N-M Chapter 35 Stealing the Spotlight
Chapter 35 Stealing the Spotlight
Wu Ling was unable to stay in the Republic of China.
When I returned, two fill lights had already been set up in front of the tea shop.
Once the light stand is set up, passersby will slow down.
A young man in black was squatting on the ground tidying up cables, while another was holding up a reflector.
"Has Lin Shen arrived yet?"
"Didn't they say six o'clock?"
Several young people stood at the entrance of Liang's restaurant, holding their phones higher than the construction fence.
Old Li stood at the threshold of Wu's restaurant, holding a covered bowl, his brows furrowed.
"What are those people taking pictures of?"
Qin Xiaowan looked down and scrolled through marketing accounts.
"Lin Shen, a blogger with millions of followers, will be at Liang Ji Tea House at 6 PM today."
Wu Ling was adding water to the stove when he paused for a moment.
"Filming Liang Qichuan?"
Qin Xiaowan nodded.
"Isn't your reaction to the surname Liang a bit too strong?"
Wu Ling put the kettle back by the stove.
"He has been to Wu's restaurant."
"Many people have been to Wu Ji. But Wu Ling, with its deep forest, is a place that specializes in filming city food exploration. Last time, they filmed a dessert shop on Yulin Road, and the next day the queue stretched all the way to the hot pot restaurant next door. It's on a completely different level from the places they filmed for us before."
Wu Ling walked to Qin Xiaowan's side, and a live broadcast preview was displayed on his phone screen.
The storefront of Liangji Tea House was brightly photographed, with only a section of blue fencing and the flow of people at the main intersection visible at the edge of the frame.
The title is full of text.
Tea Horse Lane's new tea drinks are inspired by old Chengdu cloth shops.
The phone was placed in Qin Xiaowan's palm.
"Stop keeping the old teapot at home, go see it if you want."
"What are you looking at?"
"Look how they're cutting in line." She pushed the small bamboo basket half an inch into the counter. "Know yourself and know your enemy. You can't wait until all the customers have been driven away by the lights and then say the tea was brewed well today."
"Okay, I'll take a look then."
"Every time you say you'll just take a look, something bad happens."
Grandma Zhao chimed in from the kitchen, "Remember to keep a close eye on things, so you can see clearly if something goes wrong."
Old Zhang, who was by the window, burst out laughing.
Qin Xiaowan placed the wooden sign outwards.
"Twenty servings of 'Guide Guokui' (a type of flatbread), limited quantity, no more. Old Li, keep an eye on the entrance, don't let anyone taking pictures bump into the counter."
Old Li held the covered bowl high.
"If he won't even let me take a picture of my face, why would he let me take pictures of the counter?"
Wu Ling stepped out through the gap in the fence.
Liangji Tea House faces the road, and the supplementary lights shine on the storefront and tasting table, even illuminating the orderly shadows of the people queuing up.
Two shop assistants stood at the door, their uniforms slightly different from when the store opened.
The short jacket was newly altered, with neatly gathered cuffs and small wooden tags pinned to the chest, one saying "Welcome Guests" and the other "Taste Test".
There is a vertical menu behind the bar.
Only after taking a few more steps closer did the words come into view.
Gardenia and jasmine, roasted oolong tea, and lime cold brew.
The sweetness level and price are then listed.
Wu Ling parked on the side of the road but didn't go into the store.
Liang Qichuan was waiting outside the shop.
He wasn't wearing a suit today; instead, he wore a gray-blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, making his watch stand out.
We've arrived at the deep forest.
He was thinner than in the video, wearing a black baseball cap, a camera slung over his shoulder, and a DJI Pocket 4 in his hand.
Before entering the store, he stood at the main intersection for his audition.
The red arrow, the blue fence, and the lights at the entrance of Liang's restaurant were all captured in fifteen seconds.
Finally, the camera pans across Wu's side.
Liang Qichuan took half a step forward to meet him.
The two shook hands.
"Thank you for your hard work, Teacher Lin."
"Shall we get started?"
"I'll listen to Teacher Lin."
The person entered the store.
There was an old booklet next to the order counter, with the four faded words "Liang Ji Cloth Shop" on the cover.
The first cup of Gardenia Jasmine was pushed to the center of the table. As soon as the cup was turned upright, Lin Shen put down the machine.
"stop."
The shop assistant's hand froze on the rim of the cup.
That slight smile remained unchanged.
"What's not going well?"
Lin Shen turned the small screen to face Liang Qichuan.
"The cups are nice, and the menu is clear, but the beginning looks like 'GG'."
The image on the screen came into his view.
"Tonight was just a tasting."
"Tasting is fine, but don't make it seem like you're trying to sell on us right away." Lin Shen pointed to the menu. "Let the staff describe the flavors first. Put the old fabric shop items aside."
The shop assistant secretly tucked half an inch away from the old booklet.
Liang Qichuan rolled down his sleeves and buttoned them up.
"Let's start over."
Secondly, the shop assistant only talks about tea.
"Gardenia and Jasmine, with a lighter tea base. The Roasted Oolong has a stronger aroma; order this if you want it hot. The Lime Cold Brew is perfect for taking away if you're passing by."
The replay was dragged back by Lin Shen.
"Let's do it again. Don't just memorize the words; it sounds too stiff."
Thirdly, a customer came in from outside to order, asking if the roasted oolong tea could have less sugar.
The clerk replied, "Sure, half sugar brings out the tea flavor better."
This time, Lin Shen did not call a halt.
After that section was finished, Liang Qichuan opened the old booklet.
"Liang's used to make cloth, and the old shop in Zhao Family Lane kept a few sample books." He pressed his fingertip against the yellowed pages. "Moon white fine checkered, dark blue, and stone blue were the colors shown to customers in the counter back then. Now we run a tea business, and we don't use these colors for tea names, so customers can't order them easily. Could you perhaps include these stories in the video, Mr. Lin?"
Lin Shen lifted the brim of his hat.
"Okay, but don't make any absolute statements."
Liang Qichuan nodded.
On the small screen, the old booklet appeared for only half a second.
The page was turned, and the pale white grid passed under the lamp, quickly returning to the cup.
The visuals are beautiful.
It's so beautiful.
The lamp is clean, the person is clean, and the cup is clean.
The three teas were arranged in a row, and even the position where the water droplets slid down seemed to have been calculated in advance.
After the fifth take was completed, the camera was lowered by Lin Shen.
"The footage can be delivered."
Before the second half of the sentence was even uttered, Liang Qichuan already understood.
"It won't be able to generate significant sales."
Why?
"Because it's too perfect." Lin Shen dragged the progress bar back to where the cup was in the shot. "The audience stops because something's not right. Everything about yours is perfect."
Outside the glass door, a customer in line had just received a cup of tea from Liang Ji when his toes were already turning towards the seam of the enclosure.
Another customer even held up their phone and asked the staff, "Is the guokui (a type of flatbread) over there?"
The shop assistant didn't respond and looked at Liang Qichuan.
The smile on Liang Qichuan's face was still there.
But his hand pressed down on the edge of the table.
This is footage he paid for.
Before the camera had even left Liang's restaurant, the customer's feet had already left.
It's even uglier than a bad review.
You can still respond to negative reviews, but you can't turn back time.
Someone outside called out, "Is Wu Ji inside?"
Lin Shen raised his eyes from under the brim of his hat.
Wu Ling stood by the fence, not squeezing into the crowd, his hands empty.
He looked at Liang Ji's lights, at the people queuing, and at the narrow path squeezed out by the construction barriers.
Liang Qichuan recognized him at a glance.
He placed the glass on the bar counter, walked over, and his smile faded slightly.
"Manager Wu."
Wu Ling looked up.
Liang Qichuan's voice was not loud, just loud enough for the people around him to hear.
"Good tactic."
As soon as those three words were spoken, the clerk's sample cup seemed to falter.
"Mr. Liang."
Liang Qichuan watched as a few young people carrying Liangji tea walked through the gaps in the fence.
"I had just started filming here when someone came over and asked about guokui (a type of flatbread)."
He smiled.
"Manager Wu knows how to pick his timing when he hires people."
"I can't afford to hire you."
"That's just a coincidence."
"Tea Horse Lane is narrow, but many clever things happen there."
Liang Qichuan suppressed the fire in his eyes and turned to Lin Shen.
"Teacher Lin, today's order is from Liang's."
Lin Shen's small machine hung limply beside him.
"I know."
"Good to know," Liang Qichuan said. "That Wu Ji restaurant is not within the filming area."
Lin Shen rewound the footage he had just taken.
On the screen, Liangji's storefront was brightly lit, and the colors of the three cups of tea looked beautiful under the light.
Further on, as guests carry Liang Ji's tea into the enclosure, the camera pans out to reveal Wu Ji's wooden sign.
The last shred of dignity on Liang Qichuan's face finally faded.
"Delete it."
Lin Shen did not move immediately.
Liang Qichuan looked at him.
"Teacher Lin, I said, delete it."
There was a moment of silence at the store entrance.
"Mr. Liang, I've filmed enough material about Liang's Company."
"Whether it's enough or not, I decide."
"You decide what the footage is delivered," Lin Shen said. "But what I shoot isn't entirely up to the commercial client."
Liang Qichuan's eyes turned cold.
Lin Shen did not retreat.
He turned the machine screen around and pointed to the first few lines.
"I can submit the storefront signage, menu, three main dishes, old brochures, toasts, tastings, and customer feedback. According to the contract, I'll finish making this video of Liang's Restaurant tomorrow and release it."
He paused.
"That part just now wasn't part of Liang's material."
"You took this photo in my shop."
"No, I took the photo in Tea Horse Lane."
Liang Qichuan didn't speak immediately.
He's a businessman; he understands the implications behind those words.
He invited Lin Shen to leverage his expertise and influence, not to hire someone who only knows how to follow a script and create menus.
But now those eyes are looking at Wu Ji.
This is what people who spend money fear most.
What's even more frightening is that the camera wasn't at fault.
A girl, holding a cup of Liangji tea, hesitated in front of the fence seam.
Qin Xiaowan's voice came from inside.
"Come in for tea, leave the cup outside by the door for now."
The girl looked down at the cup in her hand.
"Can't I bring it in?"
The bamboo clip tapped Qin Xiaowan's palm.
"If you go to a hot pot restaurant and ask for a bowl of noodles, will they let you?"
Someone immediately chimed in, "Go ahead. As long as you're shameless."
Laughter erupted in the main room.
The girl laughed, put Liang Ji's cup on the small table outside the door, and scanned the code to buy Sanhua.
Liang Qichuan stood outside the glass door, looking at the cup of tea that had been set aside.
He felt a surge of energy in his chest.
"Manager Wu," Liang Qichuan looked at Wu Ling again, "is this also a coincidence?"
"Didn't you see she put it there herself?"
"You guys seem to know the rules quite well."
"If the rules are unclear, it's easy for someone to take you away."
Lin Shen then spoke up: "Boss Wu, can we film your teahouse?"
Liang Qichuan turned his head.
"I already said, I won't film."
Lin Shen looked at him.
"As I said before, I can deliver Liang's business invoices."
"You're using my time to film other people."
"If you demand exclusivity, I can stop, but you'll have to pay more."
"Ms. Lin, you should know that the client doesn't like a contractor like you who lacks professional ethics."
"As you know, these days, platforms are all about traffic. If I didn't have traffic, I wouldn't be standing here today, would I?"
The wind squeezed out from the gaps in the fence, causing the black wires on the fill light holders to sway gently.
Lin Shen continued, "Liangji is clean, beautiful, and has a high-quality feel; it has everything a modern Chinese-style tea drink should have."
Then, he looked towards the entrance of Wu's restaurant.
"But just now, that customer was holding Liang's tea, then turned to ask about guokui (a type of flatbread), so his stop point was high."
Liang Qichuan's expression grew even colder.
Lin Shen made no attempt to avoid it.
"It's not because Wu's is more upscale than Liang's. It's because the conflict arose at that moment. The audience will wonder why they ask about the guokui (a type of flatbread) after buying tea, and why that teahouse doesn't allow takeout."
As he said this, he put the machine back into his palm.
"Mr. Liang, if you want to increase sales volume, you can't bypass Wu's Company on this path."
Liang Qichuan chuckled.
There is no temperature.
"So I spend money to shine light on other people's doorsteps?"
Lin Shen looked at the fill light.
The light was indeed shining directly into the gap in the fence.
"The light glided over by itself."
Upon hearing this, Liang Qichuan could barely contain his anger.
The assistant leaned in from behind, his voice low and strained.
"Mr. Liang, a passerby filmed your argument, and it has already received 100 likes on the platform."
The tablet was handed over.
The screen lights up.
Inside Wu Ji's shop, Qin Xiaowan had already put away the wooden sign for the guokui (a type of flatbread).
Someone raised their phone to take a picture of the counter.
She placed a bamboo clamp horizontally.
Lin Shen's eyes lit up.
Liang Qichuan understood that look better than anyone else.
That's the look in a photographer's eyes when they see good material, or a businessman's eyes when they see an opportunity.
He turned the tablet black.
"Teacher Lin."
Lin Shen turned back.
"If you insist on filming Wu Ji, I have conditions."
"Please speak."
"Liang's business cannot become a joke."
"Can."
"We can't cut it into Liang Ji's style to attract customers to Wu Ji's shop."
"If that's the truth, it would be false to completely avoid it."
Liang Qichuan's eyes sharpened.
Lin Shen added, "I can only do my best to avoid bad editing and to highlight Liang Ji's content in the video as much as possible."
Liang Qichuan let out a long sigh and nodded reluctantly.
The word "okay" remained unspoken.
Qin Xiaowan came out of the door, still holding the bamboo tongs.
"If you want to ask about guokui (a type of flatbread), first have some tea. If you want to ask about storytelling, first have some tea too."
Lin Shen lowered the small machine.
"Of course."
Liang Qichuan didn't move.
Qin Xiaowan's gaze fell on the Liangji paper cup in his hand.
"That drink outside can't be exchanged for the same price at Wu Ji's."
The onlookers laughed.
Liang Qichuan took the phone from his assistant and scanned the QR code at the entrance of Wu Ji's restaurant.
The notification sounded that the money had been credited to the account.
Fifteen yuan.
"Sanhua. Sit by the door."
Liang Qichuan entered Wu Ji's restaurant and sat down at the small table near the door, without going any further inside.
Lin Shen sat down diagonally opposite.
The threshold was half a step away, but the sound changed.
Outside, an assistant was pressing down on his headset to announce the camera positions, the fill light was humming, and Liang Ji's staff were still handing out samples at the store entrance.
Inside, the kettle was pressed against the edge of the stove, and the tea leaves slowly unfurled in the bowl.
The old customer tucked the toes of his shoes under the stool, making way for Qin Xiaowan, who was serving tea.
The teacup was first placed in front of Liang Qichuan.
Qin Xiaowan then pushed another bowl to Lin Shen.
"Drink first, then we'll talk about that shot."
Lin Shen picked up the bowl, took a sip, and his tongue recoiled from the heat.
The regular customer next to him laughed.
"Slow down. The camera moves fast, but the tea won't keep up."
Laughter filled the main room.
This time, the laugh was more natural than the one outside the door.
Lin Shen pressed his finger on the edge of the machine, but didn't lift it.
Wu Ling said, "You can film the teahouse, but remember the rules: filming inside the counter is prohibited for all customers, and you must show us the footage first."
Lin Shen nodded.
"Can."
Only then did he pick up the machine.