Chapter 256
Shanghai, inside the Zhun Photography Base.
Zhou Xiao followed the head of the garden company she was discussing the inspection with, heading for the garden. As soon as the iron gate opened, she felt the scene inside undergo a drastic change.
The original brick and concrete floors were replaced by a still sparse lawn, and the open space outside the red brick warehouse was transformed into a garden with a rudimentary artistic atmosphere.
Besides the lawns, the park also boasted numerous large, trimmed trees, urgently transplanted by workers at the tail end of spring. Zhou Xiao shifted his gaze to the newly built brick wall, where a pagoda-shaped archway had been carved, topped by a white wooden door of the same shape.
"This is designed for your filming needs," the person in charge enthusiastically opened the wooden door, which was a garden path connecting the two warehouses.
Zhou Xiao's eyes lit up as he saw the green path flanked by low-growing plants like holly bulbs, endless summer, delphiniums, and alliums. Thanks to the gardeners' meticulous care and the arrival of their blooms, they were blooming beautifully. Behind these plants and at the end of the path lay neatly trimmed pines and cypresses.
From Zhou Xiao's perspective, the scenery here is a true example of Chinese symmetrical beauty. One can only imagine how much more photographic work will be produced here once the photography base is completed.
The path wasn't long. As the group walked along it, they arrived at an elegant fountain. The fountain itself was still dry, and behind it stood a wooden greenhouse and a Roman column pavilion draped with vines.
Needless to say, the surrounding vegetation and rose fences were beautiful, not to mention the garden company's clever touches. Zhou Xiao braved the scorching sun and, after a brief walk around the area, he felt a sense of purpose.
When Zhou Xiao followed the person in charge into the exhibition hall that she had temporarily set up for the photo exhibition, he immediately noticed something different.
Zhou Xiao had already put away all the Ji Shao merchandise and photos in the exhibition hall when he began work outside. Because this space was originally a gallery and already had air conditioning, Zhou Xiao specifically told the person in charge that they could let the workers in to rest.
The weather is getting more extreme every year. Even before the arrival of the Great Heat, many people are already suffering from the heat. Let alone the hardworking workers here, it would be nice to see them feel better.
The display boards that were originally used as partitions in the hall have now been pushed to the wall, and there are a lot of plastic bags on the floor.
Noticing Zhou Xiao's gaze, the person in charge smiled sheepishly and said, "Everyone is very grateful for the convenience you provide. After learning that this was originally a gallery and would be converted into a photography base in the future, everyone spontaneously laid out plastic bags to prevent dirt.
Our company has arranged for a few people to come over tomorrow to replace the damaged lawn and flowers, but we haven't had time to clean up these things yet."
Zhou Xiao nodded without saying anything else, and followed the person in charge back inside. That was the rest area, with the tables and chairs covered in transparent plastic. It was originally unlocked, but now there was a lock on the glass door.
The person in charge took out a key with a red label from her bag, opened the lock, and handed the key to Zhou Xiao with both hands.
Then he smiled at Zhou and said, "We have too many workers. As the old saying goes, 'It's not the lack of workers that worries us, but the inequality of their wages.' So we just lock them up and give everyone the same treatment. Otherwise, people will keep an eye on them!"
As the plastic bag opened, Zhou Xiao watched as the man pulled wet wipes from his bag. After carefully wiping the tables and chairs, he pulled the contract out of his bag and showed it to her. She grasped the key in her palm, and a favorable impression of this landscaping company developed.
"Regarding the park's landscaping, our company previously promised to cover two years of maintenance!" The woman's expression softened as she spoke. "Besides that, Ms. Zhou, since you're a valued customer, I'll use my personal authority to add another year for you. For subsequent maintenance, I hope you'll give us priority!"
Zhou Xiao looked at the contract and listened to what the other party said. She thought for a moment and asked, "After the construction team finishes the work, how can you help me maintain the green space?"
…
Back at the hotel, Zhou Xiao was in high spirits. He pulled the contract out of his bag, flicked the paper, and then locked it in the cabinet. After some thought, he decided it was almost time to let the construction team in.
The design drawings for the photography base had been out for some time, but Zhou Xiao didn't immediately schedule simultaneous construction. This was not only because the landscaping was already in its final stages, but also because she didn't want to see any friction between the two construction teams.
She hired a leading Shanghai construction company, specializing in all types of construction. While the price might be higher, Zhou Xiao's primary considerations were the company's qualifications and the quality of its personnel.
I was humming a little tune happily, preparing to go to the hotel's SAP massage to relax later. The phone on the table rang. The person who called was my good friend Zhu Jian.
Zhou Xiao picked up the phone and heard Zhu Jian's extremely excited voice on the other end, "Xiaoxiao, do you want to go to the film and television city to see Xiao Shao in a few days? Wei Ba and I are the only ones in the group planning to go, what about you?"
In the group chat? Zhou Xiao realized later that she hadn't even had time to check the group chat messages during the inspection today. Zhu Jian must have noticed she hadn't expressed her opinion yet, so he called her to ask.
Thinking of Teacher Mei's approval of the finished film yesterday and Fang Zai's satisfied attitude, Zhou Xiao guessed that reshoots wouldn't be necessary. So she replied directly to Zhu Jian, "Okay, let's go together!"
…
The fans who are into idols for the first time finally understand why domestic entertainment fans want celebrities to film movies so much! Thanks to the "Warrior's Peerless" crew's "going to and from get off work" Reuters, there are fans squatting at the makeup hotel every day to shoot videos.
The daily fixed videos of going to and from get off work make many old fans feel like they are back to the offline days of Star 101! And there are no iron gates or railings blocking the way, which allows many new fans to directly feel Ji Shao's charm!
The car window love is performed every day. Even if it is the same screams offline every day, the reaction that Ji Shao gives to fans is different. Many fans who were originally disappointed with Ji Shao's acting now feel that their love has been rekindled.
In the car, Zhou Xiao was looking down at the notice for today's episode of "The Unparalleled General." Next to him was Li Mo, who was meticulously applying her makeup, determined to present her best look for the audience.
As for the driver, it was naturally the experienced Zhu Jian. She planned the itinerary as she was the farthest away, and took the two people along for the ride.
"Hehe, Xiaoxiao, don't look at the notice anymore! I got the visiting pass from Cheese. We can follow the crew members to see Xiao Shao these next two days!" Zhu Jian, who was waiting for the green light, turned his head and looked at Zhou Xiao in the co-pilot seat and said.
A visitor's pass is only given to the set staff during breaks for a quick glance, and has little to do with actual fame. Even so, these passes are in high demand. For many fans who drive specifically to the studio, just a few glances are enough to satisfy their hearts.
As the saying goes, it's better to open up than to block. Originally, because of Ji Shao's popularity, the crew had considered strictly prohibiting Reuters. But they found that the more they tried to prevent it, the more extreme fans and paparazzi appeared.
It wasn't until people discovered that some photographers were willing to take photos even at the risk of their own lives that set visit passes began to appear offline. As for when this started, it was naturally when Cheese from the fan club received a quote for a set visit pass from the head of the film and television studio.
The certificate was very expensive, so Cheese drastically cut the price in half. But when she found out that the other party didn't flip the table in anger, she knew there was something hidden. As a result, the photographers at the film and television studio gradually discovered that Ji Shao's photos were not as expensive as before.
With relatively affordable prices and no more restrictions on Reuters, the number of people risking their lives to take photos has naturally decreased. Because the channels are controlled by fan clubs, these photographers can't get much advantage.
Even so, the number of proxy photographers continues to increase. When asked why, the proxy photographers at the film and television studios all replied in unison: they make a lot of money and it's easy to sell!
After the car parked safely in the parking lot, Zhou Xiaotong and his partner walked through the streets of the film and television city with a sense of emotion. In just one month, the place had already changed dramatically.
The film crews in the film and television city come and go, and usually as soon as the previous crew finishes filming and vacates the space, the next crew will immediately move in and start to make simple "makeovers" of the house's exterior.
"I'm going to get the visiting pass. You two wait for me in the teahouse first." Zhu Jian answered a phone call and said to Zhou Xiao, who was still sober at the table.
"No problem, go ahead," Zhou Xiao responded. Beside her, Li Mo had already laid down on the table to rest, psyching himself up for the upcoming visit.
Zhou Xiao rested one hand on the table while sending a message to Mei Fang with the other. When she was about to leave the film and television city, she had told him to contact her the next time he returned.
Mei Fang was very happy when she learned they were going to the film and television city. When she found out Zhou Xiao already had a visitor pass, she even promised to find the best viewing spot for them.
She was chatting with Mei Fang when Zhu Jian rushed back, holding three visitor passes and looking very happy.
"Xiaoxiao, wake up Tail, we can set off now!" Zhu Jian was rubbing his hands in anticipation!
…
"This location is better than the one the stagehands took you to, and the artists' RV is right behind it!" Mei Fang walked to the front and introduced the three of them as they walked.
Zhou Xiao looked ahead and saw a small wooden shed, reminiscent of an ancient cattle shed. As he walked closer, he saw a lifelike model of an ox fixed to the ground.
There were several chairs in the bullpen, presumably reserved for the crew when they were lazing around. Although it was a shed, it was odor-free and had a roof above for shade. There was even a fence directly in front to block the view, making it a perfect place to slack off.
The set of "The Unparalleled General" was heavily monitored, with surveillance cameras everywhere. However, all three of them had visitor passes, and the places Mei Fang took them to were places the director had allowed fans to visit.
"Thank you, little sister." Li Mo, who was holding Zhou Xiao's arm, was not shy and immediately thanked Mei Fang sweetly.
Mei Fang waved her hand, stopping Zhou Xiao from expressing his gratitude. After glancing at her watch, she said to the three of them, "It's almost break time. You guys wait here. I have something else to do on the set! Xiaoxiao, let's get together again next time when we have time!"
"Yeah, okay!" Zhou Xiao and Mei Yi waved their hands and watched each other with a smile until their figures disappeared around the corner.
Before long, the three people sitting in the chairs saw a number of actors "getting off work" walking towards them. They were holding small electric fans, accompanied by two or three assistants. Some held umbrellas for the actors, while others held a kettle in one hand and a small electric fan in the other, following closely like bees around a flower.
Even though it was evening in July, it was still incredibly hot. The actors were all dressed in thick, ancient costumes, and the three of them could feel a wave of heat as they passed by.
"It's really hard for the actors!" Li Mo couldn't help but sigh as he looked at everyone's clothes that were wet as if they were soaked in water.
"It's about making money," Zhu Jian said, as if she wasn't surprised. Domestic artists were treated much better than the foreign artists she'd admired before. But when she saw Ji Shao, her words immediately changed to a double standard, and she felt sorry for him.
Zhou Xiao had already raised his camera. Ji Shao looked in good spirits in the camera, but the beads of sweat on his forehead showed that he was as hot as everyone else.
Ji Shao looked thinner than the last time they met, but his upright posture and demeanor already exuded an ancient charm. His long ponytail swung in the air as he moved, making him look like a youthful, energetic young man.
As for the two assistants behind him, wearing short sleeves, they seemed to be in a more disheveled state than he was. The two open umbrellas also blocked their sight, and they did not notice that there was someone under the tent.
The trio only resumed talking after Ji Shao and the others passed by them, talking and laughing, and walked towards the RV.
Zhou Xiao put away his camera and looked at Li Mo teasingly, "Didn't someone say they would give Xiao Shao the best support?"
"Watching from a distance is enough! I didn't expect to see it so close!" Li Mo chuckled. She thought about shouting, but when she saw Ji Shao looking a little tired, she didn't want to disturb him anymore.
When Zhou Xiao was halfway through selecting photos, she heard a familiar sound of music. She subconsciously looked in the direction of the sound. It seemed to be behind them?
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