Superstars of Tomorrow - Chapter 355

Chapter 355: Can Eat

Fang Zhao could no longer be controlled by Silver Wing. Now, even though Silver Wing was always keeping tabs on Fang Zhao’s tendencies, they were unable to anticipate the next step he would take.

Everyone had thought that with the invitation card Fang Zhao held, in addition to his reputation, he could easily attend any large-scale production’s premiere and grace the red carpet without any worry of being chased away, and he’d still have reporters from every continent following after him for interviews.

However, contrary to what most people had thought, after going to catch a few movies on the first day that weren’t too popular, on the second day, he had gone to an island’s research center to give his pet a checkup!

Totally unpredictable!

This was the collective opinion of Silver Wing’s personnel.

So much so that there were even some who wondered whether Fang Zhao was doing this on purpose because he knew that people were watching him and analyzing his preferences.

However, these people were overthinking things. Fang Zhao had really gone to watch those movies seriously and had had a purpose for doing so, including the two animated features for children.

Now, due to the popularity of “Founding Era” and the easing of restrictions for films set during the Period of Destruction, more and more movies and drama series set in the Period of Destruction were being produced. But the Period of Destruction was an extraordinary period, and many New Era people had no way of understanding that time. To produce a great film, it had to be helmed by a grand director and competent scriptwriters, and having top quality music and sound personnel, outstanding actors, epic subject matter, and other such important factors was indispensable. Otherwise, it was very likely that while the film would have the skin of a Period of Destruction flick, its core would be empty and it would be nothing more than a dud film.

From an artistic angle, it wasn’t that adaptations were not possible, but as someone who had personally experienced the cruelty of the Period of Destruction, Fang Zhao hoped that people would view that period with reverence and reflection and not treat it jokingly and adorn it with irrelevant matters.

The Period of Destruction film that Fang Zhao had gone to watch hadn’t been too bad. It had told the story from an even more ordinary perspective. The accompanying soundtrack had also had its own characteristics. When watching the film, Fang Zhao had actually paid even more attention to analyzing the acoustics. It wasn’t just limited to this film; in all the film premieres that Fang Zhao had gone to, he had paid particular attention to analyzing the acoustics and music.

Different movie genres had different musical characteristics. Some lesser-known composing experts who could improve a low-budget production were participating in the competition, whereas an accompaniment that wasn’t done well could lead to a negative film experience, and viewers might find it jarring. It would be unable to achieve the desired effect.

Fang Zhao had discovered some new techniques after watching those movies, and with his notes, he would be able to write out a thesis in the next few days.

During the course of advanced studies, there were rules for theses. Fang Zhao felt that he could write a lot, and there was too much he could learn from and analyze during this film festival.

Thus, when Fang Zhao had brought out his notebook after each screening of a movie, Ji Polun and the others had been at a loss. Could it be that their disparity with Fang Zhao was in how they thought afterward?

Write!

I will write when I get back!

Among Ji Polun and the others, there were some that had watched the animated features with keen interest, and some had fallen asleep. Only Fang Zhao had been different; he had kept his eyes wide open as he’d stared at the screen as his pen scribbled continuously in his notebook. The theater had been very dark, and Ji Polun hadn’t even known what Fang Zhao was writing. Would Fang Zhao’s blind scribbles while staring at the screen be legible? But after they had finished watching, Ji Polun hadn’t had the nerve to ask for a peek at Fang Zhao’s notes.

Blindly scribbling wasn’t very difficult for Fang Zhao. He had gotten used to it during the Period of Destruction. In addition, as Fang Zhao had watched the animated feature targeted at kids, besides analyzing the acoustics of the film, he had still been able to see the New Era’s education situation for kids through the content and techniques. Thus, when compared to the other films, Fang Zhao had taken down a lot more notes for these two animated features for kids.

During the Period of Destruction, life had been about survival—preserving oneself, then picking up weapons with which to fight. During that period, the first items a child might have picked up were not eating utensils but, rather, knives and guns. But these were no longer needed in the New Era. As someone who had experienced all three periods—the Old Era, the Period of Destruction, and the New Era—this sort of experience was really miraculous.

This was something that nobody else would be able to understand, something Fang Zhao didn’t need anybody else to understand.

When Fang Zhao brought his pet for the checkup, he brought along his notebook so that he could still work on his thesis in his free time.

Before heading over to the research center, Fang Zhao contacted the breeder of the hybrid “rabbit,” Denzel. Denzel informed Fang Zhao that he had a student who was working there and studying sea slugs.

When Fang Zhao arrived on the little island where the research center was located, Denzel’s student came to personally pick him up.

“I am Ren Hong. Just calling me Ah Hong will be fine.” Ren Hong had a rather cheerful temperament. He looked like a freshly graduated university student, but in actual fact, he had been working at the research center for 10 years already.

Generally, the people of Corale Archipelago were used to seeing big-name celebrities. The clientele here was higher end, so he was more casual toward Fang Zhao. However, Fang Zhao was still different from other celebrities. The halo of being a Galaxy Award winner was much brighter, and furthermore, he had been introduced by Denzel, so Ren Hong treated Fang Zhao much warmer than when he did others.

Ren Hong drove Fang Zhao to the expo. The research center’s laboratory was off-limits to outsiders. Generally, tourists would head to the expo. There, one could find sea slugs for sale, veterinary clinics, and all sorts of little shops.

“Is this that sea slug my master bred?” Ren Hong was very interested in the “rabbit” inside the aquarium. However, as he had received the data that Denzel had sent him and thus knew that this little thing was highly toxic, he didn’t dare touch it.

“There are many varieties of feed here. Feed with a higher composition of natural ingredients is limited, but here in the Corale region, you can purchase a lot more this time.”

On the way, Ren Hong recounted many stories regarding the sea-slug trade. The expo also belonged to the research center. Their research center had a high revenue and didn’t lack any money, but due to the rising popularity of varieties of goldfish and other non-poisonous ornamental fishes, the pressure on them had increased somewhat.

“This year, the center has bred quite a few better-looking sea slugs that have a lower toxicity that won’t hurt humans. These varieties have hit the market, and many families with kids and elderly have ordered them. You can purchase some when the time comes.”

The sea-slug exposition was bustling. There were merchants and celebrities that were participating in the film festival. Along the way, Fang Zhao saw quite a few familiar faces.

Ren Hong brought Fang Zhao deeper inside. He observed many people who were coming out opposite him and holding all sorts of aquariums, both large and small, filled with all sorts of sea slugs. Some were colorful and garish, swimming about excitedly in their aquariums and appearing very lively.

Fang Zhao didn’t know whether he was assuming wrongly, but it seemed that the “rabbit” in the aquarium he held seemed to have become especially quiet after he’d set foot in the expo. The “rabbit” was just laying there not moving, as if it was a fake.

Fang Zhao also saw some tourists carrying aquariums with sea slugs that weren’t too gorgeous and were slightly bigger than a fist. Although they couldn’t be compared with Fang Zhao’s “rabbit,” they could still be considered rather big for sea slugs.

“Are those being bought to be reared too?” Fang Zhao asked.

“They’re to be brought home and eaten!” Ren Hong raised his hand and pointed out. “Ornamental is that side. This side onward is for food. Those that aren’t too colorful or beautiful and don’t have any special characteristics are for consumption unless their flesh doesn’t taste good. However, the majority of sea-slug flesh tastes quite decent and has high nutritional value. If handled well, there won’t be any toxins that would harm humans, and it’ll provide health benefits too. Oh, and those few varieties over there have succulent flesh and a tasty flavor; many people buy it to brew soup for old folks. And the row over there is more suited for youngsters. Youngsters have their own needs too.” Ren Hong gave Fang Zhao a “you know what I mean” look. “If you wish to, I can help you purchase them. Just transfer the funds to me. We have an internal staff price.”

Seeing Ren Hong’s vigorous recommendations, Fang Zhao bought a batch suitable for elderly to be sent to the two old folks in Yanbei City. He also bought some snacks and souvenirs to send to other people.

Ren Hong smiled so happily that his eyes disappeared. They had an internal staff price, but they would also get a cut of sales. The research center didn’t lack money, so their staff would also earn from this.

No wonder Denzel said that this is a big client, Ren Hong thought to himself. He felt that it had been worth waking up early in the morning to prepare.

After calculating the cut he would receive, Ren Hong’s expression became more enthusiastic, and he introduced Fang Zhao to the prices of different breeds of sea slugs and also handed Fang Zhao a little book. In it were over 10 ways to prepare sea slugs for consumption, as well as methods to avoid. Steaming, boiling, frying, and roasting all had detailed steps, and incidentally, the book was a form of advertisement as well.

“Different varieties have different flavors and different nutritional values. We here pay particular attention to food therapy. Sweet, sour, salty, and bitter all have different effects. Bitter ones help to alleviate fever and with detoxification, sour helps with sweating and diarrhea, and those few there have sweet flesh and have mild benefits…”

After introducing all the different breeds in the surroundings to Fang Zhao, Ren Hong’s line of sight fell on the aquarium in Fang Zhao’s hands.

“I really have no idea what yours taste like. After all, it’s a hybrid, so our center hasn’t studied it before. If you decide you no longer want to keep it, give me a call. Then change its feed to clear the toxicity, and after one month of feeding, bring it over and let me slice a part off for research purposes. You can then use the remaining portion to boil some soup.” Ren Hong had already checked on the value of this hybrid sea slug. It was too expensive to purchase, so he was waiting for when Fang Zhao no longer wanted to rear it and decided to eat it. Ren Hong would then request a small portion for research purposes. Such a huge lump could cook up an entire pot.

Fang Zhao had already bought everything that he wanted to buy. Knocking on the wall of his mini aquarium, he told Ren Hong. “Let’s get it checked out first. It doesn’t seem very well today.”

“All right, let us head to that side. There are apparatuses that can be borrowed in my friend’s shop. They are the latest models, and the inspection results are very accurate.”

Ren Hong personally did a checkup of the “rabbit” Fang Zhao handed over. The checkup results would require at least 10 minutes to be processed, so Fang Zhao went to the shop next door that was selling feed to take a look at some of the products that Ren Hong had recommended. The “rabbit” that could normally eat anything seemed to have a poor appetite today. Even when Fang Zhao threw in some Corale special feed, which was said to be selling especially well, the “rabbit” didn’t even eat a single bite. Its “ears” were pressed up tightly to its body, and it still continued to lie there motionlessly.

Surely it couldn’t be that it wasn’t acclimatized to the water. Yesterday, it had eaten a lot, whereas it had only eaten a little bit this morning and hadn’t eaten anything else since. Especially after arriving at the expo, it had entered this play-dead state.

Seeing this situation, Fang Zhao wasn’t in a rush to buy any feed. Just as he was prepared to find somewhere to sit and wait for the checkup results, he heard crisp laughter from outside.

“Yo, Old Tan, you didn’t attend the film festival?” Ren Hong greeted the person with a laugh.

Although he had been called “Old Tan,” this person didn’t seem the least bit old. He was middle-aged and had a well-built physique. He had been laughing heartily at something, and that had caught Ren Hong’s attention.

The person in question was holding onto an aquarium. When he heard his name being shouted, he turned around and his eyes brightened, following which he walked over quickly, bypassing Ren Hong, who had already outstretched his arms for an embrace, and walking right in front of Fang Zhao.

“Fang Zhao? Hello, hello! My name is Tan Min!” As he spoke, Tan Min handed Fang Zhao a name card.

Fang Zhao eyed the introduction on the name card.

Director?

Tan Min, a native of Corale, used to be a diver. Afterward, he had changed his profession and become a director. Although he wasn’t that famous globally, he had a considerable reputation in the Corale Archipelago. Just a simple look at the way he had been chatting so animatedly with the shop owners here displayed the advantages of being a local.

However, Fang Zhao did not intend to act right now. According to his plans, during his advanced studies, he would need to compose and write a thesis, as well as prepare for his second important concert after graduation. He simply didn’t have time to act.

Before Fang Zhao even said anything, Tan Min placed the aquarium he was holding in the arms of Ren Hong, who was standing beside them with a vacant expression on his face. He rubbed his hands, acting somewhat embarrassed, and with eyes filled with anticipation, asked Fang Zhao, “I wonder if Mr. Fang is interested in investing in movies?”