This is the only way out.
After multiple negotiations, this was the only way to leave everyone speechless.
Ling Weilong scratched his head, "Then let them compete. Who among the photographers here takes better pictures than me? What am I afraid of?" Content originally comes from N0velFire.ɴet
Mr. Zhao said, "Su Xingqi and Qin Mu are determined to win. They don’t plan to use our agency’s photographers; instead, they hired a well-known photographer at a high price. Upon hearing this, Huadie got anxious. They said the previous set of advertisement photos you took were decent but too conventional, not much different from ordinary hard photos. They need something more creative, more eye-catching, something that will completely outshine Qin Corporation and make them admit defeat convincingly."
Ling Weilong finally understood why he was asked to reshoot.
"Alright, let’s reshoot then." He agreed to it and left the editor’s office with Su Xingyu.
The next problem wasn’t a technical issue, but a creative one.
A good idea is key; the set design, composition, color tone... must all resonate immediately with the audience.
Su Xingyu asked Ling Weilong, "How do you plan to shoot it?"
Ling Weilong rolled his eyes, "How would I know?" Initially, he didn’t schedule Jiang Zhenzhen — a model’s time costs money. He first confined Su Xingyu in the studio to experiment, having her pose in various positions.
Su Xingyu cooperated diligently. Her camera sense was decent; although her poses weren’t as professional as a model’s, they were still quite presentable. Ling Weilong experimented while exclaiming, "If you were a bit taller, you could really be a model."
Su Xingyu: "That’s not my aspiration."
Ling Weilong: "Don’t all you girls like glamorous things? The runway is the dream of so many people."
Su Xingyu chuckled softly, "That doesn’t include me." Her dreams were never about runways, nor about standing under the spotlight with exquisite makeup and beautiful clothes. Her dream had always been a singular one, from childhood — to become an outstanding photographer like her mother. She loved that slight "click" when pressing the shutter, as if it encapsulated a thousand words from around the world.
Ling Weilong tormented her for several days, yet was never satisfied with the composition.
He became increasingly irritable, "There are only so many ideas for shooting a young girl’s clothing brand. How am I supposed to think of something new on short notice?"
Su Xingyu took it lightly, "If we can’t come up with something, Su Xingqi might not either." This time, Su Xingqi was helping Qin Corporation shoot an advertisement for their handbags. As a second-tier luxury brand, Qin Corporation’s handbag ads typically fell into a similar pattern.
Ling Weilong sneered, "I don’t care how theirs turn out, but Huadie insisted on something refreshing. If that’s what they want, that’s what they’ll get. Pleasing the one paying the bill is a photographer’s primary duty, got it?"
Su Xingyu: "...Isn’t a photographer’s primary duty to create great work?"
Ling Weilong gave a sinister laugh, "Great work? Great work is what gets the sponsor to fork out big money."
Su Xingyu didn’t want to argue this point further with him. She continued to collaborate in finding creative compositions, trying over and over, progress stalled, with Mr. Zhao urging them thrice a day — all of this was incredibly frustrating.
Unsuccessful at work, she seemed gloomy at home too.
This weekend, for once, both she and Lu Shifeng were at home, drinking tea in the small garden on the terrace.
Afternoon sunlight scattered like bits of gold on their bodies.
Lu Shifeng elegantly held his teacup and asked her, "You seem unhappy lately?"
She was slightly stunned, not expecting him to notice such nuances, so she replied, "Work hasn’t been going well."
"Is there anything I can help with?" he asked.
What could he help with?
Suddenly, Su Xingyu remembered how Huadie Clothing had abruptly replaced Su Xingqi previously — did Lu Shifeng meddle behind the scenes? Would he really extend a helping hand when she was in trouble?
"Why are you staring at me like I have flowers on my face?" Lu Shifeng’s voice had a touch of magnetism.
Su Xingyu snapped back to reality, forcing a smile, "It’s nothing."
Her words turned in her mouth, and she didn’t know how to ask. What if Su Xingqi’s situation wasn’t his doing? Then she would feel terribly embarrassed for presuming so. She changed the topic, "Do you have a way to help me?"
He slightly raised his eyebrows, "Are you saying I can’t help?"
...Alright, maybe she shouldn’t have asked that way. With his wealth and power, what couldn’t he do? But she didn’t want everything solved by him, because if it were, there would be no point in her struggling to find a job independent of him.
Yet Lu Shifeng wouldn’t let her off, "What exactly is it?"
She said, "It’s just a minor issue, no need for your help."
He was displeased, "You’re my wife, you should accept my protection."
This man’s machismo was incurable.
Su Xingyu carefully observed his expression; seeing the storm brewing, she dared not provoke him further.
But she really didn’t want his help! Thinking it over, she could only say, "Then can you tell me how you handle bothersome things at work? So I can learn from your methods."
This was better than having him solve her problems with money and power.
Lu Shifeng didn’t expect her to make such a request.
It seemed he had married a rather special wife, clearly so fragile, easily crushed with a finger, yet she stubbornly wanted to tackle everything herself.
"It must be tough," he said.
She didn’t quite understand, "What?"
"I said it must be tough for you." He put down the teacup, the faint glaze of the blue and white porcelain reflected the soft light at his fingertips, "I used to have a sister who wasn’t much favored at home and was used to handling everything by herself because even if she asked for help, no one would assist her. It was only after I came back from studying abroad, taking care of her and protecting her, that she began to learn how to rely on someone."
His voice was low as he spoke, staring at the porcelain cup in his hand, "But some habits never changed, like working part-time with classmates during summer breaks. Eventually, it was through that she..."
She was taken aback, her eyes suddenly feeling sore.
Through all these years, no one had ever said such words to her. Despite her efforts, people around her only saw her as inferior to her sister, wondering why she couldn’t be content with the meal the Su Family provided her.
Only he saw the hardships she endured.
She lowered her head, her lips moved to tell him it wasn’t hard, but she just couldn’t say it.
Warmth spread by her cheek as he reached out to play with her hair. His voice came gently, "Xingyu, you’re married now, no longer the unfavored eldest daughter of the Su Family. You can learn to rely on me."