Chapter 34: Variety Show Recording

Chapter 34: Variety Show Filming

When Lu Hechi woke up the next day, he found that a staff member from the show's production team had added him, saying they needed him to record a personal introduction video to send over for review.

They also sent over a list of requirements.

Besides name and age, some hobbies also needed to be showcased.

Lu Hechi hadn't expected it to be this troublesome. He tried filming himself with his phone, but no matter what he did, he just couldn't get it right.

Feng Qi, being a dedicated butler, stepped forward at this moment. "Mr. Lu, do you need my help? I actually studied photography."

Lu Hechi was shocked. "You even studied photography?"

Feng Qi smiled humbly. "To meet our employers' needs, we dabble in a bit of everything at butler school, though I'm not particularly proficient."

Lu Hechi didn't get what "not particularly proficient" meant at first.

But then Feng Qi set up the camera and started filming him—Lu Hechi was completely sold.

"Mr. Lu, tilt your face to the right a bit, this angle looks good." Feng Qi adjusted the lens while calling out to Lu Hechi.

The filming went on all morning.

By the end, he was totally wiped out.

After a quick meal, Lu Hechi said out of the blue, "Since it's a self-introduction, shouldn't I also introduce my family members?"

Feng Qi saw how excited he was and agreed with the idea.

So Lu Hechi waved his hand with a flourish and instructed Feng Qi to bring the camera along to deliver lunch to Shen Lanxue at his company.

At 12 noon.

Lu Hechi arrived at Shen Lanxue's company right on time. The whole floor of the building was Hongda's.

The receptionist recognized Butler Feng and let Assistant Li know. The two of them rode the private elevator up.

"Assistant Li, is the young master in his office?" Feng Qi asked with a smile, his face wrinkling into a refined smile.

Li Wenrui said, "President Shen is in a meeting with VP Li from Rui'an this morning. If everything goes smoothly, he should be back in about 10 minutes."

Lu Hechi and Feng Qi waited in Shen Lanxue's office.

Feng Qi took out his DJI camera to film some establishing shots, while Lu Hechi looked around Shen Lanxue's office out of curiosity.

It truly lived up to being a major corporation—much bigger than his own tiny office.

There was a whole wall of bookshelves, and the office even had a coffee machine, tea supplies, and a private rest room.

Lu Hechi sat in Shen Lanxue's fancy executive chair and spun around. Maybe it was just him, but even the chair felt more comfortable than his.

...He wanted to ask for the link.

Li Wenrui's timing was about right.

Lu Hechi hadn't been sitting for long when Shen Lanxue pushed the door open and walked in.

He wore a carbon-gray suit, his calves looking sharp in tailored trousers, his leather shoes clicking as he walked.

Shen Lanxue walked over to Lu Hechi. "What made you come find me?"

"Just visiting my family," Lu Hechi said with a smile, showing him the food he'd brought from home. "Bringing you lunch."

Feng Qi quietly started filming the two of them from the side.

Shen Lanxue glanced at the lunchbox and asked him, "Did you eat yet?"

Lu Hechi: "Just had a quick bite at home."

"Then have a bit more with me."

With that, Shen Lanxue carried the insulated lunchbox to the black leather sofa against the wall and sat down.

Lu Hechi got up from the executive chair and followed him over.

When he opened the lunchbox, there were several delicate dishes, not a lot.

Lu Hechi took a couple of bites, then watched Shen Lanxue polish off the rest.

Feng Qi moved around to find good angles, diligently capturing the moment.

After he finished eating, Shen Lanxue looked at the gear in Feng Qi's hands. "What's all this for?"

"Didn't I tell you yesterday I'm filming a variety show," Lu Hechi explained. "The staff said I need to make a self-intro video, and to introduce myself, I have to introduce my family."

"So I had Feng Qi help me shoot a video."

Shen Lanxue didn't object. He just nodded and went along with it.

Lu Hechi looked at the camera and said with a big smile, "This is my husband. We're married now."

After saying this, he asked Feng Qi, "How was it? Did it come out good?"

Feng Qi nodded. "Mr. Lu, don't worry. With you and the young master's looks, you don't need good angles—anything you film will look great."

Lu Hechi was very pleased.

"Alright, that's the company segment done."

Shen Lanxue asked, "What other segments do you have?"

"The kindergarten segment, obviously!" Lu Hechi said with certainty. "Our son definitely has to be in it too!"

"Alright, bro, I'm heading out. I won't bother you at work."

Lu Hechi waved.

Before leaving, he made Feng Qi wait outside, then stole a kiss on Shen Lanxue's cheek.

"Bye, bro. See you tonight when you get home."

After leaving Shen Lanxue's company, Lu Hechi headed to his own office and had Feng Qi film some cool shots of him working.

He didn't stick around.

He wrapped up filming in half an hour and left. The two girls at the front desk waved goodbye to him warmly.

That afternoon, when Shen Yixing got out of school, Lu Hechi was waiting with the driver at the kindergarten gate.

Right on time, the teachers led the kids out in groups, dispersing them by class as they waited for their parents.

When the kindergarten's Little Six class came out, Lu Hechi waved enthusiastically and called out, "Son, over here!"

Shen Yixing, with his little blue backpack on, was happily chatting with Chu Baobei and didn't even hear his dad calling.

It wasn't until Chu Baobei's mom came to get her that Shen Yixing finally noticed his dad.

He toddled over on his little legs and hugged Lu Hechi's leg, "Dad, why are you here? Where's my daddy?"

Lu Hechi ruffled Shen Yixing's hair, only then realizing he'd been a bit neglectful.

He hadn't really been involved in his son's school drop-offs and pickups; it was mostly the driver who handled it.

Or if Shen Lanxue had the time, he'd come himself.

He cleared his throat. "Daddy's busy with work today, so it's Dad's turn. You want Dad to pick you up more often from now on?"

Shen Yixing nodded. "I want both Dad and Daddy to come together."

"Alright, Dad promises. When I'm not busy with work, I'll definitely come pick you up."

Shen Yixing shouted "Yay!" and reached out his little arms for a hug.

Lu Hechi scooped him up under the arms.

Shen Yixing then noticed Butler Feng standing nearby holding a DJI camera.

His big round eyes blinked, and he tilted his head in confusion.

"Is Grandpa Feng here to pick me up too?"

Feng Qi smiled warmly. "Yes, I'm here to take the young master home."

"Then what's that black thing you're holding?" Shen Yixing asked.

Feng Qi handed him the DJI and said, "This is a device that records video. The young master can point it at himself and Mr. Lu, and it'll capture the moments you're together."

Shen Yixing looked at the image in the small lens, not quite getting it. "Is it like taking photos?"

"Right." Lu Hechi held him with one arm and patted his head with the other. "My son's so smart. Come on, let's get in the car and head home."

Shen Yixing handed the DJI back to Feng Qi and said, all grown-up, "Grandpa Feng, here you go. You need to film me and Dad together."

He thought for a moment, then added, "And Daddy too. All three of us have to be together."

This made Lu Hechi's heart soften.

"Son's right. The three of us should always be together!"

Shen Yixing sat in his car seat, and the driver, Uncle Wang, hit the gas, and the car started moving.

The day's filming ended in this car.

At seven in the evening, Feng Qi uploaded the edited clip and sent it to Lu Hechi.

Lu Hechi watched it once and felt that Butler Feng was seriously wasted as just a butler.

He sent the edited video to the staff, and they replied with an OK hand sign.

＊＊

Time flew by, and soon it was the day of the variety show.

After the plane landed, the production team had two cars ready. Lu Hechi was in one car with the other two guest groups.

Chen Jiadong was in the car behind them.

As Lu Hechi got into the car, he glanced in the rearview mirror and saw Chen Jiadong handing his suitcase to a staff member, head down, not looking his way.

The car drove for two hours, and the scenery shifted from city to mountain roads, with vast greenery outside the window.

Occasionally, small villages appeared in the distance.

The guests in the car chatted for a while before going quiet—some dozed off, others scrolled through their phones.

Lu Hechi leaned against the window, looking outside, his mind blank.

As they neared a rest stop, the production team announced over the walkie-talkie that the car ahead needed gas.

The vehicles would stop here for twenty minutes.

Lu Hechi asked the guests in the car, "I'm going to grab some water. Anyone want any?"

The other two guests declined, and Ji Ziyang said he'd go with him.

Lu Hechi said, "No need, I'll grab you one on my way back."

After buying water from the convenience store, Lu Hechi noticed Chen Jiadong standing at the gas station entrance, staring at his phone.

No one was standing next to him.

Lu Hechi walked over, not getting too close, stopping about two steps away. He unscrewed the cap, took a sip, and then spoke.

"You carsick? That stretch of road had a lot of curves."

Chen Jiadong looked up, glanced at him, then looked back down, locked his phone, and put it in his pocket before answering:

"A little. I'm used to it."

Lu Hechi hummed in response and handed him the extra bottle of water.

"Take a few sips. It might help."

Chen Jiadong opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Lu Hechi quickly added, "This show's filming for a week. You can't just not talk to me the whole time, right?"

Chen Jiadong's lips twitched slightly, but he finally took the water and said thanks.

"You seem to have changed a lot." Lu Hechi stood with one hand in his pocket, staring at the vast grassland in the distance.

"Really?" Chen Jiadong's lips curled.

The wind blew over from the mountains, carrying the smell of grass and dirt, cooler than in the city.

He said, "People grow and change."

"Uh." Lu Hechi turned his head, his dark eyes fixed on Chen Jiadong. "Saying that sounds like you're showing off."

Chen Jiadong: "……"