Chapter 58: Incoming Call

Xiang Qian pulled out his key, and the moment he pushed the door open, the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Qian-zai!" Wu Ma's excited voice came through the other end of the line, "Your dad and I saw you on TV! The Palme d'Or! The whole of Xiangjiang is reporting it!"

Xiang Qian smiled and tossed his briefcase onto the sofa: "Ma, calm down, calm down."

"Calm down what!" Wu Dad snatched the phone, his voice booming, "My son is now an international big-time director! The neighbors are all coming to ask me for autographs!"

Xiang Qian rubbed his temples: "Dad, don't go selling my posters again."

"Wouldn't dare this time!" Wu Dad laughed heartily, "Your ma had it framed and hung up in the living room!"

He had just hung up the family call when his mobile rang again.

"Hello?"

"Qian-zai!" Wang Jing's loud voice was so booming Xiang Qian held the phone farther from his ear, "The Palme d'Or! Take me along next time you shoot! I'd even be your assistant director!"

Xiang Qian raised a teasing smile: "Sure, but no pay."

"Easy, easy!" Wang Jing hollered, "I've even got the script thought out already, let's call it 'Make Money with Xiang'!"

"......"

He had just hung up on Wang Jing when Zhang Guorong's number flashed on the screen.

"Qian-zai, congratulations." Zhang Guorong's voice was warm and mellow as jade, "I saw the news in Paris, I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks, big bro." Xiang Qian leaned back on the sofa, "What have you been up to lately?"

"Preparing a new album." Zhang Guorong chuckled lightly, "But now the whole of Hong Kong is talking about your film, no one cares about my new song anymore."

Xiang Qian laughed and scolded: "Cut it out, you're a Heavenly King, would you ever lack attention?"

He had just hung up when Anita Mui's incoming call pushed through.

"Hello, Sister Mei?"

"Qian-zai!" Anita Mui's voice carried excitement, "I don't care, you have to come be my guest at my next concert!"

"Sure, no problem."

"It's different now!" Anita Mui laughed, "A Palme d'Or director at my concert, how prestigious!"

Xiang Qian said helplessly: "You win......"

After dealing with Anita Mui, Lin Zhengying's call came in again.

"Qian-zai." Lin Zhengying's voice was as steady as ever, "Congratulations."

"Ying-ge!" Xiang Qian sat up straight, "How have you been lately?"

"Just got out of the hospital, wasn't Hong-ge preparing to have me write 'The Vampire Family'?" Lin Zhengying paused, "But after seeing your film, I was thinking maybe I should do a genre switch too."

Xiang Qian laughed: "Ying-ge, your Taoist priest image is deeply rooted in people's hearts, switch to what?"

"Do an art film?" Lin Zhengying was uncharacteristically humorous, "Like...... a vampire love story?"

Xiang Qian burst out laughing: "That could work!"

He had just hung up when Hung Jin-bao's call came in.

"Qian-zai!" Hung Jin-bao's loud voice was even more exaggerated than Wang Jing's, "You kid, not bad! Without a peep, you went and got a Palme d'Or!"

"Hong-ge, stop teasing me."

"Who's teasing you!" Hung Jin-bao hollered, "Let me tell you, every director in Hong Kong is talking about you now, even Tsui Hark is asking me for your number!"

Xiang Qian raised an eyebrow: "Tsui Hark? What does he want?"

"What else? To collaborate, of course!" Hung Jin-bao laughed, "But let me say this first, the martial arts choreographer for the next film has to be me!"

"Sure, sure, sure, whatever Hong-ge says."

Finally, the phone was quiet for a while. Xiang Qian had just been about to go take a shower when his mobile rang again.

This time it was Zhou Huimin.

"Hello?" Xiang Qian's voice unconsciously softened.

"Congratulations, international big-time director~" Zhou Huimin's voice carried a smile, "The whole of Hong Kong is talking about you now, even my crew colleagues are talking about you."

Xiang Qian chuckled lightly: "Did you show off a little?"

"Of course!" Zhou Huimin said playfully.

Xiang Qian burst out laughing: "Worthy of being my girlfriend."

"Honestly," Zhou Huimin's voice softened, "I watched your interview in Cannes, I'm really proud of you."

Xiang Qian leaned against the headboard, staring at the ceiling: "Actually...... it feels a bit unreal."

"Hmm?"

Xiang Qian said softly, "Like a dream."

The other end of the line was silent for a while.

"It's not a dream." Zhou Huimin said earnestly, "You deserve this."

Xiang Qian smiled: "Thank you."

"But......" Zhou Huimin suddenly changed the subject, "You're so famous now, will there be a lot of female celebrities coming after you?"

Xiang Qian couldn't help laughing: "Jealous?"

"Not at all!" Zhou Huimin huffed lightly, "I'm just reminding someone not to forget there's still a proper girlfriend at home~"

"Don't worry," Xiang Qian laughed, "Who would dare steal the Palme d'Or director's girlfriend?"

Zhou Huimin laughed out loud: "Good that you know your place!"

The two chatted for a while longer, until Xiang Qian's eyelids began to droop.

"Sleepy?" Zhou Huimin asked softly.

"Mm......" Xiang Qian's voice was already slurring, "Still have to go to the company for a meeting tomorrow......"

"Then get some sleep." Zhou Huimin said softly, "Goodnight, great director."

"Goodnight... A'min..."

The call ended, and Xiang Qian's phone slipped from his palm. He turned over and fell into a deep sleep.