Laila was unaware of the speculations happening nearby. At this moment, she sat in a prepared car, escorted by police and a convoy, cruising smoothly on the road.
It made her feel like she was not a director but rather a dignitary of some country. When had she ever received such treatment in her past and present lives combined?
"Yao, you're too kind," she said, genuinely surprised.
Yao Yingxia smiled, "It's only right; after all, we're international friends." Especially when it came to internationally influential friends, they were valuable resources for the Eastern Kingdom.
Laila understood the situation. After all, she had lived here for a lifetime. Just like her homeland and alma mater, she could criticize them as much as she wanted, but if someone else pointed a finger, she would rush to defend them. This was precisely why she had shown goodwill towards this place early on. With several years of rebirth and thirty years of life, it was obvious which impressions were more profound.
"I'll leave the specific arrangements to my secretary, Demi. You can have your people contact her when the time comes," Laila said, knowing she might be too soft-hearted towards the Eastern side. She decided to delegate the tasks to someone who wouldn't hesitate. Her secretary had already been informed of the bottom line, and Laila was confident she would handle things well.
After the last encounter, Yao Yingxia had a good idea of Laila's modus operandi. She wasn't surprised; just a bit regretful. She could tell that Laila was genuinely friendly towards them and easy to communicate with, which wasn't always the case with others.
"Regarding the filming locations, do you have any preferences for the type of terrain?" Yao Yingxia inquired.
Prompted by the question, an image from Avatar flashed in Laila's mind – the floating mountains. "I plan to visit Zhangjiajie first; I've heard the scenery there is excellent."
"Of course," Yao Yingxia happily responded, "It's indeed a beautiful place; you'll surely love it." She handed over a stack of information, saying, "Here's some data on scenic areas I recently collected. I hope it helps."
Laila flipped through the material in her hands, surprised at Yao Yingxia's attention to detail. The information provided was not just promotional material; it included detailed descriptions and numerous scenic photos. Even if she didn't visit, the photos would give her a specific impression of the place.
"Yao, thank you so much. This saves me a lot of time," Laila sincerely expressed her gratitude. Regardless of whether Yao did this personally or due to the job's requirements, the fact that she presented such detailed information deserved appreciation.
Seeing her exhaustive data being well-received, Yao Yingxia felt pleased. "These are just some basic materials. If you're interested in any specific locations, we can arrange for someone to go there personally and take more detailed photos. If you're interested, we can also provide a guide. Trust me, your trip to the East will be worthwhile."
Laila nodded with a smile, "I believe you."
While conversing, the convoy entered a five-star hotel. This was the room Laila's employees working in the East had booked for her. Bringing a group of people and having high expectations, she didn't want to burden others with additional expenses. Besides, prices in 2003 were quite low, and with her earning capacity, she could afford the presidential suite for a lifetime without going broke.
"If you need anything, feel free to call me at any time," Yao Yingxia said, knowing Laila must be tired after a long flight. After a few more words, she bid farewell and left.
After seeing off the entourage, Laila finally took off her high heels and threw herself onto the soft mattress.
God could attest that she genuinely disliked flying; each flight made her feel like she had narrowly escaped death.
Apart from the time in Saudi Arabia when she was almost killed by Faiza, even encountering turbulence on planes before used to make her uneasy. Her discomfort with flying was perfectly portrayed in her movies. After the first movie of Final Destination was released, it traumatized countless people, creating psychological shadows related to flying. Even the related stocks had dropped significantly. Hence, although a director might only make movies, if they really did something, the impact could be shocking.
Returning to this country, the familiar scent stored in her memory was like aged wine, becoming more aromatic, making her unable to help but get lost in it. The most unbearable thing was the aroma of some delicacies; she had passed by a few places, and their scents kept wafting into her nose.
God knew that what she missed most in Hollywood was authentic Chinese food. Before, when she wanted to eat, she could find Claire or her grandmother. Since the birth of little William, those two had been dedicated to serving the little guy. If she wanted to satisfy her cravings, she had to return to New York. Even though the chef she hired was renowned, she always felt something was missing.
So, when Yao Yingxia and others thought she would rest in the hotel, she changed into lightweight clothes and went out with her secretary and bodyguards.
Under the guise of buying gifts for friends, it was clear from her non-stop chatter that she was just indulging her cravings. The most headache-inducing part for those around her was that not only did she eat herself, but when she encountered something delicious, she also invited others to join her.
After being stuffed with food, Demi, in great pain, calculated her exercise amount, wondering how much exercise she needed to do to burn off the excess calories.
In 2003, foreigners in the Eastern Kingdom were still considered "rare animals," attracting crowds wherever they went. Laila was fine; she could cover most of her face with large sunglasses, and with a hat and scarf, she could easily be mistaken for an Eastern girl, except for being slightly taller. Her black hair made it easy for her to be seen as a local.
When Laila was in Hollywood, she was already a celebrity, accustomed to going incognito when going out. However, the real trouble was for Demi, with her blonde hair and blue eyes. She couldn't believe that as a mere secretary, she would attract attention.
Especially when she followed her boss to buy some Eastern souvenirs, there would always be a sudden increase in the number of people around her. Even if she randomly entered a seemingly quiet shop, curious onlookers would fill it up soon.
She knew these people meant no harm; they even helped her bargain when the store owner was overcharging. But being treated as a national treasure on display was an uncomfortable feeling. This made her very grateful that she had given up her dream of becoming an actress soon after coming to Hollywood and chose to work in related fields. If she had to endure people staring at her like this every day, she felt she would go crazy.
Demi: Boss, why do they always stare at me?
Laila: Because, according to Eastern mythology, only demons have peculiar hair and eye colors ╮(╯▽╰)╭. In their eyes, you are a charming little demon.
Demi: ...