46. Overbearing

After Jia Yulin refused, Zhang Tan found someone else in Group Three. Thus, the screenwriting team for "Bad Luck Bear" was officially established.

The first order of business after setting up the group was to hold a brief meeting to clarify several matters.

In the afternoon, Zhang Tan went to meet with Director Li Liang, and the two discussed for a long time. The most urgent task right now was to write the script as quickly as possible, ensuring enough content for fifty episodes, a responsibility that fell on Zhang Tan's shoulders.

Li Liang set about building the project team, which required him to find many more people. A serialized animation typically involved anywhere from fifty to one hundred personnel, and for larger projects, even more—sometimes exceeding three hundred people.

Li Liang had to find all these individuals, ensuring they were suitable and capable of working together smoothly. Compared to his task, Zhang Tan's screenwriting team was much more relaxed.

"Bad Luck Bear" was currently slated for fifty episodes with a total investment of fifty million yuan. As for whether there would be a fifty-first episode down the road, no one knew yet, as it would depend on the show's reception.

After finishing their discussion, Li Liang followed Zhang Tan to the screenwriting team's office to meet the other members. For such a massive project, the entire budding enterprise relied on these five people, and the weight of responsibility on their shoulders was heavy.

In his past life, Zhang Tan had worked on numerous large film projects, but this was his first animated production.

He knew that while the upper management had entrusted the project to him, they certainly had their doubts. Given his youth and a budget involving fifty million yuan—not a child's play—Zhang Tan, drawing on his extensive experience, proactively reported to the leadership that very afternoon, starting with Feng Dong, followed by the head of the screenwriting department.

Since it was only the first day, there wasn't much to report other than informing them that the screenwriting team had been successfully assembled and outlining his upcoming work plan.

At this stage, the content of the report was rarely what mattered most; what mattered was that he had made the report, which would give the leaders peace of mind and make them feel more secure about him.

This was why in the workplace, some people loved dropping by the boss's office to report on matters big and small. Some might view such individuals as bootlickers or lacking a sense of independence—after all, how busy were leaders? How could they have time to listen to such trivialities when responsibilities lay at one's own level, meaning one should just get the work done and report immediately upon completion?

Yet more often than not, those who enjoyed reporting were the ones who earned the leaders' appreciation. This was because the leaders always knew what they were thinking and doing every day, keeping everything under control without having to wonder what that kid was up to lately or hoping they wouldn't stir up any trouble.

Luo Ming had also made a special trip before leaving work that evening to tell Zhang Tan that no matter how trivial the matter, reporting frequently was always the right move.

Returning home that evening, Zhang Tan dug out his suit and shirt. Tomorrow marked the official signing ceremony for the "Bad Luck Bear" project, which would be a grand event attended by numerous media reporters. As the chief screenwriter, he naturally had to attend, and everyone was required to wear formal attire.

He pulled out the clothes, found them somewhat wrinkled, and looked for an iron to press them, but couldn't find one. He headed out with the intention of buying one at the shopping mall on West Chang'an Street. As he walked down the stairs, he ran into Xiao Bai climbing up, with Meng Chengcheng trailing right behind her.

"Uncle, have you eaten?"

What a wonderfully rustic greeting.

"I've eaten. What about you?"

"I've eaten too. Uncle, where are you going?"

It seemed Xiao Bai had come looking for him.

"I'm going to the mall to buy something and will be back soon."

"The mall?" Xiao Bai's eyes lit up brightly.

"Yeah, why?"

Xiao Bai trotted around his feet and asked hopefully, "Uncle, can you take Xiao Bai to the mall?"

"No, you can't."

Zhang Tan refused without a moment's hesitation. They weren't that close yet, Xiao Bai. How bad would it look if an adult brought a kid from his kindergarten shopping? What would the parents think? What would the young women at the mall think? He would probably never receive a little love note from anyone again.

Hearing that he wouldn't take her, Xiao Bai put on a stern little face. "Why? Why won't you take Xiao Bai? Xiao Bai is very well-behaved."

"It's study time now. Go find your teacher quickly and stop wandering around. What if you lead Chengcheng astray?"

With that, Zhang Tan quickly stepped out of the courtyard gate. Looking back, he saw Xiao Bai and Meng Chengcheng standing hand in hand under the corridor, watching him leave.

Leaving the compound and walking for less than five minutes, he reached a large shopping mall. Zhang Tan bought an iron, and seeing some cooked food stalls, he had the clerk pack a bag of chicken tenders and a bag of spiced sliced beef, and also picked up a case of Little Bear drinks. He returned home fully loaded, though alas, without any secret notes passed to him by young women.

Upon returning to the compound, he didn't run into Xiao Bai; she must have scampered off somewhere. No matter—his base was right here, and Xiao Bai would track him down in no time. That little creature was just like a puppy, seemingly able to smell the moment he returned.

Sure enough, Xiao Bai appeared, accompanied by Meng Chengcheng. The little tot looked timid, acting as if Zhang Tan were some kind of villain, keeping herself hidden behind Xiao Bai and peeking out with only half her little body.

"Oh ho~~~~ Uncle, were you chased back by the police uncle?"

Xiao Bai gloated over his misfortune. Since he came back so quickly, surely the mall must have refused to let him in, right?

Zhang Tan didn't lower himself to argue with this little rascal and welcomed them inside.

"I finished buying my things and came back on my own."

"What? Are you kidding me?"

The little radish-head looked thoroughly astonished. Shopping was supposed to be tons of fun; you couldn't possibly come out in less than half a day.

"Sit, sit, sit. Do you want to watch TV?" Zhang Tan asked.

Xiao Bai rummaged through her pants pockets, pulled out a piece of candy, handed it to Zhang Tan, and said mysteriously, "Uncle, I'll give you a candy. It's so sweet it'll make you call for your mommy."

Thank you very much, though that was certainly a unique comparison.

"You eat it yourself. I don't really like candy."

"Dummy~~" Xiao Bai muttered under her breath. How could someone refuse candy? Didn't he know that the best things in the world were candy and meat?

Without pressing him further, she stuffed the candy back into her pants pocket and said, "Uncle, say hello to Chengcheng."

"Huh?"

"Say hello to Chengcheng. Chengcheng has never been to your house before, hehehe."

Zhang Tan had no idea what games children played, but he still smiled and said to Meng Chengcheng, "Chengcheng, welcome to my home. Make yourself at home, don't be shy."

Chengcheng stared at him blankly without any reaction. She smelled sweet, like a little melon hanging blankly from a vine.

Zhang Tan: ...(⊙...⊙)`

Xiao Bai patted Chengcheng's little head and said, "Chengcheng, you little melon head, Uncle is welcoming you. Don't be scared, move around, hurry up, don't turn into a block of wood."

She really had to worry about everything, but Meng Chengcheng seemed determined to turn into a block of wood, remaining completely motionless, blank-faced, and frozen like an exclamation mark.

Zhang Tan took out the spiced beef and chicken tenders he had just bought, placed them on the coffee table, and called the two little children over to eat.

Xiao Bai circled the coffee table, figured out what the food was, swallowed hard several times, and let out an awkward, sheepish laugh: "Xiao Bai has no money."

Zhang Tan also brought over two cans of Little Bear drinks, popped them open, inserted the straws, thought for a moment, and grabbed a third can for himself.

Xiao Bai's eyes locked onto the little bear pattern on the can, recognizing it instantly as the super delicious Little Bear drink. She swallowed hard again and emphasized, "I really don't have any money~ Don't do this~~~"

Rather than saying it for Zhang Tan's benefit, she seemed to be reminding herself.

"No money needed. My treat."

Xiao Bai dragged out her tone mischievously and said, "This doesn't feel right~~~~"

By now, Zhang Tan had somewhat figured out Xiao Bai's style, so he didn't bother arguing and boldly declared, "I made money today, so I'm treating you."

That was precisely the kind of sentence Xiao Bai loved to hear, and she was filled with immense envy.

"Why are you making money again, Uncle? You're so amazing~~~"

"Sit down, don't stand on ceremony. Let's make a toast."

Zhang Tan picked up his Little Bear drink, handed a can to Xiao Bai and another to Meng Chengcheng, grabbed their tiny hands, and clinked cans with them.

"Cheers."

Xiao Bai corrected him, "This isn't a cup, it's a bottle. Clink bottles instead~~~"

"Alright, you're right. Clink bottles. Chengcheng, drink up too."

Meng Chengcheng cradled her Little Bear drink, looked at him timidly, and the "block of wood" finally spoke. Her voice was so quiet it couldn't even rival the cicadas outside the window, matching only the volume of a mosquito.

"......I don't have money either...... either."

Instead of speaking proper Mandarin, she ended up mimicking Xiao Bai's Sichuan accent.

Zhang Tan said to Xiao Bai, "Xiao Bai, talk to Chengcheng and persuade her."

Xiao Bai nodded in agreement: "Persuade her."

She pinched Meng Chengcheng's little cheek, tugged on her chubby baby fat, and said, "You little melon head, you don't know how delicious the Little Bear is. Take a sip, it's so good you'll be calling for your mommy~"