Chapter 46

After Jia Yulin refused, Zhang Tan found another person in the third group, and thus, the scriptwriting team for "Unlucky Bear" was officially formed.

The first thing to do after the team was formed was to hold a small meeting to clarify some matters.

In the afternoon, Zhang Tan met with the director Li Liang, and the two discussed for a long time. The most urgent task now was to write the script as soon as possible, to write enough for 50 episodes, and this responsibility fell on Zhang Tan.

Li Liang began to build the project team, and he had to find many people. A serialized animation involves 50 to 100 people, and for larger projects, it can exceed 300 people.

Li Liang had to find all these people, and the key was to find the right people and ensure they worked well together. Compared to him, Zhang Tan's scriptwriting team had it much easier.

"Unlucky Bear" was currently set to produce 50 episodes, with a total investment of 50 million yuan. As for what happens after that, whether there would be a 51st episode, no one knew yet; it would depend on the program's performance.

After Li Liang and Zhang Tan finished their discussion, Li Liang also came to the scriptwriting team and met the other members. For such a large project, the success of the initial stages depended on these five people, and the responsibility on their shoulders was heavy.

In his previous life, Zhang Tan had worked on many large film projects, but this was his first time working on an animation.

He knew that although the upper management had entrusted the project to him, they were not entirely at ease. At 50 million yuan, this was no small matter. Zhang Tan was very experienced and, on the same afternoon, proactively reported to the leaders, starting with Feng Dong, then the supervisor of the scriptwriting team.

It was still the first day, so there wasn't much to report, just informing them that the scriptwriting team was set up and reporting his work plan.

At this point, the content of the report was not as important as the fact that he came to report. This gave the leaders a sense of security and made them more at ease with him.

This is why in the workplace, some people like to frequently visit the leaders' offices, reporting on every big and small matter. Some people think these people are brown-nosing or lack responsibility, but leaders are busy and don't have time to listen to such things. The responsibility lies with the individual, and once the task is done, they should report it as soon as possible.

However, often, those who like to report are more favored by leaders because the leaders know what they are thinking and doing every day, and they won't wonder what the person is up to or if they are causing trouble.

Luo Ming also specifically came to tell Zhang Tan this at the end of the day, advising him to report everything, no matter how big or small, and it would be fine.

In the evening, Zhang Tan found his suit and shirt at home. The next day, the "Unlucky Bear" project would officially sign the contract, and there would be a grand ceremony with many media reporters. As the lead scriptwriter, he naturally had to attend, and everyone had to wear formal attire.

He found the clothes, but they were a bit wrinkled, so he wanted to iron them but couldn't find an iron. He went out to buy one from a mall on Xichang'an Street. On the way down the stairs, he encountered Xiao Bai, who was climbing up, with Meng Chengcheng following behind her.

"Uncle, have you eaten?"

Such a rustic greeting.

"Yes, have you?"

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

It seemed Xiao Bai was coming to find him.

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

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

"Yes, what's wrong?"

Xiao Bai circled around his feet, hopefully asking, "Uncle, can you take Xiao Bai to the mall?"

"No."

Zhang Tan refused without hesitation. They weren't that close yet. Taking his kindergarten students shopping could cause trouble. What would the parents think? How would the girls in the mall react? He would never receive love letters again.

Hearing that Zhang Tan wouldn't take her, Xiao Bai pouted, "Why not take Xiao Bai? Xiao Bai is very well-behaved."

"It's study time now. Go find your teacher quickly. Don't wander around here and set a bad example for Chengcheng."

Zhang Tan quickly left the courtyard gate and looked back to see Xiao Bai and Meng Chengcheng holding hands and standing in the corridor, looking at him.

After leaving the school, it took less than five minutes to reach a large mall. Zhang Tan bought an iron and saw some ready-to-eat food. He bought a bag of chicken strips and a bag of cold beef, and also a box of bear drinks, returning home with a full load, but without receiving any love letters.

Back at the school, he didn't encounter Xiao Bai, who seemed to have disappeared. No problem, his "temple" was here, and Xiao Bai would soon find him, like a puppy that could smell his return.

Sure enough, Xiao Bai came, accompanied by Meng Chengcheng. This little girl looked timid, as if Zhang Tan were a bad guy, always staying behind Xiao Bai and hiding half of her body.

"Oh, Uncle, you were chased back by the police, weren't you?" Xiao Bai said with a tone of schadenfreude. "Why did you come back so quickly? Did the mall not let you in?"

Zhang Tan didn't argue with this little one and welcomed them in.

"I bought what I needed and came back on my own."

"What? Are you joking?"

This little girl looked very surprised. Shopping at the mall was fun and usually took half a day.

"Sit down, do you want to watch TV?" Zhang Tan asked.

Xiao Bai rummaged in her pocket and pulled out a candy, handing it to Zhang Tan and saying mysteriously, "Uncle, have this candy. It's sweet, and you'll call me mommy."

Thank you, but what a strange metaphor.

"I'll eat it myself. I don't like candy."

"Clumsy boy~" Xiao Bai muttered, not eating candy, how could he not know that the best things in the world were candy and snacks.

She didn't insist, putting the candy back in her pocket and said, "Uncle, welcome Chengcheng."

"Huh?"

"Welcome Chengcheng. She's never been to your place before, hehehe."

Zhang Tan didn't know what the children were playing at but smiled at Meng Chengcheng and said, "Chengcheng, welcome to my place. Sit down, don't be shy."

Chengcheng looked at him blankly, without any reaction. She smelled sweet, like a hanging, dazed little melon.

Zhang Tan: ... (⊙…⊙)

Xiao Bai patted her head and said, "Chengcheng, Uncle is welcoming you. Don't be afraid, move, quickly, don't turn into a stick."

She was really worried, but Meng Chengcheng seemed determined to turn into a stick, standing still, dazed, with a face full of exclamation marks.

Zhang Tan took out the cold beef and chicken strips he had just bought and placed them on the coffee table, calling the two children to eat.

Xiao Bai circled around the table, asking what it was, and swallowed several times, laughing awkwardly, "Xiao Bai has no money."

Zhang Tan also brought out two cans of bear drinks, opened them, and inserted straws. After a moment's thought, he took out another can for himself.

Xiao Bai stared at the bear pattern on the can, recognizing it as the super delicious bear drink, and swallowed again, emphasizing, "I really have no money~ Don't do this~"

She was more convincing herself than trying to convince Zhang Tan.

"It's free, I'm treating you."

Xiao Bai said slyly, "That's not good~"

Zhang Tan already understood Xiao Bai's style and said boldly, "I made money today, so I'm treating you."

Xiao Bai liked this sentence and was very envious.

"Uncle, you made money again? You're so awesome~"

"Sit down, don't be shy, let's toast."

Zhang Tan picked up a bear drink, handed one to Xiao Bai, and one to Meng Chengcheng, grabbed their little hands, and clinked glasses with them.

"To your health."

Xiao Bai corrected him, "This isn't a glass, it's a bottle. Cheers~"

"Okay, you're right, cheers. Chengcheng, drink too."

Meng Chengcheng held the bear drink, looking at him timidly. The stick finally spoke, her voice so soft that it could only be compared to a mosquito.

"… I have no money… too."

Instead of speaking standard Mandarin, she was imitating Xiao Bai's Sichuan dialect.

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 face, tugging at her baby fat, and said, "You silly girl, you don't know how good the bear drink is. Take a sip, and you'll call me mommy~"