Chapter 192: Resolving the Crisis

Su Ruo had been thinking about a solution, so absorbed that she didn't even notice it had gotten dark.

When the mistress carried a food box, charming and alluring, walking through the factory area, she instantly drew everyone's attention.

Whether male or female, upon seeing the mistress, they would be instantly stunned and couldn't help but glance at her a second time.

At such times, the mistress would glance back, giving the person an even more enchanting smile, her every gesture exuding a graceful charm.

By the time the mistress reached Su Ruo's office, she had already attracted a large crowd of onlookers.

Seeing Su Ruo lost in thought, so engrossed that she didn't even notice the mistress's arrival, the mistress had to clear her throat lightly to remind her:

"Factory Director Su, what are you thinking about so intently that you didn't even see me, a living person, come over?"

Su Ruo finally came to her senses, realizing the outside sky had already darkened, and she said somewhat embarrassed, "Mistress has arrived, I was thinking about something and didn't notice the time."

"Did something happen at the factory? Is there something that even our little Ruo Ruo can't solve? Tell me so I can hear."

Perhaps because she is too beautiful, the mistress always carries an indescribable charm when she speaks.

Su Ruo did not hide anything, and said: "What I am planning now is to find someone to be the image ambassador for Xia Hua.

The more famous that person is, the higher Xia Hua's fame will rise accordingly."

Su Ruo's idea is good, but currently there are not many TV stars, and even if there are, they are not easily accessible to her.

Even if Su Ruo could successfully persuade someone to endorse her clothing, the fees for the celebrity endorsement and advertising would still be a considerable expense.

Spending such a large cost to hire a celebrity endorser is simply beyond what Xia Hua can afford at present.

Yet this is also the fastest way for Xia Hua to gain fame, so Su Ruo hesitates, wondering whether she should do it.

After Su Ruo finished speaking, the mistress immediately gave her an annoyed look: "Does that mean I, the mistress, am not beautiful? You're looking for an endorser, why didn't you think of me?"

Upon hearing the mistress's words, Su Ruo froze instantly; she had only thought of finding a celebrity endorser and never considered that the perfect endorser was right before her.

Because in terms of appearance and temperament, there is no one more suitable than the mistress.

Su Ruo believes that as long as the mistress agrees to endorse Xia Hua, she will surely astonish everyone; thinking of this, Su Ruo can no longer restrain herself, her heart filled with excitement.

Is this not a case of finding life in desperation, when mountains and rivers seem to block the way, willows darken and flowers brighten, revealing another village?

But after Su Ruo calmed down, she felt somewhat uneasy: "Will the master be angry if he finds out?"

After all, at the master's age, he probably wouldn't accept the mistress modeling on television.

The mistress glanced directly at Su Ruo: "Little Ruo Ruo, you forgot that I have already divorced your master; even if we hadn't divorced, I wouldn't give up my own choices just for your master.

Must a woman's life be trapped in marriage and family?

But I am not a caged house sparrow; I am an eagle soaring the nine heavens, I will not be bound by anything, and I will freely spread my wings in my own world."

The mistress's words shocked Su Ruo deeply; after her rebirth, she had thought her ideas were already progressive enough.

Yet unconsciously, she had still been bound by worldly thoughts; she was mistaken—each person is an independent individual with the right to choose their own life.

Su Ruo said: "I understand, mistress."

The mistress reached out and ruffled Su Ruo's hair: "Good girl."

The two then discussed the next steps; that day Su Ruo and the mistress talked until very late, the more they spoke the more excited they became, completely forgetting the time.

Until later, Bai Xinya became worried and had Zhou Feng drive a car to pick them up, and only then did they remember to go home.

After finalizing the plan with the mistress, Su Ruo began the next day to search for photographers all over the streets and alleys.

After visiting more than ten shops, Su Ruo finally found a photographer who satisfied her.

This photographer is in his forties, with a messy beard and disheveled hair; walking down the street he looks almost like a vagrant.

When Su Ruo first entered this small, dilapidated photo studio, she was startled; such a place, plus this unreliable photographer, made her deeply doubt whether anyone would actually come to have their photo taken.

But after seeing the photos displayed inside, Su Ruo's DNA seemed to leap instantly; although the photographer looks unreliable, his photos are reliable, each one matching her aesthetic and deeply moving her.

Su Ruo feels this way not because the people in the photos are exceptionally beautiful, but because he captured their souls.

Inside, the men, women, old, and young all display the purest emotions: the elderly are kind and at ease, the children lively and cute, the girls bright and pretty, the boys handsome and cheerful.

To record a feeling and possess a soul—that is what makes a photograph the best.

At this moment, Su Ruo immediately decided that this bearded, disheveled man before her is exactly the person she has been looking for.

But to be safe, she still wanted to test the man, asking him to take a set of photos for her.

Su Ruo asked: "Boss, how much for a photo?"

The man didn't even lift his head and said: "One yuan per photo, no bargaining."

After these few days of contact, Su Ruo knows that other photo studios charge five jiao per photo, so the man's price of one yuan is clearly high.

Yet Su Ruo said without hesitation: "I'll take ten photos; when can we shoot?"

The man's eyes finally focused; he looked at Su Ruo and asked: "You really mean it?"

Su Ruo smiled and said: "Of course it's true; if you're not assured, I can pay first."

"Good!" the man said immediately.

Su Ruo took out ten yuan; the man grabbed the money and dashed off like a wisp of smoke, so fast that Su Ruo only saw an afterimage.

Su Ruo stood there dazed, suspecting she had encountered a swindler.

But the other party went to such trouble to rent a shop here—could it really just be to swindle her out of ten yuan?

Su Ruo couldn't figure it out, but not long after the man returned, this time holding a bowl of noodles.

Seeing the man return, Su Ruo felt a slight relief in her heart; she wasn't upset about the ten yuan, but feared that the suitable person she had finally found would disappear just like that.

The man placed the large bowl of noodles on the table, and while eating he said to Su Ruo: "I'll take your photos after I finish eating."

His wolfish eating made it look like he hadn't eaten for several days.

Su Ruo couldn't help but think: maybe this man is so down on his luck that he doesn't even have money for food!

Looking at the man, Su Ruo's doubts grew stronger—she wondered again whether she had met a swindler.