Shrine - Chapter 53
Chapter 53
Yu Zhou was an interesting person. As they were leaving, she gave Ruan Ruan and Shi Ran two signed physical copies of her books. Yu Zhou had also considered that people in the entertainment industry might be keen on dental work and thought about taking the opportunity to hand out some coupons for Chengzhi Dental Clinic. But one look at Shi Ran's cold expression, and her hand, already on the outer pocket of her bag, didn't move.
The dinner was a complete success, but the photos didn't get released as Ruan Ruan had anticipated.
The online buzz about her and Shrine had died down. Around the middle of the month, a few minor gossip accounts reported that while one of the female leads of Shrine was indeed Ruan Ruan, the other wasn't Shi Ran. Rumor had it they were in talks with a second-tier actress.
It was all very vague and speculative, with conflicting rumors everywhere.
Since no specific candidate was named, casual observers glanced at the news and quickly lost interest.
And so, Shrine burst into the public consciousness with great and sudden fanfare, becoming one of the most anticipated new projects. Meanwhile, Ruan Ruan had two main tasks to complete. The first was pre-production training with Zhong Yi.
Shi Ran had her own work and couldn't watch over Ruan Ruan every day, so Ruan Ruan drove herself to the martial arts training hall on Funan Road every Wednesday and Friday. Since it was last-minute preparation, the training was intense. By the end of each day, her black practice clothes were soaked through. The pampered Zhong Yi could endure more hardship than she had imagined; her movements were clean and sharp, possessing a beauty that made difficult feats look effortless.
She had long heard that Zhong Yi was beautiful on wires. Someone had once used the phrase "as graceful as a startled swan" to describe her form.
The two of them practiced posture and martial arts with their instructor, ate fat-reducing meals together, and sat drenched in sweat by the floor-to-ceiling windows, sipping water as they watched the golden sunset over Jiangcheng.
Once they became more familiar with each other, Ruan Ruan joked, "The author said you're the Su 1 type, the kind that's really popular with young girls."
Zhong Yi, her hair in a high ponytail, laughed through her sweat. A bead of perspiration slid from the corner of her eye, landing in the hollow of her collarbone.
Then she glanced at Ruan Ruan and asked, "What are you wearing to the Weibo Awards Ceremony?"
Ruan Ruan was still catching her breath. She swallowed and said, "It's still a ways off. Sylvia hasn't sent the proposals to my team yet."
The year-end red carpets were a major source of exposure for celebrities. Dianxing Entertainment was sending a few of their artists this year, and styling plans had to be prepared one to two months in advance. It was Ruan Ruan's first time walking a major, star-studded red carpet. She had recently been focusing on body-sculpting, supplemented with a few minor cosmetic treatments, to prepare for her appearance.
She gazed at her atmospheric reflection in the floor-to-ceiling window, noticing how her face had become more radiant, her charm more striking.
Her other main task was a brand conquest campaign.
Ruan Ruan was a little surprised to hear this. In her experience, endorsements were usually discussed after an artist had a proven track record. But that wasn't Dianxing Entertainment's style. The women on her team told her that you had to start pulling strings the moment you landed a project, especially for hard-to-win luxury brands. Their evaluation periods could last anywhere from six months to a year, and by the time of an official announcement, it might no longer coincide with a project's peak popularity.
Ruan Ruan thought back and realized it was true. When many shows were at the height of their popularity, endorsement materials would be released one after another. Working backward, that meant the contracts must have been signed long before the broadcast.
Since Ruan Ruan had virtually no track record and was relying entirely on connections, her team opted for a brand exhibition where both VICs and celebrities would be invited.
A place where even a non-celebrity could get in by spending enough money wouldn't have excessively high standards for an artist's body of work or status. The brand would naturally be happy to have celebrities attend to add some star power.
At the end of the month, Shi Ran brought Ruan Ruan to Sylvia's styling studio.
It was located in Jiangcheng's wealthiest CBD, surrounded by skyscrapers and large shopping malls filled with luxury brands. There were few pedestrians on the street, and the wide roads were impeccably clean. The styling studio had a two-story facade in the middle of the street. On its snow-white sign was a single, simple letter 'L', giving it the inexplicable air of a private, members-only establishment.
The car pulled over to the curb, and the two of them, accompanied by their assistants, hurried inside. They were met by the sight of a massive, metallic spiral staircase. Sylvia was leaning over the curve of the railing above, greeting them.
"You're finally here. Any later and I would've dozed off." She seemed to be in a good mood, sipping a lemon tea again.
Shi Ran raised her arm, hooked a strand of hair from beside her face with her index finger, and tossed it behind her shoulder before leading Ruan Ruan straight up to the second floor.
"These proposals all came from the brand's PR, and I've already confirmed them with your team," Sylvia said, never one to waste words. She leaned to one side, chewing on her straw. "This is your first public styling, so it's best you come try things on. It won't be this much trouble in the future. You won't need to come in for a fitting unless it's for a major event."
The second floor was immaculate, with light streaming in. Walking through it felt like moving through shifting light and shadows. The lamps bathed each gown, and the collection before her seemed like a glittering ball in itself. For the first time, Ruan Ruan viscerally understood the meaning of "dazzling." The shimmering surface of sequins, the facets of diamonds, the roundness of pearls—they were all sources of light, crisscrossing and undulating in a myriad of sparkling points.
Shi Ran was dressed in a very chic, old-money style. She wore a designer vest over a white shirt, so loose it looked like a casually draped scarf. Below her waist were wide-legged trousers that rippled like waves when she walked, seeming to hang effortlessly from her hips.
She sat down on the sofa and inspected the fruit bowl for something good to eat.
She looked exactly the same as when she ate props on set. Ruan Ruan couldn't help but blink and smile.
Shi Ran picked an orange and held it in her hand, not in a hurry to eat. She turned her head to look at the proposals, using one wrist to nudge the sleeve of her other arm up a bit.
She sat there amidst the gorgeous gowns, looking as if fine clothes and exquisite food were her natural domain.
"Shi Ran," Ruan Ruan said.
"Hm?"
"I want to wear this one." Ruan Ruan pointed to a nude-colored mermaid gown. The style was simple, and paired with dazzling jewelry and a graceful low chignon, it looked very elegant.
Shi Ran's brow twitched. "Why?"
Ruan Ruan thought for a moment before giving a serious analysis. "My waist-to-hip ratio is pretty good. A mermaid dress should be quite striking."
Shi Ran glanced at the complete look and reminded her, "You're attending a High Jewelry Exhibition."
Ruan Ruan turned back to look closely. A high jewelry exhibition… The necklace in this look featured an eye-catching sapphire, which seemed appropriate for the occasion, and the brand was correct.
Shi Ran sniffed lightly and explained patiently.
"If a brand ambassador or a major celebrity is invited, the brand will usually lend them archival pieces of comparable value to the items in the exhibition for promotional purposes. But other celebrities, for the most part, won't wear elaborate jewelry."
"After all, the star of a High Jewelry Exhibition is the jewelry itself. Over-the-top accessories can easily upstage the main attraction. Besides, if you enter with simple accessories, it will be more convenient to try on pieces when you're ordering."
Ruan Ruan instinctively shook her head. "I'm not buying anything. I don't have the money."
Sylvia swallowed a sip of lemon tea and let out a cackling laugh.
Shi Ran smiled. "You have to buy something."
"Huh?"
"You have to buy something, and you have to buy enough to become a VIC. Later, when your team negotiates partnerships, being a loyal customer of the brand will be a plus."
"Then…" What about the money? Will Dianxing Entertainment provide the funds?
"Sylvia always has her eye on a few pieces each year." A styling studio needs to have some high jewelry on hand to make an impression, so they don't always have to borrow from the brands and can lend pieces to celebrities at a moment's notice. They also sell them to clients who take a liking to them, effectively acting as personal shoppers.
Shi Ran turned her gaze leisurely toward Sylvia.
Sylvia rolled her eyes. "I knew there was a reason you came along. You want me to use her account for the purchase, don't you?"
Ruan Ruan was too embarrassed to say anything.
Shi Ran just smiled.
"Your boss is really shrewd," Sylvia said, taking a long slurp of her lemon tea. "I'm honestly afraid she'll eat you up until not even the bones are left."
She looked at Ruan Ruan sympathetically.
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