In the distance, that Yangko folk song had already switched over to Little Apple. The executive director, who was sitting nearby Jian Bianlin, was crunching on an apple while merrily singing to the lead director, “You are my old, oh, old apple.[1]”
Everyone had to admit that this particular group was extremely lucky.
In this time when Jian Bianlin was at the height of popularity, there was finally a television drama that would bring him back down to earth, to land him in front of the eyes of the masses. Furthermore, Xie Bin had drawn on all his contacts and connections to build this lineup of people and resources, from the make-up and wardrobe team to the directors to the script. Even the members of the post-production team had been reserved ahead of time, poached from other leading projects. It was an all-round, highest-caliber production.
Next year’s title of “King of All TV Dramas”, guaranteed, would not escape them.
Filming had not even begun, but two television stations had already bought the rights to air the drama series in the prime time slot as the major drama to kick off the New Year…
The executive director was still sighing over his good fortune at getting this top-notch team when he saw Jian Bianlin, who had already completed his scenes for the night, rise from his sling chair and head over into his private van. Before long, Jian Bianlin had removed his make-up and costume and left the van.
Pulling his gray, knitted hat lower until it nearly covered his brows and eyes and his parka’s collar all the way up to block the bottom half of his face, he tucked his head down and slipped into a smaller vehicle.
The executive director beckoningly waved his hand and then asked Xiao Yu, the assistant who had jogged over in response, “Where is Jian Bianlin going?”
From the looks of it, he was not returning to the hotel.
Xiao Yu chuckled impishly, “Director, why are you being so nosy?”
The director homed in on the back of Xiao Yu’s head and sent a palm smacking into it. “Just listen to how you’re talking to me. No respect for those senior to you.”
……
Chu Jian had been worrying over whether his night shoots were filming into hours that were too late in the night. The result? Her worries became reality. Some time past three in the morning, Jian Bianlin called her. Afraid that her dad or mom might hear something, she buried herself under her duck-down quilt to have a WeChat video call with him.
In only half a minute, condensation had formed on the screen of her mobile phone. She wiped it off. The image from the phone’s camera was slightly distorted. The interior of his car was dim, and the whites and blacks of his eyes were not clearly distinguishable, causing his eyes to appear even more brooding. As he gazed out at her, she ended up growing embarrassed first. “I still have to head in to the salon tomorrow. Going to sleep now.”
When the connection had terminated and Chu Jian had thrown off her duck-down quilt, she was still muddledly thinking, why had she never noticed before that he was so handsome? …
The next day was the nail salon’s first workday after the Lunar New Year.
Chu Jian’s nail salon was normally open for business from the afternoon all the way until the middle of the night, and her two nail technicians were in charge of watching the shop. In the mornings, the shop was closed, unless it just so happened that a Japanese or Korean instructor had come to teach a course for a week. In such instances, morning appointments would be accepted, and Chu Jian would watch the salon herself.
A Korean instructor had just flown in early this morning, and the available appointment slot was already booked by Tong Fei’s friend, Xie Linlin. Xie Linlin did not come alone and brought along two people whom Chu Jian did not know.
