Although he was talking about preserving traditional skills, the same principle could be applied to Hanfu.

You could see it on the designers’ faces—they were flushed with excitement, practically vibrating with energy.

They clearly agreed with him.

Just like that, the distance between them closed. Chen Jincheng got to know the designers a bit, learning that the most talented were two young women who had even entered fashion design competitions with their Hanfu creations.

One was named Wanxi and the other Jingshu. They were clearly artistic pseudonyms, both imbued with a classical charm.

Seeing the time was right, Chen Jincheng shifted the topic. "Right now, what are the most popular styles in the historical costume design industry?"

Wanxi fielded the question. "Boss, since there are so many dynasties, the most well-known are probably Han-era Hanfu, Tang-era Hanfu, Song-era Hanfu, and Warring States period robes."

Chen Jincheng understood immediately. ’Just like in the other world, it’s mostly categorized by dynasty.’

So, he smiled and said, "Classifying by dynasty is a bit too broad. You could actually get more specific, which would be better for promoting Hanfu."

His words made the designers pause.

Jingshu asked, her curiosity piqued, "Boss, when you say more specific, do you mean designing different styles of clothing within each dynasty?"

Chen Jincheng smiled. "You can go even more granular than that."

The designers exchanged glances. The Hanfu community was still relatively small at this stage; it hadn’t experienced the explosion of creativity he knew from the other world, where a hundred different styles vied for attention.

He elaborated, "Let’s brainstorm a bit. Don’t feel confined to dynastic templates. Try to think about more specific aesthetics and moods. For example, a ’cool and aloof’ style."

"’Cool and aloof style?’" Jingshu repeated, looking both confused and curious.

Chen Jincheng smiled and began to describe it. "A white silk skirt, hair as black as ink. A light breeze lifts the hem of her clothes, but it can’t disperse the air of solitude around her. Can you all picture that feeling?"

Wanxi, Jingshu, and the others were stunned for a moment when they heard this. As they pictured his description, their eyes grew brighter and brighter. ’He’s right. Sticking to the dynastic templates is so creatively limiting. But if we go with what the boss is suggesting, the feeling it evokes is instantly powerful.’

"I think I understand what you’re saying, Boss," Jingshu said immediately, a new layer of respect in her eyes as she looked at him.

The others felt the same, their motivation soaring.

It was clear to them that this boss knew a lot about Hanfu; he genuinely wanted to see it flourish.

After that, Chen Jincheng got straight to the point, describing several types of Hanfu he wanted and asking Wanxi and her team to start working on the designs.

He would need these for the videos he planned to shoot once the National Style trend took off.

In his previous life, countless National Style videos had gone viral, some even garnering tens of millions of likes. To recreate those videos, he needed to reproduce the Hanfu as accurately as possible.

As Wanxi and the team listened to him describe the specific Hanfu he needed, their respect for him grew even deeper. Or rather, while he might not know how to physically design Hanfu, his understanding of it left them in complete awe.

Sister Hong had been listening from the sidelines, though much of the discussion went over her head. She was incredibly impressed by how easily her boss had won over the designers’ loyalty and fired them up to start working immediately.

’Sometimes, the boss really seems to glow. It feels like he knows everything.’

Chen Jincheng spent the entire afternoon chatting with Wanxi, Jingshu, and the team. By the end of it, they had actually produced a complete design sketch for the "cool and aloof" style.

Moreover, this "cool and aloof" design was the very same one that had been wildly popular in Xiaoju’s National Style Hanfu collection in the other world.

He could just imagine Xiaoju wearing this "cool and aloof" Hanfu set. The forlorn, widowed air it created would be incredibly powerful.

Wanxi and Jingshu were also very pleased as they looked at the design sketch, their admiration for their new boss reaching a new height.

If they used this single design for promotional material, it would absolutely blow all the current Hanfu styles online out of the water. Compared to this, the others just looked stiff and unimaginative.

As night fell, Chen Jincheng had Sister Hong book a table at a restaurant to treat the team to dinner.

After eating and drinking their fill, he was just leaving the restaurant when he got a WeChat message from Jiang Xiaobai: "Cheng, don’t forget to come over tonight. You promised."

"Mhm, I haven’t forgotten," Chen Jincheng typed back with a smile.

Jiang Xiaobai replied almost instantly: "I’ve got a surprise for you! I guarantee you’ll love it!"

That piqued Chen Jincheng’s curiosity.

’A surprise? And she guarantees I’ll love it?’

’What kind of surprise could she be so sure about?’

’Aside from being impulsive, when did this girl get into the habit of being so mysterious?’

Still, he had to admit he was hooked. He left the restaurant, got in his car, and headed straight for her apartment in Xilin District.

...

After putting down her phone, Jiang Xiaobai grinned and picked up an exceptionally sexy nurse’s uniform. She changed into it, completing the look with a pair of stockings.

Of course, this wasn’t the surprise she’d mentioned. This was just a little something to add to Cheng’s enjoyment—the real surprise was yet to come.

When she heard a knock, she scurried to the door and peered through the peephole. Seeing that it was indeed Chen Jincheng, she happily swung the door open.

The first thing Chen Jincheng saw was Jiang Xiaobai in a sexy nurse’s uniform, and his eyes were immediately drawn to it.

"A little uniform fantasy, huh? Is this your big surprise?" Chen Jincheng’s eyes roamed shamelessly over her body.

’This was a surprise he could definitely get behind.’

"Hmph. The real surprise is still to come. Carry me to the bedroom," Jiang Xiaobai said mysteriously as she closed the door and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Seeing that she was determined to keep him in suspense, Chen Jincheng just smiled, swept her into his arms, and carried her toward the bedroom.

But when he entered her bedroom, the sight that greeted him left him stunned. The entire room was bathed in a seductive palette of reds and purples.

’She’s way too good at setting a mood.’

...(800 words deleted as required)...

Jiang Xiaobai looked at Chen Jincheng and started to wheedle, "Cheng, we’re going to Shanya the day after tomorrow. Why don’t you stay with me then, okay?"

"Don’t get carried away. People will see," Chen Jincheng refused flatly.

"I don’t care," Jiang Xiaobai said at once.

"Well, I do," Chen Jincheng said, making sure to declare, "Have you forgotten? I don’t get involved with coworkers."

"..." Jiang Xiaobai’s mouth fell open. She pointed a pale finger at Chen Jincheng, then at herself, completely at a loss for words.

Chen Jincheng, on the other hand, was already thinking about the team-building trip and filming in Shanya. All the girls would be going together.

’In that case, I’ll need to think carefully about the arrangements. Can’t have any... awkward encounters, can I?’

Then there was the shoot for the "Wave-Summoning Technique." He’d have to film each of them to bring out their different charms.

’Still, the shoot for the "Wave-Summoning Technique" is simple. Since we’re making the trip all the way to Shanya for a team-building shoot, I might as well plan another video concept. A ’disrobing by the sea’ concept would be good.’

’The idea is that a girl walks, or runs, toward the ocean, and along the way, she takes off her top and flings it toward the waves.’

’In the other world, it was a concept tons of girls scrambled to imitate. They called it the ’conservative on the outside, seductive on the inside’ challenge.’

’Anyway, the whole concept is just a competition of looks, body, and what’s underneath the top...’

Just as Chen Jincheng was lost in thought, his phone buzzed with a WeChat notification. He opened it, read the message, and smiled.

’National Day is almost here. Right on schedule with the messages.’

’Looks like she didn’t forget our prior arrangement.’