14
A few minutes later, Jiang Mian went back downstairs, still savoring the experience.
It turned out that the so-called ghosts and monsters in this world were somewhat similar to rogue cultivators in the cultivation world, except their strength was less than a thousandth of a rogue cultivator’s. They were just a bit frightening on the outside.
In the cultivation world, when cultivators failed their tribulation and lost their physical bodies, they could cultivate through their souls and become rogue cultivators, destined to never ascend to immortality for their entire lives.
Jiang Mian had seen all kinds of beings. The one she had encountered in the third-floor classroom just now…
Well, let’s call her a female ghost cultivator for now. She was somewhat irritable and depressed, with a gloomy expression as if someone owed her millions. She had even tried to possess Jiang Mian and take over her body.
Jiang Mian had figured it out. The cold, dark power came from this kind of ghost cultivator, and she could use her cultivation techniques to absorb it and transform it into spiritual energy for her own use.
The gains from this single night were comparable to her previous half-month of sitting in meditation. Feeling the warmth in her dantian, Jiang Mian decided that whenever she had time in the future, she would follow her Taoist Dad out to do “cleaning work.”
However—
Jiang Mian looked at the peachwood sword in her hand, now broken into two pieces, and felt a bit awkward.
She really hadn’t expected her Taoist Dad’s peachwood sword to be so flimsy. With just a light tap against a door, it had snapped.
In Jiang Mian’s eyes, this peachwood sword wasn’t even a spiritual tool. If she could one day establish a foundation in this world, she would refine a proper spiritual tool for her Taoist Dad.
Shaking her head to dispel these scattered thoughts, Jiang Mian went to the first-floor classroom and gently woke her Taoist Dad.
Zuo Xingping opened his eyes, dazed. Jiang Mian, channeling her inner actress, looked pleasantly surprised. “Dad, you’re awake! You suddenly fell asleep earlier.”
“I fell asleep?” Zuo Xingping’s mind was still a bit foggy.
“Yes,” Jiang Mian said with complete seriousness. “I helped you in here.”
It must have been the work of that female ghost. Zuo Xingping immediately understood. He couldn’t believe he had been caught off guard.
He suddenly stood up. The stool scraped against the floor with a harsh screech, startling Jiang Mian. She thought, Is my acting really that unconvincing?
“Mianmian, are you okay?” Zuo Xingping’s demeanor shifted instantly. He pulled Jiang Mian behind him, his gaze sharp as he scanned the surroundings, and grabbed the peachwood sword from the desk.
Crack. The tip of the peachwood sword fell to the ground.
Zuo Xingping: “???”
“Dad, I accidentally broke your sword,” Jiang Mian said. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Zuo Xingping quickly said. “It wasn’t expensive. Three yuan each. I have plenty more.”
Jiang Mian: “…”
What the Taoist Dad didn’t say was that although the peachwood sword cost only three yuan, because he had used it for so long, it had developed spiritual properties and was a powerful tool for dealing with ghosts and monsters.
But how could he bear to tell the truth and make his daughter feel guilty? He would just nurture another one.
After confirming that his precious daughter was unharmed and finding nothing amiss in the vicinity, Zuo Xingping took Jiang Mian on a walk through the entire teaching building. The building was completely clean, with nothing there. In the end, thoroughly confused, he left the school with Jiang Mian.
Back at the apartment, Zuo Xingping didn’t stay over. He gave the broken peachwood sword to Jiang Mian and then left. Jiang Mian tried to call him back, but he wouldn’t stay, so she had to let him go.
Jiang Mian meditated all night, digesting the newly acquired spiritual energy, and didn’t lie down in bed until dawn. She woke up around noon.
Aunt Liu had finished cooking and was setting the table. When she saw Jiang Mian emerge from the bedroom, she paused for a moment, then said sincerely, “Miss, you’ve become even more beautiful.”
No matter how beautiful a person was, they never looked their best right after waking up. Yet this young girl before her had skin like solidified cream, so delicate it seemed like water would squeeze out at the slightest touch. She was like a flower bud on the verge of blooming, so stunning it was hard to look away.
Even though she saw her every day, Aunt Liu still felt that Jiang Mian grew more beautiful with each passing day. It was an indescribable feeling.
“Thank you.” Waking up to a compliment was naturally pleasant. Jiang Mian sat down at the table to eat.
She noticed several missed calls from an unfamiliar number on her phone, all from the same caller.
She was about to call back when her phone rang—and it was the same number.
Jiang Mian raised an eyebrow and answered. A rather familiar voice came through on the other end. “Is this Miss Jiang? This is Liu Hong.”
Director Zhang’s assistant, Liu Hong, was named Liu Hong.
Jiang Mian’s heart stirred. “Yes, speaking.”
Assistant Liu cleared his throat. “It’s like this, Miss Jiang. Director Zhang greatly appreciated the scene you auditioned with. However, another student also gave an equally outstanding performance. Director Zhang is having difficulty making a decision and would like to invite you to audition again with a different scene. I was wondering…”
Jiang Mian interrupted him. “Is the other person named Guan Xin?”
Assistant Liu wasn’t surprised that she knew. He answered honestly, “Yes.”
Jiang Mian smiled. “Alright. When?”
Assistant Liu gave her the time and place: 5 PM, at the Junlai Hotel where Director Zhang was staying.
During the call, Assistant Liu tried to subtly probe her relationship with Qin Jingrun. But after much beating around the bush, he got no meaningful information out of her.
He then reported to Director Zhang. The latter was poring over documents with his brows tightly furrowed. Without looking up, he merely chuckled. “This girl is quite interesting.”
Assistant Liu felt he wasn’t in a position to judge. He only hesitated. He could tell that Director Zhang favored Jiang Mian more in his heart. In fact, after what had happened last night, he had even taken a dislike to Guan Xin. But the person behind Guan Xin was the film’s lead investor, who had explicitly insisted on Guan Xin playing the female lead.
On the other hand, Jiang Mian was connected to Qin Jingrun. Offending either side would be problematic. And thus, this “callback audition” between Jiang Mian and Guan Xin had come about.
If Jiang Mian could overwhelmingly outperform Guan Xin, Director Zhang would be able to choose Jiang Mian without scruples.
Director Zhang had another purpose in asking Assistant Liu to call Jiang Mian — to find out her exact relationship with Qin Jingrun, which would help him make a better decision. Unfortunately, Jiang Mian didn’t reveal a single word, and Qin Jingrun also just smiled without saying anything.
If they were in a romantic relationship, it didn’t seem like it.
Qin Jingrun had kept himself clean and scandal-free for so many years. Countless actresses had tried to start rumors with him, but he had shut them all out. If something really were going on between them, even if they kept it from the public, they would have hinted at it internally. They wouldn’t be so secretive.
Jiang Mian had no idea about Director Zhang’s internal dilemma. After hanging up, thinking about how Guan Xin would feel when she received the news, her good mood made her eat an extra bowl of rice.
Jiang Mian checked her class schedule. The last class of the day was Animal Mimicry, which she would need to take a leave from.
The animal mimicry teacher was very popular at the school but was notoriously strict. Attendance in his class was mandatory. Anyone who was absent would be noted down in his little notebook and punished in the next class.
The original character had once been punished by him for mimicking a mantis. She had been so furious she had nearly stormed out, but the professor had very calmly said, “If you walk out that door, you won’t need to take this course for the rest of the semester.”
If she failed the course, she would fall even further behind Guan Xin. So, the original character had stopped in her tracks.
Since then, a grudge had formed between her and this professor.
The professor’s surname was Jiang. His full name was Jiang Xunian. He had his own office at the school. Jiang Mian knocked on the door properly.
“Come in.”
“Professor Jiang.” Jiang Mian walked in and presented a leave request form.
She hadn’t expected the professor to be so young. She had assumed he would be a man in his forties or fifties.
Jiang Xunian hadn’t been at school for a while; the animal mimicry class had been temporarily taught by another teacher. So, this was Jiang Mian’s first time meeting him.
He wore glasses and a light blue shirt, with refined features and an elegant bearing. Hunched over his desk, flipping through documents, he looked polished enough to debut as an idol.
No wonder the students loved his class, even though he was strict. He was a professor at a film academy, after all. Even the teachers looked like this.
Jiang Xunian glanced at the leave request, then looked up at Jiang Mian. A flicker of surprise passed through his eyes.
Of course, he recognized her. She had constantly challenged him in class, leaving a deep impression on him.
He hadn’t seen her for a while, and it seemed she had changed.
In the past, she would never have spoken to him so politely. She would have been like a little chili pepper, spitting fire at him.
Jiang Xunian’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. He folded his hands on the desk and looked Jiang Mian in the eye. “Today’s animal mimicry class is my first class back. Are you asking for leave because you don’t want to attend, now that I’ve returned?”
Jiang Mian: “?”
“Jiang Mian, what you learn in animal mimicry will greatly benefit your future acting career,” Jiang Xunian said. “If you plan to enter the entertainment industry, it would be best not to act impulsively.”
“Professor, I really have something to do,” Jiang Mian said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. “I have an audition.”
Jiang Xunian: “An audition?”
There was no harm in being honest. Jiang Mian said, “Director Zhang came to the school yesterday to cast for his film. I auditioned, and today he called me back for a callback.”
Jiang Xunian: “Director Zhang Zhixin?”
Jiang Mian nodded.
“Congratulations. It’s a good opportunity. Make the most of it.” Jiang Xunian didn’t ask any further and promptly approved her leave.
Jiang Mian stepped out of the office, took a few steps, then turned back to glance at Jiang Xunian’s office door.
She remembered something.
The original story was too long, and in the book, Jiang Xunian had always been referred to as “Professor Jiang.” His role didn’t appear until later, which was why she hadn’t made the connection.
Jiang Xunian was one of the important supporting characters in the book. His family had ties to the military and wielded significant influence. Teaching at the film academy was merely a hobby of his.
Later, at a banquet, he encountered the female lead, who was being harassed by a female supporting character. Noticing her, and thinking of her as his student, Jiang Xunian stepped in to help her out.
Over time, he grew familiar with the female lead and repeatedly protected her. During that period, the original character had constantly picked fights with the female lead and clashed with Jiang Xunian many times. Unlike the other male supporting characters, he hadn’t gone out of his way to target the original character.
However, likely to pave the way for the happy ending between the male and female leads, the author had Jiang Xunian summarily killed off with a single sentence: “He died on the spot in an unexpected car accident.”
Jiang Mian: “…”
Jiang Mian thought to herself that if possible in the future, she should remind this Professor Jiang to stay away from the female lead.
She took a taxi to the Junlai Hotel. As she entered the hotel lobby, she noticed that Guan Xin had already arrived, and Assistant Liu was there as well.
Jiang Mian smiled.
When Guan Xin saw her, her expression flickered slightly, and a flash of disgust passed through her eyes before quickly returning to normal. However, her hands, hanging by her sides, were clenched tightly.
Last night, she had met privately with Director Zhang, even dressing up like his first love. That person had told her that the female lead role would definitely be hers.
Moreover, after her audition last night, Director Zhang had looked at her with a complicated expression. She knew that in that moment, he had seen her as his first love. It meant she had performed very successfully.
After leaving, she had been completely certain. Yet, she never expected to receive a call from Assistant Liu the next day asking her to come for a callback, and to audition with Jiang Mian.
She had sworn she would no longer bother Qiwen. If so, why was she still competing with her? She simply hadn’t let go of Qiwen. She was deliberately trying to antagonize her and humiliate her.
In that case, this time she would definitely slap Jiang Mian hard.
The hotel had a conference room and Assistant Liu led them to one.
Besides Director Zhang, there was also a young man in a suit sitting inside. The two were deep in conversation.
Seeing the man, Guan Xin’s eyes showed a flicker of surprise, along with a trace of subtle emotion. She hadn’t expected him to come in person.
Jiang Mian noticed her expression and raised an eyebrow slightly, examining the man carefully.
He was about thirty, good-looking, with the quintessential domineering CEO vibe. But Jiang Mian had a super wealthy dad, so this man didn’t quite measure up in her eyes.
Director Zhang had someone bring two sheets of A4 paper to each of them. “This is your callback scene. You have three minutes to prepare. Who wants to go first?”
“I think she should go first,” the man suddenly spoke, pointing to Guan Xin. “Director Zhang, I may not know much about acting, but I am investing in this film, and I’ve read the script. In terms of appearance alone, this young lady seems to fit the character’s profile better.”
“Mr. Shen is right, but appearance is just a bonus factor. What truly matters is the actor’s portrayal of the role itself.” Director Zhang glanced imperceptibly at Jiang Mian. “But since Mr. Shen has spoken, Guan Xin, you go first.”
“Okay,” Guan Xin nodded, then said softly to Mr. Shen, “Thank you, Mr. Shen.”
People tend to have preconceived notions. As long as she could perform this scene well enough to be stunning, by the time Jiang Mian auditioned, she would be overshadowed and unable to lift her head.
And she had the confidence to do it.
Jiang Mian looked at the so-called Mr. Shen. After a moment, her long lashes lowered, concealing the sudden, earth-shattering murderous intent that had risen in her eyes.
Mr. Shen — Shen Shiqing. So, he had already appeared at this point.
The book had hinted all along that someone was backing Guan Xin, but Shen Shiqing only fully emerged later, competing with the male lead over the female lead. The two fought fiercely.
He was the major antagonist in the book, ruthless and merciless. Anyone who upset or bullied the female lead would surely face his retaliation. He cleared all obstacles for her.
After the last of the original character’s fathers had been killed off, this man finally found an opportunity. He had someone brutally break both of the original character’s legs.
The original book described it this way:
A black cloth was covering Jiang Mian’s head. Heavy rain poured from the sky, falling coldly onto her body. Someone dragged her by the hair across the ground. Gravel cut through her skin, her entire body in pain. But this was only the beginning. She couldn’t see, only hear the man’s sinister laughter. Then excruciating pain shot through her legs, blow after blow.
Her mouth was stuffed with a filthy rag. She curled up in pain but couldn’t make a sound.
Dad, I’m in so much pain, come save me…
…
Jiang Mian lifted her gaze and looked at Shen Shiqing with a dark, penetrating stare. Shen Shiqing seemed to sense it and glanced back at her.
Guan Xin, full of confidence, said to the director, “Director Zhang, I’m ready.”
Director Zhang said, “Begin.”
“Wait.” Jiang Mian’s eyes slowly narrowed at the corners, and she smiled slightly. “Miss Guan, when did I ever agree to let you audition first?”
**