Chapter 509: Incidents in Hengdian

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Noon at Hilton Hotel in Modu.

“Brother Chao, should we have lunch and then drive to Hengdian?” Jiang Li asked while cutting her steak, inquiring about their plans.

Zhou Chao swallowed his bite of beef before responding, “Yes, the arrangements in Hangzhou are mostly taken care of. The remaining tasks are in the hands of Qin Ziwei. I trust he won’t let me down.”

“Sounds good. Hangzhou doesn’t have much to offer in terms of attractions anyway.” For Jiang Li, West Lake was probably the most appealing place in Hangzhou, and she wasn’t particularly interested in other sights.

“I wonder what’s there to see in Hengdian. We can explore it when we get there,” she added.

Zhou Chao had only heard about Hengdian and hadn’t personally visited. He imagined it was larger than Xiangshan Film and Television City, likely with a bigger scale for filming and more extras.

After finishing lunch, they returned to their room, packed their belongings, and headed to Hengdian in a BMW X7 provided by the hotel. The distance from Hangzhou to Hengdian was considerable, around 150 kilometers. Driving a Rolls-Royce for such a journey wouldn’t be as comfortable as an SUV.

Along the way, the roads were clear, and by the time they reached Hengdian Film and Television City, it was already 2:20 PM. Jiang Li had already fallen asleep in the passenger seat, and Zhou Chao couldn’t help but marvel at how pregnant women seemed to enjoy sleeping so much.

Zhou Chao found a temporary parking spot and decided to arrange their accommodation first. Just as he parked the car, Jiang Li woke up.

Rubbing her slightly dazed eyes and looking around, she turned to Zhou Chao and asked, “Brother Chao, have we arrived in Hengdian?”

“Yeah, just got here. I’m going to find our accommodation.” Zhou Chao picked up his phone and started searching.

“Brother Chao, I know of a place I saw online. It’s a themed homestay inside the film and television city, with a unique ancient charm. Besides, it’s close to Hengdian’s night scenic area. We can go for a stroll in the evening!”

“Inside the film and television city?”

Jiang Li found the video of the homestay she had seen online and showed it to him. “Yes, take a look; it’s this one.”

The video displayed a homestay entrance flanked by lush bamboo, leading to a courtyard paved with gradient wooden boards and smooth cobblestones. The entire building adopted the architectural style of Huizhou, resembling a traditional ink painting. The rooms were also distinctive, incorporating many elements from film and television, giving a sense of stepping back in time.

After watching, Zhou Chao nodded in satisfaction and handed the phone back to Jiang Li. “Alright, let’s go there.”

As they drove past the scenery outside the window, Jiang Li curiously asked, “Brother Chao, how big is Hengdian exactly?”

Hearing her question, Zhou Chao chuckled, “You’ve asked the right person.”

When he had checked in earlier, the system had provided him with all the relevant information about Hengdian, making him something of a Hengdian information expert.

Seeing Jiang Li’s intense gaze fixed on him, Zhou Chao cleared his throat tactically and continued, “Hengdian covers a total area of over 5,000 acres, making it the largest film and television tourism theme park in China. It boasts over a hundred A-level (movie-grade) and B-level (TV-grade) studios, with more than 2,000 different scenes for shooting, spanning various historical periods and styles, such as ancient, historical, and contemporary settings. The major attractions include the Ming and Qing palaces, the Qin King’s Palace, Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival, Fantasy Valley, and Yuanming New Garden, among others. It’s also a nationally certified 5A scenic area.

Many famous TV series and movies have been filmed here. We can take photos and enjoy the specific performances at these attractions. It should keep us entertained for a few days.”

Jiang Li was getting excited, saying, “I can’t wait. I haven’t had much chance to go sightseeing, so I’d love to explore.”

“No rush, we have plenty of time. What’s important now is to find our accommodation and settle in. Later, I need to visit the Hengdian Film and Television City’s office and have a talk with the person in charge here.”

“It’s fine. I can explore on my own or stay at the hotel.”

Zhou Chao nodded, and soon they arrived at the place they had discussed earlier.

Fortunately, there was parking space at the entrance. After parking the car, they walked inside the homestay. It looked exactly like the video had shown, featuring Hui-style architecture that added a touch of beauty to the surroundings.

“Hello, are you here for accommodation?” A woman in her thirties came out of the house, the owner of this homestay.

“Is there a good room available?” Zhou Chao knew that Hengdian attracted a lot of tourists due to its film and television industry, so he couldn’t guarantee that there were vacant rooms in these homestays.

“We happen to have an independent room with a garden, but it’s a bit expensive,” the owner said, her eyes continually assessing the two of them. Their attire and demeanor indicated that they were not short of money. “Money is not a problem. Can you show it to us? If we like it, we’ll stay!” Hearing Zhou Chao’s response, the owner narrowed her eyes slightly and led them inside with a cheerful smile. They went through several twists and turns and arrived at a standalone courtyard. The white exterior walls and the roof with overlapping tiles were particularly eye-catching. In the courtyard, there was a thatched pavilion and a swing.

The owner opened the door and walked in. “Take a look and see if you like it..”