Chapter 1111: Perplexed and Smitten (171)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Your father and I have really gotten over it. From now on, the future presidents of the country will still be members of the Tuoba family. Hence, once your Father steps down from his position, he shall hand over the duties to another qualified candidate, regardless of whether he’s from the extended family or not. I understand that you’re worried that having an extended family member be the president would be disadvantageous to us, but Xiaoning, I’m no longer afraid. There’s nothing I fear now that I have you. If we start worrying now, wouldn’t we be extremely tired all the time? I’m lucky enough to be able to reunite with you and your father. There’s nothing else I have to wish for. I only hope that we’ll be safe and sound for the rest of our lives.”
An Xiaoning’s qualms vanished instantly, and she felt as if a boulder had been lifted off her shoulders.
“Mother, you’re right.”
“Sons and daughters are all the same. You’re my shoulder to lean on.”
“What’s going to happen to him after you and Father move into the Autumn Palace?”
Shi Qingzhou was well aware that “him” referred to Tuoba Rui.
“He has his own life to live too. I believe he’s already prepared himself mentally for this. Xiaoning, Qingyan wanted me to bring this to you.” Shi Qingzhou handed her two bags of items and said, “I was initially planning to bring you some clothes. However, he had beat me to it. He said that he had meticulously prepared these for you.”
An Xiaoning grabbed the bags and took out the boxes inside.
The clothes were in her favorite shade of red.
It was a long dress and a tassel cardigan that was suitable for the season.
The other box contained a pair of stilettos.
She fell in love with them at first sight.
“They’re beautiful,” Shi Qingzhou complimented.
An Xiaoning agreed, “Yes. Mother, Qingyan has always had great taste in clothing and a good sartorial sense. What time does the ceremony begin?”
“In an hour from now. It’s time I changed into my outfit and dolled myself up. After we change into our outfits, there’ll be professional makeup artists to help us with our makeup.”
—
Needless to say, all television channels in the nation would have to broadcast a live-stream of the ceremony, so as to raise awareness about the change of presidents.
Many of the citizens were watching the live-stream.
Fang Erlan was no exception. She sat on the couch and focused all her attention on the live-stream, keeping her eyes peeled to the television screen.
Meanwhile, Xiao Chenyang sat beside her with one arm on the couch. He was focusing his attention on Fang Erlan instead.
He was not in the least bit interested in what was going on in the live-stream.
Despite being extremely focused on the live-stream, she could not help but be a little distracted by his intense gaze.
“Why do you keep looking at me like that?”
“We’ll have to go to the television studio later.”
“So?”
“I’m wondering where I should sleep at night once we join the unit.”
“In your own room, of course. There are surveillance cameras everywhere in the hotel that we’ll be staying in. To everyone else, you’re only my cousin and my bodyguard. Please be mindful of that and know your limits.”
“Know my limits? I don’t.”
“If you don’t, I can teach you.”
Xiao Chenyang shifted his gaze onto the television screen and said, “Isn’t that Hua… isn’t that An Xiaoning?”
Fang Erlan cocked her head toward the side to face the screen and exclaimed excitedly, “Ah! Sis Xiaoning is on television too. She’s really beautiful, isn’t she?”
“She’s so-so.”
Glowering at him, Fang Erlan rebuked, “What? So-so? Are you blind?”
He did not answer her and instead continued smiling. Baffled, Fang Erlan remarked, “What are you smiling about? Weirdo.”
Fang Erlan wanted to board the nanny van to go to the television studio. However, he insisted that she take his car instead.
“If we go there in your car, what’s going to happen to Xiao Yue?”
“Let her take the nanny van. What’s the point of buying this car if we don’t use it?” He opened the door and got inside the car.
Fang Erlan had no choice but to move the luggage into the nanny van before getting inside his car.
The two vehicles left the estate one after another.
The filming location for the ancient segment of “The Man from the Ancient Times” was set to be in a well-preserved royal residence in B City. They’ve also set up a backdrop for some of the modern day segments of the television series to be filmed on the same set. There were also several other locations where filming would be taking place for the various scenes of the television series. However, they decided to begin with those that were to be filmed in B City.
It was already two o’clock in the afternoon by the time they arrived at the film set in B City. This time, the hotel that the production team and cast would be staying in was rather near the royal residence and the other filming location.
After the vehicles were parked by the entrance of the hotel, Fang Erlan and Xiao Yue alighted from their respective vehicles at around the same time.
Xiao Chenyang and the driver of the nanny van then drove their vehicles to the car park of the hotel.
Fang Erlan grabbed one of the suitcases that Xiao Yue was holding. It was a large suitcase that contained Xiao Chenyang’s and her belongings.
It was inevitably heavy.
“Sis Erlan, why don’t you carry my suitcase and let me take that larger one instead?”
“It’s alright. I’m starving. Let’s place the luggage in the room and go out for lunch afterward,” Fang Erlan urged.
“Alright, sure,” said Xiao Yue, who followed closely behind.
As soon as they passed the turnstile at the entrance, Fang Erlan was stopped in her tracks by a female voice. “Erlan, you’re here.”
The woman walked toward Fang Erlan. “You are?” asked Fang Erlan, who had never seen her before.
“I’m Li Shuangshuang, the stage manager of the television series.”
Fang Erlan hurriedly greeted her, “Hello, Sis Shuang.”
“You may just call me by my name. I’m not that much older than you are. I was just planning to go out to welcome you guys, thinking that you would be arriving any time soon, yet I bumped into you right after I came out of the elevator. Didn’t you bring your bodyguard with you?”
“I did, he’s parking the car now.”
“Why don’t you wait for him here, then? In case he can’t find you guys later…”
“It’s alright. We’ll just give him a call later.”
Li Shuangshuang nodded and said while smiling, “Alright, let’s go upstairs first, then. Erlan, hand me your suitcase, I’ll help you carry it.”
Fang Erlan tactfully declined, “It’s alright, it’s not heavy for me to lug it around at all. The doors are open, let’s enter the elevator.”
“Okay.”
The elevator ascended to the tenth floor.
Fang Erlan followed the stage manager to room 1028, and the latter inserted her key card into the slot of the door’s lock, after which the door opened immediately. Li Shuangshuang then slid the card into the card slot on the wall and the lights in the room were switched on instantly.
“This shall be your room for the whole of our stay in B City. It’s a deluxe room with a large queen-sized bed.”
Although the amenities of the room were pleasant, they were a far cry from the one she had stayed in previously while filming for the other television series. However, Fang Erlan had no complaints. She said, “I’ll have to trouble you if I need help from now on, Sis Shuang.”
Seeing how polite she was, Li Shuangshuang said with a smile, “Don’t mention it. It’s only my duty. Feel free to approach me if you encounter any problems. By the way, your assistant and your bodyguard would be staying in a suite room on the ninth floor. It’s a suite with four smaller rooms. Your assistant will be staying in room 907 while your bodyguard and your chauffeur will be sharing room 908.”
“Alright, got it.”
“Okay, I won’t impose on you any further, then. Sort your luggage and freshen up. If you don’t wish to dine at the hotel’s restaurant, you may go to the restaurants outside, there are lots of food places around here.”
“Yes, alright.”