Perfect Superstar

Chapter 195 – Paparazzi Fan Fan

Fan Fan was an entertainment journalist.

He has many titles printed on his business card, the most conspicuous being “Daily Entertainment Broadcast” special correspondent.

In fact, it was commonly known as “paparazzi”.

The word “Paparazzi” originated in Italy in the 1950s. It was derived from the Italian photographer Pignor Paparazzo. Later, when it was introduced into Xiangjiang, people in Xiangjiang renamed Paparazzi as Puppy. Firstly, they have a similar pronunciation, and secondly, this kind of reporter’s tracking behavior was similar to that of dogs.

Paparazzi pry into the private lives and gossip of celebrities to hype up the news. In the 1980s-1990s, with the rapid development of the entertainment industry in Xiangjiang, paparazzi working in newspapers, magazines and television stations flocked in groups, making star artists miserable. There was no secret about their private life.

After entering the new century, the domestic entertainment industry continued to grow, and many Xiangjiang journalists have gone north to seek development opportunities. As a result, the domestic paparazzi industry came into being, making people in the circle talk about it.

In Beijing, there were hundreds of newspaper and magazine publications, websites and radio stations. These media employ a large number of entertainment journalists, and Fan Fan was one of them.

He majored in journalism in college. However, after graduation, without any connection, he was unable to get into a formal news unit, so he could only succumb to the private media. He became a veteran paparazzi entertainment reporter after a few years.

With his hard-working spirit and keen observation, Fan Fan has done well in this line of work.

Although people in the entertainment industry talk about the paparazzi, either with disdain or with gritted teeth, Fan Fan was very clear that their existence was mutual with that of the star artists.

Although it was true that paparazzi depend on stars for a living, but if stars weren’t sought after by paparazzi – are they still stars?

All in all, there was no shortage of artists who deliberately expose their private life to paparazzi for hype, or even secretly offers money to take photos of their private life.

Fan Fan has made a lot of money.

But recently, he has been having a rough time.

Fan Fan didn’t know whether his immediate superior had taken the wrong medicine or that her menopause had arrived early, but whenever she had nothing to do, she would find trouble with Fan Fan and made things hard for him, which annoyed him very much.

What’s worse was that when he finally got his long National Day holiday, and thought he could sleep in for a few days, the old woman unexpectedly asked him to go out and run around to gather news, saying that other people could have a holiday, but entertainment journalists had no rest day.

F*ck, does she think that entertainment journalists are not human being?

Paparazzi also have dignity!

Fan Fan left Beijing in a fit of anger and came to Jinling.

He has thought of it very clearly. He would just think of it as if he were coming too Jing for a holiday trip, so as to avoid wandering under the wyes of the old woman.

As for catching news and so on, he would just take a trip to the Film and Television City and looked for a film crew to take some pictures, and he’s done.

If he couldn’t get through, Uncle Fan would just pat his a** and leave.

If I’m not welcome here, then I will go somewhere else where I’m welcome.

Comrade Fan Fan arrived in Jinling on the 1st and played for a whole day.

As a result, the newspaper office called to urge the manuscript. Fan Fan promised verbally, but he was actually completely indifferent.

Today, he slept in, got up at 10 o’clock in the morning, and then wandered slowly to Jinling’s Film and Television City.

As an entertainment journalist, it wasn’t Fan Fan’s first time visiting Jinling’s Film and Television City.

He was very familiar with the place that If he really wanted to deal with his assignment, it was actually very easy for him.

Near noon time, Fan Fan was a little tired from walking around. He was thinking of finding a restaurant nearby to fill his stomach.

Suddenly he heard someone shouting ahead of him, “Chen Fei’er!”

Hearing this name, Fan Fan abruptly jolted, as if a certain switch in his body had been pressed. Energy continued to surge out, and his focus concentrated in an instant – the conditioned reflex of his profession!

Chen Feier, she’s a big star!

Did she also come to Jinling?

Fan Fan looked in the direction of the sound for the first time. He saw that there were a lot of people over there, and Chen Fei’er could not be seen at all. However, the shouts from the crowd were enough to prove the facts.

Fan Fan didn’t immediately run over to scoop up news, but looked around.

He soon found a statue standing on a small square nearby. Its granite base was very high.

So, Fan Fan immediately ran over and climbed up in 2-3 steps. He held up the camera high from a good vantage point.

For any paparazzi, a digital camera with a telephoto lens was more important than his wife. An equipment that must be carried around with them all the time.

Fan Fan was no exception. Even if the camera with lens was very heavy, if he didn’t bring his equipment with him, he would feel so empty in his heart. He often carried it on his back during non-working hours.

This habit also allowed him to grab several exclusive entertainment news!

When he was focusing his camera, intuition told Fan Fan that he could grab a big news today.

The camera drifted from left to right and quickly focused. From blurred to clear, Fan Fan accurately captured the figure of Chen Fei’er.

It was really the Queen of Sweet Song, and beside her…

Fan Fan’s eyes were very fierce and his memory was quite good.

In addition to completing his job, he often read news from photos taken by his peers. So, even if many stars disguised themselves, he can easily distinguish them and lock on the target.

It was precisely because of this ability that Fan Fan was not afraid of not being able to eat.[1]

Fan Fan remembered the list of notable figures in the entertainment industry very well. He constantly kept himself updated of it.

He recognized the tall and handsome young man opposite Chen Fei’er to be Lu Chen, the winner of “Singing China”. He also remembered that Chen Fei’er was one of the judges and seemed to appreciate Lu Chen.

Then the two appeared here…

Of course, it has nothing to do with love and romance, there were cameras nearby!

Are they filming?

I haven’t heard that Chen Fei’er is going to shoot a movie or TV series.

Fan Fan, regardless of the consequences, first pressed the shutter to take more than a dozen photos in a row, capturing Lu Chen and Chen Fei’er into the scene at the same time.

He chose a good location to take pictures, and the people around him didn’t obstruct him.

It would have better without the onlookers[2]. Fan Fan could give the photos a good enough title.

For example – [Chen Fei’er had a private meeting with Lu Chen. A love between teacher and student].

It would definitely be a hit!

Fan Fan was very regretful. Chen Fei’er seemed to only have said a few words to Lu Chen and left. There was nothing more to shoot.

As for Sun Shan, who was standing next to the two, Fan Fan was directly ignored her.

Who the heck was she?[3]

Reporter Fan Fan was a little unreconciled. He thought about it and immediately jumped off the stone platform, and rushed all the way to the street.

Fan Fan’s luck was good. A taxi with a green light[4] passed by and was stopped by him.

Fan Fan couldn’t wait to open the front passenger seat’s door, sat down and hurriedly pointed to the silver-gray BMW in front of him and said, “Boss, please help me keep up with that car!”

The taxi driver asked calmly, “Are you an entertainment journalist? Which newspaper?”

As soon as Fan Fan heard this, he knew that he was an experienced driver and quickly said, “I’m from Beijing. I know the rules. I’ll give you double the fare!”

Among the three major film and television cities in China, Jinling’s Film and Television City was the closest to Beijing. With good shooting conditions and the support of the local government, film and television production companies in Beijing shoot a lot of films here all the year round.

With so many start artists, paparazzi would naturally also gather around. It was normal to stop taxis to chase stars and grab news. Local drivers have long been familiar with it and call it “Bringing dogs.”

“Old Wang, where are you? it’s time to change shifts. I brought two dogs with me today.”

“I’m… I’m at your house.”

Not only were they not surprised, they even make more money by charging more to paparazzi.

In order to grab the news, entertainment journalists didn’t care about this small amount of money, anyway, it could be reimbursed.

Hearing Fan Fan said that, the old driver smiled and said, “Then sit still. Remember to fasten your seat belt. I guarantee that I won’t lose them, otherwise I’ll pay you back four times the fare!”

Under the lead of the old driver, Fan Fan followed Chen Fei’er’s BMW and came to a five-star luxury hotel in the city.

He paid the fare and got out of the car. He didn’t go into the hotel. Instead, he found a hidden place outside and squatted down, ready for a long battle.

Such a wait-and-see was likely to have no result, making him waste his time in vain.

But if he squatted down, he might have a chance. If he didn’t, he won’t have a chance!

Fan Fan has been in this industry for seven years and has already deeply understood this truth.

And it turned out that his insistence was right.

Around 4 o’clock in the afternoon, Fan Fan saw Chen Fei’er coming out of the hotel.

Although the Queen of Sweet Song changed her clothes and put on a hat and wore sunglasses, her long black hair still exposed her.

Fan Fan looked at the details, especially star artists, some of whom are disguised very well in order to avoid paparazzi.

Chen Fei’er was no doubt very alert, even the car has changed to a black Mercedes-Benz.

Unfortunately, Fan Fan was watching her, so she was bound not to run away.

Fan Fan stopped a taxi in front of the hotel and followed the Mercedes-Benz all the way.

Finally, he followed her to Wangjiang Restaurant, which was located near the Yangtze River.

Wangjiang Restaurant was a century-old business in Jinling. It was very famous in Jinling. Sitting in the Restaurant, one could enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Yangtze River. Many tourists would come here.

Fan Fan watched Chen Fei’er enter the Wangjiang Restaurant alone.

He didn’t follow.

Because Fan Fan knew very well that it was Golden week again at this point in time. It was impossible to have an empty seat in Wangjiang Restaurant.

Chen Fei’er must have made a reservation in advance.

And if he wanted to find a place inside to secretly take pictures of Chen Fei’er, that would just be letting security take him straight to the police station.

So, Fan Fan simply ran to the riverbank in front of Wangjiang Restaurant and aimed his telephoto camera at the restaurant.

He was betting that Chen Fei’er booked a seat by the window.

If he wanted to shoot something, this was the best position and opportunity.

Fan Fan bet right. His camera captured Chen Fei’er again. As he expected, she was sitting by the window.

This paparazzi began to wait patiently again.

He didn’t beleive that Chen Fei’er didnt have her assistant around just because she wanted to eat alone at Wangjiang Restaurant.

There was definitely something fishy going on!

Thinking of this, Fan Fan couldn’t help but get excited, and his adrenaline secretion accelerated.

____________

[1] This means that with his skills, he wouldn’t worry that he wouldn’t get a scoop, which means getting paid, thus not worrying about not being able to eat.

[2] To clarify, if there were no onlookers on the scene or in the photos he has taken, it would have better for him for he could make better title for his pictures like what was said in the chapter, but he couldn’t because with the onlookers on the scene or in the photos, it was obvious that they were not meeting in private and just doing some works. And not because the onlookers obstructive him or what.

[3] Remember in the first part of the chapter where it was mentioned that the existence of paparazzi and stars are mutual? That if a star is not being pursue by a paparazzi, are they still a star?… This mean Sun Shan is not that famous to be pursue by a paparazzi. Or paparazzi don’t even consider Sun Shan as a star.

[4] It is an indicator that the taxi is unoccupied.