Acting Spoiled and Arrogant [Rebirth] - Chapter 7

When Xu Hui went over, it wasn’t yet Zuo Xian’s turn.

He watched one actress after another get called to a halt. Some were told on the spot they weren’t suitable, while others were sent to the “waitlist” area.

Under the envious gazes of the crowd, those few moved from the waiting corner to a different section. However, the number of people there was small. At least thirty or forty had already auditioned, yet so far, only five people were waiting in that area.

Among them, Xu Hui recognized at least three who had been debuted for several years and had significant screen experience. The atmosphere had turned uncharacteristically heavy.

Recalling his master’s words, Xu Hui wasn’t in a hurry. He found a corner to sit in. Generally, backstage staff weren’t allowed here, but as Xu Jin’s apprentice, he had a sort of special exemption. Standing near the makeup artist group, he didn’t look too out of place as long as he didn’t cause trouble.

“Stop!”

The command to halt rang out again, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.

On the judges’ panel, a man with graying hair but a scholarly aura rubbed his forehead tiredly. He looked at the anxious young starlet before him and shook his head with regret.

This scene was supposed to be about an innocent, naive palace maid who accidentally discovers a plot to harm the female lead. Yet, this group of people acted like they were brainless idiots.

It had been nearly six hours since the auditions began. Jiang Minrui couldn’t help but look at the list of names he had kept—they were just average. Was he really being too demanding?

But this palace maid, though a supporting character, was the most important thread connecting the entire plot. Clearly, the applicants knew this, yet none had reached the level he envisioned.

“There are only a few left. Let’s push through,” the assistant director standing nearby sighed, looking at the sparse list of names.

“Next, Sun Jiayi,” Jiang Minrui called out. However, the moment he saw her enter, his brow furrowed. The performance was too rehearsed. No matter how much post-production editing was done, it would be hard to achieve a natural effect. The drama already featured many veteran actors; sometimes, mediocre acting from others only made the performance feel “greasy” by comparison.

Zuo Xian had been watching as well. She arrived early, but it hadn’t mattered; there were others who arrived even earlier. Furthermore, those who had pulled strings beforehand were able to jump the queue.

As it neared the final few candidates, Zuo Xian remained calm. She sat in the waiting area, listening to the familiar but shallow mutual flattery around her, and watched “senior” actors give unsolicited advice to newcomers. For better or worse, someone was always willing to listen.

Zuo Xian shook her head at each performance. It wasn’t until her turn was imminent that she finally forced her eyes wide—she was so bored she had almost fallen asleep.

Waiting nearby, Xu Hui found her more and more intriguing. When he first saw her in the waiting area, she seemed like just an exceptionally beautiful actress with no fame. But after observing for a while, he noticed something.

Whenever Zuo Xian shook her head at a performance, Jiang Minrui or the assistant director would almost immediately hit the “reject” button. At first, he thought it was a coincidence, but after seeing it happen nearly ten times, he was certain.

He felt a surge of excitement. When the director finally called Zuo Xian’s name, Xu Hui swallowed hard, secretly hoping she would bring something brilliant to the stage. He took out his phone, intending to record her audition to show his master later.

However, an accident happened right then.

Everyone was wearing the palace costumes provided by the crew, which were inherently difficult to move in. Zuo Xian had just lifted her skirt, planning to walk through a less crowded area, when she suddenly tripped!

She fell to her knees, momentarily stunned. Immediately after, a cup of warm water was poured over her from above.

The sudden turn of events left Zuo Xian’s mind blank for a few seconds. Who did I offend?

Zuo Xian’s expression turned strange as she stared at her fingers in silence. Combining her two lifetimes, this “treatment” was a first.

Then, she heard a voice dripping with mock concern: “Oh my! Your clothes are soaked! You should go change quickly!”

Zuo Xian slowly climbed up from the floor. No one nearby seemed to have noticed them. She tilted her head and studied the woman in front of her. She had no memory of this person and certainly hadn’t offended her.

Seeing the malicious smile spreading across the woman’s face, Zuo Xian suddenly flashed a brilliant grin.

SLAP!

“Ah!”

Zuo Xian rolled her eyes. Looking at the woman she had just slapped to the ground, she sighed and shook her head. After walking a few steps, Zuo Xian stopped and looked back at the stunned woman. “Watch closely,” she said.

With that, Zuo Xian turned and walked toward her destination.

Xu Hui, who had instinctively recorded the entire encounter, finally looked away from his screen. Watching Zuo Xian walk away without looking back and the woman sobbing on the floor, he let out a silent “Wow…”

“Next, Zuo Xian!” Jiang Minrui called out again. Since it was the end of the day, his first impression of someone who was late was already poor.

But just as he was about to call the next person, a girl in a pink-and-white palace gown appeared in his field of vision—her clothes were stained with water and dirt.

The girl walked onto the stage sobbing, tears streaking through her exquisite makeup.

Jiang Minrui frowned. Having spent years in the industry, he knew exactly what had happened just by looking at her clothes. However, he had no time to manage or comfort them; he felt only annoyance and fatigue.

But just as he was about to have Zuo Xian escorted out, the crying girl suddenly stopped.

It was as if she had heard something. She pursed her lips, forcing her tears back, and then limped toward a corner, carefully gathering her skirt in her arms.

The girl’s expression shifted through various emotions, so distracted she forgot to wipe her tears. At that moment, a sudden breeze blew through the set. The girl blinked, and a single tear rolled down her cheek. Footsteps seemed to approach from the distance; though panicked, she remained steady, looking around for an escape route where she wouldn’t be seen.

“Xianxian?”

A confused voice rang out from nearby. The lighting technician standing near the source of the sound looked back instinctively and gasped.

Everyone on set was drawn to the voice—including Zuo Xian. She looked at the newcomer through tear-blurred eyes, and the corner of her mouth twitched involuntarily. However, in a flash, she reacted, looking at the person with panicked eyes.

The newcomer stopped in her tracks. Seeing “Lin Xianxian’s” state, she naturally walked closer and said, “Where have you been playing now? Didn’t you say you took leave from Her Majesty today to visit your elder sister outside the palace?”

Lin Xianxian seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, realizing her “friend” understood the situation. She finally let her tears flow freely, casting nervous glances behind her. “Azhen, it’s you… I… I did take leave, but… I wasn’t careful and fell into a small pond. My coin purse is gone too… how am I supposed to go back now…”

“Okay, cut!”

Jiang Minrui couldn’t help but stand up from his seat, finally letting out a long sigh of relief. He didn’t have time to address Zuo Xian yet. Instead, he left his seat and walked toward the person who had just acted alongside her.

“Xingxian? Why are you here?”

He didn’t treat Lu Xingxian like a junior, but greeted her with great familiarity. Lu Xingxian shook hands with Elder Jiang and smiled politely. “Nothing much, I just came to the set to take a look.”

Zuo Xian looked at Lu Xingxian and then, as if suddenly realizing something, she took a step back, covering her mouth in feigned shock. “What? You… you’re Sister Xingxian?!”

Lu Xingxian raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Jiang Minrui finally turned his attention back to the actress. His eyes held a trace of surprise as he checked his chart. “Number 0521, Zuo Xian, right?”

Zuo Xian wore a perfectly timed expression of being overwhelmed by favor. She took a step back and nodded. Jiang Minrui didn’t need any more evaluation. He exchanged a look with the colleague behind him; they both understood each other.

Looking at the remaining slots, he shook his head, closed the folder, and smiled. “The role of Lin Xianxian is yours. Go home and prepare. You’ll join the crew after New Year’s.”

Zuo Xian finally nodded with immense joy, bowing repeatedly. “Thank you, Director Jiang! Thank you!”

Jiang Minrui then looked at her soaked clothes and her previous performance. “The bit about the pond—was that your own idea?”

Zuo Xian narrowed her eyes and quipped playfully, “Yes, after all, my brain couldn’t think of any better way to explain it.”

She didn’t mention the grievance she had just suffered. Instead, she used that grievance to enhance her performance.

Jiang Minrui nodded privately. He said something that carried immense weight for a newcomer: “Work hard. You have great talent. To hold your own in a scene with Xingxian without being overshadowed, and to make people realize you were the protagonist of the moment… that’s very impressive.”

Zuo Xian chuckled inwardly. No, no, it was Sister Xingxian who humored me and kept feeding me lines so I could keep going.

Calm and not arrogant. Good.

Jiang Minrui was even more satisfied. Even if it was just a supporting role, having someone who could add color to the series and was willing to work for it made him, as a director, very happy.

In a corner where the crowd couldn’t see, Zuo Xian caught Lu Xingxian’s eye and smiled secretly. Then, she stuck her tongue out playfully.

Seeing her like this, the slight furrow in Lu Xingxian’s brow softened. However, noticing the scratches on Zuo Xian’s hands and the stains on her knees, Lu Xingxian’s lips pursed again.

Author’s Note:

Xianxian is only a baby in front of Axian and her family.

In front of outsiders…

The Crowd: Wow…

And that’s enough! Hmph!