Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 58: When you're in the game, you need connections.
In Beijing in July, the heat wave at dusk has not yet completely subsided.

Just after 5:30, Wang Sheng, who had arranged to take Han Jianu out the next morning, changed into a slightly casual short-sleeved shirt and trousers, put on clean leather shoes, and strolled out of the factory gate at a leisurely pace.

Li Xiaoran was standing by the gatehouse waiting.

She was clearly dressed up carefully, yet deliberately appeared casual.

A fitted, light purple sleeveless dress made her skin appear even whiter, and the hemline just past her knees revealed a pair of straight and shapely calves.

She wore light makeup, her lips were a trendy water-red, and her long hair was styled into a neat ponytail, making her look both youthful and subtly sexy.

When she saw Wang Sheng come out, a bright smile appeared on her face. She jogged over to greet him and naturally took his arm.

"Wait for a long time?"

Wang Sheng felt his arm touch a cool, smooth fabric and the warmth beneath it.

"No, I just arrived too." Li Xiaoran looked up at him, her eyes sparkling. "Where shall we go for dinner?"

"Don't worry, I won't treat you badly."

Wang Sheng hailed a red Xiali taxi and got in, saying, "Driver, Chongwenmen, Maxim."

"Okay!" the driver replied crisply.

Maxim's Restaurant was the first Sino-foreign joint venture high-end Western restaurant in Beijing after the reform and opening up. It was known for its authentic French cuisine, elegant environment and high prices. It was a place for the first group of people who got rich, foreign guests and celebrities in the arts and culture circles to show off their status and taste.

Li Xiaoran has been there a few times; it's quite expensive.

Li Xiaoran hugged Wang Sheng's arm tightly and said with a smile, "Oh dear, isn't this too expensive?"

Wang Sheng: "Then I'll take you to eat braised pork offal, would you like that?"

"Of course I'd love to!"

Li Xiaoran said this, but her body language betrayed her by leaning closer to Wang Sheng: "But then again, this is our first proper date, so it would be better to choose a nice place."

Wang Sheng turned slightly to the side, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of teasing, "You worked hard last night, consider this a reward."

Li Xiaoran playfully pinched his arm, feigning embarrassment and annoyance, but the pinch was light, more like a coquettish remark: "Shut up!"

……

The Xiali car merged into the evening rush hour traffic and headed towards Chongwenmen.

Outside the car window, the street scene of Beijing in the summer of 1996 was visible. The flow of bicycles was still huge, but the number of private cars and newly built buildings had increased significantly, and neon lights had begun to adorn the night.

Chatting along the way.

About half an hour later, we finally arrived at our destination.

Stepping into the restaurant felt like entering another world.

The magnificent crystal chandelier casts a warm and soft light, while the heavy velvet curtains, exquisite tapestries, a dining table covered with a snow-white tablecloth, gleaming silver cutlery, and the subtle, elegant music and aroma of food in the air all create an understated yet luxurious exotic atmosphere.

There weren't many customers in the restaurant, and most of them were dressed appropriately, talking in hushed tones, creating a quiet and reserved atmosphere.

Li Xiaoran subconsciously straightened her back, tightened her grip on Wang Sheng's arm slightly, and tried to appear more composed and comfortable in this situation.

A waiter wearing a black vest and bow tie led them to a quiet spot by the window.

The menu has a thick leather cover printed with French.

Wang Sheng casually handed the menu to Li Xiaoran: "Take a look and see what you'd like to eat?"

Li Xiaoran opened the menu and looked at the unfamiliar French dish names. She felt a little dizzy and subconsciously looked at Wang Sheng with a helpless look in her eyes.

The previous times she came, other people ordered the food. Her English level, while not at a prenatal level, was not far off.

The average level of education in this industry is only primary school, and that's no joke.

Wang Sheng understood, smiled slightly at the waiter, exchanged a few words in fluent English, and then said to Li Xiaoran, "The baked snails and foie gras here are their signature dishes, and the steak is also good. Shall I order some?"

It's perfectly normal to order in English at French restaurants.

"Okay, you order. I'll eat whatever you order." Li Xiaoran nodded quickly, secretly relieved, and her admiration for Wang Sheng grew even stronger—he could even speak French!

Wang Sheng skillfully ordered baked snails, foie gras, onion soup, two medium-rare filet mignons, along with aperitifs and red wine to accompany the meal.

While waiting for the food to be served, Li Xiaoran looked around and whispered to Wang Sheng, "It's so quiet here, I don't even dare to speak loudly."

"Foreign restaurants all have this style, used to maintain their so-called superiority."

Wang Sheng picked up his water glass and took a sip: "There will be many occasions like this in the future, I'll get used to it eventually."

"Hmm." Li Xiaoran nodded, wondering to herself whether she should seriously learn some Western dining etiquette and foreign languages ​​in the future.

The appetizers were served quickly.

Looking at the exquisitely presented food on the plate, Li Xiaoran imitated Wang Sheng, clumsily but enthusiastically using the various utensils.

The baked snails are rich in garlic and butter flavors, and the foie gras has a delicate and rich texture. For her, every time is a novel and wonderful experience.

"Is it tasty?"

Wang Sheng cut his steak and asked her.

"Delicious!" Li Xiaoran nodded vigorously, her cheeks puffing out slightly, like a little hamster stealing food. "It's just that I'm not used to using these knives and forks."

"It's okay, just enjoy your meal. Rules are rules, but people are flexible. Nothing is more important than filling your stomach. Don't worry about anything else."

Wang Sheng spoke in a relaxed tone and did not deliberately correct her occasional incorrect usage, which made Li Xiaoran feel much more at ease.

The red wine was rich and mellow, the lighting was dim, and delicious food was served in front of her. Sitting opposite her was the handsome and wealthy young man she admired. Li Xiaoran gradually relaxed, her cheeks flushed, and she became more talkative, chatting with Wang Sheng about her aspirations for the future. Her eyes shone brighter than a crystal chandelier.

Wang Sheng mostly listened, occasionally interjecting with a few comments or suggestions, his eyes filled with appreciation as he looked at her vibrant appearance.

"Oh, right."

Wang Sheng then interrupted.

"what happened?"

"I've organized a project to film a short TV series. I've reserved a female role for you. Filming is expected to start in September or October. Remember to let your agent know."

Wang Sheng said this also had another meaning: to give Li Xiaoran a background. In the industry, if you have a background, you should show it. It's useless to pretend to be tough and slap someone in the face after you've been bullied.

Wang Sheng wasn't quite sure about his current strength and influence. He had a feeling of being the Sword God of Shili Slope, as if he were invincible, yet also as if he wasn't.

However, one thing is certain: he is definitely a big name in Beijing's literary and artistic circles.

Li Xiaoran clearly hadn't expected this; her attention was completely drawn to the new role. She chattered on and on, asking, "Is there a lot of screen time? A lot of lines? Is she the female lead? Oh dear, isn't this too fast? What if people start gossiping?"

Unfortunately, the curve of her lips betrayed her true thoughts.

Wang Sheng briefly explained the situation.

Hearing that she was only playing the second female lead, Li Xiaoran wasn't disappointed. She simply nodded and said, "The second female lead is fine. After all, I'm not a professionally trained actress, and I still need to practice and learn."

"..."

The meal took almost two hours.

At the end, the waiter served a delicate dessert menu.

Wang Sheng looked at Li Xiaoran: "Can you still eat? The desserts here are pretty good too."

Li Xiaoran was already quite full, but seeing the tempting pictures on the menu, she couldn't resist ordering a "Flaming Crepe".

The waiter prepared the crepes right there at the table, the blue flames rising and falling, eliciting a soft gasp from Li Xiaoran. Finally, he placed the crepes, drizzled with orange liqueur and syrup, onto her plate.

She took a bite, and the sweet taste seemed to seep into her heart.

When it was time to pay the bill, Li Xiaoran secretly glanced at the numbers on the bill and inwardly gasped. But when she saw Wang Sheng calmly count out several hundred-yuan bills to pay the bill, that feeling of being pampered welled up again.

Wang Sheng isn't short of money right now. In the past month or so, the advertising department of Beijing TV outsourced six more advertisements to him. Wang Sheng provided the planning proposals and scripts, and then outsourced them to the advertising department of Beijing Film and Television Company for production, earning him more than 100,000 yuan.

This income should be enough to cover daily expenses for a period of time.

……

Stepping out of the restaurant, a cool evening breeze caressed my face, carrying the refreshing coolness of a summer night.

Neither of them spoke, but they held hands and walked along the street for a while, enjoying the lazy and pleasant atmosphere after dinner.

……

After walking for more than twenty minutes, Wang Sheng raised his hand and hailed a taxi.

After getting in the car, Li Xiaoran's voice, as she gave the address, carried a sweet, languid tone, and she leaned softly against Wang Sheng's shoulder.

Wang Sheng casually put his arm around her shoulder, his fingers unconsciously stroking her smooth arm.

The car drove towards Li Xiaoran's residence.

Along the way, the air between the two seemed to grow thicker and thicker, and a silent anticipation spread through the cramped carriage.

Li Xiaoran's heart began to race again. She could feel the warmth from Wang Sheng's palm and the faint scent on his body, a blend of the restaurant's fragrance and his own aroma, making her feel slightly dizzy.

We finally arrived downstairs.

Go upstairs and open the door.

Hearing the noise, "Somersault Cloud" jumped off the sofa, meowed, and rubbed against Li Xiaoran's ankle.

Li Xiaoran bent down and picked it up, hiding her slightly flushed cheeks: "Somersault Cloud, look who's here?"

Following behind and closing the door, Wang Sheng asked curiously, "This cat can really do somersaults?"

"real!"

"Watch closely." Li Xiaoran picked up a homemade cat toy decorated with colorful feathers and bells from the shoe cabinet, walked to the center of the living room, bent down, and gently shook it: "Somersault Cloud, somersault~"

Compared to two months ago, Somersault Cloud has grown quite a bit. Its amber eyes immediately fixed on Feather, it lowered its body, stuck out its rear, and suddenly leaped up, nimbly rolling in the air before landing and continuing to chase Feather.

The movements were fluid and seamless, truly like the birth of the Monkey King.

"It's really amazing."

Wang Sheng watched with awe and wonder.

Li Xiaoran: "Then you can play with it first, I'm going to take a shower."

"it is good."

Wang Sheng took the cat toy and started playing with the cat.

……

The body of 'Somersault Cloud' is like a meticulously tuned longbow, with amazing flexibility, combining strength and beauty.

Under Wang Sheng's guidance or forceful development, it can easily handle all kinds of difficult splits, its waist is so flexible that it seems to have no bones...

(End of this chapter)