"Bin, come, let me introduce you. These four are members of an animal protection organization from the United States. Just like Lunfei’Er’s group, they’re here to supervise our filming." The next morning, when Shen Yibin arrived at the outdoor set, Director Kong introduced the four foreigners to him. Just like last time, it was a group of two men and two women.
"So this is the adorable Panda?" The moment they saw Hah’Er, all four of their eyes lit up. They even forgot to introduce themselves to Shen Yibin, immediately crowding around and staring eagerly at Hah’Er, their eyes full of stars.
"All right, you’ll have plenty of time to watch during the shoot. We’re about to start filming, so please make way." Director Kong shook his head helplessly at the sight. ’They won’t try to stop the filming anymore, but if this keeps up, it’s going to affect our progress and Hah’Er’s state of mind.’
"Ah, we’re so sorry." These four lucky individuals had won this opportunity through a selection process said to be even more grueling than China’s national civil service exam, so it was only natural for them to lose their composure upon seeing Hah’Er. Persuaded by Director Kong, they reluctantly stepped aside and watched Hah’Er enter the filming location. Then they moved to the side and pulled out their phones, apparently to post the photos they had just taken with Hah’Er on their social media accounts.
Of course, before they could post anything, they had to have it approved by the film crew to ensure no details about the shoot were leaked. Just seeing Hah’Er was already a huge thrill for them, and since Lunfei’Er and Charlotte’s group had given them a heads-up, they readily agreed to the crew’s inspection.
Shen Yibin carefully explained the scene they were about to film to Hah’Er. Fang Yuanshan, Murong Li, and the other actors were also methodically getting ready. With Hah’Er as the star, they felt immense pressure. After all, Hah’Er’s performance was so brilliant; if they were the reason for a bad take, wouldn’t that mean their acting was worse than a panda’s? If it happened too often, they’d be too ashamed to show their faces. This very thought spurred them on, leading to a noticeable improvement in their acting. Director Kong was greatly pleased by this. ’If you’d all been like this from the start, no one would be criticizing you for your lack of talent.’
"Bin, is Hah’Er ready?" After getting an affirmative answer, Director Kong quickly issued his command, "All departments, listen up! The first shoot of the day is starting now!"
Immediately, Hah’Er, clad in the Golden Chain Armor, waddled to the center of the set and began its performance. The four volunteers stared without even blinking, gasping one moment and giggling foolishly the next. Their emotions were completely swept away by Hah’Er, and they once again forgot their official duties.
"Cut! Take a break and prepare for the second scene!" Everyone’s coordination was now excellent, and they’d gotten the shot in a single take. The moment they heard Director Kong’s command, the four members of the animal protection organization rushed forward. They handed Hah’Er a towel, fed it ice cream, and helped it back to its chair for a shoulder massage, behaving exactly like Lunfei’Er and his group had before.
Shen Yibin couldn’t help but roll his eyes. ’Sigh, another four panda fanatics!’ Director Kong, however, was grinning from ear to ear. In their reactions, he could almost see *Panda Hero* raking in box office gold all over the world. The other crew members, long accustomed to such sights, just smiled, shook their heads, and went back to their own tasks.
This was already the third phase of filming. After the adjustment period of the first two phases, the team’s synergy had improved dramatically, so the day’s shoot proceeded with exceptional smoothness. They finished all their shots two hours ahead of schedule. Director Kong saw no reason to push on; they had plenty of time and didn’t need to rush. He gave the order to head back to the hotel and rest. Upon hearing the command, everyone began packing up and boarding the vehicles.
"Ah, Bin, why don’t you join me at the hotel today? After I gave that Monkey Wine to Mr. Cha, he was so pleased that he gifted me a bottle of fine yellow rice wine in return. I also brought some fresh crab. Let’s enjoy it all together and have a chat." Director Kong was already starting to scheme about how to persuade Shen Yibin to let Hah’Er star in a *Panda Hero* sequel.
"Sure. A wine from Mr. Cha is bound to be amazing." Shen Yibin had no desire to go back early and face Xiaoliu’s torment, so he readily agreed. Back at the hotel, Director Kong had the kitchen prepare the crab. He then warmed the yellow rice wine, and he and Shen Yibin found a quiet spot to drink, eat, and chat.
He didn’t rush to persuade Shen Yibin, instead focusing on maintaining their good relationship. Director Kong was full of witty remarks at the table, leaving Shen Yibin thoroughly impressed. Both men felt the meal was extremely enjoyable. Hah’Er was the only one feeling a bit frustrated; its paws struggled to handle the crabs. Fortunately, Shen Yibin and Director Kong were there to help, or it might have gone hungry.
"I’m heading back to my room to coordinate with some other departments. Why don’t you take Hah’Er for a walk around the grounds to let your food settle? I’ll give you a ride home later," Director Kong said. Since Shen Yibin had been drinking, the director didn’t dare let him drive. "There’s a tennis court, swimming pool, and golf course. Feel free to wander around with Hah’Er. If you want to play, I can find someone to join you."
"That’s all right, we’ll just take a walk." ’Since when do I know how to play high-class sports like golf and tennis?’ He hastily declined and took Hah’Er downstairs for a stroll.
"Hm?" Upon reaching the golf course, Hah’Er took a great interest in the smooth grass. One moment it was running up onto the green, the next it was tucking its head in and rolling back down, having the time of its life. Shen Yibin watched from the side, feeling completely at ease.
’Sigh, now *this* is the life,’ Shen Yibin thought. ’Strolling through a beautiful place with fresh air after a satisfying meal, enjoying the scenery, and playing with Hah’Er... it doesn’t get any better than this. It’s so much more pleasant than getting wrecked by Xiaoliu back at the shop.’
In high spirits, Shen Yibin strolled on with Hah’Er, passing the golf course and approaching the tennis courts. Soon, the sight of fluttering skirts on a court caught his eye. He took a closer look and saw that the people playing were none other than the four supervisors from the animal protection organization.
They saw Shen Yibin and Hah’Er too, and they immediately stopped their game in delighted surprise, leaning against the chain-link fence to look over. The woman with the stunning figure took the initiative to call out, "Mr. Bin, would you like to come play?"
’Forget it, I don’t even know how to play tennis,’ Shen Yibin thought, smiling as he prepared to decline. But then an idea suddenly struck him, and he changed his mind. "Sure, why not? I’ll give it a shot!"