Dressed in his suit, Qilin walked carefully, afraid that any large movement might rip the clothes. Wang Xiaohua had also dressed up meticulously and looked stunning. As soon as the two made their entrance at the hotel, they drew quite a few eyes.
Firstly, because Wang Xiaohua had a significant position in the industry, and the recent "job-hopping scandal" had added some heat to her name. Secondly, because of Qilin's looks, he seemed to have a natural aura that attracted everyone’s attention.
“Haha, Sister Hua, Xiao Lin, come, come, sit here with me,” Director Fang Qiong waved them over enthusiastically as soon as he saw them.
Wang Xiaohua didn’t hesitate and led Qilin to sit next to Fang Qiong. Everyone at the table was familiar to Wang Xiaohua, and most had some kind of relationship with her.
Fang Qiong laughed, “You’re here early. How are you doing with your lines?”
Qilin nodded, feeling a bit nervous. He was the type of person who preferred to be alone, not one for social events, parties, or gatherings. He felt it was much more comfortable to snack on the couch while watching dramas or go out for some exercise and break a sweat.
Socializing was just too troublesome! Of course, that was under normal circumstances. If you told him he could earn twenty thousand yuan by dancing at a nightclub, he would be the most dazzling guy on the dance floor!
After glancing around, Wang Xiaohua asked, “Has Brother Dan not arrived yet?”
Fang Qiong nodded, “Not yet. He should be here soon. He said he was on his way when I called earlier. He should be here in about half an hour.”
Wang Xiaohua nodded with a smile, while Hong Tai’s expression was more intriguing.
When Qilin heard the name "Brother Dan," his eyes lit up. He leaned in and whispered to Wang Xiaohua, “Sister Hua, is Brother Dan Jia Dan?”
Wang Xiaohua smiled, “Of course, didn’t you see the cast list before? Brother Dan is playing Fong Sai-yuk.”
Qilin felt excited. He had grown up watching Jia Dan’s movies. Action stars were rare in the entertainment industry, and the famous ones could be counted on one hand.
Seeing Qilin’s fan-like expression, Hong Tai softly said, “Xiao Lin!”
“Yes, Brother Hong?”
“When you’re fighting him, you need to be fully focused.”
Qilin smiled, “Don’t worry, Brother Hong. I know Brother Dan is very skilled, but my martial arts aren’t bad either.”
Hearing Qilin say this, Wang Xiaohua secretly pinched him, signaling him not to boast in front of others. Hong Tai, however, remained serious, “He likes to improvise and doesn’t follow the script! He rarely holds back during filming. Back in Hong Kong, one of my junior brothers got a bone fracture from him.”
Upon hearing this, Wang Xiaohua’s expression changed. Qilin was her ace in the hole, and she couldn’t allow any accidents. If he got injured and needed two years of recovery, it would be disastrous. A male artist’s rising career couldn’t afford such a setback.
She quickly turned to Fang Qiong, who understood her concern immediately, “Don’t worry, that was years ago. Brother Dan’s temper has mellowed a lot. Besides, we’re in mainland China now.”
Fang Qiong’s last sentence was softly spoken but carried a lot of weight.
Hong Tai added, “Indeed, nothing like that has happened in recent years. My master has some connections with Master Wang Bao, so we’re among friends here. That’s why I’m warning you.”
Qilin genuinely appreciated Hong Tai’s advice, knowing that he was being treated as a junior.
As the group sipped tea and chatted, an hour passed quickly. Fang Qiong checked his watch three times, his tone growing impatient, “It seems our big star has quite the presence! Assistant!”
“Yes, Director Fang?”
“Call again and see where they are!”
“Director Fang, I just called. They said they’re almost here, about twenty minutes away.”
Fang Qiong snorted coldly, and Guo Wei quickly tried to soothe him, “Oh, it’s no big deal. He’s new to the mainland and probably unfamiliar with the roads.”
Hong Tai, on the other hand, looked like he had expected this all along.
Wang Xiaohua leaned over to Qilin, “Brother, it seems Brother Dan isn’t an easy person. You heard what Director Hong said. Be careful when filming.”
Qilin nodded, his good impression of Jia Dan significantly diminished. As athletes, punctuality was ingrained in them. There could be various reasons for being late, but attitude was the main factor. If you had a meeting at eight and the journey took forty minutes, sleeping until seven and then encountering traffic might make you late. But if you left at six, would you still be late?
Nearly another hour passed, and just as everyone was getting restless, the star finally arrived.
“Sorry, sorry, everyone. We left early, but the navigation was confusing, and there was road construction, so we’re late.”
Jia Dan’s attitude was polite, and he apologized right away. Fang Qiong, who had been annoyed just a moment ago, now smiled warmly, “Brother Dan, don’t worry. You’re not late at all. Come, come, sit down. Let me introduce you.”
Qilin was stunned, thinking Fang Qiong must be from Sichuan Province, as his face-changing skills were extraordinary!
Wang Xiaohua smiled and shook Jia Dan’s hand, “Brother Dan, long time no see.”
“Ah, Sister Hua, indeed it’s been a long time.”
“This is my artist, Qilin. He’s playing Oro in the movie.”
Qilin stepped forward to shake Jia Dan’s hand, “Hello, Brother Dan. I’ve been a fan of your movies since I was a kid.”
Hearing this, Jia Dan’s smile stiffened, and he withdrew his hand, speaking in slightly accented Mandarin, “Haha, am I very old?”
Qilin, not being socially adept, didn’t notice Jia Dan’s displeasure, “Not at all. You look just as young as you did in your earlier works.”
Jia Dan let out a forced laugh and sat down beside Fang Qiong, which happened to be Qilin’s previous seat.
Wang Xiaohua squinted slightly, smiling as she directed Qilin to sit beside Hong Tai, and casually said, “Brother Dan, I heard you started your own studio?”
“Yes, Sister Hua, if you’re interested, you can consider joining. We’re old friends, and I’ll make sure you’re well taken care of.”
Wang Xiaohua shook her head with a smile, patting Qilin, “No need for that. My brother and I are quite comfortable at Tangshi Media.”
Hearing the name Tangshi Media, Jia Dan paused and then smiled without saying more. Fang Qiong, sensing the tension, quickly tried to lighten the mood.
Finally, Qilin realized that Wang Xiaohua was giving him some backing.
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