29: Each gets what they need

In a private booth with an excellent view, located in the revolving restaurant on the top floor of the Hilton Hotel, Qin Shou was currently seated opposite Xu Sishi.

Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, the bustling night view of the City could be seen in its entirety, with dazzling lights resembling a scattered galaxy, breathtakingly beautiful. However, Qin Shou's gaze was completely captivated by Xu Sishi, who sat across from him, leaving him no time to appreciate the beautiful scenery outside the window.

"Stunning!"

That was the first and most direct feeling Xu Sishi gave Qin Shou.

Many celebrities in the entertainment industry are "camera-friendly faces"; they appear radiant and incredibly beautiful on screen, but once they are without the enhancement of cameras and filters, they often look quite ordinary in person, sometimes even completely different from their on-screen appearances. However, Xu Sishi clearly did not belong to this category; the feeling she gave Qin Shou was precisely the opposite—she was even more beautiful in person than on camera.

She was already unbelievably beautiful on camera, like a fairy stepping out of a painting. Now, appearing in person, so close to Qin Shou, she made him feel utterly astonished, and his heart even skipped a beat.

Xu Sishi's beauty was a beauty difficult to describe in words—pure, ethereal, noble, and elegant. It made Qin Shou feel as if she was something to be admired from afar, not to be profaned, like a priceless, exquisite work of art held carefully in one's hands, so delicate that one feared it might break with the slightest mishap.

Today, Xu Sishi wore a well-tailored, silk, off-white dress, its hem gently swaying, further accentuating her tall and graceful figure. Her beautiful, long, dark hair cascaded naturally over her shoulders like a waterfall. She wore only light makeup, which made her appear even fresher and more ethereal, breathtakingly beautiful.

As Qin Shou watched her, his only feeling was "immortal"; she was simply too ethereal! She truly lived up to her reputation as the acknowledged national goddess.

These three sisters—Yan Yourong was a passionate, sexy, and fiery mature woman; Ren Jing was a cool, capable, and powerful businesswoman; and Xu Sishi was an ethereal, pure, and refined young beauty. Truly, each had her own unique style and beauty.

Of course, Qin Shou also left a deep impression on Xu Sishi, even surprising her a little.

She came from a prestigious family, so her background was naturally top-tier. She also achieved fame at a young age and had a smooth journey, so she had met countless men. Among all the men in the world, those who could truly catch her eye were exceptionally rare.

In her opinion, the so-called "fresh meat" idols currently adored by fans in the entertainment industry were nothing more than a group of relatively handsome passersby once their makeup was removed, with nothing particularly special about them.

Aside from some veteran Hong Kong stars, many of today's fresh meat idols either lack good bone structure, failing to support delicate features and appearing less three-dimensional, or they lack good skin, with facial features that are not well-coordinated, relying entirely on heavy filters.

However, the Qin Shou before her made her feel that his physique, handsome looks, and the unique temperament emanating from his very being were in no way inferior to those meticulously packaged handsome male stars in the entertainment industry. In some aspects, he even surpassed them.

It's worth noting that the Qin Shou before her was dressed in extremely ordinary attire—a simple black casual outfit. Aside from a clean face, he hadn't even shaved his stubble, yet it didn't diminish Xu Sishi's impression that he was strikingly handsome.

She naturally didn't know that with the system's enhancement, Qin Shou's appearance had long surpassed that of those male celebrities. Moreover, with the skill of Manliness, which significantly enhances personal charm, he exuded an invisible, irresistible allure.

"You want to shoot a short drama?"

Xu Sishi was the first to break the slightly awkward atmosphere in the private room. She had a faint smile on her face, without any airs of a big star. In contrast, facing such a radiant celebrity, Qin Shou seemed a bit reserved.

"That's right."

Qin Shou nodded.

"How much money do you plan to invest?"

Xu Sishi was, after all, a professional. She got straight to the point; the amount of investment would determine the extent of her help.

"I currently only have about 1.5 million yuan in funds, which is all I have."

Qin Shou answered truthfully, not hiding his financial strength.

"For a short drama, if it's not a major IP, this investment is sufficient, but it might not be enough to hire a good director."

Xu Sishi thought for a moment and gave a fair assessment.

"Actually... I plan to direct it myself. This way, I can save the biggest expense and use the money to hire actors."

Qin Shou hesitated for a moment, then replied sincerely.

"You're directing it yourself? Did you study a related major?"

"No, I majored in computer science in college."

Qin Shou shrugged, his tone a little helpless.

"I see..."

Xu Sishi nodded thoughtfully, then her eyes suddenly lit up as she thought of a win-win idea.

"How about this: I just happen to have my own film company, and recently I've hired several new makeup artists, photographers, and a producer with a film degree. They are all professionally trained but just graduated and lack experience.

If you don't mind, I can lend them to you. This would also help me train new talent. While they might not be ready for big productions, they are definitely more than capable of shooting a short drama."

"This... this is truly too kind of you! Miss Xu, you've really helped me a great deal!"

Qin Shou was both surprised and delighted to hear that Xu Sishi was so generous as to lend him her studio's professional team.

He had been worrying about how to assemble a reliable team, and now Miss Xu had directly provided him with an entire crew. This was like a godsend to him, helping him with an enormous favor.

Qin Shou naturally understood the principle of reciprocating kindness and quickly said, "How about this, Miss Xu, if this short drama ultimately makes a profit, I'm willing to split it with you fifty-fifty. I absolutely won't let you lose out!"

"There's no need for a split. The profit from a short drama is nothing to me, and I don't lack this money. You're helping me train new talent, so we're both getting what we need."

Xu Sishi waved her hand dismissively, then changed the subject, saying meaningfully, "However... I have another request. I wonder if you can agree to it."

"Another request? What request? Miss Xu, please tell me. As long as I can do it, I will definitely not refuse!"

Qin Shou couldn't help but feel a bit puzzled, thinking, 'What can a small person like me do to help you?' But after all, he was receiving a big favor, and he naturally had to show gratitude.

"It's like this: my company is currently preparing to shoot an ancient costume idol xianxia drama. The investment scale is quite large, and the production team is also very strong. I am the female lead in this drama.

However... we still haven't finalized the male lead for this drama. We haven't been able to find a suitable actor."

Xu Sishi said slowly, with a hint of helplessness in her tone.

"You... you're not suggesting that I play the male lead in this drama, are you?!"

When Qin Shou heard Xu Sishi's words, he immediately widened his eyes, pointed at his nose, and asked with a look of disbelief. He never expected Xu Sishi to make such a request.

"Exactly. Your foundation and temperament are better than most of the fresh meat idols in the industry right now. With just a little packaging, I believe you will definitely be a hit. Most importantly, hiring a popular fresh meat idol now is simply too expensive."

Xu Sishi nodded without reservation.