Extracting skills from movies

After returning to China, Du Sheng's pace of life immediately quickened.

With only a dozen days left until the release of "Taken", he hasn't been idle since he landed.

They're either at the annual meeting or on their way to the shareholders' meeting;
Or it can involve handling major company decisions, such as annual strategic planning.

He even attended various celebration banquets and commendation meetings of Miracle Cinema, Phoenix TV, Miracle Records, Renren.com, YY Voice and other branches.

In addition, he was also a member of the Olympic Games opening ceremony planning team, responsible for the design and adjustment of some important processes.

With only six months left until the opening of the Olympics, many program details must be finalized in advance and rehearsed repeatedly to avoid any mistakes.

During this period, his schedule was almost completely filled, and even weekends became a scarce resource.

However, for Du Sheng, this rhythm actually made him feel at ease.

Compared to the semi-secret "battle life" abroad, it's more like a full-scale war in China now.

He had to be involved in everything personally, from companies and projects to movies, variety shows, capital operations, and sporting events.

That day, Du Sheng, who was busy, had to take some time to attend a family dinner.

"A Sheng!"

As soon as Fan Bingbing saw Du Sheng, she waved and greeted him, her voice charming and slightly excited.

Today she wore a simple and elegant beige trench coat, her hair casually tied up in a bun, making her look exceptionally energetic.

Du Sheng's timely attendance at the family dinner warmed her heart.

Fan Sixia stood next to her cousin, smiling and whispering:
"Sis, your boyfriend is even more handsome than he appears on screen."

Upon hearing this, Fan Bingbing couldn't help but smile.

"Of course, how could my judgment be bad?"

Fan Sixia pouted:

"He's much better than me, that blockhead. All I do is go to work and see patients. I'm not romantic at all."

As the two were talking, Du Sheng walked up to them, followed by Wang Yaoyang carrying a bag.

"Will we make it in time?"

As Du Sheng asked the question, he naturally put his arm around Fan Bingbing's waist.

Fan Bingbing leaned gently against him and said with a smile:
"Yes, you can make it. Grandma's birthday banquet is in the evening."

She turned and introduced:

“This is my cousin, Fan Sixia.”

Du Sheng nodded with a smile:

"Hello."

Fan Sixia smiled sweetly:
"Hello, Brother Sheng!"

She looked curiously at Wang Yaoyang beside her:
"Who is this?"

"Oh, this is my assistant, Wang Yaoyang."

A brief introduction to Du Sheng:
"I need to go to Guangzhou tomorrow to discuss some business, and I'll need his help."

Fan Sixia joked:
"Big star bosses are different. They never stop working when they come back, even during holidays they talk about work."

Fan Bingbing didn't ask Du Sheng what he was going to Guangzhou for, and took his hand to walk towards the parking lot:

"Stop standing there talking, let's go back quickly."

Du Sheng got into Fan Bingbing's car, while Wang Yaoyang didn't follow. He went directly to find a hotel to rest and would set off for Guangzhou together the next day.

……

The birthday banquet was held at home and was not a large event; only close relatives and a few old friends were invited.

When Du Sheng and his family arrived, not all of their family members had arrived yet.
Only Fan Bingbing's parents and her uncle were busy preparing dinner in the kitchen.

As for Fan Sixia's doctor boyfriend, he can only come over after he gets off work.

Fan Bingbing led Du Sheng into the house, and as soon as they entered, she happily called out:
"Grandma, Mom and Dad, this is my boyfriend, Du Sheng."

Du Sheng politely greeted everyone, and finally took out a pair of jade bracelets from his bag, presenting them to the old lady with both hands:
May Grandma enjoy boundless happiness and longevity!

Upon hearing this, the old lady couldn't stop smiling.

"Oh, it's good that you're here. You didn't need to bring any gifts."

She took the bracelet and examined it closely. The emerald green color was very translucent, the texture was delicate, and the luster was warm and smooth.

What's even more remarkable is that the two bracelets are engraved with the characters "福" (fortune) and "寿" (longevity) respectively, symbolizing good fortune and exquisite craftsmanship.

The old lady liked it more and more as she looked at it, and the smile on her face never stopped.

When Fan Bingbing said she wanted to become an actress, the old lady was initially against it, thinking that the industry was too murky and she was afraid that the young girl would be taken advantage of.

Later, seeing that Fan Bingbing was quite disciplined while filming and that there were no major problems in her personal life, I gradually accepted her.

However, the old lady was still a traditional person. Seeing that her granddaughter was over twenty-five years old and still unmarried, she began to worry and wished that her granddaughter would find a reliable man to settle down immediately.

Now that Du Sheng has appeared, the old lady's eyes light up.

Not only is the young man handsome, but I also heard that he is a big boss of a film company and a TV station. He is successful in his career, has a stable personality, and is pleasing to the eye no matter how you look at him.

The old lady quietly nodded to her son, her eyes full of satisfaction.

Fan Bingbing's father, Fan Tao, was a chess enthusiast who loved playing with chessboards.

He decided to personally "test" his prospective son-in-law, so he asked his daughter to bring out the chess set from the house:

"Ah Sheng, do you know how to play chess?"

Du Sheng smiled:
"I know a little bit."

Fan Tao set up the chessboard and said cheerfully:

"Since we haven't started eating yet, why don't you play a few rounds with this old man? I haven't found an opponent in ages."

Du Sheng didn't refuse and sat down to start setting out the table.

Fan Bingbing sat beside him, watching the two of them make their moves with a smile.

The old man was the first to be shot, and Du Sheng responded with a standard Pegasus.

The first few moves impressed Fan Tao, who nodded in approval, thinking that the young man was composed and not impulsive.

If Du Sheng had started off with a bang, Fan Tao would have definitely suspected that he was short-tempered and reckless.

At first, Fan Tao had a smile on his face, acting like an elder teasing a younger person.

But ten minutes later, his expression turned serious.

Because the situation quickly became deadlocked, with both sides trading blows and neither gaining a clear advantage.

In the final endgame, Fan Tao managed to checkmate Du Sheng's king with just a horse and a pawn.

The old man was as excited as a child, slapping his thigh and shouting with delight:

"Good lad, you've got some skill!"

Du Sheng smiled and said:
"My uncle is a master chess player; I tried my best but couldn't win a single game."

Fan Tao was secretly pleased to hear this. He had originally wanted to observe Du Sheng's character and personality through the game of chess, but as he played, he became so engrossed in the game that he completely forgot his original intention.

He urged them on as he set up the chess pieces:
"One more round! One more round!"

After playing five or six games in a row, Fan Tao won by a narrow margin each time. Although Du Sheng lost, he fought hard in every game and accepted his defeat wholeheartedly.

The old man became increasingly pleased, and his impression of Du Sheng changed from "not bad" to "very satisfied".

At the dinner table, the old lady kept praising Du Sheng for being sensible and polite, which made Fan Bingbing feel very happy.

She secretly squeezed Du Sheng's hand and whispered:

"How about it, aren't my family members difficult to deal with?"

Du Sheng smiled and grasped her hand in return:

"It's alright, as long as you don't mind me being your future son-in-law."

Fan Bingbing gave him a charmingly disdainful look:
"Of course I don't mind!" The birthday banquet was a joyous and lively affair.

Seeing that it was still early, and feeling his chess addiction flare up again, the old man pulled Du Sheng into another game.

Just then, Fan Sixia's boyfriend, Lu Chenzhou, finally arrived.

He was wearing a white coat and had just arrived from the hospital. He looked a little tired, but his spirits were good.

As soon as he entered, he saw everyone gathered in the living room playing chess, and he smiled and went over to join them:
"Oh, playing chess?"

Uncle, you lost again, didn't you?"

Upon hearing this, Fan Tao immediately straightened his back:

"I won several games today!"
Ah Sheng is actually quite good at chess. You should play a few games with him if you don't believe me.

Lu Chenzhou did not refuse and sat down to play chess with Du Sheng.

This game was incredibly close, with each move feeling like being choked, making it increasingly difficult for Lu Chenzhou.

Even though he was usually better at chess than the old man, why did he feel restricted in every way when he played against Du Sheng?
The more the old man watched, the more he felt something was wrong.

Logically speaking, Lu Chenzhou's playing style is more stable and his thinking is clearer, so why is he being suppressed by Du Sheng instead?
Upon closer inspection, the old man's heart skipped a beat.

So Du Sheng deliberately went easy on them before!

Moreover, this kid's conceding moves was extremely clever, neither letting the opponent notice nor failing to control the rhythm. He was simply a master among masters!
The old man's expression slowly changed, and he began to have doubts.

After watching another game, the old man finally understood completely:
This kid isn't incapable of winning; he just knows how to conceal his strength.

When Du Sheng got up to go to the bathroom, the old man quietly went into the kitchen, where his wife Zhang Chuanmei was preparing dessert.

Seeing her husband looking thoughtful, Zhang Chuanmei smiled and asked:
"How was it? You and Ah Sheng seemed to be having a lot of fun."

Fan Tao sighed and said in a low voice:

"This kid is very cunning. He likes to scheme against people when playing chess, and he's especially shrewd. Once he gains the upper hand, he doesn't leave his opponent any way out, pressing forward relentlessly until they can't breathe."

Zhang Chuanmei rolled her eyes:

"What kind of logic is that? It's utter nonsense."

She shook her head as she stirred the sugar water:
"I've met Ah Sheng a few times. He's a very steady person and speaks very generously."

Besides, he's an internationally renowned figure; how could he not be shrewd?

She paused and continued:

"Look at Shen Zhou, he's straightforward, but he'll only ever be a doctor and won't make a lot of money."

Ah Sheng is different; he's a man destined for great things!

Fan Tao muttered to himself:
"You don't understand. Playing chess is like judging a person's character."

Look at his style, so meticulous and decisive, it's not something an ordinary person should have..."

Zhang Chuanmei already knew her daughter had made up her mind about him, and couldn't be bothered to listen to his rambling:

"Alright, alright, if you want to play chess, go back and play. Don't come here and spout nonsense about personality theories."

After saying that, she kicked him out of the kitchen.

……

As a prospective son-in-law visiting for the first time, and also a well-known figure in the country, Du Sheng naturally became the focus of attention.

Relatives took turns asking questions, ranging from where your hometown is, the size of your company, its international reputation, to whether you plan to immigrate...

A variety of problems arose one after another, leaving people both amused and exasperated.

The old lady mentioned marriage on several occasions:
“Bingbing, you’re not getting any younger. Look at your cousins, they’re all married, and you’re still single and wandering around outside.”

Fan Bingbing always brushed it off with a smile:

"Grandma, I'm too busy with work right now, I really don't have time to think about these things."

The old lady nodded and said:

"We may be busy, but marriage is an important matter that can't be delayed for too long. The sooner we settle things, the more at ease we'll feel."

Fan Bingbing could only nod in agreement, but her heart was filled with mixed feelings.

She knew that Du Sheng was a man with explosive combat power, and without the help of a few teammates, he would be no match for him.

That feeling of being utterly humiliated...

But she just couldn't let go of him; her heart was already tied to him.

The old lady took Fan Bingbing's hand and quietly pulled her aside:
“Bingbing, let me give you a heads-up. Asheng is younger than you. If you don’t act now, you’ll be at a disadvantage if he finds a younger girl later.”

Fan Bingbing sighed softly:
"I know, but he's been really busy lately."

Tomorrow I have to go to Guangzhou for business, then fly to Hong Kong, and there's also movie promotion to do... I don't have time for weddings at all.

The old lady nodded and said earnestly:
"It's true that men should pursue great careers, but no matter how busy they are, they still need a family."

"Only after getting married and having someone to take care of him can he focus on his work."

Fan Bingbing could only agree:

"Well, I'll talk to him about it after he's done with this busy period."

The old lady suddenly lowered her voice and asked:

"Bingbing, have you and Asheng... done that?"

Fan Bingbing blushed and nodded slightly.

The old lady's eyes lit up:
"Then get pregnant first. Once you have a child, you'll naturally have to get married."

These words stirred something within Fan Bingbing.

She actually had the same thought.

After all, her close friends Liu Tao, Jia Jingwen, and Zhou Huimin were all pregnant, and she felt somewhat envious.

That night, Du Sheng was arranged to stay in a guest room, the same room Fan Bingbing had stayed in before, which clearly indicated that the Fan family had already accepted their relationship.

The room was dimly lit, and the atmosphere was ambiguous.

Fan Bingbing was unusually proactive tonight, even willing to try the "services" she usually resisted the most.

She knelt on the bed and gently unbuttoned Du Sheng's shirt, her eyes full of charm and affection.

"Ah Sheng... I'm in my safe period today... Give it to me."

Her voice was low, tinged with excitement and anticipation.

Du Sheng looked at her, a smile playing on his lips, and reached out to pull her into his arms.

Outside the window, the night was deep, but inside, spring was gradually intensifying.

Their figures intertwined under the lights, as if the whole world consisted only of each other.

.........

That day, Du Sheng was in Hong Kong promoting his upcoming film, "Taken".

Directors Lin Chaoxian and Li Dachao, along with their creative teams, had just finished an interview and were preparing to move on to the next event to continue their public appearances.

Wang Yaoyang suddenly strode over from backstage and said in a low voice:
"Brother Sheng, President Ye has an urgent matter to attend to. He said the situation is not quite right."

Du Sheng was taken aback:
"what's the situation?"

Wang Yaoyang hesitated for a moment, but still whispered the truth:

"It seems like...she's about to give birth."

Upon hearing this, Du Sheng immediately glanced at his watch; it was already close to 11 p.m.

Without further delay, he called the two directors aside:
"I have to leave early because I'm in a bit of a hurry. Let's focus the publicity on Bai Zhi, Yao Wei, Kitagawa Keiko, and Peng Yuyan from now on."

Lin Chaoxian knew that Du Sheng valued this film highly, and that he must have some urgent business to attend to at this moment.

He didn't ask any further questions and nodded in response:
"Don't worry, we'll take care of it."

…(End of this chapter)