Chapter 173: Finally Eighteen
It was the dead of night on Song Mian’s side when she finished her homework. Yun Xiangxiang did not send it to him immediately, concerned that she might disturb his rest.
She sent it in the morning before going to the company together with Lu Jin. The ad shoot would be at night.
The shooting venue was at a world-famous opera house. Arriving at such an early hour was to make it easy for them to communicate with the shooting crew.
Most of the staff were Italian. Both sides spoke English, so there was no language barrier in their communication.
Their filming paid great attention to detail. Deliberating back and forth was the norm. The director in charge would accompany them for the whole session.
They went to the opera house after lunch to emulate the scenes in the venue. There was even an experimental shooting of two scenes.
The ad content was brief. The female lead would exit the great opera house in glamorous attire. Resplendent with jewelry, her radiance succeeded in attracting the attention of young nobles.
They extended their invitation to her. Suddenly, the headlights of the male lead’s car shone in her direction. The female protagonist who stood within the light looked at him. His car zoomed past everyone else’s. Exiting his car, he ambled to the female lead with his hand extended to her.
The man was full of confidence, while the woman was lusciously mesmerising. One look at each other, and the female protagonist chose him.
The final scene was a close up of Lu Jin and the car. There was a punchline beside him and the car: The greatest thing in a man’s life is being a king.
It was said that the translation of the Italian name of this new sports car meant ‘greatest.’
The Italians had the same dedication in filming an ad as they would in a film. They would film again and again to get the perfect scene.
As they needed to shoot the graceful, resplendent, and bright opera house, they could only shoot at night.
The first two days of shooting were not satisfactory. The third day was when Yun Xiangxiang needed to go to the interview with “e-one.”
Naturally, Yun Xiangxiang could only tell them she needed to take the magazine interview in the morning and could only shoot at night. The sponsors let her go generously.
The interview with “e-one” was thanks to Lu Jin’s connection. Even though she lost out on NI.G’s endorsement, Yun Xiangxiang still wanted to go.
She was interviewed by a young lady. She was probably the new editor for “e-one.” Her interview turned out in a strictly businesslike manner.
She only asked Yun Xiangxiang when she saw the ring on her right hand, “Are you seeing someone?”
Yun Xiangxiang rubbed the ring. She answered promptly, “Yes.”
There was a cultural difference between Eastern and Western countries. No matter if they were actors or not, dating at seventeen or eighteen was generally acknowledged and acceptable.
Hers was a minor interview. It was also done in a foreign language. The issue would be sold in Milan for a week. She would not market it herself.
Judging from the situation of “EF” last time, Yun Xiangxiang did not think anyone in China would pay attention to it.
Admitting it outright was to make sure she could do something about it in the future. She did not want to keep Song Mian’s existence as a secret either.
There were many Chinese in Italy too. If luck was not on her side, she could prepare herself to face the heat.
She played in the ad for a few more sessions in the night after the interview. The director finally ended it.
She thought it would take five days. To her surprise, it was finished in three days.
“Happy birthday,” Lu Jin handed Yun Xiangxiang a handbag.
It was already eleven o’clock after their post shooting supper. Yun Xiangxiang’s birthday was one hour away.
The handbag was light. There was only a piece of paper lying in it. She did not have to tear it open. Yun Xiangxiang took the paper out. It was a car.
“I’m giving this at the sponsor’s expense. This is the car they gave me. I just happen to have no idea what I should give you, so I’ll just give you this car,” Lu Jin explained.
Yun Xiangxiang could not bear herself to immediately reject his gift. This car was expensive. It cost a million yuan.
Her relationship with Lu Jin naturally did not warrant such an expensive gift from him. However, since Lu Jin said that this was given to him by the company, Yun Xiangxiang could only take it. He did not spend any money after all. On top of that, he did not give her this out of nowhere, it was given as a birthday gift.
“Thank you Brother Jin.”
“I didn’t prepare any gifts for you. I’ll bring you to fashion week on the day after tomorrow,” said He Wei smilingly.
It happened to be Milan’s Spring Fashion Week. He Wei had already made the necessary arrangements to widen Yun Xiangxiang’s horizons.
“Thank you, Brother Wei,” Yun Xiangxiang attended a few fashion weeks in her past life.
Actors usually go to fashion weeks to support the brand they were endorsing. Some would attend to look for collaboration opportunities. They were the latter.
“It’s late. Go back and have some rest,” He Wei urged Yun Xiangxiang.
They went their own ways when they arrived at their room’s door. Her phone rang after she had stepped into her room. It was Song Mian.
“I’ll be at the hotel you’re at in fifteen minutes,” Song Mian was worried that Yun Xiangxiang might have slept.
“You’re on a helicopter!” Yun Xiangxiang picked up the sound of a helicopter.
“En, wait for me,” Song Mian hung up. It was not convenient to talk.
Yun Xiangxiang quickly removed her makeup and did her skincare routine. She had just finished changing her clothes when Song Qian pointed at the rooftop. “Top floor.”
Most high-end hotels had helipads. Yun Xiangxiang immediately hopped into the elevator. There was even someone waiting to open the door for when she arrived at the highest story.
The weather in Milan at this time felt as if it was late fall. It was not freezing, but it was breezy.
Yun Xiangxiang noticed the sound of the helicopter as she stepped into the top floor. The helicopter quickly stopped with the hotel crew’s help. Song Mian leaped off from it before the chopper had the time to stabilize itself.
With a box in his hand, he turned around to hug a pot of bonsai. As the bonsai was covered, Yun Xiangxiang had no idea what it was.
Only when the lights on the rooftop were all turned on, the beauty of the decorations around them could be appreciated.
Yun Xiangxiang, who was standing at the door, looked on as Song Mian came close to her step by step. After handing the box to her, lovingly, he said, “Happy birthday.”
“Birthday cake?” The box might be sealed. Even so, with how close it was to her, Yun Xiangxiang could still catch the scent of it.
“En, I made it myself,” Song Mian had known Yun Xiangxiang loved cakes all along. He held back from doing so just to wait for this day.
There was a long table standing beside them. On the table sat a reflector lamp. The table was decorated with red wine and flowers. Yun Xiangxiang took the cake to the table.
She was amazed after she opened the cake box. The cake was decorated in an all-ancient style.
It almost recreated how Madam Xi looked from the back perfectly. She kept this photo when she filmed for that film. Only Song Mian had that picture sent by her.
“My skills aren’t that great yet. I could only recreate how she looked from the back,” Song Mian told Yun Xiangxiang honestly.
Yun Xiangxiang was teary-eyed from being touched. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Why are you crying?” This reaction from Yun Xiangxiang took Song Mian by surprise. He immediately panicked.
Yun Xiangxiang shook her head as she wiped her tears away. She could not tell him nobody put so much effort in celebrating her birthday before this.
Yun Xiangxiang at least had her parents in this life. They would celebrate it with her on time when it was her birthday.
The crew would celebrate it with her in her past life after she became popular.
Even so, nobody poured so much effort like Song Mian did.