Easily Set Aflame

Chapter 1.1 - Filming-Kickoff Press Conference (1)

Jia He stared glumly at the time on her mobile phone, her heart beating faster and faster. The press conference for filming kickoff had long since begun, but she was still here stuck on the road with her destination as good as light years away. But what could she do about it, since, after all, it was Valentine's Day? Couples sat in every taxi in Shanghai. It had taken her an entire hour to simply hail a taxi, and now adding traffic congestion on top of that, by the time she arrived at the site, the people remaining would likely only be the workers.

The driver seemed to sense the atmosphere she was emitting, and kept smiling and consoling her that they would soon be there.

"Don't worry. Men should wait, especially on such a day as today."

Jia He looked out the window in dismay. "How awesome it would be if things really would wait for me." Press conferences never needed the screenwriter. It was not as if she was an actress or director; who would wait for her?

"You've even brought your luggage. How could he not wait for you?"

In the rearview mirror, Jia He saw the driver's keen, sparkling eyes. At first she wanted to explain, but she really was not in the mood to speak. Once the press conference finished, she would be going with the cast and crew to Hengdian, so of course she had brought her luggage. However, every person, even if you tried switching in a hundred different people, seeing a woman towing along her suitcase to a Hilton Hotel on Valentine's Day would think the same thing...

The traffic light changed from red to green, from green to red. It basically was changing for the air to see, for not a single car could move.

So, by the time the taxi finally crawled its way like this to the hotel, it was nearly six o'clock.

Jia He dragged her suitcase behind her and strode towards the downstairs level of the hotel. When she saw a few groups of young girls there in the chilly wind, all of them lovely and adorable-looking, waiting for their idol, she could not help wondering which group was Yi Wenze's fans. Thinking about the fact that she would be seeing him in person very soon, she actually grew a little bashful herself, and it was only when she caught sight of the hotel doorman's assessing gaze on her that she recovered herself.

These last two years working as a screenwriter were like a waste. She, someone who had always had a way of being able to put on a calm and collected appearance, had completely failed in her pretense this time.

"I'll say, you really are something." When the elevator doors slid open, Qiao Qiao almost threw her mobile phone at her. "It's half over already, and now you finally show up." As she spoke, she grabbed Jia He's luggage from her and then strode swiftly into the press conference venue.

A backdrop board that stood as high as a wall. More than ten rows of seats. A hall illuminated with splendid lights.

At this time, the conference had already moved into the part for individual interviews. The cast's several main leads were in various places around the venue, being interviewed with cameras and long lenses surrounding them. The lead actress was a new, rising idol in Mainland China, and she had snagged the prettiest background, the media backdrop board. Her smile was still stiff and inexperienced as she struck a perfect pose. Back when the cast and roles had been confirmed, Jia He had not even known her name and had had to specifically search up her information and profile on the Internet. All this time, she had been unable to imagine how this actress would be able to play the part of a noblewoman of the Tang dynasty. Now it did appear, at least from the standpoint of that figure of hers, that... she did fit the role.

Qiao Qiao all of a sudden gave her a tug and pointed towards the right of the stage.

In that spot was, naturally, Yi Wenze.