Chapter 36 Accompanying the Audition
The private car was parked on the side of the road. An Shigou got out of the car first and stood on the side of the road, shaking himself like an electric toothbrush.
"It's so cold—achoo!"
"Achoo? Are you trying to be cute?" Fu Yanle first touched her woolen hat, then innocently rolled up her trouser leg to show off her thin fleece socks, indicating from head to toe that "I'm not cold."
An Shigou's expression instantly changed, and he looked like he was about to spit fire in his eyes. Fu Yanle immediately smiled sweetly and said, "It's okay, it won't be cold once you go inside!"
Is this one of the ways to use the "slap me and then give me a treat" tactic?
An Shigou took a deep breath and decided to be patient for now, not to make a fool of himself in such an important situation, lest he get sick from Fu Yanle's anger and delay his audition.
He adopted the debonair manner of a mature man, turned around and led the way, "Director Fang's rule is to have two rounds of auditions. Most of those who came today have passed the first round. As long as you pass today, the role is pretty much decided."
Fu Yanle followed An Shigou, and as they passed the stairs, he reached out and touched the freesia at his feet, saying perfunctorily, "Oh, fighting, I believe in you."
An Shigou remained aloof and silent.
The two entered the audition hall, where, as expected, there were quite a few people standing inside.
Tang Wanbai was listening to "Erquan Yingyue" in the corner when she looked up and saw a familiar figure. She immediately stood up and pounced, "Yanle!"
Fu Yanle reached out to stop him, and was pulled back two steps by gravity. He smiled and said, "How's the preparation going?"
"I'm getting into character," Tang Wanbai said, straightening up and leading the two to their seats. "I've studied this scene for a long time and even sought guidance from several senior actors. My rational mind tells me I'm ready, but I still can't help feeling nervous."
"Keep a calm mindset and just do your best." Fu Yanle sat between the two. "What time do we start?"
An Shigou glanced at the time. "Two o'clock, eight minutes left."
"Did you know?" Tang Wanbai leaned closer and whispered, "Song Xueyan is here today too."
Fu Yanle didn't recognize Song Xueyan, but seeing Tang Wanbai's gossipy look, he knew she must be someone special, so he immediately asked, "Oh, who is she?"
"You don't even know Song Xueyan? She's not from a professional acting background, but her acting skills are amazing, and she's a stunning beauty who excels in both dramatic and action scenes! Let's just say that her acting skills, talent, and beauty are directly proportional."
Tang Wanbai glanced around and whispered gossip.
"He debuted three years ago, acted in five dramas, and was nominated for Best Supporting Actor once and Best Actor four times. Unfortunately, he always ran into veteran actors a generation older than him. His luck is incredible! But to be honest, I really think he deserved to win at least three times. It's such a pity!"
An Shigou said, "It's a pity, but from another perspective, doesn't it also show that he's really amazing? He gets nominated for every film he's in, and the people competing with him for awards are all recognized veterans in the industry. Who else gets this kind of treatment?"
"I heard that Teacher Song had a falling out with his former employer, and his former employer is suppressing him. He's really the epitome of a beautiful, strong, and tragic figure." Tang Wanbai covered her face with her hands, her voice so low it sounded like she was about to suffocate. "His former employer is Huaying Media."
"So he's deliberately walking into the tiger's den?" Fu Yanle also lowered his voice, "Weren't they supposed to be suppressing him? Why would they let him into the group? Could it be that they're just giving him a chance, only to kick him out later?"
"Probably not. There's no other choice for that role, and Director Fang said that if Song Xueyan were replaced, he'd just walk away! Although Huaying wants to suppress Song Xueyan, they always have to prioritize their own interests." An Shigou lowered his voice and clenched his fist secretly. "In short, I must perform well and strive for a chance to act alongside Teacher Song!"
Tang Wanbai clenched her fist, "Me too! Although I'm only auditioning for a supporting role, just being on the same set as Teacher Song will allow me to learn a lot!"
Upon hearing this, Fu Yanle reached out and grasped the fists of the two men, saying firmly, "I will baptize you with the waters of the Milky Way; you two warriors will surely return victorious today!"
At that moment, the audition room doors opened, and Tang Wanbai and An Shigou simultaneously stood up expressionlessly. Fu Yanle was pulled up and quickly whispered, "Babies, let me go to the bathroom first, you go in first."
"Who's your baby?" An Shigou disgustedly pulled his hand away. "Get lost!"
Fu Yanle sneered, "You traitor!"
"The restroom is in the back." Tang Wanbai turned around and pointed the way. "We'll wait for you inside."
"Okay." Fu Yanle patted Tang Wanbai's head and turned to go to the bathroom.
Tang Wanbai touched her head and smiled sweetly, "Let's go!"
"Superficial." An Shigou shook his head and scoffed, then touched his head and turned to enter the audition room.
*
Fu Yanle came out of the cubicle, walked to the sink, looked in the mirror, then took out his small comb and began to groom his somewhat messy hair.
"Everyone knows that Director Fang hates being late, but the auditions have already started and Song Xueyan still hasn't arrived. As expected of the male lead who was cast early on, he is treated differently from the others."
"But didn't he have a falling out with Hua Ying?"
"To be precise, he had a falling out with his sugar daddy. His debut role was in a serious drama, with a screen time second only to the male lead. How could a complete amateur with no formal training have had such a smooth start without a sugar daddy's protection? His fans say he's aloof and pure, like a clear moon in the snow, do you really believe that? If he hadn't slept with all the sugar daddies, why would they go to all the trouble to promote him?"
Fu Yanle leaned closer to the mirror and brushed away the eyelashes that had fallen onto her lower eyelid.
"With such a generous backer supporting him, how dare he fall out with them?"
"Maybe it's for the sake of 'playing cute'! He's lucky, born with a good-looking face, and the sugar daddy loves him to death. Playing cute is also a way of being charming. Otherwise, why would they let him audition for this drama?"
"But he is indeed good-looking. There are many good-looking people in the industry, but there are not many like him who are highly recognizable and rarely have the same style as others, so that they can only be considered as low-end models."
"So these are definitely not clean. The fans think they're good-looking, but can the sugar daddies just stand by and watch? It's not just Song Xueyan, but also that one who's been really popular lately, the one named Fu Niangle."
"It's Fu Yanle, the one who tried to scam Lin Qingtong."
This was truly an unexpected disaster.
Fu Yanle reached out and gathered her hair into a bunch, then let it fall back down, and casually pinched the edge of her mask.
"Yeah, what Xuandu TV's top-tier looks? To put it bluntly, isn't he just a small-time internet celebrity? He has nothing but his face. If it weren't for his powerful backer, how could he have gotten on a national variety show like Star Journey? Now that his popularity has skyrocketed, if he continues to serve his backer well, he won't have to worry about resources in the future."
"There's no way around it, looks are everything."
"They only need to suffer for one night, and it's more useful than ten years of our hard work. Maybe the sugar daddy isn't so despicable, and he'll actually have a good time with her. That would be killing two birds with one stone."
"Well said." Fu Yanle put the comb back in his bag, his eyes sweeping over one of them before fixing on the one who talked the most nonsense. "You long-tongued monster, you've eaten too many rotten lemons, and your brain has become sour. Your words even stink."
The lemon-flavored long-tongued monster frowned. "Who are you? Eavesdropping on other people's conversations, don't you have any morals?"
Fu Yanle shrugged. "I'm standing right here. Whose fault is it if you're blind?"
"you!"
“You’re blind, deaf, heartless, and brain-damaged, riddled with illnesses, yet you still work so hard as an actor. Your fans would definitely vote you as one of the top ten most touching brain-damaged people of the year, right?” Fu Yanle paused, his tone very sincere. “But I suggest you take advantage of your youth and find a sugar daddy. Not only will you have a good time every night, but you can also earn some money to treat your illnesses. It’s a win-win situation.”
That sounds familiar.
The lemon-flavored, long-tongued monster angrily retorted, "No, who are you? What do you have to do with Song Xueyan?"
"Forgot what you said in less than a minute? Is this juvenile dementia?" Fu Yanle leaned against the poolside, twirling his woolen hat between his fingers. "Did you only mention Song Xueyan?"
Just as the taciturn guy was about to speak, the person next to him suddenly jolted, pulled him around, and whispered, "That hairstyle, those eyebrows and eyes, they look a bit like Fu... Fu Yanle?!"
Why is Fu Yanle here?
Thinking this to himself, the lemon-flavored long-tongued monster still turned around and was about to leave, thinking, "Forget it, I can't be bothered to argue with you!"
"Stop right there. Did I say you could leave?" Fu Yanle pulled down his mask, his eyes filled with malice. "Just because you're riddled with illnesses and ugly, you think you're on the moral high ground? Did being good-looking offend you? Did it drain all your beauty points, making you look like a beehive?"
The lemon-flavored gossip blushed, "You—"
"What do you mean, 'what about me'? Why are you so adamant? Were you kneeling under the bed while I was with my sugar daddy? Your words are cynical, but your tone is envious. What, you want that kind of treatment too? Want me to pimp you out and make you feel good too? But—"
Fu Yanle frowned and sighed regretfully, "With your appearance, which sugar daddy would be willing to suffer such humiliation?"
The lemon-flavored, long-tongued monster's face turned pale. "You—"
"With a face as stiff as a coffin, what kind of actor are you? Don't even mention ten years, even if you work your way to the bone, you still can't compare to a single toe of Song Xueyan."
Fu Yanle raised his hand and put on his hat.
"They're better looking and more talented than you. Even if you put yourself in a blender and squeeze yourself into lemon juice, you still won't be sour. Instead of working on your acting, you're just being a cheap, sour person. Don't you even understand the principle of 'the early bird catches the worm'?"
The lemon-scented, long-tongued monster took a step back, pressing his hand to his philtrum, "You—"
"What do you mean, 'you'? Don't waste your talents. You're more suited to be a lemon chicken foot—the kind that goes bad and gets thrown in the trash—than an actor." Fu Yanle turned to the mirror expressionlessly. "Get lost!"
"You—" The lemon-flavored long-tongued monster was covered in the mouth by his companion and forcibly dragged out.
Damn, Fu Yanle's mouth is indeed as sweet as the legends say.
Terrifying! Terrifying!
After the two left, a cubicle door opened, and Fu Yanle glanced at the man walking towards him. He paused in wiping his face, his gaze lingering on the man's face until he stood beside him.
The man placed his hand under the running water; his wrist was slender and strong, his fingers long and delicate, and his skin fair and handsome. Fu Yanle noticed a string of jade beads on his left wrist, of exquisite and rare quality.
The man withdrew his hand, took out a tissue to wipe his face, and moved unhurriedly. It was an ordinary action, so ordinary that it was pleasing to the eye. Fu Yanle looked away and threw the disposable face towel into the trash can.
"It's a pleasure to meet you." The man reached out, the jade pendant on his wrist resting quietly against the cuff of his white suit, as calm and aloof as his eyes and voice.
"My name is Song Xueyan."
Fu Yanle raised an eyebrow and shook hands with him. "Hello, I'm Fu Yanle."
"Thank you for speaking up for me." Song Xueyan withdrew her hand, her gaze sweeping over Fu Yanle with a clear and straightforward look, before smiling slightly. "You are very beautiful, and roses suit you very well."
Seeing Fu Yanle's confusion, Song Xueyan explained, "I was fortunate enough to see many pictures from your live stream with Xiao An before."
"Thank you." Fu Yanle praised sincerely, "'The cold moon shines through the clear snow' is truly fitting."
Upon hearing this, Song Xueyan chuckled softly. His lips were a pale red, and when he smiled, the corners of his mouth turned up. Only then did Fu Yanle notice a small red mole on the right side of his lower lip. However, this smile was only superficial, because Song Xueyan's eyes and brows remained calm and expressionless.
"Excuse my bluntness, but you're exactly my type, and you're so straightforward and adorable," Song Xueyan said thoughtfully. "Would you mind if I asked you a question?"
Fu Yanle had a gut feeling that this question was unusual. "Please ask."
Song Xueyan stepped forward and said, "Do I have the chance to raise you, this little rose?"
Author's Note:
I went to get vaccinated today, and I probably caught a cold on the way. When I got back, I had a terrible headache, so it was a day without writing anything!
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