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

It was past ten o'clock when the dinner ended.

Fang Jingxiu chatted with the two directors for a few more minutes about the filming schedule and agreed to see the preliminary plan next week.

After everyone else left, only the two of them remained in the private room.

The waiter came in to clean up the mess, but Fang Jingxiu waved his hand and said, "Wait a moment."

The waiter withdrew and gently closed the door behind him.

Chen Nuo sat there, her heart still pounding.

Everything that happened tonight feels like a dream.

"Nervous?" Fang Jingxiu lit a cigarette and leaned back in his chair.

"A little," Chen Nuo said honestly. "I didn't expect... you would help me like this."

"Help you?" Fang Jingxiu exhaled a puff of smoke. "I'm making an investment."

Chen Nuo was taken aback.

"I rarely misjudge people." He looked at her. "You have potential and are willing to work hard; all you lack is opportunity. Giving you an opportunity is investing in your future."

He spoke bluntly, but Chen Nuo understood the underlying meaning.

He disliked the sticky, effusive gratitude and preferred a transparent, transactional relationship.

Everyone gets what they need, and everything is clear.

"What kind of reward do you want?" Chen Nuo asked softly.

Fang Jingxiu stared at her for a long time.

The smoke swirled around his face, blurring his expression.

"I haven't decided yet," he said finally. "I'll let you know when I do."

He stubbed out his cigarette and stood up: "Let's go, I'll take you home."

As the car drove onto Anning Street, Jingjing was brightly lit up at night.

Chen Nuo looked out the window at the Tiananmen Gate Tower and suddenly spoke: "Brother Xiu."

"Um?"

"Thank you," she said, "not just for today."

Fang Jingxiu turned his head to look at her.

"It's for everyone." Chen Nuo turned to look at him, "For the door that opened for me, the road that paved for me, and for me... to see a bigger world."

She spoke sincerely, her eyes shining like stars in the night.

Fang Jingxiu was silent for a few seconds, then smiled very softly.

"Take care," he said. "Don't waste time."

Three words, yet they carry immense weight.

Chen Nuo nodded vigorously: "I will."

As the car pulled up at the entrance of the residential compound, before Chen Nuo got out, Fang Jingxiu suddenly said, "Liu Qingsong's documentary project starts filming next month. Get ready; if you need to take leave from school, have Secretary Qin help you coordinate."

"Okay." Chen Nuo nodded. "Then... when can I see you again?"

She regretted asking as soon as she did.

Too hasty, too blatant.

Fang Jingxiu wasn't angry; he simply said, "I'll contact you after I'm done with this busy period."

"it is good."

Chen Nuo got out of the car and stood in the cool autumn night breeze, watching the car drive away.

She didn't turn around and walk back to her dormitory until the taillights disappeared around the street corner.

My steps were light and quick, as if I were walking on clouds.

She knew that starting tonight, everything would be different.

Liu Qingsong's documentary, Zheng Xuan's recognition, and Fang Jingxiu's paving the way.

These resources are what countless film school students dream of.

And now, she has it.

It wasn't because she was anything special, but because she was standing behind Fang Jingxiu.

Back in her dorm, she texted her father: "It's done. Liu Qingsong wants me to join the crew, and Zheng Xuan really appreciates me."

The father quickly replied, "Fang Jingxiu cares about you a lot. But remember, the more he cares, the more you need to stay clear-headed."

"I know."

How did he introduce you today?

"I just said I was from the film academy, and didn't say anything more."

"Smart," Chen Jianguo replied. "Not saying it outright leaves more room for imagination. You're Fang Jingxiu's man now, and that label is more useful than any other title."

Chen Nuo felt a mix of emotions as he read those words.

She started by scheming, exploiting, and making a deal.

but now……

She remembered Fang Jingxiu's focused profile as he removed fish bones from her, his calm yet firm tone when introducing her to the director, and the expectation in his eyes when he said, "Take care, don't waste your life."

These details cannot be explained by trading alone.

She lay down on the bed and closed her eyes.

My mind is filled with images from tonight.

And that other question.

What kind of reward does he want?

But can she afford it?