Guide to Rising to Power as a Wife in Beijing's Elite Circle

In this circle, unequal status means that it's taken for granted that those in lower positions serve those in higher positions.

it's here,

Men serving women?

That's a joke.

Not to mention a man like Fang Jingxiu, the only son of the Fang family, the youngest powerful division chief in the National Development and Reform Commission, and a shoo-in for director-general next year.

He was serving a woman, a female college student with no connections.

Shen Rongchuan put down his wine glass and finally spoke, "Brother Xiu, what's wrong with you...?"

"What's wrong?" Fang Jingxiu looked up at him.

Shen Rongchuan smiled and shook his head: "It's nothing. I just feel... that my sister-in-law is a little different."

His words were loaded with meaning.

The other men at the table exchanged glances, all understanding that Shen Rongchuan was asking: Just how important is this girl?

Fang Jingxiu did not answer directly, but said, "Chen Nuo is a directing student at the Film Academy and is currently preparing for his first film."

The topic shift was abrupt, but Shen Rongchuan caught it: "Oh? What subject?"

"It's a socially relevant subject matter," Fang Jingxiu said vaguely, "still in the planning stages."

Lin Siming chimed in, "Do you need any help? I know a few producers."

Zhao Mingkai nodded, "I'm familiar with the distribution side."

Zheng Zhiheng didn't speak, but he glanced at Chen Nuo.

Chen Nuo could sense that from that moment on, the way the men at the table looked at her changed.

She was no longer just a pretty female companion brought by Fang Jingxiu, but a potentially useful person.

This is the reality of this industry: your value determines how others perceive you.

Shen Rongchuan tapped his fingers on the table and looked at Chen Nuo: "Ms. Chen, when will the script be released? Let me take a look. If it's good, I'll submit it."

Upon hearing this, the other girls at the table all looked up and glanced at Chen Nuo.

His gaze was complex, a mixture of envy, jealousy, and a hint of confusion.

They are also pretty girls, and they know how to serve others, so why haven't they received such a promise?

Chen Nuo took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady: "Thank you, President Shen. The script is still being polished; I'll show it to you as soon as it's finished."

"Sister-in-law, don't be formal. Don't call me President Shen, just call me Brother Chuan." Shen Rongchuan waved his hand, his tone casual. "Since Brother Xiu brought you here, you're one of us."

own people.

These three words are like an invisible token.

The atmosphere at the next dinner party subtly changed.

In this circle, there are only two kinds of women: those who are decorations and those who are resources.

Decorations are consumables; they are replaced once they are used up.

Resources are investment goods; they need to be managed and maintained.

And because of Fang Jingxiu, she went from being an embellishment to a resource.

After the dinner, the group left the Li Family Restaurant.

Before getting into the car, Shen Rongchuan patted Fang Jingxiu on the shoulder: "Brother Xiu, are you serious this time?"

Fang Jingxiu looked at him: "When have I ever not been serious?"

Shen Rongchuan smiled, said nothing more, and turned to get into the car.

The car drove into the night.

Chen Nuo looked out the window, and the scenes from tonight flashed through his mind: the girls serving people, the men chatting and laughing, and Shen Rongchuan's words, "our own people."

She entered that world.

Whether she can stand firm or not depends on herself.

Fang Jingxiu's voice pulled her back to reality: "Chen Nuo, Shen Rongchuan has agreed to invest. Don't let him down. Whether the movie is a good film, whether it succeeds, depends on you. Understand?"

"Understood," Chen Nuo said. "I won't let you down."

Fang Jingxiu smiled: "I'm not afraid of you disappointing me. I'm afraid of you disappointing yourself."

Looking at him, Chen Nuo suddenly felt that this man was forcing her to grow up in his own way.

Force her to become stronger, force her to be independent, force her to stop depending on anyone.

The car drove out of the parking lot of the Li Family Mansion and merged into the dazzling night traffic of Jingjing.

Chen Nuo leaned back in the passenger seat, turning his head to look at Fang Jingxiu's profile, flickering in the streetlights. A sudden urge to tease him welled up within him.

"Brother Xiu," she deliberately dragged out the last syllable, with a hint of slyness, "don't worry, I will work hard to become stronger."

"Hmm." Fang Jingxiu looked straight ahead and casually responded.

"When I become powerful in the future," Chen Nuo continued, looking at him with bright eyes, "I'll follow in Shen Rongchuan's footsteps and have a gigolo."

Fang Jingxiu's hand on the steering wheel paused almost imperceptibly.

Chen Nuo suppressed a laugh, waiting for his reaction.

"Keeping a gigolo?" Fang Jingxiu's tone was calm, but the car seemed to be moving a little slower than before. "What for?"

"Let him peel the crabs for me!" Chen Nuo said matter-of-factly. "Look at those girls at the table tonight, how hard they're working. When I'm more capable, I'll have someone to serve me too, so you won't always have to do it."

Fang Jingxiu remained silent.

Chen Nuo leaned closer, tilting her head to look at him: "Brother Xiu, why aren't you saying anything? Are you jealous?"

"No," Fang Jingxiu answered crisply, but his jawline seemed a little tighter than before.

Chen Nuo was secretly delighted by his feigned calmness. She reached out and gently poked his arm: "Really not?"

"No," Fang Jingxiu repeated, but glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Oh—" Chen Nuo drawled, sitting back down and pretending to talk to herself, "Then once I find a gigolo, he'll have to be handsome, young, preferably good at massage, cooking, and also..."

"Chen Nuo," Fang Jingxiu interrupted her, his voice a shade deeper than before.

"Huh?" Chen Nuo blinked, looking completely innocent.

Fang Jingxiu took a deep breath, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just shook his head, though the corners of his lips slightly turned up: "Promising."

Looking at his helpless yet smiling profile, Chen Nuo finally couldn't help but laugh out loud. She leaned over and quickly kissed him on the cheek: "Just kidding! I have you, that's enough for me, who needs a pretty boy?"

Fang Jingxiu was taken aback by her sudden attack, then chuckled, "You just know how to fool around."

"I'm not kidding," Chen Nuo leaned back in his seat, his tone light. "I just wanted to see you get jealous."

"Why would I be jealous?" Fang Jingxiu said, but then reached out and took her hand. "With your small frame, you think you can keep a gigolo?"

"So what if I'm small?" Chen Nuo retorted, unconvinced. "When I become powerful, I'll be Director Chen too!"

"Yes, yes, Director Chen," Fang Jingxiu echoed with a smile, gently stroking the back of her hand with his fingers. "So, Director Chen, may I ask, after you become powerful, is the first thing you'll do, keep a gigolo, or focus on making good movies?"

"Of course, I'll hire that gigolo first!" Chen Nuo deliberately teased him. "Then I'll have him be my producer, let him attract investment, let him handle censorship, and I can just lie at home counting money!"

Fang Jingxiu was finally amused by her and burst out laughing. The deep laughter echoed in the carriage, dispelling the oppressive atmosphere from the dinner party earlier.

"Okay," he nodded, his tone full of indulgence, "then you'd better find a capable gigolo, otherwise he won't be able to handle these things."

"Of course!" Chen Nuo proudly raised his chin. "At least... I can't be worse than you, right?"

Fang Jingxiu raised an eyebrow: "Worse than me?"

"Yeah, the student has to surpass the teacher," Chen Nuo said seriously. "Otherwise, how can I improve?"

"That makes some sense." Fang Jingxiu nodded, then changed the subject, "But Director Chen, I have to remind you, in Jingjing, it might be a bit difficult to find a pretty boy better than me."

"Oh, so confident?" Chen Nuo glanced at him sideways.

"It's not confidence," Fang Jingxiu turned to look at her, a smile in his eyes, "it's the truth."

"shameless!"