Chapter 455 - 241: The Joy of Having a Heartthrob Brother-in-law

Zong Lin woke up early, and the nanny, Wu Yan, had already prepared breakfast.

When she saw Zong Lin come out of her room, she immediately went up to greet her warmly.

"Good morning, Miss Zong."

"Morning, Sister Wu~"

Zong Lin glanced curiously toward the master bedroom. "Are my brother-in-law and the others still asleep?"

"Er, the ladies usually wake up a little later. Mr. Qi has already gone downstairs for his morning run."

Wu Yan answered awkwardly, then hurried off to do the laundry.

Zong Lin gulped, completely shocked.

’After wearing out my sister and Sister Qu Man, he wasn’t drained like all the internet memes say he should be.’

’My brother-in-law’s stamina is just absurd, isn’t it?’

Zong Lin ate a sumptuous breakfast of light Huaiyang cuisine.

She looked out through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The beautiful, enchanting Huangpu River unfolded before her eyes.

’Living in a river-view apartment like this is pure bliss!’

She remembered the proud look on Sister Qu Man’s face when she mentioned the terrifying price tag.

Zong Lin quickly shook her head, not daring to let her imagination run wild.

’An eighty-million-yuan mansion... only a top-tier female celebrity would have the means to buy something like this.’

’No wonder a beautiful woman like Sister Qu Man wouldn’t even want to get into the entertainment industry.’

’With a boyfriend like him, why bother slogging through that dark, horrifying world?’

Just as Zong Lin was lost in thought, Qi Sheng returned home.

"Up so early?"

Qi Sheng took the towel Wu Yan handed him and casually wiped away his sweat.

"Brother-in-law, can you take me to the film set later?"

Zong Lin would have gone by herself.

But they don’t just let anyone onto a film set.

Rather than bothering Sister Gu Pan, it was just more convenient to ask her brother-in-law directly.

"We’ll talk about it later."

Qi Sheng went into the second bedroom and took a refreshing shower.

This second bedroom served as both a guest room and a walk-in closet.

Qu Man’s, Zong Rui’s, and his own clothes, bags, jewelry, and watches were all kept in this room.

A conservative estimate would put their value at well over ten million.

Dressing for an outing in Shanghai in July didn’t require much complexity.

A white polo shirt and a pair of khaki casual shorts would do.

Topped off with a pair of breathable mesh sneakers, it was more than enough.

As a top-tier Chanel VIP client, Qi Sheng had a lot of clothes custom-made for himself.

The clothes seemed unremarkable at first glance.

But each piece was tailor-made to his exact measurements and aesthetic taste.

As for the price, it wasn’t like he was buying formal suits.

Qi Sheng also ordered them in very large quantities.

Although there were only a dozen or so styles, he had seven or eight sets made of each one.

It was just enough to distribute among the few places he frequently stayed.

An outfit like this cost a mere one hundred thousand yuan.

He was already handsome to begin with, and that, combined with the meticulous custom work by Chanel’s designers...

Zong Lin, who had been boredly scrolling through her phone, was utterly stunned when she saw Qi Sheng walk out.

"Wow, brother-in-law, you’re so handsome!"

Her eyes sparkled. It was hard not to admit it.

’My brother-in-law is the perfect template for my future husband.’

’As for all those standards I set before, they were only good for weeding out guys I wasn’t interested in.’

’In front of a man I truly like, they’re all as worthless as scrap paper.’

Qi Sheng beamed at his young sister-in-law’s compliment.

"For being such a sweet-talker, I’ll have President Lin get you a role with some decent screen time."

"Thank you, brother-in-law!"

Zong Lin thanked him profusely, her smile growing even sweeter.

It was truly hard not to like an eighteen-year-old girl.

Qi Sheng’s self-control was considered strong; it was the only reason he could remain so calm.

If it were any of the guys reading this, wouldn’t you all be hooked, line, and sinker?

...

「Cofco Seaview One, Underground Parking Garage」

It could have passed for a luxury auto show.

In their designated spots, two Bentleys were parked side-by-side.

On the left was a Continental, a convertible sports car that exuded gentlemanly elegance.

On the right was a Bentayga, a standard SUV model, radiating an aura of pure luxury.

’When you’re taking a girl out, a sports car is the only way to go, of course.’

Qi Sheng had already grabbed the keys to the Continental before coming downstairs.

The white Continental had an innate British gentlemanly flair.

As the soft-top was lowered, a hot summer breeze blew in.

"HUMMM~"

The W12 engine provided a ceaseless supply of power.

Its roar wasn’t savage, but carried a hint of elegance.

Driving down the street, the Bentley Continental’s ability to attract attention was off the charts.

Especially with Qi Sheng and Zong Lin inside.

One was tall and handsome, the other pure yet fiery.

The combination of "pure" and "fiery" should have been contradictory.

Yet eighteen-year-old Zong Lin managed to meld the two just right, creating her own unique advantage.

Otherwise, how could she be worthy of being called a peerless beauty?

...

Upon arriving at the set of *Thirty Years Old*, Qi Sheng gave Lin Meishan a call.

Before a few minutes had passed, Lin Meishan walked out from the set area.

"Boss."

Qi Sheng smiled. "This kid insisted on coming to take a look. Talk to the director later and arrange a decent role for her."

Qi Sheng was a man of his word, already working to get his young sister-in-law a role.

"Okay, I’ll talk to Director Zhang. It shouldn’t be a problem."

Lin Meishan smiled and nodded, leading Qi Sheng and Zong Lin onto the set.

Unlike historical drama crews, which prefer to film at studio lots like Hengdian, the cast and crew of *Thirty Years Old* were filming on location, depicting the lives of Shanghai’s upper class.

When they saw Lin Meishan, the representative from the show’s second-largest investor, so respectfully welcoming an unfamiliar man and woman, many of the idle crew members couldn’t help but start gossiping.

"That’s a good-looking pair. Are they new talent Universal Entertainment is about to heavily promote?"

"Doesn’t seem like it. President Lin is Universal Entertainment’s artist director; she wouldn’t need to be so respectful to a newcomer."

"And that young lady... she’s just as pretty as Gu Pan, and her figure is even better. I wonder if she’s signed with an agency yet."

"I’d advise you not to even think about it. You can’t afford to offend the kind of backer a beauty like that has."

...

Qi Sheng and Zong Lin, the subjects of the discussion, arrived near the filming area.

All sorts of camera equipment you’d normally only see in videos were there, along with the professional scene of a script supervisor using a clapperboard.

For Zong Lin, who was passionate about the acting profession, the sight was incredibly exciting and filled her with anticipation.

The previous scene had just finished filming, so the crew was taking a short break.

Naturally, the main actors were enjoying chilled watermelon, cold drinks, and the breeze from an air conditioner.

The crew members had it a bit rougher; they could only do their best to find shady spots to escape the heat.

"Director Zhang, let me make an introduction."

Lin Meishan led Qi Sheng to the break room for the main production team, introducing him with a beaming smile.

"This is the chairman of Universal Entertainment, Mr. Qi Sheng."

"Chairman Qi, hello. Thank you for your company’s generous support for our show!"

Of course, Zhang Xiaobo was no stranger to the name Universal Entertainment.

It was a veteran Xiangjiang Film and Television Company whose influence had waned slightly in recent years.

But as the saying goes, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. It wasn’t an entity a minor director like him could afford to offend.

"You’re too kind, Director Zhang. Please continue to look after Panpan."

Qi Sheng smiled and shook Zhang Xiaobo’s hand.

The man was also an Expert Level talent.

However, he was at the gatekeeper level.

He only excelled at directing television series, and his directing ability value was a mere 80.

"Director Zhang, we still have a few small roles in this show that haven’t been cast. I’d like to recommend someone."

Lin Meishan smiled and gestured to Zong Lin behind her.

"Her name is Zong Lin. She’s a new artist our company has signed. If there’s a suitable role, we’d like you to give her a shot."

"Tsk tsk, President Lin, your company is truly teeming with beauties!"

"Gu Pan is already gorgeous, and this young beauty is every bit her equal!"

Zhang Xiaobo’s eyes lit up.

He knew very well that a beauty of her caliber wasn’t someone a minor figure like him could afford to mess with.

"How about I have her play the role of Lin Youyou?"

Zhang Xiaobo suggested tentatively after a moment of thought.

Zong Lin’s pure looks and fiery figure were a perfect fit for the character of Lin Youyou.

The actress they had previously cast couldn’t compare to Gu Pan in terms of looks.

He was worried that once the show aired, the audience would criticize his casting choices.

"Director Zhang, the character of Lin Youyou doesn’t quite fit the career path our company has planned for Zong Lin."

"I think the role of Daisy would be a good fit for Zong Lin."

Lin Meishan had read the entire script.

The role wasn’t a standout, but it wouldn’t negatively impact Zong Lin’s future career path.

"Daisy?"

"President Lin, that character is written as a 26-year-old elite woman who studied overseas."

Zhang Xiaobo looked at Zong Lin and couldn’t help but shake his head.

"Having an eighteen-year-old girl play that part? I think that’s turning it into a farce!"

"Gu Pan is also very young, but she brings the thirty-year-old Gu Jia to life perfectly."

Lin Meishan said with a gentle smile, then added a conciliatory note.

"How about this: give Zong Lin a chance to audition. If you’re not satisfied, I won’t press the issue."

"Well... alright then."

Zhang Xiaobo hesitated for a moment, then glanced at Qi Sheng, who was chatting and laughing with Gu Pan.

He decided to do the new boss of Universal Entertainment a favor.

When you’re in the Chinese Entertainment industry, the one thing you can never afford to offend is capital.

As a seasoned veteran of the industry, Zhang Xiaobo naturally understood this principle.

Who knew, maybe he would have a chance to collaborate with Universal Entertainment in the future.

In any case, it was just an audition. It wouldn’t waste much time.

...

"Everyone, take another thirty minutes!"

Hearing the assistant director’s announcement, many on set were a bit surprised.

But a break was a break, and no one was foolish enough to turn it down.

"Hubby, you came to visit the set and didn’t even give me a heads-up."

Gu Pan was still in her character’s costume.

Since it was a modern drama, the outfit wasn’t as thick and heavy as a historical costume would be.

With her makeup on, Gu Pan really did have the air of a wealthy socialite about her.

It made her look much older than she actually was.

"If I told you beforehand, what would be the surprise?"

Qi Sheng didn’t hug Gu Pan, glancing instead at two other lead actresses who were sneaking peeks at them from a short distance away.

"President Lin told me you’ve been stealing the female lead’s thunder lately?"

"Heh heh, it’s her own fault for not knowing her place. It’s one thing to have no acting skills, but she also tried to put on airs. I’m not about to wait on her."

Gu Pan lifted her chin proudly.

That’s the kind of confidence you have when you’ve paid your way onto the cast.

"Zong Lin, that little rascal, insisted on coming to see the excitement. Look after her a bit when the time comes."

Qi Sheng wasn’t the least bit worried about Zong Lin’s audition.

He’d already activated a ’cheat’ for his young sister-in-law the day before.

As her brother-in-law, he wasn’t about to be stingy.

He had spent five million yuan directly to raise his young sister-in-law’s acting skill to 79.

Although the improvement would be gradual, for the moment, Zong Lin’s acting skill had already reached a score of 69.

Even at a prestigious film school like the Central Academy of Drama, which excelled at training actors, an outstanding graduate’s acting skill would only be at this level.

Auditioning for a small supporting role? It would be a piece of cake.