A OO Love After Officially Announcing with the Best Actress - Chapter 34

Granny Zhou’s death involved several scenes before and after it, including the reactions and emotions of different characters. The crew worked for three days before finally finishing all the content.

“Congratulations, Mei-jie! You’re wrapped!”

Lin Ke held the confetti tube, twisted it above Mei-jie’s head, and with a bang, the entire set applauded in congratulations.

“Congratulations!”

Shen Feng stood up, gestured for everyone to quiet down, and raised her megaphone. “Tonight, it’s my treat! The whole crew is having a feast! We’re preparing a wrap banquet for Mei-jie!”

Even louder applause and cheers rang out. Hearing the word “feast,” even Lin Bingran could not help pumping her arm slightly.

Shen Feng added, “Actors currently losing weight will each get one low-fat meal.”

The entire set burst into laughter and shouted “Yeah!” along with her.

Lin Bingran: “…”

Lin Bingran parted her lips, just about to say something, when a shadow jumped out beside her and shouted loudly, “I protest!”

When Shen Feng saw it was Lin Ke, she immediately said, “Protest denied.”

Lin Ke snorted and nudged Lin Bingran’s arm with hers.

Lin Bingran coughed, raised her hand, and said, “I jointly protest!”

Shen Feng stared—

“Do you think a joint protest works?”

Lin Ke: “…”

Lin Bingran: “…”

That night, the wrap banquet was held at the only three-star hotel in the city. Everyone simply freshened up and celebrated for this recent batch of actors who had wrapped their parts.

Aside from Mei-jie, who played Granny Zhou, a few supporting actors with only a handful of solo shots also rushed back after wrapping to eat. This was not a proper final wrap banquet, but everyone had been together for three months, and filming was already more than halfway done. Shen Feng wanted everyone to relax, so she used the opportunity to hold this dinner.

The main actors ate in a private room. Including the producer, they just filled one table.

After several rounds of drinks, Mei-jie suddenly asked, “Has Xiao Lin ever been an idol?”

Lin Ke said, “Hm? No.”

Lin Ke raised her head, stabbed a piece of vegetable leaf with her fork, and put it into her mouth, chewing it like wax. “Mei-jie, why do you ask?”

Mei-jie smiled, hesitated, and said, “The talent show I invested in is preparing for its second season. I wanted to ask if you have any interest in becoming an idol.”

Lin Ke instantly straightened her shoulders and subconsciously turned to look at Lin Bingran sitting beside her.

Lin Bingran was focused on talking with the producer. She supported her chin with one arm, smiling slightly. Occasionally, she raised her glass to clink with the producer’s, seeming not to notice Lin Ke’s situation.

Mei-jie asked, “What’s wrong? Do you need to think about it for that long?”

Everyone was listening. Shen Feng also asked curiously, “Going on a talent show to become an idol? What a waste of that movie-screen face.”

Wang Bingbing said, “It’s not easy to cultivate a film actress. Are you really going to participate in a talent show? What do you think, Xiao Lin?”

Lin Ke quickly waved her hands. “Of course I don’t…”

Mei-jie said, “It’s not like before anymore. Talent shows build up fans. As long as you have traffic, both movies and TV dramas will have buyers. If you come, I’ll promote you. How long does Xiao Lin’s contract with Shanmu Film and Television have left? Before you get popular and while your breach-of-contract fee is still cheap, I’ll dig you over first.”

Everyone smiled and looked at Lin Ke, curious about her plans after filming Wind Chime.

Shen Kuo suddenly said, “What’s there to worry about? Someone’s paving the road for her.”

Everyone’s gaze turned toward Lin Bingran. Lin Bingran was sipping from her glass. She smiled and said, “Why are you looking at me? I don’t interfere with her affairs.”

Lin Ke also breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. “Actually, there are already some plans. My manager contacted a crew for an audition. In a few days, I’ll still have to ask Director Shen for leave.”

Mei-jie smiled helplessly and asked, “Whose drama? Has the team been confirmed?”

Lin Ke kept her mouth shut and smiled without saying anything more. If she said too much and ended up not getting selected, it would be embarrassing.

Only then did Shen Feng nod in satisfaction. “It’s good that you know. After Wind Chime finishes filming, regardless of whether it can be released domestically, you can be considered someone who has truly stepped into the circle. After playing a female lead, this will be your representative work, understand? I, Shen Feng, can at least be considered a well-known director…”

Shen Feng was clearly a little drunk. She was afraid such a good seedling like Lin Ke would really run off to join some talent show.

This made the atmosphere a little awkward. Lin Ke had indirectly rejected Mei-jie, who, in the past, would have been someone she could not afford to offend.

Lin Ke laughed dryly. Suddenly, her waist was pinched. She instantly gained confidence, picked up a wine glass, filled it, and toasted Mei-jie. “Mei-jie, why did you come act in a movie?”

Mei-jie smiled at her. “Because I like it, I suppose. I’m half-retired now. When I come across a suitable role, I’ll act a little.”

Lin Ke smiled. “I’m also acting because I like it.”

Mei-jie accepted Lin Ke’s wine and set it aside. “Omegas should drink less. I thought young people came for this flashy, glittering-like circle.”

Lin Ke said, “I had someone I liked… an idol from before. I wanted to act because of her.”

Mei-jie was not very surprised. It sounded like the kind of social flattery she had heard many times. When juniors met seniors and wanted to compliment the person in front of them, they would say this. It worked every time. Mei-jie asked, “Who? Don’t tell me it was me?”

Lin Ke held her fork, her fingers lightly picking at the pattern on it. “She…”

Lin Ke lowered her head and suddenly discovered that the vegetable salad in her bowl, which she had only eaten half of, had somehow gained a little more. She turned her head and glared at Lin Bingran. Lin Bingran had only the back of her head facing her.

So Lin Ke said coldly, “Oh, her? She’s already outdated.”

Mei-jie: “…” She patted Lin Ke’s shoulder.

At the dinner table, cups were exchanged back and forth. After everyone ate their fill, they went out to meet other actors and staff. For the entire night, the large private room on the hotel’s top floor was like a dance of demons.

Lin Bingran and Lin Ke each held a knife and fork as they wandered around the dessert table after the main meal. The post-meal desserts and drinks were self-serve. Everyone else was either singing onstage or dancing on the dance floor. As long as the two avoided their respective assistants and managers, no one noticed them, so they could eat however they wanted.

Lin Ke saw a green-tea cake, a miniature cake only the size of two coins. While Lin Bingran was not paying attention, she forked one into her mouth. It tasted pretty good.

Lin Bingran circled around the long table. Rows of seafood were placed inside misty ice: king crab, salmon, oysters, prawns, and more. It made one’s fingers itch to eat. But before she could start, Mei-jie came over holding a wine glass. “Xiao Lin isn’t here?”

Lin Bingran looked back. Her little follower had disappeared somewhere. She smiled. “Mei-jie is looking for her?”

Mei-jie said, “I wanted to try persuading her again, but thinking about it, telling you is the same.”

A dimple appeared at the corner of Lin Bingran’s mouth. “How could it be? Her own matters are for her to decide.”

Mei-jie said, “If you didn’t give her confidence, she wouldn’t have rejected me so quickly.”

Lin Bingran smiled faintly without speaking.

Mei-jie was half-retired, working behind the scenes in investment and production. If she wanted to ask around, she could learn plenty of news in the industry. She asked, “That drama Xiao Lin mentioned—you found it for her, didn’t you?”

Lin Bingran raised an eyebrow. From far away, she saw Lin Ke eating cake on the other side of the long table, so she said, “Of course not.”

Mei-jie said, “If she won’t go on the talent show, will you come as a guest mentor?”

Lin Bingran refused directly.

“Don’t reject variety shows so much,” Mei-jie said sincerely, holding up a number in front of Lin Bingran. “You’re already twenty-eight, Ranran. Listen to jie…”

Lin Bingran said calmly, “At twenty-eight, I can still play a seventeen-year-old.”

Mei-jie choked and instantly had nothing to say. She raised her glass to Lin Bingran. “Ranran, what’s too rigid is easily broken.”

Lin Bingran tugged at the corner of her mouth, set down her glass, and left without even eating the seafood.

Lin Ke ate a piece of cream cake and burped. “What did Mei-jie say to you?”

Lin Bingran reached out and wiped away the cream at the corner of Lin Ke’s mouth, then wiped it onto a napkin.

Lin Ke asked, “Why didn’t you eat it?”

Lin Bingran asked in surprise, “Isn’t that dirty?”

Lin Ke’s face was full of pent-up frustration. “…”

Lin Bingran chuckled and said, “Li Mei asked me to be a mentor on her talent show.”

Lin Ke nodded. “You definitely won’t go.”

Lin Bingran had never participated in a variety show. In the past, she had even left a two-year gap to prepare for a good film. Now she did not accept TV dramas either, focusing calmly on transitioning to the big screen and acting in representative works.

Lin Bingran looked at Lin Ke leisurely and asked, “You understand me that well?”

Lin Ke immediately pursed her lips tightly and went to fork another little cake.

Lin Bingran watched her eat and asked, “Why aren’t you eating the green-tea flavor?”

“Oh.” Lin Ke reluctantly forked a green-tea cake. As soon as she put it in her mouth, Lin Bingran pinched her chin.

The dessert area was fairly hidden. The two secretly kissed, lips and teeth tangling. The piece of cake was quickly shared clean between the two of them before Lin Bingran finally stopped, panting.

Lin Bingran wiped the traces from the corner of her mouth. Her ears were slightly red as she poked Lin Ke’s face. “You ate one bite more of the cake.”

Lin Ke said, “…Did I?”

Lin Bingran said, “Let’s go eat seafood.”

Li Mei was no longer in the fresh seafood area. Lin Bingran happily cracked crab legs and ordered Lin Ke to peel shrimp for her.

Lin Ke could only peel them for her. “Ai… I used to want to date an alpha so I wouldn’t have to peel my own crawfish.”

Lin Bingran stood beside her, poked Lin Ke with crab pincers, and asked, “Why did you enter the entertainment industry?”

Lin Ke asked in confusion, “Why have so many people been asking me this question lately?”

Lin Bingran poked her with the pincers again and again. “Which celebrity did you like? I’ll get you an autograph.”

Lin Ke said with difficulty, “…No need. She’s already outdated.”

Lin Bingran said, “Is she really outdated?”

Lin Ke began hemming and hawing.

Lin Bingran said, “What if she isn’t outdated yet? Wouldn’t you be cursing her?”

Lin Ke: “…”

Lin Bingran clicked her tongue. Lin Ke came back to herself and saw that the crab shells in front of Lin Bingran had already piled into a small mountain.

A few days later, Shen Feng gave Lin Ke two days off. Lin Ke boarded a plane to A City for an audition.

Lu Tu covered Lin Ke with a blanket. “Don’t be nervous. Sleep first.”

Lin Ke gripped the blanket tightly. In her hands were the scripts for the three audition scenes she would perform later.

Lu Tu said, “Aren’t costume dramas something you can handle easily? What are you afraid of?”

Lin Ke muttered lines under her breath like she was chanting.

Lu Tu said, “…Don’t be nervous. You’ll definitely get selected.”

Lin Ke finally responded to her. “How do you know I’ll definitely get selected? It’s Director Bai’s drama! He’s never made a mistake filming this kind of drama! There are so many good directors. What if he doesn’t choose me?”

Lu Tu: “…”

It was not like she could tell her the back door had already been arranged.

Lu Tu said, “Then practice properly.”

Lin Ke nodded. After getting off the plane, the two headed straight to the audition location.

The audition site was inside an office building. The Old Tang crew had temporarily rented a few offices for work. People came and went busily. Familiar faces and unfamiliar faces mixed together. White walls and floor-to-ceiling windows surrounded them. Lin Ke felt a hazy sense of having broken away from the countryside and stepped into the city, as if she still had not left Chu Feng’s character.

Lu Tu said, “Come back to yourself. We’re in a big city now.”

Lin Ke slowly nodded, wearing a businesslike smile as she greeted people passing by.

Not far away, Lin Ke saw Zhu Mo standing outside an office, excitedly waving at her.

Lin Ke’s eyes lit up. “Momo!”

Zhu Mo said, “You’re here to audition too?!”

Lin Ke nodded. “You too?”

Lu Tu answered a mysterious phone call off to the side. “Yes, we’re here. Ai, okay…”

When she turned back, Lin Ke and Zhu Mo were chatting excitedly, like two good friends who had suddenly run into each other outside while job hunting and interviewing.

Lin Ke asked, “What role are you auditioning for?”

Zhu Mo said, “An Ling. You?”

Lin Ke gave an “ah” and said, “I’m auditioning for Luo Ying.”

Luo Ying was the female lead. An Ling was the second female lead.

Zhu Mo hugged Lin Ke tightly and let out an excited “wow.”