243: Compete for the role

Compete for the role

"Words alone cannot be trusted. You should know that Xu Lei..." said the other director.1

Peng Qingling was dissatisfied. These two were ganging up on Xu Lei and even ignored her, the author of the novel!

Just as Peng Qingling was about to open her lips to speak, Director Lan held her shoulder and spoke first, "Now, now. Let's not fight over this... Why don't we do this instead? On the first day of the filming day, will we have both Miss Xu and Miss Qin act out the scene in front of everyone? Then we will decide who will play the part of the female lead after we get everyone's opinion?"

This was the only appropriate solution to the stalemate inside the room.

And so, Xu Lei was fixed to attend the booting ceremony of the movie and will immediately act alongside the other actors if she were picked.

After the audition was finished, Xu Lei picked her bag and was about to leave the waiting room when she saw Director Lan and Peng Qingling standing by the door.

The two appeared to be specially waiting for her.

"Miss Xu!" Peng Qingling called her name out.

"Miss Peng, Director Lan," she greeted them, a little nervous.

Peng Qingling had a wide smile on her lips, "Miss Xu, you're amazing! I've never seen director Zhao's face turning so dark like that ever!"

Director Lan also laughed. "That's right. I've known him since the first day I started as a director. But this was the first time I saw him look like he had eaten a lemon and couldn't spit it out."

The two were very excited and happy.

Xu Lei shook her head and didn't accept their compliments.

"No, no... I don't deserve your praises. Actually, I was really scared when I stood in front of everyone. Look, my hands are still shaking."

She showed them her trembling hands and looked a bit embarrassed.

To tell the truth, Xu Lei was feeling really nervous while she was inside the audition room. It was the first time she didn't hold back in front of someone since two years ago.

Luckily, her first battle was won without issues.

"The booting ceremony will be held on the 4th of this month. So make sure to wake up early and make yourself appear presentable. Anyway, we'll see you next week." Director Lan told Xu Lei before he took Peng Qingling back to the audition room.

Xu Lei bid her farewell to them.

As she came out of the audition venue, Xu Lei saw Xu Tong waiting for her.

"Brother!" she called out.

"How was your audition?" Xu Tong took her bag from her hands and asked.

Previously, Xu Tong had to rush over to Starlight Entertainment and had to spend his day reading resumes and scripts. Thus, he could not accompany Xu Lei in her audition. He was worried sick for his sister as she had just recuperated and insisted on coming for the audition of this movie.

Xu Tong was worried that Xu Lei wouldn't be able to handle the stress of the audition. Normally, this wasn't a problem for her but now the circumstances were different.

Xu Lei's heart was filled with warmth seeing the concern in her brother's eyes, "The booting ceremony will be on the 4th of this month. The directors told me to attend it and start filming for my role," Xu Lei sat inside the car from the door opened by Xu Tong, "However, It's still unsure if I will get the role."

"Why? Didn't you get the role already?" Xu Tong frowned.

"Well, yes... But the role was already taken before the audition even started. So, in the end, they will let me and the other actress act the role and the directors will pick who will play the role of the second female lead," Xu Lei told her brother what exactly happened.

Xu Tong had always been a strong support for Xu Lei. She thus had a habit of entrusting everything on him.

After hearing what happened on the day of the audition, Xu Tong's face was dark. His eyes had gone colder and dangerous as he gazed at her.

Xu Lei grabbed his hand and reassured him, "Hey, I didn't tell you all of this just so you would waste your time and effort towards someone like Director Zhao. Don't worry, I got this."

"But that Director Zhao and that other director insulted you."

"Brother, do you think... I am not prepared to be insulted by everyone? After all the things that happened in my life, do you think I'd be affected by their hurtful words?" Xu Lei sneered. She had enough of being depressed over other people's words and actions. It was time for her to move.

"Trust me. I won't let anyone trample me again..."

"Understood," Xu Tong replied. He was happy for the changes in Xu Lei as he also didn't want his sister to rely on him forever. He was happy that she was taking charge of her life.

However, on the other side, he was sad that his sister had gone through so much which forced her to become stronger.

Since Xu Lei said that she will handle it, Xu Tong chose to definitely and undoubtedly believe her.

*

Fourth of the month arrived quickly.

'Click!'

'click!'

The sound of shutters coming from the cameras poured down like rain during a storm, ceaseless and omnipresent. The bustles that had started from the numerous reporters and journalists who had come to present their companies were speaking in whispers, while the casts and the production team were getting ready to start the booting ceremony.

Red fabrics were spread around the area where the boot ceremony would take place; a stage was built in the center with the back wall of it carrying the title of the movie in classic calligraphy. On the other hand, a spread of auspicious dishes were on the long table just a few steps away from the stage.

"What's happening? Why are the female lead and second lead still not here?!" Director Zhao, with his eyebrows creased in a worried manner, shot a glare at the assistants scattered before him. He looked at his wristwatch and sighed, "There's only a few minutes before we start the booting ceremony. Just what are they thinking?"

One of the assistants went forward to the director and lowered his voice as he explained: "Director Zhao, the female lead, just called and told the crew that their car was stuck in a traffic jam. It'll take them twenty minutes to arrive here. As for the second female leads..."

Letting his voice trail, the assistant bowed his head even lower. He was afraid that if he were to continue the words that he wanted to say, Director Zhao's ire might fall on him instead. And so, the assistant kept his mouth shut and let Director Zhao understand what he meant.

Director Zhao's expression darkened at the mention of the second lead of the movie. Thirty minutes ago, the second female lead had already arrived to the location where the ceremony would take place. This was a thing worthy of thousands of praises since it was quite special for an actress or an actor to come early to the filming site.

If an actress or an actor arrived early, the crew would be happy since they could end the shooting and go home early.

However, Director Zhao couldn't even smile. His head was full of gathering dark clouds with thunder clapping above it. Just because the second female lead that was praised by the crew for being punctual was none other than Xu Lei, and not his niece!

Director Zhao really wanted to know what his niece was doing and where the hell was she? The crew were already here and the time for the start of the booting ceremony was about to come, even the female lead will arrive on time at least. But she, a second lead, whose role was on the verge of floating away and enthroning another, was still not around.

Taking his own phone from his pocket, Director Zhao called his sister and bellowed, "Call Qin Ling's phone! Tell her, if she doesn't arrive before the start of the ceremony then, I will take her name off from the cast list!"

Qin Ling's mother seemed to have something to say on the phone, but Director Zhao already hung up on her and kept his phone inside his pocket and completely ignored their calls.

Although Director Zhao had used the back door to let his niece, Qin Ling, in the cast list of the movie "The Great Empress' Love", this was his first time using his influence on this movie to bring in a family member. The last several times that Qin Ling did this was all done by her father, who was Director Zhao's brother-in-law.

However, that didn't mean that he wouldn't be strict towards his niece. Before the movie had even announced the production of it, Director Zhang had already decided that he wouldn't show any favors or partialness to his niece.

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