Airport Dispute

Lu Heng grinned. "Ever ridden a sleigh pulled by village mutts?"

Wei Linxuan actually gave a cold little laugh this time and said with particular aloof elegance, "I've gone skiing in Switzerland! I can do aerial spins, and I've won some pursuit race championship! I've ridden a sled pulled by three fools~"

"So that means you've never ridden a sleigh pulled by village mutts." Lu Heng smiled mischievously and declared with absolute certainty, "Then you definitely haven't gone sliding down vinegar slopes or whipped ice tops either!"

Wei Linxuan stared at Lu Heng with a bewildered expression!

What was he talking about? Why couldn't he understand any of it? Was that even Mandarin?

Before Wei Linxuan could press for an explanation, Lu Heng had already thrown an arm around his shoulders and eagerly led him home. The production crew had driven over to make moving the equipment easier, so they could have the driver take them to school.

As the saying went, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. It was rare for Wei Linxuan to come all this way, so Lu Heng had to let this young master experience the fun country kids had playing in the snow during winter.

Wei Linxuan and the Exchanging Lives production crew stayed in Lu Family Village for a total of three days before hurrying back to Beijing. This episode of New Year Gratitude Season would air on the Lantern Festival.

After the Lantern Festival, Lu Heng, who had been loafing around at home for the New Year holiday, received a call from Director Fang Kaizhi. Director Fang, who had always been generous in promoting Lu Heng, asked with a smile, "Do you want to go to The U.S.?"

The U.S.?

Lu Heng quickly processed it in his mind and blurted out, "Could it be that Autumn Dew White has been nominated for the Oscar Best Foreign Language Film?"

Director Fang chuckled. "Didn't I say you were a sharp kid? You actually guessed it?"

For people in the film and television industry, the four major international film festivals were the highest honors one could receive in the field. Even though Lu Heng was only a newcomer, he should have known this basic common knowledge. What was more, he retained memories from his previous life, so he congratulated Fang Kaizhi with unusual certainty. "Congratulations, Director Fang. Autumn Dew White will definitely win the Oscar Best Foreign Language Film."

Fang Kaizhi laughed heartily. He had great confidence in Autumn Dew White, but after spending so many years in the industry, he had naturally become steady and cautious. Even if he was fully confident, he would not casually say so aloud. He had not expected Lu Heng to be even more confident than he was, and so bluntly forthright about it.

Director Fang liked Lu Heng precisely for that straightforward nature.

Smiling, he said, "Then I'll gladly accept your good wishes."

Director Fang gave him a date. "Hurry back to Beijing. When the time comes, you'll fly to The U.S. with the rest of the crew."

Director Fang and the people from the production company, however, had flown over months ago, right after filming wrapped, in order to campaign for the Oscars.

After thinking it over, Director Fang gave him detailed reminders. "Don't forget to have your agency get you a custom formal outfit. This will be our Xiao Heng's first red-carpet appearance. You have to make everyone's eyes light up."

Hearing that, Lu Heng suddenly recalled all the future press releases about celebrities "outshining everyone." He could not help smiling. "Thank you, Director Fang. I understand."

It was not until that very evening, after Fang Kaizhi had called Lu Heng, that major entertainment papers began scrambling to report that Autumn Dew White had received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The speed of information transmission was truly far slower than it would be in later years.

The following afternoon, while flying back to Beijing, Lu Heng called Wei Linxuan and asked him to go shopping with him.

Wei Linxuan said in surprise, "I didn't expect Director Fang to value you so highly. He actually invited you to tag along on the red carpet."

Under normal circumstances, only the film's main creative team would walk the red carpet with the crew. A minor extra like Lu Heng, with so little screen time, would never receive such an invitation. Much less for the red carpet at a globally renowned film festival like the Oscars.

"Your debut film, and you already get to step onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Not bad!" Wei Linxuan teased Lu Heng with a smile, but still agreed to go shopping with him.

Since he was walking the Oscars red carpet, his outfit naturally had to be taken seriously. The two met at the China World Trade Center Building and went straight to the flagship stores of the major international brands on the top floor.

Unfortunately, the fashion styles of sixteen years ago were rather hard on the eyes. Lu Heng tried on several suits in a few brand stores, but always felt that something was missing.

"It looks like a child secretly wearing an adult's clothes!" Wei Linxuan raised a brow, hitting the nail on the head.

In 2001, major international brands had yet to recognize the purchasing power of the East—or, more specifically, the Huaxia market. As a result, they had not tailored suits that suited Eastern aesthetics and body types.

Fitted, refined, elegant, slender, youthful—these terms, nearly overused in later years, made the fashionable trends in men's suits sixteen years ago seem particularly dull and lacking. Wei Linxuan looked Lu Heng over in his black suit, and his eyes suddenly lit up.

The two abandoned those expensive designer suits that did not suit Lu Heng's identity and wandered around until they reached a private studio that often tailored formalwear for the Wei family.

Lu Heng told the designer what he wanted. The designer produced a draft according to his requirements, and inspiration struck while he was working on it.

Ten days later, Lu Heng received his custom-made suit. The designer, who had barely slept for nearly a week and had bloodshot eyes, messy hair, and a sallow face, stared at Lu Heng with a green gleam in his eyes and kept urging, "Try it on. Let me see."

Lu Heng took the suit into the changing room. A moment later, a young man wearing a fitted black suit emerged.

The soft wool fabric lay smoothly over the young man's long, slender frame, making him appear even more poised and sharp. Every movement outlined the curve of his waist. Beneath his long legs were a pair of patent-leather Oxford shoes, while a snow-white shirt and black bow tie completed the look. Smiling before the full-length mirror, the young man radiated refinement and elegance.

Wei Linxuan clapped with a smile and said sincerely, "Now that's more like it. Our Xiao Heng is a man who's going to outshine everyone on the red carpet."

Outshining everyone...

Lu Heng shot Wei Linxuan a helpless look, then returned to the changing room to change back and pack up his freshly made suit.