Audition

Fang Chengyin stepped into the lecture hall a second before the bell rang, followed closely by the white-haired professor, whose expression remained solemn.

This is a new professor named Xu Zongshen. It is said that he was a psychiatrist at Jiangshang Hospital before taking over. I don't know how Hongruisi recruited him to explain economics and trade, but his insights are very incisive.

The old professor glanced around and said, "Let's begin the lesson."

Fang Chengyin took out his textbook and turned to the relevant chapter. His elbow was bumped, and when he turned his head, Zhong Qiqian was propping his head up with one hand and looking at him.

Zhong Qiqian has a refined and elegant appearance and comes from a wealthy family. With his good looks, countless people would flock to him. However, most of the students at Hongrui University, who are all born into privilege, don't fall for his charms.

Fang Chengyin liked to stare at his face when he was bored; it was pleasing to the eye.

However, this only applies to close friends and family. Apart from that, he doesn't like staring at people's faces. The changes in expressions on those faces always affect his emotions, and he hates the feeling of being led by others.

But Zhong Qiqian was different; he was his best friend, so Fang Chengyin liked to watch him and see all his joys and sorrows.

He treated him the same way.

Zhong Qiqian wrote in the book, "Have you been drinking?"

Fang Chengyin was embarrassed because he didn't have time to wash up before going out. The alcohol had spread with the autumn wind at night, making him feel somewhat ashamed.

He had no choice but to admit that his crazy roommate had splashed something in his face. Zhong Qiqian looked at him with a gloomy expression and concluded that the guy was no good.

He always stood by Fang Chengyin's side.

"...After the RECP agreement came into effect, a clearly defined trade zone has been formed." The old professor paused, unscrewed his thermos, and took a sip of water.

This also means that as the class comes to a close, the remaining fifteen minutes will be the "storytelling" segment that students love.

Some people were already eagerly asking, "Professor Xu, what will you be talking about today?"

The students of Hongruisidu are experienced, but rarely touch the criminal world. Their status and position do not allow them to directly contact the dark or gray areas, and their every word and action is related to the survival of their entire family.

A few years ago, there was a stark example: a wealthy young man was embroiled in a "sexual exploitation scandal" after browsing the dark web, and the night the scandal broke, all the companies owned by his parents went bankrupt. Therefore, apart from a few who can control everything, most students are extremely cautious.

The new professor made an exception and expanded their knowledge of crime, which they naturally talked about with great interest.

Fang Chengyin learned from Zhong Qiqian that Xu Zongshen was not just a neurologist; he would occasionally assist the Yanyang Criminal Investigation Bureau in conducting criminal profiling at crime scenes and was particularly interested in antisocial personality disorder.

Fang Chengyin asked doubtfully: "Antisocial personality disorder?"

Zhong Qiqian stopped talking. Most first-hand information is only available to those in power, while ordinary people like Fang Chengyin just need to live their daily lives like a diary.

"Today we won't tell stories, we'll analyze some paranormal cases." Xu Zongshen leaned back on the podium, adjusting his glasses, a wise light shining on his deeply lined face. "In 1986, the bodies of eight male university students were found in an abandoned chemistry building at Hanluo University. The autopsies showed that none of the victims had any signs of external injury, and there were no signs of anyone else moving around in the chemistry building besides the deceased. In 1998, a couple parked their car in a park parking space, and suddenly the car and the people sank 50 meters. The police dug overnight but found no trace of the vehicle; they mysteriously disappeared along with the car. How can we explain the existence of these paranormal cases?"

Xu Zongshen looked at Fang Chengyin, who was stunned. Suddenly, the image of the kindergarten teacher's death he had witnessed that morning flashed through his mind—those black, fluffy things…

"Professor, the human brain is prone to illusions or hallucinations in specific environments, such as darkness, loneliness, and high pressure. For example, sleep paralysis is often mistaken for a paranormal phenomenon, but it is actually a physiological reaction of the brain when switching between wakefulness and sleep. Some eyewitness accounts involve multiple independent witnesses, but cannot be verified due to technological limitations. In 1986 and 1998, given the police force and criminal investigation equipment at the time, it was not impossible for the cases to be 'paranormal'."

"I think this student makes a good point. It could be due to a malfunction, aging, or software vulnerability in the electronic device, but it is often attributed to 'spiritual interference.' In fact, many paranormal phenomena are areas that have not yet been fully understood by science. As science and technology develop, these misjudgments of natural phenomena will be revealed."

“Paranormal cases may stem from a combination of psychological, natural, or cultural factors, rather than from ‘supernatural entities’ in the literal sense.”

...

Xu Zongshen shook his head and said calmly, "This type of case has happened again recently."

The entire class fell silent.

"Can any student explain this beyond the above explanation?"

Xu Zongshen looked at Fang Chengyin again.

Zhong Qiqian turned his head, and Fang Chengyin, whose hand was on the book, clenched into a fist and turned back to raise his hand.

Xu Zongshen: "Please speak."

Zhong Qiqian: "Different dimensions have different lifestyles. One dimension is a line, where ants walk on tightropes; two dimensions are a plane, where butterflies are trapped on paper; three dimensions are a volume, where birds soar through the sky; four dimensions are time, where pages of books turn; five dimensions are a cocoon, where libraries hold all possible springs. We are currently in three-dimensional space, and humans are nominally highly civilized beings, but this does not negate the possibility of beings from other dimensions intruding into our space."

One classmate scoffed, "You believe in ghosts and spirits?"

Zhong Qiqian: "I believe in science, but many times, I am in awe of the unknown, because the unknown has infinite possibilities."

Students at Honours University often use this kind of logical reasoning, and when they say it, it always has an enlightening effect.

Therefore, no further disassembly and analysis is needed.

Xu Zongshen asked, "Does anyone else want to speak?"

When Shuo Shuo's gaze fell upon him, Fang Chengyin was about to get up when Zhong Qiqian tugged at his sleeve, preventing him from doing so.

Xu Zongshen concluded the discussion: "Supernatural cases are not scary; what's scary is that we always attribute them to mental illness. When the principle of 'everything leaves a trace' no longer applies to them, how should science respond? This is something every student needs to think about."

Xu Zongshen, who likes to study antisocial personality disorder, tells his students that paranormal events cannot be attributed to mental illness.

Fang Chengyin found it increasingly difficult to understand this unconventional professor.

Xu Zongshen did not provide an answer, and the topic shifted to explaining the origin of "crime".

It was already nine o'clock when class ended, and Fang Chengyin declined Zhong Qiqian's invitation to have a late-night snack because he had to go to the film academy again.

Smelling the odor emanating from him, Zhong Qiqian commented sharply, "He reeks of alcohol?"

Having been in that environment for so long, Fang Chengyin had no idea he was constantly surrounded by that smell, but, "There's an audition, and I'm running out of time!"

This time it was another audition for an extra role; the crew of the hit drama "The Unruly" came to their school to recruit. At first, he didn't care and continued to work as an extra in other cities on weekends. But as soon as Song Zixin came back, he wanted to spend more time with her.

Yanyang City has a thriving cultural and entertainment industry, and in recent years, major film crews have flocked there. Although the salaries and benefits are good, Fang Chengyin does not like to work with large film crews. Previously, he had worked with film crews that lacked funds and had harsh filming conditions and environments.

Everything was for the purpose of finding Fang Bokang.

Fang Bokang is passionate about the film and television industry and is a famous screenwriter and producer. His novel "In the Depths" won an international literary award and made him famous at the time. People then stopped saying that he was not good enough for Song Zixin.

Moreover, he frequently rotated between different film crews, and before his disappearance, he was obsessed with art films, venturing into remote mountains and forests to search for impoverished young people...

Suddenly blocked by a shadow, Fang Chengyin looked up and saw Zhong Qiqian's handsome face. He was holding a soft coat that he had taken off and rubbing Zhong Qiqian's hair, which was wet with red wine.

It was recess time, and the passing students just glanced at it with indifference. The students at Hongruisdu were known for their unconventional ways of playing, so they weren't surprised.

While wiping, Zhong Qiqian asked, "Are the requirements for the extras high this time?"

Fang Chengyin snapped out of his daze and laughed, "I'm not sure yet, but the other party is a very popular drama crew, and I can't leave a bad impression by being late."

There are usually no auditions for extras; the production company posts job openings in part-time job groups, specifying height and physical requirements. Those interested can simply arrive at the set at the designated time.

This is the first time I've ever encountered an audition for an extra.

"Thanks!" Fang Chengyin grabbed his coat and rubbed it casually.

My hair was almost dry; this little rub only gave it a Zhong Qiqian-like scent.

"I'm off," she said, turning back as she ran. "I'll return your coat after I wash it!"

Zhong Qiqian only raised his hand slightly.

Despite moving between various film crews, Fang Chengyin still didn't know how good his acting skills were. He didn't love the industry, but he didn't hate it either. He treated it as a part-time job. When he was busy, he wouldn't feel empty, and he could earn a few hundred yuan for living expenses. Why not?

·

When they arrived at the sixth floor of the film academy, they still needed to wait for two more people. Fang Chengyin sat on a bench in the corridor, folded Zhong Qiqian's coat and put it in his bag. The young man next to him started talking to him.

What are you interviewing for?

Fang Chengyin asked suspiciously, "Extras?"

Isn't he? Isn't tonight a special audition for extras?

This person had a handsome face and was also a student of Hongruisdu, but he did not have any noble bearing.

The young man said he was there to audition for the second male lead, and seemed relieved to learn that Fang Chengyin wasn't a competitor. "Are you here to experience extracurricular life?"

In Hongruisidu, where status and identity are highly valued, Fang Chengyin makes no secret of the fact that he is "earning some living expenses."

The man looked at him with deep respect, saying, "Self-reliance is a good thing."

The staff interrupted their conversation, "Please have number 231 enter!"

Fang Chengyin told him to keep going, and the man thanked him.

The empty corridor was suddenly left with only Fang Chengyin. He regretted not going to get something to eat with Zhong Qiqian, and he also regretted wasting his time now. There was just one extra, it was completely unnecessary, and he even smelled bad...

"Number 2, please enter!"

This means that Hongruis only interviewed two students for extra roles.

The audition room was bright and spacious, much like a dance studio. A group of judges sat around a distance, one of whom stood out—Jiang Tunan, the lead actor in "Jie Ao," and one of the most controversial celebrities recently.

He's of average height and looks, but he's become a viral sensation online, leaving casual viewers completely bewildered every time they open his social media account.

"The Unruly" is an original script that has garnered a large audience due to its smooth plot and unique narrative style. Although the two male leads have a complementary friendship, it's impossible to stop the audience from shipping them.

The series adopted a filming and broadcasting model. When the fifth episode was broadcast, another male lead, Xiang Xun, was banned for violating the law. Only then did "The Unruly" hold a special recruitment event at Hongrui Capital to reselect the second male lead.

Fang Chengyin was puzzled. Why did such a big fuss have to be made for auditioning an extra? Or was it that the auditions for extras were scheduled after the audition for the second male lead, so he was just being auditioned incidentally?

I don't understand it, but since I'm here, I might as well make the best of it. If I can get this part-time job, that would be great, since the pay and benefits for big production crews are really good.

When Fang Chengyin received the test questions from the main interviewer, which were filled with dense lines, he seriously doubted that they knew he was just an extra being interviewed. However, with the test questions in hand, he couldn't very well offer any hints.

After practicing for five minutes, Fang Chengyin began his performance.

Performing was not difficult for him, and he had a calm mindset, never putting extra effort into things that didn't require his full commitment. If one job didn't work out, he would just go for the next one; after all, it was just a job as an extra.

A few minutes later, Fang Chengyin finished his performance and bowed. The interviewers politely applauded, and the chief interviewer said, "Now we will move on to the comments section."

Fang Chengyin was full of questions. There was even a critique session for the extras?

Do they really think they're interviewing for the second male lead?

While the other interviewers were busy writing on their evaluation forms, Jiang Tunan looked at him and asked, "You really like this kind of part-time job?"

The words were calm, but the word "very" was enough to make someone uncomfortable.

Fang Cheng smiled, which was quite sincere. "If it's about being alive, then it's not very meaningful, but if it's about life, then it's very meaningful."

"Okay, thank you for your reply."

Jiang Tunan stopped asking questions and instead twirled a blue ballpoint pen, seemingly lost in thought.

The other interviewers also gave their comments, asking if he had studied acting professionally, and why he was dressed like that...

Fang Chengyin answered each question honestly because he didn't care about the outcome and didn't have any interview strategies.

The final comment came from the main interviewer: "I don't think you can act in this."

Upon hearing this, the interviewers exchanged glances, and Jiang Tunan tapped his blue fountain pen repeatedly on the paper.

Fang Chengyin's face fell. Based on his impressions of the entire interview process and the professional comments from the previous interviewers, he had already grown to like this production team.

No one dislikes a production team that puts in a lot of effort, and no one hates a production team that treats extras as human beings.

The interviewer continued, "Your appearance is too outstanding; you don't meet our requirements for selecting extras."

Overshadowing the main content is the most taboo thing for a film crew.

It failed.

Fang Chengyin's heart sank. For two years, he had been moving between different film crews, playing insignificant ants, never thinking of shaking up a big tree.

Why do you want to stay this time?

He hates the version of himself that longs for something, because longing is always accompanied by disappointment. He doesn't want disappointment; he just wants a peaceful and ordinary life.

The main interviewer had already spoken, so the others could only wait for him to leave. Once he was gone, they could go home.

Fang Chengyin, however, remained confined to the same place.

"Would you like to try your hand at playing the second male lead?" Jiang Tunan stroked his blue fountain pen.

Fang Chengyin looked up at him and suddenly felt relieved. "Thank you for your kind offer. But I still want to play an extra."

He bowed and left.

Jiang Tunan seemed to see something in that figure's back, leaned over and said something to the main interviewer, then opened Jiang Zhi's WeChat.

·

Upon arriving on the second floor, I received a text message on my phone: "Congratulations on your successful interview. Please join the work group."

Fang Chengyin was stunned for a long time. The unexpected joy made him a little excited and he had to reward himself.

He was a man who knew how to enjoy life. Although Fang Bokang's disappearance tormented him, it also taught him that a warm soup after extreme exhaustion is always the most therapeutic.

He clicked on the business card link to enter the work group, a group of 12 people, and his group nickname was: Male Lead - Fang Chengyin.

A friend request popped up on WeChat: "Hello, I am Wei Shu, assistant director of the crew of 'The Unruly'. I will be your agent during the filming period."

After adding him as a friend, Fang Chengyin greeted him and said directly, "I think your production team may have made a mistake. I applied for an extra role."

He didn't have that much time to join the crew.

Wei Shu: "You are the largest investor in 'Jie Ao'. You must accept this invitation to star in the film, otherwise your mother-son relationship with Ms. Song Zixin will be exposed."

Wei Shu: "Mr. Fang Chengyin, I don't know what grudge you have with the investors, but the life and death of the entire crew is now in your hands. I urge you to reconsider."

Wei Shu sent out another contract.

Fang Chengyin quickly glanced through the contract. It didn't seem to be coercing him and was surprisingly considerate of him. For example, he only needed to come to the film set during winter and summer vacations and weekends, and the crew was not allowed to interfere with his studies or life on weekdays.

Even if the document is very "humane", what is the sentence "the mother-son relationship will be exposed" if not coercion?

"Here it is." Zhong Qiqian leaned against the wall not far away, waiting without a coat, obviously having finished his own business and come to wait for him.

Fang Chengyin turned off his phone and walked over: "Aren't you cold?"

Zhong Qiqian didn't seem to care. "It's cold. So come with me to the dorm to change your clothes before we go eat."

Fang Chengyin could never refuse his enthusiasm.

They went to the barbecue restaurant near the school gate. That restaurant was always packed every night, and going there gave you a feeling of rebirth.

The two chatted and ate, exchanging pleasantries and asking each other what was going on.

Zhong Qiqian mentioned the film crew he was interviewing for, adding, "Don't get too entangled with them."

When Fang Cheng asked for the reason, he only gave a perfunctory answer: "The difference between extras and leads is like heaven and earth. If you insist on going for it, who do you think will suffer?"

Although he doesn't care about the entertainment industry, Fang Chengyin knows where the boundaries are, where to stay so as not to steal the spotlight, and where to stay so as not to be noticed.

I remember the first time I went to be an extra. I was asked to leave the small film crew after less than five minutes. The production assistant told me, "Those fans on the periphery are all filming you. I'm sorry."

Since then, he has only played roles such as a disfigured, emaciated street boy, a soldier being driven to the battlefield, or an orphan abandoned in the wilderness. The "dirtier" the role and the shorter the shot of him, the more he likes it.

But now: "I've been chosen to play the second male lead."

Zhong Qiqian paused, his chopsticks poised to place the meatballs. "What do you mean?"

Fang Chengyin showed him the chat history he had just had with Wei Shu.

Zhong Qiqian put down the plate: "It seems that this investor can't do without you because of your background, and it's also possible that they signed a performance-based agreement."

Fang Chengyin knew he couldn't escape.

"I'll think of something."

"No need. Since they want me to act in it so badly, I'll act. But I don't think this investor is as simple as they seem."

"Okay, I'll keep an eye on it too."

The hot pot boils, and the rising steam carries the spicy aroma of chili peppers.

Zhong Qiqian picked up some food and asked, "Do you still get along with your roommate?"

Fang Chengyin shook his head and smiled bitterly, "I am like this because of him."

Zhong Qiqian laughed, though he didn't laugh much. "Then he probably isn't much better off."

Fang Chengyin looked up at him and laughed out loud. Zhong Qiqian always understood him very well.

Ding-dong—

A new friend request.

Fang Chengyin glanced at it and frowned.

"This is Jiang Zhi. Be back before 11 o'clock, don't forget."

Zhong Qiqian asked, "What's wrong? The film crew?"

"No, it's my new roommate. His name is Jiang Zhi, do you know him?"

The tip of Zhong Qiqian's chopsticks, suspended in mid-air, trembled slightly, and his knuckles turned white from the force, as if the blood in his body had frozen into ice in that instant.

Fang Chengyin was stunned: "You know him?"

Zhong Qiqian looked at him, a hint of panic flashing in his eyes: "Chengyin, he's mentally ill."