Chapter 48: “Metamorphosis

At the agreed time, I met Ning Hao again.

Seeing Chen Ci and the two young ladies following him, Ning Hao unconsciously frowned.

His gaze showed a hint of strangeness, as if wondering why there was another one.

After meeting, Chen Ci didn't bother with pleasantries and got straight to the point: "Director Ning, you said you don't like owing favors, right? Perfect—help me look at this script."

Chen Ci handed over the script for Sewing Machine Band with both hands, fresh off the printer, still smelling of ink.

"Ah?"

Ning Hao opened his mouth, momentarily at a loss for words.

Having lived this long, this is the first time I've seen someone so straightforward.

Ning Hao still clearly recalled Chen Ci's earlier carefree attitude—light as wind and clouds, turning and walking away.

It's only been a short while, and the contrast is quite stark……

This is no nonsense—since I didn't know Ning Hao's identity before, but now I do, not taking advantage would be wasteful.

After staring for about two seconds, Ning Hao finally took the thick stack of scripts.

He glanced at the coverless flyleaf: "Sewing Machine Band… Did you write this? Are you also a screenwriter?"

"Ah, I guess so……"

"My brother-in-law is a pop star, extremely popular right now."

"Oh?"

Ning Hao looked at Chen Ci, connected the script's title, and seemed to grasp something.

"Are you a singer?"

Chen Ci nodded: "I played rock for a while."

"No wonder—then you wrote this script, you intend to……"

Chen Ci answered truthfully: "A few friends who play music together plan to make a movie, so I wrote this script."

"You really wrote this?"

Ning Hao's eyes narrowed; a bunch of musicians making a film sounds rather unreliable.

But since he'd already said he'd repay the favor, Ning Hao accepted the script without changing expression.

"That's a lot—I'll look it over when I have time."

Chen Ci saw through his perfunctoriness, but couldn't straight out say anything.

"Fine, but please try to reply within a month—the production has already started preparations……"

Ning Hao had just taken a sip of chrysanthemum tea and nearly spat it all out.

"You really want to film it?"

"Ah?"

Ning Hao coughed twice and waved his hands: "I didn't mean that—I mean making a film is a very complicated undertaking and requires a lot of money……"

"My brother-in-law's family is loaded."

"Na Zha!"

Chen Ci stopped Na Zha from interrupting; the little girl pouted: "It's only natural……"

I see……

Ning Hao muttered something under his breath, thinking he'd figured it out, assuming it was just a rich second‑generation kid playing around.

Ignorant of the heights and depths, he truly thought making a film was fun, not mentioning the myriad troubles, and in the end would lose everything.

He hasn't yet been beaten by society, too presumptuous.

Ning Hao felt it necessary to advise him: "You'd better think again—making a film really isn't fun……"

Chen Ci chuckled: "I know; the situation here is also fairly complex, not what you imagine."

"All right."

Since Chen Ci is determined, Ning Hao didn't say more—after all, it's not his money.

"I'll look at the script when I have time tonight; anything else?"

Chen Ci shook his head: "No."

"Nothing?" Ning Hao frowned, puzzled:

"Making a film isn't just about having money—even the preliminary prep alone is enough to drive people crazy."

Chen Ci agreed: "Indeed, we've already started."

"But if you can't even handle this, what's there to talk about regarding a film?"

"If we could get Ning Hao's professional help, it would indeed be twice the result with half the effort."

"But it's just a painting—do we really expect Ning Hao to hold our hand and direct the film?"

Bottom line, you need to forge your own strength……

There's a small regret: I only saw Ning Hao alone; the other main creators of Crazy Race didn't show up today.

After parting with Ning Hao, Chen Ci's brief vacation is also about to end.

At the airport, Ling Er definitely had to come see Chen Ci off.

In front of Uncle Chen, Chen Ci proposed that when summer vacation comes, Ling Er should visit the set to play.

Uncle Chen didn't refuse, and Ling Er's gloomy little face finally showed a hint of clearing up.

"I'll go back and see if I can get Ling Er a cameo in the film."

Chen Ci also made a promise, although the original story seemingly had no suitable role for Ling Er.

But it's just a cameo—not a big deal.

Having said that, he rubbed Ling Er's hair.

Hmm!

Only then did Ling Er feel as if she had parted the clouds and seen the blue sky.

Especially when she saw Na Zha gazing at her with eager eyes, full of envy and jealousy, Ling Er inexplicably felt even happier.

And when she was happy, Na Zha felt even worse, grabbing Chen Ci's clothes: "Brother-in-law..."

Chen Ci turned back: "Just ate and already hungry?"

"Not at all, I also want to act in your movie, brother-in-law~"

Acting coquettishly in public, even Chen Ci couldn't stand it, quickly grabbing her little hand: "Be good, we'll talk later."

"Hmm."

Na Zha immediately responded in a coquettish tone, stopping just enough, worried she might really upset Chen Ci.

Meanwhile, Ling Er, who had taken it all in, now scrunched her nose, her round face puffing up like a little steamed bun.

Chen Ci felt a faint ominous premonition rise from his heart, knowing it wasn't good to stay long.

With one hand holding Na Zha and the other pressing down on his luggage, he said: "Uncle, Ling Er, I'll be going first; you guys head home early…"

It wasn't until they boarded the plane that this uneasy feeling finally dissipated.

By then it was approaching evening; Na Zha, having lacked sleep the previous night, lay in her seat and began to show signs of drowsiness.

Still, she forced her eyes open, turned sideways, and stared at Chen Ci.

"If you want to sleep, just sleep; why are you looking at me?"

"Brother-in-law…"

Na Zha's breath was a little weak; she must really be tired.

"Huh?"

"Do you not want me anymore now that you have Ling Er as a little sister?"

"Huh?"

Chen Ci couldn't help but be surprised, even a bit dumbfounded: "What on earth is going through your little head?"

"It's only natural; you never used to yell at me before."

"Did I yell at you today?" Chen Ci couldn't remember.

"Yes, at the airport you even rubbed your own head, but you didn't rub mine."

"Even this is something to argue about?"

Chen Ci chuckled; he was increasingly unable to understand Na Zha's train of thought.

Still, he managed to notice something different from Na Zha's strange behavior.

She seemed to be a little afraid of losing something.

Soon Chen Ci had his own answer: after all, who as a child wouldn't yearn for a comfortable life, a romantic and beautiful big city?

Na Zha's experience reminded Chen Ci of a show called "Metamorphosis" on Mango TV.

An immature rural child suddenly finds himself in a prosperous big city.

The better ones can still distinguish reality from hype, but they are only a minority.

Children whose worldviews aren't yet formed are easily overturned, dazzled by the city's lights and wine, and it could even affect their whole lives.

Na Zha's situation might be somewhat similar to theirs.

For such shows that use children as social experiments, Chen Ci has always scoffed.

He never expected that, without realizing it, he too had influenced Na Zha.

But based solely on Na Zha's looks, she is destined to be extraordinary.

At most, Chen Ci merely added a little fuel to the fire of this process…