CHAPTER 42: CHAPTER 43: THE STUNNING DIAMOND

Su Xingyu chuckled dryly, "An internet friend, just an internet friend."

Ling Weilong looked at her sympathetically, "Then prepare yourself to be tormented by her. This woman is a notorious tyrant."

Su Xingyu gazed at the silver-haired figure in the distance. The woman, clad in a high-end suit, was efficiently directing the staff with such a commanding presence that she indeed had the makings of a dictator. She took a deep breath, feeling somewhat nervous. This was her first time personally shooting a commercial photograph, and even though Cang Er assured her that she would do fine, she still felt uncertain.

Cang Er’s assistant — the blond youth Jerry brought over some materials.

He introduced to Su Xingyu, "This is for D.B’s new diamond collection. The client wants to capture the mysterious, cold, and noble essence of Northern Europe. We’ve switched several photographers and tried various plans, but none have passed Cang Er’s standards. The deadline is fast approaching, and the team is under a lot of pressure. Miss Su, if you have any good ideas, feel free to share them; we’ll fully support you."

Su Xingyu flipped through the materials.

She knew D.B. Diamonds, a globally renowned diamond brand, among the few pieces of jewelry her mother Mu Yun left her included a D.B. creation. The materials contained works from previous photographers. Some had models wearing diamond jewelry in seductive poses at a bar; others featured them adorned with diamonds in a castle-like setting. Honestly, they were all masterpieces of composition and lighting, flawless in every aspect.

Was Cang Er still unsatisfied with these?

Su Xingyu closed the materials and asked Jerry, "What did the client say?"

Jerry looked troubled and sighed, "D.B. was satisfied with those photos, but Cang Er just wouldn’t agree. She said that the new D.B. diamond represents a significant breakthrough in craftsmanship, and it requires stunning photography to match. The previous works were too... mundane, lackluster, dull, and boring."

He mimicked Cang Er’s dismissive gesture as he spoke.

Ling Weilong laughed and patted Su Xingyu’s shoulder, "Now you’ve seen the degree of Cang Er’s pickiness. Good luck."

Su Xingyu snapped, "Why do you act like it has nothing to do with you!"

Ling Weilong shrugged, "I’m not the one being forced into it. I mean, Xingyu, can you really handle it? If not, you should tell Cang Er quickly. Don’t wait until you produce something subpar and end up on her blacklist, ruining your career."

Su Xingyu bared her teeth, "Your whole family can’t handle it!"

Ling Weilong remained nonchalant, "Okay, okay, you can handle it. Do a great job; I’m really looking forward to it." Originally, when he heard they were coming to Iceland to shoot diamonds for Cang Er, he had doubts about his capability but was shocked that Cang Er specifically named not him but his unknown little assistant, Su Xingyu, as the photographer.

What was the background of this little assistant?

Ling Weilong was genuinely eager to see what kind of work she’d produce.

Su Xingyu flipped through the materials again. After Cang Er finished her tasks, she came over to ask, "So, got any ideas?"

Su Xingyu said, "Can I see the diamond itself first?" Looking at a thousand or ten thousand photos is useless. To truly understand this diamond, she had to see it in person.

Cang Er nodded readily, "Follow me."

She took them by car to a place, a high-standard welcoming hotel, considered one of the top among all Iceland’s five-star hotels. They took the elevator to the presidential suite on the top floor. She knocked on a door and explained the purpose to the person inside in English. Two heavily armed bodyguards let them in and opened a heavily secured safe box.

Amidst the plush velvet cushion, a dazzling diamond ring revealed its true form.

"Morning Light," Ling Weilong murmured its name in awe.

This man, contrary to his usual carefree demeanor, held his breath as he looked at the diamond, like he was gazing upon a priceless treasure. Indeed, this "Morning Light" was a priceless treasure, cut from the world’s purest natural blue diamond. Each facet was flawless, exuding a coldly radiant and beautiful luster.

Su Xingyu was momentarily entranced by its beauty.

It wasn’t until she was in close proximity that she understood why Cang Er insisted on not using the previous photographs—those works indeed were not worthy of such a masterpiece. She carefully inspected the diamond several times and straightened up, "Let’s go."

"Got a good look?" Cang Er asked her.

She nodded, "Give me some time to think. I’ll come up with a suitable plan."

A hint of a smile appeared on Cang Er’s somewhat aloof face, "Alright, I trust you."

At night, Su Xingyu tossed and turned on the hotel’s luxurious bed. Unable to sleep, she got up and draped a robe over her shoulders, stepping out onto a quiet balcony where a cool breeze blew, and looked up to see the sparkling starry sky.

The myriad of stars was like diamonds.

The unique mysterious grandeur of Northern Europe was fully displayed at this moment, even the night sky was so brilliant.

She breathed in the crisp air, which carried the scent of ice and water. She heard that the raw diamond of this "Morning Light" was discovered in Iceland, a grand piece that was cut into two necklaces, a pair of earrings, and three rings.

It was like a natural part of the Northern European land.

Su Xingyu fell into deep contemplation, pondering how to most accurately showcase its qualities...?

The next day, Cang Er energetically came looking for her, "So, Xingyu, any ideas? We’ve wasted too much time with those idiots before; now we’re on a tight schedule."

Su Xingyu nodded, the tension and anxiety she felt after just getting off the plane yesterday had vanished, "Although diamonds are luxurious and expensive, solely emphasizing their nobility is an overused approach. My plan is to expand on its depth and breadth from the dimensions of time and space, making it more textured and unique."

Cang Er decisively agreed, "Alright, let’s do it!"

She had great confidence in Su Xingyu and didn’t even ask for specific plans, but mobilized personnel and equipment according to Su Xingyu’s requirements. The team made a grand move to a secretive and picturesque lake.

Iceland is near the Arctic Circle, and even though it was June, there were still many places where the lakes hadn’t melted.

Su Xingyu wanted them to find just this kind of lake. Not far away were snow-capped mountains, and the sky and clouds were reflected in the clear blue lake water with the cracks under the ice, beautiful like an unreal world.

The model was D.B.’s longtime exclusive spokesperson, supermodel Shekewina.

This girl with Russian ancestry was breathtakingly beautiful, with long silver-white hair spilling over her waist and cascading along her body’s curves. Her sharp nails were shaped like those of a fairy, her legs decorated to form a mermaid’s tail. An elegant mermaid emerged breaking the surface of the blue lake with her head held high, hair flinging water droplets and shards of ice everywhere.

Between her shell-like pearly teeth, she lightly held the diamond.