Acting Spoiled and Arrogant [Rebirth] - Chapter 6

The two passed through security together. After confirming they carried no prohibited items, they entered the set, only to find a large crowd already gathered in the waiting area.

Calling it a “waiting area” was generous—it was simply an open space with a white sign hanging up that read “Waiting Area.”

In this fairly large clearing, people were standing or sitting, with more arriving by the minute. Numerous luxury nanny vans were parked outside; by comparison, their little bread-loaf van looked positively pathetic.

Zuo Xian wiped her nose, thinking to herself that she’d have to work hard this time to earn a comfortable nanny van where she could sleep whenever she wanted!

Chen Shuang took a sharp breath beside her. The flicker of hope she’d felt from Zuo Xian’s earlier confidence suddenly plummeted. The cold wind outside cleared her head, and she felt a wave of reality hit.

After all, Zuo Xian was still green and had just stepped into an entirely new field. Although she was exceptionally beautiful—and her makeup made her look even more exquisite—in a place like this, surrounded by a sea of beautiful women, she didn’t necessarily stand out as the center of attention.

Noticing Chen Shuang’s nervousness, Zuo Xian smiled and gave her hand a gentle pat. “Sister Shuang, it’s fine. With so many people competing for one spot, it’s no big deal if I don’t get chosen. At least I’ll have plenty of company in the ‘rejected’ pile.”

Chen Shuang was stunned into a laugh by this “consolation.” She scolded playfully, “Can’t you compare yourself to the winners for once?”

What did she mean, ‘plenty of company in the rejected pile’? Why not fight to be the only winner?

Zuo Xian just giggled, not taking the pressure to heart.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out nearby. Zuo Xian and Chen Shuang stopped talking and looked over to see a man in work clothes holding a megaphone, standing on a high stool. He was shouting at the top of his lungs, “Line up! Groups of five! Follow the crew’s makeup artists to get ready and change costumes!”

This caught Zuo Xian off guard—in her previous life, she had actually suffered because she didn’t have makeup on.

Because there were so many applicants and the crew was short on time, they hadn’t been able to provide makeup artists for everyone back then. Zuo Xian remembered having to scramble to get her makeup done right before going on stage, which made her feel incredibly rushed.

Chen Shuang sighed in admiration. “A big production really is different… even supporting roles get dedicated makeup artists for their auditions.”

She glanced around; there were at least several dozen people here for the audition. Even if each person only took a minute, it would take hours.

Zuo Xian gave her a reassuring look, handed her belongings to Chen Shuang, and joined the queue without trying to push to the front.

The person in charge glanced at her. His irritation, fueled by the pushy young girls trying to get ahead, eased slightly at the sight of her calm demeanor. He breathed a sigh of relief, but then saw someone else elbowing their way in while shouting “Don’t push, don’t push!” He rolled his eyes—did they think everyone else was an idiot?

The man tapped his megaphone irritably and roared, “The one in the yellow jacket! You! Yes, you… you’re out! Take your stuff and leave! The rest of you, line up and move inside!”

Zuo Xian was stunned to see someone cut before the audition even started. What exactly is going on in there?

However, she took it in stride. She had lived ten years longer than these beautiful young starlets; if she had anything, it was a sense of composure. Zuo Xian shrugged and rubbed her nose against the faint scent of perfume in the air.

The weather was freezing, but because of the crowd and the nervous tension, the wait didn’t feel too grueling.

When Zuo Xian’s name was finally called, she gulped down the rest of her water, tossed the paper cup into the bin, and knocked on the door of the makeup room.

An impatient voice came from inside: “Just come in! Sit down and wait, hurry up!”

“Alright,” Zuo Xian replied, unbothered.

She could see that most of the crew members were working under high pressure today and were understandably frazzled. Makeup isn’t something that can be rushed; in this era, skilled makeup artists were rare, and they didn’t have the “quick-fix” tricks of the future. Dealing with different skin types and features while being rushed for time naturally made them irritable.

The makeup artist, surprised by the unexpectedly steady and clear female voice, paused her movements and looked toward the door.

She saw a girl who was quite beautiful, with delicate features and a constant, gentle smile. Even though she already wore exquisite makeup, she sat quietly by the door as instructed.

In the entertainment industry, being “well-behaved” won’t get you very far. But for some reason, based on Xu Jin’s twenty-plus years of experience as a makeup artist, she felt that this girl wasn’t just being polite—she was composed because she was confident in her own success.

“Teacher, I’m not finished with my lips yet.” The person in the chair snapped her eyes open and looked at Xu Jin through the mirror. She looked anxious and her tone had lost its politeness. “It’s almost my turn, hurry up!”

Xu Jin frowned slightly. she finished the job in a few quick strokes and said, “Fine, you’re done. Next!”

The girl checked her makeup in the mirror one last time and opened her mouth to say something else, but she was already being pulled up by the arm. Xu Jin, without looking back, pressed Zuo Xian into the chair.

The girl gave Zuo Xian an unreadable look, stomped her foot, and turned to leave.

Xu Jin watched the girl’s retreating back in the mirror and shook her head silently. Such a temper with no background to back it up; just because she snagged a sugar daddy, she thinks she can be this arrogant. Society will teach her a lesson soon enough.

Under the bright lights of the vanity mirror, Zuo Xian’s naturally lovely features looked even softer. She looked at Xu Jin calmly, her eyes curving into a smile. “Thank you for the help, Sister Xu.”

Everyone entering the set had a name tag, so Zuo Xian had already noted her name.

Xu Jin was stunned for a moment. She was in her forties and certainly not young. She looked at Zuo Xian and raised an eyebrow with a smile, her mood genuinely improving. “How old are you, calling me ‘Sister’? Fine, sit still. San, go get my personal makeup kit!”

Zuo Xian smiled but didn’t say anything more. A compliment or two is perceived as genuine; too many, and it becomes flattery.

The boy called “San” was Xu Jin’s apprentice. Hearing that Xu Jin wanted her personal kit, he couldn’t help but steal an extra glance at Zuo Xian. Zuo Xian noticed and gave him a small smile in the mirror. The boy’s face turned red, and he bolted out the door, returning a moment later with the bag.

“Close the door. Tell those knocking outside to wait,” Xu Jin said without looking up as she unpacked her tools. She pulled out a bottle of makeup remover. “Remove what you have on. Who did your makeup? It’s not bad, but it’ll smudge easily after waiting in line in winter. Sit still, we’re doing it over.”

“I did it myself as a temporary measure.” Zuo Xian didn’t waste time. She soaked a cotton pad and quickly wiped her face clean, finishing with a wet wipe. She noted to herself how much easier makeup was to remove in this era compared to the long-wear products of the future. Looking at Xu Jin, who was busy organizing accessories, she said, “Sister Xu, I’m ready.”

Xu Jin was surprised by her speed. She looked at the girl in the mirror—who still had a touch of youthfulness on her face—and fell silent for a moment as if deep in thought. Finally, she said, “You have a good foundation. You’re very suited for this role.”

Zuo Xian was shocked—was Xu Jin giving her “special treatment” by tailoring her makeup specifically to the character?

She looked at Xu Jin in surprise, but the older woman said nothing more. She told Zuo Xian to close her eyes and began applying the base.

Once Zuo Xian was ready and in costume, she went to line up at the audition site.

Xu Jin’s apprentice, who had been observing from a distance, walked up to Xu Jin hesitantly. “Master, what’s so special about that girl?”

No one knew his master’s temper better than he did. To get Xu Jin’s personal attention, a person had to either be exactly her “type,” be incredibly talented, or have exceptional character. Otherwise, why would she be so kind to a total stranger? Even A-list stars rarely got this treatment!

Xu Jin watched the closed door of the makeup room and glanced at her curious apprentice. “Telling you wouldn’t help. Anyway, there aren’t many good prospects left in the remaining crowd. Don’t stay here; have someone else take over. Go to the filming area… and keep a close eye on that girl, Zuo Xian.”

Xu Hui didn’t quite understand why, but he did as he was told.