Chapter 62: Egret's Reverse Invitation

"Next station, Nanjing South Railway Station..."
As the high-speed rail announcement echoed through the carriage, Bai Lu was adjusting her outfit in front of the train window.
Today, she wore a dark gray wool coat, layered over a beige turtleneck sweater, paired with slim-fit black straight-leg trousers and low-heeled ankle boots.
This was an outfit she had specially purchased for this "executive business trip."
It cost her entire last month's salary...
It was a bit pricey, but totally worth it!
That was what her boss had told her back then.
"Xiao Bai, you see, the most worthwhile investment a person can make in their lifetime is in themselves."
"When you go out to handle matters, your attire and grooming might look like surface-level effort, but they actually harbor your attitude and confidence. Impeccable dressing isn't for vanity; it's so that when you stand there, you exude confidence first, allowing others to perceive your dedication and respect through those details."
"Spending money on this might seem like you're just buying a piece of clothing, but you're actually paving the way for your self-assurance and opportunities. That is the most cost-effective investment."
She felt that the boss was right...
Perched on the bridge of her nose was a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. The lenses had no prescription, but wearing them truly made her look much more capable and quite pretty!
This was a gift given to her by Jiang Ye right before her departure, and he had patted her shoulder with a serious expression: "Xiao Bai, your boss thinks of everything for you! You must filialize well and show your gratitude in the future..."
The boss was still pretty good to her!
The train doors slid open, and a cold blast of wind rushed in. Bai Lu instinctively shrank her neck, but immediately straightened her back again.
She was now an executive at Jiangying Media; she couldn't show any timidity.
"Yanyan! Over here!"
As soon as she exited the station, she heard a familiar shout.
Hehe was wearing a down jacket, with her hair tied in a ponytail, waving frantically at the arrival gate, her face full of excitement.
Bai Lu walked over briskly, and the two of them hugged each other tightly in excitement.
Hehe stepped back, looked her up and down, and her eyes widened: "Oh my god! You've only been in Yanjing for a few months, how did you turn into a completely different person?"
Bai Lu pushed up her glasses and feigned profundity: "Of course. Howsoever it may be, I'm considered a person in the entertainment industry now."
Hehe let out a snort of laughter: "Oh, give it a rest! During our video call last time, you were still complaining about making coffee for your boss every day!"
"That was in the past!" Bai Lu lifted her chin. "Things are different now. I'm an executive at a film and television company, and I manage several people under me!"
Hehe was skeptical: "Really or not? Didn't you say just yesterday that your boss values you tremendously and is sending you to study drama with some veteran senior? Why did you suddenly run off to Nanjing today?"
Bai Lu's expression froze slightly, tinged with helplessness.
Yesterday in the office, Jiang Ye had given her another heartfelt, soul-to-soul pep talk.
"Xiao Bai, the company needs to grow right now. As my assistant and the number two person in the company, you simply must shoulder heavier responsibilities."
"Go to Nanjing tomorrow and help me recruit someone!"
"Remember to go and come back quickly; you mustn't delay going to study drama next week. Study hard, because the company is about to start its next production, and I've pre-selected you directly for the female lead!"
Was there anything left to say to that?
A scholar dies for one who truly knows his worth!
She, Bai Mengyan, had decided to work herself to death for the boss in this lifetime...
"Ahem," Bai Lu collected herself, lowered her voice, and tried to sound mysterious. "This is a commercial secret. I am here representing our boss to poach talent!"
"Back in ancient times, this would be called an imperial envoy!"
"Also, please call me by my stage name from now on: Ms. Bai Lu!"
Hehe looked envious: "Oh, you even have a stage name now?"
"Since the great star Bai has graced Nanjing with her presence, this humble servant failed to welcome you from afar. Shall we go get a bowl of duck blood vermicelli soup to warm up first, and then proceed with the rest of our work?"
"Very well... Little He, prepare the carriage..."
After exiting the high-speed rail station, the two first went to "Huiwei" for some duck blood vermicelli soup, and then hailed a taxi straight to Modu Road.
"Driver, please stop in front of the Sunlight Allure Bridal Studio." Bai Lu glanced at the memo on her phone.
Hehe leaned over to whisper in her ear: "What should I call you later? President Bai? Director Bai?"
"Just act natural," Bai Lu lowered her voice. "You just need to coordinate with me..."
Pushing open the patterned glass door, the wind chimes jingled melodiously.
The studio wasn't large, but it was exquisitely decorated.
Wedding photographs hung all over the walls, soft lighting cast a glow upon the white tulle draping, and an old-fashioned film camera sat in the corner as a decoration.
"Hello, may I ask if you are Mr. Yuan Shuang?"
Bai Lu pushed up her glasses, her voice dropping a fraction lower than usual. "I am Bai Lu from Jiangying Media. I spoke with you on the phone yesterday."
The long-haired young man behind the counter, who had been retouching photos, looked up.
He was around twenty-five or twenty-six, with slightly curly hair cascading to his shoulders. He wore a loose linen shirt, with several turns of wooden bead bracelets wrapped around his wrist, exuding the casual, artistic vibe typical of a literary youth.
"President Bai!" Yuan Shuang immediately stood up and extended his hand warmly. "I didn't expect you to be so young. I've followed every single episode of *The Crown Princess's Promotion*. Your company is incredible!"
Being addressed as "President Bai" made Bai Lu's heart warm up, feeling as though little firecrackers were bursting inside her chest. The corners of her mouth couldn't help but stretch toward her ears, and she almost failed to maintain her serious facial expression.
Hehe secretly poked Bai Lu's waist from behind and whispered a reminder: "Aura!"
Bai Lu gave a light cough. "You're too kind. Our President Jiang has always emphasized that our works must remain grounded in reality."
"The theme song was even sung by our President Bai!" Hehe suddenly chimed in, looking immensely proud. "The streaming views have already reached the hundreds of millions!"
Yuan Shuang's eyes lit up: "Really? That song *Chill*? I still have it saved on my phone!"
As he spoke, he reached for his phone.
Bai Lu's ears burned, and she hurriedly changed the subject. "Mr. Yuan, our President Jiang deeply admires your work."
She took a tablet out of her bag: "This short video you posted on Weibo, *The Best Journey is the Road Home*, should be your very first work, right?"
"Your capture of emotion is simply too precise."
"Without any deliberate melodrama, you used the language of the lens to conceal the metaphor of the journey home within light and shadow. For instance..."
Bai Lu paused abruptly as she spoke, her gaze drifting slightly. She had forgotten her lines...
She quietly slid her hand to the side of her bag, her fingertips hooking her phone out to illuminate the screen, and flashed a quick glance at the notes in her memo app before clearing her throat to continue. "The echo between the protagonist's silhouette lingering on the streets of a foreign land and that beam of warm light when finally pushing open the front door—seemingly casual, yet it conveys the core essence of distant travels and returning home with absolute thoroughness."
"This technique of laying out emotions through details is far too rare in short videos. President Jiang said this is creation imbued with true vitality."
Yuan Shuang was completely dumbfounded!
As expected of a professional film and television company, and Director Jiang truly lived up to his reputation as a director capable of producing such a massive hit as *The Crown Princess's Promotion*.
Could they actually parse out this many layers of meaning from a video lasting merely a few minutes?
He hadn't even realized it himself...
Professionalism was truly professionalism!
Bai Lu tried hard to make her voice sound serious. "We are currently preparing a new project, and we would like to invite you to join as the assistant director!"
"What? Assistant director? Inviting me???"