Chapter 401: The Origin of Transformers (Requesting Monthly Tickets!)

As soon as Wei Ming left, the young writer and young actor tables began openly discussing him.

But these discussions were overheard by the subject's sister and girlfriend; fortunately, nothing too extreme—just curiosity about how rich Wei Ming really was, and how to handle the check transaction, since it seemed easier than carrying cash.

Wei Lingling told them there were no check services on the mainland; all her factory collaborations with Shenzhen were handled via Bank of China transfers, and she even knew Cheng Naishan's grandfather.

So everyone now knew: Wei Teacher had a secret stash overseas—meaning he could thrive abroad too, suitcase in hand, ready to leave anytime!

To still choose staying in the country? Truly noble character!

Zhang Yu planned to write a letter to Chen Chong, who was washing dishes in America: "You can earn and spend U. . dollars right here in China—why bother going so far?"

In the Heping Hotel suite decorated as a bridal room, Ah Long and Ah Ying looked at Wei Ming and Gong Ying with great embarrassment.

Wei Ming: "I already had Zhang Jianya go swap your sister in—what are you still hesitating for? If you keep dawdling, you won't get to consummate tonight."

Ah Long urged: "Ah Ying, just go along with him."

Ah Ying gritted her teeth: "Hmph! For a ten-thousand-dollar check, I'm willing to sacrifice myself!"

As if it were a huge sacrifice—it was just them performing a gaze across the camera before bed, eye contact stretching, a tongue kiss, and undressing.

And undressing only required Ah Ying to unbutton one button on Ah Long's shirt—just enough to suggest it.

"Wait…" Just as their passion was about to ignite, Gong Ying paused, then stared straight into the camera—breaking the fourth wall.

Ah Long also looked at the camera, as if someone were spying on them, then Gong Ying removed her veil and tossed it at the lens, obscuring the view with a hazy effect.

They filmed this shot three times before she nailed the throw.

Wei Ming sighed in relief: "If you'd missed again, I'd have had to run back to Shanghai Film Studio for more film."

After finishing the shot, Ah Long wiped his lips and urged: "Alright, you can leave now."

Marriage is exhausting—yet Ah Long actually wanted to consummate, and so urgently too; he wasn't even a virgin anymore.

Wei Ming: "We've got about a minute left—take off your shoes. I need a close-up of two pairs."

He planned to use this shot as the finale—a subtle expression.

After leaving the room, Wei Ming and Gong Ying exchanged a smile; then Gong Ying stopped laughing. She had hosted her sister's wedding—but would she ever have her own?

She was certain: if Xiao Wei didn't marry her, she'd never step into marriage at all. She had completely molded herself into Xiao Wei's shape—her heart and body had no room for anyone else.

"Xue-jie, what's wrong?" Wei Ming noticed his good sister's unease.

"Nothing. Just moved seeing Ah Ying start a family." Gong Ying then remembered: in a few days, she herself would be "wed" in a film, performing an ancient wedding.

Fortunately, she was an actress—she could use this to make up for the loss.

As they spoke, Liu Bin uncle helped Teacher Yang upstairs; she was pregnant and tired, needing rest.

Teacher Yang held Gong Ying's hand: "Xiao Xue, you worked so hard today—your hosting was perfect, your words were beautiful. When I heard the two kids say 'I do,' I nearly cried."

"Auntie, don't thank me—those words were written by Xiao Wei."

Teacher Yang: "Xiao Wei's great too—running around all day filming, acting like a real director. But when will we get to see it?"

Wei Ming: "After we return to Hong Kong, we'll edit it, then transfer it to VHS—you can watch it right at home. I've already told Ah Long."

After going downstairs with Xue-jie, Wei Ming parted ways—she still had to entertain her family guests, while Wei Ming went to the dining hall and found some guests already pulling out lunchboxes to clean up.

Wei Ming also had to see off his and the Liu family's relatives; Ah Long's cousins and uncles looked at him with even greater respect—how rich must he be to give ten thousand U. . dollars as a gift?

A man who looked like the Liu clan patriarch—Ah Long's uncle—gripped Wei Ming's hand tightly, insisting they must collaborate someday.

Wei Ming didn't take it seriously; later, he'd spoken with Ah Long and learned this Foshan family had only him rise to prominence—everyone else was worse off than his own Japanese syndicate's third-in-command.

Zhang Jianya handed all the film reels to Wei Ming and took the equipment back himself.

He then thought of a question: "You didn't use a clapper—how will you edit later?"

It was a real wedding, so Wei Ming couldn't clap: "The film reels have serial numbers—I shot mostly in narrative order anyway. Thanks, Lao Zhang."

Zhang Jianya waved him off: "I've seen the world now—eaten at Heping Hotel. That's something to brag about."

Wei Ming saw off each guest one by one; when he got married, all this welcoming and seeing-off would be Ah Long, Biaozi, and Xiao Mei's job—so each could take a turn as host, he'd need to marry at least three times.

At that moment, Wei Lingling arrived with Li Zhi: "Tomorrow morning, go to Meiyingchang. Don't forget."

"You sound like I'm not going home today."

Wei Lingling: "Oh? Are you going home today?"

"We'll see—I don't know if Ah Long still needs me." Wei Ming feigned, his eyes already glancing toward Lin-jie—he knew last night Lin-jie had held back, unsatisfied.

After the wedding concluded, Wei Ming bid farewell to Liu Bin uncle and Old Master Yang, then returned with Zhu Lin to the old villa on Huating Road.

They leaned back on the sofa; Wei Ming draped his legs over hers again.

"Tired?"

Wei Ming nodded: "I walked at least thirty thousand steps today." Maybe he'd top WeChat's step count.

Lin-jie immediately took off his shoes and began massaging them; Wei Ming enjoyed her touch while his feet misbehaved, rubbing against her lap.

Zhu Lin slapped his butt: "Up to your old tricks again—are you tired or not?"

"These two legs are tired—but other legs still have energy."

Zhu Lin checked—his claim was true. She knew tonight would be another battle, but Gong Ying called shortly after, saying she needed to comfort her newly married daughter's grieving parents and wouldn't come over tonight.

Wei Ming said: "There's plenty of time."

He'd stay in Shanghai a few more days anyway.

The next day, Lin-jie woke early to go to the set—she had to reapply her middle-aged makeup and slipped out before dawn, too early to make Xiao Wei breakfast.

Wei Ming had hoped for another round—but his opponent was gone.

After a moment of melancholy, Wei Ming headed straight to Jueyuan No. 2, where Wei Hong and the others were eating breakfast; Wei Hong thought her brother had stayed at Heping Hotel.

Seeing him sit down and eat, she remarked: "A-Long doesn't even feed you breakfast?"

Wei Ming chuckled, saying nothing, evasive.

Wei Lingling and Li Zhi had already guessed but said nothing.

Little aunt said: "We're going to Meiyingchang later—will you come, Xiao Hong?"

"Of course! I want to see how Black Cat Detective is made!"

So the four set off together; Li Zhi pulled two gift boxes from her bag—not gifts for Meiyingchang, but two Transformer prototypes.

"Made them? Let me see!"

"Some details still need improvement," Wei Lingling said. Fortunately, the factory's current priority was the blind box series, so there was time to refine them.

Wei Ming opened them to find Optimus Prime and Megatron—the Autobots' forms were vehicles, the Decepticons' were weapons.

Their initial forms were robots, about 30 cm tall, solidly built.

Wei Ming and Wei Hong each took one, transforming them on the car; packaging usually had simple instructions, but since there was no commercial packaging yet, they had to figure out which joints moved and in what order.

Slowly, Xiao Hong's Megatron took shape as a gun, but Wei Ming's Optimus Prime remained half-vehicle, half-robot.

Only with Xiao Hong's help did he finally transform Optimus Prime into a truck.

Wei Lingling stroked her chin: "Is the difficulty too low?"

Their target was elementary and middle school boys—if too easy, it wouldn't challenge them.

Wei Ming: "No, no, my pace is perfect—one toy can entertain a child all day. Don't assume every kid is like Xiao Hong."

As he played, he understood his little aunt's concern: some transformations weren't smooth; rough handling might snap them—definitely needed refinement.

"When will you launch the blind boxes?"

At this, Wei Lingling perked up: "We're testing in Hong Kong this month—if reception's good, I'll roll out fully in Hong Kong, Taiwan, the U. ., and Japan."

If reception's poor, we'll proceed slowly.

"Do you have enough money?" Wei Ming asked—full rollout meant heavy marketing costs.

"The Spring Festival and birthday music cards brought in millions in profit, plus loans from Uncle and Auntie." Since they were now independent, these loans carried interest.