Chapter Eight
The next day, He Meng picked Li Wenchuan up and took him to an audition venue. It was the first time since transmigrating that Li Wenchuan had gone out to seriously work at his actual profession.
He opened his thermos and took a gentle sip, letting out a contented sound. That morning, he had once again discussed health-preserving secrets with the old men, and he felt he had made great progress.
At the very least, he no longer dared stay up late. So when he heard there was new work, his only question was, "Will I have to stay up late?"
He Meng got out of the car and led him inside. "That depends on the production. You're only the fourth male lead, so it probably won't be too hard."
"Why are you worrying about that when you're so young?"
Before getting out, he shook his thermos. "Health."
"Then why are you steeping goji berries in Sprite in a thermos?" What kind of cursed health regimen was that?
He Meng: Heh :).
Li Wenchuan had gotten genuinely popular yesterday, and sure enough, offers came knocking.
For the Phoenix was a major IP adaptation centered on a female protagonist. It had an enormous readership and sky-high expectations. The moment news of its screen adaptation was released, trending topics flooded the internet one after another, with everyone discussing who would be suitable for the roles.
Naturally, the male and female leads had already been decided, but there was still room for discussion when it came to the supporting cast.
The fourth male lead was a villain who failed to win the female lead's love and subsequently turned dark. Because the author had lavishly described his appearance and bearing, readers had let their imaginations run wild and become utterly enamored with the character.
The director had taken a liking to Li Wenchuan's performance in You and Me Back Then. He felt that face alone was perfect for the role, and Li Wenchuan had also performed well on the show, so he called him in for an audition.
"You have to perform well later. Don't let this fall through." He Meng walked ahead in tiny steps. Her hoodie had two little ears on its hood today, making her look especially adorable.
Infected by her cuteness, Li Wenchuan replied, "I'll work hard."
Afraid that he would be as unreliable as usual, He Meng explained a little more. "This role is pretty controversial, but it's the kind most female viewers will like. It can help you build a good fanbase." He couldn't keep raising that pack of haters anymore, QAQ.
When they reached the elevator floor, quite a few people were already sitting in the hallway waiting.
Perhaps because his looks were simply too striking, Li Wenchuan was the kind of person who would seize everyone's attention the instant he was thrown into a crowd. Quite a few people turned to look at him.
Those looks held disdain, confusion, and a trace of envy.
"Tsk, can just anyone act these days?" A female actress sneered, covering her mouth as she theatrically leaned back against her chair. Her phoenix eyes swept over everyone present. "Did I say anything wrong? Every stray cat and dog thinks they're capable of more than they are."
He Meng tugged at Li Wenchuan's sleeve, signaling him not to start a conflict.
She whispered, "That's Zhang Sisi from Longteng Entertainment. She's been pretty popular lately. She's probably here to audition for the second female lead."
Longteng Entertainment was a powerhouse in the industry. That was what gave Zhang Sisi the confidence to act so provocatively. Li Wenchuan was merely an artist from a small company, unknown and unvalued by his own agency. So what if she stepped on him a few times?
Clearly, she had no intention of stopping there. Flicking her nails, she said, "Only the second male lead and fifth male lead are left now. Tell me, do some people think they've ascended to heaven just because they made a few trending searches, or do they think—this tiny frame can play a great general?"
He Meng's eyes widened slightly. What did she mean? What about the fourth male lead? They clearly weren't late.
Li Wenchuan lazily watched the woman shaking with laughter by herself, then politely said, "Stop laughing. Your newly done nose is crooked."
Zhang Sisi's face instantly turned pale. She covered her nose, but after feeling it and finding nothing wrong, she immediately realized she had been tricked. She had debuted as a natural beauty—how could she have had plastic surgery?!
No one present laughed openly, but their eyes had turned amused. No one would speak up for Li Wenchuan, but that did not mean they were all on Zhang Sisi's side.
"You!" Zhang Sisi glared at Li Wenchuan, furious.
It was easy to imagine the news that would come out later: The many secrets of Zhang Sisi, the artificially natural beauty.
But Li Wenchuan did not continue arguing with her. Instead, he grabbed the bewildered He Meng and walked straight out.
He Meng stamped her foot in anger. She had communicated with the company beforehand too, so how had things turned out like this? She hurriedly made a call. "Sister Zhang, wasn't it agreed that Li Wenchuan would audition? Why did they suddenly change their minds?"
She refused to believe it was the director's issue. The problem had to be with the company's coordination.
Sister Zhang gave a dry laugh. Her tone was flat, with a hint of deliberate disappointment. "Sorry, Xiao He. I only just received word that they had some minor issues over there, so they changed the time. They were worried you wouldn't be able to arrange your schedules, so..."
"Who did you replace us with?" He Meng suppressed her anger.
"Well... that's none of your business, is it?"
He Meng wanted to say more, but Li Wenchuan snatched the phone and hung up. He said, "This won't help."
"But..."
"There wasn't much work to do in the first place. What difference does one more job or one less job make?" He was remarkably open-minded and unconcerned.
"Then go beg for food?" He Meng was practically dying of anger.
"..."
When they got back to the company, He Meng wanted to confront Sister Zhang, but she unexpectedly ran into Wang Yiwen.
Wang Yiwen had one of her artists with her as well. Their paths crossed narrowly, and Wang Yiwen raised an eyebrow. He Meng ignored her and stepped aside, intending to go around her, but Wang Yiwen moved over too.
After several repetitions, He Meng understood. Fiercely adorable, she snapped, "Are you fucking bored? Cosplaying as a roadblock?"
Wang Yiwen was not angered. With her arms folded, she gave Li Wenchuan an interested glance before looking back at He Meng. "You don't need to ask. That role already belongs to Han Shiye."
Han Shiye was the new artist Wang Yiwen managed. He had debuted in an idol group, and his popularity and buzz had always been good.
He nodded politely, but with his hands in his pockets and his eyes narrowed, there was not a shred of sincerity in him.
"A third-rate artist with a third-rate manager. Why not add a third-rate script too? That'd make three in one—good for nothing." Wang Yiwen curled her lips, shot the two of them a mocking glance, and left with her artist.
So what if he had trending searches and buzz? She did not believe Li Wenchuan had any chance of becoming famous.
If he was going to become popular, he would have done so long ago. He would not have fallen to this state. He was already getting older, yet he still wanted to compete with younger people? Dream on.
Besides, with Li Wenchuan's complete inability to deal with people, it was only a matter of time before the entire internet turned against him.
In the director's office, Sister Zhang kept trying to smooth things over without giving a direct answer. But she also knew the art of balance. She could not truly push them too far, so she said, "Plans can't keep up with changes. This sort of thing happens all the time, but the boat will straighten itself when it reaches the bridge."
She took out a script and handed it to He Meng, saying generously, "See? Although you lost the fourth male lead, you've gained the male lead. This was given to me today, and they specifically requested Li Wenchuan for the role."
She looked at Li Wenchuan, who showed little expression, and suddenly felt that this artist was especially sensible and easy to handle. He was also pleasing to the eye, so her voice unconsciously softened. "The director said that as long as you take the role, you'll be top-billed."
Sister Zhang considered it from every angle and felt that Li Wenchuan had come out ahead. Some people spent their entire lives only landing supporting roles, while Li Wenchuan had arrived and immediately become the male lead.
Then He Meng slammed the script heavily onto the desk and shouted, "But this is a fucking trashy web drama!"
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