Chapter 105: 90: Quancheng Water People Chapter 105: Modeling, Shooting a Promotional Brochure

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

The Night Market was as brightly lit as ever, with all kinds of stalls lining both sides of the road.

In early July, primary and middle schools were all on holiday, and the number of people strolling the Night Market increased noticeably, with crowds coming and going, very lively.

After dinner, Uncle and his nephew and niece arrived at the Night Market, where a crowd had already gathered at the entrance of the sporting goods store.

"Here we come, here we come."

Seeing Uncle's tricycle, the crowd spontaneously parted to make way for them.

"Sister Lin, did you watch TV?"

Liu Ye came out of the sporting goods store with an excited expression, shouting at the top of his lungs: "The Quancheng Water promotional film aired on Shandong News Broadcast! The segment of Gu Lao writing calligraphy with a brush by Daming Lake was especially eye-catching, and there was also you and Guben boating on Lotus Pond, a perfect match of talent and beauty, a heavenly pairing—that scene was amazing, it can no longer be described with a single 'beautiful'."

Lin Xiyu's mouth twitched at the words "Sister Lin."

It made her sound like Lin Daiyu from Dream of the Red Chamber, delicate and willowy; that was one of the Four Great Classics, something she couldn't aspire to.

"We were busy stocking up on goods."

Female Cousin said with some regret: "I missed the news, what a pity."

"This time they've become famous."

Liu Ye smiled and flattered: "With my buddy's looks, people would believe it if you said he was a current popular star."

"My younger sister isn't bad either."

Female Cousin bantered with him: "So-called a red flower needs green leaves as a foil—in front of my sister, your buddy is at most just a green leaf."

"Hehe, Sister Lei is right, I was blind."

Liu Ye put on a thick-skinned smile: "Since our sister is so beautiful, what a waste of resources, how about this: on our Decoration Company's opening promotional brochure, ask sister to help out and take a promotional photo."

"You little brat, you're quite crafty?"

Female Cousin was unhappy upon hearing this: "Using my sister to drum up business, printing my sister's photograph on the promotional brochure, what right do you have? Do you understand portrait rights?"

"Pay money, will paying money do?"

Liu Ye patiently explained to her: "Besides, the Decoration Company also has Brother Bin's shares, you are also a business manager, making money benefits everyone."

"How much money?"

Female Cousin's abacus beads clattered: "Too little won't do; my sister is now a public figure, frankly speaking, for a small company like yours, we don't even look up to it."

"One thousand."

Liu Ye silently retorted in his heart.

What's with the airs, which of us two is the Boss? Is there anyone who talks to the Boss like this?

Of course, he only dared to sneer behind her back, and absolutely would not dare say it to the faces of the two sisters.

"One thousand? Too little."

Female Cousin was dissatisfied: "Are you sending off a beggar? My sister's current worth, less than five thousand and she won't do it."

"Sister, aren't you my own sister?"

Liu Ye put on a bitter face to play the victim: "Our company hasn't even opened yet; buying the shop, hiring people, decorating the model room, all told, over one hundred thousand has already been spent; it's our own family business, we should save where we can..."

"You want to save, why not let your buddy take the photos for you?"

Female Cousin refused to budge: "Guben is also a shareholder, you said it yourself, his face is no less than a current popular star, and has more drawing power than my sister; why don't you go sweet-talk him?"

"How dare I sweet-talk him?"

Liu Ye laughed bitterly: "That's a revered great Buddha, I can't budge him."

"You don't dare sweet-talk him, but you dare sweet-talk us?"

Female Cousin looked disdainful: "Picking soft persimmons to pinch? Are we easy to bully?"

"Good elder sister, how dare I bully you?"

Liu Ye put his palms together, practically wanting to kowtow and bow to her: "I'm just negotiating with you in good faith; five thousand is really too much, just printing a few promotional brochures, it's really not worth that much money."

"Then four thousand."

Female Cousin stepped back a bit.

"One thousand five hundred."

Liu Ye haggled.

"Three thousand."

Female Cousin lowered it a bit more.

"One thousand six hundred."

Liu Ye kept bowing: "Good elder sister, please be kind, really can't add more, this is already the limit; if you add more, I'll be losing money."

"Xiyu."

Female Cousin turned her head to ask Lin Xiyu's opinion: "One thousand six hundred, do you agree?"

Liu Ye spoke first: "Good younger sister, Brother begs you."

"Fine."

Lin Xiyu pretended to be hesitant, but was delighted in her heart.

Her little Treasury had income again.

Going on like this, she could earn quite a bit of pocket money over one summer vacation.

"Younger sister is a straightforward person."

Liu Ye breathed a sigh of relief, grinning from ear to ear.

"When will we film?"

Lin Xiyu calculated the time: "I'm afraid I can't during the day; only in the evening, or very early in the morning, before 8 o'clock."

"Is tomorrow morning okay?"

Liu Ye asked tentatively.

"Yes."

Lin Xiyu nodded: "Where will we film? Give me the address, and I'll go there myself."

"Dongguan Street, not far from your home."

Liu Ye took out one of his business cards from his pocket and handed it to her: "Cross the Moat, and it's less than two hundred meters away."

"Ding Sheng Decoration?!"

Lin Xiyu looked at the business card, smiling as she praised: "What a good name, who came up with it?"

"Of course it was..."

Liu Ye straightened his spine, just about to boast about himself, when out of the corner of his eye he saw Guben riding a bicycle around from Furong Street, and immediately changed his words: "Brother Bin, besides Brother Bin, no one has this level; only he could come up with such a grand and impressive name. Just for this name, our company will make a lot of money."

"Your flattery is spraying all over my face; it's choking me."

The female cousin couldn't stand his sycophantic look, rolling her eyes almost to the sky.

"Then it's settled: tomorrow morning at 7, we'll meet at your company gate."

Lin Xiyu suppressed a smile and put away the business card.

"What are you going to the company for?"

Guben came before the three of them and got off his bicycle.

"Brother, let's go inside to talk; don't delay their business."

Liu Ye, fearing Guben would interfere and ruin the cooperation they had finally secured, hurriedly pulled him away.

"Go, go."

Lin Xiyu was overjoyed at the prospect of making money.

Guben saw her smiling happily, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned, and did not argue with a certain clueless person.

The female cousin saw the two leave, set up her stall, and began doing business.

The crowd suddenly became noisy; those eager to see the excitement and the melon-eating masses appreciating the fashion show surrounded them three layers inside and three outside, packed tight.

"Come, come, come! The latest foreign trade clothing, ten yuan a piece."

"Don't miss out as you pass by."

"Export goods turned domestic sales, genuine quality guaranteed."

"Buy one and it's not much, buy two and you don't lose, buy three or four and it's even more worthwhile—the more you buy, the bigger the discount..."

The female cousin instantly perked up, shouting at the top of her lungs.

With rhythmic intonation and especially rhyming tones, the onlookers chuckled with delight.

Lin Xiyu, as usual, picked out clothes she liked and went to the Dressing Room.

When the lovely and charming young woman changed her clothes and walked out of the Dressing Room, as expected, the crowd boiled over again and began a new round of snapping up goods.

—

Dongguan Street is on the outskirts of the Moat, not far from Donghua Street. By the pre-liberation division of Old Jinan City, it is already considered a location outside the city walls.

This area was redeveloped relatively early; dilapidated old houses became towering high-rises. The narrow road was widened into a two-way carriageway, with restaurants and shops lining both sides, neon lights flashing, extraordinarily lively.

The address of Ding Sheng Decoration Company is on Dongguan Street, less than 200 meters from the Moat.

The area directly opposite the company gate is under construction; it is said it will be built into a Small Commodity Wholesale Market on a very large scale.

The Wholesale Market is expected to be completed in October, after which the shops will be rented and sold externally, with official opening expected in early 1994.

From the end of October to the two months before opening is the golden period for decoration.

Wang Fan chose this location for the company address precisely for the business opportunities of the Small Commodity Wholesale Market.

—

Lin Xiyu got up early, leaving at six-thirty in the morning. In less than 15 minutes, she rode her bicycle to Dongguan Street.

The female cousin was not at ease with her going alone and insisted on coming along, sitting on the back seat yawning nonstop.

When the two sisters arrived, Guben and Liu Ye were already there; the model room was prepared and converted into a temporary photography studio.

After a simple communication between both sides, Lin Xiyu changed her clothes according to the photographer's requirements and immediately began filming.

Besides the kitchen and toilet, the decorated model room had three rooms.

One study, one bedroom, one living room.

The filming scene in the study required her to dress as a fashionable professional woman, sitting at a computer typing.

She had learned some of the essence of acting from filming a documentary with the Pump Spring Program Crew.

The moment the strong light turned on, she immediately got into character.

A workplace female elite in a white shirt, bodycon skirt, and high heels sat elegantly at the computer, her hands quickly striking the keyboard.

She had never touched a computer before and didn't know how to play games, but this did not hinder her excellent performance.

She struck a pose, pretending to look seriously at the screen, her hands clattering away nonstop.

At first glance, she really had the air of a computer expert.

The female cousin watched from the sidelines with great excitement, and Liu Ye also gave her a thumbs-up.

Only she herself looked at the garbled text on the screen and silently found it amusing.

The joy in her mood involuntarily showed on her face; the corners of her mouth slightly upturned, forming a charming arc.

The photographer raised his camera, and with a click, captured the most perfect image.

——

The second scene was set up in the living room.

The living room was decorated in a classical style, with redwood tables and chairs, and a full tea set arranged on the tea table.

Lin Xiyu had to pretend to be very knowledgeable about tea art, rinsing and brewing tea.

Liu Ye briefly explained the steps of tea art to her, Lin Xiyu memorized them, and practiced the process several times on her own.

Once everything was ready, at the moment the strong light came on, the girl in a classical cheongsam instantly became a tea master of superb skill.

A beauty brewing tea was a feast for the eyes.

Watching it, one felt the tea seemed especially fragrant and sweet.

The cameraman was also attracted by the exquisite scene, and the camera shutter clicked nonstop.

After filming ended, Guben came to the tea table, took the teacup from her hand, and drank it all in one gulp.

The female cousin was a bit slower and didn't get the teacup; she picked up the teapot and drank heartily straight from the spout.

Guben glared at her somewhat displeased.

"What's wrong? I can't drink the tea my younger sister brewed? I'm her real sister, her real sister, understand?"

The female cousin provocatively locked eyes with him, deliberately emphasizing the tone.

Guben: "......."

For his girlfriend's sake, he endured it.

——

The filming of the third scene had a bit of a hitch.

Liu Ye wanted to film in the bedroom, but Guben disagreed, and they settled on the kitchen.

The two were deadlocked, both looking at the two sisters.

Lin Xiyu naturally supported Guben; she didn't want outsiders to see her in pajamas.

The silk pajamas were cool to wear, and seeing the pitifully small amount of fabric, the female cousin's cheeks couldn't help but turn red.

With the support of the two sisters, Guben won three to one.

Liu Ye had no choice but to give in and had the photographer move the photography equipment to the kitchen.

Lin Xiyu put on an apron and became a virtuous wife and good mother who manages the hall above and the kitchen below.

She knew how to cook, was used to working in the kitchen, and filmed with practiced ease.

The photographer circled around her front, back, left, and right, quickly choosing the best angle.

"Click click."

The camera shutter sounded for a while; after filming was finished, the photographer, still wanting more, put away his camera and made an OK gesture to her.

"How's the effect?"

Liu Ye asked impatiently, "When can we get the photos?"

"The earliest would be the morning of the day after tomorrow."

The photographer thought for a moment and said, "I have a lot of work on hand; I'll try to develop yours first."

"Thanks, Brother."

Liu Ye took out a red envelope and handed it to him, as thanks for the door-to-door service.

The photographer was not polite; he put the red envelope in his pocket, and while packing up the photography equipment, he looked at Lin Xiyu with a meaningful glance.

Lin Xiyu's eyelids twitched; at the moment he looked at her, she felt the uncomfortable sensation of being eyed by a wicked wolf.

——

The female cousin was determined and went to the Soy Sauce Factory to handle her resignation that very morning.

The Soy Sauce Factory was already doing poorly and intended to lay off staff; the deputy factory director in charge of personnel agreed without a word.

The female cousin took her settled June wages, 400 yuan in RMB, and when she walked out of the factory gate, she was like a bird flying out of a cage, feeling wonderful beyond words; looking at the sky, no different from usual, she thought it especially blue.

The job Wang Fan arranged for her was business manager, responsible for receiving customers who came for consultation, and she would get an extra commission for closing a deal.

In name a manager, but the company had just been established; she didn't have a single salesperson under her—a bare-bones commander.

Fortunately, Wang Fan, for Lin Xiyu's sake, did not exploit her.

Her working hours were nine to five, with weekends off, and overtime paid double wages.

The female cousin's monthly base salary was ten thousand yuan, averaging 33 a day, and double would be 66.

Her little abacus clicked and clacked as she thought about earning double on weekends, secretly delighted.

On her first day of work, she had already calculated that she must take leave from Monday to Friday if anything came up, and she must earn that double weekend pay.

——

The Quancheng Water promotional video aired on the central News Broadcast, and the Program Group's morale was greatly boosted.

The scene of handsome men and beautiful women in Hanfu boating on Daming Lake was highly praised; Director Du was overjoyed and decided to film another episode at Baotu Spring, having the two play two well-known Song Dynasty public figures, Li Qingzhao and Xin Qiji, to promote Jinan's history and culture.

The Program Group finished filming at No. 1 Courtyard, Xi Gengdao Street in the morning and, without a moment's rest, rushed to Baotu Spring.

Li Qingzhao was a famous historical figure of the Song Dynasty; her emotional history was rich, and she had many lines to memorize.