The next few people to appear were also typical figures from the village. There was the village chief, and there were college students. But only Du Shenzhong left the deepest impression on Zhou You.
Zhou You watched the behind-the-scenes footage. From the Beginning of Spring in 2012 to the Beginning of Spring in 2013, Jiao Bo and his team lived there for 373 days, filming the daily lives of the villagers of Shaoyu Village along the timeline of the 24 solar terms. Through the routines of rural life, they captured the villagers' joys and sorrows, as well as the current state of life for the vast number of farmers in Greater China. They endured an exceptionally tough year there, gifting us a brilliant documentary.
Zhou You deeply admired this group of people, and he also admired Director Jiao. But that last line really stung him—they found it hard after just one year, yet the villagers had lived there for generations, their entire lives. How hard must that be?
Many people said Zhou You was foolish, but Zhou You knew exactly what he was doing. He earned what money he could, indulged in hobbies he'd missed out on in his past life, and the rest was about finding talent, giving a helping hand to those who wanted to change their fate. What if it worked out?
Zhou You didn't have lofty ideals or grand aspirations. Eating, drinking, having fun, and enjoying life—those were the four big things. According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs:
The first level, physiological needs: the most basic human necessities, including food, water, sleep, air, and sex. These are crucial for survival; without them, there's physical discomfort and a threat to existence.
The second level, safety needs: the need for personal security, stability, and protection. This includes basic living conditions, a safe work environment, material stability, and assurance. Only after physiological needs are met do people turn their attention to seeking safety.
The third level, social belonging needs: the need for love, being loved, a sense of belonging, and forming close relationships with others. Humans are social animals; they need to connect with others, gain recognition and acceptance, and satisfy their need for belonging and social interaction.
The fourth level, esteem needs: the need for self-esteem, respect, and recognition. This includes the need for self-worth, dignity, confidence, and self-respect, as well as the desire to be respected and acknowledged by others. Meeting these needs gives people confidence and a sense of accomplishment.
The fifth level, self-actualization needs: the highest human need, the drive to fully develop and realize one's potential. It involves pursuing personal goals, achieving personal ideals, seeking growth and development. Only when lower-level needs are satisfied can people focus on this higher-level need for self-actualization.
In his original timeline, Zhou You barely reached the third level. He'd been striving for the fourth, but it was tough. Later, many people skipped straight from the third and fourth to the fifth, and Zhou You envied them, but he couldn't manage it. Someone like Yan Hui might have jumped from the first level straight to the fifth, with a mindset far beyond the ordinary.
Now, Zhou You had achieved almost all of them. What more could he want? The rest was about giving others opportunities and leaving a path for himself. There were many things he could have squeezed harder, exploited more, but what was the point? To him, it didn't mean much. But when he saw genuine liking and respect from others, the inner satisfaction was something money couldn't buy.
Aside from investing in stocks and companies with a profit motive, the swimming pool, training center, and breeding farm were all experiments—call it laziness if you want—but they came from a sincere hope that the people he interacted with could have more chances to change their fate. That was also why Zhou You set up the documentary fund and the independent musician fund. Earning fame and money was one thing, but more than that, he wanted to try new things.
Just making money and chasing women—how boring was that? Right? Right!
Inna called, saying she wanted to learn Chinese. Just as he finished watching the documentary, he needed to vent his emotions, or he'd risk getting depressed. The world had plenty of pain, but also plenty of joy.
Inna hadn't seen Zhou You in a long time and missed him dearly, because she was about to go back to her country. After she left, she'd hardly see him again. Since he wasn't hers to keep, she figured she'd use him to the fullest. But after a fierce battle, she still ended up in a crushing defeat.
"You, why are you so amazing?" "Amazing? I think I'm just average," Zhou You said modestly. Even though he'd brought honor to his country, he couldn't get cocky—humility was a virtue of his people, after all.
"I'm going back to my country soon. Will you miss me?" Inna looked up, her blue eyes fixed on Zhou You. "I will. I'll come visit you later," Zhou You said seriously, holding her face. "I want to go places I've never been, especially somewhere as famous as your hometown."
Inna cheered and jumped for joy, not caring that she was exposed. "I'm so happy! Before I leave, I'll give you a surprise."
Good grief, she still had energy to bounce around, huh? He'd just said he wanted to show off his country's prowess, and she was making him lose face. Zhou You could take it, but his body couldn't. Until Inna was a limp mess, he didn't stop. Even though Russians recovered fast, Zhou You was always at full health. He had to teach her a lesson she'd never forget—blocking her at the respawn point. Begging for mercy wouldn't work. It had to be unforgettable, the kind that stuck for a lifetime.
Thankfully, Zhou You was naturally gifted, plus he'd developed and maintained himself well. Anyone else wouldn't have managed. After Inna respawned a few times, she stopped bouncing altogether. She begged directly, "I have class tomorrow. I really can't anymore. It only makes me more determined to give you that surprise. You, you're too strong. I'll remember this forever."
Seeing he'd achieved his goal, Zhou You decided to give his international friend some face. "Have you learned the song I taught you?" "Yes, I'll sing it for you now." Inna cleared her throat and rinsed her mouth.
*Finally found a way / To decide the winner / The cost of victory and defeat / Is mutual destruction / Stubborn me / Is the captive of this battle / Conquered by you like this / All retreats cut off.*
As the song ended, Inna lay still, hands over her head. "Do I need to do this, You?" Zhou You laughed. "You know a lot. Where'd you learn that?" Haha, Inna had had her fun too. She hadn't expected such a wonderful encounter before leaving—she should be content. Her Chinese was getting more fluent, she'd learned the basics of Sanda, and even picked up some finishing moves.
She hadn't seen Zhou You's match with Li Houliang last time, but she'd heard about it. She never imagined Zhou You was strong in every way—truly a man hard to let go of. She wondered how long he'd remember her. Since he was so formidable, she had to give him a memory he'd never forget. Her preparations were almost complete; a little more effort, and it should work. Just thinking about it made her excited.