âWhatâs the point of saying these things now? Weâll see the real deal when the results come out,â Wang Lu said unabated.
âHeh heh⦠You might as well go now, just to let us see what youâre capable of.â
Wang Lu didnât respond and simply turned to leave, then she took a moment to adjust her emotions, preparing for the audition.
Before long, Lin Yi and Yan Ci took the elevator down to the second floor and headed toward the innermost room, standing by the back door and window.
They just happened to see that the person auditioning inside was Wang Lu.
âThatâs the girl you brought in, isnât it?â
Lin Yi nodded.
âShe looks decent enough, but it would be even better if she could slim down a bit.â
âSheâs almost 1.7 meters tall and doesnât even weigh 100 pounds, shouldnât she actually be eating more to gain weight?â
âIf she gains more weight, she wonât need to act anymore.â
Lin Yi paused for a second, then suddenly understood.
âThe camera makes people look heavier, doesnât it?â
âSmart.â
âAlright, Iâll pass on your opinion to her, but first letâs see how good she is.â
Yan Ci peeked from behind the door and also made a call to the director, having Wang Lu perform an extra scene for a good ten minutes or more.
âWhat do you think?â
âHer acting lacks a bit of subtlety, some of the finer details are quite stiff, but itâs not a big deal. Two months by the directorâs side should be enough to coach her through it, though Iâll need to discuss the specifics more with the director.â
âOkay, you handle it.â
After a brief watch, the two of them returned to the office, while Wang Lu, who had finished her audition, returned to the meeting room to await the final results.
Dong Yaoâs lips curved into a smirk as she said in a gloating tone:
âDidnât someone swear up and down theyâd definitely land the role of the third female lead? But it seems thatâs not how things are turning out.â
âHow do you know I wonât get it, the results arenât out yet.â
âThe results havenât been announced, but I just inquired with the directorâs assistant. They said theyâre very pleased with me, thinking Iâm a perfect fit for the third female lead. Itâs basically in the bag for me. Arenât you going to give up?â
Wang Lu was taken aback, having prepared for so long, she did not expect such an outcome.
âThe final results arenât out yet. Itâs still uncertain who will win, so donât get too happy too soon.â
âWell, weâll see about that. The auditions are nearly over anyway.â
Wang Lu didnât respond, because she felt a bit guilty.
She didnât know whether Dong Yao was telling the truth or not.
But she had a feeling that Dong Yao wouldnât be joking around at a time like this.
Anxiously and nervously, after another twenty or so minutes, the auditions were all concluded, leaving only the announcement of the results.
Meanwhile, Lin Yi, Yan Ci, and several directors from their company were all heading toward the meeting room.
âDirector Sun, how do you feel about the actors who auditioned today? Did you find anyone suitable?â
The person Yan Ci addressed as Director Sun was named Sun Yousheng, the director for their companyâs upcoming youth campus drama.
âI think that person named Dong Yao is quite good, very suitable for the third female lead.â
âWhat about Wang Lu? What do you think of her?â
Those who could make it in this industry were all cunning.
Yan Ci had asked him to pay special attention to Wang Lu during the auditions, which left no doubt that there was a connection between the two.
But, based on the companyâs culture and philosophy, it was still better to be frank at this time. As for the final decision, that was for President Yan to make.
âThat girl is also not bad. She gives off a very pure vibe. However, the third female lead is a villain, and during her performance, she always gave me a sense of righteousness that doesnât quite fit with the character of the third lead, so for this role, I think it suits Dong Yao better,â Sun Yousheng said with a smile:
âBut if President Yan feels that Wang Lu has more potential, then we could go with her. With some coaching, Iâm sure these issues and flaws could be addressed.â
âThereâs no need for that; I still quite trust your judgment, but I have another idea.â
âPlease go ahead, President Yan.â
âWhat do you think about having her play the leading female role?â
âAh? The lead female role?â Sun Youshengâs expression was not very pleasant. âPresident Yan, are you sure youâre not joking?â
âOf course not,â said Yan Ci:
âThe Liu Feifei you chose before not only has a very tight schedule but also commands a price of 80 million. Thatâs a huge sum of money, which would compress the budget in other areas. Considering these factors, I thought about replacing her. Besides, Wang Lu does have a really good temperament, pure and innocent. With a bit of training, she should be able to handle this role. After all, a youth campus drama doesnât require much acting skill. What do you think?â
âIndeed.â
Sun Yousheng pondered seriously, âLetting her try is okay. Anyway, the first few scenes are her solo acts. If it doesnât work out, we can still replace her in time.â
âThen letâs do it that way.â
Lin Yi didnât raise any objections to Yan Ciâs arrangement.
He had said all that needed to be said, and even with connections involved, he wouldnât joke about the companyâs interests; he should be able to gauge the situation properly.
âThen you go ahead with your work, Iâll go downstairs first.â
âArenât you coming with me?â
âIâd better not go, but donât reveal our relationship. If we develop complacency and later become lax, that would be bad.â
âYouâre right, dependency would not be good.â
After a brief exchange, Lin Yi went downstairs and returned to his car to wait for Wang Lu.
Meanwhile, the directorâs assistant walked into the meeting room and addressed those present:
âPlease have Dong Yao get ready, sheâll be joining the crew next week.â
The way the results were announced was somewhat casual, but those in the industry knew that Dong Yao had been selected.
Upon hearing the news, Dong Yao almost jumped up in excitement.
Although it was only the third female role, it was still a rare opportunity for students like them.
âThank you, Director Sun, for giving me this chance.â
âDonât mention it. Go back and prepare well. Your shooting schedule is about half a month to twenty days, so make ample preparations.â
âGot it, I will definitely prepare thoroughly.â
After announcing the audition result, the assistant left, and the others in the meeting room looked dejected.
Having lost this opportunity, they would have to start looking anew.
With her head held high, Dong Yao looked at Wang Lu, âHow about it? Still want to compete with me? Donât overestimate yourself; itâs just ridiculous.â
Wang Lu didnât feel much regret for not getting the opportunity; she just felt a bit sorry for Lin Yi.
âWhy so quiet? Have you given up?â Dong Yao continued relentlessly:
âLearn more from your âsisterâ here. Once I get famous, I might even take care of you. Otherwise, with your current attitude, itâs definitely impossible for me to help you.â
âItâs just the third female role; donât be so full of yourself. I donât need your help.â
âPretty tough words, but I wonât say more,â Dong Yao said with schadenfreude:
âAfter my movie is released, donât forget to come and support me.â
Wang Lu gave Dong Yao a sidelong glance and turned to leave.
The victor is lauded as king, and the vanquished is impugned as bandit; at this time, she had nothing to say.
After all, she hadnât been chosen.
âHey, hey, hey, Wang Lu, wait a moment.â
Just as she left the doorway, Wang Lu was called back by Sun Yousheng.
âDirector Sun, are you looking for me?â
âThis role of the third female lead isnât quite suitable for you, so Iâd like for you to try for the leading female role, donât go yet.â
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!