Taking advantage of the moment when no one was around, Ding Yan went looking for the assistant director. She knew that Wen Yusui had only caught the director’s attention because of the assistant director’s help.
As for why she didn’t go directly to the director, it was because she simply couldn’t bring herself to throw herself at that old man. The middle-aged assistant director looked much better to her, and she found him easier to accept.
The assistant director frowned as he looked at the woman in front of him. She claimed to be Wen Yusui’s good friend and said Wen Yusui had asked her to come over and ask a few questions about the director.
That was why he had followed her there. Who would have thought that once they arrived, the woman suddenly became coy, slowly stroking his arm before gradually leaning against him?
He immediately shook off her hand and asked sternly, “What are you trying to do?”
Ding Yan coyly said, “Assistant Director, whether we’re talking about looks or talent, I’m no worse than Wen Yusui. More importantly, I’m younger than Wen Yusui, and I’m willing to give more.”
After saying this, she closed her eyes and puckered her lips.
The assistant director was so frightened by her gesture that he repeatedly backed away. In all his years in the industry, this was the first time someone had openly tried to seduce him so blatantly.
“Are you sick?” he cursed without showing her the slightest courtesy. “Can’t you pay attention to where you are?”
Ding Yan stopped and suddenly looked enlightened.
“I understand, Assistant Director. Get a room tonight and send me the address. I promise I’ll be there on time.”
“However, I heard your production is missing a second female lead. I wonder if you could recommend me?” Ding Yan pleaded in a coquettish voice.
The assistant director immediately understood what she was after. He knew there were people who would stop at nothing to become famous.
“Why don’t you go directly to the director? He has more authority than I do.” The assistant director looked at her with contempt.
Ding Yan took this as a sign that there might be hope and continued in her weak, delicate voice.
“I just think you’re more charming, Assistant Director. Just look at that director. How could he possibly compare with you? If you ask me, you should be the director!”
The assistant director sneered.
“I’ve seen far too many women like you on set. But someone as stupid as you? Today is the first time. Get the hell out of here! Actors these days really can be anyone off the street. If you insist on throwing yourself at me, I can’t stop you, but go do it on some other production set. People like you—shameless trash—aren’t welcome here!”
The moment he said this, Ding Yan’s face turned deathly pale.
She had never been humiliated like this before. Her face flushed with shame and fury as she immediately ran away. Deep in her heart, she secretly swore that one day, she would make him kneel before her and apologize!
Watching her flee in humiliation, the assistant director shouted after her, “You’ve got hardly any talent, but you sure know plenty of crooked ways to scheme! What a disgrace!”
Wen Yusui quickly skimmed through the script, carefully chose a scene, and began memorizing her lines. Time was limited, as she would be auditioning that afternoon, so she didn’t even have time to eat. She kept staring at the script, studying her character.
At that moment, she had no idea that the outside world had already been turned upside down.
Afternoon soon arrived.
Wen Yusui had made ample preparations and was just about to go find the director when Lin Yinyin came running over in a panic.
“Wen Jie, something terrible has happened!”
“What’s wrong?” Wen Yusui asked as she looked at Lin Yinyin, who was panting heavily.
Lin Yinyin took a deep breath and anxiously said, “I don’t know which shameless bitch started spreading rumors that you got the chance to play the second female lead by using your looks to seduce both the assistant director and the director! Everyone on the set is talking about it now. Wen Jie, you’d better not go out yet!”
Wen Yusui remained completely unmoved after hearing this and prepared to continue to her audition.
“Wen Jie!” Lin Yinyin urged again. “How can you still be so calm? Why don’t you hide for a while?”
“Hide? Until when? The more I hide, the more it proves I’m guilty. How many actors haven’t experienced rumors and gossip? If I can’t even handle something this minor, I might as well go home and sleep.”
Wen Yusui suddenly looked at Lin Yinyin curiously. Her expression became serious.
“Are you sure everyone on the set knows about the rumor?”
“Of course! It’s spread everywhere. You don’t know how much these people on set love gossiping whenever they have nothing to do. There are so many of them, so naturally the rumor spreads incredibly fast.”
Lin Yinyin looked at Wen Yusui in confusion.
Was Wen Jie scared again?
Hearing this, Wen Yusui let out a cold laugh and then said something astonishing.
“Then doesn’t that mean I can go viral?”
“……” Lin Yinyin was speechless. “Sis! You really are my sis! Disaster is staring you in the face, and you’re still thinking about going viral.”
“Little Lin, haven’t you heard an old saying? If it’s a blessing, it isn’t a disaster; if it’s a disaster, you can’t avoid it.”
With that, Wen Yusui turned around and headed off to audition, leaving Little Lin standing there, still pondering her words.
Along the way, Wen Yusui was constantly subjected to curious and judgmental looks. She didn’t care in the slightest and felt nothing about it. Her mind was focused entirely on repeatedly going over her character’s lines, movements, and personality from the script.
Unable to stop worrying about her, Lin Yinyin followed closely behind. Whenever she saw someone pointing and whispering about Wen Yusui, she glared at them fiercely.
“What are you looking at? What are you pointing at? Never seen a beautiful woman before?”
Several people had already gathered around the director, divided into two groups. Judging by the setup and the way they carried themselves, they seemed to be the male and female leads.
When the assistant director saw Wen Yusui approaching, he hurriedly pulled her over.
“She’s here! I’m telling you, can you people stop believing every rumor you hear? Being gossiped about and having rumors spread about you—isn’t that something actors encounter all the time? Just mind your own business.”
The male and female leads looked Wen Yusui up and down.
After taking one look at her, the female lead, Su Qingyan, grabbed the director and said unwillingly, “Director, aren’t you deliberately stealing my spotlight by choosing her as the second female lead?!”
“How could she steal your spotlight? Aren’t you the female lead?” the director replied coldly, frowning.
“But she’s so beautiful! Won’t that steal all the attention from me? No! Choose someone else. I don’t want her!” Su Qingyan said in open resistance.
The male lead, Luo Huai, suddenly spoke up.
“I think Miss Wen suits the second female lead very well. The character in the script is supposed to be a stunning and alluring woman. Casting a beautiful woman as the villain also breaks away from traditional thinking. The audience will definitely find it refreshing.”
The moment Su Qingyan heard Luo Huai say this, she became so furious she nearly jumped.
“Luo Huai, don’t forget! A woman like her only knows how to climb the ladder by seducing men. What? You lose all self-control just because she’s beautiful?”
As Su Qingyan said this, her expression had already become twisted with anger.
Wen Yusui had originally had no intention of getting involved in their dispute. But now that this so-called female lead was slandering her to her face without even knowing right from wrong, how could she possibly tolerate it?
“Miss, you’re accusing people without a shred of evidence. Looks like you’re not only ugly, but you’re also particularly stupid.”
Wen Yusui stared at her coldly.
“You dare insult me?” Su Qingyan stared at Wen Yusui in disbelief. “Do you know who I am?”
Wen Yusui let out a cold laugh.
“Who are you? Didn’t your parents ever tell you?”