Lin An looked at the freshly processed transfer and recalled the decision to lease a mountain for apple cultivation before entering the book. It was truly a wise choice!
It's a pity that the fruits hadn't even ripened yet, and they were already gone. However, these fruits did indeed make more money than growing vegetables. Lin An quietly set a new small goal - to lease another mountain!
Lin An, immersed in the dream of becoming rich and free through fruit cultivation, was quickly brought back to reality by Sister Li.
Today is the time to shoot a magazine cover, Shang Yi, and they had scheduled the entire day for it. Normally, it wouldn't take this long, but Qi Tian was personally overseeing it this time. It was common for things to go overtime when this big shot was involved, and her team had booked the maximum time they could.
Upon meeting, Qi Tian went up to Lin An and said, "You're impressive. You secured the endorsement of 'Jun.' I was originally contemplating which brand of clothes to dress you in, but now it's settled – you have a ready-made sponsor daddy."
Lin An was confused when he heard this. Although curious, he suppressed the desire to inquire and simply nodded along.
Shang Yi spared no expense, using its own funds without hesitation. They rented a small Western-style building built during the Republic era.
The reason this small building was more expensive than others was its historical charm. Simply put, the items inside were all authentic, a kind of weightiness that modern imitated buildings couldn't match. Coupled with the owner's wealth, renting this venue wasn't just a matter of money.
Of course, if you were willing to spend enough money, negotiation was always possible.
"You don't know, this landlord is so evil. Not only did they demand rent, but they also extorted me." Qi Tian complained as she entered the courtyard.
Sister Li asked, "Someone managed to extort you? What did they extort from you?"
"They made me take a family portrait for their entire family and a separate personal photo."
Sister Li blurted out, "What! And you agreed?"
Qi Tian helplessly waved her hand, "I agreed, but this time the rent they asked for was much less. The crucial thing is that as long as I agreed, they allowed me to shoot in any corner of the house, and I could even touch those decorations!"
Sister Li nodded after hearing this: "Great Sage, you hit the jackpot."
Qi Tian retorted, "Shut up, you stinky lychee. I feel like I got the short end of the stick. I wouldn't even be willing to go if someone paid me to take their photos!"
The owner of this small Western-style building had set strict requirements for those renting it for photo shoots, and this was the first time the conditions were so relaxed.
Barring any surprises, this cover shoot should generate a good response.
While the two were chatting, the team finished setting up, and the official shoot began.
Lin An initially thought it would be an easy job, but shooting turned out to be quite uncomfortable. Lin An was a complete novice when it came to modeling, and teaming up with a top-notch photographer created compatibility issues.
Qi Tian wasn't satisfied after shooting for a long time. After more than half an hour and several scene changes, not a single satisfactory photo was taken.
During the break, Sister Li approached to review the photos with everyone. Personally, Sister Li felt that the photos were already outstanding, giving off the vibe of a wealthy young man who had returned from studying abroad in the Republic era.
"Lin An, don't be nervous, just like the last time. I want that leisurely stroll feeling," Qi Tian emphasized, describing the mood she was aiming for.
Thinking back to the evening they met at the party, it was Lin An's reserved and profound temperament that attracted Qi Tian.
"Lin An, why are you so nervous today? You have to remember that you are the master and the one in power of this family. Bring out the aura you had at the gala," she advised.
Lin An was indeed very nervous. Who wouldn't be in his shoes? It was a room full of money, and he wondered how many strawberries he would have to grow to cover the damages if something went wrong.
Due to these thoughts, Lin An's movements unavoidably carried a sense of caution. This caution made him seem less like the master of the house and more like a guest.
Lin An did want to discuss this with Qi Tian, but Qi Tian, once in work mode, was entirely focused. Now that he finally found an opportunity to speak, Lin An shared his true feelings with her.
When Qi Tian heard this, she felt quite distressed."If only I had told you earlier that all of that was fake. Everyone, take a break."
After saying that, Qi Tian went to discuss a solution with her team. Qi Tian herself didn't expect this to be the reason. The day she saw Lin An with the patriarch of the Nian family and his granddaughter, she had preconceived notions, assuming Lin An was the kind of young man who came to the entertainment industry to experience life.
Taking advantage of this gap, Lin An had a brief chat with Nian Wenran.
Lin An: Today's shooting didn't go well.
As soon as he sent it, Nian Wenran replied instantly.
Nian Xiao Wang: What happened?
Lin An sent a "Playing with the phone in class, college student" emoji.
Nian Xiao Wang: ...
Lin An didn't continue teasing Nian Wenran and briefly explained what had just happened.
Nian Xiao Wang: Anything else?
Lin An: That's it. We're about to start shooting again. I don't know if we can capture a good shot today. Feeling_unsettled.JPG
Nian Wenran looked at the emoji sent by Lin An with a panda holding its head and crying, and couldn't help but think about Lin An's expression and almost laughed out loud.
Nian Wenran thought for a while and quickly typed a row of words.
Little did he know that Lin An was greatly shocked by this smiling typography.
Lin An's chat window popped up Nian Wenran's latest reply: Don't worry, go ahead and shoot. With me here, we can afford any losses.
Lin An looked at this message and wondered if Nian Wenran had been possessed by someone just now. Comrade Nian Xiaowang's words were just too...
He had been successfully teased!
Excitedly, Lin An sent back a little person launching hearts emoji with his phone.
Sister Li walked over to remind Lin An to get ready for the shoot but was surprised to see him grinning foolishly.
"Why are you so happy? Did something good happen?" Sister Li asked.
Lin An looked at Sister Li and happily handed her his phone with the chat interface. Lin An currently had a strong desire to share.
Sister Li glanced at the chat history with a somewhat strange expression, but quickly adjusted her own expression, "There are quite a few rich girls in this show, huh?"
"Yeah, it seems like I'm the only poor one."
"Be more confident, remove the 'seems like.' " Sister Li made a casual joke, but her mind seemed elsewhere, "Lin An, after all, the show is just a show."
Lin An only heard the first part, "Be more confident," before the makeup artist pulled him away for touch-ups. "Hehe, Sister Li, don't worry. With Comrade Nian Xiao Wang at my side, I'm very confident now!"
Sister Li: ...
This is more uncomfortable than playing the piano to a cow.
Sister Li watched as Lin An adjusted his state and entered the shoot, unexpectedly displaying good performance. Her eyebrows furrowed even more.
She didn't expect Nian Wenran to have such an influence on Lin An already. As a bystander, she could see that Lin An liked Nian Wenran. However, Lin An was an iron tree that had never bloomed, and given his strong career focus, she thought he would make a rational choice regarding his feelings. But now, things seemed to be slipping out of control.
In fact, Sister Li understood the original owner's personality quite well. If it were the original owner, even if he realized he had feelings for a guest on the show, he would sensibly use that emotion to capitalize on it for financial gain.
The original owner entered the entertainment industry he was still underage, and once gained considerable popularity. For him, the elusive realm of emotions naturally was not as good as the money he can get.
This was the biggest difference between Lin An and the original owner. Both were orphans, both eager to make money, but in Lin An's heart, the beauty of emotions in the world surpassed that of money.
Just like back when the mudslide was imminent, Lin An tirelessly notified every household, risking danger to savegrandma. All of this was because the people of Linjia Village, especially Granny Lin, had shown great kindness to Lin An.
A villager from Linjia Village found Lin An abandoned at the village entrance. At that time, Linjia Village was the poorest in the area. No one could squeeze out extra rations to feed a baby of unknown origin, but they couldn't bear to abandon him.
In the end, they drew lots to decide which family would take in the infant, and it fell to a family without a son.
At the beginning, the family was quite happy. The little baby didn't eat much, and with subsidies from the village, life wasn't too difficult.
It wasn't until later when they had their own child that "Mom" became "Aunt." Although they didn't mistreat Lin An, he was essentially neglected.
When Lin An was young, he would feel sad, but as he grew older and learned about his origins, he wasn't as saddened by it.
The person in the village who treated Lin An the best was Granny Lin. With no children of her own, she loved and cared for Lin An. It was her insistence that gave Lin An the opportunity to receive an education.
Perhaps it's his nature or his own experience, Lin An was actually a very sentimental person. However, for Sister Li and the company, this was both good and bad news.
Sentimental people were less likely to betray the company, but sentimental people also didn't only value the company's feelings.
When someone more important appeared in the life of such a person, choosing between career and love became an obvious decision.
Sister Li, who was thinking about how to remind Lin An to control herself, was doomed to do useless work. After all, even if Sister Li understood the original owner's personality, she couldn't imagine that the person in front of her was no longer the original Lin An.
Lin An, who was being talked about, was getting more and more into the shoot, as if he had suddenly enlightened. Qi Tian was even more satisfied, changing several scenes in a row before reluctantly stopping for everyone to take a break.
Qi Tian took advantage of the break and couldn't help but say,"Lin An, your on-camera performance is really good, and your insight is high. Have you considered changing careers?"
Sister Li: "Hey, hey, you little monkey, what are you up to, poaching right in front of me!"
"Lin An is really a promising talent." Qi Tian expressed some regret. She had seen Lin An's profile and knew that he had been working in the entertainment industry for the past few years. He wouldn't easily switch careers, but encountering a promising talent, she couldn't help but speak out.
However, the person in question, Lin An, was just a small expert who wholeheartedly wanted to farm.
After shooting until after five in the afternoon, they finally finished today's work. The time span for the photos was only from morning to evening, but Qi Tian managed to capture a sense of historical time in the pictures.
There are ambitious young men and social elites who also have the restrained confidence of those in power. There are all kinds of people in the lens and different scenes allowed people to imagine a story. While it dazzled the eyes, it also showcased Lin An's adaptability.
Qi Tian chose a photo of Lin An wearing an all-black suit, one hand caressing a blue and white porcelain. On the golden-rimmed glasses hung an intricately patterned delicate chain, slightly sliding down, revealing Lin An's eyes perfectly. His expression was focused as he gazed at the blue and white porcelain, as if it were a priceless treasure.
Qi Tian had already figured out how to handle this photo in post-production. By highlighting Lin An's well-defined and slender fingers and his focused expression, with appropriate halo effects, it will be a completely erotic photo.
Sometimes, a man looking at you with an extremely focused expression can be more alluring than feigned affection.
Another photo showed Lin An wearing a stylish and well-designed casual white suit, standing by the window, slightly tilting his head to look at the scenery outside. This photo was actually a candid shot by Qi Tian, but the lazy yet elegant feeling unexpectedly matched well with the outfit.
Lin An didn't mind which photo was chosen. Of course, even if he had a preference, it would be futile. The final decision lay with the chief editor and the editor-in-chief.
Right now, Lin An only cared about when he would receive his first salary from the entertainment industry.
In the car, Lin An asked this question, "Sis, after deducting the company's share, how much can I get?"
Sister Li gestured with a five, before she could speak, Lin An exclaimed in shock, "Five hundred, so much!"
Sister Li, already forgetting how many times she had been speechless today, said, "Five thousand."
"Five thousand?" Lin An found it hard to believe, even feeling like he misheard.
With Sister Li's affirmation, Lin An sighed, "This money is too easy to make, just take a few shots, and you have a income of five thousand in a day."
"What's that? When you're popular, just one endorsement is worth several million."
Although Lin An was originally a wealthy small business owner, he only gained a clear understanding of the earning capabilities of celebrities up to now.
In his past life, Lin An was wholeheartedly dedicated to farming, and later, as his business grew, he became even busier. Lin An, who didn't pay attention to these matters, had no idea about the astronomical fees celebrities received for their endorsements, which had been widely discussed.
The main reason was that when Lin An crossed over, the original owner was in a state of poverty. The contract for the show was signed before, and Lin An had no idea how much he could get. Even though various units of millions and billions appeared frequently in novels, Lin An always thought it was just the author bragging.
After listening to Sister Li's detailed information about the endorsement fees of various stars in the industry, Lin An felt that the author was still conservative.
Sister Li took the opportunity to mention Nian Wenran, "Lin An, after all, the show is just a show. Don't get too deep into it."
Lin An was a bit confused, "What?"
"Since you still want to make money, you should know who your bread and butter are. Don't forget you are an idol, and don't forget the unwritten rules about not dating."
Lin An: !!??