Entertainment Era: Starting with Teaching Sister Meng to Sing

After finalizing things with Mao Xiaotong, Wang Xiaozhou left Song Shihui's house but didn't go home; instead, he went straight to an internet cafe.

No matter the time or day, as long as you go to an internet cafe, you're sure to run into your best buddies.

It was still machine number twenty-seven. Wang Xiaozhou threw the snacks he'd bought outside onto the table and asked the blond-haired man with dark circles under his eyes:

"I haven't been home for days. You can't keep going like this during winter break. Don't die from overexertion."

The third guy, who was racing nearby, looked at him with admiration: "This guy is obsessed with League of Legends now. He's saving up to buy Yasuo right now. He hasn't been home for three days because of the 6,300 gold coins."

Liu Guangwei pulled a bottle of Coke from his pocket, opened it, and took a sip: "Brother, why are you back? Didn't you go to Linzhou with your wife? Is everything settled there?"

Wang Xiaozhou didn't turn on his phone, but replied directly: "It's over once the show is finished over there. I have to accompany your other sister-in-law to Shanghai to film a short film. Which of you is free? Come with me tomorrow."

"Another sister-in-law, holy crap, could it be Teacher Song?"

The blond-haired man's eyes widened, and he asked excitedly.

Wang Xiaozhou shook his head: "That's your other sister-in-law."

"Go, go, we're all fine, go!"

The third brother pushed up his glasses in a sly manner: "Don't even mention that we have to be there when you, Boss Wang, have something to do. Just talking about seeing the new sister-in-law, none of us can be left out."

Wang Xiaozhou stood up and said, "I'm going home first. You guys shouldn't play anymore. Go home and discuss it with your parents. If they agree, we'll set off tomorrow."

"They would never disagree if I went out with you. I'm not going back. Yasuo is still short two hundred gold coins, and I can probably finish it tonight."

Huang Mao put his headphones back on and started fighting again.

Wang Xiaozhou neither agreed nor disagreed, put on his coat and went straight home to be with his parents.

I took Huang Mao and his friends to Shanghai for two reasons: firstly, to have someone look after them, and secondly, to broaden their horizons.

Secondly, it's also to save some money. Shooting a short film definitely requires hiring actors, and the little money I have in my pocket isn't enough to go through all that trouble. I can't afford to hire anyone with even a little bit of fame.

If you hire extras, you can't ask for too much money if you only pay them 200 yuan a day. You can make them do whatever they want with you.

When Ma Xiaoping heard that her son was leaving as soon as he got home, she was a little upset.

Wang Xiaozhou kept giving his father meaningful glances, but his father, a typical straight man, didn't know how to coax him, so in the end he had to take matters into his own hands.

"My uncles and their family have all bought houses in the city. Our house in the county town is still not enough. I'm thinking of taking advantage of this opportunity to earn more money and buy you a house in the city too."

"By the time I'm in college, you and Dad can stay wherever you want, and you'll have someone to keep you company wherever you are."

Ma Xiaoping's mood immediately improved, and she blinked, looking slightly dazed, as she repeated, "Buy a house in the city?"

Wang Xiaozhou said confidently, "Yes, there are many businesses to do in the city. I'll use this time to save up some capital so that next year my dad can stop farming and we can go to the city to do some business."

"But this house is newly bought, why buy so many houses?"

Ma Xiaoping was a little reluctant to part with him.

Wang Xiaozhou laughed and said, "House prices will rise for a long time to come, so let's treat it as saving money. It's more worthwhile than putting it in the bank."

The departure was set for tomorrow. The next day, Ma Xiaoping got up early as usual and made dumplings.

While Wang Xiaozhou was helping out, he noticed his mother hesitated several times, so he smiled and said, "Just say what's on your mind. Why are you being shy with your son?"

Hearing this, Ma Xiaoping focused even more intently on making dumplings, without looking up at Wang Xiaozhou, and said, "Mom hopes you can be successful, but also hopes you won't be too successful. Your dad and I have worked hard for so many years, but we haven't been able to save up for a house in the county town. I'm afraid you'll overwork yourself."

Wang Xiaozhou was worried that if he kept making dumplings, they would become too salty, so he turned around and went to the balcony to light a cigarette.

Little did my mother know that she was already forty years old and still living off her pension. How could doing so little work in her life be tiring?

Even if it's truly exhausting, it's all for atonement.

They met at Wang Xiaozhou's house at six in the morning. Huang Mao and his two companions, plus Mao Xiaotong, couldn't fit everyone in Wang Jianguo's Passat, so Song Shihui also drove to drop them off.

Wang Xiaozhou was sitting in Song Shihui's carriage.

Once on the airport expressway, the traffic thinned out, making driving easier. Song Shihui then turned and glared at Wang Xiaozhou.

"You secretly kidnapped my sister and took her to Shanghai behind my back. What are you trying to do?"

Wang Xiaozhou was somewhat guilty: "Making short films is like Meng Ziyi's case. I promote her, and after she becomes famous, she has to share her earnings with me."

Song Shihui narrowed his eyes: "Really, it's for making money?"

Wang Xiaozhou nodded vigorously: "Really!"

Song Shihui sighed: "Then let's go. Anyway, I'm going home for the New Year these next couple of days."

"Are you going home too?"

"Yes, I'll spend the Lunar New Year with my dad."

"When I get home from Shanghai, I'll stop in Tianjin to see you."

Song Shihui smiled meaningfully: "Are you looking at me, or at my dad?"

Wang Xiaozhou said with a grin, "Looking at you, of course I'm looking at you."

At the airport entrance, Wang Xiaozhou waved goodbye to Song Shihui and his father, then led the group into the station.

I didn't buy a first-class ticket this time to show off. I'll have plenty of other expenses in Shanghai, so there's no need to spend all my money on the journey.

Even in economy class, it was enough to surprise the group of young men, including the blond-haired guy, who were flying for the first time.

After chatting with the flight attendants and ordering two extra in-flight meals, the group arrived in Shanghai in a pleasant manner.

Four men and one woman stood at the airport entrance, their eyes filled with confusion.

"Big brother, which way do we go?"

Huang Mao clutched his stomach and asked, explaining that he had just ordered three airplane meals from the flight attendant and was now feeling a bit full.

Wang Xiaozhou looked at Mao Xiaotong and asked, "What are your plans?"

Mao Xiaotong pointed to herself incredulously: "Me? Planning?"

Wang Xiaozhou knew he had asked a pointless question, so he waved his hand casually and said, "Let's go, let's find a hotel to put our things in first, and then find an agency to rent a place."

On the taxi ride, Wang Xiaozhou couldn't come up with a solution himself, so he asked Mao Xiaotong, "What do you prepare before filming a TV series? Do you rent a location first or find people first?"

Upon hearing this, Mao Xiaotong rubbed her forehead. She knew that she had truly joined a makeshift crew. The director didn't even know whether to rent a venue first or find actors first. How was she supposed to get the job done?

However, clinging to a last hope, Mao Xiaotong explained, "I'm not very clear about the work of the production crew, but generally the first thing to do is to contact the actors. Finding a location is something the director doesn't usually handle; it's generally left to the assistant director."

Wang Xiaozhou thought about it and realized that his skills could only ensure the best possible filming results, but the crew couldn't do all the odd jobs without someone to do them, and they were still missing an assistant director.

Even after putting his luggage away at the hotel, Wang Xiaozhou still couldn't think of anyone suitable to be with him, so he had to take out his phone and call Song Shihui.

After hearing the whole story, Song Shihui pondered for a moment and then replied:

"There really is such a person. His name is Fumino, and he's currently in Kyoto."