Translator: Lan_ Editor: Efydatia

  He didn’t argue with the others. Instead, he uploaded a series of videos on the website. In the videos, which had been shot with a cell phone, Qin Guan was performing on TV.

  After one minute of silence, another riot broke out.

  "Are you kidding me? These vague videos are your evidence? I can even hear children crying in the background!"

  The user felt awkward. This was a common occurrence when people were watching TV at home. As the other users were talking about the videos, someone suddenly told them, "Qin Guan’s blog has been updated!"

  "Ha! You have been proven wrong! Just wait for my evidence!" the user said before he left. The others waited for his evidence silently. In a few minutes, the guy returned with some striking news.

  "F*ck! He has returned to China. He is really in Y city!"

  Qin Guan’s team had gotten a copy of his performance and updated the blog while the gala was still being broadcast. Chinatown had a large population after all. Chinese fans in other countries were waiting to watch Qin Guan’s performance. They couldn’t understand it, but they still admired Qin Guan.

  Some crazy fans began to gather troops of friends to help them trace Qin Guan’s whereabouts during the rest of the holiday. As a result, people overseas learned about Qin Guan’s hometown and the folk music of Lv Opera.

  By the time Y city welcomed a group of strange visitors in the winter, which was an off-season for tourism, Qin Guan and Cong Nianwei had already left for Hong Kong.

  This was the first time Cong Nianwei was going to Hong Kong. After visiting its famous buildings and tasting the delicious local food, she would return to New York alone.

  Qin Guan followed a crew member to the studio. Everyone was busy working. Chen Kexin, the director and producer, was talking with the executive producer about some early production preparations.

  "I found some figurants from the Shanghai Song and Dance Troupe. They are all professional dancers. I also selected some actors from my own company for some minor roles."

  "I heard that Qin Guan’s participation shook the billionaire circle in Hong Kong."

  Chen Kexin leaned against the back of the couch helplessly. He took off his symbolic black frames and rubbed his sore eyes.

  "Not just the Hong Kong billionaires, but the Columbia Company in America as well. It’s said that Paramount got its hands on our script somehow and studied it carefully."

  The executive producer looked encouraged. "That’s good news! Why are you so worried?"

  "The feedback was not what we expected, despite Qin Guan’s participation. They said that they would suffer a loss if the musical was released in America. They could only count on indie film fans. The film’s oriental background and romance are incompatible with American people’s taste. On the other side, the Venice Film Festival showed some interest in the film. If we finish it in 2004, we could take part in the festival in 2005."

  The producer was taken aback. "Qin Guan has won two acting awards. Why did they only contact Venice?"

  Chen looked around before he disclosed the information in a low voice that only the producer could hear.

  "It’s a decision made by the senior executives. It’s a great pressure on you and me. They want Qin Guan to make a grand slam with this film. That’s why I am so nervous. I feel like I’m walking on thin ice, despite all the resources I have. I have to count each tiny link with painstaking effort."

  The producer held his breath. This meant that the company had spent a lot on the film. Director Chen had to……

  Mercy couldn’t solve everything. They had to do their best. He was still confused about some things though. Pointing to a few roles, he asked, "What will they do in the film? They have no lines, so their parts don’t require any acting skills. Why are they reserved?"

  He had a point. Chen burst into angry laughter.

  "They got themselves into trouble! I chose Jincheng Wu at first, but nobody agreed with me. They tried their best to get Qin Guan, and then they leaked the news! They have already spread rumors among the billionaire circle!"

  "Qin Guan is a gifted student from Columbia University. He used to be a model in China and he won some important awards in Europe. He’s the perfect man! He started from nothing and made a fortune. Everyone can see themselves in him. In other words, they feel a sense of substitution with him."

  "Plus, all those rich women want to meet him in person. If we weren’t capable enough, we wouldn’t have been able to carry on with the shooting with so much stuff going on around us."