The Empress In The Modern Era [Entertainment Industry GL] - Chapter 5

Wang Yun acted as if she had only just reacted. She hurriedly flung Zhang Hui’s hand away and stammered as she asked Tao Xiaomei, “W-what is it? Why didn’t you knock before coming in?”

Tao Xiaomei kept her mouth hanging open and answered half a beat late, “Didn’t you check your messages? The audition this afternoon got moved up. I sent you a message telling you to hurry downstairs so you wouldn’t end up being late.”

Wang Yun turned to get her bag, took out her phone, and saw that there really was a text. She secretly glanced at Zhang Hui, then waved Tao Xiaomei out. “I know. Go wait outside.”

Tao Xiaomei looked at her and Zhang Hui again before opening the door and leaving.

Wang Yun looked at Zhang Hui apologetically. “Brother Zhang, look, I’m really sorry. I… I’m afraid I can’t have lunch with you today. How about this? Another day. Another day, I’ll treat you to a meal.”

Zhang Hui had been trying to hook Dai Qian. After someone suddenly burst in on them just now, half his life had practically been frightened out of him. How could he still have the mood to eat now?

“Fine, fine, fine. You go first. We’ll talk about it later.”

Wang Yun left with an apologetic expression.

The moment the door closed, the look on her face changed. Tao Xiaomei saw it from beside her and quietly gave her a thumbs-up. The two of them entered the elevator, went downstairs, and left.

Only after they got into the car did Tao Xiaomei ask Wang Yun while driving, “Yunzi, tell me, aren’t you tired doing this? And I always feel like what we’re doing is a bit risky. If I’d come one step later, wouldn’t you really have gotten taken advantage of?”

Wang Yun leaned tiredly against the back of the seat and sighed. “What else can I do? Take it one step at a time. I have no status, no background, and no money. If I can’t even accept this tiny bit of unspoken rules, how am I supposed to survive in the entertainment industry?”

“But…” Tao Xiaomei was still a little worried. “What if he tries to make it real?”

Wang Yun said, “Then I can only run.”

Although she was willing to sacrifice a little of her looks for the sake of her career, if the sacrifice was too much, and the other party was such a disgusting person, then she would not be willing.

After all, what she gave and what she got in return would not be proportional.

Tao Xiaomei was Wang Yun’s childhood friend from her hometown. They had grown up in the same village. Both of them had only studied at a vocational high school, and after leaving school, they had always been tied together. Although Wang Yun had not exactly made it big over the years, the money she earned was still far more than an ordinary salaried worker’s. After all, she had a beautiful face with a lot of styling potential. Tao Xiaomei was her assistant, and with her base salary plus some of the special things she helped Wang Yun handle, her income was also better than what she would earn from an ordinary job.

So these two were the closest of best friends, and also the best of partners.

……

Yu Shilan waited at home for three days before receiving Wang Min’s call. Wang Min arranged to meet her at a café near her school.

Since they were meeting privately, Yu Shilan did not dress up in any especially deliberate way. She merely wore a white T-shirt and denim shorts, carried a small crossbody bag, and went out barefaced.

Wang Min arrived one step earlier than Yu Shilan, but she did not go inside. Instead, she sat in her car and waited. After receiving a text saying Yu Shilan was almost there, she got out of the car, leaned casually against it, and played on her phone while observing the surroundings.

From far away, she saw Yu Shilan walking over.

Wang Min’s eyes moved away from her phone. She narrowed them as she stared at Yu Shilan. A beauty was a beauty. Even from a distance, where her face could not be seen clearly, just from her temperament, her figure, and that pair of snow-white, straight, long legs, it was obvious.

She really was top-grade.

In Wang Min’s eyes, Yu Shilan’s chances of becoming popular were one hundred percent. First, she had the looks. This was a world that judged by faces. Second, she had acting skills. Although Wang Min was surprised that someone who had not come from a professional acting program and had no experience could have acting skills, it was still a huge bonus. Third, she had backing. If Wang Min introduced a few jobs to her, she could avoid a lot of detours and unnecessary long roads. If Yu Shilan still did not become popular, it would practically be intolerable to heaven.

Yu Shilan also saw Wang Min and hurried forward a few steps. She called out, “Sister Wang. Sorry for making you wait.”

Wang Min glanced at her phone and smiled. “Not at all. I just arrived too. Besides, it’s still early. There are still twenty minutes until our agreed time.”

Wang Min was too warm, making Yu Shilan feel somewhat unnatural. She did not really like interacting with people and was worst at dealing with others, so at this moment, she could only smile.

Fortunately, Wang Min did not mind. She entered the café with her, found a place to sit, and ordered drinks. Then Wang Min stated the reason she had come. “Director Meng Ping and I both think you’re very good, and that you’re very suited for the role of Shen Yifen. So you should prepare in advance on your end. You may be joining the crew at the end of the month.”

Although Yu Shilan had already had some idea in her heart, when she truly heard that she had been chosen, she was still extremely happy.

“Sister Wang, thank you.” She thanked Wang Min sincerely.

Wang Min smiled unconcernedly. “Don’t be so polite. I just feel like we hit it off, and on top of that, I have a bit of a talent-cherishing mindset. With your conditions, it would really be a pity if you didn’t enter the entertainment industry.”

Yu Shilan felt a little embarrassed. “Sister Wang, you flatter me. But I’ll definitely work hard and absolutely won’t embarrass you.”

At the mention of this, Wang Min wanted to laugh.

“You gave me a great deal of face that day.” She smiled and said, “Our production also has another assistant director called Zhang Hui. That day, when I brought you to audition, he also brought two actresses. In the end, both of them couldn’t compare to you alone. Director Meng Ping left after watching your performance and didn’t even watch the rest.”

Wang Min was happy inside, so her smile was a little unrestrained too. Yu Shilan did not know how to respond to those words. Just in time, the server brought their coffee over. She quickly stood up to receive it and placed Wang Min’s cup in front of her. “Sister Wang, have something to drink.”

Yu Shilan’s respectful manner made Wang Min very satisfied. To give her face, Wang Min picked up the cup and took a sip. Then her expression changed, and her tone turned serious as she said, “But I have to tell you in advance. That Zhang Hui is no good. After you join the crew, you’d better avoid him. You have to know, especially newcomers like you, who only half understand the entertainment industry and wholeheartedly want to climb upward, are very easily led into other people’s traps.”

Yu Shilan nodded solemnly.

There were many true and false things in the entertainment industry. Even though many of them had never been exposed, just by looking at those gossip tidbits, it was clear how chaotic it was. Now that she had Wang Min’s recommendation, her first film was a supporting role in Meng Ping’s movie, which was already quite a high starting point. If even then she still went and touched those bad things, she would be letting Wang Min down too.

Wang Min told her a few more of the rights and wrongs of the entertainment industry, and talked to her about how actresses should protect themselves. Seeing that it was getting late, she suggested leaving.

Yu Shilan hurriedly ran out to pay the bill first, then came back in to accompany Wang Min outside.

Because of this little action, the way Wang Min looked at her changed, making Yu Shilan inexplicably feel a little flustered.

“What is it, Sister Wang?” she asked. She merely felt that human relationships required a proper exchange of courtesy. Wang Min had helped her a great deal. She could not possibly be reluctant to even pay for a couple cups of coffee.

Wang Min smiled and shook her head, saying nothing.

After seeing Wang Min off, Yu Shilan went to the supermarket. She first bought a set of clean toiletries, then bought some frozen food and some fruit before walking home.

After stepping out of the elevator and turning the corner, she saw a tall boy standing at her door.

“Xiao Xing!” She happily ran over. “Why are you here? And why didn’t you go inside?”

Yu Yuanxing also had a key to her apartment.

Yu Yuanxing reached out and took the shopping bag from his sister’s hand before smiling. “I came to see whether our future big star has been eating enough and eating well.”

Yu Shilan opened the door, ushered him inside, and laughed. “Smart mouth!”

Yu Yuanxing had brought food with him, all of it Yu Mama’s best dishes. Although Yu Shilan’s feelings toward her family were not deep, she still missed Yu Mama’s excellent cooking very much.

Seeing the way she wolfed down the food, Yu Yuanxing placed the water he had poured beside her and said, “Eat slower, eat slower. I already ate before coming here, so I won’t fight you for it.”

As Yu Shilan ate the sweet-and-sour ribs, she sighed with emotion. “Mom’s cooking really has been consistently good for decades. I missed this taste to death. Xiao Xing, you’re not young anymore either. You should learn a little. In the future, when you get a girlfriend, being able to cook will be a huge plus.”

Yu Yuanxing laughed at her. “You make it sound like you and I aren’t the same age. You don’t know how to make anything. You have a kitchen at home, but all you can do is buy frozen food. I think you’re the one who should worry about not being able to find a boyfriend.”

“I’m naturally beautiful. With a face this pretty, why would I need to know how to cook? My face is enough.” In front of her younger brother, Yu Shilan was especially good at talking. Of course, her skin was also thick.

Yu Yuanxing laughed while putting the things into the fridge one by one. He was too lazy to argue with her and eventually brought up the serious matter. “Mom said she hasn’t seen you in almost two months, and she misses you a lot. Go back sometime when you have time. If you go back, whatever you want to eat, wouldn’t Mom make it for you?”

After their parents divorced, both had already formed new families. The old family home from back then had been sold. Half the money became the down payment for her current apartment, and the other half was saved for Yu Yuanxing’s future marriage fund.

And the so-called “going home” meant either going to her mother’s home with another man, or to her father’s home with another woman.

“Haven’t I been busy? I went to an audition a couple days ago and passed. I’ll have to join a film crew soon.” Yu Shilan truly did not want to go back. She did not even want to attend a gathering of the family of four, let alone go to a home where other people would be present.

Yu Yuanxing did not expose her either. This was his best quality.

“My sister really is amazing. What are you filming? Who’s the female lead?” he said. “If you run into my Fairy Sister, you have to ask for an autograph for me. An autographed photo would be even better.”

Yu Yuanxing was a brainless fan of Fairy Sister.

Yu Shilan was stunned by the question. “They haven’t even started filming yet. I’m just a minor supporting role. How would I know that? I don’t have Fairy Sister’s autograph, but I do have the autograph of your actual sister. Do you want that?”

Yu Yuanxing waved his hands with a frightened look. “Spare me, please!”

Yu Shilan laughed in exasperation at him. But seeing his playful, laughing manner, her eyes suddenly stung a little, as if there were a feeling that he had not been like this before—but him being like this now was truly good.

“All right, don’t worry, brainless fan!” she said, pretending to be angry.