Finishing her audition, Shi Shi walked to the parking lot of the director's office. A blue car with tinted windows drove up to her. Lowering down the windows, Shi Shi saw Kevin sitting inside. "What are you waiting for? Get on." Shi Shi rolled her eyes but obliged and went to the other side and got in the car. Kevin's car was unusually neat for a guy and was obviously very expensive, not unusual for one of Hong Kong's top idols. Hanging from the rearview window, Shi Shi saw a leather bracelet. Taken by surprised, she realized that it was the cheap souvenir that she had bought for Kevin when they were filming Bu Bu Jing Xin at Heng Dian. She had brought a similar one for Wu Qi Long and Ye Zu Xing but Wu Qi Long had lost his somewhere on set and Ye Zu Xin gave his away to a pretty extra that he was hitting on. Kevin caught her staring at the bracelet, "It's the one that you bought for me when we were filming together, don't tell me you don't remember."
Shi Shi replied, still staring at the bracelet, "of course I remember, I was just surprised that you still had it."
Chatting about the production that they just auditioned for, Kevin stopped at a very old looking tea shop hidden away in a quieter part of Beijing. "A friend opened this shop, it's small shop and not very glamorous so no one hardly ever comes." He got out and rushed to the other side to open the door for Shi Shi.
They stepped inside, immediately the delicate scent of tea mixed in with the smell of something archaic hit their nose. The shop was designed to look like an old tea house from the 1800. The tea shop, being in Beijing, was quite small, however, stepping into it, Shi Shi felt as if she were in another era. Calligraphy hung from the walls, the tables had complete tea-sets on them, complete with an abacus sitting next to a cash registered that was disguised as a money collecting box. The wooden floor creaked beneath their feet and the tables seemed that they had endured a century.
"Manager!" Kevin called out.
"Coming!" a young man from behind the curtained kitchen came out. Decked out in an expensive Armani shirt and hundred dollar jeans, the tea stained apron that the man was wearing seemed very out of place. Shi Shi stared, it was Han Dong. "Han Dong! What are you doing here?" she asked?
"Shi Shi? Kevin? I didn't guys were in the city. Shi Shi, what do you think of my tea-shop? It's my new investment, pretty vintage huh?" Han Dong gestured proudly towards his teashop.
Shi Shi stared, the shop was empty except for them and judging by the thin layer of dust on the tea-sets, she guessed that Han Dong's tea shop wasn't usually filled with customers.
Kevin rolled his eyes, "Han Dong, stop showing off." Speaking to Shi Shi he explained, "Han Dong decided a year ago that he wanted to open his own restaurant after seeing the one I opened in Hong Kong. But he didn't want to have to deal with employees so he opened his own tea shop. "Magnolia Tea Shop" opened on average once a month from 2am to 4 am. He's probably lost more money than he has earned, after all rent in Beijing is so high right now."
Han Dong argued, "Opening a Tea Shop is a respectable job, besides, I don't have to hire employees so how am I losing money."
Laughing, Kevin said, "If it makes you happy, but it's a good thing that you're still earning money through acting."
Han Dong smirked, "Wait for another year, and I'll be making more money than you do with that stupid high class five star restaurant of yours. You'll see, people with recognize the beauty of this cultured tea shop and come flocking to me. Ahh, I can just imagine the Forbes headlines "Young Tea Shop Entrepreneur Han Dong".
Kevin sighed, amazed how this actor had manage to get the role of the cleverly cunning, cold hearted 9th Prince.
Shi Shi impatiently ended their banter, "Kevin, I was promised tea, and Han Dong, you're never going to get anywhere with this tea shop if all you do is stand and day dream."
Han Dong pulled off his apron, "Sorry, but I'm a busy man you know, I have a date and she should be arriving soon." He winked, "sorry but you know how popular I am with the ladies."
Shi Shi was about to protest when the door of the tea shop opened.
"Dong Dong are in you here?" a pretty young women walked into the shop. Kevin Cheng recognized her as Yuan Shan Shan, the newly rising star of the popular Qing Dynasty drama Gong 2,3.
"Shan Shan, I'll be ready in a sec," Han Dong called out, grabbing his jacket.
"Shi Shi?" Shan Shan stopped when she saw that Liu Shi Shi was in the shop. A grin spread over their faces as they embraced, chattering about how long they haven't seen each other.
"Shan Shan, you're Han Dong's girlfriend?" Shi Shi asked, surprised.
"Yeah, we met at a friend's wedding, Yang Mi's actually, and he wouldn't stop calling me." Shan Shan blushed.
Shi Shi was about to reply when Shan Shan squealed, noticing Kevin, "Kevin Cheng! Is that really you? I'm such a big fan of yours, I used to have all your albums when I was in high school." Shi Shi was slightly offended by the fact that Shan Shan had totally ignored her and stood off to the side.
Kevin smiled with slight embarrassment and nodded. Han Dong seeing that his girlfriend is fawning over someone else, quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the entrance, calling over his shoulders, he said, "Hey Kevin, Shi Shi I need to go, can you lock up for me, sorry for closing up, next time you come, I'll treat you to whatever you want" Without waiting for a reply, he hurried out.
"Idiot" Kevin muttered, "I don't have the keys how am I supposed to lock up for him?"