Donghai City — Shili Red Makeup Headquarters.
Zhong Xu sat at his desk, struggling over a new planning proposal. As one of China's top ceremonial planning companies, Shili Red Makeup had earned its reputation handling high-profile weddings and banquets for the wealthy and famous.
The project on his desk now was a wedding plan for a second-tier celebrity.
And it was driving him up the wall.
These celebrity clients had sky-high standards, demanding perfection in every detail. Most of them were just looking to create buzz, boost their visibility, and expand their social network.
So far, he'd revised the plan multiple times, yet the client still wasn't satisfied. It looked like he'd have to scrap everything and start from scratch.
"Sir, Bai He is on the line," the smart assistant suddenly chimed in.
The general manager's assistant? Zhong Xu raised a brow. What was this about? Still, he answered the call.
"Assistant Bai, what's going on?"
"The boss has asked all team leads to drop what they're doing and report to the conference room immediately for an emergency meeting," Bai He said, her voice slightly shaky—whether from excitement or nerves, Zhong Xu couldn't tell.
"Got it. On my way." Zhong Xu's eyebrows lifted slightly in interest.
An emergency meeting? That was a first.
When he entered the conference room, most of the team leaders were already seated. The general manager, Li Zhiyong, sat at the head of the table. Zhong Xu quickly found an empty seat and sat down.
Li Zhiyong looked both excited and a little anxious.
He had just received some shocking news from the company's Binhai branch:
Chen Mo—the founder of Marching Ant Corporation—and his fiancée were preparing for a wedding. If they could impress him with a proposal, Shili Red Makeup would have the honor of planning the entire wedding.
But the conditions Chen Mo laid out instantly doused some of that excitement. Even as one of the most reputable wedding planning firms in China, they weren't confident they could meet his demands.
In all his years running the company, Li Zhiyong had never seen anything like it.
"Now that everyone's here," Li Zhiyong began, clearing his throat, "I'll get straight to the point. The Binhai branch just contacted us—they've received a project to plan the wedding of Chen Mo, founder of the Marching Ant Corporation."
"Whoa—!"
Gasps erupted around the table. Excitement lit up every face in the room. Planning Chen Mo's wedding? That was the case of a lifetime.
"Don't get ahead of yourselves," Li Zhiyong said, tapping the table to quiet them down. "Chen Mo's request is... unusual. Take a look yourselves. We need a feasible proposal as soon as possible. If he's satisfied, we'll get the job. If not, the opportunity goes to someone else."
"What exactly is his request?" one of the planners asked.
"Before we open the file, let me be clear: everything you see here is strictly confidential. If any of this leaks, our company's reputation will be in shambles. If Chen Mo is dissatisfied, you're all out of a job—and the company will suffer too."
Li Zhiyong gave a warning glare before signaling the assistant to open the files on the desktop.
The first file was a short video. The moment it played, everyone in the room froze.
Was this... a wedding? Or a high-tech product launch?
A massive holographic projector displayed a dazzling visual spectacle.
Marching Ant had a large-scale holographic projector? None of them had ever heard of it hitting the market. And now it was being used at a wedding?
And the wedding dress...
Even the experienced female planners were speechless. They had never seen such a fantastical and exquisite design. It was simply breathtaking.
This wasn't a wedding—it was a technological extravaganza. That was the only way to describe it.
Just those two elements—the holographic display and the wedding dress—were enough to show the terrifying level of tech Marching Ant possessed. Either of those innovations alone would be worth more than their entire company.
Technology never seen before, being used for the first time at a wedding.
Just how terrifying was Chen Mo's reach?
He wanted to craft a wedding beyond compare—grand, romantic, and futuristic. The visual effects were already amazing, but making it all work seamlessly required coordination. No one in the room had ever planned something like this. It was far outside their comfort zone.
His requirements went beyond anything they had ever handled. The spectacle, the use of technology—every element would draw focus and emphasize the couple at the center. But if they didn't execute it perfectly, the whole event would fall flat.
"This is Chen Mo's request. Thoughts?" Li Zhiyong asked, scanning the silent room.
Nobody answered. Heads remained bowed.
Not one of them had ever directed or organized a wedding like this. It was a first of its kind. If they messed it up, they'd be finished.
"No one?" Li Zhiyong tapped the table with his pen, his expression serious.
Everyone exchanged uncertain glances but stayed quiet. Now wasn't the time to step up without certainty. Failure meant losing everything.
After two minutes of tense silence, Zhong Xu slowly raised his hand.
"Director Li, I don't think we're qualified to pull this off alone... but I have an idea."
"Go on," Li Zhiyong said.
"This wedding goes beyond the traditional format. I suggest we bring in a major film or program director to help manage the event. They have experience with large-scale productions. Our company can assist with coordination and execution.
"For those directors, this is a rare chance to meet Chen Mo. If it's a success, our company gains prestige, the director builds valuable connections, and everyone wins. I believe many directors would jump at the chance to be involved."
Li Zhiyong was moved by the idea.
They were capable of planning star-studded weddings—that was within the norm. But Chen Mo's vision was beyond anything they'd encountered. A director familiar with grand productions would be better equipped to handle it.
"Any specific directors in mind?" he asked.
"Many top-tier directors are known for large-scale productions, but availability and willingness might be a problem. You'll have to reach out to them personally," Zhong Xu replied.
Li Zhiyong nodded. For now, this seemed like the most realistic plan. But it would have to move fast—they needed a detailed proposal to present to Chen Mo as soon as possible.
"Alright, everyone return to your workstations and think of any other feasible ideas. I want your answers by tomorrow morning."
Back in his office, Li Zhiyong began looking up contact information for famous directors. Thanks to their experience with celebrity weddings, getting in touch wasn't too difficult.
Meanwhile, Chen Mo visited the three wedding planning companies he had short-listed and informed them that whichever one could present a workable proposal would get the job. Once the company was confirmed, they could take over all preparations, freeing him from micromanaging.
But there was still one thing to consider—wedding photos.
Chen Mo was still debating whether to contact a top-tier photographer to take their official wedding photos that night.
"Brother! Try this, it's delicious!"
His train of thought was interrupted by Xiao Man's excited voice. She and Xiao Yu came over, both carrying boxes of squid balls from a nearby stall.
They were walking through a bustling pedestrian street, surrounded by a lively crowd.
"Sis, no one's going to recognize you like this. When people eat, they're at their ugliest. You've got glasses on too—no way anyone will recognize you." Xiao Man grinned.
"..." Xiao Yu silently continued eating her squid balls.
Chen Mo just smiled helplessly. Xiao Man always had a way with words.
He removed his mask and took a skewer from Xiao Yu.
Xiao Yu wasn't someone who appeared in public much, so he wasn't too worried about her being recognized. But he was another story—just stepping out could land him in the headlines.
Disguised with a mask and sunglasses, he could at least walk around without being mobbed. Otherwise, he'd be treated like a panda in the zoo—photos, fans, and chaos.
"Brother, look! That photography studio over there does art and wedding photos. Why don't you check it out?"
Xiao Man pointed at a nearby shop while happily munching on squid balls. She knew Chen Mo and Xiao Yu were planning wedding photos. Even if he didn't choose this studio, it couldn't hurt to take a peek.
"Alright." Chen Mo nodded, gently taking Xiao Yu's hand as they headed toward the shop.