Chu Yu is practically an adult now and has earned quite a bit of money. After the New Year's Eve dinner, he took out several red envelopes and gave one to each person.
Xiao Jiang held the bulging red envelope and shook it. In previous years, Deng Fangping would give him one or two cents, but this year it made no sound when he shook it; it looked like a banknote.
Xiao Jiang took out the red envelope, his eyes widening in disbelief. Chu Yu had actually given him five ten-yuan notes! Five ten-yuan notes were equivalent to two months' salary for an average person. Xiao Jiang had never seen so much money in his life, and suddenly he hesitated to take it.
"Sis, is it all for me? I've never seen 10 yuan before, I don't know how to spend it, I feel a little uneasy."
"You unlucky kid!" Shulan glared at him. "Look at you, so naive. You can't even spend 10 yuan? You only feel at ease when you get 10 or 20 cents?"
Shulan snatched his red envelope and gave him 20 cents to buy firecrackers. Xiao Jiang immediately felt at ease and ran away with a grin.
Everyone received a 50 yuan red envelope. Deng Fangping thought Chu Yu had given too much, but Shu Lan gave the same amount. Since the two families received the same amount, Deng Fangping didn't say anything.
This year has been incredibly good. Deng Fangping and Shu Hui have become millionaires thanks to their roujiamo (Chinese hamburger) shop. The furniture city's first phase has invested a million yuan. Although Shu Aiguo took out a loan from the bank, the interest rate is low, and Xibao is making money every day. The business is very stable.
Over the past six months, with Shu Lan's help, Shu Aiguo has paid off most of his bank loan.
They built a house in their hometown, bought a house in Deyang, and Shulan and Chuyu started a business together, opening a fabric store and a chain store. They made more money than they could ever want. Deng Fangping felt like she was dreaming.
She never imagined she could live such a good life!
When Chu Xiang asked about casting, Chu Yu wanted to select actors from the group of ordinary people in the "Searching for Emily" project, train them professionally, and feel more at ease using artists he had trained himself.
Chu Yu already has someone she likes. She plans to talk to these people next year, and if they are willing, she will take them to Beijing for training and filming.
"Have you chosen the actress to play the female lead as a child?"
After all, it was her own novel, and Chu Xiang was particularly curious. Chu Yu peeled off a piece of peanut candy. The female lead's childhood scenes were quite important. Chu Yu originally planned to go to Beijing to select child actors after the New Year. However, her eyes swept over Chu Chu and she paused for a moment.
When Chu Yu first arrived, Chu Chu was dark-skinned and thin, like an underdeveloped little boy.
She mentioned this to Deng Fangping, who then paid special attention to it, often stewing chicken soup for Chuchu to nourish her body, and also getting some vitamin and calcium tablets from the hospital. After a year of this care, Chuchu underwent a complete transformation.
Chu Chu's face has become fuller, her eyes are round, and her face is a perfect oval shape. She looks cute and pretty, with a touch of mischievousness.
What do you think of Chuchu?
Everyone was stunned for a moment. Shulan's eyes widened. "Chuchu? You mean you want Chuchu to act in a TV series?"
If this were decades from now, Chu Yu might not have much confidence. There are too many talented young actors in the future. How could an amateur like Chu Chu, who has no background, just jump on the role?
But this was in the 1980s, and nobody had any foundation. The country couldn't find many proper actors, there were few movies and TV series on the market, and the film and television industry had not yet taken off.
If we choose someone else to play the role, we'll have to train them from scratch. If we choose Chuchu to play the role, we'll also have to train her from scratch. So we might as well let Chuchu give it a try.
Chu Yu reiterated her previous statement: What's the point of making money? Why promote someone else's sister instead of her own? She spent money to make Chu Xiang's book a hit, turning Chu Xiang into a "genius female writer" in everyone's eyes. Why not give Chu Chu a helping hand?
Chu Xiang is a good student, but Chu Chu's studies are only so-so. Even with Chu Xiang tutoring her, and Chu Chu going to tutoring classes on weekends, she still lags behind in her class.
In colloquial terms, Chuchu can't sit still.
She wasn't very focused and didn't have much talent for studying. She preferred singing and dancing. Chu Yu thought that if she really had talent, she might as well try going to Beijing. After filming the TV series, she could continue to learn singing and dancing and go to film school in the future. Wouldn't that be a good way out?
There are many paths to Rome; there's no need to be trapped in studying.
“That’s right, I think Chu Chu is quite pretty, she could definitely give it a try. This is Chu Xiang’s first book, and I’m investing in the filming. Who gets cast is entirely up to me, so why not let Chu Chu be in it?”
Chu Chu blinked, a little dazed. "But I don't know how to film TV shows."
"I will hire a professional teacher to teach you, and I will also find someone to give you posture classes, and teach you to sing and dance."
Shu Hui also felt that Chu Chu wasn't cut out for studying. She was thinking that if Chu Chu didn't get into university, she could find a job at her sister's clothing factory, earn some money, enough for herself, and Shu Hui could buy her a house to live on, so she could live a good life.
Chu Yu offered another possibility.
"Sis, can I really be on TV?"
The child was very curious about appearing on television and found it incredible that a person could appear in this little box.
Chu Yu, as the investor, nodded confidently, "This drama was invested in by your older sister, and the book was written by your second older sister. I said you can do it, and you definitely can."
Chu Chu grinned, overjoyed.
"So I'll go to Beijing with you after the New Year? Do I need to make any preparations?"
Chu Chu's hair had grown longer, but it was a little frizzy. Chu Yu took out some imported hair care products and told her to take care of her hair. As for the styling, they would find someone to design it when they got to Beijing.
The thought of Chu Chu leaving Beijing made Shu Hui feel uneasy.
"Of the three children, two have left, and Chu Xiang will also be leaving next year, leaving Mom alone in Deyang."
Chu Yu remained silent for a moment before revealing her long-held thoughts.
"Mom, have you ever thought about coming to Beijing with us?"
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