’Is this the surprise Xu Yun arranged for his mom? The show he invited everyone to see?’
’A little disappointing!’
’I thought it would be so kind of unique performance, but it turns out he’s just piggybacking on the county’s show.’
But since they had arrived so late, it was impossible to squeeze through. There were no good spots left to watch from.
But the next mont, Yu Xuan, who had stepped away for a bit, returned.
With her were several governnt staff mbers.
Yu Xuan said to everyone, "In a mont, please follow the governnt staff through a special access route. The best viewing spots have been arranged for you inside."
Everyone: "..."
’Damn, they even have this kind of special privilege!’
In an instant, everyone’s perception of Xu Yun was completely overturned.
And so, under the envious gazes of the surrounding crowd, they easily passed through the throng of people and went directly to the front rows of the core area, where a chair was waiting for each of them.
This was especially true for the two uncles.
When they saw the row of people sitting in front of them, they were utterly shocked.
As two people who worked for a state-owned enterprise and a governnt departnt, they could recognize at a glance that these were the county’s top leaders.
There were also the heads of other important departnts.
It was unbelievable that they were actually sitting right behind them.
A leader from the younger uncle’s workplace happened to glance back and was a little surprised to see him.
He took the initiative to smile and greet him, "Director Zhang, you’re here too?"
"Director Li."
The younger uncle smiled and replied, "I didn’t expect to run into you here."
"It is quite a coincidence."
Director Li chuckled. "I didn’t realize that President Xu, the one who organized this performance, is your relative."
The younger uncle was speechless. "..."
’What does Director Li an by that?’
’President Xu?’
’Could it be that Xu Yun organized this performance? Not the county?’
’If Xu Yun really did pay to put on this show and was still able to invite all the county’s main leaders, just how much influence must he have?’
This wasn’t sothing that could be solved with money alone.
The younger uncle was absolutely stunned. He turned to look at his older brother.
His older brother was feeling much the sa.
’It’s one thing for Xu Yun to be rich, but to think his connections within the system are this strong!’
In reality, they were overthinking it.
The county’s main leaders had co for a few reasons. First, the performance itself was rare and large-scale, and they wanted to see it.
Second, the performance featured an intangible cultural heritage, which the county could promote as a political achievent.
Third, for such a large event, their presence on-site ant that if anything went wrong, they could have the situation controlled imdiately.
After all, the fire brigade on duty nearby was standing by, ready to be dispatched at a mont’s notice.
As for the man of the hour, Xu Yun, he had led his mother and the group of won to a special viewing platform after arriving.
It was a temporary structure.
The viewing position was even better than the county leaders’ front-row seats.
No one else was there; it was exclusively for them.
As the ti ca, a county leader began to speak, followed by the host, who started introducing the performance.
Only then did everyone understand.
This wasn’t a fireworks show at all, but a traditional craft performance called "striking iron flowers."
Perforrs would take turns using special rods to strike molten iron, heated to over a thousand degrees, against a canopy. This created showers of iron sparks that shot more than ten ters high, creating a scene that was both spectacular and thrilling.
However, everyone had only ever heard of it or seen it on TV; they had never experienced it in person.
At the end of the introduction, the host announced, "Tonight’s performance was fully sponsored by a young man nad Xu Yun."
"We thank him, and we also wish his mother a happy birthday, good health, and all the best!"
Hearing the host’s words, Zhang Sujuan turned to her son in surprise, deeply moved.
"This ’striking iron flowers’ show... you really paid for all this?"
"I did."
Xu Yun nodded, draping an arm around his mother’s shoulders. He was now a good head taller than her.
He smiled and said, "Didn’t you say you wanted to see the iron flowers? Since it’s your birthday, I’ll let you watch to your heart’s content! Don’t blink."
As soon as the words left his mouth...
On the dark, water-surrounded stage, the first iron flower blood in the night, a dazzling firework-like spray of golden molten iron.
It was incredibly beautiful.
Then ca a second, and a third...
More and more masters joined in. Under the combined efforts of 88 perforrs, the sky filled with a continuous, unending bloom of golden iron flowers.
Beneath the shower of sparks, the bare-chested masters moved about freely, showing no fear of being burned.
The visual impact was powerful, the scene absolutely breathtaking.
Aside from Zhang Sujuan and Xu Yun...
Su Mu, Li Jinshu, Liang Yan, and the four other won standing beside them were all srized by the scene before them.
They had all seen the striking of iron flowers on television before, but the awe of witnessing it in person was sothing no screen could ever convey.
You can never know why it’s designated a national intangible cultural heritage until you’ve truly seen it for yourself.
Down in the stands, the relatives were shocked not only by the performance but also by Xu Yun’s grand gesture.
To give his mother a birthday surprise, he had actually hired so many masters to perform for her.
And in the process, he had treated the entire county to such a stunning spectacle.
’The filial piety of the rich really is so simple and direct!’
Besides the relatives, the other mbers of the audience didn’t know who Xu Yun was, but they could feel his power.
A form of filial piety forged with money—simple and blunt.
Everyone wished they could show such filial piety, everyone wished they could be Xu Yun, but no one could be Xu Yun.
Zhang Lei, at least, was completely crushed.
The person he once looked down on had now beco soone completely out of his league.
He saw the gap between them, a gap he could never close in his entire lifeti.
If they were to et again, his forr sense of superiority would be gone, replaced by a profound sense of powerlessness.
When he thought back to what he had said in the supermarket garage that morning, and how Xu Yun had consoled him, he burned with sha and indignation.
’Back then, he must have looked at like I was a clown.’
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