Chapter Thirty-Eight: A New Decision

As the four of them had expected, Zhou Jingchen immediately set up a new team, and they were all included as members.

After reviewing the game plan in their hands, they finally understood why young Mr. Zhou had scolded the planning department for being useless. What the others had in mind was simply to imitate the popular card games on the market for a quick profit. What young Mr. Zhou wanted, however, was a game that could operate for the long term.

Taking the most famous story from "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio"—the tale of the Ghostly Beauty—as the main storyline, and weaving in stories like Painted Skin, Dream Wolf, and Leaf’s Life as subplots, they now had a comprehensive narrative outline for the game. The character designs and equipment had also been considered; only details remained to be refined.

They even felt that, given enough time, young Mr. Zhou could polish the entire plan by himself.

Joining this new team was a stroke of luck for them, but it was also an opportunity granted by young Mr. Zhou. If they could grasp it, they would soar to new heights; if not, they would have to step down.

Determined not to disappoint him again, the four of them pored over "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio," researching which dynasty the Ghostly Beauty belonged to and how to design the game’s background.

While they buried themselves in books and research, Zhou Jingchen personally went forth, conducting a series of interviews and tests, and within a week, managed to assemble a suitable team from within the company. Planners, artists, modelers—one after another, staff moved into their new roles, and only after completing this task did Zhou Jingchen finally relax, collapsing at home.

The initial team was now in place, the requirements had been handed down; if things still didn’t work out, then the company truly would need a thorough overhaul.

…

At this moment, Wen Xiu was also reviewing information about the entertainment industry. Hidden rules, drugging, smear campaigns… Not only female stars, but even male stars were not exempt from such filth.

After reading all of this, Wen Xiu felt as if she were having a heart attack and even considered abandoning the idea altogether.

But the scene Yu Qian had painted for her, of people in show business raking in money by the millions, lingered in her mind—she, a lover of wealth, could not let it go.

Ever since she was created by Mother Nuwa, Wen Xiu had studied finance and developed a keen interest in money. After arriving in the mortal world and dabbling in the stock market, her fascination for amassing wealth only deepened.

Wen Xiu’s current dream was to build a room out of gold—a golden bed, a golden table, a golden bathtub… everything would be made of gold!

But gold was expensive in today’s world—prohibitively so. The money she had made so far wasn’t even enough for a golden chair.

Unable to decide, she finally pulled out her phone and messaged Nuwa: “Mother, if there’s a way to make money, but it also has an especially disgusting dark side, should I do it?”

[Nuwa]: “Is there a bright side?”

[Xiu Xiu]: “Yes.”

[Nuwa]: “Then be one of those on the bright side.”

Wen Xiu’s eyes lit up. Of course! Everything has a light and a dark side. She had only seen the darkness—why not turn it over and explore the light as well?

Taking up the information again, Wen Xiu realized she had barely glanced at those industrious, kind-hearted, and beautiful souls in the industry.

Upon further examination, she found that, to enter show business, one thing was indispensable: money!

Eight million might be a fortune for ordinary people, but for the big players, it wasn’t even enough to invest in a small art-house film.

If she wanted to bring Yu Qian into the entertainment world, without enough financial backing and influence, she would only be putting her in harm’s way.

For the sake of her own dream, and to protect Yu Qian, she had to work even harder.

No longer complacent about having made a few million, Wen Xiu pushed all pride aside and once again took up her spot in the securities hall.

Yu Qian, having heard of Wen Xiu’s activities from Nuwa, felt a mix of amusement and exasperation. She explained that her future path was only mentioned in passing, and that she had only wanted Wen Xiu to see how complicated the entertainment world was, hoping to dissuade her from dragging Yu Qian in.

Unexpectedly, this had only strengthened Wen Xiu’s resolve to make money and support her.

Yu Qian found herself reconsidering her own future.

She was already something of an internet celebrity, just as Wen Xiu had said. Her appearance had changed thanks to all sorts of spiritual fruits and elixirs from the group, her figure and bearing approaching perfection. She lacked neither talent nor wealth—was she really going to confine herself forever to working behind the scenes?

Yu Qian thought of a novel she’d once read: the heroine’s soul travels from an ancient parallel world to the present, and like Yu Qian, she had everything except a clear vision for her own future. But the heroine was lucky—her modern family was loving and supportive, encouraging her to write about her past life. By chance, she entered the entertainment industry and excelled in both writing and acting.

Yu Qian thought, if others could balance both, why couldn’t she?

With her mind made up, she resolved not to give up her dream of being a screenwriter, but she would also enter the entertainment world.

She quickly adjusted her plans. She would continue modeling, but she negotiated a new arrangement with Yu Wen: she wanted to become the spokesperson for Rouge Beauty.

Yu Wen had no objection to her decision, but Cao Yuan did. Fortunately, he wasn’t an unreasonable child, and Yu Qian managed to persuade him with logic.

Contracts were redrawn, promotion strategies planned, and new products designed.

Yu Wen and his wife, together with Cao Yuan, brimmed with ambition, determined to make Rouge Beauty a top national brand.

Yu Qian also reorganized her studies at the little grotto: three days devoted to music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and dance, with the remaining four days set aside for importing modern TV and film into the grotto for acting and mimicry practice.

In her daily life, she began observing and imitating others as well.

In her previous life, she had always skipped acting and broadcasting classes during training, missing out on much. But she had learned a crucial lesson: freeing her natural instincts.

She forced her shyness and restraint deep within her heart. Even if people stared or thought her crazy, nothing would stop her from learning.

“Qian Qian, what exactly do you want to do?” Wen Yu, finding time to come home, looked at her with concern.

“Mom, I want to enter show business,” Yu Qian replied, tilting her head, her face calm.

“Didn’t you want to be a screenwriter? Why do you want to become a star now?” Wen Yu’s concern deepened. Was her daughter truly losing her mind?

“Xiu Xiu said that learning so much only to be a screenwriter is a waste—so I want to do both.”

“Xiu Xiu?” That girl again? Where did she pop up from?

“Xiu Xiu is a girl I met before, very talented, extremely so.”

Wen Yu paused—this was the first time she’d heard her daughter praise anyone so highly: “Could you introduce her to me?”

Wen Yu wanted to talk to this girl.

Yu Qian immediately understood her mother’s intentions, but she’d long wanted to introduce Wen Xiu to her parents anyway, so she readily agreed and arranged a meeting on Wen Xiu’s behalf.

Knowing she was about to meet the woman who had given Yu Qian her surname, Wen Xiu was nervous. She understood Yu Qian’s meaning—after this meeting, barring any mishaps, she would formally become a member of the Yu family.

To prepare, Wen Yu pulled her new friend Lin Lele along for a shopping spree.

She needed new clothes and shoes, a new hairstyle, a beauty treatment, and gifts.

Wen Yu resolved to present herself at her very best to her future family.