Chapter 657 Sun Qian’s Album Is Released

Damn, there are way too many rich people in China! The moment he saw the search results, Shen Yibin was floored. The online record for a baijiu auction was a staggering 10.7 million. It looked like his third bottle of wine probably wouldn’t fetch that kind of price.

It was a bottle of Lai Mao Liquor produced in 1935, the predecessor to the famous Moutai Liquor. At the time of the auction, the liquor was already eighty-one years old. It was ultimately won by an entrepreneur from Fujian. Shen Yibin wondered what that kind of liquor would taste like.

Still, the prices for Shen Yibin’s three bottles today were enough to rank in the top five on the baijiu auction charts, second only to the 10.7 million Lai Mao Liquor and an Emperor Moutai that sold for 8.9 million.

"Alright, the last bottle of wine goes to Mr. John Farrell!" While his mind was wandering, the final bottle fell into John Farrell’s hands. He hadn’t expected this foreigner’s enthusiasm for Monkey Wine to be even more fervent than that of the Chinese bidders.

Since the man was so passionate, Shen Yibin felt he should show some hospitality. He invited John Farrell and Director Kong to his estate, where he personally cooked them a feast. He also brought out a bottle of medicinal wine he’d prepared. The roasted spring chicken made with Monkey Wine was so good that John Farrell nearly swallowed his own tongue. He stared at the two bottles he’d won, a conflicted look on his face. ’Should I drink these two bottles, or should I use them for cooking?’

"Er, you can use regular wine for this too, the taste will just be a little inferior, that’s all. I’ll write down the recipe for you later." Shen Yibin provided the recipe for the roasted spring chicken and also helped John Farrell add some health-preserving herbs to his Monkey Wine. Only then did Farrell leave, satisfied. The estate returned to its usual quiet.

In the following days, Director Kong finished the post-production for the MV. Qianqian uploaded the video to the website, and Shen Yibin shared the link on his Weibo account to promote it. This time, Director Kong kept his promise and shared it as well. Then, other stars he had worked with, like Fang Yuanshan, Fang Yun, and Murong Li, also shared the post. Other celebrities who owed Director Kong a favor or wanted to get on his good side followed suit. Within a few hours, the news of Sun Qian’s MV release was a trending topic on Weibo.

"Mr. Shen, thank you so much! Ever since you posted on Weibo, the number of album pre-orders on the official website has been skyrocketing. It looks like I’ll have to contact the manufacturer to increase the production volume!" Qianqian said excitedly over the phone. It was as if she could already see the glorious moment Sun Qian ascended to the throne as the queen of pop.

"It was nothing, just a small favor! If you need anything else next time, don’t hesitate to ask." After hanging up, Shen Yibin couldn’t help but sigh. ’Ah, Sun Qian has worked so hard for so long to finally see this day. I’ve seen firsthand just how many temptations and trials she’s had to endure along the way.’

’Oh, right, I should go to her official website and place an order to show my support. I’ll buy a few extra albums to listen to. Besides, I have a media room in the villa.’

When the album was officially released, Sun Qian would surely give copies to her close friends and family, like him, Xia Shixuan, Xu Ye, Bai Yanni, and Director Kong. But there was a difference between buying a copy and receiving one as a gift. The ones she gave them could be treasured as keepsakes, while the ones he bought himself could be used for listening and enjoyment. Shen Yibin had already made his plans.

With the MV production wrapped up, Director Kong also found himself with more free time. Every day, he would wake up early and come to Shen Yibin’s place for breakfast. Afterward, they would go for a run along the river and practice the Turtle Breathing Technique. After a few days of practice, Director Kong’s lungs felt revitalized, and his voice sounded full of vigor, which made him very happy.

After their workout, Shen Yibin would go to look after his shop, while the director would take that young starlet to tour the various attractions in Yunzhong City. In the evening, they would return to the shop for dinner, then drive back to the estate with Shen Yibin for their evening exercises. Facing the moon, he would perform his breathing exercises with even more reverence than Shen Yibin himself.

Occasionally, Shen Yibin would also find time to take Director Kong and the others into the mountains and forests around Yunzhong City, led by Carmen and Turtle Immortal. They would explore the pristine local scenery and search for various magical medicinal herbs. Every trip was fruitful, much to Director Kong’s delight. He would carefully store the herbs Shen Yibin gave him, saving them to be enjoyed later.

In between their excursions, Director Kong would also brew a pot of tea and sit with Shen Yibin on the second-floor terrace. They would discuss the script for *Panda Hero 2* while enjoying the gentle breeze from the Yunshui River and basking in the warm spring sunlight. Director Kong wasn’t in a hurry to rush things. Based on Hollywood’s experience, it was generally best to release a sequel about three years after the original.

A three-year gap was the sweet spot when audience anticipation for a sequel was at its peak. Releasing it then would generate the most enthusiasm from moviegoers, a lesson Director Kong knew well.

Therefore, his plan was to finish writing the script for *Panda Hero 2* in the first half of this year. In the second half, he would begin preparations and launch a wave of promotional hype. Filming would start next year, with the movie hitting the market during the summer blockbuster season the year after.

This schedule was much more generous than the one for the first *Panda Hero*, allowing every aspect of the preparation to be perfected. Director Kong was confident that this sequel would break the box office record set by the original. After all, he wanted to use this series to go head-to-head with the likes of Cameron.

Shen Yibin was very supportive of this. It meant that Hah’Er would have basically nothing to do this year. He could rest at home, travel the world with Shen Yibin, and get a good long break before filming started next year.

Although Shen Yibin didn’t know anything about filmmaking, he knew Hah’Er’s personality inside and out, so he was able to provide Director Kong with a lot of help on certain details. Meanwhile, by spending so much time with Hah’Er recently, Director Kong had also discovered many new quirks he hadn’t noticed before. He incorporated Hah’Er’s hilarious antics into the script, which made him even more optimistic about the box office prospects for *Panda Hero 2*.

"There, the main framework of the script is finally done. Hah’Er’s main storyline is set in stone. Now it’s time to consider the other issues!" Director Kong put down his pen, satisfied.

A film of this magnitude would inevitably involve many factors. Some people would want to use the movie to expand their influence, investors would want to promote their own actors, and Hollywood stars would want to get a role in the film. As long as it didn’t affect the main plot, Director Kong was willing to cooperate.

"So you can finally relax completely for the last few days of your vacation! Want to go explore that mountain across the way tomorrow?" Shen Yibin said with a smile.

’By the time Director Kong leaves, Sun Qian’s new album should be out, right?’