Jiang Xingxing never expected to receive a personal call from Director Gu Ye.
On the phone, the director’s tone was very polite, addressing her as “Miss Jiang” and using the word “please” when inviting her to audition.
Jiang Xingxing was flattered. She recalled the wrap party that night, where Director Gu Ye chatted with a few extras but didn’t even glance at her.
Why did he suddenly invite her to audition?
Without overthinking it, Jiang Xingxing quickly applied some light makeup, put on her most appropriate winter dress, and took a taxi to the filming location of “City of Daylight”.
Old-style Shanghai retro buildings stood tall on both sides of the street, exuding a strong Republic of China vibe.
When Jiang Xingxing arrived at the set, she realized that not only was she there for the audition, but several other actresses were also waiting for their turn. She saw familiar faces like Qiao Qiao, as well as some newcomers she didn’t recognize.
Qiao Qiao was surprised to see Jiang Xingxing. “Xingxing, are you here for the audition too?”
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Kkydt Dkdtmkdt alrzkle, “Ls xkpvyjl. Pkalnvsa Qw nyzzle xl vbkp xsadkdt. R’x blal vs ywekvksd qsa vbl zlye aszl sq Jyk Ckdtikdt.”
G qlo tkazp yaswde vblx typrle. “Ebyv? Pkalnvsa Qw rlapsdyzzu nyzzle usw?”
“Ls oyu, ol olal yzz nsdvynvle cu pvyqq vball eyup yts vs ywekvksd.”
“Pkalnvsa Qw oswzed’v rlapsdyzzu nyzz usw. Zsw’al dsv y ckt pvya sa yduvbkdt.”
…
Qiao Qiao also thought Jiang Xingxing was exaggerating. With a disdainful look, she said, “Since Director Gu ‘personally’ invited you, go ahead and wait in line for the audition.”
Jiang Xingxing said nothing and lined up behind the other girls. Just then, the busy Director Gu Ye emerged from the crowd, saw Jiang Xingxing, and quickly came over, warmly and politely saying, “Miss Jiang, you’re here. Please go to makeup and get changed. You’ll be the first to audition.”
Jiang Xingxing responded politely, “Thank you, Director Gu. I arrived late, so I’ll wait in line.”
“No need. Waiting in line will waste your time. It’s fine, just head to makeup. I’ll have the best makeup artist help you. Let’s see how the audition goes, and if it’s good, we’ll finalize it.”
After Gu Ye finished speaking, he quickly went off to tend to other matters. The girls around Jiang Xingxing were left dumbfounded, staring at her in disbelief, unable to comprehend how she could receive such polite attention from Director Gu Ye.
After all, Director Gu Ye was a well-known, top-tier director in the country, and yet he had addressed Jiang Xingxing with “you” in such a formal and respectful manner.
Unbelievable!
Especially for Qiao Qiao, whose expression turned extremely sour. She knew Jiang Xingxing’s background—she had no power, no connections, and no backing. She was practically a “nobody.” How could Director Gu Ye value her so highly?
She must have used underhanded tricks!
Jiang Xingxing ignored the jealous and resentful looks from the other girls and followed the staff member directly into the makeup room.
The big-budget team was indeed far more lavish compared to the teams in smaller films. The makeup room was spacious, bright, fully equipped, and large enough to accommodate dozens of actors getting made up at the same time.
Jiang Xingxing had never been part of such a big production before, and as she sat down, she felt a bit lost.
The makeup artist came over to apply her makeup. The scene she was about to perform depicted Bai Qingqing, now a spy, disguising herself as a singer, mingling at nightclubs and parties every evening, trying to extract information from men of various backgrounds.
This scene required heavy, stage-like makeup.
The makeup artist lifted Jiang Xingxing’s bangs and noticed the scar on her forehead, frowning slightly.
Jiang Xingxing knew this scar was a real problem. After all, Bai Qingqing was supposed to be a famous beauty in Shanghai society. Could someone with a scarred face still be called a beauty?
She asked the makeup artist, “Can this crescent-shaped scar be covered up?”
“I’ll try my best.”
The makeup artist layered foundation over her face again and again until her complexion became extremely pale, but the birthmark was still too prominent to fully conceal.
Qiao Qiao and the other girls also entered the makeup room. Qiao Qiao deliberately sat next to Jiang Xingxing, her tone laced with mockery: “Even if you used some underhanded means to catch the director’s attention, so what? You’re flawed by nature. Even if you get a chance, you won’t be able to seize it.”
She wanted to see how Jiang Xingxing would embarrass herself today.
Jiang Xingxing didn’t respond to her. Instead, she lowered her head and began to think, drawing on her years of experience in stage acting… Suddenly, an idea struck her. She turned to the makeup artist and said, “This birthmark is very light. Could you draw a design over it?”
When Jiang Xingxing made the suggestion, the makeup artist immediately understood her intention: “That’s a great idea. Let me think… I’ll paint a plum blossom. Its bright red color should cover the scar.”
However, Jiang Xingxing shook her head and said, “Plum blossoms symbolize coldness and aloofness. Since Bai Qingqing is disguising herself as a singer, blending into a world of vice, a plum blossom might not be fitting. Instead, how about a red rose? A red rose is bold, seductive, and decadent, perfectly matching Bai Qingqing’s identity and appealing to the men seeking pleasure.”
The makeup artist’s impression of Jiang Xingxing changed. Initially, she had assumed Jiang was just someone being “taken care of” by the director, someone who got in through connections. But after speaking with her, she realized Jiang had her own insightful ideas about the character. Compared to actresses who merely imitated appearances, Jiang was genuinely impressive.
Without delay, the makeup artist grabbed a paintbrush and, following the natural shape of Jiang Xingxing’s scar, painted a vivid, seductive red rose on her forehead.
Once Jiang put on the feathered dress of a nightclub singer, the allure of a woman from the Republic of China era, a woman steeped in mystery and seduction, radiated from her.
The audition began. Bai Qingqing emerged from a room on the third floor, a slender cigarette holder in hand. Moonlight streamed through the window at the end of the corridor, and she stood in the light, gracefully taking a drag from the cigarette. A lazy indifference clouded her expression, yet within that laziness, there was a hint of resentment and defiance.
Jiang Xingxing didn’t know how to smoke, but for this audition, she forced herself to learn. After all, the feeling of smoking without inhaling and truly smoking are worlds apart.
As she inhaled the smoke, the hazy look in her eyes revealed her deep skill as a professional actress.
Bathed in eerie moonlight and swirling smoke, the vivid red rose on her forehead, paired with the subtle changes in her expressions, created a scene with immense visual impact.
At that moment, she was no longer Jiang Xingxing. She had become the nightclub singer from 100 years ago in the tumultuous streets of Shanghai, a woman who couldn’t control her destiny and had to go with the flow, while also being the cunning spy Bai Qingqing, manipulating powerful forces at will.
Not far away, Shang Jie stared intently at Jiang Xingxing within the set. His deep, night-like eyes were filled with astonishment.
He gradually began to understand why this woman was so passionate about acting. Even with a flaw on her face, she refused to give up.
Because only when she was acting could she truly be herself. In those moments, she was the most beautiful and alive!
Everyone present was stunned, even the actresses who had initially looked down on her. They were deeply impressed by Jiang Xingxing’s acting skills.
Director Gu Ye was beyond excited. Initially, he had only given Jiang Xingxing a chance to audition because of pressure from the investors. The investors had made it clear that it was just an audition and that the final decision would still be his.
At the time, Gu Ye had thought to himself that if Jiang didn’t perform well, he would simply reject her. After all, as a top director in the country, he had to be responsible for the quality of his work.
But Jiang Xingxing’s performance had far exceeded his expectations!
After auditioning so many actresses over the past few days, Jiang Xingxing was the one who most embodied Bai Qingqing. From the moment she stepped into the set, she was Bai Qingqing.
Director Gu Ye made the decision on the spot: Jiang Xingxing would be the lead actress in this film.
The other actresses who had come to audition quickly congratulated Jiang Xingxing, their previous disdain replaced with smiles. Now, they hoped to build a connection with her, hoping to land supporting roles in the production.
Although Qiao Qiao was displeased, she still put on a smile and approached Jiang Xingxing. “Xingxing, you’re amazing! I knew your acting skills were top-notch. Back when we were on “The Eunuch”, I could already tell you weren’t someone to be underestimated. When you make it big, don’t forget about your sisters!”
Jiang Xingxing forced a smile, giving her a very obvious fake grin before turning and walking into the dressing room.
It wasn’t that she intentionally looked down on Qiao Qiao, but this woman’s way of adapting to the situation was so shameless that it forced others to disdain her.
Jiang Xingxing, still thrilled, didn’t let those people dampen her mood. She walked into the dressing room, ready to change. Just as she took off her coat, she was suddenly grabbed from behind by a man.
The embrace was firm and strong, radiating heat.
Startled, Jiang Xingxing was about to scream when the man covered her mouth—
“Shh.”
She immediately recognized the voice—it was Shang Jie. Instantly, her guard dropped. Turning around, she playfully smacked him, “What are you doing? You scared me!”
Shang Jie’s mouth curled into a mischievous smile. He tugged at her collar, and Jiang Xingxing realized that after removing Bai Qingqing’s feathered dress, she was now wearing a tight black lace camisole and thigh-high stockings, highlighting every curve of her body.
She instinctively stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest as her cheeks flushed red. “Why do you always sneak around? Last time it was in the women’s restroom, now it’s the dressing room.”
“Do you think I want to?” Shang Jie replied. “If I flirted with you in public, Lawrence would drag me to the hospital in no time, and I’d be stuck getting electroshock therapy.”
Jiang Xingxing’s eyes widened. “That’s so cruel!”
“That’s why you need to behave and stop messing around,” Shang Jie said, gently pulling her into his arms. “Congratulations, future Best Actress.”
Jiang Xingxing suspected it was probably Shang Jie who pulled some strings to get her such a valuable audition. Gratefully, she said, “It’s all thanks to you. I really appreciate it.”
“I only asked Gu Ye to give you a chance. Whether or not he’d use you depended on your own performance.” Shang Jie flicked her forehead. “You earned this yourself.”
Jiang Xingxing brushed her bangs aside and asked, “Does it look good?”
Shang Jie’s hand brushed against the scar on her forehead, now completely covered by the vivid red rose. The rose was eerie yet stunning.
He shook his head. “I don’t like it.”
Jiang Xingxing was a little disappointed. “The makeup artist said it looked great and completely covered my flaw.”
“Flaw?” Shang Jie shook his head again. “You really don’t understand yourself, do you?”
Jiang Xingxing looked confused.
Shang Jie leaned in closer, cupping her face in his hand. His deep brown eyes lingered on the scar on her forehead, a look of fascination he couldn’t hide.
“It’s incredibly sexy as hell.”
With that, his lips gently touched hers.
Jiang Xingxing felt as if she had been struck by lightning.
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The 2nd persona is so smooth. I don’t know how the 1st persona going to court Xingxing