Qin Jian didn't say whether it was voluntary or not, only that "the young master gave me an extra 20,000 yuan a month."
With that extra 20,000, he'd accept being scolded by Chi Li every day.
"Hmm..." Chi Li nodded thoughtfully, then asked the question that mattered most to her, "So, are you Shen Xunye's person now, or mine?"
Although he's used to cameras everywhere, that doesn't mean he'd like his assistant, who's a human cameraman constantly reporting his every move to others.
"Of course I'm your man." Qin Jian answered without hesitation. "Miss Shen Wei specifically instructed that, apart from normal work handovers, I don't need to take orders from anyone other than you."
"... Okay." Chi Li nodded. "Then I'll have to trouble you from now on."
Qin Jian: "It's what I should do."
Chi Li's main activity today is a photoshoot for the magazine "Wander".
Wander is a second-tier women's magazine in China, which is a great fashion resource for newcomers.
The theme of this photoshoot is 'snowy'.
With winter approaching, this is an obvious theme.
Wander held numerous internal meetings, nominating one candidate after another, only to reject them one by one.
No one could find the beauty the editor-in-chief described. "Snow falling on the skin is not cold but clear, not white but translucent, not distant but fragile and melting at the touch."
Until someone mentioned the recently popular new traffic.
The fashion industry has always had an ambiguous attitude towards online traffic, wanting to use it to expand its market and increase brand awareness, while also feeling that it lowers the overall quality of fashion.
The editor-in-chief of Wander doesn't discriminate based on popularity; she only cares whether the person can perfectly present the theme she has set.
After observing Chi Li for three days, she extended a formal invitation.
Now--
Chi Li was wearing a floor-length robe trimmed with pure white fox fur, standing in the center of the filming location.
The silver threads and subtle patterns shimmered faintly under the light, while the waist sash was an extremely pale moon white, embroidered with subtle ice crack patterns.
The white of a fox fur coat is rich and thick, like snow that has accumulated for thousands of years. But his white is a different kind of white, a breathing white that comes from within the skin and carries body warmth.
The photographer had been silent behind the viewfinder for almost two minutes.
Chi Li did not look at the camera.
The light shone down from the side and above, simulating the thin sunlight of winter, filtering through his hair, each strand edged with a faint silver.
Artificial ice crystals settled on his hair, like lingering debris on the eaves after a snowfall, ready to melt at any moment.
"... I never imagined I could have so much fun filming this."
The photographer muttered to himself, repeatedly pressing the shutter button.
In the past, he had to constantly adjust the angle to barely take a photo that satisfied him, but now... he wants to keep almost every single one intact.
When Chi Li isn't smiling, his face is cold, like the snow that never melts on a mountaintop.
When she smiles, her cool demeanor reveals a warmth, like sunlight shining on snow.
Everyone present understood the editor-in-chief's choice.
This is not just 'snowy', it's 'absolutely stunning'.
The filming went smoothly.
But after shooting all five outfits, it was already very late. Adding the interview time, Chi Li returned to the Raising House at 9:50 pm, with only ten minutes left before the live broadcast ended.
At this point, the members should usually spread out in unison to interact with their individual live stream viewers.
But today, they are still gathered on the first floor, seemingly... to see Chen Hao off.
[My wife is home QAQ!]
My wife has been getting busier and busier with work lately. [Feeling wronged] I haven't seen her all day today.
[Wife, you must be exhausted! Let me bring you tea, water, and a foot bath! [Fawning]]
[Drooling] My wife goes on business trips so she can show us more new images... Actually, I'm quite looking forward to it, hehe.]
[Being popular really does have a positive effect; my wife looks like a superstar just standing there.]
[Wife, you smell so good... [Enraptured]]
[That jerk Chen Hao, nobody wanted to throw him a farewell party, but he organized it himself. [Disdain]]
If you were in someone else's personal channel and heard what they were saying right now, you'd only despise them more. [laughing and crying emoji]
As Chi Li approached, Chen Hao, his face flushed from drinking, slammed his fist on the table, indignant at the injustice done to him and berated the audience as a mob.
He's no different from a middle-aged man who loves to boast and discuss world affairs at a drinking party.
Jiang Lele quickly stood up and whispered in Chi Li's ear, "There were a lot of posts mocking him online yesterday, so he's trying his best to salvage his image today."
Chi Li asked with her eyes--
You call this salvaging your image? It'll only get you ridiculed even more!
Jiang Lele continued to explain in a low voice, "She's showing her true colors after drinking; she was pretending quite well before."
Chi Li nodded slightly to indicate that she understood. "Okay... then you can continue."
After saying that, he turned around and went upstairs.
After Chen Hao finished speaking, he picked up the wine bottle and poured wine into a glass.
Catching a glimpse of Chi Li's back out of the corner of her eye, she immediately stood up abruptly as if struck by a jolt, shouting, " Chi Li!!!"
Chi Li turned around naturally. "Hmm?"
"You!" Chen Hao threw the wine aside, jabbed his finger out, stood up, and staggered towards Chi Li. "You're awful!"
"So?" Chi Li didn't correct him, but asked in return.
Wei Xuan rushed over to support Chen Hao and quickly tried to dissuade him, saying, "You've had too much to drink. You should talk less and go back to rest for a while."
Fortunately, Chen Hao doesn't strictly belong to the Chinese entertainment industry; otherwise, his dissing of the audience alone would have been enough to force him to retire from the industry.
Chen Hao flailed his arms wildly, breaking free from Wei Xuan's support. He staggered two steps and fell in front of Chi Li.
"You—" She pointed her finger forward again, spitting as she said, "You, you're just a little prettier?! And, plus, a little luckier? You, you, in front of me... hiccup... what, what's with all the arrogance?"
Chi Li subtly took a step back, her tone indifferent. "... So all you can do is speak a few words of Mandarin? What are you pretending to be in front of me for?"
[My wife's mouth is still going strong... [starry-eyed]]
[Share music - Full Firepower ]
My wife never suffers a verbal loss. [Nosebleed]
[So drunk, I doubt Chen Hao could even understand what Chi Li was saying. [laughing and crying emoji]]
Chen Hao wasn't that he didn't understand; he simply wasn't listening at all.
After letting out two more burps, he continued, "And, and another thing! As a man, you, you're creating hype with another man, and you're dating another man, you... aren't you disgusted?"
Jiang Lele was so angry at those two sentences that her face contorted in anger. She rushed forward and stood between the two of them. "What's it to you?!"