Chapter 30: He’s Not Embarrassed, So It’s Fine

“Director, you wanted to see us?”

Song Changfeng knocked on Director Li’s office door. When he stepped inside, he saw Director Li sitting behind his desk with a cheerful smile, a far cry from the anger he’d shown in the empty meeting room earlier. It was as if he’d pinned all his hopes on Song Changfeng from the very beginning.

“Changfeng, have a seat. I called you here to discuss how we’re going to shoot this short video.”

Song Changfeng looked a bit troubled. “Director, I don’t really watch short videos. I’m afraid I might not be up to the task.” That one-day interview last time had already given him a headache. If he took on this video project, it wouldn’t just be a one- or two-day commitment.

“Hey now,” Director Li said, “don’t say that. How can you give up before even trying? I know this task isn’t easy, but everything has a process. In our entire base, you’re the most reliable one. When we needed someone to go to Jingdu¹ for training, you were the first person I thought of. No one else would do. And besides, we’ve got Aofeng, haven’t we? He’s more famous in Anyang² than any of us. Just let him be the star, and we’ll play supporting roles.”

After that speech, Song Changfeng didn’t know how to argue back. Emotionally and logically, it seemed impossible to refuse.

“Don’t worry, I’m not expecting miracles. Let’s just give it a try. If it really doesn’t work out, we’ll drop it. How does that sound?” Seeing that Song Changfeng still hadn’t responded, Director Li quickly added another line.

“Woof woof woof!” Just as Song Changfeng was about to agree, Aofeng couldn’t take it anymore. He lowered his body and barked furiously at Director Li.

Seriously? Couldn’t someone at least ask the star of the show for his opinion? What, dogs don’t get a say now?

“Oh, right, Aofeng too.” Director Li knew Aofeng’s temperament well and was fully aware of how perceptive this dog was. Realizing he’d just offended him, he quickly tried to make amends. “Out of all the police dogs at our base, you’re the most dependable. Remember how I stood my ground to keep you here? That’s because I saw your potential. The others just don’t measure up. You’re the most famous police dog in Anyang now. All your fans are waiting to see you.”

Aofeng couldn’t help rolling his eyes. Yeah, right. Still using the same old brainwashing lines? Saw his potential? Wasn’t this the same old man who couldn’t wait to ship him off back then? What a sly old fox.

Seeing that Aofeng wasn’t moved, Director Li came up with another idea. “If we shoot the videos, your meals will be better than before. We can even open a few extra cans for you.”

Aofeng sneered. Did they really think he was that easy to bribe?

“What do you want then? How about this – after each training session, I’ll have Changfeng take you to visit that little kid Shen Doudou? Don’t you want to see him?”

Now Aofeng was thinking. That offer… wasn’t bad.

“Woof…?” No lying?

“Then it’s settled. You two work together and try to film as many videos as you can. It’ll be good publicity for our base. I heard if the Video Channel performs well, we’ll get more funding. That means better treatment for both people and dogs.”

Aofeng gave him a sideways glance. So there it was – the real motive. This was all about selling him and Song Changfeng’s good looks for internet traffic.

…

The assistant trainer chosen was Sun Xiaobin, who was already familiar with Aofeng. The two men and one dog got into the car, and after nearly three hours on the road, they finally arrived in the city.

The Traffic Police Detachment was located on Phoenix Middle Road in the city center, surrounded by older residential neighborhoods. Fires used to break out frequently in the area because the transformers were overloaded. Ever since the detachment moved in, the residents nearby felt much safer, and fire incidents had indeed decreased. Of course, the real reason was the replacement of the transformers.

Once they arrived, Song Changfeng got in touch with the two young people they were meeting, only to find they were just nearby.

The guy in charge of editing was named Xu Ming, and the girl responsible for the creative side was Li Qing. Both were very enthusiastic, especially when they saw Aofeng.

“Hi there, this must be Aofeng, the police dog that helped solve the case, right?” Li Qing said. “I had a feeling you’d bring him. Can I shake his paw?”

Song Changfeng glanced at Aofeng and, seeing no sign of resistance, said, “Sure.”

Li Qing squatted in front of Aofeng and cautiously extended her right hand. To her surprise, Aofeng, who was sitting across from her, raised his right paw and placed it on her hand, even giving it a little shake. The gesture made Li Qing so excited she clutched his furry paw and shook it repeatedly, reluctant to let go.

Seeing this, Xu Ming explained, “Xiao Qing’s always wanted a dog, but her job keeps her too busy. She can only follow dogs online, so seeing Aofeng in person is a big deal for her. Let’s head inside first. Before we start filming, we should go over the basics of how short videos are made.”

“Thanks a lot, man,” Sun Xiaobin said. “Is it hard to learn? I don’t know much about this stuff.” He looked miserable, silently cursing his bad luck. Out of all the people, why did he have to draw the short straw?

Xu Ming adjusted his glasses and smiled. “It’s not too hard. We learned as we went too. There are more editing tools now, so it’s easier than before. Let’s add each other on WeChat³. If you run into any technical issues, you can ask me.”

That was exactly what Sun Xiaobin had been waiting for. He beamed and immediately pulled out his phone to add Xu Ming on WeChat. As the two chatted while walking, Li Qing’s attention stayed glued to Aofeng, leaving only Song Changfeng walking alone at the back.

Once they reached a small office, Xu Ming turned on his computer and began explaining the basics of short video production. Sun Xiaobin furiously took notes on his phone, snapping pictures whenever things got complicated. Meanwhile, Li Qing pulled out a printed outline and went over the filming plan with them.

Aofeng listened intently too. Director Li had given them three days to learn, and the sooner they finished, the more time he’d have to hang out at the Shen Family’s place and enjoy some peace. Otherwise, he’d be stuck juggling extra training and video shoots, running himself ragged.

After listening to Li Qing’s explanation, Aofeng nodded to himself. No wonder she had so many fans. He’d seen some of the videos shot at their own base before, and to put it bluntly, even someone just reading off a piece of paper would be better than their awkward acting. The footage was shaky and blurry, enough to make anyone prone to motion sickness want to throw up. Honestly, it was no surprise they only had thirty-something followers. Even people from their own base hadn’t bothered to subscribe.

They talked for about an hour or so. Sun Xiaobin nodded along to Xu Ming’s explanation with a look of vague understanding. He felt like he was standing at the threshold of a whole new world, but just couldn’t find the key to open the door.

“Actually, the fastest way to improve is through hands-on experience. Li Qing, is your side ready? We can try filming a few clips first. Once you actually start doing it, you’ll find it’s not as complicated as it seems.”

Li Qing nodded, indicating that she’d covered most of the important points.

The group headed outside, and Xu Ming led them to the back of a building they often used for filming. The environment was nice and there weren’t many people around, which made for better footage. Before shooting began, both Xu Ming and Li Qing had mentally prepared for a long, drawn-out process. In the past, whenever they tried filming with others, it always got interrupted for one reason or another. This time, with a police dog involved, they expected even more stops and starts. Honestly, they figured most of the footage would have to be stitched together in post-production.

But what they didn’t expect was that Aofeng turned out to be the best performer of them all. Song Changfeng was stiff in front of the camera and kept unconsciously turning his back to it. Sun Xiaobin had enthusiasm, but came off painfully awkward. Only Aofeng followed the script precisely, responding instantly to even the slightest cue. There was something naturally endearing about animals that drew people’s attention without them even realizing it.

After watching the final cut, Li Qing changed her mind. She said, “Before, when we filmed, we focused on whether the actors could bring the script to life. But now I realize, when there’s a cute animal involved, people might not care that much about the script at all. They’re watching for the animal. So, what do you think? How about we make Aofeng the main focus of the shoot, instead of Comrade Song Changfeng?”

Song Changfeng was the first to agree. Reciting lines in front of a camera made him extremely uncomfortable. Honestly, he’d be thrilled if he didn’t have to appear on screen at all.

Naturally, no one else objected. Aofeng didn’t mind either. The filming was already done, and he was just a dog anyway. He didn’t get embarrassed, didn’t have to memorize lines, and couldn’t care less how big his role was.

Translator’s Notes