Chapter 88: A Trip to Cannes

"Xiao Jin, what do you think of this dress?"

"Li Jie, you look good in anything."

"Then how about this one?"

"Also very good."

"Hmph, you're just brushing me off."

Wei Jin looked speechlessly at Li Jie, who was trying on clothes back and forth in front of the full-length mirror; this was the umpteenth time she had asked for his opinion, though unfortunately, he had yet to see her take any of it in.

"Forget it, the color of this one is too bright; the previous one was better."

Ceng Li spun around twice and took back the one from before.

Wei Jin was also puzzled; Ceng Li was a woman of a calm and indifferent nature, so why was she no different from any other woman when it came to shopping? Could it be that women have some hidden attribute triggered at such times? Wei Jin picked up the coffee the Assistant had brought and took a sip, ignoring the woman in the midst of shopping; it was too much trouble.

This was a clothing store on the Champs-Elysees in Paris; it wasn't any famous domestic brand, but it was said that the designer had some reputation in the Parisian fashion circle. From Wei Jin's perspective, the designs of some of the clothes were quite good.

Seeing that Ceng Li was still suffering from decision paralysis, Wei Jin exercised his "money power" and told them to buy everything; only children make multiple-choice questions, while adults naturally want it all.

However, this drew a round of complaints from Li Jie. Wei Jin realized that what women want when shopping is the pleasure of "discovering the one thing they like most amidst the difficulty of choosing," and he couldn't help but rest his forehead in his hand.

After paying the bill, the two headed to the hotel.

"Our flight is at four-something in the afternoon, right?"

"Yes, so we'll have to set off for Cannes after meeting up with Lao Zhu and the others later."

Today is May 16th. Wei Jin and Ceng Li had arrived in Paris five days ago, and the film festival opening ceremony wouldn't be held until the evening of the 17th.

Coming so early was mainly for fun. Ceng Li was too famous in the country and never had the chance to travel with Wei Jin. This time, it was a rare opportunity to come to Europe together, and since no one recognized them, they had to enjoy themselves properly.

Wei Jin also hoped to take this opportunity to spend more time with Li Jie. Over these five days, the two had visited many well-known local attractions, such as the Louvre Museum, the Eiffel Tower, and the Arc de Triomphe. The two were just like an ordinary couple, strolling here and looking there, and they had a great time; it could be considered a proper way to relax and take a vacation.

Soon, the two returned to the hotel to pack up. Just as they arrived at the lobby, they saw Liu Yan and Zhu Wei already prepared.

"Director Wei, did you have a good time?"

Liu Yan asked with a smile. She knew her position very well and wouldn't have any inexplicable thoughts.

"It was alright. I bought you something; see if you like it later. It was all chosen by Li Jie."

For this trip, Wei Jin brought along his Assistant, Liu Yan. She would be going to host a program in the second half of the year and might develop in that direction in the future, so she wouldn't have much time left by his side.

"Thank you, Boss. Thank you, Li Jie."

Liu Yan was pleasantly surprised; she had thought she would be targeted by Ceng Li.

Ceng Li just nodded, which couldn't be called particularly friendly.

Over these past few days, Ceng Li had also learned about the situation between Wei Jin and Liu Yan. However, ever since her heart had opened up, she no longer dwelled on these things. Moreover, for an Assistant to have something happen with her boss was the most normal thing in the entertainment industry. She was just a bit annoyed that Wei Jin had actually thought about a threesome; at least she hadn't let him succeed, though she wasn't his match on her own, and she didn't know how much longer she could hold out. "Alright, everyone check your things; we're going to the airport soon."

Wei Jin gave a few final instructions to the group.

The four of them were not the only members attending the Cannes Film Festival this time. Producer Chen Zhiming, cinematographer Zhao Rui, the male lead Wu Lei and his family, and other staff members wouldn't arrive in Cannes until tomorrow. Wu Lei, who was not yet 7 years old this year, was very well-liked by Wei Jin and Ceng Li during filming. This time, the company was paying for his family to play in Cannes for a week, which could be considered a small benefit.

After a one-and-a-half-hour flight, the group finally landed at Nice Airport, and soon everyone saw the signs held by the official film festival staff.

"Hi, Wei, I am Thierry Fremaux. We have spoken on the phone. Welcome to Cannes."

A man in his forties, wearing glasses and looking quite capable, walked up to greet Wei Jin and his party.

"Oh, Mr. Fremaux, hello. We finally meet."

Wei Jin knew this person—a famous French film critic and film activist who had served as the Artistic Director of the Cannes Film Festival since 2001; he could be considered a diplomat of the Cannes Film Festival.

The fact that *Amour* could enter the Main Competition Section this time, besides Wei Jin's own reputation, was also helped by this guy's strong recommendation; the two had spoken on the phone before.

The Cannes Film Festival usually has three selection committees: one group specializes in selecting French films, one group is responsible for selecting foreign films, and the last one is responsible for discovering potential filmmakers worldwide.

Each group has four to five people. In addition to the film festival president, artistic director, and selection committee chair, there are also some film critics, journalists, and film enthusiasts.

However, the selection groups are busy; one person has to watch at least over a thousand films a year, so very few people watch the films from beginning to end.

Therefore, if one is already an award-winning director from the European Big Three film festivals, the submitted films will be given priority, and if one can get recommendations from relevant industry insiders, then getting shortlisted is relatively simple.

After everyone got acquainted, the car soon drove toward the seaside town of Cannes and finally stopped in front of a seven-story white luxury building on the world-famous Croisette in Cannes.

Wei Jin knew this was the Hotel Martinez, the official Cannes partner hotel where he would be staying this time.

This hotel is one of the best in the area, possessing the largest private beach in the local area and a two-star Michelin restaurant.

The hotel rooms and suites have viewing terraces, offering a bird's-eye view of the Mediterranean Sea, the Esterel Mountains, and the beautiful city scenery of Cannes.

However, not everyone from the *Amour* crew was qualified to stay here. The Cannes organizing committee provided the crew with 5 spots for free accommodation and reimbursed round-trip airfare this time.

But only Wei Jin was staying here; the other four spots were at the nearby Hotel Majestic.

In addition, for the extra personnel, the company had already arranged for the nearby Wuyang Hotel, which was also very close, just a ten-minute walk away.

It must be said that the Big Three film festivals are all very snobbish. Previously, when Wei Jin was shortlisted for the Berlin International Film Festival, they only reimbursed the airfare and accommodation for one person, and even then, only for economy class.

This time, Wei Jin was shortlisted for the Cannes Film Festival, and he was no longer a newcomer but a young director with fame worldwide. Only then were five free spots given, and the airfare was also reimbursed for round-trip first class. Even so, the Hotel Martinez only arranged for him to stay alone; there was no helping it, as this place was reserved for the big names of the film festival.

After settling his mood, Wei Jin quickly finished the check-in procedures and arrived at his room. It was a suite with a living room of 20 square meters; not bad.

Outside the balcony, at a glance, the azure Mediterranean Sea was in full view, which was refreshing and delightful.

After thanking the Cannes organizing committee for the arrangements in his heart, Wei Jin tidied up a bit and prepared to go see the accommodation situation for Ceng Li and the others.

However, just as he went downstairs, he heard someone greeting him, and in Chinese at that.

"Director Wei, it really is you! Long time no see!"

The new book is on the shelves, three updates are presented. I earnestly ask all book friends to reward me with a subscription and a collection. Thank you all! (End of chapter)