“Didn’t sleep well last night?” Xie Xun handed Xiao Qishen a bottle of filtered water and got into the car to start the engine. “You have a show to appear on after the final photo shoot.”
Xiao Qishen took a sip of water and closed his eyes. “I understand.”
“Who told you to run off yesterday to visit a set.I had to postpone your album recording to the evening.” Xie Xun saw the responding tired look through the rearview mirror. He sighed helplessly and fell silent.
He knew who Xiao Qishen had gone with to visit yesterday afternoon. As a manager, he should have stopped him from doing so, but he couldn’t. Not only was it Emperor Xiao of the entertainment industry, but he was also Xiao Zimo, the second son of the Xiao family.
What’s more, he had worked with Xiao Qishen for four years. Apart from their professional relationship, he was still a friend. He couldn’t stand in the way of his friend’s feelings.
When Luo Yanqian and Xia Xichuan arrived on set, the props for the photoshoot had already been set up. It was a lively atmosphere with the crew shuttling back and forth on set.
Luo Yanqian pulled the brim of his baseball cap down. Worthy of an international director, the atmosphere of the studio is completely different from that of small films. He followed a reception staff to the director’s lounge.
The door of the director’s lounge was left open, so when he approached the door, Luo Yanqian stopped at the faint sound of conversation. The staff led him straight inside.
Li Nan was nearly forty years old. He wasn’t that tall, and was a little chubby, but his eyes were sharp. His hair was a mess, which suited the image of a director. When Luo Yanqian entered, Li Nan looked him up and down. He gave a flat look to the young woman sitting across from him. “Miss Liao, this is the actor you asked to play Zhu Ai in your play.”
Liao Ran smiled and nodded. “I’ve seen the music video for one of his albums. The piano player he played as in his video in one of the songs suits the image of Zhu Ai.”
Li Nan looked at the stylishly dressed Luo Yanqian. He said to one of the assistants beside him, “Get him changed into his costume. We’ll do a screen test first.”
“Director Li, I know about your high standards for actors, but I believe this time you’ll be satisfied after meeting them.” Liao Ran watched Luo Yanqian leave through the door. “Both Luo Yanqian and the newcomer, Shan Yatong. As for Emperor Xiao, I naturally don’t have to say much more.”
Xia Xichuan did not follow Luo Yanqian to the dressing room. His eyes snapped to Liao Ran in surprise when he heard Shan Yatong’s name. Did that mean Shan Yatong will also be starring in this movie?
Li Nan mused, “For the character of Qian Chen, Xiao Qishen is indeed capable of performing such a role. It’s just…” He frowned slightly. “Anyway, I need the newcomer to audition first. If he is not suitable, I will replace him.”
“Of course.” Liao Ran nodded. “You are the director of the movie, naturally you’ll be making the decisions. My opinion is just for reference. I hope that Yatong will satisfy you.”
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.
Li Nan was clearly more satisfied with this statement. He looked at Xia Xichuan, who was sitting on the side. “You’re the agent of the actor that just came in?”
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Li Nan smiled politely, and didn’t say anything. He was mostly concerned about the other key figure of the movie, the actor for Feng Wu. Feng Wu was integral to the movie. It is likely that the movie will fail if that character falls through. So that’s why he wanted to see what kind of actor he was, to be able to perform as this free and unconstrained fox demon Feng Wu. To be recommended by top-tier screenwriters from the circle, without even a second option to be considered.
As he was thinking about it, he heard footsteps of several people outside the door. A staff member came in and said, “Director Li, Mr. Lu Fan is here with his actor.”
Lu Fan was a well-known agent in the circle. Li Nan had some personal contact with him. So he raised his eyes and watched Lu Fan enter the room with a smile on his face.
“Director Li, I haven’t seen you for such a long time. How have you been lately?” Lu Fan asked with a smile.
“Everyone is just making a living in this circle.” Li Nan laughed. “Take a seat. How do you have time to visit me today?” “Having said that, he glanced at the teenager behind him. “Bringing someone in for an audition?”
“Yes, this is the newcomer I’ve only recently started bringing in.” Lu Fan wasn’t in a hurry, and sat down on the couch next to him. “What do you think, just from looking at him?” From the tone of his voice, he sounded like a pimp at a brothel.
Only then did Li Nan turn his head to seriously look at the teenager, paying close attention to his lower half. Fair skin, with slightly upturned corners to his eyes, and an ambiguous sense from his peach blossom eyes. Faced with Li Nan’s inquisitive gaze, the teenager did not panic, just smiled back lightly. This bland reaction surprised Li Nan. He hadn’t seen such a calm newcomer before.
“There is something special about him.” Li Nan nodded. “Which role is he here to audition for?” The tone of his voice made him sound like a regular patron of brothels.
Lu Fan accepted the tea from the staff with a smile. But he did not say anything. Xia Xichuan on the other side gritted his teeth and also accepted the tea, while mentally drawing circles. Is he only drinking a cup of tea because of the presence of this gold medal manager?
“Hello Director Li, I am Shan Yatong. Today I am here to audition for the role of Feng Wu.” Shan Yatong smiled a smile as gentle as the sunshine in March.
“Cough!” Xia Xichuan choked on the mouthful of tea in his throat. He thought Shan Yatong had come for a part in the play, but didn’t expect it to be that important of a role. If he passes the audition, then he and Yanqian…
The company’s reason for casting Yanqian in this movie was also because it was to be filmed in more places. Yanqian would be preoccupied for several months, and would be unable to meet with Shan Yatong. Their friendship would naturally fade over time. But the situation now seems a lot more complicated.
Li Nan raised his eyebrows. Lu Fan’s confidence made him curious about the teenager’s acting capabilities. He said, “Then go and change into your costume. I’ll wait for you and that Luo…”
“Luo Yanqian,” Liao Ran, who had been quiet this whole time, answered with a smile.
“En, we’ll have you acting with Luo Yanqian.” Li Nan nodded.
When Shan Yaxuan saw Xia Xichuan, he had guessed that Luo Yanqian would also be taking part in the movie. With the way things are going, Luo Yanqian’s role could only be Zhu Ai, the bamboo demon in love with Feng Wu?
He smiled and followed the staff into the dressing room. It didn’t matter who he was playing. It was just a movie.
It took nearly an hour to get the appearance right. Luo Yanqian, along with the staff, made their way to a man-made traditional garden. The garden already had several cameras set up. Li Nan was also sitting in front of a monitor. Xia Xichuan walked to his side and said, “You’ll be acting in this scene later. First take a look at the script,” he said. He hesitated to look at him, and fell quiet.
This scene is when the bamboo demon first meets the fox demon, Feng Wu, who is playing the qin in the garden. The bamboo demon listens to the sounds of the qin with fondness, and the fox demon continues to play unknowingly, full of grace and charm. When the qin stops, the two smile at each other.
There is not a single line, but because there is no dialogue, the scene is more difficult to interpret. Everything depended on the body language and eyes, which is a huge factor in acting skills.
Luo Yanqian looked at Xia Xichuan who wanted to say something, and nodded.
“The appearance is not bad.” Li Nan commented to Liao Ran beside him. “I just don’t know how his acting is.”
Liao Ran’s eyes lit up. “Director Li, he’s also been in the circle for more than a year. He’s done a few dramas, and he’s a popular male artist. His acting skill won’t be lacking.”
Li Nan looked at the inexplicable light in her eyes with some confusion, and coughed dryly without speaking. Whether it was a horse or a mule, it was better to just pull it out and walk it.
Shan Yatong inhaled and took care of his expensive white robes as he exited the dressing room.
“Beautiful young man, beautiful young man.”
“Monster, monster.”
Waiting outside, Lu Fan nodded with satisfaction and said, “We’ll go over to the audition now.” Shan Yatong raised an eyebrow and followed him. This was supposed to be a literary drama?
“He’s here, he’s here, my beautiful young man.” Liao Ran’s excited tone caught Li Nan and Luo Yanqian’s attention. The two of them waiting on the side couldn’t help but look up at who entered the room. With one glance, Luo Yanqian froze.
Obviously in a white traditional robe, the teenager in his vision appeared so enchanting. He looked at him speechlessly. “Yatong…”
Was Yatong the actor playing Feng Wu?! For a moment, he couldn’t recover from his speechless surprise. It turned out to be Yatong… The previous hint of reluctance in his heart had long since dissolved into nothing. He suddenly smiled. Of course it was him.
Fortunately… Fortunately he didn’t turn down this role.
“Yanqian,” Shan Yatong said, nodding politely to Luo Yanqian. His brilliant star-like eyes carried a light smile.
Li Nan had to admit that the teenager’s appearance was perfectly in line with his own vision of Feng Wu. He nodded, checked the time, and said, “You two get ready now. Wait for the audition to start.”
“Yatong, Yanqian, you can do it. I’ll be watching you two.” Liao Ran waved warmly from the side.
Shan Yatong smiled and looked away, hiding the twitching corners of his mouth. Why did he feel like he was being watched by wolves when he saw Liao Ran’s excited eyes?
Li Nan also looked at Liao Ran, puzzled. “Miss Liao, you like that Shan Yatong actor that much?”
“Director Li, you don’t understand that this is a queen shou. As a veteran corrupt woman [TL: rotten girl / fujoshi; a female who loves shipping gays together] I will tell you, this is definitely a one-in-a-million powerful and imposing kind of temperament. You have to cultivate such talent carefully.” Liao Ran explained excitedly. “A real queen shou is hard to train, and if you’re careless, they’ll become too arrogant.”
Li Nan felt for the first time that there was an unbridgeable knowledge gap in his world. He had no idea that it was possible for a man to become a queen like that, and he never knew that there were creatures in the world called corrupt women.
He carefully looked at Shan Yatong. From his appearance, he looked good, if not very delicate. But even so, he was clearly a man, even if on the slimmer side. Even if one looked closely, he was still instantly recognizable as a man. How did he become a queen?
He rubbed his chin and looked at the screenwriters around him who were already filled with excitement. Or maybe it wasn’t that he couldn’t keep up with the times, but that the world was changing too fast?
Edited by Kyou
B: LMAO Liao Ran representing all of us… going feral and foaming at the mouth after finding her ideal shou. And then poor director Li was overwhelmed from the world of BL
Kyou: RIP director Li, welcome to the world of BL. You gotta get used to it fast coz you’re gonna direct a movie that is literally a BL
Thanks for the chapter ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Well the company’s plan backfired! Trying to keep Yanqian away from Yatong and instead put them together.
I don’t understand why they can’t be friends? Simply because they have different agencies?
Thanks for the chapter <3
Thanks for the chapter ♥️♥️
Thanks for the chapter !! ^^)❤
poor Li Nan
thanks for the chapter~
Cant wait for the next chapter. Thank you!
Director Li really is open-minded to take on this particular job. Very good.