Acting Spoiled and Arrogant [Rebirth] - Chapter 5

“Why would you…” Zuo Xian finally managed to steady her footing, speaking with a guilty conscience, “Why would you suddenly say something like that…?”

Lu Xingxian supported her but didn’t answer the question directly. Instead, she looked down at Zuo Xian’s foot and asked, “Did you twist your ankle?”

Zuo Xian was successfully distracted, only just now noticing the stinging pain in her ankle.

However, her experience with frequent injuries in her past life told her it wasn’t serious. She had simply been startled, stepped on a patch of ice, lost her balance, and given it a light twist.

She shook her head and was about to say it didn’t hurt, but Lu Xingxian carefully guided her to a nearby flower bed to sit down.

Zuo Xian blinked. “Axian, I’m really fine.”

The pain had only lasted a moment and was already fading. But when something feels off, one always wants to see for themselves. Zuo Xian looked down at her ankle—for the sake of beauty, she was wearing only a skirt and a thick trench coat in the dead of winter, leaving her legs exposed.

There wasn’t a scratch on her ankle, let alone any swelling or redness.

Yet, Lu Xingxian had already knelt before her. Her warm hands grasped Zuo Xian’s foot and gently removed the high-heeled shoe.

Skin that had gone numb from the freezing wind was suddenly touched by such warm hands; a burning sensation flared up from where Lu Xingxian held her. Zuo Xian instinctively let out a sharp breath. “Hiss…”

Lu Xingxian frowned. “And you still say it doesn’t hurt? Why are you trying to act tough?”

Zuo Xian looked at her piteously. She knew Lu Xingxian had misunderstood, but seeing the concern on her face, she only muttered softly, “I’m really okay…”

Zuo Xian decided not to drop the previous topic just yet. She asked, “Axian, you haven’t told me—why did you think I was going to break off the engagement?”

“Just a nightmare,” Lu Xingxian replied with a faint smile. She lowered her head, focusing on massaging Zuo Xian’s ankle. Seeing that there really were no signs of swelling, she helped her put her shoe back on without saying much else.

Zuo Xian pursed her lips, not daring to meet her eyes. She said softly, “Don’t overthink it. That… was just a dream.”

Lu Xingxian nodded, helped her up, and said, “Let’s go. I’ll see you home.”

After walking a bit further, Lu Xingxian added, “Don’t wear high heels when you come out in the future. You’re still growing; it’s not good for your bone development.”

Zuo Xian: “…”

It’s true that in my last life, I didn’t learn to walk in heels without tripping until I was nearly twenty.

Once Zuo Xian was alone, she checked her phone just as a call came in.

Seeing the word “Mom” on the screen, her hand felt as if it had been burned; she nearly dropped the phone. It took a long time before Zuo Xian took a deep breath and gently pressed the answer button.

An elegant female voice came from the other end, sounding cheerful. “Hello? Xianxian?”

“…Mom, it’s me.” Hearing that familiar voice, Zuo Xian’s throat involuntarily constricted, and a sour ache instantly filled her nose.

In her past life, because she had realized her confusing feelings for Lin Weiqi, she had chosen to break the engagement with Lu Xingxian early on to avoid dragging everyone into a more painful situation. Back then, Lu Xingxian had even helped her hide the truth from their families, allowing her relationship with her parents to remain good for a while.

But paper cannot wrap fire. Eventually, her parents’ fury and her own youthful, ignorant impulsiveness left an indelible crack in their once-beautiful family. She had fought with them so bitterly that she left home with nothing, not contacting them for years.

During those lonely nights, she could only glean bits of information about her parents’ well-being through Lu Xingxian. It wasn’t until she saw Lin Weiqi’s true colors and was living in poverty that she discovered her mother had been secretly sending money to her manager, Chen Shuang.

She owed her parents far too much from her previous life. In this one… she would pay them back a thousandfold.

Zuo Xian suppressed her emotions and asked, “It’s so late, why are you calling?”

Her mother chuckled. “I heard you and Axian met up tonight. How did the talk go? Did you remember to ask how Grandma Lu is doing?”

Zuo Xian fell silent. “…”

I was so focused on dodging the engagement talk that I completely forgot to ask!

While these were just small family pleasantries, it was these unintentional gestures of care that truly warmed people’s hearts.

Zuo Xian said regretfully, “Mom, I forgot. Axian and I went out for dinner and a movie this afternoon…”

A playful scolding came from the other end—not out of true anger, but affection. “I knew you wouldn’t remember. You forget everything when you’re having fun. It’s New Year’s Day in a few days; come with me to visit the Lu family. Grandma Lu has been complaining that she hasn’t seen her favorite Xianxian lately.”

Grandma Lu was Lu Ninghuai, the matriarch of the Lu family. She was also the person who doted on Zuo Xian the most, treating her like the apple of her eye.

Zuo Xian nodded, then realized her mother couldn’t see her, so she quickly voiced her agreement. She chatted with her mother for a while longer before hanging up. Looking at the slightly warm phone, a soft smile played on her lips.

This… is wonderful.

Early the next morning, Zuo Xian’s front door was pounded on loudly.

Zuo Xian, who had gone to bed late the night before, climbed out of bed in a rage. She stomped to the door and swung it open. “Who is it?!”

Standing outside was a woman in a crisp, sharp suit with short, ear-length hair. She didn’t mind Zuo Xian’s shouting and squeezed through the door. The moment she saw Zuo Xian, she blurted out:

“Quick, get ready! There’s a vacancy for a supporting role in Jun Lin because an actor took leave. I’ve looked into it; the screen time isn’t huge, but the character is very likable, and there are recurring flashback scenes from the female lead’s perspective! An assistant director is holding open auditions today, and I managed to snag a slot for you!”

Zuo Xian froze for a second, then immediately rushed back to her room with Chen Shuang to get ready.

She remembered Jun Lin. It was the first drama of her career. It was because of this show that she finally transitioned from the modeling world—which didn’t suit her—to acting, making her name known to the public and laying the foundation for her future.

Even though she only played a small role—one that only survived until the eighth episode of an eighty-episode series—it was enough. She had just debuted and possessed a natural drive; her family didn’t intend to give her any shortcuts, so she had to forge her own path. Thus, getting this role was a hard-won opportunity for her at this stage.

However, the role wasn’t hers yet. She had to pass the audition first.

Jun Lin was a massive production, a rarity for this era. It was also one of the few “big female lead” dramas of the time. Because of this, it had been generating buzz online since the early promotion stages, and expectations were high. Many veteran actors with great skills but modest fees were involved. While the leads were relatively unknown young actors, the director would eventually use this show to catapult them to stardom.

The story followed a girl in a fictional dynasty who rose from a lowly palace maid to the Empress. During her reign, she outlived three emperors and eventually became the first Empress Regnant in history, creating a golden age of peace and prosperity.

The role Zuo Xian was auditioning for was Lin Xianxian, the female lead’s early friend in the palace.

On the way, Chen Shuang kept comforting Zuo Xian, telling her to relax and just show her best strength.

“Even though this is your first audition, don’t worry. I’ve checked—this scene isn’t a high-conflict one. There are no intense emotional outbursts required,” Chen Shuang said while steadily driving her small van.

For newcomers, the most daunting scenes are those requiring massive emotional explosions or crying. Knowing this in advance, Chen Shuang felt confident enough to fight for the slot.

Although it was just a supporting role, this character was the first person who made the female lead decide to fight for power. Combined with how likable the character was, many people had come to audition. Zuo Xian even spotted some rookie actors who already had a bit of fame.

Worried Zuo Xian might be nervous, Chen Shuang smiled and comforted her. “Even if you blow it, it’s fine. I’ll just work harder to get you an even better role!”

Zuo Xian felt a surge of warmth. In her past life, Chen Shuang was the one who walked with her until the very end, until she was crowned Best Actress. One could say Chen Shuang was instrumental in her growth. The world only sees the hard work of actors, but they don’t see the managers who pull strings behind the scenes to secure every possible role.

Zuo Xian looked at Chen Shuang’s back and smiled. Glancing at her own exquisite makeup in the mirror, she said, “Sister Shuang, I’ll definitely work hard to land this role. I’ve only just started and have no fame… you must have put in a lot of effort to get me this chance.”

Chen Shuang paused, looking at Zuo Xian in surprise. But before she could get too emotional, she noticed Zuo Xian’s perfectly applied makeup. “When did you get your makeup done so fast?”

Zuo Xian winked. “You’re working hard, so I have to work hard too.”

Applying makeup quickly was a basic skill for an actor—especially now when she didn’t have her own glam team. Since it was an audition, she had to get herself into the right state beforehand.

The crew was already filming. In this era, professional makeup artists were a rare resource on set. Zuo Xian didn’t expect anyone to lead them to a dressing room; at a time like this, it was better to rely on herself.

Hearing this, Chen Shuang nodded with pride and said with a laugh, “You’re so beautiful, you’ll definitely get it!”

In truth, Chen Shuang didn’t have much confidence and was already prepared to comfort Zuo Xian afterward—but seeing Zuo Xian so optimistic and diligent, she couldn’t help but feel a flicker of hope.

The world is always a bit kinder to beautiful people, and Zuo Xian was exceptionally beautiful.

Maybe, just maybe, it really will work out.

Author’s Note:

Axian: So cute, I want to…

Here it is! Our Xianxian is so cute, the sweetness will definitely continue all the way to the end!