7. Tourism Comprehensive

I told Gu Sinan about participating in a variety show recording while having breakfast this morning. I heard that it would be a trip with several other families, and the little one happily agreed. She was jumping around when we went to the music room.

Yesterday, Fengming Jewelry's official Weibo account gained a lot of followers by taking advantage of the trending topic. Some people went to the offline stores to buy the same items as Ye Zhenzhen, but the stores did not have enough stock. Many people went late and missed out, so they left messages on the official Weibo account urging them to put the items back in stock as soon as possible.

Since the last meeting, Wang Debang, the vice president of Fengming, has been working tirelessly every day. He not only brought back the original master craftsmen, but also recruited many up-and-coming designers and connected with the styling department of "I Am an Actor" to provide them with suitable jewelry.

Who knew that Fengming Jewelry would suddenly become a hit online yesterday, with everyone wanting the same palace lantern earrings, auspicious cloud pattern necklaces, and phoenix and peony gold locks worn by Ye Zhenzhen. The store was also packed with people coming in to inquire early in the morning.

Wang Debang was both happy and anxious when he saw the trending topic. He went to Song Chengcheng for help, but was told that Assistant Song had gone out to discuss a project.

Just as he was getting anxious, he saw Ye Zhenzhen come out of the elevator and hurriedly went to greet her, "President Ye, you've finally arrived! I didn't know what to do."

Ye Zhenzhen didn't ask Gu Tingshen to wait for her today. Since they had decided to participate in "Let's Go Traveling Together," they both needed to go to the company to arrange their upcoming work. After confirming that her foot was alright, Gu Tingshen took her downstairs and then went to the Gu Group headquarters.

"Don't rush, speak slowly." She listened to him as she walked towards the office.

"Netizens have been urging us a lot in the comments section of our official Weibo account, and our stores in various locations have also been asking about it. The filigree, engraving, and inlay work are all purely handmade, which takes a long time to complete and the production is slow. We didn't have any stock beforehand, and the factory workers have been rushing to finish them all in a day or two. Where would we find so much inventory for them all at once! But it would be such a waste to ignore this hype." Wang Debang said, wiping the sweat from his brow. He truly had never seen anything like it. Fengming has always relied on word-of-mouth marketing and offline sales, and they have no experience dealing with online media.

As they talked, the two entered the office and sat down on the sofa in the reception area to continue their conversation.

Ye Zhenzhen quickly understood. She had worn that set of jewelry that day specifically to showcase Fengming Jewelry's capabilities to the director of "I Am an Actor." Unexpectedly, she had inadvertently attracted attention to Fengming.

With fans receiving confirmation that she wouldn't be participating in acting variety shows, they intentionally steered the conversation, unexpectedly bringing a surge of traffic to Fengming and disrupting their original plans.

She thought about it and realized that e-commerce platforms in later generations often use scarcity marketing, promoting and advertising new products before their official launch and holding pre-sales. However, too long a wait can also damage a product's reputation.

The world is far less information-rich on the internet than it will be ten years from now. People don't really understand how complex traditional crafts like filigree engraving are; they just think they're beautiful.

Thinking of this, her eyes lit up. "Are there any craftsmen who can make these kinds of jewelry?"

“Several master craftsmen and their apprentices know how to do it. I received the news last night and notified them this morning to rush the work. They should all have started by now,” Wang Debang quickly replied.

“I think we can film the process of the craftsmen making a few pieces of jewelry, make a short video, and post it on our official Weibo account so that everyone knows that these traditional crafts are not easy to make and that the production time is relatively long. After that, we can open pre-orders, and customers can go to the physical store to pay a deposit. We will then ship the goods according to the order of deposits.” Ye Zhenzhen felt that it made more and more sense as she spoke.

When she was sick, she loved watching videos of intangible cultural heritage making shared by various content creators on C-site. Some of them were almost at the level of documentaries, and watching them was a real treat.

“That’s a good idea. What you’re describing sounds a bit like how jewelry stores used to operate. Customers would see the samples, place an order, and then pick up the finished product a few days later.” Wang Debang agreed that it was a good idea. “But who should we hire to take the photos? We don’t have any talent in that area.”

"I'll find someone to film later. You can ask the crew to get ready and set up the studio first." This didn't pose a problem for Ye Zhenzhen. Zhao Nanqiao was a directing major, so she could just ask her to introduce a director with good photography skills.

Seeing Wang Debang's relieved expression, she reminded him, "However, we still need to hire more people. We need to hire designers and experienced craftsmen. Developing new products and ensuring fast delivery are the most important things. When the variety show we sponsored airs, Fengming's popularity will be even higher. We need to hire professional talent for online promotion. Nowadays, young people are increasingly fond of online shopping. Should we also register an official store on the platform? You and Assistant Song should discuss these things and get them finalized as soon as possible."

Wang Debang readily agreed, bid farewell to Ye Zhenzhen, and went back to busy himself with work arrangements. Sitting in the elevator, he thought to himself, "Don't be fooled by the fact that Little Ye usually doesn't care about company affairs. She comes from a family with a business mind. Fengming is about to reach a new level!"

Zhao Nanqiao is currently busy filming her graduation project. She had just finished discussing script revisions with her group when she received the call, which surprised her. She had been so busy lately that she hadn't even seen the trending topics yet. "You're looking for someone who knows photography? To shoot a short film for filigree jewelry?"

Then Ye Zhenzhen said, "We're filming the jewelry making process, and it would be best if we could film it with the quality of a documentary, so that everyone can understand our country's traditional craftsmanship."

“I have a senior classmate who worked with a documentary team. I’ll contact him and see if he’s free recently.” Zhao Nanqiao readily agreed, then joked, “After investing in variety shows, you’re also going to expand and strengthen Fengming? You’re quite ambitious, Xiao Taotao!”

"Hmph, are you the only one who's ambitious, Qiao Mumu? Not only did I invest in it, but my Fengming is also the title sponsor of 'The Actor.' Those Bai Xue fans should think twice before they dare to criticize me."

Both of their names come from the Book of Songs. One comes from the poem "Peach Blossom" in the Zhou Nan section of the Book of Songs, which reads "The peach tree is young and tender, its leaves are lush and green." The other comes from the poem "Han Guang" in the Zhou Nan section of the Book of Songs, which reads "There are tall trees in the south, but I cannot rest there." So they gave each other nicknames when they were young. Zhao Nanqiao called her "Little Peach," and she called Zhao Nanqiao "Tall Tree."

Zhao Nanqiao clicked her tongue. "I was wondering why you were so patient this time, waiting here? This is a good move; it'll probably make them want to vomit."

"By the way, the teachers you found for me are really amazing. I've seen them improve a lot these past few days."

"That's right, those are all industry experts I found for you. You couldn't hire anyone else."

Ye Zhenzhen quickly flattered him, "Yes, yes, you're the best! I hope they can live up to expectations. I promised them that if they beat Bai Xue, I would invest in a drama for them. Could you keep an eye out for any good scripts or worthwhile investment projects lately?"

"No problem, I'll keep an eye out for you. There are plenty of companies waiting to invest, but you should be careful if you want to invest, so you don't get scammed." Zhao Nanqiao decided to go back and use her connections to find some opportunities for her. Her best friend came from a simple family and was quite naive, so she didn't want her to get scammed by some bad project.

"Don't worry, I didn't make this decision on a whim. I definitely consulted with professionals like you." Ye Zhenzhen had great faith in Zhao Nanqiao's connections and judgment. Zhao's mother was a veteran director who had adapted four classic Chinese novels, and the Zhao family had extensive connections in the film and television industry.

"By the way, once you're done with your work these past few days, let's go out for a walk together. I'm going to participate in a travel variety show in a few days, so I won't be in City A for several days."

"A travel reality show? You're going by yourself?"

"No, it's a parent-child variety show. Gu Tingshen and I took Gu Sinan to participate together."

"Wow, we haven't been in touch for days, the world changes so fast! You two have progressed to this point already?!" Zhao Nanqiao exclaimed dramatically. She really hadn't expected that Ye Zhenzhen, who was practically threatening to divorce her every day, would suddenly be traveling together.

Ye Zhenzhen was also helpless. She had a mission, and she couldn't get a divorce, so of course she had to spend more time with the children to build a relationship. But she couldn't say these things, so she could only explain, "It's not that exaggerated. I was just annoyed by my dad. Gu Tingshen, well, he's a victim like me too?"

Zhao Nanqiao rolled her eyes even through the phone, "What the hell is this victim? Fine, you've come to terms with it. Gu Tingshen is known in the industry for being aloof and self-disciplined. At least you don't have to worry about him messing around outside."

Ye Zhenzhen thought about the man's ascetic demeanor and the description in the original work, and nodded, "That's true, his character is impeccable."

The two chatted for a while longer before hanging up the phone.

A short while later, Zhao Nanqiao sent a phone number to the senior student who had filmed the documentary, named Zhang Qingfeng.

Ye Zhenzhen contacted him. He had seen the trending topics and was quite interested in traditional crafts. In addition, Zhao Nanqiao had asked him for a favor before, so he came directly to Fengming Building to see the craftsmen's studios and communicate with her about the shooting effect.

Both parties were satisfied and agreed to start filming that afternoon.

Gu Tingshen was also quite busy at noon, so after Ye Zhenzhen finished her phone call with him, she decided to have lunch at the company.

After finishing the contract negotiation in the morning, Song Chengcheng was busy handling other matters upon returning home. Ye Zhenzhen, the boss, was a complete novice when it came to company management and operations, only responsible for offering ideas. Song Chengcheng handled all the specific tasks. Seeing how busy she was, Ye Zhenzhen felt a little ashamed and secretly decided to give her a raise.

She used the office computer to browse the internet for a while. In this world, mobile internet access, both in terms of speed and app usability, is far inferior to that on Earth. She wanted to see if there were any video websites similar to CCTV in this world.

After searching for a long time, she actually found it. It was also called C-site, but it was completely different from the one she saw before she transmigrated. The current C-site only had some foreign anime series and comics. It was a small, dilapidated, and shabby anime and comics reposting site.

Ye Zhenzhen was somewhat disappointed; the future of electronic pickled vegetables was uncertain. She had originally planned to upload a short video about filigree craftsmanship to C-site to indulge her passion as a content creator.

She put down her mouse, stood up, and stretched in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. Seeing her haute couture suit, she slapped her forehead. "I haven't thought of this yet!" she exclaimed. "I don't care if C-site is small and run-down. I can be their angel investor and witness their growth step by step!" The thought was quite exciting.

She summoned Secretary-General Li Na and asked her to investigate the current operating status of this C-site.

Li Na accepted the order and left, having grown accustomed to her boss's strange and whimsical ideas.

Zhan Yan and Zhou Jin were resting on the floor of Tao Yao's dance studio, dressed in their practice clothes. They had just finished a physical training class, and were both sore and sweaty from the intense exercise. After confirming their participation in "I Am an Actor," the boss had hired several professional teachers to give them intensive training in the fundamentals of voice, acting, and physical expression.

These past two days have been tough, but full of hope.

"You did well today. The boss was watching your class outside just now, and the teacher even praised you." Their agent, Liu He, pushed open the door and saw them sprawled out on the floor like two "big" characters. He pulled up a stool and sat down, saying this.

"real?"

"The boss came to see us?"

Upon hearing her words, Zhan Yan and Zhou Jin immediately sat up from the ground and looked out the window in surprise, having been too focused on the lesson to notice.

"The boss didn't want to bother you, so he left first," Liu He said with a smile. "The boss said, 'Teachers, please come in. How much you learn is up to you.' We've provided you with a van, driver, and assistant. We're just waiting to see you dominate the show."

The two exchanged a silent glance, and felt a flame that was about to be extinguished in their chests reignite and grow ever stronger.

They were classmates at the Film Academy in City A and debuted in the same year. In the first few years, they suffered a lot in the entertainment industry.

After graduating, Zhou Jin signed with a small agency. She worked herself to the bone every day, running around to film sets, and was exploited and drained by the company, which almost exhausted all her passion for acting.

Zhan Yan, because of her stunning looks and hot figure, suffered countless harassments, both overt and covert, within the industry. She endured them all for the sake of acting, but was almost drugged by her agent and sent to the producer's bed. She was careful and managed to escape, trembling with hatred and fear. The next day, she terminated her contract with the lousy company.

The two eventually chose Taoyao Film and Television because the company offered reasonable prices and generous contracts. They no longer had high hopes for their acting careers; they were just doing it for a living, as long as they had roles to play and could support themselves.

After Liu He left, the two lay down again.

"Brother Zhou, I feel like these past two days have been a dream," Zhan Yan murmured, looking at the spotlights on the ceiling.

Zhou Jin hugged her knees and stretched, "Yes, suddenly things took a turn for the better."

"I've almost forgotten my dream these past two years. Ha, dream, how sentimental." Zhan Yan turned to look at herself in the mirror. "I thought I had forgotten, but now I realize I haven't. The opportunity has come, and I still want to give it a shot."

The girl in the mirror had beautiful eyes and brows, radiating an air of determination.

“Then let’s give it a shot. The worst that can happen is that we have to come back and retire. The boss promised us a big-budget production if we win.” Zhou Jinla stood up after stretching, her gentle eyes filled with determination.

Ye Zhenzhen was busy all day. In the afternoon, she went to watch Zhan Yan and Zhou Jin's class and also went to see Zhang Qingfeng's filming location.

When Gu Tingshen came to pick her up, he saw that her eyebrows and eyes were full of happiness, and her expression softened unconsciously. After getting into the car and fastening her seatbelt, she couldn't wait to start talking.

"We were trending on social media before, and so many netizens were asking me about the jewelry we were wearing. Fengming suddenly became famous..."

As Gu Tingshen drove, he listened to her chatter like a happy little bird, sharing her morning's work experiences. Her sweet, soft voice gave him a strange sense of relaxation, and he didn't find it noisy at all.

"Were you busy at the company this morning? You haven't been to work for the past few days, so you must have a lot of work piled up?" Ye Zhenzhen asked, then looked at the man driving the car.

She always felt that more communication among family members was essential for a good family atmosphere. This family had been so silent it was suffocating; since they would be living together for the next decade or so, she needed to gradually change things.

“Fortunately, even though I was at home before, I still managed to handle some work every day, and Assistant Li is very capable.” Gu Tingshen recalled the filming plan for “Let’s Go on a Trip” and continued, “The contract was signed this morning. According to their plan, we need to take some costume photos tomorrow, and we’ll start filming next Wednesday morning.”

"Oh, I was so busy I forgot," Ye Zhenzhen said, "I haven't even had a chance to look at the contract since it was sent back. Did they say where the first episode would be filmed? Where would we start shooting?"

"The first episode will be filmed in a fishing village by the sea in H City. We'll shoot some footage at their home before the official recording," Gu Tingshen said, glancing at her. "The recording will start from the moment we wake up."

“Oh, then let’s tidy up the house these next couple of days,” Ye Zhenzhen said, then realized something was wrong and looked sharply at the man, “Starting from when you get up?!”

[Author's Note]