Chapter 114: Shooting the Commercial!

"I naturally intend to pay my respects at Grandfather Qin's eightieth birthday celebration." As Wenren Muyue spoke, she continued to toy with the dagger Qin Luo had used to peel her apple. Her face remained stern, her eyes devoid of any tenderness, radiating a faint, murderous aura.

"Is that a yes?" Qin Zongheng felt a brief flicker of pleasant surprise, though he was deeply puzzled. Based on his estimations, success shouldn't have come so easily. After so many years of rejection, had she suddenly had a change of heart? She was a stubborn and persistent woman. Once she had set her mind on something, it was difficult to change it, even if she knew her decision was wrong.

"Grandfather has always been very kind to us younger generation. It would be highly improper not to attend such a joyous occasion as his eightieth birthday to offer my blessings," Wenren Muyue explained.

"Grandfather will be very happy that you can make it. I’ll drive over to pick you up that day," Qin Zongheng said with a smile.

"There's no need. You’ll surely be very busy that day. I won't trouble you. I’ll be going with some friends," Wenren Muyue declined.

"Friends? Do I know them? Should I reissue an invitation?" The fingers Qin Zongheng used to tap the table paused for a fraction of a second before resuming their rhythmic beat.

"No need. They are my personal friends. Please don't mind me bringing guests."

"Don't stand on ceremony with me, Muyue. We’ve been friends for years, after all," Qin Zongheng said with a smile. "Well, I won't disturb your work any further. Remember to get some rest. I’ll be going now."

Qin Zongheng rose from his chair, nodded at Wenren Muyue, and turned to leave with effortless grace. It was clean and decisive; there was no excessive small talk or formality, and he never dragged things out. In truth, from any perspective, Qin Zongheng was the kind of man who could easily capture a woman's heart.

Wenren Muyue raised the fruit knife in her hand, the bright blade reflecting her cold, detached eyes in its mirror-like surface.

"He is right. I am merely a high-IQ robot. A woman who excels at calculation is ultimately destined to lose love," she whispered with a sigh.

As Qin Zongheng walked out the door, he encountered Ma Yue waiting outside and said with a smile, "Ma Yue, take good care of her. Encourage her to rest more."

"The young lady won't listen to me," Ma Yue replied bluntly.

Qin Zongheng knew that the mistress and her servant shared the same temperament; neither was prone to speaking in riddles. He didn't take offense, smiled at her, and turned to stride away.

A man with an ordinary appearance and a full beard was squatting by the wall, smoking. Whenever a woman passed by, he would stretch his neck with a lecherous look. Occasionally, when a woman who dared to brave the Beijing cold in black silk stockings walked past him, he would flush with excitement, as if he were about to drool.

"Stunning. That one is stunning. A perfect figure. Eighty-five points."

"Slender calves. Shapely thighs. Nice rear, too—damn, just walk properly, why are you looking back? Bad luck. To look like that and still dare to show your face in public. Since you’re a woman, I’ll give you thirty points."

"Wow, what a gorgeous face. Though her gait is clumsy and wide-legged; one look and you know she's a prostitute—"

The man critiqued the passing women, scoring them according to his own standards. He wore an expensive suit and held a "Little Panda" cigarette, a brand specially supplied to Zhongnanhai. However, his behavior was entirely discordant with his attire.

"Look at how hopeless you are." Qin Zongheng walked up to the man and squatted down in the same fashion. "Give me a cigarette."

"Heh heh, which one does the young master want?" The man wore a lecherous grin, revealing a mouthful of teeth stained yellow by tobacco.

"Whatever," Qin Zongheng said.

"Fair enough. You only smoke for fun anyway. You can't even taste the difference between brands." The man reached into his pocket, pulled out a pack of soft Hongtashan, and handed one to Qin Zongheng.

Qin Zongheng took the cigarette, laughing and cursing. "When you ask me for cigarettes, I give you a carton of Little Pandas. When I ask you, you give me a single Hongtashan. Only you would pull something like that."

Despite his words, he leaned in to the lighter the man offered, lit the cigarette, and took a deep drag.

"Heh heh. You’re just smoking for the sake of it. Don't waste such good tobacco; I usually can't even bear to smoke these myself." The man grinned.

"Smoke it. When you finish, tell me, and I’ll have another carton brought over for you," Qin Zongheng said.

"Heh heh. That would be wonderful," Tian Luo chuckled. He looked up at the skyscraper, which rose so high its top was lost in the clouds, and asked, "Did that lady reject the young master?"

"Tian Luo, I don't care how you address other women. But you must show respect to Wenren Muyue, because she is the woman I, Qin Zongheng, love," Qin Zongheng said sternly.

"Heh heh. Yes, yes. I know I was wrong," Tian Luo quickly apologized. "So, young master, did the future mistress not accept your invitation?"

"Stop with the flattery. We're still a long way off from her becoming your mistress," Qin Zongheng said. "However, she did accept my invitation."

"Then why are you sighing? And why did you trick me out of a cigarette?" Tian Luo asked indignantly.

"It's just that things aren't as perfect as you imagine," Qin Zongheng said. "Tell me, should I meet that man? My rival? Do you think he's prepared?"

"Heh heh, I don't know if he's prepared, but I'm already prepared to watch the show. Two men fighting over one woman—how interesting," Tian Luo said with a smug grin.

"What are you laughing at? Laugh again and I'll find you a wife," Qin Zongheng snapped.

Tian Luo jumped, immediately wiping the smug expression off his face.

Qin Zongheng crushed his cigarette butt on the ground, stood up, and said, "Let's go. Back we go. A young master like me, squatting here smoking with you—if word got out, I'd have no face left."

"Heh heh. That just shows you're approachable, Young Master, willing to mingle with us subordinates." Tian Luo picked up the cigarette butt and trotted off to toss it into a nearby trash can. He then ran over to start the car, backing a black Mercedes bulletproof vehicle up in front of Qin Zongheng.

Qin Zongheng pulled open the rear door and sat inside, and the car pulled away.

Tian Luo, of unknown origins, had appeared suddenly by Qin Zongheng’s side. He was both servant and friend to Qin Zongheng, the "Number One Young Master of Beijing." He also held multiple roles, including driver and bodyguard. Wherever Qin Zongheng went, he brought only him. Under his protection, Qin Zongheng had never encountered any trouble; there wasn't even a rumor of him ever being injured. Beijing was filled with countless legends about that man, but which ones were true remained known only to those involved.

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Li Qingcheng had high hopes for the Golden Chrysalis Skin-Nourishing Powder. To make a big splash, she hadn't only invited Chen Sixuan, Taiwan's top-legged supermodel, to be the brand ambassador, but had also paid a hefty sum to hire the famous advertising director Jin Derui to produce the commercial.

Today was just for shooting promotional photos for print media, so the location was set at Jin Derui’s indoor studio in the suburbs of Beijing.

Jin Derui was a middle-aged man in his forties—not fat, but sturdy. His silver-black hair was slicked back neatly, and he had large eyes, thick brows, a prominent nose, and a wide mouth, giving him an air of boundless energy.

Li Qingcheng introduced Chen Sixuan and Qin Luo to him in turn, and he shook hands with both. However, he quickly turned his attention back to Li Qingcheng and Chen Sixuan, discussing the concepts for the shoot. Qin Luo was completely ignored; Jin Derui didn't think there was anything worth noticing about such a young man, assuming he was Chen Sixuan’s agent or an assistant. For some reason, Li Qingcheng had been vague when introducing Qin Luo, so it was no wonder others misunderstood.

Qin Luo didn't mind. He was just a visitor. He was happy to leave such matters to the professionals.

The three talked for a while, and Jin Derui gave some instructions to Chen Sixuan before telling his photography assistant, "Take Miss Chen to change."

It had been nearly an hour by the time Chen Sixuan came back out. Fortunately, the studio had tea and fruit, and the talkative director was quite entertaining, so Qin Luo hadn't fallen asleep.

Chen Sixuan was now wearing a silver professional suit, black leg-hugging stockings, and matching black high heels. She looked like a high-level white-collar worker.

Jin Derui said, "Our first set of photos will be the 'Urban Beauty' series I planned. Your product is aimed at this specific demographic. Modern slim-fit suits paired with a beauty product as pure as jade... it creates a perfect combination while provoking a strong visual contrast. This gives the image depth and leaves a lasting impression on the audience..."

Jin Derui was an expert in this field; once he entered his domain, he couldn't stop talking, leaving no room for others to chime in.

"Miss Chen, go stand in front of that poster. Right. Feet apart, knees pressed together... Yes. Good. Now, a more wild expression. Good. Freeze. OK."

Because Chen Sixuan was a model by trade, she had a natural sense for the camera. She didn't need much explanation from the director to grasp his intent. The two worked in perfect harmony, and the shoot progressed very quickly.

"What do you think?" Li Qingcheng turned to look at Qin Luo and asked.

"I think it's a bit strange," Qin Luo said thoughtfully.

"Strange?"

"Yes. The visual sense. It doesn't feel cohesive. The conflict is there, but the two elements aren't perfectly integrated," Qin Luo said, struggling to find the words to describe his feelings. "It's as if they are separate. I can't find the sense of substance that the Golden Chrysalis Skin-Nourishing Powder should have."

Li Qingcheng’s expression grew serious. After a moment of thought, she turned to Jin Derui, who was busy working, and said, "Director Jin, please hold on for a moment. I have some ideas I'd like to discuss with you."