This was the first time Father He and Mother He had attended an offline premiere ceremony.
Even after taking their seats, they were still a bit nervous, clenching their hands and looking around.
People were trickling in around them, most of whom were young people. Almost everyone was holding up their phones to take photos as soon as they entered, and even He Miao was busy snapping pictures everywhere.
Father He and Mother He looked here and there, unable to understand what they were all photographing.
It was just a regular cinema hall! Although, the posters at the front were truly handsome!
Those were the posters for "the thief catcher 2".
In the center was Jiang Rushuai, played by Pu Rong. Perhaps to blend with the frontier theme, Jiang Rushuai's costume this time was lighter. His sharp eyes peeked out from under the brim of a hat designed to block wind and sand. Behind him stood Shen Jue, the Proprietress of Penglai Inn, and other important characters appearing in this installment.
Behind them, naturally, was a vast, endless desert.
This poster design wasn't exactly avant-garde; instead, it had a very retro wuxia style. People had seen plenty of it, so it didn't feel particularly special, but the older Father He liked it quite a bit. Seeing everyone else taking photos, he decided to be trendy for once and raised his phone to snap a few shots. He planned to post them to his moments later to show off that his daughter had brought him to see Xiao He's new movie and that he would soon see the star in person—it was something worth bragging about.
Meanwhile, Mother He couldn't help but ask in a lowered voice, "When is Xiao He going to show up?"
"Mom, don't worry. He'll come out after the movie is over."
He Miao said softly, but to her surprise, before she knew it, she saw her father already chatting with a young man in the seat next to him.
The young man wore glasses and looked refined. He had an action camera and a microphone pinned to his chest, making it obvious he was a film review Blogger.
Perhaps because it was rare to see a family of three following stars together at a premiere, the Blogger couldn't help but strike up a conversation with Father He, asking for his thoughts and impressions of the movie and the actors.
"Ho! Let me tell you, don't look at my age—I follow stars too!"
Once middle-aged people start talking about things they're interested in, they automatically switch to social butterfly mode. He immediately began talking incessantly about the works of Xiao He he had watched over the years, showing a level of knowledge that surpassed many other fans.
The Blogger was pleasantly surprised and almost treated Father He as valuable video material. Recognizing this Blogger as a critic from the YinFei roast section, He Miao covered her face with her hand.
Dad, say less! This guy is here to find faults! Watch out, or you'll become internet famous for the wrong reasons!
"If you're asking about my favorite character, it has to be Song Chenye."
Father He was completely unaware of his daughter's worries. Hearing the young man ask about his favorite Xiao He character, he answered without a second thought.
"Oh? But didn't you just say your favorite movie is 'the thief catcher'? Why is your favorite character Song Chenye?"
The Blogger immediately spotted the point of interest.
"Well, it's mainly because Shen Jue's Bone-Cleaving Knife is just too terrifying. I feel like that character is quite dangerous and doesn't talk much. I don't really like dealing with people like that. But Song Chenye is a good person with a moral compass. As long as you don't do anything bad, he'd definitely be a reliable teammate to be around..."
Father He's words were quite down-to-earth. It seemed he was genuinely considering who would make a better sworn brother. The people nearby couldn't help but chuckle.
The next second, the Blogger asked Father He again, "Then which character do you like the least?"
"That would definitely be Meng Zetian." Regarding this question, Father He's answer was naturally instantaneous and without hesitation. "A lackey! A traitor! Everyone wants to beat him up!"
Well, that was a completely unsurprising answer.
He Miao felt both embarrassed and amused, so she could only sit there pretending she didn't know him.
Fortunately, the topic didn't last long.
The lights in the cinema hall went out at that exact moment.
Immediately, the previously noisy hall fell silent.
Even Father He, who had been talking non-stop about his opinions, stopped speaking. He just said to the young man beside him, "Young man, let's chat later. Let's watch the movie first."
And so, everyone looked toward the front.
The familiar Dragon Logo flashed by, and He Miao's heart swelled with uncontrollable pride.
Perhaps no one would have thought that in the summer when "the thief catcher" first appeared, it would have the chance to hit the theaters, or even leap into the fray of the May Day season and seemingly take the upper hand.
In the blink of an eye, Xiao He, who had only just begun to make a name for himself in film back then, had now become the mainstay of the movie's promotion.
How could those who had liked Xiao He back then along with everyone else not feel happy and proud?
Soon, those last few thoughts drifted away with the story unfolding before her.
In the desert, a group of figures trekked through the storm...
—
The beginning of "the thief catcher 2" didn't start like the first one, focusing immediately on the protagonist Jiang Rushuai.
Instead, it opened on a vast expanse of yellow sand—
In the great desert, yellow sand filled the sky, and the wind was like a knife. A group of messengers in tattered clothes were struggling forward.
Their armor was broken, their faces cracked by the wind and sand, and even their eyes were bloodshot. Important mail pouches were tied around their waists.
The gale whipped sand against their armor, making sharp, clinking sounds. Someone stumbled and fell, and a companion immediately reached out to support them.
Although the quicksand beneath their feet was scalding and even breathing was difficult, they still persisted in pushing through the storm. From time to time, they huddled together, supporting each other as they moved forward.
In their ears, besides the whistling wind, there was mostly the heavy, muffled sound of people panting.
After an unknown amount of time, the figures of this group completely disappeared into the depths of the desert.
No one knew their fate, and no one knew their purpose.
The yellow sand swallowed everything. The four floating characters of "the thief catcher 2" dispersed like smoke. Even the unyielding conviction seemed to teeter in the wind, as if mocking the world—
"Life is like floating duckweed; death is like drifting sand."
The next moment, the scene shifted. The desert background faded into a blackened wooden table. A hand slapped a letter onto the table with a thwack, accompanied by the messenger's voice: "Jiang Rushuai? Your mail! It's been here for ages, why are you only arriving now?"
The desolate sound of wind and sand vanished, and the background noise gradually turned into the bustling clamor of the marketplace. The sand that had just blown into the audience's hearts was shaken out just in time.
A handsome and familiar face appeared on the screen.
The young man sat lazily with his feet up, a leaf plucked from somewhere dangling from his mouth. He leaned one side of his body against the counter, his tone casual: "Ah, I was in the mountains catching someone. It dragged on for half a month—look, I haven't even had time to change my clothes yet."
The messenger curled his lip and said nothing. He just pulled back when Jiang Rushuai reached for the letter, meaningfully holding out his hand.
Jiang Rushuai had no choice but to pull out some tip money from his pocket and set it down: "Thanks, brother."
The messenger finally showed a look of satisfaction. He pushed the letter toward Jiang Rushuai while deftly taking the tip with his other hand.
Jiang Rushuai prepared to take the letter.
However, in the next instant, the sound of something whistling through the air came from behind him!
Jiang Rushuai's eyes sharpened. He pressed down on the envelope and tucked it into his robe while simultaneously kicking away a flying bench.
A loud shout came from the distance: "Jiang Rushuai! You really are here!"
