Chapter 32
Xiao Ziyu was stunned for a moment. He was very familiar with the desire in Yuan Heng's eyes. He was almost subconsciously on guard: "What's wrong?"
Yuan Heng was in no mood to explain to him. He just felt that it was all his own fault. Knowing that the person couldn't cook, she still let him into the kitchen. The soup was very rich, probably because a lot of ingredients were added.
Xiao Ziyu realized something was wrong and picked up his phone to show him: "I found the recipes online."
Yuan Heng glanced at the screen, pointed at the tag at the bottom of the screen and said, "They are a couple trying to get pregnant, do you want to try it too?"
Xiao Ziyu was startled, his face flushed, and for the first time he didn't retort: "...I didn't notice."
"Ancestors." Yuan Heng threw down these two words and went into the bathroom. He took a shower with cold water for more than ten minutes before he finally suppressed his desire.
When I went out again, there was no one in the living room and the lights in the guest room were turned off, which made it even more obvious. Yuan Heng was not sleepy at all. He returned to his room and selected a documentary on his tablet. Just as he was watching the beginning, he received a message on his phone: Sorry.
Xiao Ziyu's WeChat account has no avatar, and looks very much like a zombie account, but for some reason he thought of Xiao Ziyu curled up in bed, carefully typing out a message on the pinyin keys, perhaps struggling before sending it, biting his lips in distress, not knowing what to do.
Yuan Heng pulled his hair back, revealing his angular profile. The moisture around his body had not yet dissipated, but the energy that had been suppressed just now was beginning to emerge again.
He took a deep breath, threw his phone aside, and decided to out of sight, out of mind.
Xiao Ziyu didn't wait for a reply. He had already expected that the Crown Prince would be difficult to appease, so he yawned and fell asleep with his phone in his hand.
The next morning, Xiao Ziyu had breakfast in the apartment restaurant and went to the crew for an audition with Luo Li.
Luo Li had just graduated from school. He had shaved his hair short and was wearing a white T-shirt and jeans. He looked particularly fresh. However, as soon as he spoke, his stupidity came out, "Brother Xiao, this way!"
He couldn't enter the community, so he waved at Xiao Ziyu across the fence: "Brother Xiao, are you really living here? One month's rent at Lanhai is enough for my two-month internship salary."
"No..." Xiao Ziyu wanted to say that he didn't spend that much money, but he didn't know how to explain. Just as he was struggling with how to start the conversation, Luo Lixian suddenly had an epiphany.
Luo Li: "You're not living with your partner, are you?"
Xiao Ziyu's heart skipped a beat and he answered vaguely, "...Yeah." He then added, "He charged me a symbolic rent."
"Brother Xiao, don't lose heart." Luo Li patted his shoulder, "When you become famous in the future, go buy a few sea view villas."
Xiao Ziyu thought that living quarters in modern society were cramped, and a villa might not be half the size of his previous palace. But it is good to have ideals. Then he can leave Yuan Heng and find a place of his own.
Before he could finish his fantasy, Luo Li interrupted him and said, "Brother Xiao, you can ride a bicycle, right?"
Xiao Ziyu:?
Luo Li was a little embarrassed: "I haven't been hired yet, and it's very troublesome to go through the company's reimbursement procedures. Taxi rides in Yunjing are so expensive, so I might as well ride a shared bike."
Xiao Ziyu looked at the row of blue and white bicycles parked on the side of the road, "...I can give it a try."
"It's very simple," Luo Li taught him how to unlock the phone by scanning the code, "If it doesn't work, we can try..."
Before he could finish his words, Xiao Ziyu got on the bike, stepped on the pedals tentatively, and after twisting and turning for a few meters, he actually slid forward smoothly without any hindrance.
Luo Li quickly picked up a car and chased him: "Brother Xiao, slow down! That's the handbrake on the handlebar! Remember to brake!"
"What?" Xiao Ziyu turned around and looked at him, his long hair fluttering in the wind, his cheeks slightly red from excitement, making him look even more elegant in the early morning sunlight.
Luo Li was stunned for a second, and subconsciously looked away. His brother Xiao was so handsome...
It was rush hour at eight in the morning when Luo Li caught up with him and led Xiao Ziyu to the bicycle path. While riding, he reminded: "I have inquired. The people who are here to check today are Director Yang and the chief screenwriter. Last year, the two web dramas Director Yang shot were both hits, and another one was successfully broadcast on TV. We must seize this opportunity."
Xiao Ziyu nodded: "I'll try my best."
"Director Yang is a typical commercial director who knows the audience's preferences very well," Luo Li continued, "but I heard that he has a quick temper and values efficiency. He once scolded a popular young actress until she cried."
The audition took place in Director Yang’s personal studio, which was rented in an office building. The two returned the car on the side of the road. When they entered the park, an Audi was registering and passing the barrier with its window half open. Luo Li was shocked and said, "Why is he here too?"
Xiao Ziyu was not familiar with the young actors and actresses in the entertainment industry, so he asked, "Who is that?"
"Wen Ci, the main artist of Wenhua Entertainment," Luo Li said with emotion, "He was not very famous before. After signing with Wenhua, he filmed a costume drama and became popular. His acting skills are good, and he has always had good resources."
Xiao Ziyu hummed and just flashed by. He could see that the man had a thin face and a good temperament when sitting upright in the car. Just a silhouette was enough to make people imagine a lot.
"Now all the resources of Wenhua Entertainment are given to him alone," Luo Li whispered, "It was previously rumored that he has a strong financial backer, and he was even photographed entering and leaving a hotel with a man."
"We don't know the truth, so don't talk nonsense." Xiao Ziyu interrupted him indifferently.
"Okay, I'll listen to Brother Xiao!" Luo Li zipped up his mouth and saluted on the spot.
They took the elevator upstairs, checked in and entered the waiting room, and sure enough, they saw Wen Ci among a group of candidates.
The actors were not familiar with each other. When they saw the newcomers, they just looked up and then continued to review the script. Wen Ci took the initiative to greet Xiao Ziyu: "Hi, I saw you downstairs just now."
The voice was soft and gentle, with a slightly hoarse sound, as if it had been washed by sea water. Xiao Ziyu was stunned for a moment before he reacted and introduced himself, "Hello, I'm Xiao Ziyu."
They were the only two people in the entire waiting room who didn't bring a script, so it didn't seem awkward for them to sit together.
"Wen Ci," Wen Ci said with a smile. He had a pair of upturned peach blossom eyes, and he looked elegant and graceful when he smiled. No wonder he came to audition for the role of Fang Jingshi.
Before we could exchange a few words of greeting, Director Yang came out with a staff member, fifteen minutes earlier than the agreed time.
Today's audition is completely open, and everyone can watch each other's performances at will. This actually gave the actors who were later in the order a chance to learn from the experience. Someone immediately pointed out that this was unfair, but Director Yang just glanced at it and continued explaining the audition rules.
"You are not allowed to bring your cell phone into the audition room, you are not allowed to walk around or communicate at will," Director Yang paused, "Now, anyone who has objections can leave early."
The actor who had raised the objection to the open audition stood up and walked out of the room in full view of everyone.
When Xiao Ziyu looked up, he saw Wen Ci smiling at him helplessly, which seemed to imply that they were sharing a common weal and woe.
The scene they needed to audition was the one where Wei Zhouqi was humiliated by the prince in the palace and ran to Yanyun Pavilion to relax. Fang Jingshi recognized him at a glance and extended an olive branch to the troubled prince.
The script does not give a detailed definition of the relationship between Wei Zhouqi and Fang Jingshi. Whether it can be understood as mutual admiration or mutual exploitation, or even whether their first encounter in this brothel is ambiguous or candid, it all depends on the actors' own understanding.
The actor who plays Wei Zhouqi has arrived and came out to greet everyone: "Hello everyone, I'm Zhou Qilin. If you have any ideas when we're acting together later, you can tell me in advance and I will try my best to cooperate."
Zhou Qilin has a tough and handsome appearance. He is in his early thirties, and his flashy temperament has almost settled down. When he becomes the visual center, he is neither hurried nor slow, and can control himself freely. Luo Li had already told him on the way here that Zhou Qilin had also won Best Actor and Best Actress awards, his style of starring tended to be that of a male protagonist, and he had also mentored many young successors.
After the greetings, the staff drew lots to decide the performance order. Xiao Ziyu was the last one, and ahead of him was Wen Ci.
The first actor to go on stage was a senior student with fair skin, delicate features, and an above-average figure and looks in the entertainment industry. However, it was obvious that he was very nervous, and felt a little restrained in front of the movie emperor Zhou Qilin, unable to follow the role.
Sure enough, Director Yang called out "Cut" halfway through the performance and said in a cold tone, "Next."
The student's face turned red and he almost cried when he left the stage. He didn't even watch the other people's performances, he just took the script and left.
Xiao Ziyu had an idea in mind; Director Yang and Tang Lin had completely different conducting styles. Tang Lin used to be a lecturer and still has the patience to guide young actors, while Director Yang mainly makes commercial films. He has a sharp eye but a bad temper.
Instead of observing other people's acting skills, he focused more on Zhou Qilin.
Zhou Qilin seemed like a completely different person when he was acting. His gentle and warm demeanor just now was gone. He became a little decadent and resentful. After being humiliated, he broke into a brothel, urgently needing to vent.
There were many details in his acting. Although there was no scene, one could tell from his look around that he had entered the gate of Yanyun Pavilion. This was Wei Zhouqi's first time in a brothel. He wandered around aimlessly, and his eyes were vague as he was afraid of being recognized. Like a cornered stray dog, it wants to bite people to get revenge, but is afraid of attracting more violent punches and kicks.
What's even more interesting is that he would adjust his state according to the contestants' acting skills. If someone played the role of Fang Jing in a superior manner, he would conceal his disgust; if someone played the role in an overly flattering manner, he would be defensive and distant... With the sound of "cut", it was soon Wen Ci's turn to go on stage, and only half of the actors before him could last the entire show without being interrupted.
After Wen Ci came on stage, he did not rush to approach the anxious Wei Zhouqi and chat with him. Instead, he quietly observed from a distance. When Wei Zhouqi found a seat to sit down and listen to the music, he appeared slowly and said as a spectator: "This flower drum opera is sung by Xiao Yu'er the most interesting. I see you are fascinated by it."
Wei Zhou looked at him blankly without any response.
Wen Ci pretended to open a fan, leaned over, and used the fan to create a private space, "Brother, you are bored, let's go for a walk around the building?"
Wei Zhouqi finally said: "Not interested."
"Brother, your words really make the beauties in my pavilion sad," Fang Jingshi's peach blossom eyes curved, and he smiled obediently and cunningly, "My Yanyun Pavilion is not only home to women, but also a place where people can make their wishes come true. Brother, why don't you come with me to take a look? If you are not satisfied, I will apologize."
Wei Zhouqi's expression finally relaxed, and he followed Fang Jingshi into the room.
"Thank you, Teacher Zhou," Wen Ci shook hands and bowed to Zhou Qilin after the performance. Director Yang behind the camera didn't say anything, just nodded slightly and motioned for the next one.
After watching the two people's play, Xiao Ziyu realized that Wen Ci had well demonstrated the romantic and gentle side of Fang Jingshi. He used Wei Zhouqi's curiosity and thirst for power to seduce him step by step and finally achieved his goal.
He took a deep breath, stood up and went on stage. His eyes met Wen Ci who was walking back, and the other gave him a thumbs up as if encouraging.
Zhou Qilin asked as usual: "Is there anything that requires my special cooperation?"
Xiao Ziyu shook his head and just asked the staff: "Can you dim the lights a bit?"
The assistant dimmed the lights a degree, and the surroundings suddenly became ambiguous. Xiao Ziyu no longer cared about the gazes of the people around him and gently pinched his fingertips. This was his usual action before going on stage, and it helped him get into the state quickly.
The willow fields he was familiar with were far from being as beautiful as described in literary works. There are not only frustrated talented men and beautiful women here, but also wealthy businessmen who don't care about other people's lives, and courtesans who can't save enough money to sell their bodies. The other side of Yanyun Pavilion carries countless dirty desires and shameful transactions. If Fang Jingshi was just a simple youngest son of a general, he would be eaten to pieces.
He stood with his hands behind his back, pretending to be standing on a building looking down, and soon found Wei Zhouqi in the bustling crowd.
The impoverished prince is also a member of the royal family. Fang Jingshi has been secretly observing Wei Zhouqi for a long time, hoping to use his influence to overthrow the prince and the eldest brother of the Fang family. Seeing that he looked exhausted today, he must have encountered something unpleasant, and came to this willow garden just to vent.
Fang Jingshi did not hesitate, he went down the ladder and blocked Wei Zhouqi's way directly: "My Lord Wei, what is bothering you?"
Wei Zhouqi didn't expect that he would be recognized, and immediately became alert: "Who are you?"
Fang Jingshi leaned against the railing and smiled, but did not answer him directly: "Of course, I am the same as Master Wei, and I came to this Yanyun Pavilion to have fun."
Wei Zhouqi was cautious by nature and remained silent without responding.
Fang Jingshi didn't say anything, just looked into his eyes. Actors are born with a pair of charming eyes, and Wei Zhouqi can catch the meaning of them just by glancing at them.
Before he felt uncomfortable, Fang Jingshi was the first to look away. He looked down at the corners of Wei Zhouqi's tense lips, then turned his eyes around and retracted them, finally sighing softly.
"well……"
Almost instantly, Wei Zhouqi felt a sense of sympathy. The person in front of him was just like him. He was depressed, troubled, and had an urgent desire to vent. He seemed to be seen through and his safety was violated. He grabbed Fang Jingshi by the collar and said, "Who are you?"
Fang Jingshi had no intention of fighting back, still laughing softly, his elegant and carefree manner made Wei Zhouqi look even more embarrassed, "Xiao Yu'er's flower drum opera is the best in Yanyun Pavilion, Master Wei, why don't you listen to it before you discuss it."
Wei Zhouqi listened to the play patiently, and his suspicion had almost subsided.
After the show, Fang Jingshi got up and left without any intention of staying. Wei Zhouqi hurriedly followed him and caught up with him in a secluded place. He bowed respectfully and said, "I am Wei Zhouqi. May I ask your name, sir?"
"Stop." Director Yang suddenly interrupted.
The lights came on and the audition was over.
I don’t know who among the actors watching reacted first and shouted, “Good!”
There was some scattered applause.
Zhou Qilin still felt a little unsatisfied. After auditioning so many actors, this was the first time he felt like he was being guided. Fang Jingshi took the initiative to show up and revealed his identity, but kept silent about himself, only using the excuse of listening to opera to lure him. He controlled the rhythm of expansion and contraction very well, like an experienced leader who did not even need to show up, just waiting for the spectators to take the bait.
If Director Yang hadn't interrupted him, he would probably have continued acting with Xiao Ziyu uncontrollably.
After the play, he looked at Xiao Ziyu's eyes again. They were clearly round and delicate phoenix eyes, but in the play they took on a variety of charms. He subconsciously raised his hand to touch his lips, as if Fang Jingshi's gaze was still on them.
"It was a great performance," he praised sincerely, "If Director Yang hadn't called cut, I probably wouldn't have gotten out of the scene."
Xiao Ziyu nodded politely: "Thank you for your help, senior."
The staff came forward to return their mobile phones, and the actors who had been indifferent at first took the initiative to add Xiao Ziyu's contact information, feeling that they had lost sincerely. Wen Ci also added him on WeChat: "Let's communicate more in the future."
Xiao Ziyu accepted the friend requests one by one: "Sure."
Director Yang didn't say anything until all the actors had left. Then he looked up and said to Zhou Qilin, "Are you feeling any pressure?"
Zhou Qilin smiled nonchalantly: "A little bit."
"That kid is quite popular," Director Yang said, "Didn't you ask for his contact information?"
Zhou Qilin knew him very well: "Don't worry, we will meet again anyway."
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