The next day, Chen An, who ranked first, tried unsuccessfully to dissuade her and brought Cheng Lele to work at the cinema.
Arriving at the cinema, Chen An went straight upstairs to find Zhong Yueshan. Originally he just wanted to simply communicate about the possibility of adjusting work content, but Zhong Yueshan had probably been in the projection room feeling too isolated—his desire to confide was very strong, and once he started reminiscing about the old days, he couldn’t stop.
Zhong Yueshan’s first job was as a rural projectionist. He’d carried projection equipment to the countryside for several years showing outdoor films. Later, when Taixi Theater was hiring projectionists, he applied and got the job.
Back then it was all film reels. The projection equipment required projectionists to have a certain technical level, so a projection room needed at least three or more projectionists to operate. Taixi couldn’t find qualified local projectionists. At that time, as the only experienced technician, he became department supervisor, training the new recruits below him. He himself was also sent to Beijing for training several times as a model worker. That was his golden age.
It was just that technological change advanced with each passing day. Now the projection room was full of digital projectors. Operation was becoming increasingly intelligent, manpower increasingly marginalized. You could even spend some money to buy a scheduling system that, after arranging the showings, could achieve unmanned operation with projectors automatically playing films.
Zhong Yueshan sighed that he was like those craftsmen walking streets and alleys calling out “sharpen kitchen knives”—ruthlessly crushed by the rolling wheels of the times. He lamented that in another two years he might have to retire early and go home to hold his grandchildren.
Chen An originally wanted to offer some comfort, but wasn’t quite sure whether Zhong Yueshan’s talk of holding grandchildren included intentions toward Cheng Lele, so he withdrew his goodwill and concisely introduced the important task about to be entrusted to him.
The vintage projectors Chen An was having someone acquire needed maintenance, and periodically playing outdoor film clips also had to be handled by a professional projectionist. After hearing this, Zhong Yueshan’s mental state immediately switched from the sun setting in the west and Lian Po growing old to an old warhorse in the stable still aspiring to gallop a thousand miles. Excited like a three-year-old child, he rubbed his hands together and asked a pile of professional questions about equipment procurement that Chen An couldn’t answer.
Seeing his ambitions revived, Chen An simply had him coordinate with equipment manufacturers, telling him to only handle the technical realm without worrying about money. Zhong Yueshan was moved to tears, expressing profuse thanks. Chen An wasn’t very good at handling such situations and only said to consider it thanks for all the care his son had shown his fiancée over the years.
Zhong Yueshan had been in the projection room so long he had a generation gap with the young employees downstairs. Aside from Shen Dafeng proactively coming upstairs to learn things, he didn’t have the habit of casually listening to gossip. Last time when the welfare milk tea from General Manager Chen was sent upstairs, he’d also given it away to those youngsters.
So when he heard Chen An mention his fiancée being familiar with Zhong Ming, he secretly thought his son had paved this road with great foresight. He immediately sent Chen An heartfelt blessings and enviously expressed that Zhong Ming had also reached the age when men should marry. He hoped they could quickly arrange for both sets of parents to meet—a simple wish.
Reminded by Zhong Yueshan, Chen An thought that according to customary ways, before marriage he really should meet with Cheng Lele’s stepfather. There was also that brother two years older than Cheng Lele who liked sharing his social circle with her. As one of her few family members, out of courtesy he should also pay a visit.
Before going downstairs, Chen An very politely said to Zhong Yueshan that if Zhong Ming settled on a marriage, he would definitely give a big red envelope in celebration. At the same time, he warmly invited the father and son pair to attend his and Cheng Lele’s wedding. Yes, Manager Cheng. Yes, one hundred percent correct.
This early morning, Zhong Yueshan’s mood rose and fell. Chen An couldn’t bear to see Zhong Yueshan’s disappointed expression and left the projection room after speaking. Walking to the corner staircase, his thin sense of guilt was easily replaced by intense smug pleasure. If he weren’t at the cinema, Chen An would have whistled into the office.
Pushing the door open, the office was lively and full of laughter. Chen An felt as if he’d entered the Kingdom of Women or the Spider Cave. A group of female employees in their twenties surrounded Cheng Lele, interviewing her about all the details of acting with a big star.
Reportedly, yesterday the cinema’s phone had nearly been blown up. Many customers called to inquire whether Liang Yuchao had really come to film, and when he would come next time. Many fans of Liang Yuchao had also run to the cinema to check in.
They were even more excited than the customers, but unfortunately, after waiting all day yesterday, Manager Cheng hadn’t appeared at the cinema.
“I was sick,” Cheng Lele explained.
“Filming is very hard work. You didn’t see—Sis had to film take after take, leaning on Liang Yuchao’s shoulder again and again.” Huang Wei proactively became the spokesperson. “Sis, if there’s this kind of suffering in the future, let me bear it. I’m not afraid of hard work.”
Cheng Lele still had lots of work to handle. Helplessly touching her neck, she said: “Okay, if there’s an opportunity in the future, I’ll definitely recommend you.”
Another female employee with sharp eyes shouted: “Sis, what happened here on your neck?”
Cheng Lele was wearing a turtleneck sweater. When she’d just touched her neck, she’d pulled down the collar. On her slender white neck, a hickey was particularly conspicuous.
Huang Wei, full of mischief, glanced at Chen An, then became spokesperson again: “I told you all filming is very hard work. There are lots of bugs when filming in the mountains. This is an insect bite.”
A female employee frowned and raised reasonable doubt: “There are still bugs coming out in the dead of winter?”
Huang Wei said: “This year is special—the global pandemic is raging, California and Australia had consecutive forest fires, Antarctica had extreme high temperatures. What’s wrong with bugs making a fuss in our country’s winter?”
Chen An looked at Huang Wei with approval, feeling that the group of people Cheng Lele had trained were quite full of hidden talents. Later when the cinema was demolished, they could build a comedy hall on the original site and open for business using the original team.
“Alright, alright, you’ve asked everything you wanted to ask. Hurry back to work. Chatting idly in front of the boss—do you still want to keep your jobs?” Cheng Lele found them noisy and wanted to chase them out.
The group filed out one by one. The fearless Huang Wei lingered at the back. Before going out, she made a face at Cheng Lele and made a money-counting gesture at Chen An.
Cheng Lele opened her computer, preparing to work.
Chen An walked over and leaned on the desk beside Cheng Lele, one leg bent, the other foot stepping on the wheels of Cheng Lele’s office chair, pushing it, disrupting her work: “How do little girls nowadays know so much? Isn’t she only a freshman?”
Cheng Lele pulled the chair toward the desk edge: “What do you mean only a freshman? She’s eighteen years old, okay?”
Chen An pushed the chair away again: “When you blocked the cola for her, didn’t you tell me she was only eighteen, still a child?”
Cheng Lele glanced at him: “How is your memory so good?”
Chen An said: “Hasn’t her school started yet?”
“There are sporadic outbreaks over there. It won’t open until next semester.” Cheng Lele pulled the chair again. Before Chen An’s leg could act up, she shouted sternly: “If you push me again, I’m really going to get angry.”
“If you get angry, I’ll just coax you.” Chen An leaned down and pecked her mouth, then continued chatting idly. “She’s eating and drinking well here with you, like a fish in water. When school starts, she won’t want to leave.”
Cheng Lele propped her chin: “I also won’t want her to leave. With her and Shen Dafeng here, the cinema is quite lively.”
Chen An said: “The way things are going, Shen Dafeng and Huang Wei will have to sit at the main table at the banquet, right? Then I need to hurry up and hold the wedding before she goes back to school.”
Cheng Lele was impressed with Chen An—no matter what he talked about, he could steer it in one direction: “After thanking Auntie Zhao, do I also have to thank Huang Wei?” She randomly pushed Chen An away and shouted: “Little Brother, I need to work! Don’t disturb me anymore.”
Chen An was pushed back a step. After steadying himself, he sighed: “Chat with you a bit more and you find me annoying. Tang Xin arranged a meeting for me on short notice. I have to leave soon. When you want someone to annoy you, you won’t be able to find anyone. Treasure me well.”
Cheng Lele secretly thought, fortunately there was the dutiful Tang Xin. Otherwise, Little Brother would henceforth be like an emperor who doesn’t hold morning court. If he doesn’t hold morning court, that’s fine, but dragging her along to neglect proper work—what kind of thing was that?
She said delicately: “How could that be? Then drive slowly.”
It was said so perfunctorily that Chen An heard her meaning of seeing him off, and pinched her nose hard: “I won’t be back until Christmas Eve.”
“That long?” Actually it was only three or four days.
Chen An said with satisfaction: “Your acting this time is better than earlier. If you put more heart into it next time, I’ll believe you.”
Cheng Lele smiled and hugged Chen An: “I’ll be at the cinema all day on Christmas Eve. Come find me here directly.”
Chen An stroked the protruding vertebrae one by one on Cheng Lele’s back and instructed: “Eat on time. I have informants here.”
“Shen Dafeng?”
Chen An, completely disregarding Shen Dafeng’s life or death, said carelessly: “My undercover was exposed that quickly?”
Cheng Lele leaned on Chen An’s shoulder and laughed, then kissed Chen An’s cheek: “See you on Christmas Eve.”