NMBJ2 - 12

The next morning, the entire team sent by the company took the earliest flight back to Shanghai.

On the plane, Xitang was reading a thin page of the script. The role she had been offered was that of a Shanghai intellectual youth during the ten years of turmoil. The young girl came from a highly educated family, but due to her parents’ political background, she was assigned to the most remote part of the Qinghai Construction Corps in 1969, at the age of 19, fresh out of high school.

The script only had three lines of dialogue, and Xitang couldn’t even tell if she was the lead actress.

Other people had a week to prepare for the role, but Xitang only had one day.

Xitang asked the makeup artist, “How did they choose me at the last minute?”

Xin Ni replied, “A few Fudan University students posted a photo of you at the bookstore on Weibo. The company paid for the news, and it seems someone from the production side suddenly saw it.”

Xitang nodded.

Xin Ni continued, “Xie Ye, I saw the photo, and I also think your features and temperament are very suitable.”

Xitang huddled with her and A Kuan, feeling a bit shaken.

The team rushed back to the company at full speed. The entire styling department was already waiting, with the styling director Li A leading several makeup artists who immediately gathered around and pushed her into the office.

Ni Kailun was sitting on the sofa, watching her change clothes.

Li A personally shaped her eyebrows, and Ni Kailun asked, “Argon, do you want to trim the hair a bit?”

Li A put away his elegant hand gestures and calmly shook his head, “No, the freshly cut hair looks too deliberate.”

By the time they finalized the clothes and makeup for the audition, it was already past 4 p.m., and Ni Kailun told her to go home.

Xitang went back to her room, locked the door, and pulled out the book Ni Kailun had bought for her, going over her notes again.

Around 10 p.m., after her mother had gone to bed, Xitang put on a coat and went downstairs to find Ni Kailun.

Ni Kailun was on the phone in her room.

Xitang walked in and sat cross-legged on the sofa, listening as Ni Kailun spoke to the company’s big boss: “I’ve already made the introductions, but it probably won’t make much difference. Tang Yasun won’t fall for this.”

She didn’t mind the response from the other side and replied bluntly, “She’s just a girl. What else do you expect? Several of the hottest actresses have gone, even this year’s new Best Actress has cooperated and gone for the audition.”

Ni Kailun had originally planned to accompany her to the film company the next day, but Xitang wasn’t at ease and convinced her to stay home to rest. Dr. Xie had said she needed more rest, and during this period, because Ni Kailun was pregnant, Xitang had frequently called Dr. Xie to consult. To help her, Dr. Xie even revisited his obstetrics and gynecology knowledge, turning a nephrologist into an obstetrician for her.

From her perspective, Ni Kailun, in a loose top, had a slightly protruding abdomen. It was amazing how such a powerful woman was about to become a mother.

When the pregnancy was confirmed, Xitang knew that Ni Kailun wasn’t without doubts. At 38, Ni Kailun was at the peak of her career, a high-ranking executive at one of China’s top entertainment companies. She spent 20 days a month traveling for work, with workdays exceeding 14 hours, holding the power of life and death over the company’s artists. Suddenly changing her lifestyle to slow down, she didn’t feel fully prepared.

But with age catching up, she suddenly wanted a child.

Xitang asked, “Does he know?”

Ni Kailun answered, “It’s none of his business.”

“You should at least tell him.”

“He already has three children with his ex-wife, and he doesn’t plan to have more. We have nothing to do with each other. This is just an accident.”

That was the only time she mentioned the father of the child.

“How do your parents feel about it?”

“My parents are divorced and have each started new families. Xitang, this is my life.”

Xitang went back and told her mother. Her mother immediately came downstairs, holding Ni Kailun’s hand and repeatedly comforting her, “Miss Ni, if you want to have the baby, don’t be afraid. As long as I’m healthy, Kailun, I’ll help you.”

She said this while tears streamed down her face.

Xitang wiped her mother’s tears and then found herself crying too.

Ni Kailun looked at the mother and daughter and understood why they were crying. It was at that moment that she decided to keep the baby.

After finishing the phone call, Ni Kailun waved at Xitang: “Why are you down here?”

Xitang looked a little anxious: “I’m a bit nervous.”

Ni Kailun gave her a look of exasperation: “You’ve been in Hengdian for years, what could be more terrifying than that?”

Xitang pouted, feeling wronged: “This is a real big director. I’ve never worked with one.”

Ni Kailun encouraged her: “What kind of big director is he? Does that mean his camera is a magic mirror? Just do your job, who cares who he is?”

Xitang grinned.

Ni Kailun said, “Come over here.”

Xitang walked over, lay on the bed, and gently rested her face on Ni Kailun’s thigh.

Ni Kailun patted her head: “Tired?”

Xitang shook her head: “There’s a role to play, I’m not afraid.”

Xitang leaned over to touch her belly: “How’s the baby?”

Ni Kailun smiled gently: “Pretty good.”

Ni Kailun pinched her face: “Did Dr. Xie call you on Christmas?”

Xitang nodded: “We planned to go for a meal after the New Year’s work ended, but now we can only postpone it until after the audition is over.”

Ni Kailun said, “Make sure to spend more time with your boyfriend when you have a chance. Don’t worry about the reporters taking pictures—just deny it if you have to. As long as you two have agreed on it, that’s what matters. Relationships need to be nurtured.”

Xitang lowered her head and murmured, “He’s not my boyfriend.”

Ni Kailun didn’t argue with her.

Xitang leaned against her: “Mommy, after the baby is born, can he be my godson?”

Ni Kailun immediately countered, “Aren’t you planning to have one yourself?”

Ni Kailun said it out loud, but then suddenly thought of something, her expression softened, and she subtly turned her face to look at Huang Xitang.

Xitang, however, remained carefree, grinning: “Anyway, you’re not finding him a father, so what’s wrong with having one more mommy?”

Ni Kailun readily agreed: “Alright, let’s have him take care of us when we’re old.”

Ni Kailun said it lightly, while Xitang wore blue cloth pants and a white shirt, almost no makeup, and only brought her assistant A Kuan to the audition.

Don’t underestimate that shirt—she tried at least two dozen yesterday and picked this one.

When she entered the actors’ rest room, it was buzzing with chatter, and Xitang saw a few familiar faces.

Zhang Zhi Yin was also there, wearing a pure white dress with bright red lips, looking very beautiful, surrounded by several assistants and makeup artists.

There were a few other young girls in the room, whispering to each other, their faces all quite stunning but unfamiliar, likely students from art schools. Every few minutes, each girl would check her makeup in the large mirror in the dressing room.

Whether famous or not, everyone was there competing, bare-knuckled in the same ring—the entertainment industry is truly brutal.

Xitang sat in a chair at the door of the room when the door was suddenly pushed open. A young man in a suit walked in, and Xitang looked up. The man paused for a second, a bit surprised, and greeted her, “Miss Huang?”

Xitang thought his face looked familiar but couldn’t place him right away, so she stood up and bowed slightly: “Hello.”

The handsome young man smiled gracefully, and was immediately surrounded by staff and escorted away.

As the group passed the audition room, they heard Zhang Zhi Yin sweetly call out, “Mr. Hu—”

Xitang looked over and saw Zhang Zhi Yin fluttering like a butterfly to the man’s arm, holding it tightly. The man playfully pinched Zhang Zhi Yin’s cheek: “Baby, you’re getting more and more beautiful.”

The group of girls around them immediately showed envious and jealous expressions.

A Kuan, standing nearby, suddenly said, “Hey, isn’t that the young master of Huaying?”

Xitang finally remembered who he was.

She irritably pinched her arm. If Ni Kailun knew how foolish she was, she would kill her.

Xitang quietly said to her assistant, “Don’t tell Kailun we saw him.”

A Kuan was puzzled: “Why?”

Before Xitang could threaten or coax A Kuan into silence, she saw a door open, and the assistant director came out. The girls quickly stood up. The man gruffly announced, “Director Tang has arrived, everyone, go wash your faces and get ready to come in.”

He added, “Those with makeup can stay in.”

The dressing room immediately fell silent.

Mr. Hu Shaolei elegantly walked in, checking the audition arrangements before heading upstairs to his office.

He had graduated and returned to China at the end of last year, and his father immediately placed him in the group, overseeing investments and film operations.

This film was produced and funded by Huaying, and the role of the female lead in Director Tang Yasun’s new movie had made women across the entire entertainment industry, who were within the right age range, fiercely compete for it. There were power struggles between different factions, and since the director was a big shot, he would never accept an unsuitable role. So, the decision was still up in the air.

Everyone came to greet him, and he had connections with all sides.

However, Mr. Hu Shaolei didn’t want to get involved in this murky water and offend all the powerful figures. He planned to leave it to Director Tang Yasun.

He entered his company’s office, and less than an hour later, his secretary knocked and came in, saying, “Mr. Hu, Director Tang has finished, and he’s asking for you.”

Mr. Hu smiled and said, “I’m busy right now, let Director Tang decide, just submit it for approval.”

The secretary nodded understandingly.

Mr. Hu asked, “How did the audition go?”

The secretary handed over a stack of documents. Mr. Hu replied, “Alright, you can go now.”

Mr. Hu sat on the sofa with the documents, took a sip of water, crossed his legs, and began flipping through the papers. Suddenly, he came across a face, a completely natural look with no makeup, so her features were very clear. She had a round, delicate face, long eyebrows, exquisite and gentle features, and a small upturned nose that carried an air of strong-willed defiance. Such a beautiful girl was unforgettable.

Mr. Hu walked to the door. The secretary was on the phone, and when she saw him come out, she immediately stood up.

Mr. Hu said, “Xiao Xi, wait a moment.”