Even if Yun Xiangxiang took her friends there, she couldn’t stop there and let them enjoy the place. It was better off to leave them in Paris. Yun Xiangxiang would come back here eventually.
The girls decided to stay in the vineyard and work after listening to Yun Xiangxiang.
Before she left, Yun Xiangxiang went to S.Q to shoot the promo video. Throughout the session, Chloe stayed by her side, giving her ideas on Yun Xiangxiang’s style and even the shooting.
That was supposed to be the agent’s job. But with Chloe there, He Wei only stood there and waited for Yun Xiangxiang to finish.
Shooting promo ads was a tiring job. More often than not, the actress would stay in the same position for a long time before the shoot was acceptable. One scene would be revised and changed multiple times.
If the photographer suddenly got struck by inspiration, they would have to reshoot the whole thing. The same went for when the photographer thought one part was imperfect. She could lose feeling in both her legs after the shooting was done.
“We’re just going to shoot the upper body for this. Have a seat,” Chloe gave Yun Xiangxiang a stool.
Yun Xiangxiang had been standing for three hours straight. There were some places where she had to be in the same pose for nearly twenty minutes. Her whole body was getting stiff.
But she didn’t complain. No matter what the cameraman’s requests were, Yun Xiangxiang would accept it. There were some parts where she got a perfect shot, but the photographer deleted it by accident. She reshot it without any complaints even under that condition.
There were times when the cameraman thought it didn’t feel right. She would be asked to change her smile, emotion, and movements. Even so, Yun Xiangxiang cooperated.
Chloe never went to see how actors shot promo ads before, but she did hear about her colleagues complaining about it.
Yun Xiangxiang’s professionalism astonished Chloe. Chloe was also surprised by how calm their photographer was today.
This was one of the top photographers in France. He was hugely famous, with a bad temper to boot. He would get frustrated just because he couldn’t get any inspiration.
But Yun Xiangxiang could calm him down whenever that happened. Whenever the photographer started with one of his anger fits, she would give him some ideas. Whenever he made a mistake, Yun Xiangxiang would tell him that it was okay.
Yun Xiangxiang shook her head. “If I sit down, it will look different from when I stand up. I won’t look that natural either.”
When the photographer saw Chloe giving Yun Xiangxiang a stool to sit, he frowned.
But when Yun Xiangxiang refused, he was impressed. Thanks to Yun Xiangxiang and her respect for their work, the photographer’s work became smoother.
It was already past lunchtime when the shoot was done. The photographer had nothing but praise for Yun Xiangxiang. “You are an incredible actress.”
“Thank you. Out of all the compliments I have received, I like this one the most,” Yun Xiangxiang beamed.
Chloe took Yun Xiangxiang for lunch. It was in a low-profile, high-class French restaurant. Every dish they had was delicate. “You have a special kind of charm. The kind that can’t go unnoticed. The kind that draws people in the more they spend time with you.”
“I only did what I should do.” Yun Xiangxiang wasn’t trying to be humble. This was her job.
She took the money. As long as her colleague wasn’t making things hard for her, she had an obligation to grant their request. All for a better end product.
“If it weren’t for profit, we don’t really like working with Chinese stars,” Chloe blurted out.
Yun Xiangxiang did not interrupt. She only listened as she had her meal.
“Our cultural differences can end up causing conflicts,” Chloe continued. “Chinese stars are more delicate. At least that’s the impression they left us.”
“Delicate?” Yun Xiangxiang didn’t expect that this was how the Europeans saw them.
“Delicate… and weak,” Chloe explained it in three words.
Yun Xiangxiang understood. Chloe meant that the Chinese stars were hard to please. Yun Xiangxiang smiled, “Can I just say that this is an overgeneralization?”
“Oui,” Chloe cut her steak. “You are a different one.”
“Not just me.” Yun Xiangxiang mulled it over. “Like how every school has its fair share of great and not-so-great students, every country has good and bad people. There are a lot of stars in the Chinese entertainment industry who can work hard.”
“I believe what you’re saying. That’s why I want to go to China. I need to understand your country,” Chloe acknowledged what Yun Xiangxiang said.
“We welcome you with open arms. You will see a place that is different to what your perception of it is,” Yun Xiangxiang gave her a toast.
Yun Xiangxiang used to misunderstand what South Africa was like.
Most people got knowledge about the places they never visited through hearsay.
People tend to remember negative things more. No matter how incredible their journey was, they wouldn’t give it a stellar review if there was even one thing that slightly bothered them.
The news usually reported the nasty side of things as that attracted more attention. Nobody would read the news if everything they reported was positive.
Yun Xiangxiang believed that good and bad existed together in all corners of the world. If the place was still peaceful despite this reality, then Yun Xiangxiang believed that that place had more good than bad.
Yun Xiangxiang went to the car the crew arranged for her after she and Chloe parted ways. She went to the next filming spot.
“I finished my investigations. There’s nothing wrong with this endorsement.” Song Qian was sitting beside Yun Xiangxiang in the car.
“Seems like my charm attracted someone who can see it clearly,” Yun Xiangxiang patted herself on the back.
She looked at the scenery outside the window. The car was driving on a wide road with few vehicles on it. On both sides of it stood rows of trees and lush bushes. As the car sped through the road, the greenery went past her like a cassette tape on rewind.
As the cool breeze went past her, it danced with Yun Xiangxiang’s hair in the air. She pushed her hair to the back of her ear. Stars sparkled in her eyes.
She was elated. This endorsement was the fruit of her labor; the acknowledgment of her hard work.
This endorsement she got wasn’t because of He Wei’s connections. Nor was it because He Wei saw it and worked hard to get it.
Nobody was manipulating it from the dark either. SL was the one who knocked on her door. They saw her value.
Something that she had gotten through her sheer hard work tasted sweeter than anything else.
Song Qian looked at Yun Xiangxiang. She looked adorably content. The sparkle in her eyes told Song Qian that Yun Xiangxiang was euphoric.
She finally understood why her young master never gave Yun Xiangxiang limitless resources, even though he could do so easily.
Things that were obtained so easily would never satisfy Yun Xiangxiang.
Her young master wished for this smile to be forever etched on Yun Xiangxiang’s face.
Yun Xiangxiang was a girl who wanted to rely on herself. She was a tough lady.
A lady such as her had power. She could cut past all the brambles in life and wade through the sea of hardships to finally arrive at the peak of glory.
A resilient lady like Yun Xiangxiang was admirable.