Ling Wei was not a shrew, nor was she naïve. Anyone who could survive in the entertainment industry for more than a decade could hardly be simple. Still, she had always followed one principle: if no one offends me, I will not offend them. Everything should be handled with reason. If she encountered someone unreasonable, then she would simply be even more unreasonable. She knew how to throw a tantrum and play rough when necessary, but most of the time she preferred to remain civil and treat others kindly.
Bai Xiaolian had always been hostile toward her. Ling Wei sensed it from the very first time they met. Based on her past experience, she concluded that the hostility stemmed from envy and jealousy over her appearance. With the same manager, suddenly a younger and prettier newcomer appears, who would feel comfortable with that?
Later, because of Ling Wei’s “disobedience,” Zhao Ruyi completely lost patience with her, and only then did Bai Xiaolian stop seeing her as an imaginary rival.
However, after today’s clash, she would likely become Bai Xiaolian’s number one enemy again.
Ling Wei felt rather helpless about it. Being beautiful was not her fault.
After Bai Xiaolian, Ling Wei was called in for her audition as well. Although she had originally prepared for the maid’s role, she was also familiar with the role of Consort Ru, since the maid’s only opposing scenes revolved around Consort Ru.
The audition room was spacious, with polished floor tiles. High heels clicked lightly against the floor, each sharp sound tapping against Ling Wei’s nerves. She was a little nervous. After all, this opportunity had come through connections. If she failed to seize it, she would not only embarrass herself but also embarrass Xie Qingyan.
Besides Director Guo Qi, who was past fifty and somewhat stout, there were several other people present. Ling Wei glanced at them and did not recognize any of them. They were likely members of the production team.
She had just taken her position at the center when Guo Qi asked, “You’re Ling Wei?”
Ling Wei lifted her chin slightly and introduced herself to him with a calm smile.
Her expression was steady and her speech unhurried. Even as the center of attention, she showed no sign of panic. The way she spoke, confident and eloquent, was more like giving a speech, and it was undeniably charming.
Guo Qi nodded. “You graduated from an acting program? Fine. Perform according to your own understanding.” He did not mention Secretary Du, nor did he give any specific requirements. He simply told Ling Wei to perform freely.
The script Ling Wei received included two excerpts: one from when Consort Ru first entered the palace, and another from when she killed her maid. The actor could choose one of the two. Under normal circumstances, most auditioning actors would choose the latter, because in terms of emotional range and physical expression, the second scene offered more room to showcase acting skills. If performed well, it would be easier to leave a strong impression on the director.
Yet Ling Wei deliberately chose the first excerpt.
It portrayed a sixteen year old girl, sent from a distant southern region to the imperial palace as a candidate for selection. From the moment she stepped through the palace gates, her life was destined to be a tragedy.
Ling Wei remembered that although Consort Ru was not a major character, she had a complete backstory. She was introverted, cautious in her actions, and knew how to protect herself wisely. Yet in the end, like countless other women in the harem, she died amid struggles for favor and palace intrigues. Tragically, from beginning to end, she never received even a trace of the emperor’s affection.
But regardless of her later fate, at the very beginning, she must have carried hope in her heart.
Ling Wei did not deliberately flaunt her acting skills, and her body movements were minimal. She concentrated the performance in her facial expressions and eyes. What she ultimately presented was the image of a young girl who looked forward to a new life, yet felt deeply lost and helpless.
When she finished, before Director Guo Qi could speak, a member of the production team beside him spoke up first. “Why does Consort Ru look so lost? Shouldn’t she be happy? After all, she was chosen from hundreds.”
Ling Wei thought for a moment and said, “She comes from a distant southern region and knows nothing about the people and customs of the north. There is no familiar person by her side to guide her. What she would feel more strongly should be confusion and helplessness.”
Following that line of thought, all of Consort Ru’s later actions would naturally make sense.
The man nodded after hearing her explanation and said nothing more.
Guo Qi sat up straight, crossed his arms, and looked at her with a serious expression. “Your performance is fine, but you’re too strikingly beautiful. Consort Ru isn’t supposed to be this pretty.”
Ling Wei was speechless.
Being good looking was really not her fault.
Feeling a little frustrated, she said, “I believe that problem can be completely handled by the makeup artist.”
Guo Qi did not respond directly. He turned to the person who had asked the earlier question. “Xiao Lin, what do you think?”
The man smiled. “I think she’s quite good.”
Only then did Guo Qi stand up and make the decision on the spot. “Alright, it’s settled. Ling Wei, report to the production team in a week.”
Ling Wei immediately broke into a wide smile. “Okay, thank you Director Guo, thank you everyone.”
Guo Qi pointed at Xiao Lin. “You should be thanking the author instead.”
It was only then that Ling Wei realized that Xiao Lin was actually Lin Yu, the currently famous bestselling novelist. She had not expected him to attend the casting in person.
On the way home, Ling Wei casually mentioned the author to Chen Xiaoruo. To her surprise, Chen Xiaoruo launched into an endless stream of gossip about him. “For every drama adapted from his novels, he takes part in selecting the cast. Everyone knows that. You actually didn’t know?”
Ling Wei was unconvinced. If she did not know about it, how could it be considered common knowledge?
“Why is he so obsessed with that?” Ling Wei asked, puzzled.
Chen Xiaoruo turned the steering wheel and rounded a corner before replying, “Because he’s obsessed with good looks. That’s common knowledge.”
Ling Wei rolled her eyes. “Do you misunderstand what common knowledge means?”
Chen Xiaoruo chuckled awkwardly. “I just wanted to emphasize that he’s very famous. I’ve followed almost all of his novels.”
“What’s his full name?”
“Lin Yu. I don’t know if that’s his pen name or his real name.” As soon as Chen Xiaoruo finished speaking, her phone rang. Ling Wei helped her answer it and switched on the speaker.
It was Chen Xiaoruo’s older brother. He suddenly needed the car and told her to bring it back immediately.
After hanging up, Chen Xiaoruo said apologetically to Ling Wei, “Sister Wei, how about you take a taxi back first?”
Ling Wei glanced outside. “Isn’t your brother’s company nearby? Let’s return the car first.”
Chen Xiaoruo sighed. “Sorry, Sister Wei.”
“What are you apologizing for? You fight with your brother every day just to borrow the car to pick me up. I should be thanking you.” After thinking for a moment, she added, “Once that guy surnamed Ye pays back the money, we’ll go buy a car for convenience.”
Since Ling Wei brought up Ye Zichu herself, Chen Xiaoruo asked curiously, “They haven’t come to bother you again, have they?”
Ling Wei gave a light snort. “They wouldn’t dare.”
“Sister, they betrayed you. Don’t you want revenge?” As someone who knew the inside story, Chen Xiaoruo felt indignant on her behalf.
Ling Wei sneered. “No rush. For them, that video is a ticking time bomb. As long as it’s in my hands, they’ll definitely be on edge. I want them to lose sleep over it.”
As they spoke, they soon arrived downstairs at Chen Xiaoruo’s brother’s company. Chen Xiaoruo took the keys upstairs to return the car, while Ling Wei stood outside the building, looking around out of boredom. It was almost noon, and she planned to take Chen Xiaoruo out to eat.
Before long, Chen Xiaoruo came running out of the building. When she heard Ling Wei mention food, she quickly suggested, “Let’s go to the food street up ahead. I haven’t eaten there in ages.”
Even including her previous life, Ling Wei had not eaten such down to earth food for a long time. Mainly, she was afraid of gaining weight and affecting her appearance on camera.
The two hit it off immediately and soon walked toward the food street arm in arm.
At this point, Ling Wei was still not famous, so appearing in public caused her no pressure at all. At most, people would look at her a few extra times because she was too beautiful.
While the two of them were sitting on a stone bench by the roadside, completely absorbed in eating grilled skewers, Ling Wei’s phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID and instantly answered in a fluster.
Clearing her throat, she held a skewer in one hand and her phone in the other, speaking in a sweet voice. “Good afternoon, Mr. Xie.”
On the other end, Xie Qingyan’s voice sounded lower and slightly husky, with a hint of laughter. “Miss, how did the audition go?”
“The director asked me to report to the production team in a week. Mr. Xie, thank you very much for your help.”
Xie Qingyan chuckled. “Consider it a little welcome gift from me. What are you busy with right now?”
Ling Wei froze for a moment. She looked at the skewer in her hand, then at the messy pile of food beside her. If Boss Xie found out she was eating grilled skewers, such an unrefined meal, would he unilaterally terminate their agreement?
After a dry laugh, Ling Wei said in a serious tone, “I’m doing some skincare right now. I’m about to join the production team, so I have to make myself look my best.”
Xie Qingyan paused. “You went for a beauty treatment right after the audition?”
Ling Wei sighed. “Of course. As a qualified professional actress, I have to keep myself in top condition at all times. As an idol, I need to maintain a certain image.” In reality, the image she was maintaining was hiding by the roadside eating skewers and not daring to let Boss Xie know.
Xie Qingyan seemed to find something amusing and laughed softly for quite a while before saying, “In that case, I won’t disturb your beauty treatment. If you’re free tomorrow, come by my company. The contract is ready.”
“Alright, alright, I’ll definitely be there on time tomorrow.” Ling Wei smiled ingratiatingly as she said goodbye. After hanging up, she saw Chen Xiaoruo staring at her in disbelief, a piece of fish tofu still in her mouth.
“Sister Wei, are you really okay with lying so seriously? We’re clearly ruining our faces here, not doing beauty treatments.” Chen Xiaoruo would break out in pimples all over her face whenever she ate spicy food, which really did look like ruining her skin.
“I’m currently positioned as Boss Xie’s decorative lover. Do you think squatting by the roadside eating grilled skewers looks like something a decorative vase should do?”
Chen Xiaoruo shook her head. “That would absolutely be a desecration of the vase!”
Ling Wei was speechless.
This had to be a fake assistant.
Not far from them, across the road, a black Mercedes was parked quietly. Inside the car, Xie Qingyan lounged with one leg crossed over the other. After casually tossing the phone he had just hung up to the side, he took out a cigarette and placed it between his lips. Only then did he say to Lao Zhang in the driver’s seat, “Let’s go, back to the company.”
Lao Zhang glanced at the two women by the roadside and asked, “Aren’t we picking up Miss Ling?”
Xie Qingyan withdrew his gaze from Ling Wei, the smile still lingering on his lips. “She’s busy with her beauty treatment, so let’s not disturb her. Let’s go.”