Chapter 347 Pretending to be a Returning Businessman in a Historical Novel (20)
"Director Zhou, this... I'm begging you!" Deputy Director Wang stuffed the list into Zhou Jue's arms, his face wrinkled with anxiety and pleading.
Zhou Jue took the thin piece of paper and glanced at the ten names on it.
"Okay, once everyone has arrived, take them to the warehouse to assemble."
"Ouch!"
Two days later, the nine people, weary from their journey, had just arrived and hadn't even had a chance to rest when the deputy factory director called them over, took Zhou Xiaoman, and led them to the warehouse.
They were the ultimate winners in this nationwide selection process. There were dancers from the performing arts troupe, newcomers from the film studio, and dark horses like Zhou Xiaoman who emerged from the grassroots workers.
Everyone stood tall, their faces beaming with undisguised pride, while cautiously observing each other, a hint of curiosity lurking in their eyes.
The warehouse's large iron gate was pulled open from the outside, and Zhou Jue walked in.
She was wearing a simple work outfit today, her hair neatly tied back. Everyone's eyes were instantly drawn to her, and the warehouse was so quiet that you could hear each other's tense breathing.
"Stand still."
Zhou Jue uttered two words, not loudly, but they made everyone subconsciously bring their feet together and straighten their backs.
"Who taught you to stand like that?" Zhou Jue's gaze slowly swept over each person from left to right: "Slouching and crooked, loose and slouching, as if you have no bones."
A young man from the performing arts troupe flashed a hint of defiance on his face. He believed his posture was the most standard among everyone.
Zhou Jue seemed to see through his thoughts and walked straight up to him.
"What's your name?"
"Report! My name is Sun Li," the young man answered loudly.
“Sun Li,” Zhou Jue extended a finger and gently poked his shoulder, “Your shoulder has collapsed.”
She reached out again, pinched his chin, and lifted it slightly by an inch. "Your head is too low; you look listless."
Sun Li's face instantly turned red.
Zhou Jue let go of her hand and walked up to a tall young woman named Bai Lu, who came from the Shanghai Film Studio.
“You,” Zhou Jue’s gaze fell on her feet, “pigeon-toed, trying to trip yourself?”
Bai Lu's face also turned pale.
With just one sentence, Zhou Jue pointed out the most deeply hidden problem they had ever made—their posture—which they themselves hadn't even paid much attention to.
Finally, she walked up to Zhou Xiaoman.
Zhou Xiaoman's heart was in her throat. She could feel Zhou Jue's gaze scrutinizing her from head to toe like a searchlight.
"Your legs can't stand straight?"
Zhou Xiaoman's body stiffened abruptly, and she subconsciously tried to stand up straighter, but her injured leg, after being tense for a long time, began to feel a slight soreness.
“Report…I…”
“I don’t want to hear the reasons.” Zhou Jue interrupted her, his voice devoid of any warmth: “From now until I call it a halt, everyone, stand against the wall.”
She pointed to the bare cement wall of the warehouse.
"The back of the head, shoulders, hips, and heels should be aligned in a straight line, pressed firmly against the wall."
"There's a piece of paper between your legs. Whoever drops their paper doesn't get to eat today."
After saying that, she took out a thin stack of toilet paper from somewhere and distributed it to everyone.
In the first few minutes, everyone was able to grit their teeth and persevere.
Half an hour later, sweat began to seep from their foreheads and slide down their cheeks. The thin piece of paper tucked between their legs felt like an immense burden.
Zhou Xiaoman felt as if countless needles were pricking her injured leg. She bit her lip tightly, trying not to make a sound.
Sun Li, standing next to him, had veins bulging on his forehead and his body began to tremble slightly uncontrollably.
"Clatter".
A piece of scrap paper drifted down from between a girl's legs.
The girl's face turned deathly pale, and tears welled up instantly.
Zhou Jue walked over without even glancing at her, and calmly said, "Pick it up, add half an hour."
The girl froze, then cried and pleaded, "Director Zhou, I... I'll never do it again, please..."
"I said pick it up."
The girl trembled, and in the end, she could only pick it up and put it back upright.
The remaining nine people were shocked and dared not relax for a moment, squeezing their legs tightly together.
This basic training lasted for a whole week.
From standing to walking to eye contact, Zhou Jue's demands were abnormally harsh. She would make them walk in a straight line with a bowl of water balanced on their heads, and she would suddenly shout from behind during training, punishing anyone who was startled and lost their footing.
That day, when everyone thought it would be another boring indoor training session, Zhou Jue pushed open the warehouse door.
"Let's go somewhere else today."
She led ten people out of the factory area and directly onto the busy asphalt road outside the factory.
“From here, walk to the commune’s main gate, and then walk back.” Zhou Jue pointed to the intersection in the distance: “Just imagine this is the Paris catwalk.”
All ten people were dumbfounded.
"Director Zhou... Director Zhou, there are... there are people everywhere outside!" Sun Li stammered.
"Let them see." Zhou Jue's tone was completely calm: "If you're afraid even of the gaze of your own compatriots, who else do you want to show yourselves to?"
Along the way, farmers pushing wheelbarrows, workers riding bicycles, and commune members passing by in twos and threes all stopped and looked curiously at the group of handsome men and beautiful women dressed in uniform training clothes and lined up in a row.
Pointing and whispering.
"Look, aren't those people from the silk factory? What are they doing?"
"He's walking in the aisle, look at how straight he is, like he's going to war."
"That girl is really pretty, but why does she walk like a wooden doll?"
The faces of the ten young men burned with embarrassment. They dared not look up, their eyes darting around, their steps stiffening, and several of them moving in unison.
Zhou Xiaoman kept her head down, only daring to look at the ground three inches from her feet. The surrounding chatter buzzed into her ears like flies.
"If you can't keep going, then keep going." Zhou Jue's voice was like a whip, lashing out at them from behind.
On the first day, they walked like a group of marionettes.
The next day, they were still stiff, but at least they didn't take the wrong steps.
On the third day, they began to try to lift their heads up a little bit.
A week later, when they walked down the road again, there were even more people watching from the roadside.
But the opinions have changed.
"Look at this! Look at this aura! Just like the actors on TV!"
"That's right! I heard they're going to represent our country at something... the fence!"
"Oh my, really? That would really bring honor to Yancheng and our country! But foreigners really don't know how to name things, what's with the name 'Fence'!"
Heartfelt exclamations of admiration and envy reached their ears.
Sun Li was the first to speak, raising his chin slightly and puffing out his chest even more. His gaze no longer darted away, but calmly looked straight ahead, a faint smile even appearing on his lips.
The steps of White Dew become light and graceful.
Zhou Xiaoman also raised her head and saw an old lady by the roadside giving her a thumbs up with a simple yet proud smile on her face.
A surge of warmth welled up from the bottom of Zhou Xiaoman's heart. She felt that the road beneath her feet was no longer a bumpy asphalt road, but a star-studded avenue paved with glory.
...
Just as the model team was undergoing a transformative training, the design department's design competition also came to an end.
From dozens of design drafts, ten designs were finally selected.
To everyone's astonishment, three of the sets were designed by the same person—Lin Wanwan.
"These sets are great!" Chief Designer Chen, with his gray hair, excitedly patted Lin Wanwan's design drafts.
"It has our traditional Chinese knot buttons and cloud patterns, but the design is very modern! Foreigners will definitely like this!"
Lin Wanwan stood to the side, her face flushed with excitement, yet also somewhat incredulous.
She simply drew a design based on her memories from later generations, combining some traditional elements with styles she found attractive. Unexpectedly, it was actually selected.
"Comrade Xiaolin," Chief Designer Chen adjusted his reading glasses and solemnly said to her, "From today onwards, you are officially transferred to the core team of our design department. Together with us, you will make these ten sets of clothes!"
"Yes! I will definitely try my best!" Lin Wanwan nodded vigorously, her eyes shining.
Another half month passed.
Ten sets of exquisite silk gowns, the culmination of countless hours of hard work, have finally been completed.
Zhou Jue led them to the training warehouse, where ten mannequin costumes stood quietly, dressed in the ten outfits.
When the lights came on, everyone held their breath.
That's not clothing, that's a work of art.
A crimson cheongsam, embroidered with a phoenix spreading its wings in gold thread, boldly features a Western-style fishtail design at the hem, both classic and sexy. A moon-white long gown, modified into a sleek trench coat style, is adorned with ink bamboo on the cuffs and collar, exuding an air of proud elegance.
"My God..." Deputy Factory Director Wang stared wide-eyed.
Zhou Jue looked at the ten sets of clothes and slowly said, "This series will be called 'Beautiful Mountains and Rivers'."
The models looked at the gorgeous gowns tailored for them with eyes full of awe and longing.
The warehouse was filled with joy and excitement.
She scanned the ten young people in front of her who had undergone a complete transformation.
"After changing clothes, we're going to have our first simulation with makeup on."
She looked at Zhou Xiaoman, at Sun Li, and at everyone else.
"Remember, once you put this on, it's no longer training."
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