Chapter 812: Chasing Stars Below the Ship, Chasing Stars on the Ship
"Mr. Xiao! Over here, over here!"
A cameraman's shout rang out, and Xiao He instinctively turned his head, adjusting himself to a suitable angle for the shot.
On both sides of the red carpet, phones were held high, lenses aimed at Xiao He for live broadcasts.
The live stream rooms had long since descended into a frenzy because of Xiao He's appearance.
【Ahhh, it really is Xiao He! Today is another day of him dressed like a gangster boss!】
【Whoa, Xiao He actually attended this gala? When I asked his team before, they said he wasn't going.】
【It seems like his itinerary was changed at the last minute; he's going in place of Director Zhuang.】
【Damn it, if I'd known, I would have flown to Hong Kong! Is it too late to fly there now?】
【Ahem, forget it. The place is already overcrowded. Even though the people in the live streams look close, you can't actually see the situation on the red carpet with the naked eye without equipment, let alone what's happening on the ship. I think you're better off just camping in the live stream rooms.】
【But the live streams won't last long, right? It seems they aren't allowed to stream on the ship this time.】
【Don't you guys know? Check out the official Douyin account for Travelogue of Mountains and Rivers; they've been authorized by the organizers to live stream at sea for a while. You might see the people you want to see over there.】
【Ah, no wonder I saw the Travelogue of Mountains and Rivers team just now. So they went specifically to live stream? That's quite a big deal!】
【So will Brother Xiao also participate in the recording of the Travelogue of Mountains and Rivers Special Episode? I'm so excited! I've watched the Snowy Mountain episode so many times it's practically worn out; finally, there's new content.】
【I don't know. I heard from the Travelogue of Mountains and Rivers guests that the Program Group invited him, but Xiao He wasn't planning to participate. In the end, they called Shu Han to record with them instead.】
【Sigh, that's such a pity.】
Beside the red carpet, some people also wanted to ask Xiao He about his plans for this trip; after all, media people were best at seizing every opportunity to dig up explosive topics.
Xiao He remained very calm, collectively pretending not to hear them as he walked down the red carpet, finally arriving before the massive cruise ship docked at the very center of the port.
"Mr. Xiao."
The staff on both sides, with exquisite makeup and sweet voices, bowed and greeted him after confirming Xiao He's identity and invitation.
Xiao He's gaze swept over these people as he continued forward in silence. It wasn't until the final moment before boarding that he finally saw that familiar figure by the ship.
The bodyguard A-Nan stood quietly among the group of bodyguards, watching him in silence.
Their eyes met from a distance.
Then they quickly looked away.
Xiao He took a deep breath of the salty, damp sea air from the coast, then slowly exhaled.
You're really obvious, Officer Cheng.
But of course, it wasn't because Officer Cheng's disguise wasn't good enough; it was just that their presence was like a bright light in a calm night, their souls flickering with a dazzling red.
It allowed a "criminal" like Xiao He, who had an alarm system installed, to sense their presence almost the moment he arrived.
Looking at it this way, it really was too much of a bug. Fortunately...
Xiao He casually tucked away his invitation and slowly boarded the ship.
Fortunately, such a bug-like alarm system was on him, so those alarms that made criminals tremble with fear instead became a reassuring proof.
But at the same time, the moment Xiao He stepped onto the cruise ship and stood on the deck, he couldn't help but rub his nose.
Although Hong Kong's situation in the years before its return was much like the old Hong Kong movies—standing at the feet of high-level capital, there would indeed be a bloody primitive accumulation. The big family bosses who could launder their reputations during those chaotic times and stand in the light again were no simple characters, but—
There are way too many people with the scent of my own kind here, hey!
Originally, because of the frequent visits from people like Shipping Tycoon Bao Xingsheng, Xiao He had already learned to ignore these scents, but after coming to this environment, he still found it hard to restrain his nose.
So, after rubbing his nose, Xiao He couldn't help himself and covered his mouth to sneeze several times in a row, looking uncharacteristically troubled.
"So you really did catch a cold!"
A woman's voice, filled with concern amidst her dissatisfaction, came from behind him.
"I really didn't."
Xiao He turned his head with some helplessness and looked at Liu Rulan, who was walking toward him.
His gaze swept behind Liu Rulan, but he only saw Lao Qi's figure.
"Where's Brother Tong?"
Xiao He asked with some confusion.
"He disappeared as soon as he got on the ship."
Liu Rulan shrugged. "Maybe he doesn't want to be too close to us; after all, your influence nowadays is quite extraordinary."
Sure enough, following Liu Rulan's words, some people soon began to crowd around Xiao He.
After all, no matter how you looked at it, chasing stars was something that transcended age groups and social classes, especially since many young people had come on board this time.
"Um, Brother Xiao, we're your fans."
Young girls dressed in princess gowns clutched their phones and looked at Xiao He very nervously. "May we take a photo with you?"
"Of course, no problem."
While signaling Liu Rulan with his eyes, Xiao He took the phones from the girls and very nimbly took selfies for these beautiful little princesses.
Liu Rulan didn't say anything until she had walked a bit further away, then she sighed. "Ah, I knew it."
Standing on the other side of the deck, she watched the crowd excitedly surrounding him and sighed with some helplessness. "So how was this guy so confident that he could stay low-key and get things done with the others after boarding? Doesn't he look at his own face? He's the center of attention wherever he goes."
To think he had the nerve to say he'd help keep an eye on the situation with the Three Great Families of Hong Kong along with Tong Junhui once they were on board.
Hehe.
With this kind of commotion, it was hard to say who would be watching whom.
-
"Thank you, Brother Xiao, I really like you."
As one group left, another arrived. Xiao He hadn't expected the fans chasing stars on the ship to be no fewer than those on the shore. After a long time of taking photos, the crowd only grew larger; even the other celebrity guests boarding the ship didn't receive the same treatment as Xiao He.
This showed that Xiao He's current popularity was truly extraordinary.
Just as Liu Rulan was about to have Lao Qi call the ship's security to maintain order, a group of black-clad bodyguards in suits proactively approached, separating the enthusiastic guests and fans from Xiao He.
"We are very sorry, Mr. Xiao. We rushed over as soon as we received word of your boarding. Are you alright?"
The leading bodyguard was the first to apologize to Xiao He.
"It's fine, it's my fault. Everyone was just too enthusiastic."
Xiao He recognized this person as the captain of the Bao Family bodyguard team he had met in the Film Crew before, and he gave a helpless greeting with a bitter smile.
"This way, please, Mr. Xiao." The bodyguard stepped aside, and the entire team immediately created a path for Xiao He. "I will take you to the upper level."
"Alright, thank you."
Xiao He nodded in thanks.
The upper-level banquet?
He was thoughtful as he gave Liu Rulan a reassuring look from afar, following the group of bodyguards alone as he stepped into the vanity fair of Hong Kong's prosperous cruise ship—