Chapter 77 "Kissing you is more like it."
The moment Xu Shaoting finished speaking, an eerie silence fell over the office.
Even Lin Youzhe, who is usually calm and collected, pushed up his glasses in disbelief.
What did they just hear?
How to propose/marry?
Xie Yun's mind raced, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Chairman Xu, you mean..."
"A marriage proposal." Xu Shaoting turned around, his brows furrowed in thought. "What kind of scene would make a girl's heart flutter?"
Yuan Qihua: "Well...it varies from person to person. Some people like grand and solemn occasions, witnessed by family and friends, while others prefer private and intimate settings, just for the two of them."
“Go on.”
“Perhaps the most important thing is not the form, but the sincerity,” Yuan Qihua, a strategist, said. “You have to let the other party feel your true feelings.”
Xu Shaoting nodded, then turned his gaze to Xie Yun, "And you, what are your thoughts?"
Xie Yun suddenly realized: "I think surprises are more important! Like when she doesn't expect it at all, and suddenly makes a promise. Women like that."
Xu Shaoting lowered his eyes, a rare hesitation on his face. "What if," he paused, "what if she's not ready yet?"
"Then... let's wait a little longer?" Xie Yun said tentatively. "The important thing is that things will fall into place naturally."
"I can't wait."
Silence fell in the office again. Xie Yun and Yuan Qihua exchanged a glance.
He has never been such an indecisive person.
Xu Shaoting remained silent for a long time before asking Xie Yun, "How did you propose to me back then?"
Xie Yun stammered, a little embarrassed, "I didn't propose..."
"Didn't he propose?"
Xu Shaoting couldn't understand it. In his life philosophy, marriage was a sacred promise, and a marriage proposal was a crowning of the relationship, which could not be taken lightly.
"...My wife and I met through a blind date."
Xu Shaoting hesitated for a moment, then turned to Yuan Qihua, "And you?"
"I...I proposed at home."
Xu Shaoting rubbed his temples, thinking, "What a waste of time. It's completely useless."
One didn't propose, and the other just had a hasty ceremony at home. Both methods seemed too casual and lacked seriousness to him.
He couldn't possibly put his heart into her.
He wanted to give her the best of the world.
No, she deserves the best in the world.
Finally, he waved his hand gently: "Go out."
-
Xu Shaoting should thank Yu Jianshan for choosing Linzhou as the first filming location for the crew, so that he could visit the set frequently.
That day, he left the company, originally intending to return to the Xu residence, but changed his mind halfway and had Lin Youzhe drive to the film set instead.
When I arrived, it was exactly six o'clock, the time when we stopped work for dinner. The set was noisy, with the soft clatter of food boxes and the sounds of people moving around.
He glanced around the area but didn't see her in the filming area. Just then, the executive greeted him.
Where is she?
"Teacher Wen is resting in the RV."
Xu Shaoting walked towards the RV, pushed open the door and entered, only to find Yu Jianshan talking to her inside.
Yu Jianshan gestured with his chin at him, "You've come at the perfect time, I was just about to bring you up."
Xu Shaoting sat down next to Wen Jia. "What's wrong?"
Yu Jianshan cleared his throat. "When do you plan to... move to the next stage?"
Xu Shaoting remained remarkably calm, while the woman beside him nearly choked on her warm water. "It's too sudden... Director Yu."
"I'm serious."
"Why do you ask that?" Xu Shaoting looked at Yu Jianshan.
"The film was frozen because it was aiming for awards. If it's going to be an Oscar contender, our entire team will have to fly all over the world. I won't allow any personal reasons to cause any mistakes in the process."
Yu Jianshan knew Xu Shaoting all too well. A man like him, who would choose to publicly declare his fiancée's identity, was definitely not playing around. That's why he wanted to lay out all the potential risks before anything even started.
"Are you making plans yet?"
Xu Shaoting answered first, "Not yet."
Yu Jianshan raised his chin at Wen Jia, "You are the soul of this film, and your state directly affects the success or failure of the work." He turned his gaze to Xu Shaoting, "Your existence is its biggest variable. I'm not against you, on the contrary, I have high hopes for you. But the premise is that you have to pave the way, and don't let some... well, major life events disrupt the rhythm of the whole team halfway through."
Wen Jia understood these principles, but that wasn't her focus.
The only thing that made her hesitate was... trying to win an Oscar seemed too difficult.
"Are you aiming for an Oscar?" she asked again.
She admired Yu Jianshan's ambition.
It wasn't because she lacked confidence in the film; on the contrary, she was very confident.
She can confidently say that everyone in the main cast delivered a near-perfect performance in this film, even Song Yanlin, who was removed from the cast.
She can confidently say that the subject matter and theme of this film are good enough. It is about life and illness. Such themes, due to their profound universality, can always penetrate cultural barriers and touch the softest part of the hearts of international judges.
It wasn't that she lacked confidence in Yu Jianshan; after all, he was a regular at international film festivals, appearing as a guest more often than many directors had been nominated.
However, it has always been difficult for Chinese-language films to win Oscars, as cultural differences and the judging mechanism are invisible barriers.
Most importantly, the Oscars are like a party with its own little circle, and the judges are more accustomed to the Western way of storytelling. Chinese films are often seen as outsiders in their eyes, and are easily criticized due to cultural differences and political biases, making it especially difficult for them to win major awards.
Even when Chinese-language films occasionally manage to gain nominations with their stunning visual spectacle or universal humanistic themes—such as the whimsical martial arts world of *Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon* or the tragic epic of *Farewell My Concubine*—the invisible ceiling suddenly appears when it comes to the highest awards like Best Picture and Best Director. This isn't just a language issue, but a problem with the discourse system itself. No matter how moving the story, if the pacing and emotional expression don't align with their "grammar," it's like looking through frosted glass—you can see the light and shadow, but you can't feel the warmth.
Moreover, the Oscars have never been just an arena for art; they are also a battleground for cultural influence and industry politics. For a Chinese-language film to reach the top, it not only needs to win over the judges artistically, but also needs to invest huge sums in public relations, find strong partners for distribution in North America, and even need a bit of luck—to encounter a sufficiently open-minded jury in the right year.
"What? No confidence?" Just one glance was enough for Yu Jianshan to see right through her.
“It’s not a matter of confidence,” Wen Jia shook her head, “it’s about the barriers that Chinese-language films face when trying to win Oscars.”
Yu Jianshan chuckled. "I know it's difficult. It's precisely because it's difficult that it's worth doing. What we need to do this time is not to conform to their rules, but to use our own grammar to tell a story that they can't ignore and have to sit down and listen to carefully."
A cold wind blew into the RV, and Wen Jia got goosebumps all over. Amidst the shiver, she heard his firm voice again:
"I have absolute confidence."
-
The second script that Yu Jianshan and Su Jianyun collaborated on was less difficult than 'Frozen', and the overall screen time was less. In addition, the original cast had already developed a tacit understanding, and the progress was very impressive.
With the Spring Festival approaching, Team A worked at full speed to film the main characters' scenes. After filming for a little over a month, Wen Jia's major scenes were basically finished.
Whether reshoots are needed depends on Yu Jianshan's next orders.
During the time she was filming, besides the few commercials Zhang Linzhi arranged for her, there was also a pile of debts she had incurred due to scheduling conflicts. Furthermore, because she was filming, she was overwhelmed with work, and various PR firms were constantly pressuring her.
The first to be affected is VELRA.
On the day she left the set, at the wrap party, the Maybach arrived as promised. She deliberately went around to the side where he usually sat, and habitually bent down to get into the car. She thought she would be caught in a warm embrace, but unexpectedly, all that greeted her was the cold leather seat.
"Um…?"
She drank quite a bit at the wrap party, and remained silent for several seconds, puzzled.
Lin Youzhe smiled and turned to look at her. "Miss Wen, Chairman Xu is still in a meeting at the company. He instructed me to take you back to the manor first."
Wen Jia snorted. He didn't even come to pick her up in person. All he did was work, work, and meetings!
Before she could even process her disappointment, Ding Qianru called, asking her directly when she was leaving the group.
"Filming is finished." The socializing at the dinner table had exhausted all her energy, and she hadn't even seen Xu Shaoting. She was in low spirits and lay listlessly in the car.
"Do you have any free time before the new year? You're a global brand ambassador now, with tons of gigs coming up!!"
Does it have to be before the New Year?
"Try your best."
"Understood, I'll have my assistant arrange it as soon as possible."
Ding Qianru took out her phone and glanced at the date. "Why the rush? Just come over now!"
She desperately wanted to see her the next second.
“No, not today, it’s too late,” Wen Jia refused outright. “Besides, I have something more important to do today.”
Before Yu Kaiqing and Lin Youzhe in the front row could figure out what more important thing she had to do, they heard her order, "Go to Yunxi."
Lin Youzhe smiled knowingly at his boss and was about to report to Xu Shaoting via Bluetooth when she stopped him.
"Don't tell him, I'm going secretly."
“Okay, Miss Lü.” Lin Youzhe said seriously.
The car stopped in front of the Yunxi Building. Lin Youzhe had to take Yu Kaiqing back to her villa first. Wen Jia got out of the car alone and went to the front desk.
She was still fully armed, but this time she had her long hair tied up, wasn't wearing a hat, and her mask covered most of her face, leaving only her bright eyes visible.
The familiar line, repeated countless times, came out: "Hello, could you please call your Chairman Xu and say this is Lü..."
Before she could finish speaking, the receptionist rushed to greet her with a professional smile, "Okay, Ms. Lü, you don't need to register, you can go straight up."
This was instructed by Xu Shaoting: if this Miss Lü comes again, there's no need to call the insider; she can be let through directly.
"Come with me, I'll swipe the elevator button for you."
Thank you.
Using Miss Lü's name, she was naturally very guilty. To avoid being recognized, she stood with her back to the elevator door after entering, so she didn't see the moment the silver elevator doors were about to close, when the receptionist's professional fake smile instantly crumbled, replaced by barely suppressed surprise:
"Holy crap, is it really her? Wen Jia..." She ran back to the front desk, her voice urgent as she spoke to her colleague, "Did you see her?"
"I saw her! I saw her! She's so generous today. The last two times I came, I couldn't even see her clearly." Her colleague was even more excited than her. "That aura, that figure, that face, wow, no wonder Chairman Xu likes her, I like her too..."
At 7 p.m., many people were still on the night shift, and the top-floor office area was still brightly lit.
Fortunately, from the workstation, the door to the board's office was not directly visible. Wen Jia tiptoed down the corridor and quietly strolled inside.
As I reached the door, I could faintly hear a man's deep voice:
What style is better?
They were clearly on the phone, but it didn't seem like they were discussing business.
After a few seconds of silence, he spoke again to the person on the other end of the phone:
"Too ordinary, not worth considering."
After a few more seconds of silence, waiting for the person on the other end of the phone to finish speaking:
"Too cheap, not worth considering."
...
"Too tacky, not considering it."
...
"Pink is out of the question for now."
...
"I want the best. Let's not consider this one for now."
This time, after he finished speaking, he fell into a long silence, seemingly stumped by the question posed by the person on the other end of the phone.
After a long pause, he asked, "Is there any more subtle way?"
Wen Jia didn't hear clearly, only catching a series of "not considering". After waiting for a long time, until he hung up the phone completely, she curled her fingers and knocked on the door.
Inside, the man put away his phone, turned around by the window, looked at the door, and squinted.
She, a greenhorn, thought she was being very polite, but she obviously didn't know that no one in the entire company dared to knock so directly on the board's office door.
Normally, Lin Youzhe would handle things in front of everyone, and even if Lin Youzhe wasn't around, you still had to call the internal line first to confirm that he was available before you could come.
"Who is it?" His voice was businesslike and cold, as if he were dealing with a subordinate.
Wen Jia deliberately used a high-pitched voice, completely different from her usual tone, "Chairman Xu, there are some documents that need your signature."
The woman's seductive tone made the man inside frown, and his voice grew even colder.
"The document header and document number?"
"..."
Wen Jia bit her lower lip.
That's quite a vigilance.
"Chairman Xu, the document is sealed with tape, so I don't seem to have the authority to look at it."
"I'm giving you the right to see now."
"..."
Wen Jia stomped her feet outside.
She couldn't even recognize her voice; she was absolutely furious!
She shouldn't have come! She immediately prepared to leave, deciding not to go to the manor tonight, but to go back to her own villa!
"I misread it, Mr. Xu. This isn't for you. I'm sorry to bother you."
But before she could take two steps, she was stopped by the man's command:
"Stop." This time, his tone was no longer cold; it was more relaxed and composed.
"Leave the documents outside, bring the people in."
"..."
Before she could even process what those words meant, she heard footsteps inside, and then the solid wood door was opened.
With a soft cry, she was lifted up by Xu Shaoting and carried into the office. The door slammed shut with his toes.
The serious office instantly transformed into a warm and inviting space.
"How dare you?" He looked down at her. "Where are the documents?"
She reached out and hooked her arm around his neck. "It's me."
"You want me to sign you? Hmm?"
Her eyes, glistening with wine, shone exceptionally bright under the lamplight. She smiled with captivating charm and gave a deep, resonant "Mmm."
"You're more like a kisser."
Xu Shaoting lowered his head and kissed her, his tongue easily prying open her lips and teeth, sweeping over them, effortlessly absorbing her breath. "Drinking again?"
"I didn't drink much. Just one glass."
"Liar." He could tell from her dazed eyes that she had been drinking too much again.
"You only come when you're drunk?"
"Of course not."
What is that?
"A question you already know the answer to."
"I want you to say it to me yourself."
He placed her on the sofa, one hand bracing against the armrest, the other hand intertwining his fingers with hers, and leaned down to gaze tenderly at her.
Wen Jia's attention was completely focused on his impossibly perfect face, so she ignored the sensation in her hand—the man gently pinched her ring finger with two fingers, caressing it delicately, as if measuring something.
"Yes... I miss you."
He chuckled softly and gently pinched the bridge of her nose. "Why go to all this trouble? Wouldn't it be better to just go home and wait for me?"
"It's been over a month since we last met... I can't wait to see you. Do you miss me?"
"I really want to." He gently kissed her eyelashes. "You play by yourself for a while, I have some things to take care of."
"What's got you so busy?" Wen Jia's eyes darted around, belatedly realizing her suspicion. "Who were you talking to on the phone just now? A woman?"
"Xu Yishu. What are you thinking about? Still worried about the penalty for breach of contract?" He smiled with a refined lewdness, and said regretfully, "Miss Wen, that contract has already expired."
Wen Jia smiled slyly and deliberately remained silent.
Xu Shaoting took off his suit jacket and covered her with it. "If you're sleepy, take a nap first. I'll take you home when I'm done with my work."
Wen Jia refused, and took his finger, saying, "I want you to stay with me."
How could Xu Shaoting bear to refuse her? He pulled her into his arms again and sat down on the sofa. He smelled her faint fragrance and couldn't help but lower his head to kiss her.
He knew this office wasn't the place for such things. The space was too solemn and proper, not a place for debauchery.
But so what? He's made exceptions for her more than once or twice.
The room was warm enough that she was only wearing a thin knitted cardigan and a camisole, which she left open. Xu Shaoting had a good enough view to see everything.
His warm palm entered and played with it for a while.
"You're dressed like this at the wrap party too?" he asked subtly.
"Um...no, I have a coat."
"Then why are you taking it off now?"
"hot…"
"Um?"
His voice rose at the end, clearly dissatisfied with her answer, and the pressure on his hand gradually increased with each word.
She bit her lower lip and answered again, "Because I wanted to show it to you."
In fact, she really liked his possessiveness, a kind of almost disordered concern, which made her feel that he needed her.
It was the only unexpected event allowed to exist in his orderly world, and also the only one that could throw him into chaos.
Xu Shaoting sucked and massaged her for a while, and she accepted it all.
She suddenly snapped out of her daze and broke free from his kiss when she felt an increasingly terrifying heat and intensity somewhere.
"The office won't do...!" Her eyes were hazy, she wasn't really awake, but she still liked to say things that sounded like she was.
"No? Why not?"
"This is outrageous!"
"Nobody can control it."
“It’s simply…” Wen Jia tried her best to find the right words, “It’s simply an insult to culture.”
"Have we done far too few uncivilized things?"
"…………"
Xu Shaoting looked at her with a half-smile, then took a deep breath and stopped teasing her. "Alright, I won't do this kind of thing in the office."
He paused for a moment, waited until the fire was completely extinguished, patted her bottom, put her down, and walked straight to his desk.
He desperately needed some work to distract himself.
Wen Jia lay obediently on the sofa for a while, but did not close her eyes. Instead, she carefully observed his serious expression.
Whether she was captivated by him or genuinely sleepy, her blinking became slower and slower until she fell asleep.
The man sat at his desk, his gaze fixed on the computer screen, working diligently as always.
But in reality, he wasn't focused on his work at all; he was waiting for her to fall asleep.
Until he caught a glimpse of her quietly closing her eyes, he immediately sent a message to Lin Youzhe ordering:
"Bring me a measuring tape."
Lin Youzhe didn't have one. He huffed and puffed as he ran up and down three floors of office space before finally managing to borrow one and bring it over. When he entered, he saw Miss Wen fast asleep on the sofa. He seemed to understand something, and when he took another step, he became tiptoe, not daring to make a sound.
Xu Shaoting walked up to her, bent down, pursed his lips, and gently lifted her left hand.
To be honest, he had never done anything so subtle before, so he was extra careful, holding his breath, and gently wrapped the soft ruler around the base of her ring finger.
I checked the size three times before finally loosening it.
The values were too perfect, almost exactly as he had estimated, or even completely consistent.
Then he sent Xu Yishu a message:
"Got it."
Xu Yishu: ?
One second they're asking if there's a more subtle way, and the next second they've got it?!
Goodness, no wonder he's her older brother.
Wen Jia didn't know how long she had slept. When she woke up again, she saw that he was still in the same position as when she fell asleep.
His shirt sleeves were rolled up, revealing perfectly smooth lines in his forearms. He rested one hand on his chin, his deep eyes gazing intently at the screen.
She found lying there boring, so she got up and sat on his lap.
Feeling the sudden lightness and weight, Xu Shaoting put his arm around her waist, then naturally spread out her hand and examined it closely.
Perhaps hands also have bone structure and skin texture, just like her face, both are very perfect, with well-proportioned bones and flesh, slender and fair.
What are you looking at?
There were countless parts of her body that he could study, but he had never looked at her hands so intently before, which aroused her curiosity.
He lifted her hand and kissed it, unable to tear himself away, saying, "So beautiful."
Such beautiful hands deserve the world's most expensive diamonds.
An email came in, and the computer screen suddenly lit up. Wen Jia looked over.
The entire page is filled with English text, interspersed with a few pictures, all in a colorful and chaotic way.
But she couldn't see it clearly at all, because Xu Shaoting had already turned off the screen before she could.
"..."
She protested, "What is it that I can't see?"
"Trade secrets".
“Liar,” she scoffed, “Back in Switzerland, you let me look at all those documents laid out in front of me.”
Xu Shaoting smiled indulgently, shook his head, and didn't say anything more.
Of course, I can't show it to her.
After all, a surprise is no longer a surprise if it is revealed in advance.
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