We saw her picture in the newspaper...

So was the message I was greeted with on a phone call. A company was looking for models to participate in a small commercial to be shot over a day. Apparently Alex was exactly what they were looking for. "Why not?" I thought - she can keep the money to spend as she wishes and it will be one more thing experienced in China.

And so we found ourselves (Mummy and Alex) collected by taxi on Friday morning early to be taken to the shoot. The commercial was to be for environmentally friendly lightbulbs and the storyline about how long they last (the life of a young girl).

Almost immediately it became clear that they were unable to locate their "young man" for the shoot and panic had set in. Brett's services were offered (after consulting him first of course) and we swung back to pick him, and Sebastien, up. We were also directed to bring "some changes of clothing" for Brett (Alex already had her pyjamas and a couple of outfits) so Mummy swiftly grabbed a few things from the wardrobe.

We were taken to a villa around the ring road of the island. It was, impressive. Four stories high and much gold gilt, glass and velvet furnishings. They had a lovely little garden out the back with a man-made stream meandering through (Sebastien spent a lot of time wandering over the little bridge saying "Trip, trap, trip, trap - who's that tripping over my bridge?").
Brett had grabbed his shaving equipment - and just as well as they directed him to shave before hitting "makeup".
Alex was next and had her hair curled too.
Next was wardrobe - first was the Chinese wedding outfit. They needed to take photos so that they could be developed and then appear in picture frames during the shoot. Sebastien was rather taken by the ruffles (reminiscent of Seinfeld's "Pirate Shirt" episode).Brett's "bride" underwent a similar transformation. She was a British girl who had been partying hard the night before her early rising.Alex was a little concerned that Daddy was getting married - again - and insisted to the photographer that Daddy already was married.Upstairs they were shooting the scenes that were "little girl sleeps then wakes astonished at the beautiful dragonfly glass light fitting" - or something like that. Alex basically spent most of the morning lying in this bed pretending the be asleep. She had a couple of "takes" to do the "sleeping then eyes open followed by smiling surprise and reach out to touch the light fitting" scene but the rest of the time it was adults (an older "father") who were performing and she just had to be there "sleeping". The scenes went on and on and finally she sat up, it was all a bit much and she started to cry. Lunchtime had arrived and she still hadn't eaten so we called time out. She enjoyed her Chinese lunch in her pyjamas - her makeup didn't survive the meal.
By now Sebastien was getting restless as it was his nap-time, so Mummy took him home and left Daddy and Alex to it. It was mentioned that it would be a late (up until midnight) shoot - though Alex wouldn't be needed that long. But shortly after dinnertime, who should come in the door - with hongbao in hand? They'd finished early. Alex's words? "Guess what I've got Mummy."
"Cold, hard, cash!" I think we can pin that quote on Daddy (who also had received a hong bao for his efforts).
So there's 800rmb for a day's work - enough to buy her a couple of nice dresses, some shoes and still have some left over for some rides in the amusement park.

And after all that, I've been unable to locate the photo in the newspaper that started it all off!!