The next day, Director Kong didn’t come by the shop. He was likely giving Shen Yibin some space to think things over carefully. In the morning, Shen Yibin sat on the swing, watching Maphario and Hah’Er bustling about in the Happy Farm. It hadn’t been long at all, but leaves were already sprouting from the tender shoots. It looked like it wouldn’t be long before the empty plot and the sandbox would be a lush patch of green. When that happened, the scenery at the shop would become even more captivating.
Before he knew it, the morning had passed. After lunch, Director Kong called again. "Bin, the lawyers sent the contract over to me. I just forwarded it to your email. You should have a lawyer look at it first, and we can discuss any issues. Also, Chef Ah Qing is already on a plane. I’ll bring him to your shop around dinnertime so you two can have a good talk."
"What time does he arrive at the airport? I’ll go pick him up." The man was making a special trip just to cook for Hah’Er; it was only right for Shen Yibin to welcome him personally. He couldn’t just not go to the airport. "Also, let’s not trouble Chef Ah Qing today, alright? He must be exhausted after such a long flight. For today, let’s just ask him to critique my cooking. We can impose on him tomorrow after he’s had a good rest."
"That works. I’ll come to your shop just before five, and we’ll head to the airport together. However, Ah Qing isn’t very fond of interacting with people, so for the next couple of days, I’ll take him sightseeing around Yunzhong City during the day so as not to trouble you. We’ll just come over to your place for dinner in the evenings." In truth, it wasn’t necessarily that Chef Ah Qing had such a personality; Director Kong simply didn’t want Shen Yibin to be disturbed for the next few days.
"Alright, I’ll wait for you at the shop." After hanging up, Shen Yibin immediately went to his computer, opened his email, and began downloading and printing the contract. Director Kong’s contract was incredibly detailed; he had to refill the printer with paper once before it finally finished. Looking at the final page number, the entire document was over two hundred pages long.
’When would I ever finish reading this?’ Shen Yibin had originally planned to look it over himself before calling Lawyer Zhang Danxuan, but now it seemed better to just contact her directly. So, he dialed her number. "Hello, is this Lawyer Zhang Danxuan? It’s Shen Yibin. You helped me with my rental contract a while back... Yes, that’s me. I’m calling because I have something else I need your help with... There’s a contract I’d like you to review... Great, great. I’ll be waiting at my shop."
After hanging up, Shen Yibin started flipping through the contract. Less than half an hour later, the sound of high heels echoed from downstairs. He turned to look and saw Zhang Danxuan walking up, dressed like a top corporate professional in a skirt suit, black stockings, and high heels.
"Lawyer Zhang, welcome!" Shen Yibin quickly stood to greet her, inviting her to sit on the terrace. He poured her a cup of tea and was just about to make some small talk.
"Where’s the contract? Let me see it." However, Zhang Danxuan cut his small talk short and got straight to business. Taking the contract, she began to flip through it. The only sound on the upper floor was the RUSTLE of turning pages, leaving Shen Yibin sidelined.
After a long while, Zhang Danxuan slowly looked up. "This contract is drafted with extreme precision; it’s clearly the work of an expert. The Chen Li Zhou Law Firm from Xiangjiang really lives up to its reputation, doesn’t it?"
"You’re amazing! You’re so sharp-eyed, you figured it out instantly!" Shen Yibin was astounded. ’I’ve only heard of food critics being able to identify a chef by tasting their food,’ he thought. ’Can lawyers really identify their counterparts just by reading the clauses of a contract?’
"Their law firm’s logo and name are at the bottom of the contract. I’m not blind." Zhang Danxuan rolled her eyes at Shen Yibin. It wasn’t some legendary feat.
"Haha, my mistake." It was a bit awkward, but Shen Yibin was thick-skinned and recovered instantly. He quickly pressed on, "So, what’s your take on the contract? Are there any issues? Is it okay to sign?"
"This contract is over two hundred pages long. I’ve only just given it a quick scan; I haven’t had time to go over the details. It will take at least three days of work to give you a proper conclusion." Zhang Danxuan gave Shen Yibin another eye-roll.
Her unique charm as a mature woman left Shen Yibin momentarily stunned. It took him a second to snap out of it. "I’ll leave it in your hands, then. I’ll transfer the legal fees to the account you gave me last time. Please, give me an answer as soon as you possibly can." They had already discussed the specific fees on the phone, and Shen Yibin had the account number.
"Alright. We’ll begin work as soon as we receive the payment. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be heading back now." Although her role was just to review the contract, participating in such a massive project was a rare opportunity for Zhang Danxuan. So, she immediately gathered the documents and rushed back to get started.
No sooner had Zhang Danxuan left than Director Kong arrived. The two of them, along with Hah’Er and Maphario, went to the airport to welcome Chef Ah Qing. After they returned to the shop and tasted the local Yunzhong dishes prepared by Shen Yibin, Chef Ah Qing was full of praise, stating frankly that Shen Yibin already possessed the skills to be a head chef at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Xiangjiang.
Afterward, he tirelessly asked Shen Yibin about the secrets to the dishes he’d just eaten. Shen Yibin didn’t hold anything back, explaining everything in detail. When they reached the more intricate points, he even took Chef Ah Qing into the kitchen for a live demonstration. Chef Ah Qing, for his part, offered suggestions for improving certain steps, and both of them felt they had gained a great deal from the exchange.
For the next two days, Director Kong took Ah Qing sightseeing around Yunzhong City by day. In the evenings, they would return to the pet shop, where the chef would show Shen Yibin a few of his techniques. He also taught him the recipes for several signature dishes, including Bamboo Shoots and Fresh Shrimp Dumplings, Matsutake and Bamboo Fungus Consommé served in a teapot, and Nourishing Silkie Chicken Fried Rice cooked in a clay pot.
The four girls working at the shop certainly benefited from all this. The culinary skills of both Shen Yibin and Chef Ah Qing made it impossible for them to put their chopsticks down. In the words of Xia Shixuan, after Chef Ah Qing left, she’d have to fast for two days straight, otherwise she’d never be able to slim her waist back down.
「Three days later.」
Zhang Danxuan finished her review of the contract. Other than a few minor details, she found no major issues. Shen Yibin relayed her feedback to Director Kong, who agreed to the changes based on her recommendations without a moment’s hesitation.
With that, Shen Yibin had no further reason to decline. In the presence of Zhang Danxuan and the lawyer who had come from Xiangjiang, he and Director Kong officially signed the contract, confirming Hah’Er’s participation in the film’s production.
"Here’s to a successful partnership." Director Kong gripped Shen Yibin’s hand firmly. "As soon as I get back, I’ll have the first payment transferred to your account. Then we’ll begin the pre-production work."
Of course, you can’t just start shooting a movie on a whim. There were approvals to be sought, communications to be had with the Yunzhong City Government, a team to assemble, actors to cast, and so on. Director Kong was in for a busy period ahead.
None of that was Shen Yibin’s concern. All he cared about was whether this money would be enough for Hah’Er to finally buy Maphario.