Chapter 306: Chapter 306: Who’s Knocking on the Door?
"Bin, I’m about to board the plane. When I get to Yunzhong City, I’ll have someone pick you up and bring you to the hotel. I want to introduce you to the other members of the film crew." The next day at noon, Shen Yibin got another call from Director Kong, who had now sorted out all the preliminary preparations and was just waiting to hold the production launch ceremony in Yunzhong City.
"Okay, Hah’Er and I will come to the airport to pick you up." Shen Yibin couldn’t just sit around and wait for him to send a car. After exchanging a few more words and hanging up, Shen Yibin and Hah’Er changed their clothes, tidied up a bit, and headed for the airport in his Wuling Hongguang.
After waiting for over an hour, a clamor erupted from the passenger exit, followed by the continuous, excited cries of fans. "Wow, it’s Fang Yuanshan! Murong Li is here too! Are they going to film a new movie in Yunzhong City?"
"Quick, take a few pictures for me! Get me and Fang Yuanshan in the same shot!"
"Murong Li, can I have your autograph?"
Murong Li and Fang Yuanshan were both very hot movie stars at the moment. Their last few films had all been blockbusters that grossed over a billion. Shen Yibin had seen their movies, so as soon as he heard the passengers shouting their names, he knew Director Kong had arrived.
’Could they be the male and female leads for this film?’ Shen Yibin wondered as he led Hah’Er toward them. Squeezing his way to the front, he saw a team of airport security guards escorting Director Kong’s group from the exit. Flanking the director were a handsome man and a beautiful woman, who were waving to the surrounding travelers with the distinct air of celebrities.
"Director Kong, over here!" Shen Yibin shouted. Hah’Er waved his paw, too, his eyes instinctively flicking to the box in Director Kong’s hands. ’I wonder what delicious food he brought this time?’
"Ah, Bin! I told you not to come pick us up. You’re too courteous!" Director Kong hurried over and gripped Shen Yibin’s hand tightly. "This isn’t the place to talk. Let’s head to your car and chat there."
With the security guards’ protection, they successfully broke away from the swarming fans and reached the parking lot. The hotel they had booked had already sent several luxury cars to receive them, but Director Kong paid no mind to the Porsches and Mercedes-Benzes, instead heading straight for Shen Yibin’s Wuling Hongguang.
When Fang Yuanshan and Murong Li saw this, they immediately followed suit, getting into Shen Yibin’s car with Director Kong. They were both well aware of how this movie came to be and understood that Hah’Er was the film’s biggest star. This was their chance to start building a good relationship with Shen Yibin and Hah’Er.
Fortunately, Shen Yibin’s Wuling Hongguang was large enough that it didn’t feel crowded with so many people. When the other crew members saw this, they figured they weren’t important enough to ride in Shen Yibin’s van, so they shrugged and boarded the Porsches and Mercedes-Benzes. The convoy of vehicles drove out of the parking lot, heading for the hotel Director Kong had booked.
"Bin, I brought you and Hah’Er some diced bamboo and fresh meat buns that Chef Ah Qing made especially for him. It’s a new dish Chef Ah Qing created by fusing the unique characteristics of Yunzhong cuisine. You two must give them a try. Oh, and here are some pecans and almonds for Maphario." Director Kong handed over a large pile of things.
"Director Kong, you’re always so generous," Shen Yibin said with a grateful smile. But since he was in the driver’s seat, it wasn’t easy for him to take the items, and it was also inconvenient for Hah’Er in the front passenger seat.
"Why don’t I drive? Mr. Shen, you and Hah’Er can move to the back and chat with the director," Fang Yuanshan quickly suggested. This was a perfect opportunity to build a rapport.
"Er, I don’t know about that... You don’t know the way, do you?" Shen Yibin hesitated. Letting a billion-dollar box-office star act as his chauffeur seemed a bit presumptuous.
"It’s fine, he just needs to follow the car in front. Fang’s driving skills are excellent, don’t worry," Director Kong said, making the decision for Shen Yibin. The car pulled over, and Fang Yuanshan moved to the driver’s seat. Shen Yibin took Hah’Er to the back rows, sitting himself in the second row next to Director Kong and entrusting Hah’Er to Murong Li’s care in the very back row.
"Here, I can feed him. Mr. Hah’er, my name is Murong Li. We’ll be counting on you from now on." Murong Li took the food container, flashing a sweet smile. She had studied at a dance academy in her youth before being discovered by Director Kong and entering the film industry. In all her time with him, she had never seen the director be so deferential to anyone, so she certainly didn’t dare to treat Hah’Er with anything less than the utmost respect.
Not only that, but she had also specially prepared a gift for Hah’Er: a box of bamboo-shoot-shaped chocolate cookies from Japan. Hah’Er was delighted to receive this special gift and nodded at Murong Li, letting out a couple of happy grunts. This sparked a wave of jealousy in Fang Yuanshan up in the front seat. ’She beat me to the punch again. Looks like I’ll have to try even harder from now on!’
And so, for the rest of the drive, Murong Li fed Hah’Er and Maphario while Shen Yibin and Director Kong discussed the upcoming work schedule. "Everything is settled with Mayor Wang," Director Kong said. "Yunzhong City will give us its full cooperation for the shoot. We’ll hold the production launch ceremony tomorrow to kick off the initial publicity." If the film was a success, the beautiful scenery of Yunzhong City would be showcased to a global audience. This was a rare opportunity for the city, and Mayor Wang certainly wasn’t going to pass it up.
Not long after they reached the Yunzhong Grand Hotel, Mayor Wang and Qin Qing arrived as well. Mayor Wang gestured to Qin Qing and said, "From now on, he will be your dedicated liaison with the film crew. If you run into any issues, Qin Qing will do everything he can to help you resolve them. And if he can’t, there’s always me. We in Yunzhong City will absolutely cooperate with Director Kong to ensure this film is made well."
After exchanging pleasantries, Mayor Wang led the group into a banquet hall where he had arranged a welcome dinner for Director Kong and his crew. The mayor shared a few toasts with Director Kong before departing, leaving Qin Qing to host the event.
After Mayor Wang’s departure, the atmosphere in the room relaxed considerably. People began moving from table to table, making toasts and networking. Shen Yibin, seated next to Director Kong, became the primary focus of everyone’s attention. They all knew Hah’Er was the film’s biggest star and were eager to get on his good side, but since no one had any experience schmoozing with a panda, they had no choice but to target Shen Yibin instead.
Shen Yibin was no match for their persistence and ended up drinking one glass after another. By the time the banquet was over, he was so dizzy he couldn’t even stand up.
"There are plenty of rooms in the hotel. Why don’t you just rest here for the night? It’ll be convenient for attending the production launch ceremony together tomorrow." Director Kong arranged for someone to escort Shen Yibin to a luxury suite.
After sleeping groggily for a while, Shen Yibin woke up feeling parched. He got up, intending to find some water to soothe his dry throat, but then he vaguely heard a knock on the door.
’Hm? Who could be knocking this late at night?’
