239: She's back?

She's back?

There were more than thirty minutes before the audition started for the movie 'Great Empress' Love'.2

The movie title 'The Great Empress' Love' was adapted from a novel of the same title. It was the story of a young princess who fell in love with a man who was lower of her station. Unfortunately, it wasn't only because of the man's status that made her feel devastated. It was because the man she fell in love with was not anyone else, but her imperial father's head eunuch.

In the novel, the head eunuch was not much older than the princess. He was actually the youngest head eunuch in history and was even respected by the emperor because of his skillful abilities in handling the things the emperor orders.

The story would start when the young princess falls for the eunuch at first sight. Since then, she started to vie for his love, trying to get his attention through frequently visiting her father, the emperor. However, her love would soon be squashed when her own sister wanted to snatch away her first love. The young princess was heartbroken when the eunuch showed his interest in her sister. Out of her spite, she agreed to one of the many proposals her mother empress had forced her to. Thus, her fate should be sealed with her betrothed.

However, things didn't end there because the moment the young princess got married, her family fell through and enemy started to strike. The royal family died and even her sister who was supposed to be living a happy life with the head eunuch didn't have a good ending.

At the end, the princess found that the person who drove her family to hell and made them live a life filled with suffering was none other than the eunuch, who was actually a prince from another kingdom.

At the TV station where the auditions were being held, Several artists were already waiting outside of the audition room. Most of them were young actors along with some veterans sitting on the side.

A woman walked in the waiting room dressed in a flowy white qipao devoid of any other color. Her jet-black hair was loosely worn in a lazy bun at the nape of her neck. Apart from the necklace with a ring near her collarbones, there was no superfluous jewellery on her.

Upon her arrival, the people in the waiting room paused their actions out of curiosity when they heard the door opening. They first thought that it was someone from the production staff who came in and wanted to greet them to earn some points.

But when they turned their head towards the door, the were momentarily blinded. It was probably because the lights outside the waiting room were too bright because they were seeing some kind of halo surrounding the beautiful lady standing at the door.

"Senior Xu Lei?" an actress murmured to herself.

All the eyes on Xu Lei, people in the waiting room were stunned to see Xu Lei there. 'Wasn't she crippled? Why does she look better than before!' The artists wondered.

Most of the people thought that Xu Lei would never be able to get up from bed. Even if she did, she would not be in the condition to act anymore or enter the entertainment industry.

However, to their surprise, it seemed that Xu Lei had aged reversibly. Also she was back in the industry.

Feeling everyone's gaze falling on her body, Xu Lei felt a bit embarrassed. Being late was never a good thing in the entertainment industry during an audition. It wasn't only because it would mark you look bad in front of the directors and investors and lose a desired role, it was also because once you entered the room, everyone's eyes would instantly fall on you and people would immediately start to judge and evaluate your value as an opponent.

However, instead of feeling scared, Xu Lei was elated, excited even.

It was her first time in last couple of years to step on the battlefield.

That's right. The audition room was the stage where everyone would fight against others to get the most prized role with their weapon; acting.

Xu Lei smiled and greeted some of the people who were nearer to her. She flashed a bright smile at those who were far and nodded her head at them.

Oddly enough, those who thought they saw a formidable opponent when they saw her also nodded their heads and smiled back at her.

As the waiting room was momentarily shaken at Xu Lei's arrival before it calmed down, the people behind the closed door of the audition room was definitely not relaxed.

"What? Are you sure about that?" Director Chi Cheng exclaimed and looked at his assistant, who had just come into the audition room, in disbelief.

The assistant director nodded his head and replied, "I am very sure. Who do you think I am? I was one of her number one fan. How could I possibly not recognize the goddess I was chasing after?

Director Chi still couldn't believe it, "Could it be that Xu Lei is really back and wants to start anew? And she'd here to audition in my movie?"

The assistant director was stunned and gasped, "That's right! She's probably here to audition for the female lead role!"

If Xu Lei were to play the female lead role, how could things go wrong? With a veteran actress who received the award that everyone wanted, nothing could possibly go wrong, right?

Just after the assistant director said this, Director Chi shook his head. He said, "I don't think so since the female lead role is already taken by someone else."

The assistant director was shocked. He was just away for several minutes and the role was already taken? He quickly asked, "W-who got the female lead role?"

Director Chi replied, "Liu Xiaorou."

The assistant director was extremely shocked that he forgot to breathe for a few seconds before snapping out of it.

"WHAT!"

"Shh!" Director Chi put a finger over his lips and looked around. He awkwardly smiled at the other directors who sat at the table like him and turned to his assistant director. "That's right. Liu Xiaorou got the role."

Director Chi confirmed it already.

The assistant director couldn't believe it. The role was still free several minutes ago. And there were several actresses who came to audition for that role. What did this mean? That Liu Xiaorou was much better than the other actresses outside?

Everybody knew that she was a small time actress who ditched her manager of Starlight Entertainment and was poached away by Skylark Entertainment.

Excuse me? The assistant director looked at Director Chi with unrestrained disgust in his eyes. Although it was a bit exaggerated, the assistant director still couldn't approve of Liu Xiaorou. It wasn't only because she used the back door to get the role from others and didn't even come to the audition to act the role in front of the directors for appearance sake, it was also because the assistant director thought that Liu Xiaorou didn't have the right foundation to act.

Liu Xiaorou was a member of an Idol group. Other than dancing, singing lip sync on stage, and acting cute in front of the fans and the camera, what qualifications did Liu Xiaorou have that she beat all veteran and trained actresses in the waiting room to get the role?

"Are the directors and investors right in the head? They don't want their money back and just want to waste it away from an amateur actress?" The assistant director couldn't stop himself from asking.

Director Chi also felt helpless. He was one of the directors alright! But how could he win against several directors and investors when they all agreed to take in Liu Xiaorou as the female lead?

"I don't know. I'm not going to stress myself over this matter. Liu Xiaorou might be an amateur but she still acted in some movies and dramas last year," Director Chi patted the assistant director on his shoulder.

The assistant director frowned and retorted, "Yeah, she acted in those movies and dramas as a side character and second female lead. But have you forgotten?"

Director Chi: "What?"

"That all of the role she played was also heavily criticized by the media and netizens? Those movies and dramas she played in was also rated with a low rate and was almost taken away from the cinema and got their spots taken away?" Assistant director licked his lips before adding, "Aiya... This movie is done for. So done that I might look for my next job in the street next time."

Director Chi watched as his assistant director left while shaking his head and contemplating on how he would live on the street as a beggar. On the other hand, Director Chi felt a bit sad and frustrated.

He knew what his assistant director was saying. Liu Xiaorou was really not a good actress to play such a heavy and emotional role in the movie.

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