Xu Chun's heart sank. Sure enough, here it came. He pulled himself together and nodded solemnly.
"Of course."
As soon as he spoke, whispers broke out around the room.
"Why so sudden? That's not fair at all."
"Exactly. Does Xu Chun have a grudge with the director, so the director's deliberately making things difficult for him?"
Xie Jianyuan, who had come in early, stood to the side, listening to the discussion around him as he watched the upright figure in the middle of the room.
Director Wang looked through the script, carefully choosing a scene for Xu Chun's test.
I can do this. Xu Chun clenched his fists and silently encouraged himself. Haven't I already made up my mind? I have to get this role.
"How about this? Act out this scene." Director Wang pointed to a spot in the script. "It's a crying scene. Can you do it?"
Xu Chun's pupils contracted sharply. How could this be?! It's not the scene from my previous life.
Did my rebirth cause a lot of uncontrollable changes? Was the change in the test this time one of them?
Calm down. Everyone's watching.
Xu Chun dug his nails deep into his palms, pressing hard. A sense of helplessness washed over him. Am I going to give up here?
"Can you do it?" Seeing that he had made no move for a long time, Director Wang couldn't help asking.
No! How could I possibly accept that?
When Xu Chun raised his head again, his gaze was much firmer, his amber eyes so beautiful that it was hard to look away.
"Yes," he said hoarsely.
Director Wang nodded in satisfaction and searched the room for a moment. His gaze stopped, and he pointed at one of the figures. "Are you auditioning too? Good, come help him run the scene."
Xu Chun froze and turned to look, only to find that the person he had picked was Xie Jianyuan.
The scene was about an argument between the brothers Song Ye and Song Han. Song Han no longer wanted to study; he wanted to drop out and help his brother support their household, even though there were only the two of them in it.
Xu Chun pressed his lips together and looked at Xie Jianyuan in front of him. From this moment on, he was only Song Ye, and Xie Jianyuan was only Song Han.
"Ready, three! Two! One! Action!"
The clapperboard snapped, and the room fell silent.
"Brother, I'm home."
Song Ye sat silently in a chair, his back slightly hunched as he stared at the floor. The dim yellow light cast a silhouette that made his shadow look even more gaunt.
After a long while, he slowly raised his eyes to look at Song Han. They were bloodshot.
Song Han's heart sank. "Brother, what's wrong?"
Song Ye made a gesture as though stubbing out a cigarette, then turned his face away, no longer looking at him. "I got a call from your teacher today. He said you didn't go to school. Where did you go?"
His tone was frighteningly calm, but his slightly trembling hand betrayed his thoughts.
Song Han spoke directly, his tone casual. "I don't want to go to school anymore."
Song Ye closed his eyes slightly and asked hoarsely, "Why?"
Looking a little uncomfortable, Song Han said, "No reason."
When Song Ye heard this, he stood up in silence and walked over to Song Han. He stared at him without blinking for a moment, and just as everyone relaxed, he suddenly raised his hand and punched him hard.
"What the fuck are you thinking? Who am I busting my ass every day for?!" Song Ye grabbed him by the collar. Veins stood out faintly on his forehead, but his eyes were beginning to redden.
Song Han touched his right cheek where he had been hit and hissed in pain. "I don't want to see you working, brother."
"What, are you embarrassed that I set up a street stall outside your school?" Song Ye's voice trembled slightly, and his grip on the collar loosened a little. "No wonder you pretended not to see me when you got out of evening study that day."
"No, brother." Song Han grew anxious. "I don't want to see you work so hard for me anymore. I can work too. I don't want to study anymore."
Song Ye let go of him, a suspicion forming in his mind. "What happened at school?"
Song Han looked up at him and said quietly, "We got a notice that we have to pay more money." That was why he had gone to work and earn money today.
He continued, "It's fine if I fall a few days behind on my schoolwork. I asked around, and if we want to pay the full amount, working nights alone won't be enough, so I..."
"Stop."
Song Ye let out a breath and glanced up at the ceiling. His reddened eyes were slightly wet, and he tilted his head back, trying hard to keep his tears from falling. His voice trembled a little. "I'll find a way to get the money. I'm useless. I'll make sure you finish school."
In those words were self-reproach and guilt for misunderstanding his younger brother, pain and unwillingness to accept their poverty, and helplessness over his own life.
Song Han could no longer hold back his tears. He was only a seventeen-year-old boy, forced to grow up by the weight of life.
"Brother, does that mean you won't send me to the orphanage?" Song Han looked up and stared at him without blinking.
Song Ye patted his head and pulled him fiercely into his arms.
"Who told you that nonsense?"
Song Han grinned. "Then does that mean we can be together forever?"
Song Ye looked up, tears glimmering in his eyes. "Of course."
"Cut!"
The clapperboard snapped, and everyone came to their senses as if waking from a dream. Director Wang struggled to contain his excitement. Just now, it had been as if he had seen Song Ye from the script come to life, standing right in front of him.
As soon as Xu Chun heard "cut," he immediately put some distance between himself and Xie Jianyuan. He wiped his face, clearing away the tears, and once again became the gentle, amiable young senior he usually was.
"Thanks for your effort." He gave Xie Jianyuan a slight nod, then turned slightly to face Director Wang, ready to hear his assessment. His manner was cold and distant.
Xie Jianyuan still looked a little dazed, as though he had yet to come out of the scene.