Chapter 106 Male Virtue
Having just received her marriage certificate, Xia Mian hasn't even had a single day of leisure before she immediately switched into busy mode, losing weight, learning acting, and running around for work.
At first, he felt it was tough. As a pampered young master, he couldn't sleep in, drive, or go shopping. It was really torturous.
But after a few days, he got used to it and gradually felt that this was the life trajectory an artist should have. Being busy meant he was on the rise; if he was idle, he could only stay at home doing nothing!
Soon it was the day before the gala. Because he was going to appear late, and the temperature had dropped sharply recently, with frost on the road surface in the mornings and evenings, Zhao Wei decided to let him stay in Tongshan for a day for the safety of the artist.
Xia Mian, who adheres to traditional male virtues, would inform her "plastic" husband before staying out overnight. After all, the wedding hadn't taken place yet; they were missing a ceremony. What if Zhou Pingchuan caught them in the act and turned their marriage certificate into a divorce certificate?
"Third Master," he diligently fulfilled his duty to inform during the meal, "I'm going to a party tomorrow night, and it'll end too late for me to come back."
"That stall from the same mountain?"
Xia Mian was stunned: "Yes. How did you know?"
After the words were out of her mouth, Xia Mian realized that the question was completely unnecessary. Zhou Pingchuan had close personal relationships with provincial and municipal leaders, and he might have overheard them chatting with various leaders at city-sponsored parties.
Zhou Pingchuan didn't answer, only saying, "I'll have Yu Heng arrange the same hot spring hotel as last time."
Xia Mian had no objections. Although the actors' travel expenses came from the company's account, the money would eventually come from his share of the profits.
Moreover, he really liked the hotel's private hot spring.
Thanks.
The gala will have two rehearsals: one without makeup, mainly to test the audio equipment; and one with makeup, to check the lighting and stage design, as well as the stage movement.
Xia Mian got up early, took a nap in the car, and when she opened her eyes again, she was already in the Tongshan TV station parking lot.
The staff member in charge of reception led him backstage: "Teacher Xia, the first rehearsal will start in half an hour. You can rest in the dressing room first."
Chestnut looked back and said, "There are only public dressing rooms, no private ones. It's so messy, how are we supposed to rest? Besides, my artist brings a lot of clothes and jewelry, and there's not enough space on the dressing table."
"I'm sorry, everyone, our station is too small; we only have a few individual dressing rooms. How about I find you a corner dressing table? It's spacious enough to hold your things. Then I'll ask the station to approve a small safe..."
“No need, it’s fine,” Xia Mian interrupted her, “Let’s leave it at that.”
His father's company divides its employees into ordinary employees, team leaders, department heads, and so on. The entertainment industry is the same, allocating various resources according to the size of one's status. To put it bluntly, it's all about treating people differently based on their status.
Tongshan TV station is indeed small in scale, and the limited number of single dressing rooms should naturally be reserved for guests of greater caliber. There is no need to make things difficult for a staff member.
The little girl thanked them repeatedly with gratitude, and then, as if she had seen a great gift, she suddenly became very excited.
"What happened?" someone asked from behind.
Xia Mian turned around and saw Chang Yi. His surprise was no less than that of the staff: "You're here too, bro! What a coincidence! It's nothing, we were just talking about the dressing room."
Having attended countless music festivals and parties, big and small, Chang Yi immediately understood what was going on: "Let's share a dressing room."
Xia Mian wasn't the type to force herself to endure hardship, so she immediately gestured to Chestnut and Big Yellow to grab the things: "It's good to have connections, let's go."
The director of the gala sent over the program list, and Chang Yi's name was prominently displayed in the finale section, so of course a private dressing room had to be prepared for him.
Moreover, it's the largest room in the station, with two dressing tables back to back, just enough to accommodate two artists getting their makeup done at the same time.
When Chang Yi brought the person in, his assistant found it quite strange. Chang Yi was a quiet person and preferred to rest by himself, or choreograph dances or write songs, rather than chat with his colleagues.
This was the first time he had ever brought someone into the dressing room.
The styling team members, however, were quite excited: "Oh my, our little rose is here!"
"Long time no see! Give us some more chicken drumsticks!"
Last time, in order to attend a charity gala with Zhou Pingchuan, Xia Mian borrowed clothes from Chang Yi, and everyone worked together to help him with his styling. The fact that "Wild Rose" became a hit is largely due to their efforts.
“Absolutely. I’ll cover both lunch and dinner for everyone today. Chestnut, and we can all have coffee together.” Xia Mian was very generous.
"Oh ho ho~" The dressing room was filled with noise.
"Why bother with them? They'll just make a fuss," Chang Yi said in a low voice, turning his head to the side.
Xia Mian smiled and said, "I should have invited them a long time ago. Besides, I still owe you a meal of 'Zaobocu' (a type of vinegar dish), and I remember it all."
To make her costume for the period drama easier, Xia Mian hasn't cut her hair recently. It's grown long, with bangs covering her eyebrows. She slept in the car with it a little frizzy, looking like a little dandelion—exceptionally cute.
Chang Yi raised her hand, wanting to pat his head. But remembering the overwhelming news about "sky-high dowries" a few days ago, she withdrew it.
"Okay, I'll wait for your dregs vinegar."
After exchanging greetings, the two artists went out for rehearsals, and their teams began working methodically. They ironed costumes, found accessories, and adjusted their styling plans based on the actual stage conditions.
One kilometer away from Tongshan TV Station, in a private room on the third floor of a teahouse, Secretary Liu gestured for the pipa player to stop, and said with a smile, "How's your married life, Pingchuan? Are you settling in?"
“No different from usual.” Zhou Pingchuan took a sip of tea, his expression completely calm.
"It's also my fault. I insisted on having Xia come to the party. Otherwise, you two could have had one more day of alone time."
During the time he played golf with Xia Mian, Secretary Liu remembered that his profession was that of an entertainer. So, upon learning that the city was going to hold a gala, he immediately contacted the central broadcasting station; otherwise, Xia Mian would definitely not have had the opportunity to participate.
Zhou Pingchuan knew, of course, that this was Liu's doing, and that Liu's apparent self-reproach was actually an attempt to curry favor with him. He put down his teacup and said, "Thank you for your kind words, Secretary."
"Haha, Pingchuan, you're too kind. This isn't flattery, it's making the most of Xia's good looks. She needs to be shown more often. Since you're here anyway, why don't you come with me to the party tonight? I've reserved a seat for you in the very center of the first row."
This gala is of great importance, with many leaders in attendance, including Secretary Liu, who holds the highest official position.
The leaders specifically requested to stay at a Kepler-owned hot spring hotel, and Zhou Pingchuan, who had a personal relationship with Secretary Liu, naturally had to accompany them.
"Alright."
"Let's go, play a couple of rounds of cards first, then we'll go in when the party's about to start. They're all terrible at cards, Pingchuan, what am I going to do without you...?"
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