Ch 126: The World’s Number One Resort

Half an hour later, Abel found Amanda. At this moment, Amanda and Nasser were test-driving at the Trilling Racing Zone. The bodyguards and assistants were lined up, while the tourists stood in the outer circle taking photos. Amanda and Nasser shared a passionate kiss, completely oblivious to the crowd. The scene was quite spectacular.

“Amanda, we need to talk,” Abel approached, looking rather troubled. He had been hoping that it was just a rumor, but now all such hopes had vanished.

“Sure,” Amanda reluctantly separated from Nasser. She recognized Abel and knew he was the person in charge of the Forest Moisture campaign.

“Amanda, you represent the image of CC,” Abel said sternly in the Great Tang Resort office half an hour later. Although there had been no official announcement, the collaboration between CC and Amanda was already an open secret in the industry.

At this critical moment, CC wanted to avoid any complications.

“CC has no right to interfere with my love life,” Amanda could hear the implications in Abel’s words despite his polite tone. Although they had a contract, her love life was her own business and not covered in the agreement.

“If CC has an issue, I can terminate the contract,” Amanda added. Global Entertainment was one of the top five entertainment magazines in the world, and Amanda’s father was its founder. CC was a good endorsement, but having grown up in the fashion world, Amanda saw the Forest Moisture campaign as something she could take or leave.

After Amanda spoke, the meeting room fell into a brief silence.

Abel was helpless. Their entire month of work had been centered around Amanda. Although Amanda hadn’t breached the contract, the news of her romance was like a bolt from the blue and would inevitably impact the CC campaign. Abel felt overwhelmed.

“I need to discuss this with headquarters.” After thinking for a moment, Abel’s expression turned weary; everything had to be replanned.

“Apologies,” Amanda stood up. She knew that the news of her romance would affect CC, but life was full of uncertainties. Love was an unexpected surprise that Amanda didn’t want to let go of.

Abel waved it off. Now he finally understood why Amanda had such a bad reputation—her headstrong nature was really not easy to handle.

“Manager Tang, the ad shoot might need to be postponed by two days.”

After the meeting ended and Amanda left, Abel approached Tang Huai, looking somewhat exhausted. The CC commercial was originally scheduled to start filming tomorrow, but with the rumors involving Amanda, the shoot naturally had to be delayed.

“No problem,” Tang Huai smiled. Abel had brought a team of thirty-five people on this trip, so with such a small group, the shooting could be rescheduled at any time.

After this episode, Abel temporarily lost the desire to explore. It was just a small incident at the Great Tang Resort. Abel returned to his accommodation, while Tang Huai continued with his work for the resort. Meanwhile, Amanda and Nasser continued their high-profile tour of the resort.

Amanda and Nasser’s activities were flamboyant, and many tourists captured pictures of the couple together. After comparing these images with the previous mystery on Twitter, fans finally confirmed that Amanda was indeed in a relationship.

“Nasser, father Abdul, a Kuwaiti oil tycoon. Owner of the Dubai Crown of Glory Tower, Twitter handle @NasserKuwait.”

With the world connected through the internet, it didn’t take long for Nasser’s details to surface once the tourists began to dig around.

“This is the big news that’s igniting heated discussions among fans.”

With her glamorous looks and headstrong personality, Amanda had always been a favorite of tabloid gossip. Now, learning that her romantic partner was Nasser, the media were set ablaze. The love affair between a Hollywood actress and a financial tycoon had always been a hot topic for the media.

And so, the entertainment journalists packed their bags and immediately booked flights to Hawaii, determined to capture the latest scoops on this relationship. Meanwhile, more media outlets started their news reports.

“Amanda Holds Hands with Nasser, Smiling Sweetly.”

“Nasser’s Deep Background: Amanda’s Marriage into Wealth Might Not Be Easy.”

“Photos of Nasser’s Supermodel Ex-Girlfriend Revealed…”

People love a good spectacle, and the media’s coverage has painted Nasser as a playboy with deep financial resources. Aside from a few exceptions, most media outlets aren’t optimistic about the couple’s relationship. The two come from completely different worlds in terms of life paths and backgrounds.

The “Amanda Romance” topic ignited 20% of global search traffic, sparking widespread discussion among tourists. Along with this, people grew increasingly curious about the location of their romance. Putting aside the element of danger, their leap off the Sky Island was just too incredibly romantic!

Many women were now wondering if it would be possible to have their wedding photoshoot there…

…

“Amanda…”

The news of Amanda’s romance had created a buzz online worldwide. In a luxurious villa in the suburbs of Luohai, China, a man in his forties was scrolling through his phone, murmuring to himself.

The man was Zheng Haitao, a well-known Chinese actor who had starred in popular family dramas like My Little Sister and Home with Three Treasures. While familiar to audiences, he had never quite reached stardom. By current standards, he could be considered a third-tier actor.

Zheng Haitao had used many connections to secure a spot on the variety show Treasure Travel. Recently, he had been practicing the basics and watching previous episodes to prepare for the show. Zheng took this recording opportunity very seriously. Despite the twists and turns since Treasure Travel was announced, everything was finally coming together.

The filming location for Treasure Travel had been set at the Great Tang Resort. The staff would arrive first to set up the scene, while the celebrity guests would head to Hawaii next week and then take a ship to the Great Tang Resort.

With about a week left until filming, Zheng turned his attention to the Great Tang Resort.

Having been busy filming, Zheng Haitao had rarely followed entertainment news recently. Over the past two days, as he browsed photos of the resort, he felt a bit dazed. The destination seemed more like a futuristic paradise than a vacation island…

Today, as usual, Zheng Haitao searched for news about the resort. In addition to photos of its stunning scenery, the “Amanda Romance” keyword popped up.

After browsing through the news, Zheng confirmed that Amanda was currently at the Great Tang Resort.

This piqued his interest. Despite Amanda’s numerous controversies, she was an outstanding actress, and Zheng had been captivated by her performance in Future Mirage. He wondered if there was a chance he could meet her when they headed there next week…

“Old Zheng, are we going to the recording next week?” While Zheng Haitao was lost in thought, a small hand covered his knee and asked in a soft voice.

Looking down, he saw a boy of about five years old. The boy wore a light blue floral jacket and had large eyes and a slim frame. Perhaps because he was so petite, even though he called him “Old Zheng,” he didn’t carry much weight.

“Yes, we’re going next week. Make sure to pick out the clothes and toys you want to bring. Actually, scratch that, don’t bring any toys. The show won’t allow it,” Zheng Haitao said, lifting the boy into his arms. This was his son, Lele, who would be joining him on Treasure Travel this season.

Lele shifted uncomfortably, then picked up Zheng Haitao’s phone, looking deep in thought.

Zheng felt a pang of sorrow. He had been away filming most of the time and had spent only about twenty days at home last year. When he thought about it, he realized he hadn’t been a very present father.

“Do you not want to go?” Zheng tidied his son’s hair, asking with concern. Filming a variety show could be exhausting, and Zheng hesitated, unsure if it was the right decision to bring his child.

“No.”

“Then what is it?”

“I’m afraid the other kids won’t like me.”

With this back-and-forth, Zheng understood why his son was feeling down.

Lele was five and a half years old. Perhaps because of his naturally reserved nature, he was a bit introverted. He always acted like a little adult, thinking everything through. However, this personality made it difficult for him to fit in with other kids.

“Lele is so adorable, everyone will definitely like you. Next week, we’re going to the Great Tang Resort. Look at these pictures; there’s a castle built on top of a snowy mountain and even an island that floats in the sky…”

The more Zheng Haitao thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. Then, he opened an album. These photos were ones he had found and downloaded over the past few days; each of them was as stunning as high-definition phone wallpapers.

“You’re lying. How can an island float in the sky?” Zheng Lele immediately interrupted after Zheng Haitao spoke just a couple of sentences.

“I’m going to get my clothes ready.” With that, Zheng Lele jumped off Zheng Haitao’s lap, as if Zheng Haitao was some weird uncle trying to trick kids out of their candy.

Zheng Haitao sighed. In truth, it wasn’t just Lele; even he found the photos of the Great Tang Resort so astonishing that they seemed unreal. Shaking his head, he went back to preparing more information.

Meanwhile, around the corner of the staircase, a small figure hid, peeking out quietly.

The reason Zheng Lele agreed to participate in Treasure Travel was simple: it was the only way he could spend more time with Zheng Haitao. Since they rarely saw each other, Lele wanted to bond more with him. However, now that they were actually spending time together, he felt a bit distant and awkward.

It was all too frustrating.

Feeling dejected, Lele grabbed his LEGO set and returned to his room to play with the building blocks. Since his dad said he couldn’t bring toys, he thought he’d play with them as much as he could this week.

…

“The first shot requires going underwater. If you feel uncomfortable at any time, contact the on-set staff immediately.”

While the five groups of guests on Treasure Travel were busy preparing, at the Great Tang Resort, Abel had a three-hour video conference with CC’s headquarters. In the end, they decided to stick with the original concept for the commercial. It was a risky move. Abel had mixed feelings, but Amanda’s scandal had unexpectedly boosted the attention on the CC Forest Moisture product line.

“Is that Nasser? Putting aside the rumors, they really do look like a perfect match.”

“Amanda looks stunning, so ethereal!”

“Oh my god, I’m so lucky! I can’t believe I get to see Amanda on this trip!”

…

In CC’s planned storyline, Amanda is a mermaid living in the water.

One day, she meets a Blue Sea Fairy and makes a wish, hoping to grow legs and walk on land. The fairy grants her wish. Then, Amanda puts on the Blue Sea Princess’s fairy dress and begins her journey through the forest.

The overall theme of the commercial is freshness, nature, and hydration.

Currently, they are about to film the scene where Amanda encounters the Blue Sea Fairy and emerges from the lake. The fairy and mermaid tail will be added in post-production with special effects. Amanda just needs to perform her actions.

With ten minutes left before filming, the entire Blue Sea Lake was surrounded by layers of people. CC did not close off the set; aside from prohibiting the spread of any footage outside, visitors were free to watch.

Everyone was thoroughly entertained and eagerly anticipating the shoot. It felt like watching a movie in a film city.

“Blue Sea Princess, scene one, take one. Action!” At the director’s cue, the set fell into silence.

Amanda, dressed in a beautiful mermaid tail, swam around the lake gracefully before flipping her hair and leaping out of the water.

Her smile was sweet and radiant.

Despite all the controversy surrounding her, Amanda’s professional skills were undeniable.

☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️