74: Chapter 74 Filming Mission

At two in the afternoon, the photographer arrived right on time.

He was a young man in his early thirties, wearing loose cargo pants and carrying a large camera bag. After a brief exchange of pleasantries upon entering, he immediately began surveying the location.

Qiao Yichen explained his vision to him.

The photographer stood at the shop entrance, looking out at the Old Street in the rain. After listening to him finish, he nodded.

"No problem," he said. "Shooting an old shop on a rainy day actually helps create emotion. The light is soft, the color tone is unified; we won't need much adjustment in post-production."

He pointed inside the shop: "Let's start with the interior—close-ups of the products, the Master Craftsman's making process, shots of the freshly baked goods, and packaging details. Then we'll move to medium and wide shots of the storefront."

Qiao Yichen nodded: "That's pretty much what I was thinking."

The photographer was already taking equipment out of his bag.

Outside the window, the rain was still falling. The bluestone slab road glistened from being washed by the rain, and occasionally, pedestrians holding umbrellas walked by slowly.

Inside the shop, the Master Craftsman tied on his apron and began preparing the first batch of pastries for the afternoon.

The shoot lasted for a full three hours.

The photographer moved back and forth in the shop, carrying the camera. Sometimes he leaned in close to capture the Master Craftsman's kneading technique, and other times he stepped back to shoot the rows of pastries displayed on the tray.

Li Yong assisted nearby, helping move props and adjust the position of the reflector boards. Shen Bowen held a notebook, recording the duration and content of each shot, occasionally discussing lighting and angles with the photographer.

Meng Zhi was responsible for coordinating the pace inside the shop—when to ask the Master Craftsman to pause, when to have the staff cooperate, and when to clear extraneous people from the frame. She was a bit flustered at first, but gradually found her rhythm, and her movements running back and forth became more agile.

Qiao Yichen stood near the window, arms crossed, watching the entire filming process, occasionally interjecting a comment at key moments.

"We can take a few more shots from this angle."

"Can we get a close-up of that steam coming off the freshly baked goods just now?"

"For the shop sign shot, wait until the rain lessens a bit."

The photographer acknowledged each request.

Around four-thirty in the afternoon, the rain began to subside slightly.

Seizing the opportunity, the photographer immediately grabbed his camera and rushed outside, shooting the old 'Taste Bud Memory' sign and the entire wet Old Street in one go.

The blue bricks and black tiles gleamed after being washed by the rain; fine beads of water hung from the copper rings of the old wooden door; in the distance, an elderly person holding an umbrella walked by slowly—the scene in the lens possessed an ineffable charm that was missing on a sunny day.

After finishing the shots, the photographer played one sequence back, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.

"Good, this set has feeling."

Qiao Yichen leaned over to look at the screen and nodded.

A little after five o'clock, the filming officially concluded.

The photographer began packing up his equipment; Li Yong and Shen Bowen helped carry it to his car.

Qiao Yichen walked to the counter and smiled as he bid farewell to the Master Craftsman.

"Thank you for your hard work; you cooperated very well today."

The Master Craftsman waved his hand: "You all worked harder. You filmed all afternoon and didn't even have time for a sip of water."

He turned, took out a paper bag from behind the counter, and pressed it into Qiao Yichen's hand: "Freshly baked walnut shortbread. Take some back to try."

Qiao Yichen was momentarily stunned and wanted to decline, but the Master Craftsman had already turned and walked inside.

At five-thirty, the car pulled away from the Old Street.

Li Yong slumped in the back seat, completely exhausted: "I'm dead tired... Today's intensity was more tiring than chasing clients all day."

Shen Bowen adjusted his glasses: "You didn't do much."

"I moved equipment, okay?" Li Yong retorted. "That light stand was heavy, and we had to move it back and forth."

Meng Zhi, sitting in the passenger seat, let the corner of her mouth curve slightly.

There was rustling from the back seat, followed by Li Yong's exclamation: "Hey, this walnut shortbread is still warm!"

"The Master Craftsman gave it to us as we were leaving," Qiao Yichen said, looking straight ahead. "Share it among yourselves."

"Then I won't be polite," Li Yong said, opening the paper bag. He handed a piece to Shen Bowen first, then offered one forward to Meng Zhi. "Meng Zhi, want one too?"

Meng Zhi accepted it and took a bite—the crust was crisp, and the fragrance of walnuts melted in her mouth.

At six-ten, the car drove back into the company's underground parking garage.

The four of them took the elevator up from B2, silent the whole way—too tired.

When the elevator doors opened, Meng Zhi was the first to step into the Planning Department, then she paused.

In the hallway, several colleagues were gathered, speaking in low voices with somewhat strange expressions. Seeing them enter, those people immediately dispersed and returned to their workstations.

Meng Zhi turned to glance at Qiao Yichen.

Qiao Yichen's face was expressionless as he walked straight ahead.

The three followed behind him back to their work area.

After sitting down, Li Yong looked left and right, lowering his voice: "What's going on? Why does the atmosphere feel weird?"

Shen Bowen didn't speak, and Meng Zhi shook her head.

Qiao Yichen put down his bag and looked at them.

"You all worked hard today. Go home early and rest."

Li Yong opened his mouth as if to say something, but swallowed it back.

Qiao Yichen had already turned and was walking toward Liu Yanran's office.

He knocked.

"Come in."

Qiao Yichen pushed the door open and pulled it shut behind him.

Liu Yanran sat behind her desk, holding a document. Hearing the movement, she looked up, her gaze falling on him.

"You're back?"

"Mm," Qiao Yichen walked to the desk, pulled his car keys from his pocket, and placed them gently on the table. "Just finished the shoot and dropped them off."

Liu Yanran glanced at the keys, closed the document, and set it aside.

"How was the filming?"

"Quite smooth," Qiao Yichen replied. "The photographer was skilled, and the on-site cooperation was in place."

Liu Yanran smiled but said nothing.

Qiao Yichen looked at her, paused for a second: "What's going on with the company today? The atmosphere felt off when I came in."

Liu Yanran didn't answer immediately.

She lowered her eyes, tapped her fingers twice lightly on the desk, then raised her eyes to look at him.

"The boss called me at two this afternoon."

Qiao Yichen listened without interrupting.

"A project suddenly came up," Liu Yanran said. "The client is Li Quan Group, they do high-end tea beverages. This time the scale is huge, in the tens of millions range."

Qiao Yichen's eyes shifted slightly.

"This project was previously handled by top 4A agencies and strategic consulting firms for their proposals," Liu Yanran continued. "But the client wasn't satisfied; they felt the proposals were too idealistic and not grounded, and the cost estimates were too high. Time is now very tight, so they are lowering the opportunity to several mid-sized companies with good performance and reputation to try out."

She paused: "Chuangxing is also among the contenders."

Qiao Yichen nodded.

"We held a seminar at three this afternoon," Liu Yanran said. "Company executives and senior planners without current projects all met to discuss."

"The initial draft deadline is May 19th," she looked at him. "The timeline isn't too tight."

Qiao Yichen was silent for two seconds: "What can I do to help you?"

Liu Yanran shook her head: "Finish 'Taste Bud Memory' first. Prepare the basic materials before the holiday; after May Day, you still need to handle execution and monitor the results."

Qiao Yichen nodded: "Understood."

He looked at her and asked again: "How much longer will you be busy?"

Liu Yanran glanced at the bottom right corner of her computer screen: "Still a while; I have some things I haven't finished handling."

"Okay," Qiao Yichen said. "Then I'll head back to my desk. Let me know when you're done."

Liu Yanran responded with an "Mm."

The door closed softly behind him.

Qiao Yichen walked through the hallway and returned to his workstation. Li Yong and the others had already left; their computer screens were dark, and the entire area was empty.

He sat down in his chair, opened his phone, and scrolled through the group chat—he still had three channel windows pending launch: digital automotive, general entertainment content, and beauty/fashion. He replied to messages one by one, discussing details with interested clients.

At seven-twenty, the door to Liu Yanran's office opened. She walked out carrying her bag.

Qiao Yichen put away his phone and got up, walking toward the elevator entrance.

The two met at the elevator.

"Hungry?" Liu Yanran asked.

"Not really," Qiao Yichen replied. "What do you want to eat?"

Liu Yanran thought for a moment: "Anything is fine. I'm tired after a long day and don't want to go too far."

"Then we'll eat nearby."

The elevator doors opened, and the two stepped inside.

The numbers ticked down for the descent.

Qiao Yichen turned his head to look at her—she was leaning against the elevator wall, a trace of weariness visible between her brows.

He didn't speak, but simply reached out and gently took her hand.

Liu Yanran looked down briefly, did not pull away, and tightened her fingers slightly.

The elevator continued down, arriving at B2.

The doors opened, and the two walked into the underground garage, their footsteps echoing softly in the empty parking lot.