Cheng Che smiled upon hearing this.
At least a quarterfinalist? He wants to win the championship.
However, it's normal for others to have such considerations.
The lineup for the Magic City Masters is too strong; fourteen of the world's top twenty players are here, and he is just a newcomer in their eyes.
No one knows his true skill level right now.
"I'll take it," he said to Qin Lie. "When will we film?"
"They have no other plans for the afternoon after tomorrow, so they've set it aside specifically for you. The shoot will take place in a studio in the city, Chen Man's team will be handling it personally."
Cheng Che nodded.
Two days later, in downtown Magic City, in a photography studio converted from an old factory.
When Cheng Che walked in, all sorts of equipment had already been set up in the shed.
Three large photography light stands were positioned high up, with reflectors adjusted to different angles.
The background cloth was changed three times: one was pure black, one was pure white, and one had a hand-painted dark gold texture.
A row of brushes and bottles were placed on the dressing table, and two rows of clothes hangers next to it, filled with clothes of various styles.
Chen Man stood behind the monitor, confirming the lighting parameters with her assistant.
She was in her forties, with short hair, wearing black-rimmed glasses and a simple black T-shirt.
When she saw Cheng Che come in, she looked up and sized him up.
"It looks even better than in the video," she couldn't help but praise.
Cheng Che nodded to her. "Hello, Teacher Chen."
Chen Man waved her hand, telling him to go do his makeup first.
The makeup artist was a woman in her early twenties. When she saw Cheng Che sit down, the foundation brush in her hand fell to the ground with a "thud".
She bent down to pick it up, her ears turning bright red, and her voice trembling slightly.
"Teacher Cheng Che, let me start by laying the foundation for you."
She held up the foundation brush in front of him, her hand trembling so much that the tip of the brush almost poked his face.
Another makeup assistant leaned over to take a look at Cheng Che's face, then covered her mouth and retreated to the back.
The two huddled together and whispered, one saying, "Her skin is amazing!" and the other saying, "Stop shaking your hands, aren't you embarrassed?"
Cheng Che smiled but didn't say anything.
The first look is a black suit.
Inside was a black turtleneck, and outside was a dark gray wool suit jacket with a clean cut and sharp shoulder lines.
The pants are a slim-fit, cropped style, revealing a section of the ankle.
She was wearing a pair of black Chelsea boots.
When he changed his clothes and came out of the dressing room, the studio fell silent for a moment.
A young man carrying a lamp stand opened his mouth, forgetting that he was holding onto something, and the lamp stand tilted, almost hitting his foot.
A stagehand tugged at him, bringing him back to his senses. He muttered, "Damn it."
Several female staff members standing in the corner held their breath in unison.
One of the girls with a ponytail nudged her companion with her elbow. The companion turned her head to look at Cheng Che, then quickly turned back, but couldn't help glancing at him again after turning back, and then blushed.
Cheng Che stood still in front of the camera.
Chen Man looked up from behind the monitor, glanced at him, and then gestured to the lighting technician to adjust the angle.
The camera lights shone on his face, the light cutting in from the side and outlining the contours of his jaw.
"Okay." Chen Man raised her camera. "Go wherever you want, don't worry about me."
Cheng Che didn't pose deliberately. He just stood there, tilting his head slightly.
[ Camera Language ] It started the moment the camera was pointed at him.
He knew where the light was coming from, what angle the camera was at, and which direction he should turn.
He took a step to the left, and the light fell on his profile.
He lowered his head, his fingers resting on the buttons of his suit jacket, and a silhouette appeared in the shot.
He looked up, his gaze falling off the camera lens, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Chen Man's camera shutter never stopped clicking.
She took a set of photos, glanced down at the screen, then looked up and stared at Cheng Che for two seconds.
"Have you done magazine shoots before?"
"I've done commercials."
"It's different." Chen Man shook her head, with a sigh that rarely appeared in her mouth, "You feel better in front of the camera than many professional models. Your body knows where to turn, and your eyes know where to look. You don't need me to teach you."
The second look is a white shirt paired with dark wide-leg pants.
The shirt collar was open, and the sleeves were rolled up to mid-forearm, revealing a clean section of the wrist.
He leaned against the wall, one hand in his pocket, slightly turned to the side.
The light shone up from below, casting faint shadows on his eye sockets and the bridge of his nose.
The female staff member with the ponytail walked over with a water cup, pretending to be passing by to get some water.
As Cheng Che, her steps slowed slightly, causing the water in her glass to slosh and spill a few drops onto the back of her hand.
She hurriedly walked away, squatted back in the corner, covered her mouth, and her ears were so red they looked like they were about to bleed.
Her companion leaned over and asked her what was wrong. She shook her head and whispered, "Don't look. If you do, you're doomed too."
The third look is a loose gray knit sweater layered over a white T-shirt.
Below is a pair of faded jeans.
He sat on the ground with one leg bent and the other straight, his elbow resting on his knee.
My hair was a bit messy from the stylist's handling, with a few stray strands falling across my forehead.
He looked up at the camera.
Chen Man paused for a moment while pressing the shutter button.
She stared at the image in the viewfinder for several seconds, then put down the camera, turned to the producer next to her, and said, "Keep this one. I'm going to put this one on the cover."
After shooting three sets of looks, Chen Man called a halt.
She walked up to Cheng Che and turned the camera screen towards him to show him.
The screen shows the last photo.
He sat on the ground, the collar of his gray knit sweater slightly askew, revealing a glimpse of his collarbone.
Her hair was a little messy, but the clear and composed look in her eyes was more impactful than any elaborate makeup.
"What do you think of this one?" Chen Man asked.
Cheng Che glanced at it. "It's fine."
Chen Man nodded and handed the camera to her assistant.
She looked at Cheng Che and suddenly asked, "How far can you go in the Magic City Masters?"
Cheng Che thought for a moment, "Win the championship."
Chen Man paused for a moment, then smiled.
"Okay. Then I'll wait until your cover is published and put ' Champion ' in the title."
After the shoot, Cheng Che changed back into his own clothes and walked out of the studio.
As he passed by the dressing room, the makeup artist was sitting in a chair, lost in thought. When she saw him walk by the door, she jumped up from her chair, picked up a foundation brush from the table, and pretended to tidy up something.
Her colleague was covering her mouth and snickering, and she glared at her.
Cheng Che nodded to them and walked out.
He had just stepped out the door when Chen Man stood next to the monitor, staring at the cover photo on the screen, and remained silent for a few seconds.
Then she took off her glasses, rubbed the bridge of her nose, and muttered, "At this age, what's there to blush about?"
She cursed herself, put the camera away, and turned to explain the follow-up to the producer.
But the tips of her ears were still red.
Qin Lie waited for Cheng Che at the door, holding a shooting confirmation form in his hand, a satisfied smile on his face.
How was the filming?
"Good."
" Chen Man just said something to me," Qin Lie said, carefully putting away the confirmation slip. "She said that after this cover shoot, Cheng Che's commercial value will increase by at least 30%."
Cheng Che didn't reply.
He took out his phone and sent a message to Pei Jingshu.
She sent him seven or eight messages yesterday, asking how the competition went, whether he had time, and also posted a photo of herself at the airport.
He was training at the time and didn't have time to go back.
He has now typed a few words.
Cheng Che: Just finished shooting a magazine cover.
The other party replied instantly.
[ Pei Jingshu: Which magazine?]
[ Cheng Che: Esquire ]
Pei Jingshu sent an exclamation mark, and then sent another message.
[ Pei Jingshu: Will you be on the cover? I'll have my best friend buy it in Xia Country! No, I'll buy it myself! Sign a copy for me!]
Cheng Che looked at the message and a slight smile curved his lips.
He put his phone away and got into the car.
Qin Lie started the car and drove towards the hotel.
The street view outside the window gradually changed from industrial-style factories to high-rise buildings.
Cheng Che leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and went over the technical characteristics of his opponents in the fourth round in his mind.