’Maybe I should forget about it.’ Shen Yibin mulled it over and decided to shelve the idea for now. For starters, none of them were as obedient as Hah’Er. With Shi Gaofei’s explosive temper, he’d wreak havoc on set. With Cheeky’s venomous tongue, all their partners would be driven mad. As for Egg, he was fine as long as he didn’t drink, but once he got drunk, no one else would get any rest. Maphario was a bit timid and would probably be too scared to perform properly on set.
More importantly, what would their salary be? It couldn’t be too much lower than Hah’Er’s, right? But if that were the case, the cast budget would be terrifying. If, by some chance, the film didn’t recoup its costs, Director Kong would be ruined. It wouldn’t be good for Hah’Er and the others’ reputations, either. ’Better to wait until Hah’Er finishes this film and see how things go.’
If the movie turned out well, he could always do it like the Marvel Cinematic Universe: give each of them their own solo film first, then bring them all together for a blockbuster like *Avengers*. With this in mind, Shen Yibin was no longer in a hurry. He smiled and said, "Let’s not rush. I’ll decide after I read the script. This little guy just got here. Even if you put him in the movie now, he wouldn’t be able to perform well."
"You’re right, you’re right. I was getting ahead of myself." Director Kong had calmed down now. He’d been preparing for so long just to convince Shen Yibin to let Hah’Er participate. ’I can’t let the idea of adding Maphario create new complications. Better to just get this first part done.’ The script had already been revised many times; if they added another major character, who knew when it would be finished. "In that case, Bin, you go ahead and read the script. I’ll head back to my hotel to rest. I’ll come back to your place to mooch a dinner tonight."
"Alright, I’ll give you a ride!" Shen Yibin knew that Director Kong’s main concern right now was when he would agree to let Hah’Er star in the film, so he didn’t stand on ceremony. He drove the director to his hotel, then returned to the shop. He brewed a cup of tea and sat on the terrace, engrossing himself in the script. Meanwhile, Hah’Er and Maphario were busy again in the Happy Farm, watering and fertilizing the new sprouts that had just popped up.
After meticulously reading the script, Shen Yibin closed his eyes and mulled it over for a while. From his layman’s perspective, the script was genuinely excellent. Director Kong had lived up to his reputation as a great director and screenwriter. The plot was logically sound and full of twists and turns, making it very compelling. If they could really capture that on film, it would definitely be a blockbuster.
Besides, judging from the script, Hah’Er wouldn’t be in much danger. The dramatic scenes were no problem, of course, and the action scenes would mostly be filmed in front of a green screen for special effects to be added later. Hah’Er would only need to go through a few motions, and the effects team would create all sorts of cool-looking results. Director Kong hadn’t planned any dangerous stunts for Hah’Er, either.
’That makes sense,’ he thought. For one, no director could bear the risk of letting a panda get injured. For another, the audience probably wouldn’t enjoy seeing a panda getting beaten up, would they? This was a real panda, not that gluttonous character from the animated movie.
During this time, Shen Yibin had been constantly looking up information about Director Kong online. From what he could find, aside from a few too many rumored affairs with actresses, Director Kong’s reputation was excellent in all other respects. He took great care of his actors and crew. Early in his career, he had even confronted the Xiangjiang triads on behalf of his production staff. He was a man of integrity and loyalty, so Shen Yibin wasn’t too worried about Hah’Er going to make a movie with him.
Besides, Shen Yibin would be with Hah’Er for the entire shoot. While they were in Yunzhong City, he could drive him to and from the set every day. Perhaps to accommodate Shen Yibin, the primary filming location for this movie was set in Yunzhong City. The scenic spots around Yunzhong were certainly attractive enough for audiences anyway. ’Mayor Wang and his people will probably be delighted by this, right?’
The scenes depicting a bustling metropolis were set in Shanghai, a city Shen Yibin was also fairly familiar with. According to the shooting schedule laid out by Director Kong, it would only take half a month to film the Shanghai plotline, and it would be split into two separate trips. Shen Yibin could definitely make time for that. As for the few other scenes set in other cities, both domestic and international, they were just a few shots that didn’t require Hah’Er’s presence. He could be added in later with special effects.
With this, Shen Yibin’s biggest concerns were resolved. ’So, the next step is to discuss the contract details with Director Kong. Should I invite Lawyer Zhang Danxuan to dinner tonight?’ Shen Yibin mulled it over but decided to wait. ’I’ll talk it over with Director Kong first a little later.’
He put down the script and checked the time. It was about time for dinner. Shen Yibin went out to buy groceries, then brought Hah’Er and Maphario along to the hotel to pick up Director Kong. The group then returned to the shop.
"Chef Ah Qing arrives in Yunzhong City tomorrow. I’ll have him come to your shop and show you what he can do." ’He’s calling over a Michelin-starred chef with a single phone call, just because Hah’Er enjoys the food.’ Director Kong’s enthusiasm was a bit much for Shen Yibin to handle.
"Director Kong, have a seat and drink some tea. I’ll go make dinner." After pouring him a cup, Shen Yibin excused himself. Director Kong didn’t just sit around; he wandered over to the bamboo grove and curiously examined the new sprouts. ’What is Shen Yibin up to now?’ he wondered.
That evening, Shen Yibin pulled out all the stops, preparing a magnificent feast. Even someone with a palate as discerning as Director Kong’s couldn’t stop praising the food as he ate.
After dinner, Xia Shixuan and the others, knowing Shen Yibin had business to discuss with Director Kong, helped clear the table and then went out shopping together. Soon, only Shen Yibin, Director Kong, Hah’Er, and Maphario remained in the shop.
"So, Bin, what did you think of the script?" Director Kong asked, sounding slightly nervous. He’d been working on this for a long time and had high hopes for the film. He was hoping it could break Hollywood’s monopoly and start a new global trend. For years, Director Kong’s position in the Chinese film industry had been unshakeable. He had already won awards at the three major European film festivals and an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Artistically, there wasn’t much left for him to pursue. What he wanted most now was to go head-to-head with big companies like Marvel and DC at the box office.
Since the domestic film industry’s infrastructure was still lagging, Director Kong didn’t believe he could produce a special effects blockbuster in China that could surpass Marvel’s. Thus, he pinned all his hopes on Hah’Er, intending to leverage the world’s adoration for pandas to rake in box office profits. Now, everything was in place; all that was missing was Shen Yibin’s "yes"!