Chapter 62

Translated by boilpoil Edited by boilpoil

Qin Lin, the other actor in question, was here already, but he’s been waiting outside with everyone else.

At the director’s orders, his assistant quickly brings him in.

It’s already 10 in the morning, so the others have to start the audition for the other characters. The vice director also leaves to see to that. So now only Liu Yu’an, the director and the scriptwriter are inside the room.

The director gives the scriptwriter a glance, and the scriptwriter nods, then hands the script to Liu Yu’an, saying, “we have Zhang Fu’s parts here. Pick one, and you and Qin Lin will act this part out later.”

Liu Yu’an flips through it quickly with a few casual pauses and glances before handing it back.

?

Is he… Giving up entirely?

The scriptwriter and the director both cast doubtful glances on Liu Yu’an.

“Are you done reading?” The scriptwriter asks with a surprised face.

“Yeah,” Liu Yu’an answers.

The scriptwriter hesitates a bit before saying, “An-ge, you could read it a bit more. Even if you can’t act it out well, at least you would be more familiar.”

The director is already dissatisfied with this lacklustre attitude. He likes talented actors, but he is most impressed by diligent actors.

If he could help it, he’d have chased Liu Yu’an out long ago.

“I’m fine, thanks,” Liu Yu’an replies.

While he doesn’t have a photographic memory, it’s no problem for him to remember word-for-word something he once acted out personally for quite a while after rereading all the scenes once.

The scriptwriter still wanted to say something, given Liu Yu’an seems to at least be on good terms with Zhao Xian, the boss above his boss, but he opens his mouth only to still shut it without saying anything else.

That is when Qin Lin comes in, led by the director’s assistant.

“Director, …” Qin Lin clearly doesn’t recognise the scriptwriter. So the director introduces them, “he’s the scriptwriter Ning.”

“Mr. Ning.” Then Qin Lin greets him. He pauses slightly turning to Liu Yu’an, before deciding to go with, “An-shao.”

In the entertainment industry, he would be expected to call Liu Yu’an ‘xiao-Liu’ given he’s both debuted earlier and is older than Liu Yu’an; unfortunately, though, Liu Yu’an isn’t exactly someone he should apply that rule to.

Though it’d be really awkward calling someone several years his junior ‘ge,’ so he paused and settled for ‘An-shao.’

Liu Yu’an has familiarised himself with the entertainment industry by this point, but doesn’t point it out, instead, saying, ‘Qin-ge,’ going with Qin Lin’s age and experience in the industry.

Qin Lin smiles in return. It seems he is a pretty gentle, calming character in general. If the director thinks he would be able to play the role of Zhang Fu, the neurotic teacher well, then he must have the acting skills for it.

Good acting skills and above-average appearance but only being cast as the fourth male lead. It’s a shame about his popularity, then. And having to fight with Liu Yu’an for that role at that.

After greeting, the scriptwriter hands the script to Qin Lin while the director says to Liu Yu’an, “you said you’ve read the script already, then pick a scene and start your performance now.”

“The part where the female lead was late in the morning and Zhang Fu yells out, exasperated.”

For context, the female lead was late and so Zhang Fu lashes out. From the female lead to the class, scolding them from dawn to the end of homeroom that morning, when the students have all fallen completely silent but he sounds like he’s about to cry himself in the end.

This scene is not just demanding on the actor’s memory, but it is very emotionally draining as well. From the anger at a student’s tardiness, to frustration at their lacklustre attitude and general ignorance of the importance of studying and getting good grades; then, reflecting back to himself, after all his own studies and hard work, and six years of passionate teaching after getting his license, not a single student of his got in a good university; and finally the defeat, desperation and hopelessness it wrought as he continues to be stuck with the class of the ‘worst students.’

Put simply, it’s not easy.

Both the director and the scriptwriter are surprised at the choice, and are convinced Liu Yu’an has given up.

They can’t even bring themselves to ask whether Liu Yu’an has memorised all his words yet; even if he’s improving, the scolding has to realise all the emotional changes and be done without a single expletive.

In short, neither the scriptwriter nor the director thinks Liu Yu’an could even finish his performance. The director has even mentally prepared himself to watch a performance that would make him want to rip out his eyes.

And, of course, a big face-slap to them.

Not only did Liu Yu’an finish his entire monologue with appropriate pacing and accuracy, but also nailed the crucial emotional outbursts – from anger to frustration to self-doubt to a tear-choked defeatist tone.

They’re all on-point, so much so it made them feel as if they are seeing Zhang Fu in the flesh, or he is Zhang Fu.

This is who he is, not just how the character is.

Any difference and it would no longer be Zhang Fu.

It’s an odd feeling that is hard to describe. In fact, the first movie director Wang made after graduating, that one that earned him more than tenfold in revenue, had a male lead that made him feel exactly that. It’s really a shame that the actor passed away less than two years after that.

It was the only time he ever felt like that. The director never thought he would be able to feel that again here, after so many years.

He can’t help but shoot up, with fervour in his eyes, seemingly completely forgotten that a few minutes ago he was completely dismissive of Liu Yu’an and would rather chase him out. He yells out, ‘amazing, amazing! Brilliant!’ And even blurts out, “you, you are Zhang Fu! The character can only be you!”

He seems to have forgotten Qin Lin is here.

Meanwhile, Qin Lin, still holding the script in his hand, sighs lightly, and stops.

Every time he might have gotten a good character, circumstances always ended up conspiring against him. He’s even got used to it already.

And this time there really is nothing for him to complain about. Liu Yu’an’s acting has completely convinced him. He could admit from the bottom of his heart that he could never perform as well as Liu Yu’an did.

“Congratulations,” brushing away what little bitterness there is in his heart, and speaking to Liu Yu’an genuinely.

“Thanks,” Liu Yu’an says, surprised to find there seems to be no anger or even frustration from Qin Lin, only a slight tone of disappointment.

Normal people would certainly have been angry even if they don’t show it; and Liu Yu’an is quite confident in his people-reading skills, given the nature of his true career.

Either he really isn’t angry, or… Well, any other case is even less believable anyway.

He can’t help but be impressed. Even someone who has been to so many worlds and has been beaten down to size so many times as a cannon fodder would still be unable to be as generous as Qin Lin here is being. Of course, except when he doesn’t care about the matter at hand at all.

But of course, Qin Lin obviously cares a lot about this audition, as evidenced by how he was since entering the room, and the slight disappointment evident in his tone.

To feel no anger or frustration towards him or the director? Really, an impressive character trait.

Of course, it’s not as grandiose as Liu Yu’an is making it out to be himself. If you asked Qin Lin, he would have shrugged and told you, that once, twice, or even thrice and he could still stay angry, but after dozens more similar experiences, it dulls you. It sets your expectations at rock bottom whether you want to or not.

Meanwhile, the director seems to have finally realised what was happening as Liu Yu’an and Qin Lin talked. Slightly embarrassed, he awkwardly speaks up, “um, Xiao-Lin, we’re thinking about giving the character to xiao-Liu. I can recommend other characters to you from other directors.”

Qin Lin is an actor he has quite high hopes for. He called him here, but then let him witness how he, without even calling for him to perform his turn, directly gave the role away to the other actor in the audition. It’s quite the disrespectful, or perhaps downright insulting gesture.

He has enough connection among filmmakers to find a new character for Qin Lin though, thankfully, and Qin Lin’s own good acting will surely be able to secure himself a good character from all that. Maybe the other directors would be thankful he introduced Qin Lin to them, too.

“Thank you, director Wang,” Qin Lin isn’t really hopeful himself though. He has heard too many such promises of late. Though it might not even be intentional, the directors might just be too busy to forget having promised to offer him chances to try out.

Of course, he doesn’t show his doubts at the director’s promise, who is now saying, “you’re welcome; I’ll ask around these few days and tell you when there are some roles for you.”

“Got it, thanks,” Qin Lin says, then bids farewell to them and leaves.

After Qin Lin has left, Liu Yu’an says to the director, “then director Wang, scriptwriter Ning, I’m going as well. Tell my agent when you’re starting up.”

The director and the scriptwriter “…”

“You should also join the movie’s chat group,” the director stops Liu Yu’an, and tells his assistant to give Liu Yu’an the group’s QR code, and Liu Yu’an scans it.

As soon as he leaves the room, Xiao-Zhang comes up, saying, “An-ge, Ren-ge said he wanted you to call after finishing the audition.”

“Sure.”

Liu Yu’an heads outside as he calls Ren Jianzhang on the phone, meeting Lin Xi on the way. He seems happy as he calls out, “An-ge.”

Liu Yu’an asks, “how did you do?”

“I think I did well,” Lin Xi has a big smile. Liu Yu’an then points to his phone as Ren Jianzhang has picked up, and waves him goodbye, before walking towards his nanny van.

Ren Jianzhang says there’s an international cosmetics brand that wants him for their advertisement. Apparently, they are offering a lot. A lot a lot. So Ren Jianzhang wants to know whether he wants to take them up on the offer.

The three ‘a lot’s makes Liu Yu’an chuckle, and say, “do I look like I’d sell my soul out for money?”

“Maybe not you, but I’d take it in a heartbeat! I still have my mortgage to pay off, you know.”

Even though Liu Yu’an is currently the most successful celebrity under him, but he’s really, really casual about work, and he can’t even tell him off for slacking off so much.

“Fine, then, so that you can pay your mortgage on time, I’ll accept it.”

“…”

Ren Jianzhang really feels like dissing him. Every year dozens of A-list and super A-list celebrities would fight just to have a chance to be considered for the brand’s representative but when it comes to Liu Yu’an? Yeah, he’ll take it since his agent looks so pitiful.

It’ll probably make those celebrities tear their hairs out knowing how Liu Yu’an sees it.

In any case, Ren Jianzhang ends the call with a “My endless gratitude to the mercy of Your Highness. I’ll see to it immediately.”

At noon, after bringing lunch to Shao Yanxi’s company, Liu Yu’an tells him that he would be the representative for a cosmetics brand. Shao Yanxi is looking his face up and down, “you, cosmetics?”

It’s common for both male and female celebrities to be models for cosmetics nowadays, but Liu Yu’an? For a brand that is more famous for being female -oriented?

“Oh? Do I not look handsome enough?” Liu Yu’an chuckles seeing Shao Yanxi’s reaction.

“…” This is obviously not about handsomeness, ok?

Suddenly, Shao Yanxi seems to have thought of something and his expression changes for the worse. Then, he says to Liu Yu’an with a serious expression, “you must never be an underwear model.”

Liu Yu’an feels like teasing him for such a ridiculous jump in logic, but Shao Yanxi continues, “or any undergarments.”

After hearing that Liu Yu’an can’t help but laugh, “what in the world are ‘male undergarments’?”

Shao Yanxi seems to go stiff, and doesn’t respond.

Liu Yu’an then asks, “T-shirts? Tanktops? No?”

Shao Yanxi knows he’s teasing him on purpose, and gives him a fierce glare.

Liu Yu’an continues, “no undergarments, then does that mean adult toys are ok? I think it’s ok.”

“Oi!” Shao Yanxi is puffing up his cheeks now, his face reddened. After yelling at him he just looks down at his documents and starts ignoring Liu Yu’an, who chuckles and can’t help but think that Shao Yanxi is getting more and more interesting to tease.

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