Entertainment: From Street Interviews to Global Stardom

Chapter 13: Reaching the Top for the Nation, Not Yielding an Inch!

“Director Li, I would like to seek the permission of the crew to do a report about the 1960 expedition team, using Mr. Zhang Yi ‘s barefoot ascent of Mount Everest as the backdrop,” Yang Fan said.

“At the same time, I promise to absolutely obey the crew’s publicity arrangements. As long as the crew disagrees with this report being published, it will never be published!” Yang Fan said seriously.

Yang Fan believed that the achievements of the 1960 climbing team should be more known by the Chinese people.

If Yang Fan hadn’t done extensive research in advance for this interview, even as a new media person, he wouldn’t have known that the film was based on the 1960 expedition team.

It was clear that many Chinese people didn’t know the story behind The Climbers.

Heroes should be remembered by their countrymen.

If the background of the mountaineering team wasn’t widely spread, this first domestic mountaineering film might truly be seen as just another ordinary mountaineering film.

Director Li furrowed his brows. These things were typically handled by designated personnel in the crew.

There was no need for someone from outside to take charge. After Yang Fan’s journalist identity had been revealed, Director Li had already given him face by not kicking him out. Now, Yang Fan was asking for more?

Director Li wasn’t happy: “Sorry, the actors are about to begin filming. All non-essential personnel must leave the scene. Assistant director, please take Yang Fan to the side to rest.”

Non-essential personnel? Who was being called non-essential? The only non-essential person here seemed to be Yang Fan!

Director Li was clearly trying to get rid of him!

Wu Jing frowned, clearly displeased: “Director Li, I just lost the bet, and I promised Yang Fan that, within my ability, I would allow him to interview the main actors!”

Zhang Yi, clutching his cold feet, added: “Director Li, please be lenient. He’s Wu Jing’s brother, and his character should be trustworthy!”

“That’s right, Director Li,” said Qu Hong, a descendant of the 1960 climbing team. “If it weren’t for this reporter, I wouldn’t even have had the chance to meet you. And as a descendant of the 1960 climbing team, I too hope that my father’s story can be known by more people.”

Hu Ge nodded in agreement: “Back then, the conditions were harsh, and without the development of the internet, the heroes of the 1960 climbing team slowly faded from public memory.”

“And now, the reason we’re filming this film is to remind the Chinese people of that history, isn’t it?”

“The only difference is that we are actors, and Yang Fan is a reporter. But our goals are the same. If our goals align, why not support him?” Hu Ge firmly stood behind Yang Fan.

The story of the 1960 climbing team, spread through the media, would have far more impact than the film could achieve!

After all, the media was more professional, and internet users loved focusing on trending topics rather than the release of a new movie!

Watching a movie costs money; following the trending topics is free!

Jing Boran also spoke up: “That’s right. To be blunt, the entertainment industry today is getting more and more chaotic.”

“Hot topics are being monopolized by those in singing, dancing, rap, and basketball, but what truly deserves to dominate the headlines should be the heroes who sacrificed for the country, shouldn’t it?”

Zhang Yi, after watching for a while, couldn’t hold back any longer: “What you all said is perfect. Why is the general’s tomb left unnoticed while the affairs of actors are known across the world?”

“I, myself, am an actor, but I don’t wish for my personal life to be broadcasted everywhere.”

“As an actor, I rely solely on my work, never seeking to profit from attention. However, new media people, they need to dig up other people’s heat to survive.”

“Now, there’s a rare new media person with high values. You should support him, not suppress him.”

“If you continue suppressing him, how can the entertainment industry improve?”

“Yang Fan, right? Just go ahead and report. Don’t worry about the director,” Zhang Yi said, with great authority.

The other main actors nodded in unison, blatantly overruling Director Li.

Director Li was stunned, looking at this actor and that actor. They all seemed important, and it didn’t seem like anyone he could afford to offend!

In the end, with the actors and the heroes’ descendants backing him, what else could he say?

“Fine, if you’re not going to listen to me, I’ll just take a break.”

“Xiao Zhao, listen to Yang Fan’s instructions. Just shoot whatever Yang Fan tells you to,” Director Li casually assigned a cameraman to Yang Fan, implicitly allowing the report.

Cameraman Xiao Zhao, excited, quickly responded, “Got it, Director Li!”

Yang Fan deeply bowed to all the people who spoke up for him, thanking them.

The staff seemed to have found a microphone somewhere and handed it to Yang Fan.

“Hello, listeners. I’m reporter Yang Fan.”

“I’m currently at the filming site of The Climbers.”

“Behind me, the actors are filming the scene of climbing the second step of Mount Everest.”

“The second step of Mount Everest is at an altitude of 8,680 meters, with a step height of about four meters, and the mountain is nearly vertical.”

“From 1921 to 1938, Americans tried seven times to climb Mount Everest from the north slope, but all failed. The highest point they reached was this second step.”

“As a result, the climbing route of the second step on the north slope of Everest was referred to as ‘the step that even birds cannot surpass!'”

“So why do the Chinese people insist on reaching the top of Everest?”

“In 1960, some countries questioned us, asking: ‘Is Mount Everest really yours?'”

“This question is like asking a person if the hair on their head belongs to them. If the head belongs to the person, how can the hair belong to someone else?”

“This is a simple truth even a child can understand, but in our country, in an era of extreme poverty, some countries dared to be foolish and provocative. They even tried to pull our hair!”

“They said: ‘If Mount Everest belongs to you, have you reached the top?'”

“We replied: ‘We’ve reached it, but we didn’t have any photos.'”

“They said: ‘No photos? Then you didn’t reach the top!'”

“So in 1960, just 11 years after our country was founded.”

“At a time when our country was still poor and struggling.”

“Our nation gathered 240 people to form a climbing team.”

“When Chinese mountaineers Wang Fuzhou, Liu Lianman, Qu Yinhua, and Gong Bu reached this second step, a place where even birds couldn’t pass, they too could not climb up.”

“Teammate Liu Lianman decided to form a human ladder and let his teammate step on his shoulders, but Liu Lianman, the old hero, exhausted all his strength and lost the chance to reach the top.”

“To avoid stepping on his teammate, the old hero Qu Yinhua took off his boots with sharp ice claws and climbed barefoot.”

“As a result, his feet were frostbitten, and his heels and ten toes were amputated.”

“In the end, Qu Yinhua, Wang Fuzhou, and Gong Bu reached the summit of Everest, setting a precedent for humans to summit Everest from the north slope!”

“At that time, there was no oxygen. These three old heroes climbed step by step to the top of the world with their flesh and blood!”

“With their bodies, they climbed to the top of the world to defend our land and measure the height of China.”

“On May 25, 1960, at 4:20 a.m., our national climbing team succeeded in reaching the top!”

“We declared to the world that Everest belongs to China, and it is an inseparable part of our territory!”

“All the foreigners immediately fell silent!”

“Because what they couldn’t do, we Chinese could!”

“In 1975, our country climbed Everest again, placing a six-meter-long metal ladder on the second step, allowing nine climbers to successfully reach the summit.”

“They measured the height of Everest as 8,848.13 meters, a Chinese height.”

“In May 2008, the ladder was moved to the Everest Mountaineering Museum.”

“Over the next 33 years, more than 1,300 climbers from all over the world used the ladder set up by our heroic predecessors to successfully reach the summit of Everest!”

“This ladder is now called the Chinese ladder by the world!”@@novelbin@@

At this point, Yang Fan couldn’t help but bow deeply to the actors behind him.

“Thank you for re-writing the legend of these heroes.”

“Today, we are fortunate to interview Ms. Qu Hong, the daughter of Qu Yinhua, a member of the 1960 climbing team.”

“Ms. Qu Hong, could you please tell us more about the details of that time?” Yang Fan raised the microphone to Qu Hong.