novellhall Chapter 182 I'll pamper my own fans! [5000] Requesting monthly votes
Chapter 182 I'll pamper my own fans! [5000] Requesting monthly votes
Chapter 182 I'll pamper my own fans! [5000] Requesting monthly votes
The plane landed at 8 p.m.
As the plane taxied, Chen Xun looked out the window and saw several black minivans waiting on the tarmac.
There was a row of people standing next to him.
It was the reception team from our domestic partner.
The hatch opened, and cold air mixed with the smell of damp rain rushed in.
Chen Xun took a deep breath.
Familiar taste.
Clean air.
Who says the air in America is always sweet?
Chen Xun thought it smelled awful!
The air was filled with the scent of leaves.
I'm finally home.
He followed the group down the gangway and boarded the shuttle bus that had come to pick him up.
Rob quickly instructed from the side, "We'll use the VIP entrance later, but there might be fans and media at the exit!"
"The partners tried their best to control it, but your fans are too enthusiastic and can't be stopped."
How many people are there?
"At least three hundred!" Rob glanced at his phone. "It's raining outside, and they've been waiting for almost two hours."
Chen Xun's heart tightened.
He didn't expect that fans would come to pick him up at the airport.
The shuttle bus arrived at the terminal, and the group walked through the VIP channel.
Even through the thick glass wall, Chen Xun could hear the voices outside calling, "Chen Xun! Chen Xun! Chen Xun!"
The orderly sounds came, gradually resonating with Chen Xun's heartbeat frequency.
At the end of the VIP passage, the person in charge of the Chinese reception came up to us. He was a middle-aged man in a suit and glasses, surnamed Liu.
"Mr. Chen, welcome back to China."
Director Liu shook hands firmly: "The situation outside is a bit beyond our expectations. We have arranged security, but the fans are very emotional. We suggest you pass through quickly and not linger."
Chen Xun nodded, but didn't stop walking.
He walked to the glass door at the exit and glanced outside.
He was stunned by that one glance.
The fans stood neatly behind the barrier, most of them wearing raincoats or holding umbrellas, and a few without umbrellas.
They were holding up light boards, banners, and posters.
The light-up signs shone brightly in the rainy night, spelling out the words "Welcome Home," "Shanghai Awaits You," and "Coming for the Light."
The fans didn't push forward or scream loudly; they just chanted his name rhythmically.
Raindrops pattered on their umbrellas, splashing up fine droplets.
Chen Xun saw a girl's light sign that read: "I've been following '2 Broke Girls' since then, you deserve it."
Another boy held up a sign that went even further: "Rio Heroes, Pride of the Chinese People."
Chen Xun felt a lump in his throat.
It's raining and so cold at night. If I get caught in the rain, I'm sure I'll get sick.
Rob urged from the side, "The car is just ahead, thirty meters away, we can walk there."
Chen Xun did not move.
Damn it!
Pamper your own fans!
He turned to Robert and said, "Go to a nearby convenience store, or see if there are any milk tea shops or coffee shops, and order hot drinks. There are so many people outside, one cup for each person. Also, order some umbrellas, disposable ones will do. — Arrange for a few buses to take them to the subway station or a place where it's easy to get a taxi. I'll cover the cost."
Robert was stunned: "Chen, this will cost a lot of money, and with so many people—"
"Go do it!" Chen Xun interrupted him, his tone serious. "They stood in the rain for two hours for me, what's wrong with me buying them a cup of milk tea?"
Director Liu tried to dissuade Mr. Chen, saying, "This doesn't comply with security regulations, and organizing so many people would be very troublesome."
"Then I'd appreciate it if you could help organize it."
Chen Xun looked at Director Liu and said, "They are all my fans and supporters. I can't let them come in this cold weather and go back in the rain."
Director Liu opened his mouth, then finally nodded: "Okay, I'll have someone take care of it."
Rob has already made the call.
Chen Xun straightened his clothes, took a deep breath, pushed open the glass door, and walked out.
The raindrops immediately hit my face, feeling cool.
When the fans saw him come out, their shouts instantly rose, but still no one rushed forward.
Several fans wearing volunteer vests were maintaining order: "Don't push! Don't push! Let Brother Xun pass!"
Chen Xun didn't walk towards the car, but instead headed towards the median strip.
The security personnel followed nervously, but he waved them off.
He walked to the closest point to the fans, about three meters away.
The rain was quite heavy, and his hair quickly got wet.
Thank you everyone!
He raised his voice so everyone could hear, "It's so cold and raining, and you still came to pick me up—really, thank you!"
The fans quieted down; only the sound of rain could be heard.
"I just told the staff to order milk tea and umbrellas for everyone. A bus will take everyone to a place with convenient transportation later."
Chen Xun paused for a moment: "But don't do this again next time. It's raining, and waiting outside for so long can easily make you catch a cold. Your health is more important than seeing me, really."
One fan shouted, "We do!"
"I know!" Chen Xun smiled, "but it pains me!"
Upon hearing this, several female fans burst into tears.
Chen Xun continued, "This time when I come back, I will participate in the roadshow for 'Fast & Furious 5'. There will be events in both the capital and Shanghai. If you want to see me, you can go to those formal occasions. There will be seats and you won't get wet in the rain."
He bowed and said, "Thank you again. Now please follow the staff's instructions, collect your milk tea and umbrellas in an orderly manner, and then take the bus home. Please be careful."
After saying that, he turned and walked towards the car.
Fans started chanting his name again, but this time with added messages: "Brother Xun, take care of your health!"
We will always support you!
Welcome home!
Chen Xun got into the car and closed the door.
Outside the car window, Rob and the Chinese staff were organizing the distribution of hot drinks.
It was delivered from a nearby bubble tea shop; it was piping hot.
The umbrellas were also distributed; they were disposable transparent umbrellas from the convenience store.
The fans cooperated well, queuing up to receive their gifts and then following instructions to board the three buses that had been arranged.
"How much did it cost?"
Chen asked Robert, who had just gotten on the bus.
"A hot drink and an umbrella would cost about 15,000 RMB."
Rob wiped the rain off his face: "I just overheard some fans saying that no celebrity has ever been this nice to them, and some even said they're going to post what happened today online."
The car slowly drove away from the airport.
Chen Xun turned around and saw through the car window that the buses had turned on their taillights and were carrying the fans away.
The rain was still falling, but the night view of Shanghai was exceptionally dazzling in the rain.
The lights of the Oriental Pearl Tower pierce through the rain and mist, like the eyes of the city.
"How does it feel to be back for the first time?" Robert asked.
Chen Xun did not answer immediately.
He looked out the window at the familiar street scene.
Although we haven't seen each other for several years, many things haven't changed.
The convenience store sign, the sycamore trees along the roadside, and the lively and bustling atmosphere unique to our motherland.
The car drove onto the elevated road and merged into the nighttime traffic.
The windshield wipers swung rhythmically, clearing a clear view.
He took out his phone, snapped a picture of the rainy night view outside the window, and posted it on Weibo: "Arrived home. Thank you to everyone who picked me up at the airport tonight. It's raining heavily, please keep warm. See you tomorrow!"
The accompanying image shows the blurry light and shadow of Shanghai in the rain.
A minute later, thousands of comments flooded the comment section: "Brother Xun is so kind! I received the milk tea, so heartwarming!"
"This is the first time a celebrity has done something like this for us fans. I cried."
"Welcome home! See you at tomorrow's press conference!"
"Those who say Brother Xun is a Western worshipper, look at this! This is a true idol!"
As Chen Xun scrolled through the comments, a smile unconsciously crept onto his face.
By 4 p.m. the next day, Raffles City in Shanghai was already surrounded by crowds.
It's not an exaggeration, it's a real encirclement!
From the subway entrance to the main entrance of the shopping mall, and then to the side streets next to it, the streets were packed with people.
Most people were holding posters of "Fast & Furious 5", banners supporting Chen Xun, or homemade light sticks.
The sunlight was so bright that the words "Coming for the Light" and "Welcome Home" shone brightly.
Rob's convoy was stuck two blocks away.
He looked out the window at the sea of people and gasped, "How many people are there?!"
Director Liu, the Chinese staff member in the co-pilot's seat, wiped his sweat: "We estimated three thousand, but now it looks like—"
At least five thousand, and it's still increasing.
Is the security adequate?
"We've deployed three more times, and now we have two hundred security personnel and one hundred volunteers."
Director Liu smiled wryly: "Mr. Chen's popularity has indeed exceeded expectations."
Chen Xun sat in the middle car, looking out the window at the scenery.
The fans were very orderly; they didn't push forward, but simply stood there holding up their support items.
Some people saw the car he was in and started waving, but still no one rushed over.
"How did they know this was my car?" Chen asked.
"The team's configuration is confidential, but—"
Director Liu pointed out the car window: "There are some talented people among your fans. Some people have analyzed which car you would be riding in based on the car model, license plate number, and even the driver's characteristics on Baidu Tieba and Weibo. This information has already spread."
Chen Xun remained silent.
This is more professional than the FBI.
The convoy moved slowly forward and finally arrived at the entrance to the red carpet.
A temporary media area has been set up here, with cameras from dozens of media outlets already installed.
The red carpet was lined with barriers on both sides, and the back was filled with fans.
Before Chen Xun could even open the car door, shouts from outside surged in like a tidal wave: "Chen Xun! Chen Xun! Chen Xun!"
Neat, powerful, like military slogans.
Paul, sitting in the car in front, rolled down the window and stared wide-eyed out: "Fuck! What's this? It's even more extravagant than the Los Angeles premiere!"
Vin Diesel, standing next to him, his bald head gleaming in the sunlight, said: "I've seen 50,000 people in Brazil, but that was for the movie. This is for Chen alone."
Gail peered over and asked, "Those posters are all in Chinese. What do they say?"
The accompanying translator quickly explained: "Most of them are 'Welcome Home,' 'We Love You,' 'The Pride of the Chinese People' — Oh, there's a big banner over there that says 'Chen Xun's fans will always be behind you.'"
In the car behind, director Justin Lin said to the producer, "See? This is why we chose this place as our first stop in Asia. This kind of buzz can't be bought even with ten million dollars in marketing in America."
The convoy came to a stop.
According to the schedule, the director and producer came out first, followed by Van and Paul, then Gail and the other actors, with Chen Xun coming out last.
When Justin Lin got out of the car, the fans applauded politely.
The cheers grew louder when Van and Paul got out of the car.
Then, Chen Xun's car door opened.
The moment he stepped out of the car, the shouts from the entire square instantly rose several octaves: "Chen—Xun—Huan—Go—Home—!"
Five thousand people shouted slogans in unison, their voices so loud that the red carpet trembled slightly.
Chen Xun straightened up, took a deep breath, and walked onto the red carpet.
He was wearing a dark blue suit today, without a tie, and a white shirt underneath, with the top two buttons undone at the collar.
As soon as he stepped onto the red carpet, fans on both sides began handing him things.
There were handwritten letters, handmade cookies, plush toys, and even someone handing out thermos cups.
Security guards tried to stop him, but Chen Xun waved them off.
He accepted several letters and nodded his thanks to the fans who handed him gifts.
This simple action triggered another round of screams.
Halfway down the red carpet, the host stopped him for an interview.
"How does it feel to be back in my hometown?"
"It's so heartwarming!" Chen Xun smiled at the camera, "especially seeing so many people supporting me."
"Did you know that your fans did a lot of support for you?"
"I know. Yesterday at the airport, today at the scene—I saw it all, and I remember it all!"
Chen Xun paused for a moment: "I'm very touched, but I hope everyone will be careful and not spend too much money."
"Is there anything you'd like to say to your fans?"
Chen Xun turned to the fan section and raised his voice: "Thank you! But promise me, don't work so hard next time. I appreciate your love, but your health and safety are more important to me!"
The fan section exploded again.
Some people cried, some laughed, and some waved frantically.
After the interview, Chen Xun continued walking.
As he approached the end of the red carpet, he saw Van and Paul standing there waiting for him, both with fascinating expressions.
"Brother," Paul put his arm around his shoulder, "I've never seen anything like this in my twenty years in Hollywood."
"I just asked the translator, and 80% of those posters have your name on them. I didn't see many posters with Gail's name on them."
Vin Diesel walked over with an exaggerated expression.
Chen Xun then noticed that most of the support items in the fans' hands were related to him.
There are also posters for Fast & Furious 5, but they will always be accompanied by his photo or name.
After the red carpet event, the creative team was taken to the mall's atrium.
This area has been set up as a Fast & Furious 5 themed exhibition area, with a 1:1 scale model of a Dodge Warrior prominently displayed.
It's exactly the same as the one given to Chen Xun.
Next to the model stood a life-size standee of Chen Xun, wearing the black jacket from the movie and with a cool expression.
A long line had already formed in front of the standee, with fans waiting to take photos with it.
Some people cosplayed as Chen Xun in the movie, some held up homemade props, and one guy was wearing a T-shirt that read "I am a Chen Xun fan and I am proud".
Director Justin Lin, looking at the scene, said to the producer, "These models must have cost a lot, right?"
"Two hundred thousand RMB!"
The producer didn't feel the pinch at all: "It's worth it. Look at the flow of people in line, the mall is ecstatic, and the social media reach is priceless."
Many fans posted on Weibo: "Check-in successful! Xun Ge's standee is so cool!"
"The model is so cool! It's exactly the same as the one in the movie!"
"I saw Brother Xun alive today, a perfect ending to the pandemic!"
"The foreign celebrities next to us were stunned, hahaha!"
Chen Xun was also pulled in front of the model for a group photo.
He stood next to his own standee, and fans went wild taking photos.
One daring fan shouted, "Brother Xun, who's more handsome, him or the standee?"
Chen Xun smiled and pointed to the standee: "It's cool because it won't age."
The whole crowd laughed.
After the group photo session, the main creative team entered the theater to compete for a seat. The premiere hall, which can seat 800 people, was already full of media, film critics, and lucky fans. Chen Xun sat down in the third row, next to Paul.
The lights dimmed, and the movie began.
The familiar opening sequence, the familiar music.
When Chen Xun's character first appeared on the big screen, the audience gasped in surprise.
"Brother Xun is out!"
"That shot was so cool!"
"Wow, Chen Xun's action scenes are amazing!"
Chen Xun looked at himself on the screen and felt something was off.
It's like watching yourself in another parallel universe, doing the things he did and saying the lines he said.
When the movie reached the gunfight scene in the Rio favela, the entire theater was so quiet you could hear someone breathing.
When Chen Xun was on screen firing shots and covering his teammates, several female fans sobbed.
Paul leaned closer and said in English, "They know you've been through all this, right?"
Chen Xun, the beggar.
"So they cried, not just because of the movie," Paul patted Henry on the shoulder, "but because they felt sorry for you."
At the end of the movie, the warhorse carrying the vault plunges off the bridge and deploys its parachute.
As the credits rolled, the entire audience erupted in applause.
The lights came on, and the creative team expressed their gratitude.
When the host handed the microphone to Chen Xun, he remained silent for a few seconds.
"This movie is very special to me."
He looked at the audience: "It's not just because it's my first Hollywood blockbuster, but also because—during filming, some things happened that weren't in the script, and those things made me realize that movies are not just entertainment, but sometimes they can also reflect real people."
He nodded and said, "Thank you to everyone who participated in this film, and thank you to everyone who came to see it. I hope you enjoy it."
The applause from the audience grew even louder.
After the premiere, Chen Xun left through a special passage.
He turned around and glanced at the square from in front of the car.
The fans didn't disperse; some were taking pictures in front of the model, while others gathered together to chat.
As night falls and the lights of Raffles City come on, Shanghai's nightlife begins.
Rob blurted out from behind the car, "Guess what's trending on Weibo today?"
"What?"
"Five of them are related to you."
Robert read out the crafts: "#ChenXunPremiereInShanghai#, #ChenXunFansShow#, #FastAndFurious5PremiereInChina#, #ChenXunLifeSizeStandard#, #ChargrModel# -- Oh, the sixth one is #WangFengNewSongRelease#, but it didn't make the top ten."
Chen Xun laughed: "He didn't manage to grab the headline again?"
"I managed to snag it, but it only stayed up for half an hour before your news pushed it down." Robert shook his head: "That guy's really unlucky."
The car drove away from the square and merged into the traffic of Shanghai at night.
Chen Xun looked out the window; the city was more prosperous and dazzling than he remembered.
It was past nine o'clock when I got back to the hotel.
The premiere in Shanghai was a great success, and everyone was in high spirits.
Director Justin Lin suggested going to the hotel bar for a drink, but Chen Xun waved his hand.
"Would you like to experience real life during the COVID-19 pandemic in China?"
He looked at Van, Paul, Gale, and Tyrese: "It's not a five-star hotel, that would be a loss."
"What do you mean?" Paul asked, intrigued.
"Night market," Chen Xun said. "Street stalls, small stools, plastic tables, cheap but so delicious you'll cry."
Fan touched his bald head: "Is it safe? Our faces are too conspicuous."
"Wear a mask, wear a hat, keep a low profile like a beggar."
Chen Xun was prepared: "Besides, Shanghai is very safe. You can walk around on the street at two in the morning without any problems, as long as you don't cause trouble yourself."
Gail was the first to raise her hand: "I'd love to! I used to love going to night markets when I was in Israel, but they were all Middle Eastern food. I want to try the Chinese-French version."
Tyrese hesitated for a moment: "How spicy? My tolerance for spiciness is below average."
"We have non-spicy ones!" Chen Xun laughed. "Come on, let me show you something."
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