“Speaking of which, fortunately, I didn’t randomly pick a script for you before. After this wave, there have been quite a few audition invitations that have come in. I’m currently helping you select and make contacts. At the very least, you should be able to land a significant role!”
There was an unmistakable excitement in Sun Xiao’s tone.
You see, ever since Sun Xiao switched from being a director to a talent agent, she had been struggling with various artists under her wing, and this time there was finally a bit of improvement.
In the past, she had to personally reach out to her former classmates and senior connections in order to secure even a slight chance for auditions. And now, finally, there was a script handed to her for her to choose from, something she hadn’t even dared to imagine before.
The entertainment industry’s response has always been the swiftest; once something gains popularity, it instantly becomes a hot commodity. This is why nowadays, whether it’s TV dramas or variety shows, they all strive to align with trending stars, allocating substantial budgets for marketing.
Initially, the positioning of the show “Love Game” was nothing more than a pioneering A-level variety show. Even the director was a newcomer to the variety show scene, so naturally, there wasn’t much budget allocated to marketing.
But after Yan Chi’s appearance, even without much marketing effort, it managed to take off; the popularity from the dehydrated data was undeniably evident. It was something that those heavily marketed variety shows could only hope for but not easily achieve. No wonder resources and scripts came rushing in.
Speaking of joining the production, Gu Qingtong also became interested all of a sudden. Ever since she entered the entertainment industry to prove herself after entering the Central Academy of Drama, Gu Qingtong, who came from a different background, had been diligently honing her acting skills.
Acting had long become more than just a job or a means to fame. What Gu Qingtong pursued was the constant breakthrough of her own limits. She aspired to become like Yan Chi and many senior actors—someone who could master any kind of role and truly touch people’s hearts as an actor.
That’s why she never turned down any role, no matter what it was. Instead, she treated each one seriously, even the minor supporting roles that didn’t get much screen time.
Gu Qingtong’s mindset is quite simple. Apart from geniuses like Yan Chi, everyone starts their acting career with minor supporting roles, right?
Her dedication, bordering on a somewhat foolish level of effort, indeed earned Gu Qingtong recognition from many directors she collaborated with. And her persistence led to opportunities for continued collaboration with them; Director Bu is a prime example.
Of course, while there’s a sense of goodwill, it’s not charity work. Directors wouldn’t actually give a chance to cast Gu Qingtong, who was previously in such an awkward situation, as a supporting actress or even a lead actress.
In this industry, everything revolves around transactions. Those who secure such roles either come with their own influence or have connections. In the eyes of others, Gu Qingtong, as a well-known second-generation rich individual, certainly falls into the latter category of having connections.
After all, her father is Gu Shuyu and she knows quite a few directors and producers in the industry, which would easily pave the way for her. However, Gu Qingtong is quite stubborn, even going so far as to avoid using Gu Shuyu’s connections to get resources. She finds it amusing to hear the gossip circulating within the company. How can she claim to have entered the industry with resources, when she’s playing the fourth female lead with less than thirty minutes of screen time in the whole drama?
“Speaking of which, since you don’t want to be tied to Yan Chi anymore, I’ll help you turn down the audition invitation for the third female lead in “Bai Mei Sheng.”
From the other end of the line, Sun Xiao’s voice could be heard shuffling through scripts, as if she was speaking while also looking for a suitable script for Gu Qingtong.
“‘Bai… Bai Mei Sheng?!'” Gu Qingtong was so shocked that she nearly bit her tongue.
She couldn’t believe that the same-sex movie Sun Xiao casually mentioned was actually the renowned “Bai Mei Sheng.”
“Bai Mei Sheng” was the new script by the well-known Chinese lesbian film director Yuan Jingyu. As a top female director, Yuan Jingyu was exceptionally skilled in portraying the aesthetics of love, desire, and sensuality. Her previous work, a niche romantic film titled “Lucid Dream,” won numerous awards six years ago and became a legend.
After a five-year hiatus, Yuan Jingyu returned with the script for “Bai Mei Sheng” and began preparations for it.
Although it’s referred to as a new script, it had actually been in development for a year by now. This is because the actress chosen by Yuan Jingyu to play the leading role in the movie was none other than Yan Chi.
Their collaboration at the time can be described as a bombshell that shook the entire industry and fan community. It was truly a stellar cast.
In no time, every celebrity with connections and popularity was itching to get information and hoping to be cast in the project, or at least secure an audition to give it a shot.
However, what no one anticipated was that, over the course of the year, apart from Yan Chi, the rest of the roles remained uncast and auditions had yet to begin. While there was no news from Yuan Jingyu’s side, one of the leading actors, Yan Chi, even joined the cast of the art-house film “Where No Wind Blows” last year.
Gradually, everyone began to think that this collaboration might have already been shelved, nearly forgetting about the script for “Bai Mei Sheng.”
Hearing this title, it was as if a blank slate replaced the thoughts in Gu Qingtong’s mind. She never imagined that Yuan Jingyu would consider her for an audition for the role.
However, Sun Xiao had already anticipated Gu Qingtong’s shock. Her previous words were just meant to tease her. Although it was only an audition opportunity, it was incredibly rare. How could she possibly turn it down?
“Isn’t this a golden opportunity? Who was it that said it was impossible to work with Yan Chi earlier?”
Sun Xiao wasn’t aware of the extent of Gu Qingtong’s admiration and aspirations towards Yan Chi. She assumed that Gu Qingtong’s shock was merely due to not wanting to miss out on such a wonderful chance.
Upon hearing these words, Gu Qingtong’s face grew hot; she was being slapped in the face too quickly! If it were any other opportunity, she wouldn’t care at all—she would prefer to keep her distance from Yan Chi as much as possible. But… this was a chance to act opposite of Yan Chi!
As early as three years ago, when Gu Qingtong was still a background performer, she had been hoping for a chance to act in the same movie as Yan Chi. However, Yan Chi only filmed one movie each year, and each one garnered significant attention. How could Sun Xiao and Gu Qingtong possibly get a chance?
Gu Qingtong bit her lip, unable to refute Sun Xiao’s words; she didn’t want to miss out on this audition opportunity.
After contemplating for a moment, Gu Qingtong could only hesitate before asking: “Was it really Director Yuan who reached out to you? It’s not another recommendation from Yan Chi’s side, right? You know, I definitely won’t use any connections to get in!”
Sun Xiao knew that Gu Qingtong’s persistence was like an obsession, and she didn’t even bother to argue with her. She simply said: “Rest assured! Yuan Jingyu is so independent-minded. Besides her own thoughts, have you ever heard of her listening to anyone else? This time, her assistant did indeed contact me directly. They mentioned that Director Yuan got to know you through the variety show. And after looking at your previous works, they felt that your appearance should suit the role of the third female lead. This character is the younger sister of the female lead played by Teacher Yan, and you’re not the only one they’ve invited.”
Gu Qingtong felt relieved by Sun Xiao’s explanation. It seemed that her efforts in her acting career were starting to pay off, and she was genuinely being considered for a significant role. It seemed that recently, apart from the first and second female leads, all the other roles had started to contact people for auditions. The competition for the third female lead role was quite fierce. If you don’t mind working with Yan Chi again, I will send you the script.”
Hearing this, Gu Qingtong was torn between joy and worry. She was glad that if it was just for the third female lead, it likely wasn’t recommended by Yan Chi, and she could start from a smaller role. However, her concern arose regarding the main second female lead role, which had not yet been cast. It was a same-sex themed production, so there would naturally be other actors playing Yan Chi’s romantic interest.
Even though as an actress, portraying romantic relationships with others on screen was nothing out of the ordinary, she couldn’t help but be concerned. Gu Qingtong belatedly realized that her selfishness seemed to be growing, and she shook her head silently, trying to shake off her scattered thoughts. She acknowledged that being able to share the screen with Yan Chi in a movie was already a rare opportunity, and now she needed to focus on studying the script for the third female lead role. Through her own abilities and the audition, she aimed to surprise Yan Chi once again on the set!
After Sun Xiao sent over the script, she mentioned that the audition was scheduled for this week, and the time was tight, so Gu Qingtong needed to prepare quickly. Once she knew that Gu Qingtong was eager to read the script, Sun Xiao gave a brief explanation and then hung up the phone.
Gu Qingtong printed out a copy for herself and started reading. Since it was just for the audition, the script wasn’t thick. Although it only covered the part related to the third female lead, it still outlined the entire storyline of the plot.
“Bai Mei Sheng” was an alternate-history period drama. It revolved around the female lead, Princess Xuan Qingyun of the Da Xuan Kingdom, who plotted to seize power by manipulating her younger brothers into fighting each other. To frame the Crown Prince, she even went so far as to kill the Fifth Prince herself.
After supporting the young son of the deposed Crown Prince to ascend the throne, she single-handedly took control of power and became a tyrant feared by all. The wife of the Fifth Prince, He Haomei, who is also the second female lead, accidentally uncovers the truth behind her husband’s death. The He family is also purged due to being on the wrong side, and He Haomei herself is in danger, let alone seeking revenge for her husband and family.
Consumed by hatred, He Haomei learns that Xuan Qingyun has a preference for women and decides to seduce and assassinate her. However, she didn’t anticipate that Xuan Qingyun had long seen through her intentions. Instead of killing her, Xuan Qingyun imprisons her within the princess’s residence. She subjects He Haomei to torment and punishment, while also teaching her various strategies for governance and warfare, eventually molding her into the most outstanding female official by her side.
Driven by hatred, the two women engage in a deadly rivalry, yet in the sea of desire and on a spiritual level, they also find themselves entwined with each other.
The character that Gu Qingtong is preparing to audition for, the third female lead, is Princess Xuan Yao, the younger sister of Xuan Qingyun. She and the Fifth Prince are fraternal twins, having revered their elder sister, Princess Xuan Qingyun, since childhood. She has always been wholeheartedly devoted to serving her sister, unaware that Xuan Qingyun is the one responsible for their younger brother’s death.
Through a chance encounter, Xuan Yao not only discovers the illicit relationship between Xuan Qingyun and He Haomei but also learns the truth behind her brother’s death. This revelation drives her to darkness, leading her to plot the murder of her admired elder sister. However, her plan backfires, and she ends up being killed instead, ultimately breaking down the last defenses in He Haomei’s heart.
In the end, Xuan Qingyun, who lived a life of solitude, meets her demise at the hands of He Haomei.
After reading this script, Gu Qingtong understood why Yuan Jingyu gave her the opportunity to audition for the third female lead. Despite her efforts to conceal it, the striking resemblance between her pursuit of Yan Chi and her admiration for the third female lead’s character could have been recognized by the director. It’s a case of turning adversity into advantage…..Gu Qingtong sighed helplessly. For the first time, she realized that secretly admiring Yan Chi might have become an advantage in portraying the role effectively.
Apart from her own character, she couldn’t help but secretly sigh in her heart. This script has so many explicit and sensual descriptions for the first and second female leads…. Just the parts that Gu Qingtong encountered and eavesdropped on in the script for the third female lead made her blush and her heart race.
Yuan Jingyu has always enjoyed incorporating intense emotions between the main characters into these visually stunning scenes, so it’s not surprising that there are so many passionate scenes in the script. However, Gu Qingtong reviewed that part again and felt uncomfortable in her heart. If she were to actually play the role of secretly watching Yan Chi with another actress, would that be considered NTR?
These mixed thoughts instantly made her cheeks redden in embarrassment. On the other side, Yan Chi, who was busy with her shooting schedule, had just finished filming a promotional video and was taking a break. She received a message from Yuan Jingyu:
“She has agreed to come for an audition.”
Yan Chi and Yuan Jingyu had known each other for a long time and had mutual respect for each other’s talent. They just hadn’t had a chance to work together before, leading to a sort of unspoken rivalry.
Indeed, Yuan Jingyu is a director who is adept at observing others. She even noticed the change in Yan Chi’s emotions due to her fever and dreams, and she used this as inspiration to create “Bai Mei Sheng”.
It can be said that the character Xuan Qingyun was tailor-made for Yan Chi, and only she could bring it to life. However, the role of the second female lead remained vacant, and Yuan Jingyu couldn’t find the right fit. Yan Chi’s attitude was also quite ambiguous. She agreed to take on the role after reading the script, but she never mentioned the second female lead.
As a result, both parties came to a consensus and temporarily put “Bai Mei Sheng” on hold. As for Yan Chi’s thoughts, they will not be discussed for now. Yuan Jingyu is the type of person who, if something feels off or doesn’t align, cannot continue with the creative process. She’d rather not make the project at all than have her work tarnished.
So it remained on hold until recently, nearly a year had passed. It was only recently that Yuan Jingyu saw Gu Qingtong on a variety show. At the first sight of her appearance, she superimposed that stunning countenance onto her creation, He Haomei. Almost instantly, Yuan Jingyu was convinced that Gu Qingtong was the perfect fit for the role of the second female lead.
As a director who excels at teaching others how to act, Yuan Jingyu doesn’t care whether her actors are newcomers or experienced. What matters to her is that she feels the artistic inspiration and connection. She believes that only when that connection is established will the true artistic spark ignite.
After observing Gu Qingtong’s performances in her previous works, Director Yuan was particularly impressed with her adaptability. Although she invited her to audition for the third female lead, it was just a ruse. What Yuan Jingyu truly needed was a presence that could resonate and create tension with Yan Chi, and the less apparent the acting traces, the better.
Thus, she provided Gu Qingtong with the script for the third female lead, using it as a pretext to get her on board. Yuan Jingyu shared her inspiration and thoughts when she saw Gu Qingtong, hoping to cast this relatively unknown actress as the second female lead.
Initially, they were prepared for Yan Chi’s continued reluctance to agree, but to their surprise, she also accepted the proposal. With the second female lead now secured, the movie that had been put on hold for a year, “Bai Mei Sheng,” could finally begin production.
Director Yuan was an artist who immediately put her inspiration into practice, so she quickly began preparations. Yan Chi looked at the message, a slight smile forming on her lips. She had thought it would take more effort to convince her.
She knew that Gu Qingtong disliked obtaining roles through backdoor means, and she hadn’t mentioned Gu Qingtong to Yuan Jingyu at all. Clearly, Tongtong had secured the role entirely on her own.
Thinking of Gu Qingtong’s spirited nature and her earnest efforts, Yan Chi’s gaze softened.
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Despite the one-year gap, “Bai Mei Sheng” once again gained attention both within and outside the industry. This time, the news of Yuan Jingyu’s open auditions for actors went public. It was evident that this was in preparation for the film’s production, and as a result, everyone was highly interested in the audition list.
The list of auditioning actors was not short; they were all personally selected and contacted by Director Yuan herself. She was a unique and independent director who acted solely on her intuition and inspiration, without caring about box office numbers or investments. Consequently, the invited actors were quite diverse, ranging from A-listers to newcomers still studying at film schools.
After the list was announced, everyone was surprised to find that the audition list didn’t include the rumored female lead. Upon inquiry, it was revealed that this had been decided long ago and was a mutual agreement between Yuan Jingyu and Yan Chi.
This news once again caused a stir among industry professionals and fans who were following it closely. Everyone was discussing who might take on the role of the female lead. Speculations arose that it could be a newcomer handpicked by Yuan Jingyu, possibly even someone who had never appeared in the entertainment industry before, to maintain secrecy. After all, Yuan Jingyu had previously taken a bold step by casting two newcomers as the lead roles in “Lucid dream,” which turned out to be a huge success and propelled them to stardom.
Unfortunately, with the female lead role aside, various parties began fiercely competing for other roles. Especially for the third female lead role, Xuan Yao, there were six actresses on the audition list, creating quite an explosive situation. When Yuan Jingyu was selecting the actress for the role of Xuan Yao, she particularly valued the contrast between her transformation from innocence to darkness.
However, most actresses with such a demeanor were seasoned veterans in the film industry, which made the name “Gu Qingtong” stand out and appear out of place at the bottom of the list. Normally, someone like Gu Qingtong, an unknown figure, wouldn’t even catch the attention of the other contenders.
They were all engaged in their own battles, hardly even noticing the unassuming Gu Qingtong who had thrown herself into preparation. Little did they know, as this audition list reached the eyes of fans and bystanders, Gu Qingtong emerged as the most popular option. Thanks to the airing of “Love Game,” fans of Yuan Jingyu were particularly fond of this polite and sensible junior. Moreover, the character Xuan Yao was of similar age to Gu Qingtong, and in the beginning, Xuan Yao was depicted as an adorable, affectionate younger sister figure.
Riding on this connection, many viewers expressed their desire to see Gu Qingtong play the role of Xuan Yao.
Of course, some of the other contenders for the role of Xuan Yao weren’t pleased with this turn of events. Driven by self-interest, they were determined to play some dirty tricks and tarnish Gu Qingtong’s reputation. As soon as the audition list circulated online, marketing accounts tirelessly began to spread negative information about Gu Qingtong, alleging that she only got the role because of her association with Yan Chi.
For instance, a marketing account named “Gossip Circle” posted a new Weibo message:
“Gu Qingtong is the green tea1Refers to a girl being seemingly innocent and charming but actually calculating and manipulative in ‘Love Game.’ She pretends to be forced to interact with the audience, but in reality, she seizes every opportunity to get close to Yan Chi in front of the camera. It’s precisely because of her association with Yan Chi that she managed to secure resources and compete for the same roles as top and second-tier actresses.”
Upon reading these words, Gu Qingtong wasn’t just unbothered, she even wanted to contribute more heat: Say more! Hurry up and break the “Silent Gaze” pairing and I’ll thank you on my knees!
Opening the comment section, it was filled with fans of the “Silent Gaze” CP2Couple Pairing and her own fans mocking the marketing account.
[Thanks for your kind words. If Tong Mei is willing to get closer to Teacher Yan, would I still need to resort to such tactics?]
[Help! I’ve almost watched the compilation of their interactions a hundred times. The awkwardness of forced interactions is about to overflow from the screen!]
[Who’s getting worked up again because of Gu Qingtong’s audition? Instead of spending all this time bashing Tongtong, why not try currying favor with Director Yuan instead? You might even get a chance to play a palace maid.]
Gu Qingtong didn’t care about what her competition was up to, after all, Yuan Jingyu was not the kind of person to let online rumors affect her judgment. The key was her own preparation and performance.
In order to act in the same movie as Yan Chi and secure the role with the most screen time in her life, Gu Qingtong practically spent an entire week in seclusion, studying the script intensively. After a thorough analysis of Xuan Yao’s character, Gu Qingtong gained a better understanding of her strengths and realized she could authentically portray Xuan Yao during her teenage years. However, she also knew that the key to Xuan Yao’s character was the contrast between her transformation, which couldn’t be resolved with a simple “black eyeliner” approach.
As a result, Gu Qingtong immersed herself in Xuan Yao’s emotions, repeatedly performing in front of the mirror to see the effect. She even reached a point of being lost in the process, almost startling the Gu married couple to death in the process.
During this period, Yan Chi also seemed to be preparing for “Bai Mei Sheng,” appearing quite busy. She only called her twice during this time to ask about her preparations. Gu Qingtong couldn’t help but feel like she was using a bit of a backdoor approach by contacting Yan Chi before securing the role. As a result, their conversations were brief and ended quickly. She earnestly vowed that she would secure the role on her own without Yan Chi’s help.
Finally, on the day of the audition, the tension and anticipation had reached its peak. Gu Qingtong was awakened early in the morning by a call from Sun Xiao:
“Are you still sleeping? Quickly check the trending topics, there are two negative trending topics about you!”
She had just awakened from a dream, still feeling a bit groggy, and could only rub her eyes as she opened a certain microblog. Gu Qingtong, who was usually quite oblivious, had never encountered such a spectacle before. It turned out that the previous marketing accounts were just building up anticipation for this trending topic. Two negative trending topics, precisely aligned, and it seemed like they were still gaining momentum. What’s more, these two trends… they didn’t seem to originate from the same source?
#SilentGazeBindingCP#”
#GuQingtongActingSkills#
It was too lively. Had all these trolls and attention-grabbers suddenly surfaced today? Gu Qingtong looked at the trending topics and found herself wide awake, no trace of sleepiness left.
Actually, even before opening it, she had a faint suspicion that it was probably the same as before, taking out of context snippets of her “dark history” from before she became an actress, when she was friends with Yun Mingxuan. As early as a few years ago, during the time when she had a public dispute with Yun Mingxuan, she had been ridiculed countless times over this issue. It was precisely due to that experience that, when she faced off against trolls in the past, she had been determined to take the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts entrance exam and prove herself. Now, being dragged back into this situation was likely an attempt to influence Director Yuan’s judgment of her acting abilities.
However, times had changed. Thanks to her accumulation of fans through variety shows, there were already video compilations showcasing her acting skills. One glance at these would show anyone how much progress she had made in just a few years.
What was originally intended as a mockery in the form of a trending hashtag had turned into the opposite – a sort of endorsement. Perhaps frustrated by this turn of events, the trending hashtag quickly began to drop and soon disappeared from the charts. As she glanced through the situation, Gu Qingtong’s emotions remained unchanged – was this the best they could do?
The first trending hashtag, #SilentGazeBindingCP#, seemed to have a bit more investment behind it, appearing higher on the list. Upon clicking on it, Gu Qingtong discovered a video posted by a blogger who specializes in debunking celebrity relationships for marketing purposes.
In the video, in an attempt to prove that there was no genuine connection “Silent Gaze”, everything was presented as a fabrication by Gu Qingtong and the program team. The blogger even dissected and analyzed frame by frame the intimate moments captured during the live broadcast at the ski resort.
For instance, the video blogger started by pointing out how Gu Qingtong initially showed reluctance to learn skiing. The “debunking” blogger outright claimed that Gu Qingtong was merely pretending. The evidence cited was her rapid improvement and success in a video where she managed to ski well.
When asked why she would fake her lack of skiing skills, the blogger swiftly arrived at a conclusion: “It’s because Gu Qingtong wanted to capitalize on this opportunity to create a closer connection with Yan Chi in front of the camera, thus resorting to this scheme, repeatedly falling into Yan Chi’s arms.”
The blogger played a clip of Gu Qingtong pretending to fall while learning to ski, commenting that it looked particularly fake and obviously staged, as if she deliberately aimed to fall in Yan Chi’s direction, appearing overly calculated to create a connection.
In short, they listed a bunch of points to debunk “Silent Gaze” and warned everyone not to be fooled by the program team, calling it “industrial saccharin.” Gu Qingtong watched this video and was left with three question marks floating in her mind.
Is there something going on? Could there really be someone who takes a variety show’s pretended CP seriously? If it’s not fake, then it must be real, right? Seeing that this person had gained popularity by discussing various celebrity relationships and exposing fake CP, they accumulated some fans and started taking on various advertising deals to make a living.
Gu Qingtong understood clearly in her heart. Just like the previous promotional accounts, this was another instance where someone was paid to break the “Silent Gaze” ship, tarnish her image, and stir up controversy for their own gain.
Perhaps because they didn’t dare to provoke Yan Chi, these marketing accounts didn’t even mention Yan Chi and solely focused on targeting Gu Qingtong with their outputs. However, what was different this time compared to the previous minor disputes was that the direction of public opinion was clearly being manipulated.
Gu Qingtong clicked on the posts and saw that there were many random users agreeing with the blogger’s viewpoints, even though it wasn’t clear where these people came from. The main criticism against her was being labeled as “green tea” and “pretending,” deliberately using her connection with Yan Chi for personal gains, and establishing a persona of not wanting to be bundled with someone. Thanks to the well-controlled direction of public opinion, it didn’t result in an embarrassing backlash like the previous trending topic. On the contrary, it seemed to have gained even more traction and rapidly climbed up the ranks, possibly due to additional investments.
She only glanced at it and then closed it. Oh well, it’s better to review the script a few more times than waste time on meaningless speculations. Gu Qingtong didn’t care, but others did. Bai Jin had previously taken a photo of a hotel bill, and she was wondering when to reveal it for maximum impact. Now that she saw both Gu Qingtong and Yan Chi being questioned, she decided to add fuel to the fire. She didn’t want to witness their actual collaboration in “Bai Mei Sheng” at all.
After all, this audition seems to be a cover-up, and it’s clear that there’s a sexual transaction between the two. Gu Qingtong must have obtained these opportunities from Yan Chi through such means. So, Bai Jin directly reached out to the gossip account affiliated with her company and sent them the photos she had taken that day, along with a message: “This is the hotel bill from the ‘Love Game’ variety show where Yan Chi and Gu Qingtong stayed. I know your KPIs aren’t meeting targets this month, so I’ve provided you with some explosive material. They’re currently in the spotlight, and you know how to stir the pot, right?” However, the other side remained silent.
The WeChat interface remained stuck at “typing…” as there was no message coming through for a long time. Bai Jin grew annoyed and sent a question mark, thinking that the other person might be afraid of leaking information about Yan Chi.
“What’s this big revelation? Is it about buying a fifty dollar bottle of water or the fact that two people only bought one bottle of water?”
The response from the other side came with hesitation, leaving Bai Jin puzzled. Then, her expression suddenly changed, and she swiftly reopened the account statement. Only then did she realize that she had been misled by Yan Chi all along, and it wasn’t what she had initially assumed.
To deceive her, Yan Chi even deliberately selected a bottle of water from the hotel’s priced-up service, which was at the same price point. The person on the other side, the gossip account, didn’t seem to notice Bai Jin’s frustration and continued typing: “Sister Bai Jin, do I still need to send this thing?”
“…I was just kidding, it’s fine now.”
Bai Jin took a deep breath and managed to restrain the urge to throw her phone.
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Clearly, Gu Qingtong was unaware of all the twists and turns behind the scenes. She focused on reviewing the script multiple times before getting into Sun Xiao’s car to attend the audition.
“That trending topic that criticized you for scheming and binding seems to have disappeared. It was probably removed by Yan Chi or the production team,” Sun Xiao, who had been keeping an eye on the online discussions, informed Gu Qingtong about the current situation.
“I know, but anyway, anyone could have removed it. It’s just our company that definitely wouldn’t spend money on that,” Gu Qingtong replied with nonchalance, even teasing her own mediocre company.
Upon hearing these words, Sun Xiao had no way to refute. Their company doesn’t even have a public relations department; they wouldn’t even know whom to approach to buy trending topics…
But at least now, the two of them and the company share interests. Sun Xiao could only awkwardly defend it: “While we haven’t removed the trending topic, the assistant is almost in place.”
After all, with Gu Qingtong suddenly getting so many bookings, it did seem a bit ridiculous not to have an assistant. The company had already promised to bring in an assistant from the neighboring office.
Only then did Gu Qingtong remember this matter, nearly choking on her own words due to Sun Xiao’s reminder.
The audition took place in Yuan Jingyu’s own studio in city A. Rather than just calling it a studio, it was more like a film and television museum. Guided by someone, you would stroll through a long corridor, looking at the old photos and film stills on the walls, creating a strong artistic atmosphere.
Back in university, Gu Qingtong had analyzed Director Yuan’s works during classes. They were indeed a fusion of extreme romance and artistic inspiration. Almost all professors had praised her for it.
As the thought of performing in front of Yuan Jingyu later crossed her mind, Gu Qingtong’s heart started to race. Even though she was fully prepared, nervousness still gripped her.
The assistant guided Gu Qingtong and Sun Xiao into a hall where several other celebrities were already seated. Apart from a few unfamiliar faces, everyone else were individuals Gu Qingtong could name. However, among them, there was a female star whose gaze held both curiosity and provocation, catching Gu Qingtong’s attention the moment she entered the hall.
Gu Qingtong recognized this person. She seemed to be one of the actresses competing for the role of Xuan Yao, the character she was also auditioning for. Her name was Ren Zhi. Ren Zhi had debuted in the film industry two years ago, known for being a resourceful actress. She seemed to have been groomed to follow a similar path as Yan Chi, debuting in an artistic film as a leading actress.
To be honest, Ren Zhi’s monolid and cold demeanor might have suited the aesthetic of artistic films in terms of appearance. However, her demeanor and acting skills were nowhere near comparable to Yan Chi’s remarkable debut back in the day. Following such an approach, the results were indeed a failure, as the movie, which was heavily invested in both production and marketing, failed to make any significant impact.
Subsequently, her team attempted to emulate the “Little Yan Chi” persona for Ren Zhi, but the two had no similarities aside from their career journey. Moreover, their appearances were quite distinct, so they resorted to attributing her with the same kind of aura Yan Chi had during her debut. When in doubt, they used the term “aura” to explain it.
However, later on, Ren Zhi managed to gain some recognition and visibility after getting involved in a mixed-genre comedy film, which finally allowed her to make a splash during the Chinese New Year box office season. Her career and popularity saw some improvement.
Originally, continuing on the path of leveraging resources to boost her fame seemed like a viable choice. However, whether due to her personal determination or her team’s commitment to crafting the next Yan Chi, she insisted on taking on roles in niche films and even pursuing lead roles. Not only did these endeavors fail to generate significant box office results, but she also missed out on awards, and her reputation seemed to decline as she persisted in these ventures.
After all, everyone has their own choices to make, and there’s no need for oneself to judge or point fingers. So, when Gu Qingtong saw Ren Zhi’s name on the audition list, she didn’t think much of it at the time.
Gu Qingtong didn’t want to cause trouble, so even though she found Ren Zhi’s gaze a bit odd, she withdrew her own gaze and greeted the others in the rest area. Her voice broke the awkward silence among the people there, and they all started chatting with smiles and nods.
However, Ren Zhi was the only one who didn’t acknowledge Gu Qingtong. Instead, she took out her phone and typed a few lines.
As Gu Qingtong sat in her seat, she heard Sun Xiao remind her from the side: “It’s clear that you were targeted for these two negative trends this time in order to compete for this role. While it might not necessarily be her team’s doing, it won’t hurt to be a little cautious.”
Knowing that her manager was referring to Ren Zhi, Gu Qingtong nodded to indicate that she understood. After all, it’s not a coincidence for negative trends to conveniently pop up, perfectly timed on the day of the auditions. It’s clear that this was because they envied her high popularity for the role.
This wasn’t Gu Qingtong’s first encounter with such resource rivalry in the entertainment industry, but it was certainly the most intense one. When had she ever been treated to the luxury of having two trending topics bought under her name?
It could be said that she was quite astonished by this level of attention and treatment.
After sitting for a while, a new assistant came in and said: “The audition candidates for Xuan Yao’s role, follow me to Hall 3 and wait. You are the first group to audition.”
At this announcement, both Gu Qingtong and Ren Zhi stood up, glancing at each other. Since Sun Xiao, her manager, couldn’t accompany her there, she simply nodded to Gu Qingtong as a form of encouragement.
Walking side by side, Gu Qingtong and Ren Zhi didn’t exchange a single word. Along the way, Gu Qingtong felt Ren Zhi’s gaze occasionally fall on her, as if scrutinizing her. It seemed like Ren Zhi was just being considerate of the assistant’s presence and refrained from speaking.
Hall 3 was slightly smaller than the previous room, resembling a recording studio. It was divided by a wall, with a glass panel separating the two spaces. Outside, there were seats, while inside, there was an all-black room equipped with cameras and recording equipment. It was similar to the audition rooms Gu Qingtong had been in before. During the audition, the director and producer would sit outside, observing the performances through the glass.
The separation was designed to allow actors to fully immerse themselves in their individual performances, enabling more candid expressions. Recording directly through the camera also provided a more straightforward view.
After taking in the surroundings, Gu Qingtong turned back only to realize that the assistant had already left. The empty room contained only her and that certain Ren Zhi. As she observed Ren Zhi’s expression slowly changing, Gu Qingtong clearly sensed that she was about to start nitpicking. In her mind, she began counting down silently: “Three, two…”
Before she could finish her countdown, she heard Ren Zhi’s sarcastic tone: “Quite impressive to boost your acting skills by stoking the flames so eagerly in the early morning. You’ve never even been on the big screen, yet you have the audacity to buy into such trending publicity.”
Due to her background in acting in “high-end” films, Ren Zhi had always considered herself an acting connoisseur with a cool and aloof demeanor. She especially looked down on TV drama actors, deeming them unrefined and lacking an understanding of cinematic art.
Upon hearing these words, Gu Qingtong immediately realized that the trending topic was most likely not something she had paid for. However, it was the first time she had seen someone so enthusiastically taking the fall for someone else.
Gu Qingtong clicked her tongue a couple of times and said: “Are you also hoping someone will buy one for you? Why does what you’re saying sound so sour to me?”
Ren Zhi was hit right at her sore spot. Her company had rejected her proposal to market herself more aggressively in order to increase her chances. That’s probably why she was irritated seeing others in the spotlight.
Seeing her change in expression, Gu Qingtong continued: “Do you know why no one else is helping you buy it? You don’t even pose a threat to them, yet you’re here taking the blame for someone else.”
