bookbashuk Chapter 309 A Beauty Here
Chapter 309 A Beauty Here
Zhao Mengmeng and Lin Xiaoman were also arranged to try on dresses. Mengmeng was given a short, sky-blue dress, which was lively and cute; Xiaoman was given a light purple chiffon maxi dress, which was elegant and graceful.
The three girls were pushed into the fitting room, and when they came out, even the shop assistants at the counter were surprised.
Feng Xiaolu looked at herself in the mirror. The smoky pink dress fit her perfectly, outlining her slender waist and well-proportioned figure. New hairstyle, new dress, paired with the pearl earrings and a delicate collarbone necklace that Feng Lie insisted she try on... she almost didn't recognize herself.
"It's so beautiful, Uncle-Master Xiao Lu!" Zhao Mengmeng circled around Feng Xiao Lu, praising him sincerely.
"Sister Xiaolu, you're like a completely different person," Lin Xiaoman said softly.
Feng Xiaolu's cheeks flushed slightly, but a strange, unfamiliar feeling welled up inside her. It seemed... things really were a little different.
"Bags and accessories are also essential," Feng Changyuan continued to instruct. "And cosmetics. Xiao Lu, it's fine if you go bare-faced most of the time, but for that kind of occasion, light makeup is basic etiquette."
And so, another round of shopping ensued. Designer handbags, shawls to match dresses, exquisite watches, a whole set of high-end cosmetics supposedly "suitable for beginners"... The Feng brothers swiped their cards without batting an eye, as if they were spending money without batting an eye.
"Cousin, this...this is too much, too expensive!" Feng Xiaolu looked at the mountain of shopping bags and finally snapped out of her daze, feeling a pang of heartache. Although she had no concept of luxury goods, she knew from the sheer quantity that they were definitely worth a fortune.
"Not much." Feng Changyuan patted her shoulder and said meaningfully, "Little Deer, you must remember that you are not only a daughter of the Feng family, but also the third senior sister of the Yunyin Sect. Some occasions and some things must be observed. This is not only for yourself, but also for the sect's reputation and... someone's opinion."
Feng Xiaolu's heart skipped a beat. She vaguely understood the deeper meaning behind her cousin's words. Her face turned even redder, and she lowered her head without saying another word.
Zhao Mengmeng and Lin Xiaoman also received several sets of beautiful clothes and accessories. Although they were not as "complete" as Feng Xiaolu's, they were enough to make the two girls happy.
"Brother Feng, Second Brother Feng, this money..." Lin Xiaoman hesitated before speaking.
"Don't mention money to me." Feng Lie interrupted her, his tone unusually serious. "Xiao Man, Meng Meng, you are all from the Yunyin Sect, just like Xiao Lu. You are our Feng family's closest friends. Please accept this small token of our appreciation. At the premiere, every girl from our Yunyin Sect must be radiant."
On the way home, laden with shopping bags, Feng Xiaolu sat in the back seat, clutching the soft bags in her arms, watching the scenery rushing past the window, her mind a jumble of emotions. Her newly styled hair smelled wonderful, and the tag from her new dress rubbed against her skin, a reminder of everything that had happened that day.
She knew what her cousins were thinking, and vaguely understood what kind of image they wanted her to present to Chen Anran. But... would her junior brother really care about these things? Would he like her dressed like this?
Thinking of Chen Anran, Feng Xiaolu felt both expectant and apprehensive.
In the passenger seat, Feng Lie looked at his cousin's absent-minded profile through the rearview mirror, a smile playing on his lips, and gave Feng Changyuan, who was driving, a wink.
Feng Changyuan's gaze was calm, with a smile playing on his lips.
Sure enough, we still have to rely on them; those two old men will only hold us back.
…………
On the day of the premiere, a long red carpet was laid out outside the largest cinema in the neighboring town.
As dusk settled and the streetlights came on, a large crowd of media reporters and fans gathered outside the cinema. Their cameras and microphones were aimed at the red carpet entrance, illuminating the small area as if it were daytime. Police tape was set up on both sides of the street, but countless passersby still stopped to watch, their voices rising and falling in cheers and discussions.
Wang Rui, Sun Wei, and Zhang Hao had already arrived and were exchanging pleasantries with Director Hu and the main actors at the entrance. Director Hu had also dressed up specially for the day, with a neatly trimmed beard and a black suit. He looked both excited and a little nervous—after all, this was the most special work of his career.
"Hasn't Teacher Wei arrived yet?" Director Hu glanced at his watch and asked Wang Rui in a low voice.
"They'll be here soon, the Cloud Hidden Sect's convoy will be here shortly." Wang Rui lowered his voice. "Director Hu, when Teacher Wei and the others come in, please take good care of the camera work and interviews, and try not to let the reporters ask any tricky questions."
"Don't worry, Mr. Wang," Director Hu nodded quickly, "I've already explained everything."
As the Cloud Hidden Sect's convoy slowly drove into the red carpet area, a commotion arose among the crowd.
In the first car, Chen Anran, Wei Qingyi, and Feng Xiaolu got off one after another. Chen Anran was still wearing a simple blue long gown, but the fabric today was more exquisite than usual, shimmering faintly under the lights. After he stopped, he naturally stretched out his hand behind him.
Wei Qingyi took his hand and stepped out of the car. She was dressed simply as usual, without any special embellishment or heavy makeup, only a touch of crimson lipstick. The cool and aloof look in her eyes was more striking than any adornment.
The flashes suddenly intensified as reporters jostled and pushed their way forward.
"Teacher Wei! Look this way!"
"Qingyi! Can you strike a pose?"
Wei Qingyi paused slightly, glancing up at the blinding white light. Her face remained expressionless as she walked side-by-side with Chen Anran onto the red carpet. Her composure was more like a stroll through the bamboo grove behind her own house than walking on a red carpet under the spotlight.
In the second car, Feng Xiaolu, Zhao Mengmeng, and Lin Xiaoman got off one after another. When Feng Xiaolu's smoky pink dress appeared outside the car door, even the security guards maintaining order were stunned for a moment.
She wore those stiletto sandals, slightly nervous, but the moment she looked up, a bright and natural smile bloomed on her face. Her newly styled hair gleamed healthily under the light, and her pearl earrings swayed gently with her movements. She lightly lifted the hem of her skirt with one hand, while the other naturally linked arms with Zhao Mengmeng.
Zhao Mengmeng was wearing a sky-blue skirt today, her hair styled in an elegant princess updo, and she had a sweet smile. Lin Xiaoman followed behind them, looking somewhat nervous.
"Whose artist is this? I've never seen them before!"
"The girl in the pink dress in the middle is so charming!"
"The girl in the blue dress next to her is so cute!"
The reporters buzzed with discussion and quickly snapped photos. The Feng brothers got out of the third car and followed a few steps behind the girls, their faces beaming with satisfaction.
Feng Xiaolu took a deep breath, mimicking what she had seen on TV, and slightly turned her body to wave towards the media area.
Chen Anran and Wei Qingyi have reached the middle of the red carpet and are giving a brief interview to the host.
"Mr. Wei, this is your first time attending a movie premiere. How does it feel?" The female host asked with a smile.
"It's alright." Wei Qingyi's voice came through the microphone, still cool and aloof.
"Did you perform all those challenging action scenes in the movie yourself? Especially the flying scene in the bamboo forest, audiences are very curious about how it was filmed?"
Wei Qingyi glanced at the host and calmly said, "Just jump up."
Host: "...Huh?"
Chen Anran chimed in at the opportune moment, smiling, "What my senior sister meant was that she has some martial arts skills, so those moves weren't too difficult for her. It's mainly because the film crew had good shooting techniques."
The host quickly laughed and replied, "I see! It seems Professor Wei is truly a hidden talent!"
The group entered the cinema lobby. The interior was luxuriously decorated, with crystal chandeliers reflecting dazzling light. The atmosphere was lively, with elegantly dressed people and clinking glasses. The film's creators, investors, special guests, and media representatives gathered together, chatting and laughing in hushed tones.
Wang Rui, accompanied by Director Hu, greeted them with beaming smiles: "Master Chen, Master Wei, Master Feng, you've finally arrived! This way, please. We've specially reserved seats for you."
He led everyone to the VIP area at the front. The seats were arranged in an arc, offering excellent views.
Wang Rui led everyone to their seats in the VIP area. The seats were comfortable velvet sofas, and bottled water and special snacks were already prepared on small tables in front of them. Feng Xiaolu carefully sat down, trying to let her skirt hang naturally. She was still not quite used to this outfit and felt a little restricted, but looking at the elegantly dressed guests around her, she was secretly glad that she had listened to her cousins' arrangements.
Wei Qingyi sat to Chen Anran's left, Feng Xiaolu to Chen Anran's right, and Zhao Mengmeng and Lin Xiaoman sat next to Feng Xiaolu in turn. The Feng brothers, who arrived last, sat in the back row slightly to the side, so that they could look after each other without overshadowing the hosts.
The lights dimmed, and the room fell silent. The giant screen lit up, displaying the production company's logo first.
Chen Anran leaned back in his chair, his gaze calm. He could sense that besides ordinary people, there were quite a few cultivators mixed in with the audience. Some concealed their auras well, while others unabashedly released fluctuations of spiritual energy. This made sense; the Cloud Hidden Sect was gaining increasing fame in the cultivation world, and its every move naturally attracted attention from all sides.
The theater lights went completely dark, leaving only the interplay of light and shadow on the screen.
The opening music was grand and ethereal, instantly drawing everyone's attention into the misty, fantastical world of immortals and heroes. When the gates of the Cloud Hidden Sect were presented on the giant screen in ultra-high definition, Feng Xiaolu couldn't help but gasp—the familiar stone steps and ancient pines were displayed in a way she had never seen before, yet under the film's lens, they exuded a magnificence and ethereal beauty.
Wei Qingyi's first scene appears in a bamboo forest. There's no posed shot; she simply stands still, her face turned to the side, her eyes raised. On screen, she exudes a cool, otherworldly aura, as if she truly descended from the heavens on clouds. When that aerial shot, requiring no wire work, appeared, a suppressed gasp rippled through the theater.
Feng Xiaolu secretly glanced at Chen Anran. He sat very upright, his gaze focused on the screen, his profile clearly defined in the flickering light and shadow. She then glanced at Wei Qingyi on the other side; her second senior sister remained indifferent, as if the stunning fairy on the screen had nothing to do with her.
The film ended with a grand yet slightly melancholic end credits song, and the credits slowly rolled. The lights in the theater gradually came on, and after a brief silence, a long and enthusiastic round of applause erupted.
The applause was not only for the film's excellent production, ethereal visuals, and moving story, but also for Wei Qingyi's breathtakingly realistic and unbelievable "fairy-like" beauty. Many viewers were still immersed in the shock of the plot and visuals, unable to recover for a long time.
In the VIP area, Director Hu's eyes were slightly red with excitement. He held Wang Rui's hand tightly and his voice trembled: "President Wang, it's done! It's absolutely done!" Wang Rui was equally excited and squeezed back, but his gaze involuntarily turned towards Chen Anran and Wei Qingyi.
The creative team was invited to the stage for media interviews and audience interaction. Wei Qingyi was reluctant to go on stage, but under Chen Anran's gentle gaze and Wang Rui's earnest look, Director Hu personally led her up. Standing in the center of the stage, under the spotlight, she remained aloof as ever, answering questions concisely, yet each time eliciting good-natured laughter and even more enthusiastic applause from the audience—the audience had already accepted this "natural performance," this otherworldly "Fairy Wei."
Feng Xiaolu watched intently from below the stage, her heart filled with pride. Zhao Mengmeng and Lin Xiaoman also excitedly whispered among themselves about the exciting scenes from the movie.
At the post-premiere reception, elegantly dressed women mingled, and congratulations filled the air. Wang Rui, Sun Wei, and Zhang Hao finally managed to escape the social obligations and arrived at the relatively quiet terrace, where Chen Anran was leaning against the railing, gazing at the city's night view.
"Master Chen." Wang Rui, along with Sun Wei and Zhang Hao, solemnly bowed and greeted him.
Chen Anran turned around and glanced at the three of them. Compared to when they first met that year, the three of them were much more composed.
"The movie was a great success, thank you for your hard work." Chen Anran smiled slightly.
"It's all thanks to Master Wei and the Yunyin Sect's blessings," Wang Rui said hastily, taking a beautifully packaged flat gift box from his assistant and presenting it with both hands. "This is the original storage disk of the final cut of the film, a small token of our appreciation. Inside are all the uncompressed, highest-definition original footage, including every single shot of Master Wei. Keep it as a memento; perhaps... the sect can use it in the future."
Chen Anran took it; it felt slightly heavy in his hand. This was not just the original film, but also represented the sincerity and respect of Wang Rui and the other two. He accepted it without refusing.
"You've put in a lot of effort." Chen Anran looked at them, pondered for a moment, and said, "The Yunyin Sect's mountain gate is no ordinary place. To enter my sect, one must have a firm will and, more importantly, sever all worldly ties."
Wang Rui and the other two perked up, realizing that Chen Anran's words had a hidden meaning, and immediately held their breath.
Chen Anran continued, "You may have heard something about what happened at Longhu Mountain. Right now, there are undercurrents in the cultivation world, so it's not the right time to take on disciples and spread the Dao."
His gaze swept over the three faces that had suddenly become solemn: "I'm giving you, and ourselves, a year."
"You may go up the mountain a year from now, regardless of whether the situation is clear by then."
Wang Rui's breath hitched slightly. He exchanged a glance with Sun Wei and Zhang Hao, both seeing the excitement and understanding in each other's eyes. Chen Anran hadn't given a definitive answer, but the promise of "going up the mountain in a year" was the clearest reply they could get at the moment. This year would be both a test and a buffer period for them to thoroughly handle worldly affairs and solidify their Daoist resolve.
"I understand." Wang Rui took a deep breath and bowed solemnly again. "Thank you for your guidance, Immortal Master Chen. This year, we will do our utmost to handle our worldly affairs and await our destiny with the immortals."
Sun Wei and Zhang Hao followed closely behind, bowing respectfully.
Chen Anran nodded and said no more. In his view, a year was enough to find out the true cause of Zhang Nanshan's death and resolve the biggest crisis in the cultivation world at present.
Only then can the Hidden Cloud Sect truly consider accepting new disciples in a relatively stable position.
Below the terrace, the faint sounds of a cocktail party drifted in. The city's neon lights mingled with the sparse stars in the sky.
In the distance, Feng Xiaolu, lifting her skirt, came running over, her face flushed with excitement: "Junior Brother, so you're here! Second Senior Sister is surrounded by reporters and fans, quick, help her out!"
Chen Anran nodded slightly to Wang Rui and the other two, then turned and left with Feng Xiaolu.
Wang Rui watched his retreating figure disappear into the terrace entrance, clenched his fist, and whispered, "A year... is enough. Let's go."
Sun Wei and Zhang Hao nodded emphatically, their eyes burning with intense passion.