Chapter 283: Arrival at Xiangshan Film and Television City

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

“Ah-! Refreshing!”

Waking up, Zhou Chao stretched lazily in bed, feeling considerably more at ease.

Last night, Zhou Chao explored a significant portion of Yinzhou District, visited a few night markets, and experienced the local culture. He had savored various local street foods and specialties. By the time he returned to his hotel, it was past midnight.

After getting out of bed, Zhou Chao took a quick shower, changed into his clothes, and remembered hearing about a particularly delicious local delicacy during his night market visit. He planned to try it out before heading to Xiangshan Film and Television City.

He picked up his phone from the table and checked the time—it was already half-past ten in the morning.

“It’s about time. Hopefully, it won’t be too crowded when I get there.”

Taking action, Zhou Chao quickly packed up and proceeded to check out at the hotel’s front desk.

In no time, he was driving his Lamborghini Veneno out of the Hilton Hotel, merging into the bustling city traffic.

“I didn’t expect there to be so many cars in Ning City!” he remarked casually as he cruised along.

When he passed a gas station, Zhou Chao suddenly realized that his fuel tank was running low. He decided to pull in.

“Fill it up with 98-octane gasoline,” he instructed the attendant as he parked his car.

The attendant promptly filled the tank with 98-octane gasoline, and Zhou Chao couldn’t help but notice the cost. If he weren’t financially comfortable now, just refueling could have emptied his pockets.

With the tank replenished, Zhou Chao continued his journey. After driving for about twenty minutes, he arrived at his destination—the Jingjia Road Food Street in Ningbo!

Ning City was famous for its “Four Fragrances” (Rice Fragrance, Fish Fragrance, Book Fragrance, and Ink Fragrance). The Jingjia Road Food Street was a gathering place for various local delicacies, particularly known for its fresh seafood.

Zhou Chao chose a high-profile seafood restaurant and entered. He ordered a seafood platter, but here, food was ordered by brand and establishment, so it wasn’t the typical street food market where he could buy as he pleased.

Soon, a server arrived with a large steaming pot and a basin of assorted live seafood. It was evident that the seafood had been freshly caught from the sea earlier in the day.

With deft hands, the server poured all the seafood into the steaming pot. Two large crabs even attempted to escape but were swiftly captured by the sharp-eyed server.

After waiting for roughly twenty minutes, the server returned with a bowl of sauce. She lifted the lid of the pot and poured the sauce over the seafood. Zhou Chao immediately smelled the tantalizing aroma, making his mouth water.

“You may start, Sir.”

“Mmm, thank you!” Zhou Chao replied with feigned modesty.

Once the server left, Zhou Chao couldn’t contain his anticipation for the delicious meal any longer. He wiped his hands with a hot towel and began savoring the food.

“Mmm, these prawns are excellent, especially with this sauce. It’s an absolute delight!”

Without restraint, Zhou Chao indulged in the meal. The seafood in the pot disappeared at a visible rate, leaving only a pile of shells on the table as evidence of their previous existence.

After a satisfying meal, Zhou Chao felt an unprecedented sense of contentment. He had rarely enjoyed seafood like this before and found it utterly captivating.

Without lingering for too long, he completed his meal at the food street and took a stroll around. Soon after, he hopped back into his car, embarking on his journey to Xiangshan Film and Television City.

The road ahead was smooth, with no obstacles in sight. Cruising at a comfortable 100 miles per hour, he arrived at Xiangshan County’s New Bridge Town, where Xiangshan Film and Television City was located. Finding a dedicated parking lot, he parked his car and headed into the film and television city.

Zhou Chao spent 130 yuan to purchase an adult ticket and walked through the entrance. As soon as he entered, he saw a small square. Through the square, he noticed a large grassy area that resembled an ancient battlefield.

After carefully examining the panoramic map of the entire park, Zhou Chao quickly planned his route.

His first destination was Republican Street, where the architectural style of the Republican Era was faithfully recreated. Upon entering this area, he saw numerous people dressed in clothing from that era, taking photos.

“Yongxin Corporation? Why does that name sound so familiar?” Zhou Chao looked up at the four large characters hanging on top of a high-rise building. “Isn’t this the company of the three tycoons from ‘Great Ambition’? Could it have been filmed here too?” Zhou Chao observed the surroundings closely, finding some areas that resembled scenes from TV dramas he had watched in the past.

However, Zhou Chao didn’t dwell on it for too long and continued his leisurely exploration. After all, the film and television city was quite large, and if he didn’t move quickly, he might not have enough time to see everything on his planned route before closing time.

After exploring the Republican Era, Zhou Chao proceeded to the nearby Warring States Period area. He experienced the feeling of being inside a walled city and stood on top, gazing at the moat, which gave him a sense of excitement.

“Hurry up, let’s go! 1 heard they’re filming in the Tang Dynasty area right now. We should go check it out. I’ve never seen a film shoot before!”

As Zhou Chao was carefully examining the surroundings, he heard the eager calls of other tourists.

“They’re filming? Well, 1 might as well go take a look!” Zhou Chao was naturally curious about film shoots, as there was usually limited information available online about such behind-the-scenes activities.

Once the idea crossed his mind, he couldn’t contain his curiosity. Zhou Chao quickly followed the footsteps of other tourists, heading towards the Tang Dynasty area.

After walking for about ten minutes, Zhou Chao arrived at the Tang Dynasty area. By this time, the filming location had already been surrounded by onlookers, with crowds of tourists gathered both inside and outside the barriers.

“There are so many spectators!” Zhou Chao shook his head in amazement. It seemed impossible to get a good view.

However, Zhou Chao soon spotted an excellent vantage point— the second floor of a nearby building. From there, he could completely ignore the crowds below.

Finding a secure spot, Zhou Chao looked around and then took a running start. With a few quick moves, he climbed up, reaching the top in no time. He soon found himself directly above the filming crew.

The middle-aged man with a big megaphone called out repeatedly, “To the crew, it’s okay for the spectators to observe quietly, but please avoid taking pictures. Let’s pick up the pace; it’s getting late. Are you all eager to finish work?”

Zhou Chao knew that he wasn’t the director. The director was currently discussing something with a few actors under a sunshade. From Zhou Chao’s angle, he couldn’t clearly see which celebrities were there or what kind of scene they were shooting.

However, soon, a person who appeared to be the director checked that everything was ready on set and entered the sunshade. Soon after, the people inside started moving.

“Attention, everyone! We’re starting the shoot now. Please keep quiet and refrain from taking photos. The extras are in position!”

Soon, the leading actors also came out, and Zhou Chao was taken aback by their expressions.

“The 652nd scene of ‘Joy of Life,’ action!”