novellhall Chapter 185 Happy Camp [5000]
Chapter 185 Happy Camp [5000]
Chapter 185 Happy Camp [5000] (Seeking monthly votes)
Changsha Huanghua Airport.
It only takes a little over two hours to fly from Beijing, but once you step off the plane, the feeling is completely different.
The air is much more humid and carries the aroma of stir-fried pork with chili peppers.
It might be psychological.
The production team sent a car to pick them up and took them directly to a hotel near the Hunan Broadcasting Building.
On the way, Xiao Zhao, the program director in charge of coordination, started giving instructions in the car: "Brother Xun, teachers, the program will be recorded the day after tomorrow afternoon."
"The program will roughly consist of an opening show, interactive games, movie promotion, and a heartwarming segment at the end —"
Chen Xun explained from the side, "The atmosphere is very relaxed, everyone don't be nervous!"
Paul put his arm around Chen Xun's shoulder: "With you here, we definitely won't worry."
Gail took careful notes: "Is there any physical contact in the game? Should I change into flat shoes?"
"No, no, they're all educational games," Xiao Zhao quickly said. "Teachers, just relax and have fun. The purpose of our program is to bring joy."
We arrived at the hotel and put down our luggage at four o'clock in the afternoon.
Just as Chen Xun was about to rest for a while, there was a knock on the door.
When I opened the door, I saw four people standing neatly in the doorway.
Fan: "I'm hungry!"
Paul: "I've heard that Changsha's snacks are amazing."
Gail: "I've already checked the food guide, there's so much delicious food!"
Tyrese: "Today I will avenge myself!"
Chen Xun looked at them and sighed, "Alright, but let's agree on three rules: don't eat too much spicy food at once, and don't panic if you get recognized—"
He looked at Tyrese: "Stop chugging it down! Try everything in small sips!"
Pozi Street.
This old street has become lively again.
The sign for the Fire Palace is very eye-catching, and red lanterns hang at the entrance.
But Chen Xun didn't take them directly into the store; instead, he first turned into a side alley.
"The authentic old Changsha flavors are all found in these alleyway shops."
Rice noodle shop.
Five people squeezed around a low plastic table and ordered five bowls of beef noodles.
The beef rice noodles were served with a red oil broth, topped with large slices of braised beef, pickled cowpeas, and peanuts.
Fan learned her lesson and asked first, "Is it spicy?"
"Mildly spicy; the spiciness in Hunan cuisine is fragrant and spicy!"
Paul took a sip of the soup and his eyes widened: "This tastes really good, so rich and flavorful, much better than the noodle soup in Chinatown!"
Gail took a small bite of the rice noodles and nodded: "The rice noodles have a very smooth texture, completely different from pasta."
Tyrese was cautious this time, blowing on it for a long time before eating, and then—he cried again.
"Why is it still spicy!"
He took a swig of iced soy milk: "But it's really delicious! This beef is even more tender than my mom's stewed beef!"
Just after finishing his beef noodles and stepping outside, Tyrese saw stinky tofu and decided he absolutely had to buy some this time.
The stinky tofu in Changsha is different from the stinky tofu in Shanghai.
Chen Xun ate a piece first, and seeing the several pairs of eyes staring at him expectantly, he explained, "Changsha stinky tofu has a crispier outer skin and a more tender inside, and the dipping sauce is garlic and chili sauce."
Tyrese took a deep breath, picked up a piece with a death-defying resolve, and took a small bite.
He chewed twice, paused, then chewed twice more.
"That works!"
He took another big bite: "A million times better than douzhi! Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, the sauce is spicy but very fragrant."
'
Gail tried it too and nodded in agreement: "This tastes better to me than the ones in Shanghai!"
Chen Xun led them around, eating their way through the area.
Everyone was eating so much they were holding their bellies.
On the way back to the hotel, the group chatted as they walked.
Tyrese touched his slightly protruding belly: "I've been in China for four days and gained five pounds, but every pound is worth it."
Paul scrolled through his phone: "I posted a video of myself peeling shrimp on Instagram, and it's already got 20,000 likes."
Gail: "These flavors are so rich and complex! I can talk to my nutritionist about whether I can incorporate them into my diet. Those shaping meals are just awful!"
Fan suddenly turned to Chen Xun: "Chen, is the show the day after tomorrow really as easy as you say?"
"Even easier than you think!"
The Hunan Broadcasting Building, the backstage area for the recording of "Happy Camp".
Shen Man, carrying a stack of newly printed process sheets, jogged through the crowded corridor.
The printer jammed, causing a ten-minute delay; now she has to deliver these to the various host lounges and guest lounges—
Dressing room.
"Excuse me! Please make way!"
She squeezed past two technicians who were adjusting the lighting rigs, almost dropping the process sheet in her hand.
In three months in Changsha, I went from being a returnee from the Directing Department of USC and an assistant director to a low-level director in the Variety Show Department of Hunan TV.
The difference is enormous.
But she didn't complain.
She is content to have a job at a reputable television station with a stable income and access to the entire program production process.
A dream of making movies?
It broke long ago.
However, now is the perfect time to produce variety shows, especially those with their own unique style.
She studied dozens of successful variety shows from both China and abroad, filling three large notebooks with notes, and was just waiting for her opportunity.
"Xiao Shen! Why did it take so long to arrive?"
Wang Jie, the assistant to the show's director, called from the other end of the corridor, "Teacher He and the others have been here for a while, hurry up!"
"Coming, coming!" Shen Man quickened her pace.
First, send the process sheet to the Happy Family dressing room.
Teacher He was going over the script with Xie Na when she came in. Teacher He looked up and smiled, "Thank you for your hard work, Xiao Shen."
"It's my pleasure, Teacher He." Shen Man put down the procedure sheet and quietly closed the door.
Next up was the guest dressing room.
Today's recording is a regular program, featuring several lead actors from a recently popular historical romance drama.
When Shen Man knocked on the door and went in, two young actors were having their makeup touched up by a makeup artist, while an assistant was holding a small fan to blow on them.
As she put down the schedule and prepared to leave, she overheard one of the actors complaining, "The ratings are probably going to be bad again this season; there aren't any big names here."
Another chimed in, "I heard a Hollywood film crew is coming tomorrow? Really?"
"Of course it's true, it's the Fast & Furious 5 crew, but it has nothing to do with us. We'd be lucky to get 0.8% rating this episode."
Shen Man closed the door, a thought suddenly occurring to her.
A Hollywood film crew?
"fast and Furious"?
She shook her head; it couldn't be such a coincidence.
When Hollywood film crews come to China for promotional purposes, they usually only go to Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, and rarely come to Changsha to film variety shows.
Even if they came, it wouldn't be her turn to interact with them, especially as a new director.
Back in the directing team's office, a dozen or so colleagues were busy running around.
Shen Man's workstation is in a corner, next to the water dispenser.
"Xiao Shen, come here for a second."
Sister Wang beckoned: "You'll be in charge of following the car during the location shoot for tomorrow's 'Fast & Furious 5' episode. Let's confirm the location today."
Shen Man was taken aback: "Me, follow the car?"
"Yes, you have the best English in the group, you're a returnee from overseas."
Sister Wang handed her a document: "This is the location shooting plan. We'll be shooting a flash mob at Orange Isle. We need to discuss it with the guests. You'll be fine with it."
Shen Man took the document, feeling a little flustered, but mostly excited.
This is an opportunity to connect directly with Hollywood production teams.
"Thank you, Sister Wang. I will definitely do my best."
"Work hard!" Sister Wang patted her on the shoulder: "By the way, after today's recording, you can stay and learn how to operate the switcher from the technical department. It won't hurt to learn more."
"it is good."
At 3 PM, today's recording officially began.
Shen Man was assigned to the backstage monitoring area, where she was responsible for recording any unexpected situations and audience reactions.
She was wearing headphones, staring at six monitor screens, and holding a laptop in her hand.
Halfway through the recording of the show, a prop malfunctioned during one of the game segments.
The device that was supposed to spray confetti got stuck.
The on-site director was so anxious he was jumping up and down. Shen Man quickly ran up from backstage to deliver spare props. Her ability to adapt to the situation made the director take a second look at her.
At 4:20, the first half of the recording was completed, and it was time for a break.
Shen Man went to the tea room to get some water and overheard several executive directors chatting: "Next week's episode is the main event; the station's leaders will all be coming to watch."
"I heard that Universal Pictures is taking this very seriously. That actor named Chen Xun is quite the troublemaker, and he volunteered to come on our show."
"Chen Xun? Isn't that the guy who made a name for himself in Hollywood a couple of years ago? The one who acted in 'Thor' and '2 Broke Girls'?"
"Yes, that's him. He's really popular now, he even got an Oscar nomination."
Shen Man tightened her grip on the water glass.
Ever since watching Chen Xun's movie, she has been working hard and ignoring everything else, focusing on reading books on directing and screenwriting, which is how she was able to successfully enter Hunan TV.
Unexpectedly, when I heard news of Chen Xun again, this former classmate had grown into a top-tier celebrity, bringing Hollywood stars back to China to participate in a program!
"Xiao Shen? What are you spacing out for?"
Her colleague, Xiao Liu, patted her on the shoulder and said, "Sister Wang asked you to take inventory of the props needed next week. The list is here."
"Okay."
Shen Man took the list and put her thoughts aside.
The No. 1 reverse warehouse is located in the underground room of the main building, where various old props and equipment are piled up.
Shen Man pushed the trolley downstairs. The corridor was dimly lit, and only the sound of her footsteps could be heard.
After counting more than thirty props, a thin layer of sweat appeared on her forehead.
While the positive bending box was checking the number of a large rocker arm, the reverse warehouse door was suddenly pushed open.
Is this the place?
A man's voice rang out.
"It should be, the director said to come here first to check out the props."
Another voice answered.
Shen Man straightened up and looked towards the door.
Then she froze.
Five people were standing at the door.
At the front was a young man with an Asian face, wearing a simple black T-shirt and jeans, who was talking to a bald, muscular man next to him.
Zhang Heng and Shen Manpong became familiar with each other.
Chen Xun.
It's really him.
He had matured a bit in the past three years; his features were more open, and there was a sense of calm and composure in his eyes.
But his facial features, and his habit of slightly raising his eyebrows when he spoke of Wu, remained unchanged.
Chen Xun also saw her.
He stopped halfway through his sentence, his expression shifting from casual to surprised, and then to confirmation.
The two were ten meters apart, with props piled up between them, and the fluorescent tubes in the reverse warehouse emitted a slight buzzing sound.
"Shen Man?"
Chen Xun spoke first, in Chinese.
Fan, who was standing next to him, looked at the two of them with suspicion and asked in English, "Chen, is he your friend?"
Bao Gong and Gale also came in, and Tyrese came in last. He was choked by the dust as soon as he entered and coughed: "How long has this place been unused? It looks like a scene from a horror movie."
Shen Man took a deep breath, put down the list in her hand, and walked over.
"Chen Xun, it's been a long time since you pulled it out." She tried to keep her voice steady.
"haven't seen you for a long time!"
Chen Xun looked at her, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "What are you doing here?"
"I work here as a director."
Shen Man gave a brief introduction, then turned to the Hollywood stars and switched to fluent English: "Hello, I am Shen Man, the director of Hunan TV's 'Happy Camp,' and I am in charge of coordinating the location shooting for your recording tomorrow. I didn't expect to meet you all here in advance."
Vin Diesel looked enlightened and extended his hand: "Hello, I'm Vin Diesel."
Bao Gong, Gale, and Tyrese greeted him in turn.
The group was quite friendly, but they were clearly curious about the relationship between Chen Xun and the female director who had suddenly appeared.
After they finished exchanging pleasantries, Chen Xun said to his companions, "You guys go up first. I'll have a few words with Director Shen to confirm the location shooting details."
Fan nodded, patted him on the shoulder, and led the others away from Niku.
The door closed, leaving only the two of them in the warehouse.
There was silence for a few seconds.
"You've changed dramatically!"
Chen Xun spoke first, leaning against the prop box next to him: "Short hair suits you quite well."
Shen Man subconsciously touched her shoulder-length short hair.
I got this cut after coming to Changsha for convenience.
"You've changed even more," she said, looking at him. "You're a big star now."
"Just lucky!" Chen Xun said casually. "And you? How come you're a variety show director now? I remember you studied directing!"
"The film industry is facing difficulties."
Shen Man leaned against the opposite chair: "After returning to China, I followed two groups, which were all messy things. Later I figured it out, doing variety shows is pretty good too. I can really do my job properly."
She paused, then added, "Moreover, a successful variety show can influence more people than a niche art film."
Chen Xun wholeheartedly agreed: "That makes sense!"
He suddenly thought of the wildly popular Running Man and Go Fighting! from his previous life, which probably haven't been done yet.
"And you?" Shen Man asked, "Why are you on 'Happy Camp'? I thought Hollywood film crews only travel north and south."
"It was my suggestion," Chen Xun smiled. "The theme of this program matches the movie, and—"
He paused, then looked at her: "Changsha has a lot of delicious food, you know that. Those guys are obsessed with Chinese food now."
Shen Man smiled too.
Just as Chen Xun was about to bring up Running Man and Go Fighting! from his previous life, he heard footsteps coming from outside the reverse garage. Someone was coming.
"I should go up now," Chen Xun straightened up. "See you at the recording tomorrow?"
"Recording is on." Shen Man stood up straight as well. "I'll coordinate with the location shooting department. Don't worry."
Chen Xun walked to the door, then turned back: "Shen Man."
"Um?"
"It's impressive that you were able to start from scratch here," he said. "Really."
Shen Man felt a lump in her throat, but she held it in: "You too, keep up the good work!"
Chen Xun gave her a deep look, nodded, opened the door, and went out.
Shen Man stood on the spot, listening to his footsteps fade into the distance.
She looked down at the prop list in her hand, then looked up at the warehouse filled with old equipment.
Then she continued to count the props, checking them one by one carefully.
A slight smile unconsciously curved the corners of her mouth.
2 PM, backstage at the Hunan Electric Power Building studio.
Shen Man was wearing the black T-shirt provided by the production team, with a "Director - Location Shooting" work badge around her neck, and her palms were a little sweaty.
She took a deep breath and silently recited the process card she had memorized more than a dozen times the night before.
This was her first time communicating on stage. Although it was just a simple introduction, for someone who was used to working behind the scenes, standing in the spotlight was a completely different experience.
-
"Don't be stingy, just pretend the bottom is a pumpkin."
A seasoned director next to her patted her on the shoulder and said, "Teacher He's control is amazing; he won't let you fall behind."
Shen Man nodded, but Zi Guang couldn't help glancing towards the guest lounge.
Chen Xun and the "Action 5" team arrived half an hour ago and should be getting their makeup done now.
Just then, a beggar's laughter came from the other end of the corridor.
Chen Xun was walking at the front, gesturing something to Paul in English.
Vin Diesel's bald head gleamed under the backstage lights, Gale adjusted his in-ear monitor as he walked, while Tyrese recorded backstage footage on his phone.
"Shen Man!"
Chen Xun spotted her immediately, strode over, and asked naturally in Chinese, "Should I go first or them? Are there any taboo topics we can't discuss?"
"Soybean juice?"
He winked at Tyrese, who immediately made an exaggerated vomiting face, which made the surrounding staff laugh.
Shen Man was distracted by his interruption, which dispelled most of her tension, and she got into work mode: "According to the procedure, the host should first introduce everyone, and then you can start talking. The taboos are marked on the script. Don't mention politics, religion, or negative things about other film companies."
"OK!"
Chen Xunren gave an OK sign.
Shen Man and the crew filmed a simple outdoor scene together.
A group of people were making a lot of noise and having a great time.
After the recording ended, the group returned to the TV station to begin recording in the studio.
The opening music was deafening, and the five members of the Happy Family ran onto the stage from both sides, causing the 500 audience members below to erupt in screams.
Today, everyone here is either die-hard fans or Chen Xun's fans.
He Jiong announced: "Welcome everyone to 'Happy Camp'! Today we have five very, very important guests. They are from Hollywood, and their movies have grossed billions at the global box office. And today, they have come to Changsha!"
The lights shifted to the entrance on one side of the stage.
"First, let's welcome the cast and crew of 'Furious 5'!"
The door opened, and Chen Xun led the way out, followed by Fan, Bao Gong, Gale, and Tyrese.
All five of them were dressed casually today, but they exuded a powerful aura, and the waves crashing in the audience almost lifted the roof off.
Chen Xun took the container from He Jiong and said something that made everyone burst out laughing: "Hello Teacher He, hello everyone. Just now backstage, Tyrese asked me what kind of spicy fermented bean curd I could find in Changsha. I said, 'Yes, after we finish recording the show, I'll take you to eat stinky tofu with spicy stir-fried pork. I guarantee it will make you see life in a new light.'"
Tyrese nodded vigorously beside him and shouted in broken Chinese, "I can!"
He Jiong followed up with a joke: "It seems that Changsha's cuisine has become famous. So, Chen Xun, as the only Chinese person in the crew, how does it feel to bring your teammates to China for promotion?"
"It feels like—"
Chen Xun paused deliberately and looked at Fan beside him: "I finally have a chance to get revenge. When we were filming in Los Angeles, Fan always made me eat those healthy meals, chicken breast and broccoli. I was so hungry I almost turned green. This time when I came back, I took them to eat braised pork, xiaolongbao and spicy hot pot every day. Yesterday, Fan stepped on the scale and said he had gained five pounds."
Fan helplessly shrugged and said in English, "He said this is part of cultural exchange, but I suspect he just wants to find an excuse to eat well."
Bao Gong interjected: "But I must say, Chinese barbecue is better than American barbecue."
Gail nodded: "And the atmosphere at the night market is great; everyone sits on the roadside and relaxes."
The translator standing behind him laughed as he translated.