098 Submitting a Resume! (Please Add to Favorites)

Faced with Fu Xingguo’s invitation, the old patriarch did not give a direct answer. Instead, he shared the news with Su Yunjin that evening.

“Your Grandpa Fu says the program is a special project crafted by the Ministry of Culture, meant to help children better understand soldiers—a sort of publicity effort. The only downside is that it’ll be a bit tough.”

A military-themed variety show, especially one that involved experiencing military training, was bound to be challenging. Even if the process was somewhat simplified compared to actual training, it would never be as easy as people might imagine.

“I’m not too worried about hardship,” Su Yunjin replied. “But I do have another concern. Grandpa Wu, Grandpa Fu isn’t one of the people behind this show, is he?” She was aware of all the difficulties her grandfather had considered, but right now, she had her own priorities.

After the C-Position Girl Group project ended, she was in a lull. It was time to think carefully about her next program. She had her own criteria for this choice.

Firstly, she couldn’t afford to deplete her popularity. Having just gained some fame, it would be a waste to lose it on a poor-quality show.

Secondly, she needed to maintain her image, and ideally, to craft a persona for herself. In the entertainment industry, this was usually the job of an agent or a company, but Su Yunjin had no company behind her—she had to shape her own image.

A persona of diligence and resilience seemed an excellent choice for this moment.

As for the hardships of a military variety show, Su Yunjin didn’t consider them a problem. The disciplined life she lived in her sect wasn’t quite on par with the military, but it wasn’t far off.

Her only worry was whether she would be able to make it into “Blood and Steel Warriors,” which was set to start filming in a month, if she applied now.

Of course, with the information Grandpa Fu provided, she could easily take a shortcut. But this was her first variety show after leaving the C-Position Girl Group, and she didn’t want any special treatment. Not only could that cause misunderstandings, but it also wasn’t her style to be helped along.

“Heh heh, of course not,” Grandpa Wu replied. “Your Grandpa Fu’s family dabbles a bit in entertainment, but not much. Their main business is industrial, and they rarely get involved in anything to do with showbiz. Why do you ask, Yun’er?”

Su Yunjin didn’t hold back, explaining all her concerns to her grandfather.

“Heh heh, you really are my granddaughter—so principled. Don’t worry, this has nothing to do with your Grandpa Fu. All he can do is give you a heads-up; if you want, you can start from the interview stage.”

Grandpa Wu’s face was all smiles, his pride evident in his eyes. He had once thought that his granddaughter would need a lot of connections to break into the entertainment industry, but now it seemed their years of effort had paid off. She wasn’t timid—she was willing to endure hardship and work steadily. No matter where she went, he could rest easy.

“Now, Grandpa Wu, we have a deal. You can’t tell Grandpa Fu that I plan to join this program, okay?” To prevent her grandfather from leaking the news, Su Yunjin acted coquettishly, making her request.

Seeing his clever and adorable granddaughter behave this way, Grandpa Wu’s smile nearly reached his ears. He patted her head affectionately, “Alright, Grandpa Wu promises—not a word.”

With that assurance, Su Yunjin was delighted. After a bit more small talk, she returned to her room to prepare her application materials and to look into the details of the program.

While Su Yunjin busied herself in her room, she had no idea that Grandpa Wu, who had just promised to keep her secret, was already messaging Fu Xingguo.

Of course, this wasn’t to trick Fu Xingguo, but because he needed to know in order for Fu Lin to participate as well. Otherwise, if his granddaughter went and Fu Lin didn’t, the whole point of the program would be lost.

“But, Brother Fu, let’s make one thing clear,” he said. “Yun’er has already told me—no interference from us old folks. You mustn’t pull any strings, understand?”

After confirming Su Yunjin’s intention, Grandpa Wu made sure to emphasize this point.

Fu Xingguo understood perfectly. He had watched Su Yunjin grow up—she’d always been proud and unyielding, refusing to admit defeat. Otherwise, how could a twenty-two-year-old girl, doted on by seven grandparents, have grown into someone so poised, knowledgeable, and skilled in both the literary and martial arts? That kind of accomplishment took immense effort. Just her refined and gracious demeanor was something most women could hardly match, let alone her other strengths.

“Don’t worry, Old Wu. I won’t interfere,” Fu Xingguo replied. Then he picked up the phone and called Fu Lin’s superior, planning to assign him a task while Fu Lin still had some free time.

Meanwhile, after a night of research, Su Yunjin had a much clearer understanding of “Blood and Steel Warriors.” She wasn’t sure about the progress, but one thing was certain—the program had official backing.

“If things go well, I might even be able to make a good impression with the authorities,” she thought. That made her all the more determined. She sent in her résumé without hesitation. All that was left was to wait, and if there was no response, she could always call to inquire.

…

“Boss, Yang Yun has declined. She says the program isn’t a good fit for her.”

“Boss, Cao Xinyan’s side also refused. Her team says she’ll be filming a new drama next month and can’t fit it into her schedule.”

“Boss…”

At that moment, in the production office of “Blood and Steel Warriors,” Director Xu Zhang was growing increasingly agitated as his assistant relayed the news.

When he heard that Cao Xinyan’s team claimed she had a new drama and couldn’t make time, he exploded, “Nonsense! When did Cao Xinyan land a new drama?”

He might have been less upset if it were anyone else, but Cao Xinyan was different—he had once helped her. Back then, she was barely even a fringe figure in the entertainment world, spending her days entertaining powerful men over drinks. To put it bluntly, she was no different from all the other girls in her position. Pitying her, he’d arranged for her to appear on one of his variety shows, giving her a chance to stand out.

Now, just four or five short years later, she’d gone from a nobody to a popular rising star with real fame. All he wanted was for her to show up and lend some support to his program, and yet she refused.

A new drama? What drama? He’d been in the entertainment business for years—if there were a new show starring Cao Xinyan, he’d have heard about it. The truth was, she just didn’t want to endure hardship or spend time training in the military camp.