I am a historical film director in the entertainment industry.

In his view, "Crazy Racer" had a stellar box office performance, but its critical reception and narrative quality lagged far behind "Crazy Stone".

Before filming began, he specifically ordered Ning Hao to polish the script five times, add 40 million yuan to the filming investment, and fill in the loopholes in the original plot. However, the final film was still almost the same as the previous one.

The film's box office surge was entirely due to Shengli Films' saturated online marketing campaign, coupled with the golden period of the National Day holiday when there were no competing films. If it had been released during a normal period, it's uncertain whether the box office would have even exceeded 50%.

Even so, the film still made a lot of money, and Cheng Sheng did not cut back on the benefits of the main creators. As soon as the film was released, he instructed Xing Aina to organize a celebration banquet for the whole team and distribute the full amount of bonuses, so as not to mistreat Ning Hao's team.

“I’ve seen the finished film, and the flaws are indeed very obvious.” Chen Kaige adopted the lecturing tone of an industry veteran, his tone judgmental. “It would be better if he lost his original intention after becoming famous overnight and forgot the bottom line of his early realistic creation. If you had given him a top-notch script like ‘Buried Alive’ back then and helped him gain a foothold, the quality of the finished film would have been far superior to what it is now if I had directed this film.”

Cheng Sheng almost laughed out loud. He clearly remembered that Chen Kai's subsequent works suffered a complete collapse in reputation, with empty narratives and detachment from reality, making him utterly unworthy of the title of one of the three major directors in mainland China.

But out of consideration for Chen Hong's feelings, he still flattered her, saying, "Brother-in-law, you are joking. I am still inexperienced and cannot compare with you. Even Zhang Guoshi, the national master, would give you some respect in the industry."

These words pleased Chen Kai greatly, and he laughed loudly: "Little Cheng really knows how to talk. It's a blessing for Ah Hong to accept you as her godson."

Then she raised her voice and instructed, "Ah Hong, Xiao Cheng is so sensible and understanding, you should pay more attention to him and treat him well in the future."

Chen Hong clenched her teeth tightly, holding her breath, afraid of making the slightest noise.

She secretly mocked herself: she had already given herself to him, body and soul, and her husband was still telling her to treat Cheng Sheng well. If Chen Kaige knew the truth, she wondered if he would regret it.

There was no response from the receiver for a long time, so Chen Kai called out repeatedly, "Ah Hong? Are you still listening?"

Annoyed by the noise, Chen Hong retorted impatiently, "Old Chen, are you ever going to stop? Don't worry, I've already ordered top-grade abalone, enough for Cheng Sheng to eat."

"Top-grade abalone?" Chen Kaige immediately became interested. "Is it Australian black abalone or Japanese netted abalone? These two types are considered the best quality in the market."

“It’s our domestically produced abalone.” Chen Hong said dismissively, with no time to mince words.

Chen Kai immediately and accurately identified the type of abalone, demonstrating his professionalism: "Domestic abalone? Is it Dalian wrinkled abalone, Lianjiang abalone, or the newer green abalone? Green abalone is large, thick-fleshed, heat-resistant, and has a short growth cycle, and is known in the industry as the king of domestic abalone."

He was able to name several subcategories in just a few seconds, which shows that he has a deep understanding of aquatic ingredients.

Cheng Sheng leaned close to Chen Hong's ear, lowered his voice, and teased with a smile, "Sister Hong, which kind of abalone did you prepare for me?"

Chen Hong rolled her eyes at him, her gaze subtly reproachful, silently criticizing him for deliberately causing trouble.

Cheng Sheng took the phone and replied naturally, "Brother-in-law, Sister Hong is packing her things right now and doesn't have time to reply. She treated me to the local farmed abalone from Xijiang."

"Xijiang Abalone King?" Chen Kaige was completely stunned, his face full of doubt. "I've never heard of this category before. Xijiang is an inland freshwater basin, and abalone is a high-salinity marine organism that has extremely high requirements for water temperature, salinity, and planktonic bacteria. There are no natural farming conditions inland. You haven't been fooled by local merchants."

Chen Hong raised her eyes and stared at Cheng Sheng with a half-smile, her gaze direct: I want to see how you're going to cover up this loophole.

Cheng Sheng's expression suddenly turned serious, and his tone was extremely firm: "Brother-in-law, you are rather ignorant. In the past two years, closed-loop saline-water dikes have been built on the tributaries of the Xijiang River to artificially adjust the salinity of the water, which has broken through the inland aquaculture barrier. I am a native of Xijiang, and I would never mistake the species."

"I see." Chen Kai didn't delve into it, easily dispelling his doubts. "You locals know the inside story. It seems that new breeding technology has been implemented."

Cheng Sheng chuckled inwardly; Chen Kaige was indeed easily fooled by superficial words. He smoothly concluded, "Brother-in-law, we're about to have dinner. If there's nothing urgent, I'll hang up now."

"No problem, when you return to China, I'll treat you to authentic Green Plate Abalone King."

After hanging up the call, Cheng Sheng pressed and held the power button to turn off Chen Hong's phone, preventing any further calls and allowing him to continue enjoying the so-called "Xijiang Abalone King" in peace.

……

At 3 p.m., Cheng Sheng left the West Suburbs Hotel alone.

Feeling completely refreshed, Chen Hong and Xu Fan, compared to the inexperienced young girls, were adept at navigating social situations, were meticulous and considerate, and provided a far superior experience in their company.

The crisp ringtone of a cell phone suddenly broke the silence inside the car.

Cheng Sheng glanced down at his phone's caller ID, his pupils dilated slightly, and he realized that the caller was Zeng Li.

His heart sank instantly, and he immediately thought of the candid photo taken at the airport.

Feng Dapao and Chen Kai were separated by a screen, and only their blurry backs could be recognized. Their identities could not be confirmed for a moment.

Zeng Li had been by his side for a long time and was familiar with his walking posture and clothing habits. Even if she only saw his back, she could definitely see through him at a glance.

He suppressed the panic in his heart, swiped his finger to answer the call, and said in a deliberately flippant tone, "Sister Li, it's already two in the morning back home, why aren't you asleep yet? Are you having trouble sleeping because you miss me?"

There was no hint of laughter in the receiver; Zeng Li's voice was as cold as ice water: "The photo of her picking me up at the airport has been circulating online; how can I sleep?"

Cheng Sheng's last shred of hope vanished completely; he was recognized after all.

But she remained outwardly calm, feigning ignorance and asking in a puzzled tone, "Sister Li, what photos could be so bothering you?"

He quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind.

If it were any other lover, he could have just laid it all out. After all, Zeng Li had helped him navigate many romantic entanglements in private and had even introduced Zhang Meng to him; she was always very perceptive.

But Chen Hong and Xu Fan are different; both of them are married, and touching other people's marriages is a bottom line issue.

Zeng Li has strong moral principles and hates breaking up other people's families. Once she finds out the truth, she will most likely break up with him directly, which is a risk that Cheng Sheng does not want to take.

"See for yourself." Zeng Li was too lazy to explain further, her tone cold and hard.

The next second, a high-definition candid photo was sent through the chat page. The picture showed his back as he helped Chen Hong with her luggage at Los Angeles Airport. The angle was tricky, avoiding his facial features and only showing his silhouette.

“Most people inside and outside the industry can’t tell you apart, but I recognized you at first glance.” Zeng Li’s tone was flat, each word clear. “I never pry into your private affairs, but there are some lines that cannot be crossed. As a married person, you must never get involved.” (End of Chapter)