Chapter 1559: I'll Take This Version

“Who said I was here to assign blame?”

Zhou Po directly flipped past Shen Bin’s pages and stared for a while at several pages from Nan Jiaojiao. Not satisfied with just looking himself, he proudly showed them to Pei Dongshi beside him. “This is exactly the feeling we’re going for, the design is spot on. I’ll take these drafts back with me, even Director Chen won’t find fault with them!”

He wouldn’t dare, anyway.

The Empress’s Killing is about to air, and the previews have already been eagerly devoured by the fans. Besides the plot and the captivating character design, the styling has received the most praise.

Others might not know, but Zhou Po, being in charge throughout, had interacted with Nan Jiaojiao and knew all the designs were from this young girl. He was curious and inquired about it, but even Director Chen couldn’t dig out more details, making it even more intriguing for him.

When the movie was still in its early stages and no actors had been cast, Director Chen had already set his sights on Nan Jiaojiao. He feared approaching her directly might get him nowhere, so he resorted to the underhanded tactic of pestering Chu Yao and Pei Dongshi, stubbornly insisting on having Nan Jiaojiao. He didn’t care about any other designers thrown into the mix.

Indeed, as soon as Nan Jiaojiao made a move, it was clear she was exceptional.

“Brilliant! The character design for our second female lead is very well-developed. Initially, she’s a courtesan in a brothel. After encountering a setback, her personality changes drastically. At first, she shares mutual empathy with the female lead, as both are tragic figures. But after the female lead finds love, the second lead’s mentality starts to distort. She repeatedly schemes behind the scenes and gradually falls from being a courtesan to a true denizen of the underworld, ultimately becoming a madam of the brothel and obsessively trapping the female lead there. This character is bright, dark, and mad, with a heavy tragic undertone. Jiaojiao’s designs capture this perfectly—one set for her bright earlier phase and another for her darker later phase. The cheongsam’s colors and features are highlighted just right. It’s simply marvelous! I want this version!”

Zhou Po didn’t blink and recited a long passage as if memorized. Before complimenting anyone, he jabbed at Shen Bin: “You said the earlier designs were yours?”

Shen Bin couldn’t even muster a smile, “Yes…”

“Then take them back,” Zhou Po directly tore those pages out and pretended to hand them to Shen Bin, letting go prematurely just as Shen Bin reached out. “Sorry, could you pick them up? My hand trembled a bit.”

Who wouldn’t see that as intentional?

Shen Bin pursed his lips, forced out a “No problem,” and bent down to pick up the page that had fallen to the ground.

“No wonder it’s E.Y. Even an intern has this capability. It’s no surprise Director Chen specifically requested her. President Pei, you have an exceptional eye for talent, capturing such a gem.”

Pei Dongshi held back laughter. Although he hadn’t completely managed to suppress it, he usually maintained a cool persona at the company. The slight smile at the corner of his mouth was already considered a broad grin by the employees. He didn’t look at Nan Jiaojiao, nor did he mention her, yet there was an undeniable sense of protective pride in his expression.

“Not at all, Producer Zhou, you’re too kind. She’s still young and needs more experience. After she joins the crew, I’d appreciate it if Producer Zhou could look after her.”

“Don’t mention it! We’ll have a great collaboration.”

Zhou Po was already showing signs of leaving. “I’ll take these design drafts back to show Director Chen. Oh, right, can I have a few words with this young lady in private?”

Pei Dongshi replied, “Of course.”

Only then did he properly look at Nan Jiaojiao, “Please see Producer Zhou out.”

Nan Jiaojiao softly responded and followed him out. When they reached a place with no one around, Zhou Po looked back, checking, and then opened the window a bit.