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Chapter 10
Early the next morning, Zhu Xinyue went to the audition location.
This is the building built by Jinhuan Group for a film and television company. It is said that each floor has its functionality.
Zhu Xinyue and her assistant took the elevator to the tenth floor where the audition was held. Most of the people taking the elevator with her were actors who came for the audition.
As soon as you walk out of the elevator, you can see the sign for the audition location of “Peach Blossom Spring” guiding the actors coming for the audition.
The corridor was filled with a mixture of perfume smells. Zhu Xinyue covered her nose and sneezed twice.
People passing by her quickly avoided her.
Zhu Xinyue wore a mask and followed her assistant to the audition location. Along the way, she saw many handsome men and beautiful women.
As expected of an entertainment industry full of beauties, and also a big-budget movie, most of the actors who came for the interview were well-known, had been on trending searches, and had acting experience.
“Oh my god! I was so scared. There were so many people inside.”
“Even the big bosses from the capital side are here!”
“With such a big scene, I thought I was interviewing for the leading actress…”
Two actors who had finished their audition came out of the room. Zhu Xinyue caught the sound of their discussion. Although she didn’t know what they were talking about specifically, Zhu Xinyue couldn’t help but feel nervous.
It doesn’t feel good.
Zhu Xinyue filled out the interview form, handed it to the staff, received the number tag, and sat in the corridor to calm down.
“Number 30, Zhu Xinyue.” The staff signaled her that she could go in for the interview.
Zhu Xinyue stood up, took off her mask, and walked into the room.
The background of the room was a green screen with a camera placed in the middle. The staff motioned her to walk in front of the camera.
When Zhu Xinyue looked up, she saw an acquaintance sitting behind the camera and was stunned.
There were quite a few people sitting behind the long table. I won’t mention the others because I don’t know them. The two people in the middle were the director of “Peach Blossom Spring” and… Ji Linyu, who was looking down at the script.
Ji Qingyuan was wearing a baseball cap and sitting next to the director. He was originally looking at his mobile phone. When he noticed her coming, he put away his phone, raised the brim of his hat, gave Zhu Xinyue a bright smile, then moved closer to the director, covered his lips with the back of his hand, and said something to him.
The director nodded and said to Zhu Xinyue, “Have you read the script?”
“Seen.”
“Please act out… the scene before your death.”
Zhu Xinyue saw Ji Linyu behind the camera raise his head and look over at her.
His eyes were calm, just like when they first met, with a cold look in them.
Ji Linyu at work is completely different from his usual self.
Cold and inhumane.
If she doesn’t perform well, she will be replaced.
“I…” Zhu Xinyue’s voice trembled. She stared at the front and her eyes suddenly turned red. “I haven’t reported to the Second Elder yet…”
There was grievance and regret in her tone, as well as fear of death.
It was just a very short line, but it was full of emotion, and everyone could hear the complex emotions in her words
The tears in her eyes were just right, not filling up and falling, but staying stubbornly in her eyes, only making them red.
Ji Linyu stared at the girl in front of the camera without blinking, and unconsciously clenched the page of the script.
I couldn’t tell whether she was acting or if it was real.
“Good!” The director couldn’t help but applaud.
Ji Qingyuan, who was sitting next to him, seemed very surprised as well and gave her an approving look.
Zhu Xinyue lowered her head, and the staff next to her came forward and handed her a tissue.
“Thank you, thank you,” she said.
After the audition, Zhu Xinyue walked out.
Ji Linyu looked at her back, stood up, said something to the director, and left.
Ji Qingyuan, who still had to accompany the director to continue interviewing for a role, sat in his original seat, following his brother’s back, as if thinking about something.
“Next, we’ll interview the leading actress. Qingyuan, go and help set the scene.” The director patted Ji Qingyuan on the shoulder.
Ji Qingyuan came back to his senses and replied to the director with a smile: “Okay.”
When walking out of the interview room, Ji Linyu did not see Zhu Xinyue.
Very strange.
Ji Linyu couldn’t explain why he came out to find her.
He walked around the corridor filled with a long line of actors but didn’t see anyone, so he walked to the next corridor where there were fewer people.
As he passed the elevator, he paused, thinking perhaps she was leaving after the audition.
Ji Linyu turned around and was about to leave when he heard a very faint whimpering sound.
The sound seemed to come from the corridor.
Ji Linyu walked towards the stairwell and stood in front of the fire door of the stairwell with only a gap showing. He saw her huddled up in a small ball, sitting on the stairs, burying herself between her arms and knees, crying softly.
He clenched his palms.
At this time, he should leave and give her some private space so that she can sort out her emotions alone. This would be polite.
Ji Linyu wanted to move, but for some reason, he seemed to be fixed in place, unable to leave.
She suppressed her tears, not daring to cry freely. She avoided the crowd and hid in the corner, not wanting anyone to see her vulnerability, just like that day when she sprained her foot but did not cry out in pain.
It’s so pitiful.
Listening to her crying, his throat felt like it was blocked by a stone, making it difficult to swallow.
With a creaky sound, the fire door was pushed open, making a harsh and unpleasant sound.
Zhu Xinyue didn’t know who the visitor was. She trembled subconsciously, sobbed uncontrollably, and buried her head deeper.
She heard the door close and the footsteps of the person stopping beside her.
Zhu Xinyue’s contact lenses had fallen off long ago, and her vision was blurred. Even if she looked up, she couldn’t see who was coming.
But she seemed to have a hunch in her heart, and she could guess who it was without looking.
Zhu Xinyue clenched the wet tissue in her palm, not wanting to appear in front of him in such a mess, like a little child.
But……
She couldn’t control it.
She was so scared.
She was someone who had died once.
In order to pass the audition and not to disappoint him, when the director suggested the audition scene, she remembered the scene before her death while riding on the bus.
She still has a lot of things to do and a lot of things to say. She is only in her twenties and she doesn’t want to die!
She doesn’t want to die yet!
Someone patted Zhu Xinyue’s shoulder blade gently, as if to comfort her.
The tissue in her hand was also taken away and replaced with a softer handkerchief.
Zhu Xinyue raised her head and saw the familiar silhouette through tearful eyes.
The outline of him that can be recognized at a glance even if he is turned into a mosaic.
“Ji Linyu…”
This was the first time she called him by his full name. Ji Linyu took back his hand and sat down next to her properly. Like her, he folded his long legs and put his hands on his knees, as obedient as an elementary school student.
“Here I am.”
When Zhu Xinyue heard his voice, she cried even harder.
Ji Linyu was at a loss as to what to do. He wanted to pat her on the back again, but was afraid of offending her, so he reached out to her and then pulled his hand back.
Zhu Xinyue grabbed his sleeve, pulled his arm over, and deliberately used his expensive suit jacket to wipe her tears.
Ji Linyu let her do what she wanted without pulling his hand back. He even asked her, “Do you want me to take off my coat and wipe your tears?”
He thought this might be more convenient.
Zhu Xinyue raised her head and glared at him, meeting his innocent eyes, as if the cold-blooded president in the audition room just now was not him.
“What’s wrong?” Ji Linyu looked at her as if he had made her cry.
Zhu Xinyue pinched his sleeve, her eyes red, and said fiercely: “It’s all your fault.”
Ji Linyu frowned, “Why was it my fault?”
“You are so cruel.” Zhu Xinyue’s voice was still tearful, and she accused him in the most aggrieved tone. Even if Ji Linyu was innocent, she suspected that he was guilty.
“How am I cruel?” Ji Linyu couldn’t help but defend himself.
Zhu Xinyue pointed at him, then pointed in the direction she came from, choking up and saying, “You were sitting behind the camera at the time, with a cold expression on your face that said ‘If the performance is not good, I will replace you’. It almost scared me to death!”
It’s so unfair.
Ji Linyu raised his hands in surrender and said, “I am expressionless just like that. I am naturally unlikable.”
Zhu Xinyue was not wearing glasses, so she couldn’t see clearly whether he was lying or not, so she supported herself with one hand at her side and moved towards Ji Linyu.
Ji Linyu was sitting next to her. Originally there was a short distance between them. She turned her body sideways, her knee touched his leg, then she leaned forward and suddenly moved closer to him.
She didn’t seem to realize that the distance between them was too close. Ji Linyu’s heart almost stopped beating. He subconsciously took a step to the side. She followed him and moved a step forward until she pushed him close to the stair railing behind him.
Zhu Xinyue saw through Ji Linyu
His dark eyes reflected her figure. His long eyelashes blinked quickly, his gaze moved downward, and as if burned by something, he turned his face away and pointed at her with the slightly red tips of his ears.
She had a light fruity scent on her body, which was sweet and unexpectedly pleasant.
“Ahem.” Ji Linyu coughed, hoping to remind her to sit down properly.
Zhu Xinyue received his hint and sat back.
Even so, the distance between them sitting side by side was much closer than at the beginning.
“Yesterday you said you were worried about the audition.” Ji Linyu glanced at her, “Jinhuan is the investor of this movie and has some say in the casting. Your role is not very important. Even if you are not selected, you can ask the director to look at the audition and give you another role.”
Zhu Xinyue understood.
He came today to open the back door for her.
No wonder he didn’t say anything yesterday, it turns out he had thought about it a long time ago.
I thought he didn’t listen.
“Ji Linyu, you are such a good…” Zhu Xinyue stopped talking halfway.
Ji Linyu was already used to the nice guy card she gave him, so he didn’t hear the second half of the sentence and looked at her in confusion.
“I take back what I said just now.” Zhu Xinyue said seriously, holding the handkerchief he gave her.
“Hmm?” Why don’t you praise him this time? You have no conscience.
Zhu Xinyue said with a serious face: “You are my great benefactor, my second parent, I have to call you ba…”
Before Zhu Xinyue could finish her words, Ji Linyu pinched her cheek.
Ji Linyu rarely gets this popular.
He gritted his teeth and said, “Don’t repay kindness with enmity. Zhu, Xin, Yue.”
***
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Ayalee[Translator]
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