Chapter 3
"Teacher Lin, once I become a big star, you will be my lifelong personal costume designer. I will realize my dream of becoming an actress, and you will fulfill your dream of becoming a designer. Wouldn't that be wonderful!"
“Sister, you should submit your resume to Beijing, and I will work hard to get into the Beijing Film Academy. That way, we can go to Beijing together and stay together forever.”
"Sister, there are only 132 days left until my college entrance exam, and there are also 132 days left until you become my official girlfriend. I'm even counting down the days in my dreams now. You must keep your promise when the time comes."
"But even if you don't admit it then, it doesn't matter. I'm going to stick to you and follow you around like glue. You can't escape me."
"Lin Ting, I know that in your friends' eyes, I'm still a high school student, a greenhorn, and can't give you much. I also know that there are many outstanding boys around your age who are more capable than me pursuing you, but that's okay. I'm confident because my heart for you is complete and passionate. I believe you can see it and feel it."
"Give me some more time, and I will become a man who can stand on his own, shelter you from the wind and rain, and be your support. Lin Ting, you must wait for me."
......
Gradually, a thin mist clouded Lin Ting's eyes.
“Chen Zhiyi’s age and style of dress match our brand positioning, and he is fresh and generates a lot of buzz. I approve of choosing him as our spokesperson. What do the others think?” Zhang Xiao looked at everyone with a determined look in her eyes.
"I think so too." Everyone nodded in agreement.
"How about we raise our hands to indicate our approval? If more than half of the people raise their hands, I'll consider the plan approved." Su Ying said, raising her hand as she spoke, and the others followed suit.
"Lin Ting, why aren't you raising your hand? What are you daydreaming about!" Song Xiaolei patted Lin Ting's shoulder but got no response, so she had to raise her hand herself.
"It seems it's a unanimous vote, so we've decided on Chen Zhiyi. Let's give a round of applause to show our approval!" A thunderous round of applause erupted.
The applause brought Lin Ting back to reality.
It passed unanimously.
He is about to become the spokesperson for his own brand.
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Not every couple who have been separated for many years has the courage to meet again. Upon closer reflection, Lin Ting and Chen Zhiyi are not even officially a couple.
In what capacity should they meet again? As a lingering lover? No way. She was the one who broke her promise, she was the one who disappeared without a word, she was the one who completely severed ties. How could he possibly still remember her? A coward who abandoned him.
Back in her seat, Lin Ting sat for a long time without turning on her computer, only writing two lines of poetry in her notebook on the table.
"The grass in the courtyard is still green, but I don't know where the shimmering light comes from."
The first time Lin Ting heard the name Chen Zhiyi, she guessed its origin. The dazzling brilliance he possessed was innate and never came from anywhere.
Coming to her senses, Lin Ting turned on her computer and typed in "Chen Zhiyi". This was the first time she had entered his name into a search engine, but she knew all the information that popped up.
Graduated from Beijing Film Academy, the most prestigious film academy in China;
She burst onto the scene at the age of 21, becoming an instant sensation with "Secretly in Love with You," sweeping the Best Newcomer Awards at major film festivals that year.
At the age of 22, he won the Golden Bull Award for Best Actor, becoming the youngest actor to win the Best Actor award in history.
In just four years since entering the industry, he has accumulated over 10 billion yuan in box office revenue, ranking third on the list of male actors with the highest box office revenue.
Lin Ting knew that his acting career was going smoothly and that he was realizing his dreams step by step.
Lin Ting always remembered his dream, but did Chen Zhiyi still remember hers?
Well, it's good enough if one of the two of them can realize their dream. If they could do it all over again, Lin Ting would still prefer that the opportunity to realize his dream be his.
After all, he was such a good person; he was the best Lin Ting had ever met, and also the best guy to her.
Two days later, we received news that Chen Zhiyi had agreed to the collaboration and had cleared his schedule for the 22nd of this month to film the winter promotional video.
Su Ying repeatedly instructed, "There are only 10 days left until the 22nd. We must prepare the sample garments for the main winter collection, and each sample garment must be made brand new according to Chen Zhiyi's size. Everyone must keep a close eye on this during this period. If we don't have the sample garments, everything will be a disaster. One day in advance, on the 21st, Zhang Xiao will lead the team to the filming location. Each department will send a designer to assist with the filming to ensure everything goes smoothly. Because Chen Zhiyi's schedule is too full, we need to set up a temporary studio at a hotel near his current filming location for him to shoot. Anyone who wants to go, raise your hand and sign up!"
As expected, the allure of a handsome man is fatal. It turns out that Su Ying always gave them a hard task before they reluctantly agreed to the filming. But now, the female colleagues are all volunteering like crazy, completely forgetting the hardship of working all night.
What others considered a cushy job was something Lin Ting would avoid at all costs. She knew that if she went, she would inevitably have to meet Chen Zhiyi, and just imagining that scene made her feel suffocated.
So while everyone else was rushing to sign up, she kept her head down and remained invisible.
"Lin Ting, you should go in place of your master this time."
Lin Ting immediately looked at Lu Fan, her expression tense: "Master, I won't go this time. I have something important to do at the end of the month. I promise I will take the initiative to go for filming in the future, but can you please not arrange for me this time?"
Lu Fan: "You live alone in Haishi, what important things could you possibly have to do? Besides, you're not happy to see celebrities? Look, other groups are all vying for spots, and I gave them to you directly. How can you not give your master face?"
"No, no, it's because..." Lin Ting hurriedly explained when he saw the troubled look on his master's face, but was interrupted before he could finish.
Lu Fan said earnestly, "You know that your master has been busy with blind dates lately. I just checked the date, and there happens to be a blind date on the day of filming. What if we hit it off? If I miss it, wouldn't that ruin my good marriage? I'm almost 35, and I also want to settle down and start a family."
This seems like a serious offense, but after dozens of blind dates, are you sure missing out on true love will mean missing out on this one? These are all just excuses.
Lu Fan sighed, "I know you feel wronged, like you're the one who does all the dirty and hard work in our group."
Lin Ting quickly explained, "Master, I never thought that way."
Lu Fan: "But think about it yourself. Haven't I always given you the lion's share of the bonuses? Haven't I always strongly recommended you for year-end performance reviews and raises? Now that your mentor needs your help, how can you refuse?"
That's true. Lu Fan may seem carefree, but he's actually quite thoughtful. He knows that it's not easy for Lin Ting to make a living in Hai City on his own. He himself has no worries about food and clothing, and he's a long-time resident of Hai City. He's received several houses as compensation for his land expropriation, and he already has everything he could want in his life. So, he often puts Lin Ting on the sidelines at important occasions, so that higher-ups can see his apprentice's excellence.
Some people couldn't stand it, but Lu Fan didn't care. What was there to dislike? His disciple was excellent, which meant that the person who trained him was also excellent.
Playing the emotional card was a ruthless tactic, leaving Lin Ting speechless and only able to nod, "Okay!"
"Anyway, my master is going on maternity leave at the end of the month and definitely can't go. Lin Ting, let's go together. Maybe we'll even have a romantic encounter." Song Xiaolei's eyes were full of anticipation for this filming.
"A romantic encounter? I think our Lin Ting has a better chance of having one," Lu Fan joked.
“Master Lu, what do you mean by this? Lin Ting is just a little bit better looking.” Song Xiaolei was displeased.
Are you sure it's only a little?
"Lin Ting, your master is bullying people."
Lin Ting is beautiful, with a cool and aloof appearance. She is tall and slender, and her skin is so fair it glows. Even in a fashion group full of beauties, she would not be inferior.
But he is too low-key, and his clothing style is all plain colors. He doesn't like to wear makeup and always hides in a corner, shrinking into a shadow.
The only time she attracted everyone's attention was when she was accidentally photographed by a photographer at the annual meeting and the image was projected onto the big screen. That day, Song Xiaolei insisted on doing her makeup. Her makeup was fresh and delicate, her eyebrows were like smoke, her eyes were bright and sparkling, and her blush and lip color complemented each other perfectly. Even Song Xiaolei was amazed that she was definitely a beauty in the making. In addition, when she was photographed, she looked frightened, her red lips were slightly open, and her eyes were wide open, like a frightened little deer, which made her very endearing.
Only then did everyone realize that there was such a beauty in the company. Later, several boys took the initiative to show their affection for Lin Ting, but in the end, they were all deterred by her bland and boring personality.
"Alright, Xiaolei, we're going to work, where would we find the time to relax? Besides, the security for celebrities is very strict. Even if it's just for filming a promotional video for our brand, we probably won't be able to get close to the set," Lin Ting comforted her.
"Couldn't it be one of Chen Zhiyi's staff members? Birds of a feather flock together. I've heard that the teams behind these celebrities are all handsome men and beautiful women. This is a fantastic opportunity." Song Xiaolei continued to daydream.
"Should I record this and send it to the newest 181cm tall guy in your group?" Lin Ting seized on Song Xiaolei's Achilles' heel.
"Goodbye!" Song Xiaolei immediately sat down and began to work seriously.
The 181cm tall younger brother is Song Xiaolei's new boyfriend, a fitness instructor she met at the gym, and the two are getting along very well. Lin Ting has lost count of how many boyfriends she's had, but she doesn't think Song Xiaolei is frivolous. Although she's had many relationships, each one has a beginning and an end. Love is about coming together when it works and parting ways when it doesn't. There's no cheating or third-party interference, and she has a clear conscience.
Self-discipline and adherence to propriety are both attitudes towards life, as is enjoying life to the fullest.
As expected, some were happy while others were worried. Lin Ting was uneasy, feeling that the filming would not go smoothly and that some uncontrollable things might happen.
Soon, the 22nd arrived amidst a flurry of activity and trepidation. A group of people, carrying several large boxes of coordinated outfits, headed to the filming location.
Lin Ting was preoccupied throughout the journey, showing none of the excitement others felt when meeting a celebrity. She was constantly thinking about how to hide herself on set; she didn't want Chen Zhiyi to see her or even recognize her.
Feigning illness? Impossible. Given the "workaholic" spirit passed down through the M Group, the leaders would definitely require themselves to finish their work even if they were on their last breath before going to the hospital to prolong their lives.
Hiding on the film set? That's unrealistic. How big can a film set be to hide a grown person?
Disguise yourself? That's too naive. Calling your name would immediately expose your disguise. Besides, how can you disguise yourself? Dress as a man, or make yourself ugly or old? Wouldn't that attract even more attention?
Amidst their anxieties and uncertainty, the group arrived at the hotel where Chen Zhiyi was staying.
"Everyone, hurry up and drag your suitcases to the shooting location, then hang the clothes on the gantry according to the styling pictures. Chen Zhiyi is expected to arrive at the shooting location at 8 pm, so we have two hours to prepare. It's still very tense, so please hurry up!" Zhang Xiao shouted and directed from the side of the bus.
Lin Ting and Song Xiaolei carried the box off the bus together and then pushed it to the filming location. Song Xiaolei kept glancing at Zhang Xiao with her eyes, pouting and muttering, "It's so nice to be a leader. All she has to do is talk. What's with all this 'hurry up'? Why doesn't she lift it herself and see how heavy it is? It's easy for her to talk when she's not the one suffering."
Lin Ting gently rubbed Song Xiaolei's right cheek to soothe her, "Alright, stop grumbling. Who told her to be the boss? Hurry up and move them, there are still several boxes left!"
After all the boxes were moved into the studio, some people picked up clothes hangers to hang up their clothes, some used steam irons to iron their clothes, and others cooperated with the photographer to adjust the lighting and set up the shooting background. There was no time to catch their breath at all.
Before they knew it, it was almost 8 PM. All the preparations were complete, and they were just waiting for Chen Zhiyi to arrive. Song Xiaolei was checking the outfits one last time with the outfit sketches she had prepared, while Lin Ting was getting increasingly flustered and even made several mistakes in matching her outfits.
"Lin Ting, these jeans are for the baseball jacket, why did you wear them with a suit jacket? And why did you hang this shirt on the rack without ironing it? What's going on? You never make these kinds of silly mistakes," Song Xiaolei said, patting her shoulder with a puzzled look.
Lin Ting was startled by the sudden slap, and her whole body trembled violently. She quickly took the clothes that had been misplaced off the rack, repeatedly saying, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'll fix them right away."
Seeing her flustered expression, Xiao Lei leaned on the gantry and teased her with a smile, "Are you excited and nervous about meeting the handsome guy later?"
Lin Ting: "No, I'm just a little dizzy. I've been working overtime and staying up late for the past few days, and I had such a long car ride today. You know I get carsick, right?"
Only then did Song Xiaolei notice that Lin Ting's face was pale. "Why don't you go back and rest? I'll take care of the rest of the clothes!"
"It's nothing, I'm just a little dizzy. I'm going to the restroom to wash my face and clear my head." Lin Ting handed the clothes in her hand to Song Xiaolei and walked towards the restroom.
Lin Ting stood in front of the sink, looking at herself in the mirror. Right now, she was as bland and unremarkable as a glass of plain water. If she were living a glamorous life, she could pretend nothing had happened if they unexpectedly met again. She could even take the initiative to walk up to them and say with a smile, "Long time no see."
But his life now is so ordinary that it's almost pathetic compared to Chen Zhiyi's dazzling life today.
Lin Ting is not afraid of hardship, fatigue, or poverty, but her upbringing and strong self-esteem make her unable to accept that people she knows or cares about can see her vulnerability and predicament. She is a stubborn person to the core.
How to avoid it? This was the biggest problem facing Lin Ting at that moment.
Suddenly, the coughing of the girl washing her hands next to her gave her an idea.
"Why are you wearing a mask after just going to the restroom? Are you really not feeling well? Do you have a cold or fever?" Song Xiaolei looked at her with some concern and then reached out to touch her forehead with the back of her hand.
"Yeah, I guess I've been too tired lately and feel a bit unwell. Chen Zhiyi will be here soon, and I don't want to infect the big star, so I'm wearing a mask to cover it up." After saying that, Lin Ting pretended to cough.
"Okay, that's quite thoughtful. Let's finish the rest of the clothes quickly. Zhang Xiao just contacted them and said that Chen Zhiyi is on his way."
"good."
Just as everyone was silently making final preparations, a scream shattered the silence.
"They're here! They're here! The big star is here!"
"Quickly, everyone stand at the door!" Zhang Xiao waved to everyone.
Everyone dropped what they were doing and rushed to the door. Song Xiaolei even threw the clothes she hadn't finished ironing onto the box and ran over, afraid of missing the chance to admire his stunning beauty.
Lin Ting felt as if she were frozen next to the gantry, unable to move an inch. Everything around her seemed to have solidified, and she could only hear her own heavy breathing.
How long has it been since we last saw Chen Zhiyi? Five years? To be precise, it's been four years, seven months, and nineteen days—that's a very clear figure.
"Hello, I am Chen Zhiyi. I am very happy to have this opportunity to cooperate with you."
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