Back at school, Cheng Che went to the college to apply for off-campus accommodation.
The process was simple: fill out a form, sign a waiver of liability, and the counselor glanced at it, didn't ask any further questions, and approved it directly.
"Take care of yourself." The counselor put the materials away. "Contact me anytime if you need anything."
"Good."
After leaving the office building, Cheng Che messaged his three roommates, inviting them to dinner that evening.
Wang Zheng replied instantly with "Godfather," Zhou Hao added a string of exclamation marks, and Li Yuan asked, "Where to eat?"
"You decide," Cheng Che replied, "You're a local."
Li Yuan thought for a moment and then sent his location.
"This is the most authentic Peking duck in old Capital City."
The four of them took a taxi to that restaurant that evening.
The shop is located in a hutong (alleyway), and although the storefront is small, it was packed with customers.
Li Yuan, familiar with the place, ordered the dishes: Peking duck, duck bone soup, shredded pork with sweet bean sauce, duck feet with mustard, and a few side dishes.
When the duck was served, its skin was golden yellow, glossy, and so thin that light could pass through it.
The chef sliced the pieces at the table and arranged them into petal shapes.
Wang Zheng picked up a piece, dipped it in white sugar, put it in his mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and then closed his eyes.
"This is what a duck should be," he said. "What were all those other things we ate before?"
Zhou Hao had already eaten three rolls, his mouth was stuffed full, and he couldn't speak, he could only nod.
Li Yuan laughed from the side, "Here, try this."
He pushed a bowl of grayish-green liquid in front of Cheng Che.
Cheng Che glanced down at it.
"Soy milk?"
"A specialty of old Capital City." Li Yuan said with a serious face, "Take a sip, and I guarantee you won't forget it."
"I won't drink."
Just one bite.
"I won't drink."
Li Yuan nudged him again, Cheng Che pushed the bowl directly in front of Zhou Hao.
Zhou Hao had just finished eating roast duck, and before he could even wipe his mouth, he saw what was in his bowl, picked it up curiously, and took a sip.
Then his face scrunched up.
"What is this?!" He covered his mouth, feeling like vomiting but too embarrassed to do so. "It tastes sour, and it smells like swill!"
Seeing his expression, Wang Zheng became interested and took a bite as well.
Then his expression was exactly the same as Zhou Hao's.
Li Yuan, standing to the side, laughed so hard he slapped the table.
"You two, one bowl each, don't waste any."
"I can't take it anymore, this thing is really no good."
"I'd rather drink Huoxiang Zhengqi Water (a traditional Chinese medicine)."
Cheng Che picked up a piece of roast duck, chewed it, and watched them fool around, his lips curving into a smile that never left his face.
Early the next morning.
tennis court.
Cheng Che stood behind the baseline, finished his last set of net volleys, and then put down his racket.
[ Net Grim Reaper Pack: Current progress 100000/100000. Completed!]
He opened the system panel. Only two tennis training packs remained.
[ Return of Serve Iron Wall Pack ] and [ Tactical Brain Pack ]
On the running side, the [ Interval Running Training Pack ] is also used up, leaving only the [ Sprint Running Training Pack ] and [ Technical Running Training Pack ].
Tennis rating: Professional Level 3.
Running level: Amateur Level 8.
He picked up the Never-Fading Tennis Ball from the ground and twirled it in his hand.
Once he completes everything, he will have finished his mission and be eligible to compete in international events!
Cheng Che added the attribute points to his stamina and felt a warm glow all over his body.
He already has 74 stamina points.
My phone rang.
He glanced at it; it was Qin Lie.
"The commercial shoot is today at 1 PM. Someone from Wilson will pick you up. The location is a tennis court in Yizhuang."
Cheng Che's spirits lifted.
It's finally here.
He hung up the phone, put away his racket, and went back to his newly rented apartment.
I took a shower, changed into clean clothes, and went out.
A black minivan was parked at the entrance.
Qin Lie was already in the car, sitting in the back seat with a briefcase next to him.
"Get in the car." Qin Lie waved to him. "You're the star today."
Cheng Che got in, and the car started.
After driving for an hour, we arrived in Yizhuang.
Wilson its deep pockets, booked a professional tennis court.
The area was fenced off, several cameras were set up at different angles, and lighting equipment was piled up nearby.
Staff members walked back and forth on the site, adjusting equipment and set design.
Qin Lie and Cheng Che got out of the car.
A middle-aged woman wearing a light gray vest approached, her smile professional.
"Mr. Cheng, Mr. Qin, welcome. I'm the on-site producer for today, my surname is Liu. You can take a break first, the makeup artist and photographer will be there shortly."
Cheng Che nodded.
The makeup artist, a woman in her early twenties, paused for a moment when she saw Cheng Che.
She applied a thin layer of foundation to Cheng Che, then stepped back to look at it, before stepping forward again to wipe it off.
"No need for makeup," she said. "With skin like yours, makeup would be superfluous."
Cheng Che smiled.
The photographer was a man in his forties, wearing a baseball cap and a light meter around his neck.
He had Cheng Che stand in the center of the area and took a few test shots first.
"A few more shots," the photographer said. "Move around freely, don't worry about the camera."
Cheng Che nodded.
The moment he stepped onto the field, the " Stars Surrounding the Moon " phenomenon quietly began to operate.
The atmosphere in the entire tennis court changed.
The staff who were adjusting the lights all looked up at the same time, the stagehand who was checking the reflectors stopped what he was doing, and a few assistants who were resting nearby whispered among themselves.
"Is this today's advertising star? He's so handsome!"
" Cheng Che, that's the top scorer in the college entrance Zhuangyuan, the one who plays tennis."
"He looks even better in person than in the videos."
The photographer raised his camera.
Then he discovered something.
Cheng Che didn't look for the camera.
He simply stood there, racket in hand, slightly turned to the side, his gaze fixed on the distance.
But every frame in the viewfinder is perfect.
He took two steps to the left, and the light shone directly on his face.
He bent down to adjust the handle of his racket, his profile sharply defined.
He looked up at the sky, his eyelashes casting a small shadow in the sunlight.
The photographer didn't need to give him any instructions.
"Don't move," the photographer said, a hint of disbelief in his voice. "Just leave it like this."
Cheng Che knew that this was the effect of [ Camera Language ].
The effect of this [ Camera Language ] was unexpectedly good, so let's strike while the iron is hot and do it again!
He silently recited it in his mind.
[ Boy of Many Styles ] is instantly activated.
He chose " Sunny Boy ".
His demeanor changed slightly.
A new brightness appeared in his eyes and brows, and a slight smile unconsciously appeared at the corners of his mouth.
Standing in the center of the tennis court, with sunlight streaming in from the side, he looked like a plant bathed in morning light.
Clean and clear.
It carries a sense of natural power.
"Great!" the photographer exclaimed, the shutter clicking rapidly. "Excellent, fantastic!"
After taking a few pictures, he put down the camera and stared at the viewfinder to review them.
He looked at it for a while, then looked up and said to the producer next to him, "Can I finish shooting a set of product photos today?"
The producer glanced at him. "What's wrong?"
"This person is so easy to photograph," the photographer said. "Every shot is usable. I've been shooting commercials for so many years, and this is the first time I haven't had to yell 'One more time!'"
The producer smiled and said, "Then shoot more."
She was happy that the filming could be completed in one morning.
Filming continues.
Cheng Che changed several outfits, including a sports vest and shorts, a long-sleeved training outfit, and a casual outfit.
Every outfit he wore looked tailor-made for him when he stood in front of the camera.
The photographer became more and more excited as he took more pictures.
He stopped giving instructions and simply followed Cheng Che's movements.
Cheng Che swung his racket, and he snapped the shot.
Cheng Che turned around, and he took several photos.
Cheng Che bent down to tie his shoelaces, then zoomed in with the camera and took a close-up shot.
"This one has to be published," the photographer muttered to himself. "This one absolutely has to be published."
Qin Lie stood on the sidelines, watching this scene, his mouth agape.
Manager Wang also arrived, stood to the side for a while, then turned to his assistant and said:
"Let's increase the promotion budget we discussed earlier by one tier. This ad is sure to be a huge hit."
When the shoot ended, the photographer handed the camera to his assistant and came over to shake hands with Cheng Che.
Have you ever filmed commercials before?
"I've filmed music videos."
"It's different." The photographer shook his head. "The way you feel in front of the camera is something many professional models can't do. In my twenty years of shooting, I've seen so many models that I can count on one hand the number of models who can make me not yell 'cut'."
Cheng Che smiled and said, "Thank you."
"I'll definitely ask you to shoot my next commercial."
Qin Lie chimed in from the side, "That'll cost extra."
The photographer and producer both laughed.
Cheng Che put the racket away and took a sip of water.
After filming wrapped, Cheng Che and Qin Lie got into their car and drove back.
As soon as the car entered the highway, Qin Lie's phone rang. He glanced down at it, then turned to Cheng Che and said, "The payment has arrived."
Cheng Che was taken aback. "So fast?"
" Wilson uses a corporate account; their finances are very efficient." Qin Lie turned his phone screen around. "The studio account, four and a half million. After deducting taxes, commissions, and other fees, this is the amount transferred to your personal account."
Cheng Che's heart skipped a beat as he looked at the numbers on the screen.
Four and a half million.
He recalled that just a few months ago, he was still hesitating about whether to buy a face wash that cost over a hundred yuan.
"OK."
He leaned back in his chair, appearing calm on the surface, but his fingers unconsciously clenched.
After returning to his residence, Cheng Che lay on a recliner in the courtyard, took out his phone, and transferred 100,000 yuan to Jiang Xue.
He transferred another 100,000 yuan to Cheng Jianguo.
The transfer note read, "Pocket money, spend it however you like."
Less than a minute later, the phone rang. It was Jiang Xue calling.
" Cheche." Jiang Xue's voice was tinged with laughter, "Why are you transferring money again? You spent so much on your dad's car last time, and the family shop is open, we're not short of money."
"The endorsement deal is done. We filmed the ad today. The money's in my account, and I've given you a share. Take it and spend it, don't be stingy."
"Okay, okay," Jiang Xue replied, "But don't just keep sending money to us, do you have enough for yourself? Prices are high in the Capital City, rent and food cost money."
"That's enough, more than enough."
"Your dad was right there, and he insisted on grabbing the phone."
The phone was snatched away, and Cheng Jianguo's voice came through. " Cheche, did you film the commercial? When can we watch it?"
"In a couple of days. Qin Lie said Wilson will be promoting it."
"Okay, okay." Cheng Jianguo said "okay" several times, his tone filled with barely suppressed pride. "I'll have your mother and I look for it on TV later."
Cheng Che lay on the recliner, looking at the old locust tree in the yard. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, falling like scattered gold on his arm.
"There will be more in the future," he said.
"Alright, alright." Jiang Xue snatched the phone back. "Don't spend money recklessly while you're out. Save your money carefully, don't get scammed. Eat well, don't skimp. And..."
"I understand, Mom."
"Let me finish!"
Cheng Che held his phone further away, listening to Jiang Xue's rambling on, a smile playing on his lips.
After hanging up the phone, he lay back in his chair, closed his eyes, and let out a long sigh.
The old locust tree in the yard rustled in the wind, and a few leaves swirled down, landing right on his face.
He removed the leaf, opened his eyes, and looked at the sky.
A melody suddenly flashed through my mind.
It was very light and short, like a thought that had not yet taken shape.
He hummed unconsciously, then paused for a moment afterward.
The melody didn't disappear.
It spun around in his mind, and around again.
Then some words surfaced, vague and indistinct, but definitely there.
Cheng Che sat up straight.
The inspiration he had been waiting for finally arrived!