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

He spoke in a calm tone, as if stating something perfectly ordinary: "Minister Chen asked me to come and take a look."

As soon as he said that, everyone in the room perked up their ears.

Minister Chen.

Minister Chen, who held the power of life and death over approvals.

Liu Qingsong's expression became even more respectful: "Minister Chen, you've gone to so much trouble! Our project..."

"By the way," Fang Jingxiu interrupted him, his voice low but each word clear, "come and see how motivated the staff are."

As he said this, his gaze swept over Chen Nuo once again.

This time, the stay was longer.

Chen Nuo's heart skipped a beat.

She lowered her head, pretending to tidy up the script in her hands, but her cheeks were already flushed uncontrollably. The pink down jacket made that blush even more noticeable, like the first peach blossom blooming on a branch in early spring.

Liu Qingsong, being astute, immediately caught Fang Jingxiu's gaze. His smile deepened, his eyes darting between Fang Jingxiu and Chen Nuo, and he said meaningfully, "Director Fang, rest assured, our crew is very dedicated. Especially Xiao Chen, he's exceptionally serious and professional."

As he spoke, he stepped aside and gestured for him to look.

Fang Jingxiu strode towards the filming area.

His steps were steady, neither too fast nor too slow, each step as if measured. The hem of his black executive jacket swayed slightly with his movements, and the front of his dark gray overcoat was open, revealing the neatly pressed collar of his white shirt underneath.

The staff on site automatically made way for him, and no one dared to speak. The only sound was the clear and steady thud of his leather shoes on the cement floor.

Chen Nuo remained standing there, watching Fang Jingxiu walk towards him.

Getting closer.

Three meters, two meters, one meter...

He stopped in front of her.

Chen Nuo could smell the familiar cedar scent on him, see the fine wool texture on his coat, and feel the weight of his gaze on her.

"Let me see the clerical script," Fang Jingxiu said, his tone businesslike.

Chen Nuo was stunned for a moment before realizing what was happening, and quickly handed over the notebook in her hand.

Fang Jingxiu took it and opened it.

The script was written in neat handwriting, with each scene's shot, duration, and notes clearly recorded. Some parts were even marked with different colored pens.

Red indicates problematic shots, green indicates spare shots, and blue indicates content that needs to be reshot.

Very professional.

Fang Jingxiu flipped through a few pages, then looked up at her: "Did you write all of this down?"

"Yes." Chen Nuo nodded, his voice a little soft. "Director Liu is very strict, so I can't be careless."

Fang Jingxiu hummed in agreement, handed the notebook back to her, and lingered on her face for a few seconds.

Then he said, "Not bad."

Only two words.

But Chen Nuo's heart felt as if it had been gently bumped by something, and instantly blossomed with joy.

She knew that Fang Jingxiu was the kind of person who rarely praised others. To hear "good" from him was already a very high compliment.

"Thank you, Director Fang," she said softly, her cheeks flushing even more.

Fang Jingxiu looked at her shy expression, a faint smile flashing in his eyes. But he quickly concealed it, turning to Liu Qingsong and saying, "Director Liu, you two continue. Don't worry about me."

After speaking, he walked to the side of the filming area and found a chair to sit down. It wasn't the special seat that Liu Qingsong had brought over; it was just an ordinary folding chair from the set.

He sat there with his hands crossed on his knees, his back very straight, as if he were attending an important meeting.

Everyone present felt the pressure.

The assistant director's hands were trembling as he held the walkie-talkie: "All departments, prepare! Scene 3, shot 2, prepare... action!"

Filming resumed.

But the atmosphere was completely different.

Everyone gave it their all; no one dared to slack off or be perfunctory.

The lighting technician adjusted the lights a third faster than usual, the photographer's hands were as steady as if they were welded to the track, and even the production assistants moved props very quietly, afraid of making the slightest noise.

Chen Nuo also got into work mode.

Holding her script, she stood beside the monitor, her eyes glued to the screen. After each shot was filmed, she immediately bent down to take notes, her movements fluid and professional.

Occasionally, she would look up at the filming area, her brows furrowed slightly, as if she were thinking about something.

Then she would walk over to Liu Qingsong and whisper a few words. Sometimes it was about camera angles, sometimes it was small suggestions about the actors' positioning.

Liu Qingsong usually adopts his suggestions.

Fang Jingxiu sat not far away, quietly watching all of this.

He watched Chen Nuo work diligently, observed her focused gaze, noticed the slight furrowing of her brows when she occasionally raised a question, and admired her humble yet confident demeanor when offering suggestions.

His gaze grew increasingly intense.

It turns out she's not just cute in private.

At work, she is just as... dazzling.

Like an unpolished pearl, it begins to shine with its own unique brilliance in its professional field.

The shoot lasted half an hour and included a series of challenging long takes.

After Liu Qingsong yelled "Cut," a sparse round of applause broke out. It wasn't that they weren't enthusiastic; everyone was secretly watching Fang Jingxiu's reaction.

Fang Jingxiu remained seated, his expression calm and unreadable.

But he raised his hand and clapped very lightly a few times.

The movement was casual, but everyone present saw it.

Liu Qingsong's eyes immediately lit up.

He strode up to Fang Jingxiu: "Director Fang, look at this set of shots..."

"Not bad." Fang Jingxiu said those two words again, but this time he was talking to Liu Qingsong. "The rhythm was well controlled, and the actors' emotions were also on point."