The wealthy military officer spoils his wife excessively

This was the only glimmer of hope after so many days of hardship. Suwen asked expectantly, "What about the actors? Who are they planning to cast as the male lead?"

This is a typical drama about women. A group of outstanding men revolve around her. When Zhou Mo wrote this book, he told her: "The Fourth Prince's ruthlessness, the Eighth Prince's gentleness, the Thirteenth Prince's elegance, and the Fourteenth Prince's straightforwardness—I want all the good qualities of these men to be displayed only for the female lead."

Everyone loves beauty, so Suwen was particularly curious about who the company would choose to act alongside her.

As is customary, when it comes to internal projects, Huayi Brothers will definitely prioritize its own artists. Unfortunately, while they have cultivated many leading ladies over the years, they have produced very few leading men. Even bigger names like Xue Shaofeng have long since stopped making movies and are no longer taking on television dramas.

Ye Zi actually doesn't want Su Wen to take on any more TV dramas now: "You've filmed Director Wei's movie, and your future value will be close to that of a top-tier domestic actor. Why bother filming some lousy TV dramas? No matter how famous you are in a TV drama, or how familiar your face is, when you actually walk the red carpet, people won't pay any attention to you. Only movies are the ladder to becoming a top-tier actor."

Su Wen understood this principle, of course. Her being chosen by Director Wei was somewhat reminiscent of Zhang Ziyi and Gong Li's rise to international fame. But she couldn't pin all her hopes on instant stardom; after all, the path to superstardom is sometimes unrepeatable.

Ye Zi was a little annoyed when she saw that she couldn't persuade her: "You're still young, so you need to be careful when choosing roles. There's no need to rush. Take it slow and make sure you take each step steadily."

Su Wen just smiled, shook her head, and said, "Sister Ye, there are some things you don't understand. I'm not doing this for fame or fortune." Perhaps it was out of a sense of loyalty, and she believed in Zhou Mo's abilities; she was sure this show would be a hit.

Ye Zi was so angry that she didn't want to talk to her: "Fine, you want to take pictures, I can't stop you, anyway, it's helping the company make money."

Xiao Ai was frantic with worry. Ye Zi glared at her and said, "The company knows you got this role and has provided you with a van so that you, as the lead actress, won't be ridiculed for not having a car to pick you up. The driver should be arriving in Shanghai in the next couple of days. You can have Xiao Ai contact him then."

Suwen nodded: "Thank you, Sister Ye, for taking care of me." She had resisted, but she still had to back down.

"Oh right, my plane ticket to Shanghai..."

Ye Zi already knew about the plane ticket from Xiao Ai. Xue Shaofeng wasn't one of her artists, and she was planning to settle the bill with him, but she would also explain it to Su Wen. She didn't expect Su Wen to come to her first.

“Brother Feng is overthinking it. I know the rules, but I’m embarrassed to ask him for the money back in person. It’s not good to always owe him favors. I’ll give you the difference in airfare first, and you can find an opportunity later to reimburse him as a company expense.”

This girl is quite perceptive. Two first-class tickets don't cost much. Ye Zi was originally planning to pay for them herself, but now that things are out in the open, it saves her the trouble.

"It's good that you have the intention. By the way, Xue Shaofeng is having a mini concert in Hangzhou. All the female artists who have worked with him in the mainland before went to support him. The song you two sang together was quite well received. Why don't you go and support him?" Ye Zi is indeed a top agent, never missing any opportunity for exposure. "The swarm of bees in the mainland is very powerful. If you use his stage to appear, more or less some of the little bees will remember you."

It only takes two or three hours to drive from Shanghai to Hangzhou. Suwen thought for a moment and glanced at her sideways: "Sister Ye, didn't you say you didn't want any rumors? My collaboration with Brother Feng this time has already generated enough buzz. There's no need to drag everything into this."

"Who told you to spread rumors or work together?" Ye Zi glared at her.

Ye Zi was actually quite aware of the situation. Her current approach of having Su Wen align herself with Xue Shaofeng did indeed have the air of using the superstar to advance her career, but it was a mutually agreeable arrangement, and Xue Shaofeng himself had no objections. Besides, competition among agents was fierce; why not use readily available resources?

Suwen was afraid that saying this would upset Yezi, so she patted her to comfort her: "Singing is just something I do for fun. I still plan to focus on acting. If Brother Feng has a fan meeting next time, I'll definitely go and join in, okay?"

Seeing her innocent, blinking gaze at her, Ye Zi didn't know what to say. Perhaps it's true that fools are blessed; this girl's career has been so smooth right from the start, thanks to the protection of all the gods and Buddhas.

Ye Zi didn't stay in Suwen for long. She stayed for lunch and then rushed off to Hengdian in the afternoon.

The grueling training was quite effective, and both teachers were satisfied. On this rare day off, Xiao Ai persuaded her to go out for a stroll together.

Xiao Ai is a typical northern girl. She rarely gets to visit Shanghai for work, and since they are staying in the most bustling Jing'an Temple area, Xiao Ai has been itching to go on a shopping spree.

Suwen asked her, "Where are you going?"

"Hang Lung Plaza, CITIC Pacific, Meilong Town Plaza... Quick, let's take a taxi there." Xiao Ai already knew them all by heart.

Suwen looked at her and said, "It's only a few steps, what's the rush? I've never seen anyone so eager to have bloodletting done."

"Shopping is a woman's nature. Aren't you a woman too? Don't you get excited?"

Suwen thought to herself, who doesn't like buying things for themselves? But the thought of spending her hard-earned money made her unhappy. She was afraid of hardship.

Nanjing West Road is not far from where they live, about one stop away on foot. The road is clean and tidy, with tall plane trees on both sides. The afternoon sun shines through the leaves, creating dappled shadows that slowly recede from underfoot, like flowing water. Occasionally, a breeze will cause the shadows to sway, like ripples on seaweed.

It is indeed pleasant, tranquil, and full of bourgeois charm. To put it bluntly, this place is a paradise for the rich. What can the poor do here besides feast their eyes?

First, we went to the brand that Xiao Ai wanted to buy. The young girl was satisfied as long as she bought the style she had been looking for. After all, she was still a working-class person and couldn't afford to splurge in such a place.

Xiao Ai dragged Su Wen to a shoe store. She'd been to Su Wen's house once and knew her shoe collection was pitifully small. Before entering the industry, Su Wen had never been comfortable wearing high heels, yet in this circle, a good pair of shoes is indispensable for a woman. Xiao Ai had once worked with a moderately famous starlet who had over a hundred pairs of shoes, all from well-known designers. Not all celebrities drive luxury cars and live extravagant lives. Some actresses, even when strapped for cash, still buy a pair of expensive, trendy shoes. On the red carpet and at events, your shoes are a measure of your worth.

Based on Xiao Ai's theory, Su Wen compromised.

The service at this high-end store was unparalleled. On the gleaming floor, Suwen's ankles were clearly reflected. A sales assistant knelt on one knee, showing her sample shoes one by one. Xiao Ai and Suwen each held a catalog of the season's new arrivals, while another sales assistant tirelessly explained the products.

Holding such fine shoes in my hands makes me a little nervous. The high-grade Italian calfskin exudes the unique leather scent of aged leather, and the rhinestones and crystals are all dazzling elements that women are eager to own.

Xiao Ai immediately fell in love with these shoes: "These are great, they'll look beautiful with a formal dress."

A price in the five figures is certainly desirable.

The shop assistant was also holding another pair of plain, openwork flat shoes, a delicate milky white with exquisite openwork and pretty lace straps at the ankle. It reminded her of the hardships of learning ballet as a child, constantly having to stand on tiptoe, like the red dancing shoes in a fairy tale, spinning and spinning endlessly until she was exhausted.

The moment she stepped into the entertainment industry, she had already put on those red dancing shoes. Only when she lost the applause of the audience could she step off the stage, and then her life would end.

Seeing her hesitation, the shop assistant smiled and said, "Ms. Nie, if you like them, just buy them all. That way, your spending today will reach our standard, and you can enjoy a 1% discount next time you come."

In these kinds of shops, the staff will remember your surname and preferences after you make a purchase, but all they're really doing is making it easier to rip you off again next time.

Xiao Ai rolled her eyes: "They spent nearly 100,000 yuan and only got a 1% discount. Besides, how long can they stay in Shanghai? Maybe next time."

Suwen didn't say anything, just nodded: "Then please wrap them all up for me."

The moment she opened her wallet and pulled out her credit card, she was completely calm and collected. The clerk took it and processed the payment, while someone else skillfully wrapped the shoes, put them in a tote bag, and handed them to her, saying solicitously, "Ms. Nie, please come back and take a look when you have time. We will be launching our new autumn/winter collection next week."

Suwen simply smiled.

After they went outside, Xiao Ai asked her, "Why did you buy those flat shoes? Was it just because the sales clerk flattered you a bit?"

Suwen seemed to be in a good mood and slowly explained to her, "The high-heeled pair was something I had to buy to attend an event, but the flat pair is what I really want to wear."

But Xiao Ai still didn't understand. When are celebrities not under the public eye? Is there really a distinction between work and personal life?

After shopping all afternoon, Suwen bought quite a few things, from clothes to shoes. She tried on everything, and when she came out, she had bags on both sides. She couldn't help but sigh, "The only magic in this world that can transform Cinderella into a princess is money."

It was already getting dark when Xiao Ai pestered her, "How about we eat out today?"

These days, Suwen and Xiao Ai take turns cooking, and sometimes they order takeout. Xiao Ai has been wanting to go out and have a treat for a while.

Su Wen reluctantly let her have her way. Both of them had sore feet from walking, and after walking all the way from Nanjing West Road to the Bund, Xiao Ai finally leaned on her back and excitedly exclaimed, "We're here!"

Suwen looked up suspiciously: The Shanghai Club Building at No. 3 on the Bund?

This place is now a key protected historical building, but inside it is a collection of restaurants, salons, galleries and high-end brand stores. To put it bluntly, it is a place for wealthy upper-class people to show off their personal taste.