CHAPTER 25

Xiang Xiaoyuan felt anxious for a day or two but eventually let it go. After all, if she offended someone, she already had, and it couldn't get any worse than it was now.

She couldn't access any resources other than online forums. Would a big shot like the boss really reach out to someone with such third-rate resources? That would be too petty.

With that thought, Xiaoyuan felt much calmer.

She flipped through the script she received on WeChat but found nothing that interested her.

With time to spare, she decided to go to the community tennis court to play some tennis.

The early spring breeze was cool, the sky a light blue, with faint bird chirps in the background.

Cai Juan wasn't much of an athlete, after fetching a few balls, he was panting. Xiaoyuan laughed at him, "You're so weak!"

Cai Juan retorted, "You don't have a boyfriend to accompany you, and I'm trying to help you out here, yet you still complain!"

"Hey!" Xiaoyuan feigned anger, "You think it's not easy for me to find a boyfriend?"

"If it's easy, go find one, so I can relax!" Cai Juan challenged.

"Fine, just wait and see!" Xiaoyuan hit a ball over, but Cai Juan missed it. It was about to bounce back and hit him. "Let's play another round!"

Cai Juan yelped and dodged, "No more, no more!"

Xiaoyuan laughed brightly, "Look at that belly of yours, you really need to exercise!"

Cai Juan, annoyed, wanted to retaliate but seeing her fair complexion, rosy cheeks from exercise, thick eyebrows, long eyelashes, and her well-proportioned figure even in loose sportswear, there was nothing to retort about her appearance. He could only say, "You're beautiful, but that doesn't mean you're in a relationship."

What a low blow! Xiaoyuan shouted, "You're done for! I'll make sure you don't leave a single piece of you intact!"

"Bring it on, I'm not afraid of you!" Cai Juan challenged back.

The two bantered playfully, played some more and then went home sweating after their game.

After showering, Xiang Zhishi came to tell her that a young man named Shi Hai was looking for her.

Xiaoyuan took a moment to recall, "Oh? Is that him?"

Xiang Zhishi nodded and also confirmed his identity and purpose over the phone, "He's inviting you to dinner tomorrow, he has a role for you to audition for."

Cai Juan asked, "Is it reliable? It's not a scam, is it?"

Xiang Zhishi smiled, "He's indeed a well-known writer and screenwriter."

After Xiang Zhishi's confirmation, Cai Juan relaxed and curiously asked Xiaoyuan, "How do you know him?"

Xiaoyuan felt surprised as well. "I ran into him the other day when I was out with my brother. He asked if I was an actress and wanted my business card."

"Are you going with me tomorrow, or will Cai Juan accompany you?" Xiang Zhishi asked.

"No need, I can go by myself." she replied with a smile.

The next day, she kept her appointment at a bar and entered a small private room.

She recalled the man's name, Shi Hai, who looked only a few years older than her, wearing a shirt, jeans, and a pair of white sneakers, fresh and sunny.

When he saw her, he smiled, revealing white teeth and red lips, very pleasing to the eye.

"Please have a seat. What would you like to eat?" He politely handed her the menu. "Or would you prefer to order some drinks first? Oh, if you don't like alcohol, you can choose something else."

The seating in the private room was cozy, and Xiaoyuan sat beside him, catching a faint whiff of citrus fragrance. A man who is neat and clean will always leave a good impression.

They ordered a low-alcohol sparkling fruit wine. Shi Hai didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "I mentioned last time that my book has been approved for adaptation, and we have investors," he didn't specify the investment company, "the lead roles are finalized, but..."

"I'd like to offer you the role of the second female lead."

Xiaoyuan didn't want to get too excited too soon, fearing disappointment. She paused and asked, "What are your conditions?"

She was somewhat cautious inside. In the past year or two, she had offended people and suffered a lot. Even with a high starting point, she had to compromise constantly and lower her expectations.

In the adult world, if you want something, you must be willing to give something in return. This principle is even more evident in the entertainment industry, where power and connections are everything.

"Ha? What conditions?" The man in front of her seemed confused, pausing for a moment before responding with a smile, "I just hope the most suitable person plays the role I've written."

"I don't have any other conditions."

Xiaoyuan widened her eyes in surprise, her face suddenly blushing.

The man was straightforward, and she had misjudged him.

"I met you that day and thought your appearance suited the role. After I went back, I watched your two movies, 'Xiao Wen' and 'Choice.' I really think you are suitable for the second female lead in my script." Shi Hai explained gently.

Xiaoyuan bowed her head, feeling even more embarrassed, a hint of bitter self-deprecation tugging at the corners of her lips.

These days, she had been ruthlessly beaten down by reality, eroding much of her pride. She had become hesitant to trust others and doubted her own abilities.

"Thank you." Xiaoyuan said sincerely.

Shi Hai looked at her, as if understanding her thoughts. He sighed, "The thing is, I don't have the final say on the lead roles. When they bought the rights and signed the contract with me, I made a request 一 to have the authority to choose one actor myself."

Xiaoyuan nodded, thinking to herself that this was already quite impressive.

"But here's the problem," Shi Hai scratched his head, "I gave your information to the producers, and then..."

Xiaoyuan's heart sank.

Right, Wei Jiabao had already cut off her TV drama resources. She couldn't get any female roles anymore.

"Have you offended someone?" Shi Hai asked her, looking troubled.

"They don't agree to have you play the role."

.......

Xiaoyuan returned home with a heavy heart. She found Shi Hai's pen name—Hongxiu Wang's Canghai Yisu page—and located his novel. [It refers to a website known for hosting and publishing web novels, particularly in the romance and fantasy genres.]

The novels on Hongxiu Wang are quite lengthy, several million words long. When adapted into a TV series, not all plot points can be included, but the character personalities and major plot conflicts remain unchanged.

This is a martial arts novel called "Zui Xiaoyao."

It's a story of the growth of the male and female leads.

The male lead and female lead come from prestigious backgrounds, the female lead's father is the male lead's mentor, and she is his senior. They grew up together and are in love, waiting to get married. Unexpectedly, one day, the female lead is injured by a cult member and poisoned. While the male lead is out seeking medicine for her, he encounters enemies from his own sect and gets injured. He is saved by the female second lead, a small saintess from the cult. The male lead loses his memory, forgetting his identity, and develops feelings for the female second lead as they spend day and night together.

When the male lead joins the cult and confronts his former sect, he faces his old mentor and lover. During their battle, he regains his memory and finds himself in a dilemma: one side represents righteousness and childhood bonds, while the other embodies the dark path and the debt of gratitude for saving his life. Both sides demand a choice from him, but he cannot decide.

To be honest, the plot isn't very original, it could be described as quite clichéd and melodramatic, combining the ethics of both sides, a love triangle, and action sequences into one story. However, the author has a clear vision and solid writing skills—the action scenes are thrilling, and the emotional scenes are beautifully crafted, drawing readers in and making them want to keep reading, especially since the female second lead is a character who loves fiercely but isn't a complete villain. Xiaoyuan found herself quite interested.

Unfortunately, she didn't get this role.

She collapsed onto her bed, feeling utterly dejected, a deep ache in her heart.

During this period, the drama "Their Little Affairs" had already started airing. It was not only broadcast on popular online platforms but also aired on TV, in the Golden Eagle Theater on Mango TV. Halfway through the TV series, it had a rating of 6.4 on Douban, fairly average.

Xiaoyuan paid particular attention to the actress who replaced her. She wasn't unfamiliar, she was also a rising star in the television industry. Wang Ji still had that wooden expression, and the young actress tried her best. Initially, there was quite a bit of discussion, but gradually, apart from platform comments praising Wang Ji's looks, there were numerous criticisms on Douban and various film review public accounts, saying his acting was not up to par and that he was unsuitable for the role.

Xiaoyuan felt a sense of satisfaction from this.

On the other hand, Lu Jingnian and Fang Hao portrayed the lovers with great chemistry, and the audience thoroughly enjoyed their on-screen relationship, with their couple dynamic trending on Weibo for several days. They were from the same company, which helped fuel the hype. The company's PR combined with marketing influencers to promote them, leading to discussions about them everywhere online.

Among them, Fang Hao gained the most fans. Critics praised his natural acting, humble attitude, and excellent appearance. Young female fans were completely enamored with him. His successful transition from idol to actor had attracted many investors, and it seemed he wouldn't be short on offers.

The familiar feeling of intentional isolation wasn't pleasant, and coupled with the blow she received today, Xiaoyuan covered her head with the blanket, wanting to cry.

In fact, she had privately considered just agreeing to Wei Jiabao. She knew what he wanted, and since she wouldn't be emotionally invested, she could treat it as a casual fling. If things went south, she could just think of it as being bitten by a dog, as long as he didn't obstruct her resources anymore.

However, as soon as this thought crossed her mind, she shuddered. It was disgusting. She didn't even want to be near this man, let alone sleep.

"Argh! So frustrating!" she kicked the blanket, feeling truly disgusted!

If it was between her and Wei Jiabao, she'd rather be with...

Suddenly, the image of a woman dressed in black, with cold, deep eyes flashed in Xiaoyuan's mind. She froze for a few seconds, shivered, then sat up.

Oh my goodness, what was she thinking?

She pulled at her hair.

"That family with the last name Wei has really muddled my brain!"

Cai Juan and Xiang Zhishi knocked and entered. "How did it go? What did you think?"

Xiaoyuan sat up and repeated what Shi Hai had said, looking gloomy. "This role seems okay, I'm quite interested, but I..."

Cai Juan also understood the current situation, hesitated in speaking, and opened his phone to search for the novel. "I'll also read the novel later."

Xiaoyuan waved her hand. "No need to read it. I won't succeed in the audition anyway."

Cai Juan didn't know how to comfort her and sighed. "But Yuan'er, you really can't keep acting in online films. If you get labeled as an online film actress, no one will come to you for better resources in the future."

"Don't worry too much, I'll think of a way." Xiang Zhishi pondered for a few minutes, still speaking in a gentle tone. He always seemed so calm, as if this were no big deal.

"What kind of way?" Xiaoyuan pouted, blinking at him.

Xiang Zhishi smiled slightly. "We'll take a trip to Beicheng."

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