“We are going here?” Ji Linlang saw the place name and instantly understood Ji Xiu’s intention. She was a little surprised.
Ji Xiu nodded as if it were only natural. “To make some money.”
Ji Linlang showed a hint of doubt. “There is only one day…”
One day was enough. Ji Xiu explained calmly, “Iron Tower Country produces more than two hundred films every year. Dozens of film crews shoot around Solan Avenue every day. Passing by is already an opportunity.”
That was indeed true. Iron Tower Country was small, but its passion for film had never been lacking. They even had special funds set up specifically for cinema. As long as a director performed well when shooting short films, the guild would provide funding for feature films.
They did not pursue speed. Instead, they refined their work meticulously, so every film produced in Iron Tower Country carried a unique, romantic artistic atmosphere.
The local Solan Avenue was located near the Film Guild. There were numerous sets, castles, and forests built specifically for filming, so film crews came and went endlessly. Many award-winning films had come from here, and tourists visited year-round to pay homage.
The production team had set it as a check-in point precisely for this reason.
In recent years, Solan Avenue had also become an internet-famous spot, with most tourists having been there at least once.
Ji Linlang thought for a moment, then finally agreed with Ji Xiu’s idea.
“Let’s listen to Dad and go try.”
Ji Xiu nodded in satisfaction and looked at Ji Xian beside him, beckoning. “Keep up.”
Ji Xian quickened his pace and walked over from the wall.
At this moment, Yuan Shi’s mother warmly gathered around and asked where the Ji family planned to go, and whether they wanted to travel together.
One location allowed three families to check in. If teams were formed well and they shared a ride, a lot of money could be saved.
However, Ji Xiu was not interested in the suggestion and declined politely.
Yesterday was their first meeting, and the other four families had already paired up. It would have been awkward to refuse and waste the Yuan family’s goodwill. Today was different.
They were competitors.
In a variety show, competition was indispensable for effect.
The other four families understood this well. Few truly teamed up. Even if they did, it was already filled with the implication of alliances and betrayal, all for show effects.
So why should he team up with others?
He was born to lie back and win. Why should he work hard?
Ji Xiu had never considered teaming up like an ordinary celebrity, scheming and maneuvering just to fight for screen time.
Naturally, he refused Yuan Shi’s mother’s goodwill.
Yuan Shi’s mother sighed and glanced at Ji Xian, revealing a somewhat pitiful look. She hid it well. Outsiders did not notice, only Ji Xiu and the Yuan family did.
Ji Xiu finally realized that the old lady seemed to have some misunderstandings about their family.
However, facing an elderly woman, he did not feel angry. He simply cast a subtle glance at Yuan Shi.
Yesterday was the first day of the trip. Everyone had just met. It was understandable if Yuan Shi’s mother did not know their identities and misunderstood them. But today was already the second day. Had Yuan Shi really not reminded his mother yet?
Ji Xian had once been the Ji family’s heir. He was not some poor little thing. One should not assume he was mistreated at home just because he had a youthful face.
He had once managed the Ji Group headquarters, with thousands of employees under him.
Yuan Shi felt awkward under that look.
Yesterday, between flying, finding the hotel, and dealing with jet lag, he had thought about talking to his mother after returning to the room. Unexpectedly, he fell asleep the moment he got back and was only woken up just now by the production team. He had completely forgotten to explain the Ji family’s identity to her.
“Mom, let’s go here. Did you not want to see the church when we came? Our family can go together,” Yuan Shi said, diverting his mother’s attention, and swore to himself that he would explain everything clearly to her on the way.
Yuan Shi’s mother glanced at the small map booklet distributed by the production team. After thinking for a moment, she nodded.
This was fine too. After all, she was an outsider and should not meddle in other people’s family matters.
Thus, after leaving the hotel, the six families went their separate ways, each showing their own abilities, finding transportation and heading toward their chosen destinations.
…
Solan Avenue was bustling with activity.
With four cameramen following them, Ji Xiu and the others got out of the car and entered the crowd.
Tourists immediately noticed their presence.
The cameras were one thing. What truly drew attention was the Ji family’s three identical good looks.
Although Ji Xiu was already over forty, because of his privileged background, he naturally carried a relaxed noble air. He looked no more than thirty, wearing a white shirt, his every gesture mature yet restrained, full of charm.
Standing on Ji Xiu’s right was Ji Linlang. She had spent more than ten years in the entertainment industry, won Best Actress, and once had hundreds of millions of fans. After being reborn, her appearance became even more beautiful, yet her aura had not diminished. A strange, captivating beauty clung to her, making her exceptionally dazzling.
On Ji Xiu’s left stood Ji Xian. Dressed in a black shirt, with tousled hair and fair skin, his expression was cool and reserved, yet carried a faint curiosity. He was like a prince from an ivory tower, young and handsome.
These three people practically had no aesthetic blind spots.
Whether locals or tourists from all over the world, everyone could sense their outstanding looks.
Foreign cultures were open. Someone even openly confessed to Ji Xiu on the street.
Ji Xian looked completely dumbfounded. He could not understand why the father who acted like a lazy ancestor at home was so favored outside.
Seeing that Ji Xiu did not coldly ask the other party to leave but instead spoke to them politely, Ji Xian panicked and anxiously tugged on Ji Linlang’s sleeve.
“Sis, hurry up and go interfere. Get rid of Dad’s bad peach blossoms.”
Ji Linlang’s attitude was somewhat subtle. She disliked these women who took the initiative to flirt, but she still rejected Ji Xian’s suggestion.
Ji Xian went crazy. “Sis, what are you doing? Do you want to watch us get a new stepmom?”
“What nonsense are you talking about?” Ji Linlang glanced at him speechlessly. “Dad will definitely reject them.”
Besides, even if he did not, so what.
Ji Linlang was the kind of person who loved fiercely and hated just as fiercely.
Her feelings toward Qi Qinxue were complicated. She would never stand by and watch Ji Xiu cheat, but she was more than happy to see Ji Xiu develop a new emotional direction.
She would even occasionally have dark thoughts, hoping Ji Xiu and Qi Qinxue would divorce.
Unfortunately, Ji Xiu was absolutely not going to act according to her expectations at the moment.
For Ji Xian’s sake, Ji Linlang also did not want things to develop that way for now.
Finally, after a few minutes of delay, Ji Linlang still led Ji Xian forward and called Ji Xiu “Dad.”
She spoke in English. Although it was not the local language, the tourists could all understand the meaning of the address. The women who had been passionately pursuing Ji Xiu immediately changed expressions, shocked, and could not help but look him over again.
“Xiu, you already have children?”
Ji Xiu nodded frankly. “Yes. This is my daughter and my son.”
Shock immediately appeared on the foreign women’s faces.
Asians generally looked young. Ji Xiu already looked around thirty to Asian eyes, and to them, he seemed barely twenty. They had never imagined that he already had a son and a daughter.
Some hesitated and left reluctantly. Others, bolder, still lingered.
Only after Ji Xiu calmly finished rejecting them did the remaining ones leave.
Now, only a woman in a burgundy suit dress stood in front of Ji Xiu.
Ji Xiu said something to her. Because it was the local language of Iron Tower Country, both Ji Linlang and Ji Xian could understand and speak it, but they could not keep up with the speed and failed to understand. After a while, he suddenly turned his head and waved at Ji Linlang.
“Linlang.”
Ji Linlang sensed something was wrong. “What is it?”
Ji Xiu’s tone was calm, as if he were discussing whether to eat wagyu or lobster for dinner. “Let’s go do a screen test together.”
Ji Linlang was stunned.
The woman in the burgundy suit had some Asian features, likely of mixed Asian and European descent, so she naturally had a fondness for Asians. She extended her hand politely and explained, “Hello. The film crew I am with is shooting nearby. Would you be interested in participating in a role?”
Ji Linlang’s expression turned completely blank.
Even knowing they had come here to look for such opportunities to earn money, she had never imagined that the opportunity would come so quickly.
They had not gone looking for it. Instead, the other party had sought cooperation with them right on the street.
The woman in burgundy smiled and continued, “Your temperament fits very well.”
Ji Linlang did not understand what that sentence meant at first. Only after arriving at the set and receiving the script did she understand.
The role she was to guest star in was an elven queen whose appearance remained eternally youthful, yet who had actually lived for thousands of years.
The queen’s face was young and flawless, but after living for millennia, her soul was already weary.
This required the actor to possess beauty as well as eyes filled with complexity and stories.
The eyes were the finishing touch. The crew had been unable to find a suitable actor and never expected to encounter Ji Linlang on the street.
Although Ji Linlang tried her best to disguise her personality in front of her family, as time passed, she had grown accustomed to the changes after rebirth. With a sense of security, she gradually stopped maintaining the disguise so carefully.
At times, she would unconsciously reveal her mature side.
In other words, this queen role was practically tailor-made for Ji Linlang. Only she, with a Best Actress’s acting skills and the advantage of rebirth, could balance the queen’s beauty, authority, and power.
What shocked Ji Linlang even more was that she was not the only one participating in the film.
Ji Xiu would play a human king, and her younger brother Ji Xian would play the human prince.
When Ji Linlang saw Ji Xiu and Ji Xian come out in costume, sitting on the high platform with an air of lofty superiority, she nearly failed to maintain her composure.
…
The film was a low-budget production. The plot itself was not particularly novel. Films from Iron Tower Country had never focused on plot. What mattered was aesthetics and romantic atmosphere.
For these reasons, when they could not find suitable actors, they would look for chance encounters on the street.
Fortunately, they ultimately ran into the Ji family.
Their dilemma was resolved, and Ji Xiu obtained the remuneration he needed.
However, in this film, Ji Linlang’s role had a forty-five-second shot, requiring at least three days of filming. The one day granted by the production team was not enough. They would need to stay here for two more days.