Hmm? A movie with Hah’Er? Is this just for a cameo to generate some buzz, or is he talking about a leading role? ’There’s a huge difference,’ Shen Yibin thought. He decided to just ask directly. "Director Kong, what exactly do you mean?"

Director Kong had been making movies for twenty or thirty years. He never cared about the artistic merit of a film. He only cared about two things: first, could the movie make money, and second, could he use it to pick up beautiful women? If neither of those conditions were met, he had no interest, no matter how artistically profound the movie might be.

When he first received the invitation from Yunzhong City, he wasn’t particularly interested. Yunzhong City wasn’t a major metropolis like the Capital City or Shanghai, so how much money could a film there possibly make? But when he saw that the star of the promotional video was Hah’Er, he changed his mind. Pandas were animals beloved by people all over the world. If he could use this opportunity to get closer to the panda’s owner and then create a movie specifically for this panda, the box office would absolutely explode! And this box office explosion wouldn’t just be domestic; it would spark a movie-going craze worldwide. How could he possibly pass up such a golden opportunity?

"Here’s the thing. After receiving this invitation, I suddenly had an idea. I want to make a movie with Hah’Er as the star. The specific script is still under consideration, but I can guarantee it will be a commercial blockbuster on par with Hollywood." Just look at the global box office for *Kung Fu Panda*. If he could get Hah’Er to star, he wouldn’t have to worry about failure. "If you agree, Mr. Shen, I’m willing to offer Hah’Er a fee of thirty million."

Compared to the potential profits from the movie, what was thirty million? Besides, this figure was just Director Kong’s initial probe. If Shen Yibin wanted more, he could offer a higher fee. Even a share of the box office wasn’t off the table. As long as he agreed to let Hah’Er star, everything else was negotiable.

After all, even an Oscar-winning actor wasn’t irreplaceable, but a panda that could act in a movie? There was probably only one in the entire world. Director Kong had already obtained videos of the talent show and carefully studied Hah’Er’s performance. He was convinced this panda’s intelligence far surpassed that of an ordinary animal and was more than capable of meeting the demands of filming.

’Thirty million! That’s almost as much as the profit Cheeky brought in. And Hah’Er is completely mine now, so this money would definitely go right into my pocket. I wouldn’t have to worry about the Future Pet Shop forcing me to donate it.’

’With thirty million, I could buy the storefronts on either side of the pet shop and build a better living environment for Hah’Er, letting it experience the feeling of a mountain forest right in the middle of the bustling city.’ At the thought of all this, Shen Yibin’s heart couldn’t help but race, and he was on the verge of agreeing.

"Director Kong, I..." But the words caught in his throat. A thirty-million-yuan fee was certainly tempting, but Hah’Er’s health and happiness were the most important things. This was his first time meeting Director Kong, and he couldn’t judge the man’s character based solely on what he’d found online. If Hah’Er was unhappy working with him during the shoot, then it would be better not to earn that thirty million at all. So, Shen Yibin changed his tune. "I haven’t really thought about this yet. Please give me some time to consider it."

In any case, Director Kong was still going to be directing this promotional video. Shen Yibin could use that time to get to know him, to understand his temper and character from all angles. More importantly, he could see if Hah’Er liked him, and then make a decision.

Director Kong was a little surprised. In his view, a fee of thirty million was not small; it should have been enough to move Shen Yibin. He hadn’t expected the young man to be so calm, as if he didn’t care about the money at all.

How could he know that Shen Yibin had previously donated a full thirty-five million to the Sichuan Giant Panda Base? It wasn’t like Shen Yibin had never handled thirty million before. Director Kong considered raising his offer, but on second thought, he realized that would make him seem too desperate, which would be disadvantageous in future negotiations.

"Yes, no rush. We’ll be working together for a while anyway. If you have any questions, you can ask me anytime." ’I have to build a good relationship with Bin and this panda during this time. I wonder what the panda likes to eat? What does Bin like? Money? Beautiful women? Or something else?’

Director Kong and Shen Yibin’s conversation was very quiet and didn’t reach anyone else’s ears. Thus, Qin Qing and the staff from the Yunzhong City Government had no idea that a thirty-million-yuan deal was being negotiated right there on the bus.

Shen Yibin pinched Hah’Er’s chubby cheeks. ’Tsk tsk, a thirty-million-yuan fee! I can’t believe your market value is already on par with those top-tier "little fresh meats." Then again, those pretty boys seem to get by on looks alone. And when it comes to looks, Hah’Er could crush them all. I refuse to believe anyone is cuter than Hah’Er.’

Shen Yibin mulled over how to test Director Kong’s character in the coming days, while Director Kong schemed about how to use this time to get closer to Shen Yibin and Hah’Er. For a moment, the bus fell into silence.

The bus sped along the mountain highway. Through the windows, beautiful landscapes continuously flashed by. Hah’Er couldn’t resist pressing its head against the glass, letting out occasional cheers as it watched the scenery. It looked like it couldn’t wait to get out and play.

Fortunately, the Yunshui River Scenic Area wasn’t far from downtown Yunzhong City. After less than half an hour on the highway, the bus took an exit and entered the scenic area.

Qin Qing had already notified the person in charge of the scenic area before they left, so someone was waiting to greet them as soon as they got off the bus. After a short rest, the scenic area manager led them onto a dragon boat. They began to glide slowly forward, accompanied by the beautiful sound of mountain folk songs, admiring the scenery on both banks of the Yunshui River.

’Huh, they’re actually singing live. This girl’s voice is really nice. Ah, if only I’d brought Sun Qian and Cheeky along. It would be so interesting to hear Cheeky sing a duet with her, wouldn’t it?’ Shen Yibin thought with a hint of regret.

Hah’Er, meanwhile, was leaning over the side of the boat, dipping its paws into the crystal-clear river water. Who knew if it was thinking about catching and roasting fish again. The action made Qin Qing, Director Kong, and the others incredibly anxious, terrified that Hah’Er might accidentally fall into the river.

To ease their worries, Shen Yibin pulled Hah’Er back up. Its fun interrupted, Hah’Er was a little displeased, but its attention was soon captured by something else. ’Hmm? What’s this?’