Chapter 9: Alien Monkeys Stealing Bananas (Second Update)

Fang Hui was truly frustrated beyond words. They had done so many TV appearances, facing audiences of hundreds, and she had never shown stage fright before. Why was she suddenly freezing up now?

Irritated, he said, “Just imagine we’re all cabbages, and you’ll be fine!”

In her mind, Jian Han pictured herself walking through a vegetable patch, surrounded by seven or eight scattered cabbages. When she thought of it this way, her nerves eased up a bit.

She clenched her fist and firmly said, “Okay, I’ll just pretend you’re all cabbages!”

With a confident slap on Jian Han’s shoulder, Fang Baicai (cabbage) said, “That’s the spirit! Go for it!”

As the word “ACTION” was called and the camera started rolling again, Jian Han found, to her dismay, that her feet still wouldn’t move—because which cabbage has eyes staring at her like this?!

Caught in the moment, she stiffly raised her head and looked toward Chen Xun. Dressed in a white shirt, his handsome face carried a gentle smile, and his eyes focused softly and attentively on her.

A sudden memory flashed through her mind. A long time ago, someone else had looked at her with the same focused gaze. Flustered, she blurted out an awkward question: “When you’re filming and everyone’s staring at you, doesn’t it bother you?”

The man chuckled softly and replied with complete seriousness, “Not at all. In my mind, they’re just alien monkeys here to steal my bananas.”

*Alien monkeys stealing bananas!*

Suddenly, Jian Han realized that the gazes of everyone around her weren’t so intimidating anymore!

She walked toward Chen Xun with ease, naturally smiling as she approached him. When she stopped in front of him, Chen Xun straightened up and spoke gently, “Will you be my girlfriend?”

Jian Han’s eyes widened in surprise. Chen Xun patiently repeated in a soft voice, “Will you be my girlfriend?”

Under his warm gaze, Jian Han quickly lowered her eyes, scanning the surroundings helplessly. She bit her lip lightly, her unease evident.

Fang Hui and the others unconsciously held their breath, instinctively anticipating the answer from the nervous girl before them.

With all eyes on her, Jian Han suddenly bent down, giving a deep ninety-degree bow before quickly turning and running off in a panic. After just a few steps, she stumbled backward, reaching up to hold her forehead, but her feet didn’t stop.

Off to the side, Shen Yue chuckled softly. Jian Han’s movements vividly captured the image of a flustered girl accidentally bumping into a tree, turning the heavy atmosphere of a failed confession into a more lighthearted scene.

Jian Han stopped and turned to look at Zheng Qingqiu, and everyone else also shifted their gaze to the director.

Shen Yue felt that Jian Han’s performance was quite good—almost exactly how she had imagined the confession scene. But when she saw Zheng Qingqiu’s expression, she was stunned.

Zheng Qingqiu frowned, tapping his finger rhythmically on the armrest of his chair. “The performance was…”

He thought for a moment before finally finding the right word: “Adequate!”

“There weren’t any major issues, but there was nothing particularly outstanding either. Did you read the script?” Zheng Qingqiu asked Jian Han directly.

Jian Han nodded and immediately began reciting, “Shen Jia, feeling a bit embarrassed, says, ‘Will you, will you be my girlfriend?’ Xiang Weiwei, shocked, shyly averts her gaze. Under Shen Jia’s intense stare, she turns and runs away in a panic.”

Zheng Qingqiu burst out laughing. This girl could be so sharp sometimes, but at other times, she came across as so silly. She wasn’t just reciting the script—she even deepened her voice to mimic the male lead’s lines! Wasn’t that just comedic?

Everyone else started laughing as well. Zheng Qingqiu, still amused, asked, “So, tell me, in that scene, if you were Xiang Weiwei, what’s the key point to focus on?”

Without hesitation, Jian Han replied, “Shock, shyness, then fleeing in panic.”

Zheng Qingqiu shook his head and smiled, “See, you know it perfectly well in your head. But just now, all I saw was shock and panic. Where did the shyness go? Did you sell it off by weight?”

He paused and kindly advised, “Let’s leave it at that for now. If there’s another chance, you can audition for one of my films next time.”

Before he could finish speaking, laughter erupted as the door to the audition room was flung open. Han Chen, dressed in a white casual outfit, stood at the entrance, brimming with confidence and unable to hide his smugness. “See? Didn’t I say she couldn’t do it?”

Fang Hui frowned, “Don’t you have an event today?”

Han Chen raised an eyebrow and casually replied, “I canceled it.”

He paused, then burst into laughter again. “Hahaha, otherwise, how could I have witnessed such a great show?”

Everyone’s expressions turned awkward. *This big shot sure went to great lengths—canceling his event just to see someone fail!*

“Ahem, since the male lead is here, why not let Miss Jian try again?” Shen Yue, the screenwriter, suddenly spoke up, cutting through Han Chen’s laughter.

She had noticed how dedicated Jian Han was—carefully wrapping the script, reading it thoroughly, and memorizing the audition scene inside out. A girl who worked this hard deserved another chance.

In an instant, all eyes turned to Shen Yue. Zheng Qingqiu looked the most conflicted. First the director of photography, now the screenwriter—it seemed like his own team was falling apart behind his back.

Fang Hui was equally surprised. He was certain that Jian Han hadn’t known the director of photography or the screenwriter before today. But in the short time he had been gone, she had somehow won over two heavyweights. 

This girl definitely had a promising future ahead of her.

In the entertainment industry, knowing how to win people over was more important than anything else. With good relationships, everyone would want to help you, and the path ahead would naturally widen.

Han Chen’s face, however, was the darkest. *Damn it! I only came to watch her fail, and now I’m being used as a stepping stone for that brat!*

Since the director of photography had already spoken, it was only natural to honor the screenwriter’s request as well. Zheng Qingqiu cleared his throat and, with a faint smile, looked at Jian Han, “Alright, girl, you’ve really met your benefactors today. Let’s give it another go. But remember, this is your last chance—no matter what anyone says, there won’t be another one after this.”

Jian Han nodded earnestly, “Understood. Third time’s the charm.”

Zheng Qingqiu teased, “Good, and this time, no more walking with your arms and legs in sync.”

Jian Han was momentarily confused, lost in thought, while Han Chen let out a snort and snatched the script from her hands.

Despite his arrogance, Han Chen was still highly professional when it came to work.

The moment he took his place, the difference between him and Chen Xun was immediately clear. Unlike Chen Xun, Han Chen didn’t look directly at Jian Han. Instead, he stood casually, holding a book, as if he didn’t care at all about the passersby. But occasionally, his sharp eyes would glance over the top of the book, revealing his true intentions.

Zheng Qingqiu nodded silently to himself. Han Chen’s more restrained performance better suited the age and temperament of the male lead in the script.