Chapter 540: The Mischievous Look

This dinner wasn't about talking—it was just to gather and get to know each other, showing that Fang Hong's social circle had become increasingly elite.

Along the way, Liu Tianxian also met several celebrities and prominent figures.

They briefly discussed the film festival matters, then dispersed; since there was still time and today happened to be Christmas, Fang Hong and Liu Tianxian ate and drank their fill, sipping a little wine.

Hand in hand, they went out for a stroll, admiring Macau's city night view.

They had planned to spend Christmas in Macau—all along, before coming, they'd said so; Liu Tianxian, after all, loved shopping, a girl's nature.

The two wandered aimlessly along the seaside embankment, beside them a railing, dim streetlights casting light, across from them towering buildings glittering with brilliant lights.

Every single tower's lights were extraordinarily dazzling.

With good weather—not cold, not hot—there were plenty of people walking in small groups, some holding hands, some couples linking arms; most out for leisure were couples.

The sea breeze brushed against Liu Tianxian's long hair and skirt hem; she tucked her hair behind her ear, strikingly beautiful.

Liu Tianxian was still wearing the same dress she'd come in, hadn't gone back to change; Fang Hong, seeing the wind was strong, took off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

Even though the climate here was warm, nights were still chilly—it was winter, after all.

Liu Tianxian felt the suit jacket on her shoulders; an involuntary warmth spread through her body, as if the cold had lessened.

"Aren't you cold?" she said.

"Not cold. You know my body's still top-notch," Fang Hong patted his chest.

"You're bragging again."

Liu Tianxian smiled gently, stepped forward, and stood before him: "Close your eyes."

"What for?" Fang Hong frowned.

"Just close your eyes," Liu Tianxian's tone held a hint of coquettishness.

Fang Hong didn't know what she was up to, but he closed his eyes anyway—it was trust.

Soon after, he felt something soft and furry against his neck, warm against his skin; he opened his eyes to see Liu Tianxian hanging a scarf around his neck and smoothing it out.

"Bought it for you. Warm enough?" Liu Tianxian tilted her head, a touch of pride in her expression.

Fang Hong looked down at the scarf around his neck—it was plain-colored, carrying a pleasant fragrance that lifted the spirit.

"Warm. Very warm. Thanks, wife."

As soon as he spoke, he stepped forward and kissed her cheek; Liu Tianxian, in perfect sync, turned her face slightly, offering her soft cheek.

With a soft "smack," they pulled apart.

Liu Tianxian was satisfied, linked her arm through his, and continued strolling.

Ahead, a young couple held hands with a little boy; the boy bounced and jumped, the family radiating pure joy.

"Look ahead," Liu Tianxian signaled.

"That kid's mischievous," Fang Hong remarked.

"Who asked you to judge if the kid's mischievous? Look at the family—aren't they heartwarming?" Liu Tianxian glanced at him.

"Very heartwarming. But why envy others? We haven't had enough of our two-person world yet. If we added a third, our time as just the two of us would shrink."

"That's actually true," Liu Tianxian didn't dwell on it; in the not-too-distant future, they'd have a third member—no rush.

As they talked, fireworks suddenly erupted across the sea with "bang-bang-bang" sounds, the sky bursting with dazzling light.

"Darling, look!" A couple stopped walking, delightedly pointing at the spectacular fireworks display across the sky.

Drawn in, many others halted to watch the light show.

Liu Tianxian and Fang Hong also stopped, leaning on the railing, watching as flames shot skyward, then burst open—beautiful beyond words.

"So beautiful," Liu Tianxian said.

"Wait here for me," Fang Hong patted Liu Tianxian's shoulder.

"Where are you going?"

Liu Tianxian turned to see him sprinting off in a hurry, unsure what he was up to.

"Wait here. I'll be right back," Fang Hong waved and ran off.

Liu Tianxian watched him vanish from sight, puzzled, then turned back to the distant fireworks, which painted the entire sky in dazzling hues.

The glow reflected on her beautiful face, dreamlike and surreal.

"Hey." Fang Hong returned quickly, tapping her shoulder again.

Liu Tianxian turned: "Where did you go?"

"Follow me," Fang Hong took her hand and led her into a nearby small grove.

There happened to be a small grove—a green belt—dark inside, poorly lit.

Liu Tianxian was pulled deep into the grove; she glanced around, the surroundings feeling slightly eerie without company; she frowned: "Why are we here?"

Fang Hong said nothing, pulled a lighter from his pants pocket, and flicked it—"click"—a small flame sprang up.

Then he pulled out a long, stick-like object, similar to an incense stick but not one—it was beautiful in shape, called a fairy wand.

Just a child's firework toy—harmless.

After lighting it, the fairy wand immediately emitted a stream of fire—like electric light—illuminating the area brilliantly, dazzlingly bright.

Fang Hong swung the fairy wand in his hand, circling around Liu Tianxian like a child playing with sparklers.

Liu Tianxian saw the dazzling electric lights surrounding her, her face lit with delight; outside, the fireworks were for others—but here, this was just for her.

Centered on her, the area blazed with radiant light, as if she were a radiant angel.

This filled Liu Tianxian with surprise and emotion; though it was a small trick, the fact that he'd done it for her satisfied her deeply.

"Pretty, right?" Fang Hong kept running, the fire in his hand never stopping.

"Mm!" Liu Tianxian nodded firmly.

That made Fang Hong run even harder, lighting a few more fairy wands and waving them around her.

Liu Tianxian felt as if the entire world before her was ablaze with fire—she was lost in a dream.

"Who's there? No fires allowed here!" Suddenly, a voice appeared; two plainclothes officers with flashlights were shining them inward.

"Let's go, someone's coming to catch us." Fang Hong sensed something was wrong, dropped the sparkler on the ground, and stamped it out.

He grabbed Liu Tianxian's small hand and ran toward the distance.

"Huh?!" Liu Tianxian hadn't even reacted when she was dragged sprinting away.

The two plainclothes officers chased a few steps, but seeing how fast the two ran, they stopped in place.

They looked at the two figures' backs, then at the sparkler still smoking on the ground; one muttered, "What a lack of public decency—what if it catches fire?"

"."

On the other side, Liu Tianxian was being pulled, her steps stumbling, hair flying, face laughing "hahaha."

Setting off fireworks in a small grove and being chased—it was a little thrilling, her first time doing something like this, and it felt fun.

"Wait, wait, my coat fell off!" During the run, the suit jacket draped over Liu Tianxian's shoulders dropped to the ground. Fang Hong stopped, saw the two officers hadn't caught up, bent over with hands on his knees, and gasped "huff, huff."

Liu Tianxian was fine—she had better stamina. She picked up the suit jacket, draped it over herself, stepped forward, and patted Fang Hong's back. "You're so bad."

"I'm bad? Isn't this all to make you happy?" Fang Hong straightened up.

Liu Tianxian covered her mouth and smiled lightly, stepped forward, and kissed him on the lips. "I love it when you're mischievous—this is the most romantic Christmas gift this year."

She didn't want expensive gifts or flashy things; simple and quiet, just having this man beside her, creating little surprises, was enough.

She was perfectly content—the experience felt brand new!

Although the fireworks high above still shot "whoosh, whoosh, whoosh," painting the sky in dazzling colors,

Liu Tianxian still preferred this man circling around her, setting off sparks—because it was for her alone, uniquely theirs.

By the riverbank railing, Fang Hong wrapped his arm around Liu Tianxian's shoulder.

Liu Tianxian leaned against the man's chest, gazing at the dazzling fireworks in the distance, her face filled with happiness.

Around nine a. m. on December 30, the major stars hadn't appeared yet—they'd show up in the afternoon; some had arrived just last night, others had flight tickets for today, but it wasn't far anyway!

Some female stars needed hours of makeup, styling, and putting on beautiful gowns.

Although this film festival was just a formality thanks to the Principal's favor, it was still exposure.

At this moment, the Galaxy International Convention Center had been transformed into a grand event venue.

Due to the large crowd, many tourists had been drawn to take photos; the main road leading to the festival site had been closed.

Only festival vehicles and government vehicles could pass; pedestrians were allowed.

Along both sides of the closed road stood festival propaganda lightboxes—essentially directional signs; following them led straight to the award ceremony square without getting lost.

The award ceremony square was dazzling, decorated with strong cinematic atmosphere; movie posters were everywhere—such as "Return," "Love Story," "Dear," "Xinurufang," "The Great Hypnotist," "Black Coal, Thin Ice," and many other films.

Not just those produced by Yutu Production—many films from other studios were also displayed, even those not competing in the awards.

Fang Hong didn't play favorites; everything was fair and just.

Even movie theaters within a five-li radius had been rented out, screening selected films for free to all visitors—anyone who came could enter directly without tickets.

This was to attract more tourists, boost foot traffic; only with crowds could the event feel lively.

On the roof of the International Convention Center building, a massive LED screen was playing "The Genius Gunner" as the opening film.

Many people and backpackers stood on the square, looking up at the film; some had seen it, some hadn't.

Those who had seen it still watched with delight; those seeing it for the first time were drawn in by its tense atmosphere.

A reporter moved through the crowd, holding a microphone and interviewing passersby; he approached a tourist who looked Southeast Asian and asked, "Do you know any Chinese stars?"

"Uh, Fang Long, and Jet Li," the tourist replied in English.

"Do you know Gong Huang and Liu Tianxian?" the reporter asked again.

"I don't know Gong Huang—is Liu Tianxian the female lead on the big LED screen up there?" the foreign tourist pointed to the massive screen ahead.

"You don't know Gong Huang? Is Liu Tianxian the leading lady being shown up there?" The foreign tourist pointed at the film playing on the large LED screen ahead.

"Oh my god, I know her! So elegant and fierce—I came here just for her!" the foreign tourist exclaimed.

Liu Tianxian was still very famous; Gong Huang, however, wasn't well-known among ordinary people—this was normal, as Gong Huang had made too few commercial blockbusters, mostly art films.

Art films were destined to be niche; that's why her prestige was limited to the film circle—ordinary people still didn't recognize her.

Outside, crowds of reporters and tourists surged; inside the International Convention Center's lobby, a press conference was underway.

Many reporters with long and short lenses faced several Macau officials, including Cui Changguan and Tan Sijiang; Liu Tianxian was among them, as Image Ambassador.

Liu Tianxian wore a beautiful long white gown, her shoulders exposed; under the lights, her Skin looked pale and luminous.

They sat neatly in a row behind a long table covered in red silk; Cui Changguan occupied the lead C-position.

He had a microphone before him and was speaking: "Thank you all for attending this Macau International Film Festival. We promise to be fair and impartial, and will do our utmost to make this festival a success and powerfully propel Macau onto a new global stage."

Then Tan Sijiang also spoke, repeating the usual platitudes—welcoming everyone to Macau, and so on.

This year's event was far more elaborate than last year's; last year, hardly anyone came to the film festival—not even a few passersby. Even if stars showed up, they'd rush across the red carpet, receive an award, and leave—simple as that.

This year was much more complicated: press conferences, reporters, crowds.

If there were no crowds, there'd be no traffic, and no reporters—this was a vicious cycle. But this year, crowds were plentiful, reporters were plentiful, and stars were plentiful.

Reporters from Sohu Entertainment, Sina Entertainment, NetEase Entertainment, and other portals had come; TV stations and mainstream media too—CCTV Movie Channel even sent reporters with cameras to cover it.

This was inherently a film industry matter; they couldn't possibly not show up.

After the officials finished speaking, it was Liu Tianxian's turn.

She pressed the small microphone before her: "I'm honored to serve as Image Ambassador for this Macau Film Festival. Macau is a beautiful city, open and inclusive—I believe everyone who comes here feels a sense of home."

After delivering her platitudes, the press conference ended; no interviews were allowed—interviews were a waste of time. Several officials stood together and took a photo with Liu Tianxian.

Flashing lights illuminated the scene, capturing them all in one frame.

This was Liu Tianxian's first time publicly posing for a photo with local government officials—it would benefit her future career.

At least with this title, she could add it to her resume; after all, she was one of the contributors who helped promote the Macau Film Festival.

At least with this identity, it's a line to add to one's resume, after all, one did contribute to the Macau Film Festival.

But it still depends on the influence of this Macau Film Festival; if its influence is small, others will think the Macau Film Festival has slighted Liu Tianxian.

This on-site photo and text spread quickly to major internet information and video platforms in Neidi; Wangyi merely glanced at it and made no comments—just having that impression was enough.

After seeing it, Liu Tianxian's fans all fawned over the screen, commenting "Xixi is so beautiful" and "Xixi is the best."

Around eleven a. m., Hou Miao appeared publicly with members of the festival's executive committee—only the main administrators showed up; actual staff did not appear.

They also held a press conference for reporters, and Liu Tianxian remained on-site and appeared in person.

If she didn't show her face, who would care what these people were babbling about, since no one knew them anyway.

What they said was similar to what Macau officials had said before—just phrases hoping this year's film festival would be grand and highly visible.

Liu Tianxian still took a group photo with them on-site, giving her massive exposure.

The Judges did not appear at the press conference; they would walk the red carpet in the evening, appearing just before the film awards ended.

The morning was like this: lively press conferences to build hype, with photos and videos being disseminated.

This year's festival awards ceremony was live-streamed simultaneously by several Satellite TV channels: CCTV Movie Channel, Macau TV, and Star TV.

Only three channels live-streamed; Phoenix Satellite TV did not broadcast it, only publishing photo and text reports.

Mainly because no one knew if this film festival would be popular—if it wasn't, broadcasting it would waste resources; if it was, rebroadcasting later would still be fine.

These Satellite TV channels schedule their entire day's programming in advance; if you occupy a time slot, other programs must be postponed, and viewers who like those programs must switch channels or wait.

One is a film festival that hasn't proven its influence; the other is a long-established program with a fixed audience—they know exactly how to choose.

But it doesn't matter; this festival has internet traffic streaming via Bilibili, Toutiao, Xiaohongshu, and Chang'e Video, so viewers can watch directly online.

This doesn't occupy any time slot—only requires maintaining traffic flow, and worrying that traffic might surge and cause lag.

But they've already handled several Hero Glory live streams, so they can manage it.

(End of Chapter)