Chapter 135: Audition
Xuan Xia knew exactly what she would do, so she didn’t want to linger with Daoist Master Qin on the topic of whether she was reckless.
She quickly asked about follow-up matters, such as Ren Yaozhe’s whereabouts, and how to handle Ren Yaokun.
“Daoist Master Qin: I’ll have someone check the identity of Ge Duoyu. If there are any illegal or corrupt activities, it will be handed over to the police.”
Xuan Xia thought this idea was great.
If Ren Yaokun’s real identity truly had no issues, why change his name and identity?
Besides, which good person would become Ren Yaozhe’s puppet and collude with him?
So Xuan Xia was inclined to believe that Ren Yaokun must have done something wrong, which was why he abandoned his real identity.
After arranging for Ren Yaokun, when it came to Ren Yaozhe, Daoist Master Qin returned to his previous state, unwilling to say much to Xuan Xia.
Probably afraid that Xuan Xia would be reckless again and act boldly on her own.
For this reason, he more rarely took the initiative to change the topic, asking about her next arrangements.
Xuan Xia pursed her lips, feeling depressed for a moment, but still answered following his topic.
Xuan Xia: “I’m currently on the way to Nanshi, joining the film crew for a week. But I’ll take one day off in the middle to return to Yanjing for an audition opportunity.”
Mentioning that audition, she couldn’t help but say a couple more sentences about her fondness for the audition role.
After a while, she received a reply from Daoist Master Qin.
“Daoist Master Qin: Need me to divine a hexagram for you?”
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Xuan Xia’s mouth.
But she quickly refused: “I appreciate the kind offer. What if it’s all for nothing? How am I supposed to get through these few days? It would affect my performance.”
Precisely because she didn’t know the result but anticipated it, she would try even harder.
“Daoist Master Qin: Alright. Then I wish all your desires come true.”
Xuan Xia was delighted.
She replied to him: “What a coincidence, that’s exactly how I wish myself.”
***
The urban drama film crew Xuan Xia joined this time had a completely different atmosphere from the previous Jiao Yue Zhuan.
Perhaps it was related to this being a lighthearted drama.
On the first night after joining the crew, she was called to attend the film crew’s group dinner.
The lead actors were around the same age, with no airs, laughing and joking during the meal, with a relaxed atmosphere.
After staying with the film crew for two days, Ji Ziyao had gotten her the leave. On the night before the audition, she rushed back to Yanjing.
The audition was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. the next day, at a small theater.
This was Xuan Xia’s first time attending an audition; to say she wasn’t nervous would be deceiving herself.
On the way to the small theater, Ji Ziyao saw her unusually quiet and couldn’t help comforting her, “Don’t be nervous. Anyway, you know you won’t pass, so just perform well.”
“Hiss…”
Xuan Xia glared at Ji Ziyao with gritted teeth.
“Listen to yourself. Isn’t that contradictory? Saying I won’t pass but still telling me to perform well.”
Ji Ziyao didn’t find it contradictory at all. “Result and attitude don’t conflict.”
Xuan Xia stared at him but couldn’t find words to retort.
What he said was too reasonable.
However, because of his bluntness, it stirred up her competitive side.
Xuan Xia thought to herself that she would perform well, even knowing the result wouldn’t be success.
But when she arrived at the theater for the audition, she was genuinely shocked.
Today, watching her audition were not only the director but also other actors.
Standing on stage, Xuan Xia narrowed her eyes and made out the few people sitting below.
Two elders and two young ones, two men and two women.
They were the actors already confirmed to play the parents and older brother and sister in the drama.
Veteran Best Actor Yan Baoquan and Best Actress Tan Xiaoling.
Both in their fifties, with hair half gray and half black.
Best Actor Yan Baoquan looked stern, very much giving off a strict father vibe.
Best Actress Tan Xiaoling had a naturally smiling face, with the corner of her mouth slightly upturned.
Years of wind and frost had left traces at the corners of her eyes, but she excelled in temperament. Time might defeat a beauty, but it would also make someone with outstanding temperament like her even more ethereal.
Sitting next to these two was the director, and further over was Wan Ni, who had recently won the Best Actress crown.
The one at the very edge was Song Yuhan, who had the weakest awards among the four and had been criticized the most before.
However, after the online disclosure that she had landed the second female lead, his reputation had turned around. Netizens had even apologized to him, saying they had been too harsh before.
After recognizing the four, Xuan Xia really wanted to ask if an audition where she was bound to be eliminated needed to gather so many people?
Was it to unify their statements later and say she wasn’t suitable?
While she was lost in wild thoughts, the director below raised the microphone.
Soon, the director’s voice came through the speakers to Xuan Xia on stage.
The director asked: “Xuan Xia, are you ready?”
Xuan Xia quickly cast aside her wild thoughts, nodded to the director, and made an OK hand gesture.
The director said okay, “Since you’re ready, let’s start now.”
Then he looked down at the script in front of him. “Please perform this segment, Han Tingting as described by her roommate.”
The director read the segment from the script, and at this time, staff also brought a script to Xuan Xia.
Xuan Xia waved her hand at them, indicating no need to look.
She had read the first ten episodes’ script over and over many times—not word-perfect, but close enough to recite the whole thing.
The director slightly raised an eyebrow at her refusal of the script from the staff, deliberately waiting a few seconds before asking, “Need a moment to get into character?”
“Director, I’m ready.” Xuan Xia responded directly.
The director was surprised again, then signaled her to begin.
……
She didn’t know if auditions were all like this.
Following the director’s requirements, Xuan Xia performed three different plot segments in succession.
Those were the three faces of the second female lead.
During the first segment, Xuan Xia still had a trace of immaturity and stiffness, but by the last two, she was truly engaged.
She also realized that once engaged, the result really didn’t matter.
After the three performances ended, the row below started whispering to each other.
Xuan Xia couldn’t hear what they were saying, only getting a rough idea, but none of their expressions looked good.
Especially the director, who was furrowing his thick brows.
Xuan Xia couldn’t help but think, was her performance really that bad?
After they talked for a bit and stopped, the director raised the microphone again and said: “Okay, thank you. That’s the end of the audition.”
Nothing more.
At that second, a great sense of disappointment welled up in Xuan Xia’s heart.
But she quickly controlled the emotion, showed a polite smile, thanked them, and walked off the stage.
After leaving the stage and meeting Ji Ziyao who was waiting for her, the two made eye contact and smiled at each other.
Soon, staff came to convey the director’s message—the usual set that even Xuan Xia understood: go back and wait for notification; if suitable, they would contact the agent.
“Alright, cheer up and head back to Nanshi.” Ji Ziyao patted Xuan Xia’s shoulder.
Xuan Xia hummed in response and casually pulled out her mobile phone, seeing a message lying there.
As soon as she opened it, it was another piece of bad news.
“Qu Xingxuan: Holy crap, did you know? Ren Tongli is back in Yanjing!”
What kind of day is today, a day of great misfortune?
