After teasing the kids, Director Zhang immediately started placating them again. Let’s not worry about how he did it; the important thing was that he did.
“All right, all right~ Your director isn’t that cold-blooded and heartless, you know~”
“I mainly just want you to show the fans your positive and energetic side~ You’re all in your teens or twenties—the perfect age to go out there and make your mark!”
“At such a beautiful age, you should be using it to experience the magnificent landscapes of our motherland!”
“I’m only doing this for your own good~”
In just a few short sentences, his tone went through eighteen twists and turns, making anyone who heard him feel sick.
The younger ones rubbed the goosebumps rising on their arms one after another. They had clearly been thoroughly horrified.
Seeing Director Zhang’s smug little expression, the cameraman’s hand shook, and he accidentally gave Director Zhang a close-up.
The audience once again witnessed a legendary clash of wits between the guests and the director. Their excitement at watching the drama unfold immediately overwhelmed the army of paid commenters flooding the live-chat section.
【Director Zhang has really come into his own. He actually managed to make this bunch of idiots suffer a defeat. What a rare sight!】
【Good, good, good! I’ve finally waited for this! I hereby announce the seventeenth round of “Director vs. Guests: A Battle of Wits”—Director Zhang wins!】
【Aaaaaah, Cameraman, you really missed the point this time! If it’s not Director Zhang making that devastated face, don’t show it to us! Dock his pay!!】
Those mischievous guests had no idea that the audience was having the time of their lives watching them get the upper hand. All they knew was that the weather was lovely today—perfect for tormenting Director Zhang!
So one by one, they put on the right expressions, summoned the right emotions, and brought out their acting skills. They were just about to hold a grand “criticism session” for Director Zhang.
But Director Zhang had learned his lesson this time. He shoved the little megaphone into the assistant director’s hands and gestured for him to get the day’s itinerary started at once.
The assistant director clearly had no better idea either. Facing the little devils’ murderous glares, he forced out a dry opening line.
“We’re short on time, and the weather is hot, so let’s set off as soon as possible!”
After saying that, the assistant director immediately clasped his hands together.
Give us a break, give us a break. Don’t hold it against that old bastard Zhang Goudan! It’s beneath you to argue with him!
As it turned out, the assistant director’s reputation was incomparably better than Director Zhang’s!
The guests immediately returned to their rooms to gather the small items they might need for the day’s itinerary. While packing, they were also very cooperative, introducing and recommending things to the camera.
For example, there were all sorts of essentials for climbing Mount Laojun—a light jacket, because the temperature difference between the foot and the summit could be quite significant.
Especially at night. Bringing a light jacket might make the trip much more enjoyable.
Fifteen minutes later.
Director Zhang took one look at the fully prepared guests, waved his hand, and herded them onto the bus like piglets being loaded up for sale.
Soon, he brought the entire group to the entrance of the Ancient Art Museum in Luo City, where he began another round of introductions with his little megaphone.
“Welcome to Luo City’s Ancient Art Museum—the first ancient-tomb museum in the world!”
“It is unrivaled worldwide in terms of its vast area, distinctive architectural style, sheer number and variety of exhibits, and the age of the ancient tombs in its collection. It is one of our country’s great wonders!”
“Here, numerous representative tombs dating from the Western Han Dynasty all the way to the Song and Jin periods have been relocated and reconstructed. This will give us a broader perspective from which to understand and experience ancient tomb architecture, tomb murals, carving art, and other aspects of historical culture.”
“So, from this point onward, I invite all our guests to begin your immersive journey through the ancient tombs! Have fun~”
After finishing his introduction, Director Zhang let them explore on their own without interfering too much.
Cultural treasures that had survived the passage of time could only reveal their true wonder when people experienced them and felt them for themselves.
All he could do was use certain channels to bring these treasures before the public and let everyone know they existed.
Inside the Ancient Tomb Museum, the children were unusually quiet during this immersive tour.
They showed none of their usual rowdiness, because they were earnestly completing a dialogue with history that spanned a thousand years.
As artifact after artifact and lifelike mural after mural came into view, it felt as though they could truly hear the notes of history traveling through time and space.
Many viewers outside the screen simply closed the comment section, which was filled with paid commenters, and quietly followed the guests on a virtual tour of the ancient tombs.
When Director Zhang saw that the guests were genuinely taking the time to appreciate the historical culture, he was so moved that he nearly burst into tears again.
Thus, overcome with emotion, Director Zhang once again painted a grand vision for his two young assistants before taking his assistant director away to experience this magnificent “dialogue with history.”
The two inexperienced assistants, whose eyes still held that clear, foolish innocence, swallowed the grand promises made by the two directors without hesitation.
Their ability to digest empty promises remained astonishingly strong, and their enthusiasm was so high that they resembled that yellow sponge. The veteran wage slaves on the production team could only stare at them and exclaim that they were insane.
At that moment, inside the museum, Wu Dacheng was clinging tightly to his boss’s side. One hand was still wrapped firmly around Xie Changyu’s arm.
Xie Tangning turned around and looked at the chubby boy’s face, full of awe and trembling slightly with fear. She let out a somewhat unkind chuckle.
Back in the mural exhibition area, Wu Dacheng had been utterly fearless. He had even earnestly studied and learned about the murals.
But the moment he stepped into the ancient-tomb exhibition area, Wu Dacheng immediately grabbed Xie Changyu’s hand and refused to let go, following Xie Tangning everywhere.
Xie Changyu was rendered speechless by the child’s grip.
Since it wasn’t appropriate for him to hold the hand of his boss, a girl, the little brat had decided to cling to him instead, had he?!
“Xie Xiaoning, can’t you protect your own underling?”
“What kind of boss are you? If you can’t do it, step aside. There are plenty of people who can!”
After quietly roasting his little sister, Xie Changyu lowered his head and looked at the chubby boy, who had not loosened his grip on his wrist even once since entering the tomb exhibition area.
“Tsk~ If you’re so scared, why didn’t you follow your mommy and daddy to the other exhibition area?”
Hu Miaoqi and Wu Weixiang were both native Hong Kongers, and they had always held tombs and burial sites in deep reverence.
The two of them had directly refused to visit the ancient-tomb exhibition area. It wasn’t that they were superstitious; it was simply the way they had been taught from childhood.
It couldn’t exactly be called fear. It was reverence—a kind of instinctive reverence!
Especially with these twenty-five reconstructed ancient tombs. In their eyes, it was practically the same as digging up someone’s ancestral grave.
And then, after digging up that ancestral grave, inviting a crowd of people to dance in front of it!
Wu Dacheng stiffened his neck and replied, “This is called stepping outside my comfort zone and bravely venturing into the world!”
“It’s proof that I’m a real man who isn’t afraid of difficulties and dares to face his fears!”
Xie Changyu let out two mocking laughs. He made no attempt to hold back his venom just because the boy was young. If anything, he seemed even more determined to lay it on thick.
“Heh~ Face your fears? Are you kidding me?”
“With that pathetic, cowardly look on your face, you still have the nerve to say you’re bravely venturing into the world? I think you’ve spent too much time with our Xie Xiaoning and learned her shamelessness, haven’t you?”
The moment his boss was mentioned, the child’s protective instincts kicked in. He opened his mouth and fired back, “What the hell are you talking about?”
“That’s not shamelessness when it comes to my boss—it’s flexible thinking and an incredible ability to adapt! With your practically nonexistent emotional intelligence, you’d better go back to being the mute groom you are!”
“And besides, I’m not a coward. I’m the bravest person in the world!”
