0901: “The side task is, you have to complete the gong and shou’s emotional plot line in every world. The fuller and sweeter, the more points and props you will be rewarded.”
Xu Qichen was now starting to suspect this is the work of revenge of a loyal reader born from all the grievance and dissatisfaction accumulated in the long run.
Blame himself for being too naive, believing that the worst result of smoking the emotional plot line and writing a BE is receiving blades, and not expecting that would now become a matter of life and death.
But for a single-from-birth emotional defect like him, who never knew how to develop the feelings between two people even when looking from god’s perspective, asking him to put himself into his character’s shoes and date a character he created is really making things too difficult for him.
Xu Qichen opened the script. Parts of this script originally appeared as excerpts in the novel. Seeing this complete script formed from those fragmented ideas, he felt it was very interesting.
“This is Director Chen Anping’s new film. If it weren’t for Du Meng’s misfortune, suddenly meeting a problem at this point, we wouldn’t have the chance to audition.”
Du Meng is a very strong cannon fodder in his setting. He debuted with a big director’s show and became famous overnight. His following works were all of good reputation. His career was going upslope, and all he needed was one popular and award-winning film.
At this time, the chance came. To be able to work with Chinese-American Director Chen Anping and the cutting-edge film emperor Lin Ran, it’s impossible to not become extremely famous.
But just at this moment, it was revealed that Du Meng had improper relationships with a number of young internet celebrities. The evidence came wave by wave, and Du Meng who had always kept a ‘clean youth’ public image was pulled off the altar by the netizens, the good reputation he accumulated over several years completely gone.
What initially caught the director’s eye was his public image, which matched the role. Now that his true self was exposed, just the negative comments everywhere was enough for the investors to drop him without hesitation.
Li Yun hugged her arms, looked at Ji Mengze who lowered his head quietly, and said: “You’re not joining the afterparty later, we’re going straight to the audition. I’ve already arranged everything.” She checked the schedule, and continued: “Chen Anping is obviously aiming for awards with this work.”
Right? For films wanting to win international awards nowadays, needing both humanistic depth and topicality, plus the ability to quickly accumulate traffic, there is only the LGBT theme. Even if they fail to win awards in the end, the popularity and discussion they bring about would be worth the investments.
That’s what Xu Qichen was thinking when he wrote this.
How could he have known he would end up in this novel someday.
“I’ve read the script. Based on appearances, no one is more suited for the role of Yu Ning than you.”
Appearances… Xu Qichen smiled bitterly: “But I don’t have acting skills ah.”
Li Yun glared at him. “Audition first, we’ll discuss that later. With your popularity, everything delivered to your doorstep is not good enough. Good resources don’t come without a fight.”
This woman is tougher than he wrote.
“We’re arriving.” Li Yun looked out of the window. The hotel where the auditions were held was nearby. “Get ready.”
According to the original plot, next is entering the hotel, beginning the audition, failing the audition, then joining the film crew because of the pressure from the investors.
“0901,” Xu Qichen once again asked the system, “can I take actions to change the plot?”
“You are the author as well as the system host, of course you can. As long as you can bear the consequences of the change.”
Xu Qichen looked at his face in the mirror. After thinking for a moment he said: “One moment.”
“What is it?”
Xu Qichen turned to look at Li Yun, then pointed at Xiao Wang, the assistant beside her.
“I want to wear the white t-shirt he’s wearing.”
Li Yun was stunned for a while.
“Also,” Xu Qichen started removing his clothes, “help me remove my makeup.”
Xiao Wang: “But… I’m a lot fatter than you, and this shirt was from a street stall…”
Xu Qichen had already begun to unbutton. “Nevermind, take it off. Just lend it to me for tonight.”
Xiao Wang looked at Yun-jie, Li Yun smiled and nodded. “Since he told you to take it off, then take it off. Xiao Zhang, help Mengze remove his makeup.”
Xu Qichen took the t-shirt that Xiao Wang hesitantly handed over and quickly pulled it over his head. Xiao Zhang took out the makeup remover and began to work.
Xu Qichen grabbed at the baby hair obediently resting on his forehead, mumbling softly, “Luckily we didn’t do my hair after washing it.”
Li Yun looked at the boy in front of her who couldn’t be more well-behaved meaningfully. After removing the gorgeous stage costume and makeup, he still has the cleanest look of a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old.
“So you still have some brains.”
Xu Qichen felt that this Li Yun was meaner than he wrote. He smiled at the woman without speaking. Then he saw a black baseball hat beside the seat, picked it up and put it on.
When all was ready, Li Yun brought Xu Qichen into the hotel. The audition was in a large en suite. They saw several staff in black suits the moment they entered the lift. Li Yun recognised one of them and immediately put on a very enthusiastic smile. “Aiyah Hong-ge, long time no see. You’re in charge of receiving the audition candidates today?”
The one who was called Hong-ge also smiled and put an arm around Li Yun’s shoulders. “Yes ah, it’s the most tiring work ah. You also brought someone to try out?”
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.
“Zfcuhf, mbwf.”
Ktlr cjwf kjr cba obgfluc ab We Hlmtfc, yea la’r ralii vloolmeia ab ilcx la ab tlwrfio. Lf gfqilfv ‘jl’, atfc obiibkfv Ol Tec.
Lbcu-uf’r fsfr ila eq. “Tb, lrc’a atlr sbeg mbwqjcs’r reqfg lvbi, tfiib tfiib, ws ilaaif rlrafg ilxfr sbe nfgs wemt.” We Hlmtfc rtbbx tlr tjcv, rwlilcu, jcv rjlv j ofk atjcxr.
However Hong-ge evidently did not expect Li Yun to bring Ji Mengze over. He added softly, “Since we’re all old friends, I’ll warn you beforehand, today’s audition is especially difficult, that bunch are very particular. You should be prepared to make this a one day trip.”
“What do you mean?”
“Aside from Director Chen and Screenwriter Qu, there’s one more inside.”
Li Yun immediately understood. “Lin Ran?”
Hong-ge slapped his palm, “Exactly. I’ll just tell you straight, this work of Screenwriter Qu’s, the prototype for the main character is Lin Ran.”
Prototype. Hearing this term, Xu Qichen felt both a little helpless and a little funny.
“He was handpicked for this role long ago. Since it’s Lin Ran, wanting to choose the other actors is also very normal.”
Li Yun murmured a bit. Even though she had never really spoken to Lin Ran, her acquaintances’ evaluation of him are all good, saying he’s easy to approach. There is only one problem: He despises traffic idols that rely on their faces to eat.
This is a bit troublesome.
Xu Qichen’s expression was still ‘whatever’, making Li Yun sigh repeatedly.
“That’s all, I’ll bring you to fill in some information, then Mengze can wait in the lounge. There are simply too many people today, everywhere’s full.”
Xu Qichen nodded and followed him. After a round of work, Li Yun went to socialise, leaving him to read the script in the lounge.
This film is called Nan Ke. Back when Xu Qichen was writing this he stressed over this title. It’s really difficult to think of a name that was literary without seeming overdone. After coming up with many names, he still decided on the initial version.
Nan Ke is the name of Lin Ran’s character in the plot.
The core of this film’s plot is actually very simple.
It starts with two young men reuniting.
The time changes, inserted in the scene of reunion are memories of the two main characters overseas from five years ago. The focus is the ignorant, complex and sensitive emotions of youth, as well as the growth and calm, friendship and love, and past and future of those who have experienced the changes of time.
The entire movie is full of large sections of inner monologues, greatly testing the actors’ ability to read lines.
Xu Qichen was reading with his head lowered when someone gently tapped his shoulder. He looked up to see a young man in his twenties with a pair of dimples. His voice was filled with pleasant surprise.
“It’s really you ai, I thought I saw wrong!”
Xu Qichen quickly thought over the characters in his novel, having a setting of dimples is very unique, so he quickly replied with a smile: “Sun Cheng, you’re also here.”
Sun Cheng nodded his head vigorously, full of energy. Xu Qichen watched him. Seeing real characters matching their setting is really a novel feeling. This is a supporting character in the novel with decent acting skills, professional acting training, and a cheerful personality. He’s also a powerful competitor for this role. When Soulmate went on a variety show previously he was also one of the guests. They have a ‘can chat’ relationship.
“Are you also trying for Yu Ning?” Sun Cheng glanced at the script Xu Qichen was reading.
Xu Qichen did not hide but nodded.
“Me too. But the character design is a depressed pretty teenager, not suitable for me at all.” His dimples were very deep.
Xu Qichen: “It’s alright. There must be a gap for there to be a challenge.”
The smile on Sun Cheng’s face hardened. Xu Qichen felt strange, did he say something wrong?
Sun Cheng grabbed Xu Qichen’s shoulder. “You’re a very good and gentle person, I want to be your friend. Can you add my WeChat? You didn’t add me last time, I really like your group’s songs, I wanted to go to your tour…”
Xu Qichen: “…”
“Ai?” Sun Cheng touched Xu Qichen’s face, “You didn’t come here without makeup, did you? There’s no powder at all.”
Xu Qichen nodded. “Did you wear makeup? I can’t tell at all.”
“I swear, you’re really… ah, very good looking ah.”
Can’t be sure whether it’s because there was someone to chat with, or because every actor’s audition was really too short, but it felt like no time at all before it was Sun Cheng’s turn.
Xu Qichen patted his shoulder and said good luck symbolically. Sun Cheng left the lounge with a look of heading to his death.
Xu Qichen lowered his head and continued to read the script. Not a few pages later, Sun Cheng already came back. His expression was bitter. The moment he saw Xu Qichen he began to wail, “Mengze~”
He really acts familiar ah.
Xu Qichen: “How was it?”
“Really difficult ah, I got a shock the moment I went in, didn’t expect to see Lin Ran there, almost forgot my lines. Then Director Chen told me to act the part after Yu Ning got drunk. I don’t even know if I did it well or not but they told me to stop after less than ten minutes.” Sun Cheng grabbed his hair frustratedly.
“Director Chen didn’t say anything else?”
Sun Cheng shook his head. “Director Chen was too cool, emotionless all the way, not a single word. It was Lin Ran who said something to me in the end.”
“What?”
“Do you think you can drive Yu Ning?”
Sun Cheng imitated Lin Ran’s expression, like a pricked balloon, let out a sigh.
“Then?”
“Then I said I just want to challenge myself bei.” Sun Cheng sighed: “Although his expression was gentle, he sounded frustrated to me.”
Xu Qichen patted his back. He didn’t say any words of comfort. He has never been good at comforting, and was never really comforted by anyone. At this kind of time it’s better for him to say nothing.
The drunk part? Having heard him say that, Xu Qichen began to feel anxious. Aside from being a calefare in a drama in university, he had never acted, and Ji Mengze’s setting is also an acting skills idiot. What should he do, must he really follow the novel, and only start interacting with Lin Ran after entering the crew via investment?
“0901, can points buy extra character settings? Like acting skills…”
The ice cold voice quickly replied: “This is against the rules. And, Mr. Xu, your initial points are only 500.”
“O. What can 500 buy?”
“Depends on your needs. A pen, two lighters, or five small bottles of fruit candies etc.”
Xu Qichen thought about it. “Then I want a bottle of candies.”
“Very well, Mr. Xu.” Xu Qichen heard a ‘ding’, and the left pocket on his jeans suddenly bulged. Reached in, there was really an egg-sized bottle.
“0901, your transaction is a bit of a scam.”
“Apologies, I reminded you it was a small bottle.”
Since he already bought it, Xu Qichen took out the bottle. “Want one?” He shook the bottle at Sun Cheng.
Sun Cheng shook his head, his expression still frustrated.
Xu Qichen kept the bottle, saw Li Yun walking in. It should be his turn soon. He asked Sun Cheng: “Do you know where the washroom is?”
“En… walk out, turn left, straight ahead.”
Xu Qichen stood up and greeted Li Yun. Li Yun asked him: “Since when were you and Sun Cheng so close?”
“We’re not. Happened to see him, chatted a bit.”
Li Yun’s expression was a bit ugly, a look of having something to say, but in the end she urged: “Be quick, there’s only a few more before you.”
Xu Qichen pulled his cap down, squeezed out of the very crowded door with some effort, head lowered, and went straight for the washroom.
In the washroom, Xu Qichen pondered Li Yun’s expression.
In Xu Qichen’s memory, Sun Cheng is a passing character without much importance, his setting is also very simple, and he did not appear much afterwards.
But if he changed the plot, then there would be developments affecting other characters as well.
While washing his hands, Xu Qichen suddenly felt a little dizzy. He shook his head and turned off the tap. The shine on the metal hurt his eyes some. His vision suddenly darkened, his legs weakened, and he immediately pressed on the marble countertop to support his body.
Should really have eaten before coming.
Heard the sound of the flush, someone walking out of the cubicle, washing his hands beside him.
Xu Qichen, suffering from a fit of low blood sugar, was unable to even lift his head. He slightly turned, slowly dragged his feet, leant his right shoulder on the wall, then put his whole weight on the wall.
Luckily he just bought the system’s blackhearted candies. ‘Early’ is really not as good as ‘good timing’.
Reached into his pocket and took the candies out, left hand holding the bottle, right hand turning the cap forcefully.
Can’t open.
He could hear the unending sound of water flowing beside him.
Gritted his teeth and tried to open it again, but his hands had no strength at all, it still couldn’t be opened.
Blackhearted system, blackhearted candies.
Xu Qichen no longer even had the strength to complain about the system.
The sound of water finally stopped. There was the sound of pulling paper, followed by the dry sound of rubbing between the paper towels and fingers, reverberating repeatedly in Xu Qichen’s dizzy brain, causing his ears to ring.
The crushed paper towels were thrown into the wastebasket.
This person is leaving.
Although Xu Qichen’s legs were about to give out, his consciousness was still there. He was just struggling.
There was no other way, he reached out his left hand, grabbed the forearm of the person who was leaving.
“Excuse me, can I trouble you to open this for me?”
The other’s footsteps stopped. Beneath his cap, Xu Qichen could only see the other’s lower body, a pair of long and straight legs, wearing suit pants. He did not take his candy bottle.
Almost fainting, Xu Qichen’s hand that was grabbing the forearm lowered weakly and grabbed the other’s wrist. He put the candy bottle on his hand and with a weak voice: “Help me.”
After a short silence.
The other party seemed to finally agree, reaching out to take the small candy bottle in Xu Qichen’s hand. With a ‘ka’, the bottle was opened and returned before Xu Qichen’s eyes. His fingers are very long, very nice to look at.
Xu Qichen took the bottle, said a soft thanks, then collapsed on the floor the next moment. He raised his head and poured the colourful candies into his mouth. Rather than eating candies, this looked more like taking drugs.
The supplementation of sugar gave him the feeling of his blood flowing back, and Xu Qichen’s numb limbs began to slowly regain strength. He sat for a while. That person didn’t seem to have any intention to leave.
It would have been over if he’d fainted here. This person was a great help, he should thank him properly later.
Xu Qichen was just about to stand up against the wall, but found that his field of vision suddenly widened.
The baseball cap on his head had been removed by Mr. Bottle Opener.
Xu Qichen, still sitting on the floor, raised his head and saw a face that could definitely be called extremely handsome. His head was tilted, giving him a not-quite-there smile.
The moment their eyes met, he can’t be sure exactly why, perhaps it’s the intuition a creator has towards his own work, but he was immediately sure that the person before him was Lin Ran.
Awkward first meeting, awkward cry for help, awkward position.
The most awkward part is, his mouth was still full of fruit-flavoured candies.
Assorted flavours, sweet and sour.
The author has something to say:
0901: Mr. Xu, do it, use your beauty to attack him
Xu Qichen: En! [make a fist
Lin Ran: Soon you’ll know who’s attacking who [death glare
Xu Qichen: Ai, someone wants to steal my task
TN
Hello and welcome 🙂 this one’s the prequel to the author’s other work I Only Like Your Character Settings that Zaki’s translating ^^ Check it out at https://chrysanthemumgarden.com/novel-tl/lycs/ Don’t worry, the only spoiler in there is the gong’s identity, which… isn’t really a secret.
Anyway, do look forward to updates every Thursday and at least once a week on non-Thursdays 🙂
…he does seem like he’s taking drugs OwO~
Thanks for the chapter~
Thank you for translating! <3
Thank you for starting translating this!! ❤️❤️
I seem to have been forcefully given a posion called cliffhanger! ༎ຶ‿༎ຶ
Btw, thnk u for updating nd translating ! I finally believe I’ve stumbled upon a great novel after so long. I’ll be looking forward for the next chapter!! Good work!
ooh i didn’t realize they were connected!
thanks for the chapter <3
Lmaoo that bit about drugs really was true xD
Thanks for the chapters! 🙂
Omg i knew the name Xu Qichen sounded familiar, but I wasn’t sure. Just checked and the characters i saw in Lovely Allergen (one of the author’s recent works) really were him and the ML!! It was when they were in high school iirc and sksbjs I’ve been wanting to see their novel ever since I knew they had one! >< Glad to know this is it!! Ahhh, I’m even more excited for this now!!
Are you talking about lovely allergen Song Yu and Yue Zhishi? perhaps do you know where I can read fast? KK-sama haven’t updated yet ehh
KK dropped it, it seems… Also I’ve been mtl-ing the raws. You can find them if you search up the original title. The mtl isn’t the worst and you can understand most of it, but let’s hope someone picks it up soon… i-i
Having a low sugar like him sweet were really the best medicine to take on!~
Thanks for the chapter,3
Looking forward to it (≧▽≦)
Thank you for the chapter 🥰
…. h-how long has it been since MC had last eaten?! Sincerely worried for our poor shou… QAQ
At least he made a strong first impression on ML lolol
💜💜💜
An adorable first meeting!! 😅😅
There’s so many characters and it hurt my head ahh