Chapter 34
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Chapter 34: Big killer whale & little sea otter (1)
Ling Na came to the dormitory early the next morning to pick up Qiao Dai and head over to the recording venue. Today’s shooting location was in an open-air swimming pool in the North Island and by the time they arrived, a lot of staff was already installing the equipment and the director was standing on the side, talking to the Marketing department.
“You’re here?”
The director was a short, chubby, middle-aged man, either in his forties or fifties. He had a notoriously good personality and he smiled at Qiao Dai right away, as if to dispel the anxiety of their first meeting.
“Don’t be nervous, I watched your shooting from last time on the plane and it was very beautiful. Although it will be a little harder to film, I believe you can do it.”
He then looked around and whispered: “My daughter really likes you. Can I bother you with an autograph once we’re done? I don’t quite understand the words of little girls, nowadays.”
Qiao Dai had no reason to not agree. She immediately asked for his daughter’s name, wrote words of blessing on the signature board, and handed it back to the director.
“Thank you. Now let me tell you about today’s content and then we can start.” The director’s tone had become more gentle and after giving a rough draft of what he wanted to achieve with today’s filming, he let the stylist take Qiao Dai to dress.
After a while, Qiao Dai walked back to the scene. She had put on a white slit dress that looked a little exotic. The thin veil vaguely outlined her slender and straight legs, which were faintly visible under the breeze. Her exposed shoulders were slightly hidden, neither modest nor frivolous, and looked very seductive, making the viewer’s mind undulate with the movements of the fabric.
On her waist was a string of colorful gemstones, which reflected the delicate brilliance of the sun, and gentle tassels of pearls were hung from her white tube top. Her belly button had also been adorned, just like her whole body, with shiny jewels that made her look like a fairy who had just descended on the mortal world.
Ling Na had originally been worried that such exposing clothes would be harmful to a trainee but when Qiao Dai walked out of the dressing room, all thoughts instantly disappeared. She looked perfect and Ling Na thought in a trance Qiao Dai had been born to wear such light and mysterious attire; Qiao Dai was the creation of the ocean and any obscene thoughts against her were blasphemy against the world. A girl like Qiao Dai was made to be dressed in such gorgeous clothes and play freely in the endless blue sea.
The director’s eyes suddenly lit up and the other staff members were in a daze for a moment, only coming back to their senses when the director’s excited voice sounded again.
“Good, good! It’s no wonder Mr. Cheng chose you at a glance! You are simply born for the sea!”
The director looked very eager. In their line of work, even if talent was important, it was all about emotions. As long as the emotions were right, everything else was!
Qiao Dai heard the unfamiliar name from the director’s mouth and couldn’t help but ask: “Mr. Cheng?”
Ling Na was a little surprised when she heard it too; she knew the North Island had chosen Qiao Dai to make the video but had not known the appointment had come from the president himself. She couldn’t help but be a little stunned and slightly frightened.
“It turns out it was President Cheng who selected our Qiao Dai. This is really a great honor, I will take her to thank him in person when the opportunity arises.” Ling Na was a little scared but the director smiled.
“That’s true but it doesn’t have to be the case. Mr. Cheng seldom cares about things in the circle and he doesn’t like being disturbed by others. If you really want to thank him anyway, he might be at tonight’s banquet. I will take you there.”
A small banquet would be held tonight to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the North Island and many celebrities who had participated in the attraction’s publicity would also attend.
“Then I must thank President Cheng properly.” Qiao Dai suddenly became serious when she heard the dialogue between Ling Na and the director. Nobody knew what she was thinking but her eyes brightened.
If she had a good relationship with this Mr. Cheng, would she get invited to shoot in the big swimming pool often? Qiao Dai, who soaked in her pitiful children’s pool every day, had instantly been very excited when she had seen the huge outdoor pool at the shooting location.
She carefully moved to the pool and put her hand in the cold water. The familiar feeling made her relax at once and she even had the urge to jump in and start swimming happily.
However, the next second, a passing staff member dragged her away in a panic, saying with worry: “The water here is deep and dangerous. Sister Qiao Dai, let’s go over there.”
“Don’t be anxious, you already had some underwater shooting experience before. However, last time was a flat surface and today we will shoot dynamics. The objective is lightness and agility but you don’t have to worry too much about it. Take your time in the water, it’s also okay to explore. We will help you to adjust faster in the later stage. The photographer and security personnel will be beside you all along and if you have any problem, you can signal us and we will suspend the shooting.”
The director patiently told Qiao Dai about the relevant recording precautions and the girl listened to him very seriously, without interrupting. The director felt very satisfied and wanted to help her take excellent pictures today.
“Three, two, one, action!”
The director stared intently at the monitor in front of him. Within seconds, the sound of splashing was heard and the slender figure of a girl falling in the water appeared on the screen in countless floating bubbles. Qiao Dai shook her snow-white arm and it looked like she was fiddling with the light in the water.
Everyone held their breath and the next moment—
The girl swam forward as fast as an arrow, her white skirt floating gently in the blue water, just like a gentle cloud. People could only catch a snowy shadow but by the time they recovered, there was only blue on the screen.
Qiao Dai swam to the surface, smiled, and looked at the people on the shore: “How is it?”
Everyone was speechless for a moment and before they could answer, there was another splash and the cameraman poked his head out of the water and said with some embarrassment: “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch up.”
Except for the first shot when she had entered the water, people had just stared dazedly at the water, trying to imagine the picture. No one had expected that a professional underwater photographer would be left behind by an 18 or 19 years old girl and it took a while for all of them to snap out of their trances.
This was too amazing!
For ordinary people, carrying tens of kilograms of equipment already required considerable physical strength, not to mention underwater, when every action was difficult to control. Today’s young cameraman was a former swimming team’s captain; he had joined the provincial team before retiring and specializing as an underwater photographer. Shan Huai had to admit that while he had not paid careful attention at first, he had indeed been left behind by Qiao Dai!
The director was stunned. He had never expected that Qiao Dai not only performed perfectly in the still water shooting, but even dynamic ones had no dead ends. This agile figure that had both speed and beauty… This was his ideal picture!
“Director, should we adjust the speed?”
The director shook his hand, picked up the loudspeaker, and shouted: “Just shoot! But Qiao Dai, can you swim a little slower so that Shan Huai can follow?”
Shan Huai’s expression changed slightly after hearing this; this was the first time he had ever worried about being able to keep up with a model. But the truth was that he wasn’t angry at all.
Just thinking of Qiao Dai’s swimming, the impulse of competing against her spread in his heart. He hadn’t experienced this feeling in so many years and he couldn’t help but think about his school days when he still felt passionate about competing for first place against opponents from all over the country.
After some discussion, in order to ensure the director could see the picture on the monitor clearly, he asked Qiao Dai and Shan Huai to slow down a little. When Qiao Dai jumped out of the water for the last time, drops scattered in the air like sparkling pearls, and the picture froze on this scene.
“Good! Cut!”
The director slapped his thigh with excitement and stood up. As soon as his voice fell, the staff who had been immersed in Qiao Dai’s whole performance came back to their senses; everybody began to adjust the filming equipment and Ling Na ran towards the pool with a large and fluffy towel.
Qiao Dai turned around to look at the pool some more before reluctantly walking away and taking the towel that was handed to her. She had obviously gone through several hours of filming but her face didn’t have the slightest trace of fatigue. On the contrary, her eyes were even more bright and her whole body looked full of vitality, and the staff couldn’t help but sigh with amazement.
After Qiao Dai changed her clothes, she walked to the director’s side. The man stood up with a big smile on his face, obviously very satisfied with her performance.
“Thank you for today. I haven’t made such a good commercial in so long.” The director paused and looked at the monitor; the girl on the screen was both innocent and mysterious, her body light and agile, just like the creation of the ocean.
“I have some friends from the circle who will come to tonight’s banquet. I will introduce you at that time.”
Although the director wanted to keep singing Qiao Dai’s praises, he guessed that if the girl wanted to attend the banquet later, she needed some time to rest and get ready.
“Thank you for today, Director.”
Qiao Dai bowed very seriously. She was indeed a little tired now; not because the shooting had gone too long but because she had felt this way lately. She had thought she would feel more energetic after playing in the pool today and would be able to relax after the short swim, who would have known she would actually feel even more sleepy? It seemed that she really needed to rest for the next few days.
Taking a look at the girl who was dozing off, Ling Na shook her head with a smile; she was still so young, about to attend such an important banquet yet too sleepy to keep her eyes open. But as she thought about her performance these days, Ling Na made up her mind that she would fight to get her more resources with the company.
Chapter 34: Big killer whale & little sea otter (2)
Night soon arrived, and Ling Na and Qiao Dai went to the banquet.
In the magnificent hall, countless handsome men and beautiful women were wearing gorgeous clothes straight out of a movie, glasses of champagne in their hands, dazzling with paper and gold1.
Most of the guests of tonight’s banquet were business partners and only a few celebrities who had participated in the pre-publicity had been invited; the fact that a newcomer like Qiao Dai could join the festivities was something people couldn’t even envy.
“That’s Mr. Zhang of Shengshi.”
“That lady over there is Mr. Gu’s wife.”
Although Ling Na was very excited, she seriously did her best to introduce Qiao Dai to her contacts and have her attract as much attention as possible.
“Come on, let me introduce you. This is Qiao Dai.”
The director found her and the crowd and had not forgotten what he had said earlier. Because he was so satisfied with today’s shooting, he couldn’t help but compliment her in front of others.
“To get such high praise from Brother Zhang, I can only look forward to the completion of the film.” Listening to Director Zhang, the others became a little curious. Truth was, in their hearts, they didn’t have many expectations for a newcomer but as Director Zhang kept talking about her, they started to feel a little moved. After all, if it was just a scene, saying it once was enough and there was no need to tell everyone, especially at this type of event. Was it possible that this girl named Qiao Dai was that excellent?
Director Zhang laughed, raised the glass of wine in his hand, and motioned to his assistant to show the video. The assistant quickly took out his phone and started playing an excerpt of the footage.
After watching the video, the people who had been smiling indifferently just now, opened their eyes wide and turned to look at Qiao Dai as if they had just found a little treasure. This time, their gazes and opinions had greatly changed.
“I have seen your official portrait. Are you interested in another similar theme? A two-page picture. Oh no, the cover is good too.”
“I have a few MVs that lack a female character, see if you can think about it?”
The overwhelming number of invitations almost knocked Ling Na out and she quickly accepted everyone’s business cards. Qiao Dai kept thanking everybody and after a while, they finally got the chance to leave and take a breath.
“Oh my God, I can’t believe we got so many!”
Ling Na counted the business cards in her hands, the pile almost too thick to fit in her purse. She put away all those valuable contact information with joy and grabbed two glasses of fruit wine from the waiter before handing one to Qiao Dai.
Qiao Dai looked at the lemon-colored liquid in the glass curiously and took a tentative sip. The slightly pungent taste spread on her taste buds, making her squint and stick out her tongue. A little bitter, but also a little sweet.
After her first sip, Qiao Dai quickly got used to the taste and even started to think it was delicious. Soon, she had finished the whole glass.
“Sister Ling Na, I’m going to the bathroom.”
“Okay, go ahead.”
Her body temperature had slowly risen as she drank her glass and Qiao Dai felt that her mood had become inexplicably restless. Her head was a little dizzy and she wanted to find some cold water to pat her face and wake her up.
***
Outside the banquet hall, there was a flower bed full of blooming colors. The cold light of the moon spilled on the deserted courtyard in some sort of lonely tranquility.
Qiao Dai walked by the huge French windows, raised her head, and looked up at the moon. The dark sky was like the ocean at night and the soft light looked like the sparkling waves and unconsciously made her stop.
The waves, the water, the salty air… In a trance, Qiao Dai felt as if she was smelling the familiar scent of seawater.
Qiao Dai’s nose twitched and she instantly broke out of her groggy state. Her eyes widened in surprise and she followed the tinge of salty air instinctively to the second floor. In her confused mind, she opened several doors and opened her eyes wide again when faint blue water appeared in front of her.
Big, big sea!
The bright moon reflected on the water from the floor-to-ceiling windows, waves of light undulated on the surface, and a serene and beautiful atmosphere enveloped the surroundings. It was quiet around and there was no one.
Qiao Dai, who hadn’t swum freely for a long time, couldn’t resist the temptation. She quickly changed back to her little sea otter’s form, folded her clothes on the shore, and jumped in: it really was seawater!
Qiao Dai’s joy couldn’t be contained and she rolled happily in the water a few times, splashed around, and listened to the pleasing and relaxed sound of the ocean. She then lay on the surface and yawned; it was really too easy to fall asleep in her little sea otter form!
Her chubby body was covered in fur to withstand the cold of the sea but her paws had no fluff and she could only cover her eyes to keep warm. Qiao Dai stretched out her little limbs and rubbed her eyes, gradually dozing off. Oh, she really felt like sleeping, just like a little sea otter floating on the surface of the sea, slowly drifting along with the current.
But as she was falling asleep, the originally calm water began to ripple outwards in layers. Before she could react, she felt that she had hit something and the force made her drift in the opposite direction quickly.
Then, a slightly unpleasant voice was heard and reached Qiao Dai’s ears: “Go away, don’t swim in someone else’s pool.”
Qiao Dai: !!!
The sleepy Qiao Dai jerked awake and opened her closed eyes to see a killer whale staring at her with a fierce look, seemingly a little angry.
Unlike Qiao Dai who had fled in a hurry, the orca was slowly swimming in the water and didn’t seem eager to hunt. Instead, he stopped at a distance from the shore and looked through the water at the panicked little sea otter.
“You-ou, hello…”
Qiao Dai’s voice was trembling and she looked at the giant predator in the water timidly, her whole furry body faintly shivering. Her body had become too weak, she couldn’t run!
As a member of the marine clan, Qiao Dai had retained her animal instincts, and looking at such a strong killed whale, she only felt scared. But was it her illusion just now or had she heard him talk? With that in mind, Qiao Dai decided to negotiate with the big brother orca to not eat her.
The killer whale didn’t speak anymore but his tail slapped the surface.
Ah, a bad-tempered killer whale!
Qiao Dai shrank into a ball on the shore and after waiting for a long time for the orca to speak, she asked tentatively: “Can I— Can I go?”
The big predator didn’t move and looked at her quietly. She shrunk her head again and she didn’t know how much time had passed when he suddenly said: “What do you think?”
Did that mean she could leave or she couldn’t?
Qiao Dai blinked and carefully moved closer to the pile of folded clothes she had placed on the edge. Whenever she took a step, the killer whale in the water would follow and slightly change the angle of his body, always staring at her.
Was he searching for her weakness? Qiao Dai shook some more but she also felt it was kind of unnecessary; she clearly had weaknesses all over. For marine overlords like orcas, a sea otter was nothing more than a small snack they could swallow in one bite. He really didn’t need to observe her so attentively.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to disturb you! I will go now!”
The moment she got to her clothes, she quickly grabbed them and ran to the dressing room, fearing the orca would regret letting her go and come at her. And from start to finish, the killer whale just watched her in silence from the bottom of the water.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Thank you big brother orca for sparring this weak little sea otter! I won’t bother you anymore!”
When Qiao Dai came out of the locker room after changing back, the big killer whale was still in the water and when he heard her say so, he slapped his tail again. Qiao Dai fled to the door and to the outside in fright.
But just before leaving, she turned her head and glanced at the pool. Amidst the azure water, the slightly curved dorsal fin looked a little bit lonely and the orca kept staring at her. Was it her illusion or did his fin looked a little bent? Only depressed killer whales would look like that, was it possible he felt unhappy? But she didn’t dare to think too much about it, after all, it was an orca and she was just a little sea otter. How could she know if he was upset? Qiao Dai turned around once more with some doubts in her head, and she didn’t know how long it was before the silence of the room was broken again in a splash of water.
***
Cheng Su changed his clothes and walked out. He turned the light on and the dim room became bright at once. Fine drops of water were falling from the tip of his hair and he slowly headed to the door. Only when he tried the door lock did he notice it was broken.
The figure of a young girl appeared involuntarily in Cheng Su’s mind and his eyebrows gently raised.
A weak… little sea otter?
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Chapter 34: Big killer whale & little sea otter (1)
Ling Na came to the dormitory early the next morning to pick up Qiao Dai and head over to the recording venue. Today’s shooting location was in an open-air swimming pool in the North Island and by the time they arrived, a lot of staff was already installing the equipment and the director was standing on the side, talking to the Marketing department.
“You’re here?”
The director was a short, chubby, middle-aged man, either in his forties or fifties. He had a notoriously good personality and he smiled at Qiao Dai right away, as if to dispel the anxiety of their first meeting.
“Don’t be nervous, I watched your shooting from last time on the plane and it was very beautiful. Although it will be a little harder to film, I believe you can do it.”
He then looked around and whispered: “My daughter really likes you. Can I bother you with an autograph once we’re done? I don’t quite understand the words of little girls, nowadays.”
Qiao Dai had no reason to not agree. She immediately asked for his daughter’s name, wrote words of blessing on the signature board, and handed it back to the director.
“Thank you. Now let me tell you about today’s content and then we can start.” The director’s tone had become more gentle and after giving a rough draft of what he wanted to achieve with today’s filming, he let the stylist take Qiao Dai to dress.
After a while, Qiao Dai walked back to the scene. She had put on a white slit dress that looked a little exotic. The thin veil vaguely outlined her slender and straight legs, which were faintly visible under the breeze. Her exposed shoulders were slightly hidden, neither modest nor frivolous, and looked very seductive, making the viewer’s mind undulate with the movements of the fabric.
On her waist was a string of colorful gemstones, which reflected the delicate brilliance of the sun, and gentle tassels of pearls were hung from her white tube top. Her belly button had also been adorned, just like her whole body, with shiny jewels that made her look like a fairy who had just descended on the mortal world.
Ling Na had originally been worried that such exposing clothes would be harmful to a trainee but when Qiao Dai walked out of the dressing room, all thoughts instantly disappeared. She looked perfect and Ling Na thought in a trance Qiao Dai had been born to wear such light and mysterious attire; Qiao Dai was the creation of the ocean and any obscene thoughts against her were blasphemy against the world. A girl like Qiao Dai was made to be dressed in such gorgeous clothes and play freely in the endless blue sea.
The director’s eyes suddenly lit up and the other staff members were in a daze for a moment, only coming back to their senses when the director’s excited voice sounded again.
“Good, good! It’s no wonder Mr. Cheng chose you at a glance! You are simply born for the sea!”
The director looked very eager. In their line of work, even if talent was important, it was all about emotions. As long as the emotions were right, everything else was!
Qiao Dai heard the unfamiliar name from the director’s mouth and couldn’t help but ask: “Mr. Cheng?”
Ling Na was a little surprised when she heard it too; she knew the North Island had chosen Qiao Dai to make the video but had not known the appointment had come from the president himself. She couldn’t help but be a little stunned and slightly frightened.
“It turns out it was President Cheng who selected our Qiao Dai. This is really a great honor, I will take her to thank him in person when the opportunity arises.” Ling Na was a little scared but the director smiled.
“That’s true but it doesn’t have to be the case. Mr. Cheng seldom cares about things in the circle and he doesn’t like being disturbed by others. If you really want to thank him anyway, he might be at tonight’s banquet. I will take you there.”
A small banquet would be held tonight to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the North Island and many celebrities who had participated in the attraction’s publicity would also attend.
“Then I must thank President Cheng properly.” Qiao Dai suddenly became serious when she heard the dialogue between Ling Na and the director. Nobody knew what she was thinking but her eyes brightened.
If she had a good relationship with this Mr. Cheng, would she get invited to shoot in the big swimming pool often? Qiao Dai, who soaked in her pitiful children’s pool every day, had instantly been very excited when she had seen the huge outdoor pool at the shooting location.
She carefully moved to the pool and put her hand in the cold water. The familiar feeling made her relax at once and she even had the urge to jump in and start swimming happily.
However, the next second, a passing staff member dragged her away in a panic, saying with worry: “The water here is deep and dangerous. Sister Qiao Dai, let’s go over there.”
“Don’t be anxious, you already had some underwater shooting experience before. However, last time was a flat surface and today we will shoot dynamics. The objective is lightness and agility but you don’t have to worry too much about it. Take your time in the water, it’s also okay to explore. We will help you to adjust faster in the later stage. The photographer and security personnel will be beside you all along and if you have any problem, you can signal us and we will suspend the shooting.”
The director patiently told Qiao Dai about the relevant recording precautions and the girl listened to him very seriously, without interrupting. The director felt very satisfied and wanted to help her take excellent pictures today.
“Three, two, one, action!”
The director stared intently at the monitor in front of him. Within seconds, the sound of splashing was heard and the slender figure of a girl falling in the water appeared on the screen in countless floating bubbles. Qiao Dai shook her snow-white arm and it looked like she was fiddling with the light in the water.
Everyone held their breath and the next moment—
The girl swam forward as fast as an arrow, her white skirt floating gently in the blue water, just like a gentle cloud. People could only catch a snowy shadow but by the time they recovered, there was only blue on the screen.
Qiao Dai swam to the surface, smiled, and looked at the people on the shore: “How is it?”
Everyone was speechless for a moment and before they could answer, there was another splash and the cameraman poked his head out of the water and said with some embarrassment: “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch up.”
Except for the first shot when she had entered the water, people had just stared dazedly at the water, trying to imagine the picture. No one had expected that a professional underwater photographer would be left behind by an 18 or 19 years old girl and it took a while for all of them to snap out of their trances.
This was too amazing!
For ordinary people, carrying tens of kilograms of equipment already required considerable physical strength, not to mention underwater, when every action was difficult to control. Today’s young cameraman was a former swimming team’s captain; he had joined the provincial team before retiring and specializing as an underwater photographer. Shan Huai had to admit that while he had not paid careful attention at first, he had indeed been left behind by Qiao Dai!
The director was stunned. He had never expected that Qiao Dai not only performed perfectly in the still water shooting, but even dynamic ones had no dead ends. This agile figure that had both speed and beauty… This was his ideal picture!
“Director, should we adjust the speed?”
The director shook his hand, picked up the loudspeaker, and shouted: “Just shoot! But Qiao Dai, can you swim a little slower so that Shan Huai can follow?”
Shan Huai’s expression changed slightly after hearing this; this was the first time he had ever worried about being able to keep up with a model. But the truth was that he wasn’t angry at all.
Just thinking of Qiao Dai’s swimming, the impulse of competing against her spread in his heart. He hadn’t experienced this feeling in so many years and he couldn’t help but think about his school days when he still felt passionate about competing for first place against opponents from all over the country.
After some discussion, in order to ensure the director could see the picture on the monitor clearly, he asked Qiao Dai and Shan Huai to slow down a little. When Qiao Dai jumped out of the water for the last time, drops scattered in the air like sparkling pearls, and the picture froze on this scene.
“Good! Cut!”
The director slapped his thigh with excitement and stood up. As soon as his voice fell, the staff who had been immersed in Qiao Dai’s whole performance came back to their senses; everybody began to adjust the filming equipment and Ling Na ran towards the pool with a large and fluffy towel.
Qiao Dai turned around to look at the pool some more before reluctantly walking away and taking the towel that was handed to her. She had obviously gone through several hours of filming but her face didn’t have the slightest trace of fatigue. On the contrary, her eyes were even more bright and her whole body looked full of vitality, and the staff couldn’t help but sigh with amazement.
After Qiao Dai changed her clothes, she walked to the director’s side. The man stood up with a big smile on his face, obviously very satisfied with her performance.
“Thank you for today. I haven’t made such a good commercial in so long.” The director paused and looked at the monitor; the girl on the screen was both innocent and mysterious, her body light and agile, just like the creation of the ocean.
“I have some friends from the circle who will come to tonight’s banquet. I will introduce you at that time.”
Although the director wanted to keep singing Qiao Dai’s praises, he guessed that if the girl wanted to attend the banquet later, she needed some time to rest and get ready.
“Thank you for today, Director.”
Qiao Dai bowed very seriously. She was indeed a little tired now; not because the shooting had gone too long but because she had felt this way lately. She had thought she would feel more energetic after playing in the pool today and would be able to relax after the short swim, who would have known she would actually feel even more sleepy? It seemed that she really needed to rest for the next few days.
Taking a look at the girl who was dozing off, Ling Na shook her head with a smile; she was still so young, about to attend such an important banquet yet too sleepy to keep her eyes open. But as she thought about her performance these days, Ling Na made up her mind that she would fight to get her more resources with the company.
Chapter 34: Big killer whale & little sea otter (2)
Night soon arrived, and Ling Na and Qiao Dai went to the banquet.
In the magnificent hall, countless handsome men and beautiful women were wearing gorgeous clothes straight out of a movie, glasses of champagne in their hands, dazzling with paper and gold1.
Most of the guests of tonight’s banquet were business partners and only a few celebrities who had participated in the pre-publicity had been invited; the fact that a newcomer like Qiao Dai could join the festivities was something people couldn’t even envy.
“That’s Mr. Zhang of Shengshi.”
“That lady over there is Mr. Gu’s wife.”
Although Ling Na was very excited, she seriously did her best to introduce Qiao Dai to her contacts and have her attract as much attention as possible.
“Come on, let me introduce you. This is Qiao Dai.”
The director found her and the crowd and had not forgotten what he had said earlier. Because he was so satisfied with today’s shooting, he couldn’t help but compliment her in front of others.
“To get such high praise from Brother Zhang, I can only look forward to the completion of the film.” Listening to Director Zhang, the others became a little curious. Truth was, in their hearts, they didn’t have many expectations for a newcomer but as Director Zhang kept talking about her, they started to feel a little moved. After all, if it was just a scene, saying it once was enough and there was no need to tell everyone, especially at this type of event. Was it possible that this girl named Qiao Dai was that excellent?
Director Zhang laughed, raised the glass of wine in his hand, and motioned to his assistant to show the video. The assistant quickly took out his phone and started playing an excerpt of the footage.
After watching the video, the people who had been smiling indifferently just now, opened their eyes wide and turned to look at Qiao Dai as if they had just found a little treasure. This time, their gazes and opinions had greatly changed.
“I have seen your official portrait. Are you interested in another similar theme? A two-page picture. Oh no, the cover is good too.”
“I have a few MVs that lack a female character, see if you can think about it?”
The overwhelming number of invitations almost knocked Ling Na out and she quickly accepted everyone’s business cards. Qiao Dai kept thanking everybody and after a while, they finally got the chance to leave and take a breath.
“Oh my God, I can’t believe we got so many!”
Ling Na counted the business cards in her hands, the pile almost too thick to fit in her purse. She put away all those valuable contact information with joy and grabbed two glasses of fruit wine from the waiter before handing one to Qiao Dai.
Qiao Dai looked at the lemon-colored liquid in the glass curiously and took a tentative sip. The slightly pungent taste spread on her taste buds, making her squint and stick out her tongue. A little bitter, but also a little sweet.
After her first sip, Qiao Dai quickly got used to the taste and even started to think it was delicious. Soon, she had finished the whole glass.
“Sister Ling Na, I’m going to the bathroom.”
“Okay, go ahead.”
Her body temperature had slowly risen as she drank her glass and Qiao Dai felt that her mood had become inexplicably restless. Her head was a little dizzy and she wanted to find some cold water to pat her face and wake her up.
***
Outside the banquet hall, there was a flower bed full of blooming colors. The cold light of the moon spilled on the deserted courtyard in some sort of lonely tranquility.
Qiao Dai walked by the huge French windows, raised her head, and looked up at the moon. The dark sky was like the ocean at night and the soft light looked like the sparkling waves and unconsciously made her stop.
The waves, the water, the salty air… In a trance, Qiao Dai felt as if she was smelling the familiar scent of seawater.
Qiao Dai’s nose twitched and she instantly broke out of her groggy state. Her eyes widened in surprise and she followed the tinge of salty air instinctively to the second floor. In her confused mind, she opened several doors and opened her eyes wide again when faint blue water appeared in front of her.
Big, big sea!
The bright moon reflected on the water from the floor-to-ceiling windows, waves of light undulated on the surface, and a serene and beautiful atmosphere enveloped the surroundings. It was quiet around and there was no one.
Qiao Dai, who hadn’t swum freely for a long time, couldn’t resist the temptation. She quickly changed back to her little sea otter’s form, folded her clothes on the shore, and jumped in: it really was seawater!
Qiao Dai’s joy couldn’t be contained and she rolled happily in the water a few times, splashed around, and listened to the pleasing and relaxed sound of the ocean. She then lay on the surface and yawned; it was really too easy to fall asleep in her little sea otter form!
Her chubby body was covered in fur to withstand the cold of the sea but her paws had no fluff and she could only cover her eyes to keep warm. Qiao Dai stretched out her little limbs and rubbed her eyes, gradually dozing off. Oh, she really felt like sleeping, just like a little sea otter floating on the surface of the sea, slowly drifting along with the current.
But as she was falling asleep, the originally calm water began to ripple outwards in layers. Before she could react, she felt that she had hit something and the force made her drift in the opposite direction quickly.
Then, a slightly unpleasant voice was heard and reached Qiao Dai’s ears: “Go away, don’t swim in someone else’s pool.”
Qiao Dai: !!!
The sleepy Qiao Dai jerked awake and opened her closed eyes to see a killer whale staring at her with a fierce look, seemingly a little angry.
Unlike Qiao Dai who had fled in a hurry, the orca was slowly swimming in the water and didn’t seem eager to hunt. Instead, he stopped at a distance from the shore and looked through the water at the panicked little sea otter.
“You-ou, hello…”
Qiao Dai’s voice was trembling and she looked at the giant predator in the water timidly, her whole furry body faintly shivering. Her body had become too weak, she couldn’t run!
As a member of the marine clan, Qiao Dai had retained her animal instincts, and looking at such a strong killed whale, she only felt scared. But was it her illusion just now or had she heard him talk? With that in mind, Qiao Dai decided to negotiate with the big brother orca to not eat her.
The killer whale didn’t speak anymore but his tail slapped the surface.
Ah, a bad-tempered killer whale!
Qiao Dai shrank into a ball on the shore and after waiting for a long time for the orca to speak, she asked tentatively: “Can I— Can I go?”
The big predator didn’t move and looked at her quietly. She shrunk her head again and she didn’t know how much time had passed when he suddenly said: “What do you think?”
Did that mean she could leave or she couldn’t?
Qiao Dai blinked and carefully moved closer to the pile of folded clothes she had placed on the edge. Whenever she took a step, the killer whale in the water would follow and slightly change the angle of his body, always staring at her.
Was he searching for her weakness? Qiao Dai shook some more but she also felt it was kind of unnecessary; she clearly had weaknesses all over. For marine overlords like orcas, a sea otter was nothing more than a small snack they could swallow in one bite. He really didn’t need to observe her so attentively.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to disturb you! I will go now!”
The moment she got to her clothes, she quickly grabbed them and ran to the dressing room, fearing the orca would regret letting her go and come at her. And from start to finish, the killer whale just watched her in silence from the bottom of the water.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Thank you big brother orca for sparring this weak little sea otter! I won’t bother you anymore!”
When Qiao Dai came out of the locker room after changing back, the big killer whale was still in the water and when he heard her say so, he slapped his tail again. Qiao Dai fled to the door and to the outside in fright.
But just before leaving, she turned her head and glanced at the pool. Amidst the azure water, the slightly curved dorsal fin looked a little bit lonely and the orca kept staring at her. Was it her illusion or did his fin looked a little bent? Only depressed killer whales would look like that, was it possible he felt unhappy? But she didn’t dare to think too much about it, after all, it was an orca and she was just a little sea otter. How could she know if he was upset? Qiao Dai turned around once more with some doubts in her head, and she didn’t know how long it was before the silence of the room was broken again in a splash of water.
***
Cheng Su changed his clothes and walked out. He turned the light on and the dim room became bright at once. Fine drops of water were falling from the tip of his hair and he slowly headed to the door. Only when he tried the door lock did he notice it was broken.
The figure of a young girl appeared involuntarily in Cheng Su’s mind and his eyebrows gently raised.
A weak… little sea otter?
Chapter 34: Big killer whale & little sea otter 1Ling Na came to the dormitory early the next morning to pick up Qiao Dai and head over to the recording venue. Today's shooting location was in an open-air swimming pool in the North Island and by the time they arrived, a lot of staff was already installing the equipment and the director was standing on the side, talking to the Marketing department.You're here?The director was a short, chubby, middle-aged man, either in his forties or fifties. He had a notoriously good personality and he smiled at Qiao Dai right away, as if to dispel the anxiety of their first meeting.Don't be nervous, I watched your shooting from last time on the plane and it was very beautiful. Although it will be a little harder to film, I believe you can do it.He then looked around and whispered: My daughter really likes you. Can I bother you with an autograph once we're done? I don't quite understand the words of little girls, nowadays.Qiao Dai had no reason to not agree. She immediately asked for his daughter's name, wrote words of blessing on the signature board, and handed it back to the director.Thank you. Now let me tell you about today's content and then we can start. The director's tone had become more gentle and after giving a rough draft of what he wanted to achieve with today's filming, he let the stylist take Qiao Dai to dress.After a while, Qiao Dai walked back to the scene. She had put on a white slit dress that looked a little exotic. The thin veil vaguely outlined her slender and straight legs, which were faintly visible under the breeze. Her exposed shoulders were slightly hidden, neither modest nor frivolous, and looked very seductive, making the viewer's mind undulate with the movements of the fabric.On her waist was a string of colorful gemstones, which reflected the delicate brilliance of the sun, and gentle tassels of pearls were hung from her white tube top. Her belly button had also been adorned, just like her whole body, with shiny jewels that made her look like a fairy who had just descended on the mortal world.Ling Na had originally been worried that such exposing clothes would be harmful to a trainee but when Qiao Dai walked out of the dressing room, all thoughts instantly disappeared. She looked perfect and Ling Na thought in a trance Qiao Dai had been born to wear such light and mysterious attire; Qiao Dai was the creation of the ocean and any obscene thoughts against her were blasphemy against the world. A girl like Qiao Dai was made to be dressed in such gorgeous clothes and play freely in the endless blue sea.The director's eyes suddenly lit up and the other staff members were in a daze for a moment, only coming back to their senses when the director's excited voice sounded again.Good, good! It's no wonder Mr. Cheng chose you at a glance! You are simply born for the sea!The director looked very eager. In their line of work, even if talent was important, it was all about emotions. As long as the emotions were right, everything else was!Qiao Dai heard the unfamiliar name from the director's mouth and couldn't help but ask: Mr. Cheng?Ling Na was a little surprised when she heard it too; she knew the North Island had chosen Qiao Dai to make the video but had not known the appointment had come from the president himself. She couldn't help but be a little stunned and slightly frightened.It turns out it was President Cheng who selected our Qiao Dai. This is really a great honor, I will take her to thank him in person when the opportunity arises. Ling Na was a little scared but the director smiled.That's true but it doesn't have to be the case. Mr. Cheng seldom cares about things in the circle and he doesn't like being disturbed by others. If you really want to thank him anyway, he might be at tonight's banquet. I will take you there.A small banquet would be held tonight to celebrate the outstanding achievements of the North Island and many celebrities who had participated in the attraction's publicity would also attend.Then I must thank President Cheng properly. Qiao Dai suddenly became serious when she heard the dialogue between Ling Na and the director. Nobody knew what she was thinking but her eyes brightened.If she had a good relationship with this Mr. Cheng, would she get invited to shoot in the big swimming pool often? Qiao Dai, who soaked in her pitiful children's pool every day, had instantly been very excited when she had seen the huge outdoor pool at the shooting location.She carefully moved to the pool and put her hand in the cold water. The familiar feeling made her relax at once and she even had the urge to jump in and start swimming happily.However, the next second, a passing staff member dragged her away in a panic, saying with worry: The water here is deep and dangerous. Sister Qiao Dai, let's go over there.Don't be anxious, you already had some underwater shooting experience before. However, last time was a flat surface and today we will shoot dynamics. The objective is lightness and agility but you don't have to worry too much about it. Take your time in the water, it's also okay to explore. We will help you to adjust faster in the later stage. The photographer and security personnel will be beside you all along and if you have any problem, you can signal us and we will suspend the shooting.The director patiently told Qiao Dai about the relevant recording precautions and the girl listened to him very seriously, without interrupting. The director felt very satisfied and wanted to help her take excellent pictures today.Three, two, one, action!The director stared intently at the monitor in front of him. Within seconds, the sound of splashing was heard and the slender figure of a girl falling in the water appeared on the screen in countless floating bubbles. Qiao Dai shook her snow-white arm and it looked like she was fiddling with the light in the water.Everyone held their breath and the next momentThe girl swam forward as fast as an arrow, her white skirt floating gently in the blue water, just like a gentle cloud. People could only catch a snowy shadow but by the time they recovered, there was only blue on the screen.Qiao Dai swam to the surface, smiled, and looked at the people on the shore: How is it?Everyone was speechless for a moment and before they could answer, there was another splash and the cameraman poked his head out of the water and said with some embarrassment: I'm sorry, I didn't catch up.Except for the first shot when she had entered the water, people had just stared dazedly at the water, trying to imagine the picture. No one had expected that a professional underwater photographer would be left behind by an 18 or 19 years old girl and it took a while for all of them to snap out of their trances.This was too amazing!For ordinary people, carrying tens of kilograms of equipment already required considerable physical strength, not to mention underwater, when every action was difficult to control. Today's young cameraman was a former swimming team's captain; he had joined the provincial team before retiring and specializing as an underwater photographer. Shan Huai had to admit that while he had not paid careful attention at first, he had indeed been left behind by Qiao Dai!The director was stunned. He had never expected that Qiao Dai not only performed perfectly in the still water shooting, but even dynamic ones had no dead ends. This agile figure that had both speed and beauty This was his ideal picture!Director, should we adjust the speed?The director shook his hand, picked up the loudspeaker, and shouted: Just shoot! But Qiao Dai, can you swim a little slower so that Shan Huai can follow?Shan Huai's expression changed slightly after hearing this; this was the first time he had ever worried about being able to keep up with a model. But the truth was that he wasn't angry at all.Just thinking of Qiao Dai's swimming, the impulse of competing against her spread in his heart. He hadn't experienced this feeling in so many years and he couldn't help but think about his school days when he still felt passionate about competing for first place against opponents from all over the country.After some discussion, in order to ensure the director could see the picture on the monitor clearly, he asked Qiao Dai and Shan Huai to slow down a little. When Qiao Dai jumped out of the water for the last time, drops scattered in the air like sparkling pearls, and the picture froze on this scene.Good! Cut!The director slapped his thigh with excitement and stood up. As soon as his voice fell, the staff who had been immersed in Qiao Dai's whole performance came back to their senses; everybody began to adjust the filming equipment and Ling Na ran towards the pool with a large and fluffy towel.Qiao Dai turned around to look at the pool some more before reluctantly walking away and taking the towel that was handed to her. She had obviously gone through several hours of filming but her face didn't have the slightest trace of fatigue. On the contrary, her eyes were even more bright and her whole body looked full of vitality, and the staff couldn't help but sigh with amazement.After Qiao Dai changed her clothes, she walked to the director's side. The man stood up with a big smile on his face, obviously very satisfied with her performance.Thank you for today. I haven't made such a good commercial in so long. The director paused and looked at the monitor; the girl on the screen was both innocent and mysterious, her body light and agile, just like the creation of the ocean.I have some friends from the circle who will come to tonight's banquet. I will introduce you at that time.Although the director wanted to keep singing Qiao Dai's praises, he guessed that if the girl wanted to attend the banquet later, she needed some time to rest and get ready.Thank you for today, Director.Qiao Dai bowed very seriously. She was indeed a little tired now; not because the shooting had gone too long but because she had felt this way lately. She had thought she would feel more energetic after playing in the pool today and would be able to relax after the short swim, who would have known she would actually feel even more sleepy? It seemed that she really needed to rest for the next few days.Taking a look at the girl who was dozing off, Ling Na shook her head with a smile; she was still so young, about to attend such an important banquet yet too sleepy to keep her eyes open. But as she thought about her performance these days, Ling Na made up her mind that she would fight to get her more resources with the company.Chapter 34: Big killer whale & little sea otter 2Night soon arrived, and Ling Na and Qiao Dai went to the banquet.In the magnificent hall, countless handsome men and beautiful women were wearing gorgeous clothes straight out of a movie, glasses of champagne in their hands, dazzling with paper and gold1.Most of the guests of tonight's banquet were business partners and only a few celebrities who had participated in the pre-publicity had been invited; the fact that a newcomer like Qiao Dai could join the festivities was something people couldn't even envy.That's Mr. Zhang of Shengshi.That lady over there is Mr. Gu's wife.Although Ling Na was very excited, she seriously did her best to introduce Qiao Dai to her contacts and have her attract as much attention as possible.Come on, let me introduce you. This is Qiao Dai.The director found her and the crowd and had not forgotten what he had said earlier. Because he was so satisfied with today's shooting, he couldn't help but compliment her in front of others.To get such high praise from Brother Zhang, I can only look forward to the completion of the film. Listening to Director Zhang, the others became a little curious. Truth was, in their hearts, they didn't have many expectations for a newcomer but as Director Zhang kept talking about her, they started to feel a little moved. After all, if it was just a scene, saying it once was enough and there was no need to tell everyone, especially at this type of event. Was it possible that this girl named Qiao Dai was that excellent?Director Zhang laughed, raised the glass of wine in his hand, and motioned to his assistant to show the video. The assistant quickly took out his phone and started playing an excerpt of the footage.After watching the video, the people who had been smiling indifferently just now, opened their eyes wide and turned to look at Qiao Dai as if they had just found a little treasure. This time, their gazes and opinions had greatly changed.I have seen your official portrait. Are you interested in another similar theme? A two-page picture. Oh no, the cover is good too.I have a few MVs that lack a female character, see if you can think about it?The overwhelming number of invitations almost knocked Ling Na out and she quickly accepted everyone's business cards. Qiao Dai kept thanking everybody and after a while, they finally got the chance to leave and take a breath.Oh my God, I can't believe we got so many!Ling Na counted the business cards in her hands, the pile almost too thick to fit in her purse. She put away all those valuable contact information with joy and grabbed two glasses of fruit wine from the waiter before handing one to Qiao Dai.Qiao Dai looked at the lemon-colored liquid in the glass curiously and took a tentative sip. The slightly pungent taste spread on her taste buds, making her squint and stick out her tongue. A little bitter, but also a little sweet.After her first sip, Qiao Dai quickly got used to the taste and even started to think it was delicious. Soon, she had finished the whole glass.Sister Ling Na, I'm going to the bathroom.Okay, go ahead.Her body temperature had slowly risen as she drank her glass and Qiao Dai felt that her mood had become inexplicably restless. Her head was a little dizzy and she wanted to find some cold water to pat her face and wake her up.***Outside the banquet hall, there was a flower bed full of blooming colors. The cold light of the moon spilled on the deserted courtyard in some sort of lonely tranquility.Qiao Dai walked by the huge French windows, raised her head, and looked up at the moon. The dark sky was like the ocean at night and the soft light looked like the sparkling waves and unconsciously made her stop.The waves, the water, the salty air In a trance, Qiao Dai felt as if she was smelling the familiar scent of seawater.Qiao Dai's nose twitched and she instantly broke out of her groggy state. Her eyes widened in surprise and she followed the tinge of salty air instinctively to the second floor. In her confused mind, she opened several doors and opened her eyes wide again when faint blue water appeared in front of her.Big, big sea!The bright moon reflected on the water from the floor-to-ceiling windows, waves of light undulated on the surface, and a serene and beautiful atmosphere enveloped the surroundings. It was quiet around and there was no one.Qiao Dai, who hadn't swum freely for a long time, couldn't resist the temptation. She quickly changed back to her little sea otter's form, folded her clothes on the shore, and jumped in: it really was seawater!Qiao Dai's joy couldn't be contained and she rolled happily in the water a few times, splashed around, and listened to the pleasing and relaxed sound of the ocean. She then lay on the surface and yawned; it was really too easy to fall asleep in her little sea otter form!Her chubby body was covered in fur to withstand the cold of the sea but her paws had no fluff and she could only cover her eyes to keep warm. Qiao Dai stretched out her little limbs and rubbed her eyes, gradually dozing off. Oh, she really felt like sleeping, just like a little sea otter floating on the surface of the sea, slowly drifting along with the current.But as she was falling asleep, the originally calm water began to ripple outwards in layers. Before she could react, she felt that she had hit something and the force made her drift in the opposite direction quickly.Then, a slightly unpleasant voice was heard and reached Qiao Dai's ears: Go away, don't swim in someone else's pool.Qiao Dai: !!!The sleepy Qiao Dai jerked awake and opened her closed eyes to see a killer whale staring at her with a fierce look, seemingly a little angry.Unlike Qiao Dai who had fled in a hurry, the orca was slowly swimming in the water and didn't seem eager to hunt. Instead, he stopped at a distance from the shore and looked through the water at the panicked little sea otter.You-ou, helloQiao Dai's voice was trembling and she looked at the giant predator in the water timidly, her whole furry body faintly shivering. Her body had become too weak, she couldn't run!As a member of the marine clan, Qiao Dai had retained her animal instincts, and looking at such a strong killed whale, she only felt scared. But was it her illusion just now or had she heard him talk? With that in mind, Qiao Dai decided to negotiate with the big brother orca to not eat her.The killer whale didn't speak anymore but his tail slapped the surface.Ah, a bad-tempered killer whale!Qiao Dai shrank into a ball on the shore and after waiting for a long time for the orca to speak, she asked tentatively: Can I Can I go?The big predator didn't move and looked at her quietly. She shrunk her head again and she didn't know how much time had passed when he suddenly said: What do you think?Did that mean she could leave or she couldn't?Qiao Dai blinked and carefully moved closer to the pile of folded clothes she had placed on the edge. Whenever she took a step, the killer whale in the water would follow and slightly change the angle of his body, always staring at her.Was he searching for her weakness? Qiao Dai shook some more but she also felt it was kind of unnecessary; she clearly had weaknesses all over. For marine overlords like orcas, a sea otter was nothing more than a small snack they could swallow in one bite. He really didn't need to observe her so attentively.I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to disturb you! I will go now!The moment she got to her clothes, she quickly grabbed them and ran to the dressing room, fearing the orca would regret letting her go and come at her. And from start to finish, the killer whale just watched her in silence from the bottom of the water.I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Thank you big brother orca for sparring this weak little sea otter! I won't bother you anymore!When Qiao Dai came out of the locker room after changing back, the big killer whale was still in the water and when he heard her say so, he slapped his tail again. Qiao Dai fled to the door and to the outside in fright.But just before leaving, she turned her head and glanced at the pool. Amidst the azure water, the slightly curved dorsal fin looked a little bit lonely and the orca kept staring at her. Was it her illusion or did his fin looked a little bent? Only depressed killer whales would look like that, was it possible he felt unhappy? But she didn't dare to think too much about it, after all, it was an orca and she was just a little sea otter. How could she know if he was upset? Qiao Dai turned around once more with some doubts in her head, and she didn't know how long it was before the silence of the room was broken again in a splash of water.***Cheng Su changed his clothes and walked out. He turned the light on and the dim room became bright at once. Fine drops of water were falling from the tip of his hair and he slowly headed to the door. Only when he tried the door lock did he notice it was broken.The figure of a young girl appeared involuntarily in Cheng Su's mind and his eyebrows gently raised.A weak little sea otter?
