Chapter 350 Avril is back!

As dawn broke and the thin mist of western Hunan had not yet dissipated, the sound of suitcase wheels rolling over the stone pavement echoed in the courtyard of the Mushroom House.

Wu Zhen stretched and rubbed his slightly reddened eyes.

The effects of last night's drinking were quite strong; this tough guy on screen now looked at Xiao Chen with a touch of elder-like affection.

"Ah Chen, remember to give your brother a hand when you're filming in the future."

Wu Zhen patted Xiao Chen on the shoulder, his tone half-joking but full of sincerity.

Xiao Chen was helping Dilraba straighten her collar when he heard this. He turned his head and smiled like an innocent boy next door.

"Brother Wu, you flatter me. Just don't complain about my many rules on set."

Chen Xiaochun nodded hurriedly beside him, his black shirt making his skin look even darker and his teeth even whiter.

"Definitely not. This trip has made me feel ten years younger. From now on, you must book me for these kinds of good jobs."

Xiao Chen nodded, his words concise and to the point.

"must."

Director Wang watched from the side, muttering to himself.

These two Hong Kong tycoons are usually incredibly arrogant, but in front of Xiao Chen, they become as docile as cats.

Is this what charm is?

Or rather, is this the absolute aura that comes from the combination of capital and talent?

Dilraba stood behind Xiao Chen. The sixteen-year-old girl had grown quite a bit taller, and her eyes sparkled with admiration as she looked at Xiao Chen.

Mei Yanfang held Dilraba's hand and then looked at Xiao Chen.

"Chenzi, when you get back to Beijing, don't just focus on your business. Remember to call and check on us two old folks."

Xiao Chen stepped forward and gently embraced the legendary diva, his movements restrained and tender.

"Sister Mei, you're forever eighteen! Where did this old lady come from?"

Mui Yim-fong was amused and laughed heartily, which relieved most of the sorrow of parting in her heart.

Leslie Cheung, wearing sunglasses, leaned against the fence, the wind gently ruffling his temples.

"I'm off. Back in Beijing, keep pursuing your dreams of the stars and the sea."

My brother waved his hand, got into the car without looking back, and was as dashing as ever.

Xiao Chen watched the two vans disappear at the end of the mountain road.

He suppressed his smile and turned to explain to Dilraba.

"Don't just focus on having fun on the show, you also need to study hard when you get back."

Dilraba was a little reluctant, but obediently agreed.

"Okay, Brother Xiao Chen."

……

Beijing, headquarters of Shishiba Culture.

As soon as Xiao Chen stepped into the office, the air conditioning kept out the summer heat from outside.

Wang Jinhua was flipping through a thick stack of schedules when she saw him come in, and she couldn't hide the joy in her eyes.

This top agent in the Chinese entertainment industry is more like a mother who is worried sick in front of Xiao Chen.

"My little darling, you've finally decided to leave the mountains."

Xiao Chen threw himself into the large leather swivel chair, crossed his long legs, and moved with an air of dignified elegance.

"Aunt Hua, is there any urgent work coming up?"

Wang Jinhua handed over a red promotional brochure.

"Your role as the emperor in 'Empresses in the Palace' has been scheduled for release. It will premiere nationwide next month, and the investors are all waiting for you to cooperate with the promotion."

Xiao Chen glanced at it, his expression indifferent.

"Okay, anything else?"

"The production of 'My Love from the Star,' which I filmed with Liu Yifei, is progressing very quickly. They're urging you to go back and reshoot a few key scenes."

Xiao Chen rubbed his temples.

"What about Avril?"

Wang Jinhua gave a wry smile and pointed outside.

"They've been waiting at your courtyard house for ages. The concert setup is almost complete, and they're just waiting for you, the main character, to go over the schedule."

Xiao Chen stood up and casually picked up the sunglasses on the table.

"Okay, I'll go home and see this little rock star."

……

Xiao Chen's courtyard house is located deep in a quiet alleyway amidst the bustling city.

Pushing open the heavy vermilion gate, fluent English drifted out from under the old locust tree in the courtyard.

"Yeah, Chen is the best partner I've ever met!"

Xiao Chen walked around the screen wall and saw Avril gesturing wildly as she talked to Ye Huimei.

Avril Lavigne has removed much of her signature smoky makeup, and looks much fresher.

Ye Huimei sat on the stone bench. Although she didn't understand much, she had a gentle smile on her face. The professional translator next to her was speaking in hushed tones.

"Mom, I'm home."

Xiao Chen's shout brought the conversation in the courtyard to an abrupt halt.

Avril stood up abruptly, her blonde hair shimmering in the sunlight.

"Chen!"

She rushed over like a cannonball and gave Xiao Chen a warm bear hug.

"Long time no see!"

Xiao Chen was knocked back half a step and helplessly grabbed her shoulder.

"We just met two weeks ago, Ms. Ai. Is there something wrong with your sense of time?"

Avril loosened her grip, stuck out her tongue, and made a lively expression.

There's an old Chinese saying: "A day apart feels like three autumns," right?

Xiao Chen looked at the translator next to him, who was wiping away sweat with an embarrassed expression.

Ye Huimei stood up, walked over, took her son's hand, and looked him up and down.

"You've lost weight. Is the food in the mountains bad?"

Xiao Chen is most obedient in front of his mother.

"No, Director Wang would love to stew all the free-range chickens in the village for me."

Ye Huimei smiled.

"Avril has been waiting for you for two days. You two talk about serious matters. Mom will go cut some watermelon for you."

Avril looked at Xiao Chen, her eyes seemingly filled with stars.

This nineteen-year-old man possesses an irresistible magnetic charm.

It's not just because of his face, which was named "the most handsome man in the world" by Hollywood media.

More importantly, it was his calm and composed demeanor as he planned and executed his strategies.

"Chen, I've revised the song list for the concert a few times, could you take another look?"

Avril pulled a crumpled stack of sheet music from her backpack and brought it close to Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen took it and glanced at it, then casually pulled out a pen and marked a few sections.

"The rhythm in these parts is too fragmented and doesn't suit your explosive power. Change it."

Avril leaned closer to look, her nose almost touching Xiao Chen's cheek.

She caught a faint scent of grass and trees on him, the scent of the mountains of western Hunan.

"Wow, you always get to the point immediately."

The translator, watching this scene from the side, felt a pang of sadness welling up inside.

This guy is a Grammy regular and an idol for rebellious teenagers all over the world, but he was as well-behaved as a primary school student handing in his homework in front of Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen returned the sheet music to her casually.

"We're going to the stadium for a practice session tomorrow, I don't have much time to waste on the details."

Avril nodded vigorously.

"No problem, I'll do as you say."

She suddenly remembered something and moved closer mysteriously.

"I heard you've been working in tech lately? That thing called TikTok?"

Xiao Chen raised an eyebrow, but did not deny it.

"A little gadget that will flatten the world."

Although Avril didn't understand, she thought the sentence was awesome.

"If needed, I can be your first overseas promoter."

Xiao Chen smiled, sunlight shining on the corners of his mouth.

"Then you need to learn how to be more interesting in front of the camera, instead of just flipping your hair."

Avril wrinkled her nose in displeasure, but did not refute it.

She knew that what the man said must be true.

The evening breeze rustled through the courtyard, making the locust tree leaves whisper in the breeze.

Avril was still chattering away beside her, talking about her concert ideas.

Xiao Chen occasionally replied with a single syllable.

Ye Huimei came out carrying a watermelon, looking at her son's spirited profile with eyes full of satisfaction.

This child seems to have been born to conquer.