"He Shu Fan, why haven't you delivered the things I asked you to send to my disciple yet?" Mrs. Hong frowned as she returned from a long session of playing cards, spotting the gift box by the entrance.
He Shu Fan, who had just returned from outside and hadn't even had time to rest, was called downstairs by his mother again. His expression was displeased. "I sent it this afternoon."
Mrs. Hong tapped the red gift box with her burgundy-lacquered nails and asked, "Then what is this?"
He Shu Fan paused slightly. "Didn't you say it was a pink box?"
"What? Which box did you send?" Mrs. Hong exclaimed dramatically. "I clearly said, it was red!"
This was it, disaster was about to strike!
Mrs. Hong paced anxiously in the living room. "What are your ears for?"
"Is there a problem?" He Shu Fan asked lazily, frowning.
"There's a big problem!" Mrs. Hong glared at him, enraged.
"So, what was in the box?" He Shu Fan asked, utterly bewildered.
Mrs. Hong felt too embarrassed to say and resigned herself to the situation. "Forget it, let's just go with it."
He Shu Fan looked at his mother's expression and seemed to understand.
He had been somewhat distracted when he left. Seeing two boxes on the console table by the entrance, he'd just grabbed one. Besides, red and pink looked pretty much the same to him. And didn't girls prefer pink?
So, he'd naturally picked up the pink gift box and left.
However, he had a good memory. Even with just a glance, he remembered the conspicuous letters on the box.
He Shu Fan picked up his phone and did a search, then his lips twitched uncontrollably.
He hadn't expected his mother to be so open-minded!
At her age, she still enjoyed cosplay!
He Shu Fan clenched his fist, trying hard to suppress a laugh, fearing it would ruin his image as a young master.
*
That evening, after her bath, Su He eagerly began to unwrap Mrs. Hong's newlywed gift.
After removing the exquisite wrapping, she found a neatly folded set of clothes inside.
Su He blinked in surprise.
She had considered many possibilities, but never had she expected clothes!
However, these clothes looked a bit peculiar, and the size seemed smaller than usual.
Su He pinched the flesh on her waist. Could she fit into them?
Also, shouldn't wedding gifts be a festive red? These clothes were pure white, wouldn't that be too inauspicious? But Su He quickly dismissed the thought.
Well, Mrs. Hong had studied abroad and had a more open mind, acting unconventionally. Perhaps she didn't care about such customs.
With that thought, Su He felt at ease.
She held the set of clothes up to the mirror and suddenly noticed something amiss.
There was too little fabric!
It was clearly... Images from certain hotel room flyers flashed through Su He's mind, and her face immediately turned bright red.
Just then, Lu Yan Bei pushed the door open and walked in.
Su He, startled, quickly hid the clothes behind her back.
Lu Yan Bei curved his lips and unbuttoned his shirt nonchalantly. "What are you hiding behind your back, acting so shifty?"
"N-nothing," Su He said, quickly wadding up the clothes and stuffing them into the closet. "Um, do you want to take a bath? I'll go draw you some hot water!"
With that, she made a hasty retreat.
Lu Yan Bei watched her retreating figure with a knowing smile.
No rush, they had plenty of time.
When it was Su He's turn to shower, her mind was still preoccupied with the matter, so much so that when Lu Yan Bei nudged her into the bathroom, she forgot to take her pajamas.
The outcome was predictable.
Su He glared at the set of clothes on the stool, gritting her teeth.
Lu Yan Bei was definitely doing this on purpose!
She stealthily peeked outside and saw Lu Yan Bei leaning against the bed, casually scrolling through his phone. He could see her if he looked up.
Su He clutched her chest, unable to go out naked.
Reluctantly, she had to put on the scantily clad outfit first, planning to get her nightgown and then return to the bathroom to change.
Alas, the ideal was plump, but reality was bony.
Just as she tiptoed towards the closet to get her nightgown, a strong arm from behind grabbed her wrist, pulling her back onto the bed.
"What are you doing, I haven't yet..."
Lu Yan Bei looked down at her from above, like a hunter admiring a delicious prey. "You said you had a surprise for me tonight, and this is it?"
Su He blushed and covered her chest, vehemently denying it. "The surprise I mentioned wasn't this..."
Lu Yan Bei pinched her chin and leaned down. "But I prefer this surprise even more."
Then, Su He was forced to "perform" all night, which left her with lingering effects. To the point that Su He couldn't bear to look at clothes of the same style anymore.
Lu Yan Bei, as the biggest beneficiary, tasted the sweetness and later ordered clothes from the same brand online.
Indeed, married couples occasionally needed to create surprises.
The pitiful Su He was unaware of this; she was busy interviewing new trainees.
As an independent department, the film and television division couldn't possibly have only one artist. Like most management companies, Su He's studio began recruiting trainees, intending to cultivate them from scratch.
After the recruitment information was released, people came to the studio for interviews non-stop every day.
As a seasoned connoisseur of good looks, Su He naturally had to be involved in the selection.
"General Manager Su, these are the recently submitted application forms. A total of fourteen thousand seven hundred and thirty-eight people." When the assistant delivered the documents to her office, Su He was astonished by the number.
"How can there be so many?"
The assistant explained with a smile, "Although the studio was established not long ago, your works have become explosive hits and remain incredibly popular. Many people have come here by reputation."
"And these are after a preliminary screening."
Su He rubbed her forehead.
With so many documents, when would she ever finish looking through them?
Seeing her distressed expression, the assistant immediately pushed a USB drive towards her. "These contain photos and talent performances of all the newcomers, which will make your initial selection easier."
Su He gave her a grateful look. "You're always so thoughtful."
"The other managers have them too. We'll have a meeting later to discuss everyone's opinions and select those who will proceed to the next round."
Su He gave her a thumbs-up.
As expected of the capable assistant Lu Yan Bei had chosen for her, she saved him a lot of trouble.
Su He spent the entire morning in front of her computer screen. After watching videos for a whole morning, her eyes were almost going blind. However, a few individuals among them were exceptionally outstanding, leaving a deep impression on Su He.
She picked out the candidates she favored and put them in a separate folder. In the afternoon meeting, after discussing with everyone, fifty people were ultimately chosen to advance to the next round.
After the second round of auditions, and having inquired about both parties' intentions, the studio finally signed ten people.
Except for a very few with exceptional talent, these ten people generally possessed good looks, which was an essential hardware for becoming a star.
Of course, to have a long-term career in the entertainment industry, just having a pretty face wasn't enough. Next, they would undergo rigorous training, covering posture, singing and dancing, and even character. Monthly inspections would be conducted, and only those who met all the standards would have a chance to debut.