xin’er’s hair and pulled her into his arms.