The ambiguous atmosphere was broken, and Xiao Wenqiang, coming back to her senses, thanked the driver and opened the car door. Si Tu Chen also got out, escorting her all the way to the elevator and to the front door of her apartment.
"It's getting late, you should get some rest!" Si Tu Chen said with a smile, his voice as deep as a cello.
"Okay, thank you, Chen Ge, for bringing me back. You should get some rest too. Goodnight~" Xiao Wenqiang felt her ears getting hot again.
Si Tu Chen softly replied, "Goodnight," but made no move, still standing there watching her. "I'll watch you go in."
Fearing she would blush again if she stayed any longer, Xiao Wenqiang quickly opened the door, entered the room, said goodbye to him again, and swiftly closed the door.
The woman's flustered demeanor made Si Tu Chen chuckle. After watching for a while longer, he turned back and pressed the elevator button to go home.
Xiao Wenqiang leaned against the door, faintly hearing his laughter. She patted her slightly flushed cheeks, knowing that since that heroic rescue, her feelings for Si Tu Chen had indeed changed.
Although she had known Si Tu Chen was handsome before, his good looks alone didn't make her blush furiously. But now, some of his tender gazes and words made her heart pound. Perhaps, this was the beginning of love…
After a comfortable wash and a good night's sleep, Xiao Wenqiang found that Si Tu Chen had already sent her the script he had mentioned yesterday, showing remarkable efficiency.
Xiao Wenqiang opened the script on her computer after breakfast and sat down, immersing herself in it. She sat there for nearly four hours until her limbs felt numb and her stomach was ravenously hungry. Only then did she emerge from the story. She immediately called Si Tu Chen: "Chen Ge, I want to take this script. When can I audition?"
Si Tu Chen, on the other end of the line, seemed to have expected her to like the script. He quickly sent her the audition time and location to her phone.
Wang Lei was a well-known director in the industry, but he had a peculiar temper and firmly refused to accept actors who brought their own investment. He had once declared that one could invest in his productions but must never interfere with his casting decisions, or he would rather forgo the investment. If he couldn't find actors who met his requirements, he would even choose not to film the script. Therefore, although Wang Lei's two previous works had received good reviews, he had also offended many investors.
This time, Wang Lei himself approached "Chen Shi Entertainment" because he had a script he wanted Si Tu Chen to collaborate on. Unfortunately, Si Tu Chen's schedule was already booked for another film. However, seeing that the script was indeed outstanding, he decided to invest in this movie.
Xiao Wenqiang arrived at the audition location at the agreed-upon time. As soon as she entered, she saw Si Tu Chen and Wang Lei sitting together, enjoying tea in a harmonious scene.
Wang Lei glanced at Xiao Wenqiang, frowned slightly with displeasure, and said to Si Tu Chen beside him, "This is the actor you said had reliable acting skills? Doesn't she look too young?"
Si Tu Chen patted Wang Lei's shoulder and replied with a smile, "Director Wang, don't just look at her appearance. Shouldn't acting be the most important thing for an actor? External appearances can be enhanced with makeup and styling later!"
"But appearance is also very important. It's difficult for a twenty-year-old girl to portray the沧桑感 (cāngsāng gǎn - sense of hardship and weariness) of a middle-aged woman in her forties; just as it would feel awkward for a forty-something actress to play a twenty-year-old college student," Wang Lei said, still somewhat displeased.
Seeing this, Xiao Wenqiang spoke up, "Then please give me a chance to audition, Director Wang. I promise I won't disappoint you!"
"It's good for young people to be ambitious, but boasting without substance is not pleasing," Wang Lei said, but he gestured for her to start quickly.
Xiao Wenqiang asked with some confusion, "Director Wang, can I choose any scene to perform?"
"Yes. No props, no scene partners. Improvise a scene as a mother!" Wang Lei deliberately set a difficult task for her.
Xiao Wenqiang nodded, her eyes darted, and she quickly decided which scene to perform.
She casually gathered her loose, wavy hair and tied it up at the back of her head. Then, she picked up a pen from Director Wang's desk to secure her hair, deliberately creating a disheveled look. She then took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, her eyes were filled with the weariness of a middle-aged woman.
The woman suddenly rushed out from a corner, her face full of panic, eyes teary, weakly grabbing someone. Her trembling voice revealed her current state: "Officer, could you have made a mistake? My Nannan wouldn't have been so desperate!"
The other person seemed to say something to her, and then she followed them to another place.
The woman's face instantly turned pale. She knelt on the ground with a hoarse voice, large tears streaming down her face. "Nannan, why were you so desperate? How can I live like this…"
The woman's trembling hand seemed to caress her daughter's face on the ground, then she tightly embraced the "body," her cries gradually subsiding, and a fierce expression gradually emerged in her eyes. She murmured, "Who exactly killed my Nannan!"
Xiao Wenqiang closed her eyes and opened them again, her clear expression restored. She wiped the tears from her face, stood up, and bowed in the direction of Director Wang: "Director, my performance is complete."
Wang Lei had by now put away his casual expression, his eyes gleaming as he looked at Xiao Wenqiang, exclaiming excitedly, "You were performing the scene where Liu Lirong learns of her daughter's death, weren't you? Excellent. You have great potential, young lady!"
He then said excitedly to Si Tu Chen beside him, "Your judgment is good, this role suits her perfectly." Wang Lei stroked his beard and asked with a smile, "This girl is also from your company, right? Then can we slightly lower the salary? After all, it's a movie your company is also investing in!"
Si Tu Chen quickly waved his hand, "I can't make that decision. You'll have to discuss the salary with her directly."
Wang Lei's gaze shifted to Xiao Wenqiang, who quickly deflected, "You'll have to discuss this with my agent, Director Wang."
"Who is your agent?" Wang Lei was still persistent.
"Qiao Jia," Xiao Wenqiang replied.
"Hmm… this girl is a bit difficult to deal with!" Wang Lei frowned. "Alright, I'll tentatively cast you for the role first. I'll discuss the subsequent matters with Qiao Jia…"
Xiao Wenqiang didn't know how Qiao Jia managed to convince Director Wang, but a week later, Qiao Jia called her with a figure that exceeded her expectations.
"Jia Jia, isn't my quote a bit high?" Xiao Wenqiang felt a little insecure listening to it, as Su Ling had never commanded such a high salary before.
"If I could negotiate it, then it's not high. Do you think Director Wang is a pushover? Don't worry, Ling'er. You need to have confidence in yourself. You're already the Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Dragon Awards. Best Actress is within reach. I'm just waiting for you to make me rich!" Although Qiao Jia was weak from morning sickness, she remained a strong businesswoman when it came to work.
Xiao Wenqiang shook her head with amusement and chided, "Jia Jia, you're exaggerating!"