Shen Kong’s mind was flooded with countless speculations in an instant, but he kept them all hidden under his lowered lashes without revealing any emotion.
With a look of sincere trepidation, he raised his head and said somewhat timidly, “But, but I don’t know Senior Ye at all. I’m afraid it will be very difficult…”
Before he could finish his sentence, the middle-aged man sitting opposite him interrupted impatiently:
“Of course we’re not asking you to be exactly like him. Otherwise, the purpose would be too obvious.”
Shen Kong nodded in confusion, then mustered up the courage to ask, “Then… Then can you tell me a bit about their past? That way, at least I can understand a little more and try not to arouse his suspicion…”
Unexpectedly, the middle-aged man shook his head:
“I’m afraid we can’t help you with that. There’s very little information about Han Li before he went abroad, and we don’t have a thorough understanding of the situation back then.”
He then gestured with his chin towards the folder placed in front of Shen Kong and added:
“All the information you need is in there. You can take a look at it now.”
Shen Kong paused, reached out, and picked up the folder. The documents inside were thin and light, barely noticeable in weight.
He flipped open the top photo and quickly skimmed through the information beneath it.
On the white paper with black text, Han Li’s more than twenty years of life were condensed into a few brief lines—from the much-anticipated heir of the Han family, to the abandoned son due to disability, and finally to the business prodigy who returned with an impressive resume. Shen Kong felt a mixture of emotions, akin to watching his own child grow up, with past experiences vividly flashing before his eyes.
However, while feeling emotional, Shen Kong also keenly discovered the clues:
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
In the original plot, Han Li was sent abroad because, after the housekeeper’s death, he developed an extreme personality and bit off a bully’s finger, even gouging out the leader’s eye.
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So… what was the reason for Han Li going abroad?
The documents did not say.
There wasn’t even a single mention of Han Li’s high school years, as if… it had been deliberately erased from the records.
However, Shen Kong wasn’t sure whether this information was simply inaccessible to his current employer or if they were unwilling to disclose it to him.
He buried his doubts in his heart, closed the file in his hands, and looked up at the middle-aged man sitting across the table.
Seeing that Shen Kong had finished reading the file, the other party tossed another folder to him.
Shen Kong opened it.
Inside was a script for a TV drama entitled 《Guiyuan Tower》 .
The middle-aged man explained, “This is a script recently invested in by Han Li. He will also be present at the auditions. We hope you can seize this opportunity. You are auditioning for the sixth male lead, which doesn’t have many scenes. The audition is next Tuesday. However, there are many key figures involved in this drama, and apart from securing you an audition, we have no further influence over the project. If you can’t get the role, there’s nothing more we can do.”
The man’s voice softened, offering some comfort, like giving a sweet date after a slap:
“But don’t be too nervous. This role is quite similar to Ye Jinghuan’s first role when he entered the entertainment industry. Study his expressions carefully, and we’ll exert our influence as much as possible. Your chances are still very good.”
Shen Kong put away the script, nodding gratefully, and somewhat incoherently said, “Thank you, thank you. I will definitely seize this opportunity and not let you down.”
The middle-aged man nodded and then casually waved his hand, indicating that Shen Kong could leave.
Shen Kong stood up with the two files in hand. After taking a couple of steps, he suddenly remembered something, turned back, and asked somewhat awkwardly:
“Excuse me, may I ask how I should address you?”
The middle-aged man hesitated for a second before answering Shen Kong’s question, “My surname is Tang. You can call me Tang-ge.”
Shen Kong returned home and briefly skimmed through the script for his upcoming audition.
It was adapted from a popular IP, telling the story of a fictional dynasty on the brink of collapse, with internal power struggles and various characters either striving for power and fame or swept along by the tides of the times. The plot was grand, with numerous characters and a complex and heavy storyline. Even from the script, it was evident how much importance various companies attached to it.
The director’s name is Pei Xiuran. Shen Kong looked him up and found that he was a world-renowned genius director. Films he directed typically achieved both critical acclaim and box office success. However, his pickiness regarding scripts and actors was also famously known internationally. There were even rumors of a popular actress being brought to tears on his set.
Fortunately, the sixth male lead that Shen Kong was competing for didn’t have a significant portion of the script, leaving a slim chance for him.
The name of this character is Ji Anyi, the second son of the Left Prime Minister of this dynasty. He came from a prestigious background, enjoyed reading poetry and literature, was courteous and naive, and once bonded with the male lead through poetry, becoming close friends. However, while Ji Anyi was traveling, the Left Prime Minister was executed under the accusation of treason by the mad and tyrannical emperor.
In his anguish and despair, Ji Anyi joined the rebel army led by the male lead, but was constantly tormented by his loyalty to the emperor, his parents, and his teachers. It wasn’t until he met the female lead that he found new hope for the future. However, upon learning of the male lead’s affection for the female lead, he quietly withdrew. Later, during an ambush, Ji Anyi was killed by a barrage of arrows while protecting the female lead.
In short, this character was tragic and appealing to fans, but his storyline was the simplest among all the characters in the film.
The challenge wasn’t too great.
Shen Kong stood up, stretched, and then began to tidy up the files on the desk.
At that moment, a photo slipped out of the folder and fluttered to the ground.
Shen Kong paused, bent down, and picked up the photo.
Han Li, who had lost his youthful innocence, was frozen on the thin photo paper, quietly looking back at him.
Just then, Shen Kong noticed something odd about the photo. He brought it closer and examined it carefully.
His fingertip gently slid across the smooth surface of the photo, stopping at the cane gripped in Han Li’s hand.
The cane’s surface was shiny black, covered with intricate and irregular wood grain patterns. At the junction of the cane’s top and shaft, there was a barely noticeable small flaw, resembling just a shadow cast by a protruding knuckle.
Shen Kong furrowed his brows, his expression grave and somber.
If he wasn’t mistaken… this should be a hidden mechanism. The cane was hollow, capable of concealing a weapon inside. It was covered with special materials that made it undetectable by conventional means. This type of cane had once been very popular among mercenaries and assassins, only disappearing in recent years due to losing its concealment advantage.
Why would Han Li have this?
How dangerous must his situation be for him to feel the need to carry a weapon for self-defense…?
Shen Kong didn’t know the answer.
All he knew was that meeting Han Li as soon as possible had become the top priority. Only by understanding the plot at this point in time could he decide on his next steps.
KEIGHTY: Special thanks to riceball for joining me on ko-fi! If you also want to read chapters in advance, please consider joining as well! Thank youu💐🎉🫶
Oh gosh, I wonder how long it would take Han Li to recognise Shen Kong hehe
Thank you for the chapter!
Thank you for the chapter 😍 ❤️ ❤️ ❤️