Chapter Three
Su Xian, Bai Lin, and Qing Qing arrived in Paris in the early hours of the morning. At the arrival gate, a large number of fans were dispersing, holding light sticks of Liu Xiling, a popular actress who recently became a hit due to the fantasy drama "Ling Xin".
Although she has already risen to the ranks of A-list celebrities, Su Xuan doesn't value these accolades. She has always believed that she is first and foremost an actress, and only secondarily a star. She hasn't established a fan club, discourages fans from greeting her at the airport, doesn't accept gifts, and only publicly discloses her studio address as the mailing address. She only uses studio accounts for promotion on various platforms.
Su Xian's entry into the industry was somewhat accidental. She became famous online for shooting a promotional video for her school during her junior year of college and was known as the "beauty of the science and engineering campus." Bai Lin had already managed Wang Man, a Golden Deer Award-winning actress, and was a top agent. After Wang Man got married and retired from acting, Bai Lin had nowhere to channel her passion for her work, and it took several visits to persuade Su Xian to join the industry.
Because she wasn't formally trained in acting, Su Xian's skills only gradually matured after several years of painful honing her craft. Therefore, she values her roles and projects more. In the past two years, she's received more and more scripts, and she's become increasingly selective in her choices, trying out different types of roles whenever possible. Script quality and character depth are both important factors. As a result, many viewers believe that dramas starring Su Xian are bound to be of high quality, leading to good ratings. Production companies are also more willing to use her, creating a mutually beneficial situation.
After finding the driver, Su Xuan and her companions left discreetly. The Holmes Hotel on the banks of the Seine still retains the Art Deco style of the 1920s. Every part of it is meticulously symmetrical. The glass curtain walls embedded between the stone walls reflect the night lights and the Seine, making this dignified building standing next to the Pont-Neuf bridge feel warm and inviting.
The Louvre's colonnade is framed within the room's floor-to-ceiling windows, the dressing room is crammed with all sorts of black dresses, tried-on high heels lie scattered on the floor, and various accessories huddle in the corner of the table, waiting for their chance to shine.
Stylist Han Yi laid a black V-neck vest on the bed, paired with a pleated skirt that gradient from brown to dark blue. Han Yi was originally a makeup artist on set, but Su Xian noticed she was often bullied, so she specifically asked Han Yi to help with makeup. Unexpectedly, Han Yi had a unique aesthetic sense, and the makeup and styling she did for Su Xian were very suitable. Su Xian was willing to support her, and Han Yi herself was also very hardworking, starting as an assistant makeup artist and gradually becoming an independent stylist.
Styling Su Xuan wasn't difficult; she's a natural clothes hanger, standing at 1.7 meters tall with an hourglass figure, there are very few clothes she can't pull off. Since this was her first appearance as the Greater China brand ambassador, Han Yi was putting in her best effort to achieve the best possible result.
Su Xian had lost count of how many outfits she had tried on. The Louvre night view, framed by the window, had somehow been painted with a bright color by the morning light. She came out of the bathroom after changing, and Han Yi held up a wide brown leather belt in front of the mirror, finally settling on the look.
When Su Xian changed back into her bathrobe, breakfast had been delivered to her room. Luckily, she had slept well on the plane and had a cup of black coffee, so she felt quite energetic. Qingqing was taking a video of Su Xian applying makeup, gathering material for her vlog. Su Xian glanced at her phone; Zhi Ran had already booked her trip to the South of France, and she was just waiting to meet her in Nice tomorrow.
This year, Holmes' Fall/Winter Fashion Week was held at the Musee Rodin in the 7th arrondissement. This exquisite and elegant 18th-century Rococo building, originally designed to commemorate Rodin, was bustling with fashionistas and buyers from all over the world.
Being in the city meant inevitable traffic jams. With the last few hundred meters of cars completely still, Su Xuan and her companions had no choice but to get out and walk. Even wearing 7-centimeter high-heeled sandals, Su Xuan could still walk briskly, thanks to the modeling instructor Bai Lin had hired when she entered the industry.
The pleated skirt transitions from brown at the waist to dark blue, and with each step in the high heels, the hem of the skirt flutters. The black V-neck vest on top makes her look exceptionally neat and tidy.
On her second visit to the fashion show, Su Xian was more composed. She tossed her hair and posed for photos at the entrance, then went inside to exchange pleasantries with unfamiliar faces. She watched the show, conducted interviews, and took photos, skillfully playing the role of a visitor in the world of fame and fortune. The round trip from the port city to Paris took more than 20 hours, all for just one or two hours at the fashion show. This job always had its parts that she liked and disliked.
Paris quietly donned its evening gown, like a woman heading to a secret rendezvous, her face beaming with smiles, anticipating her lover's romance. In the hotel room's bathroom, rising steam climbed up the mirror. Su Xian, eyes closed, soaked in the bathtub, still savoring the sweetness of the Belon oysters from dinner, the steam carrying a faint scent of lavender. After a hard day's work, this kind of relaxation was a true reward.
Su Xian dried herself off and changed into a black silk nightgown, her favorite style. It was plain, knee-length, and the pleats at the waist flattered her figure without hindering her movements. After wearing it once, she replaced most of her nightgowns with this one.
In the living room, Qingqing was helping her pack her luggage. Su Xian poured herself a glass of sparkling wine, yawned, and walked over.
"Sister Xiaoxian, this suitcase contains things I cleared out that I won't need on vacation." Qingqing pointed to the suitcase at her feet. "Check if anything is missing."
Su Xian finished her drink in a few gulps, squatted down and casually flipped through her clothes. Most of her personal clothes were simple and comfortable styles, and she usually wore flat shoes when she went out. Qingqing had been with her for 4 years and knew her habits very well.
"That's about it. You can rest for a bit after you're done here." Su Xian walked to the ice bucket and reached out to pour another glass.
Bai Lin quickly pressed down on the bottle, saying, "When are you going to get rid of your drinking habit?"
Su Xian put her wine glass on the table, took out a new champagne glass, filled it, and held it out to Bai Lin, "Sister Lin, today is worth celebrating."
Bai Lin took the wine, and Su Xian poured another glass and handed it to Qingqing, "To celebrate the successful completion of today's show."
Su Xian clinked glasses with Qing Qing, sat on the sofa, and raised her glass to Bai Lin. However, this time, to avoid Bai Lin nagging her, Su Xian did not finish her glass in one go.
“If I remember correctly, you already celebrated with white wine at dinner.” She sat down next to Su Xuan. “Do you want me to tell you again about the dangers of alcohol?”
"Sister Lin, I didn't drink much," Su Xian said helplessly.
"Qingqing said that when you were filming 'Dark Tide,' you had to drink a glass every night."
"That snitch," Su Xian glanced at the corner, and Qingqing grinned silently.
"That's because the role is a bit depressing," Su Xuan explained. "I haven't had any drinks lately, and I only had one drink. I can control myself."
Bai Lin sighed and took the wine glass from Su Xian's hand. "Drinking is bad for your skin, not to mention the damage it does to your body and brain. What if you can't quit once you get used to it?"
Bai Lin held her hand. "Xiao Xuan, I'm almost 20 years older than you. When I learned about your family situation and persuaded you to become an actress, I told myself that I had to take good care of you. For the past six years, I've always treated you like a daughter, so it's my responsibility to take good care of you."
Sister Lin's hair was recently dyed chestnut brown, which covered the newly grown gray hairs. Actually, she's not even 50 years old yet. Su Xian lowered her head. Unlike her thin hands, Bai Lin's hands were fleshy, soft, and very comfortable, just like when her mother held her hand when she was a child.
Bai Lin supported her all the way, accompanying her from a clueless student entering the industry to a well-respected actress and a capable female star. She didn't like socializing, and Bai Lin was always the one to step in and shield her from a lot of trouble. She had seen artists being dragged to dinner parties by their agents. It was Bai Lin who allowed her to be a pure actress.
Su Xian gently hugged Bai Lin, "Thank you, Sister Lin."
Bai Lin patted her back. Su Xian blinked, hiding the tears welling up in her eyes, and deliberately asked, "Can I continue drinking now?"
Bai Lin tapped her forehead with her index finger. "Drink up, drink up, but this is the last one." She picked up her phone. "I haven't seen the feedback on your look today."
Su Xian didn't care much about these things. She leaned back on the sofa with her wine glass in hand, listening absentmindedly to Bai Lin and Qingqing discussing the online reviews. The sparkling wine was cool and sweet; for her, it was just a pleasant drink, far from being an addiction.
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