CHAPTER 6

At night, Xiaoyuan tossed and turned in bed.

It had been a long time since she stepped onto a set. There seemed to be remnants of excitement running through her veins, keeping her from falling asleep.

She simply sat up, the bedside lamp casting a warm yellow glow, while the sound of insects could be faintly heard outside the window.

After a while, Xiaoyuan took out her phone. She first searched her own name on Baidu, there were only a few mentions on Baidu Baike [It is a collaboratively edited online encyclopedia in Chinese, similar to Wikipedia. It is hosted by Baidu, one of China's largest internet companies.], and on Douban [It is a popular Chinese social networking and review platform that focuses primarily on books, movies, music, and events.], there were only two films listed, one being a short film.

One was "Xiao Wen," a film she participated in during university, with a Douban rating of 8.4. She had read through the short and long reviews countless times, even remembering the comments about her acting skills.

The other film was merely a record without a rating because it was never released.

The only short film she was in was from the year she graduated, directed by Director He who also directed "Xiao Wen," and it won first prize in the short film category at the university film festival.

She then clicked into the Douban section for "Xiang Xiaoyuan." It had 219 followers.

Her profile was brief: "Xiaoyuan, 23 years old, background unknown. Graduated as an outstanding student from the XXth class of Huaxi, acted in 'Xiao Wen' and 'XX,' displaying lively and spirited acting."

Awards: Nominated for Best Actress in the main competition at the 69th Cannes Film Festival (20XX).

Next, she searched her name on Weibo, and it only showed her Weibo account, with 50,000 followers, most of whom were likely inactive fans.

No one was discussing her in real-time searches.

In the entertainment industry, in the field of acting, everyone desires fame, seeking recognition and praise from the audience. Everyone wants to be popular, and she was no exception.

Yet reality always felt harsh.

In this circle, only a few stood at the very top of the pyramid, most were in the middle, while she found herself at the bottom.

It wasn't that there were no roles or companies interested in her, she simply wanted to be acknowledged by the public in a way she enjoyed, to be loved by them, and to climb to the pinnacle of the pyramid.

Yet, after a few years since graduation, her body of work hadn't grown, her fame hadn't increased, and what she desired seemed distant, almost out of reach, incredibly elusive.

She couldn't sleep, so she grabbed her phone and went out for a walk. It was quiet outside, the wall lamp dim, and she walked on her own shadow as she went downstairs, dialing a number.

The call was quickly answered.

Xiaoyuan smiled, "Brother~"

The voice on the other end was as gentle as ever, soothing like the night.

"You're still up so late?" he said.

"Well, you're still up too, big brother. I called to check on you!" Xiaoyuan laughed as she walked downstairs, looking up at a lush mango tree, catching a whiff of its fresh, slightly sour fragrance.

Her older brother, who was twelve years her senior, was her best friend. Ever since they reunited, he had been the person who treated her the best, and they talked about everything.

Xiang Zhishi cleared his throat gently on the other end, still smiling, "I was just about to sleep. What's up? Did something happy happen today?"

Xiaoyuan recounted every detail of her day on set to him, chatting away happily.

Xiang Zhishi was a good listener. He never interrupted her, and she could hear him moving around, drinking water, occasionally chuckling, before saying, "As long as you're happy, that's what matters. I know you're doing great. And you've got your favorite actor, right?"

He was referring to He Chenying.

"Yes, I haven't met her yet, but probably will tomorrow!"

Xiang Zhishi hummed in agreement and then suddenly started coughing.

"Oh, brother, why are you coughing again? Are you okay?" Xiaoyuan started to worry, "It's all my fault. I'll let you rest now. You should go to sleep!"

"Cough cough," Xiang Zhishi laughed and said, "Don't worry, I just went down the wrong pipe while drinking water!"

Xiang Xiaoyuan hesitated, "Really? Okay, okay, I won't keep you anymore. You should get some rest!" Without waiting for him to respond, she quickly added, "I'll go back to bed too. Good night, big brother."

"Good night, Xiaoyuan, take care!"

After hanging up, Xiang Xiaoyuan felt a bit better. Just as she was about to head back to bed, she walked past the mango tree and the bright moon in the gray-purple night sky, when suddenly she heard the voices of a man and a woman.

......

"I can't possibly replace the actress, I think Xiang Xiaoyuan is very suitable."

"But I'm the female lead. You said this movie revolves around me, that everything is centered on me. Are you going back on your word now?"

Xiang Xiaoyuan frowned slightly. Listening in from the corner wasn't dignified, but since the other party mentioned her, the information they were conveying didn't sound friendly at all, and she didn't want to leave.

"Xiaorui, you can't be unreasonable. This script was tailored for you, specifically made for you. If we replace Xiaoyuan now, where else can we find someone to replace her?"

"...Is this beyond your capabilities, you, the illustrious young CEO of 'Tonghua'?"

"..."

Her eyebrows furrowed tighter, and her fingers unconsciously tightened.

This incompetent director wouldn't actually agree, would he?

She cautiously peeked out, afraid of accusing the wrong person and worried about being replaced.

And indeed, the man and the woman were Wei Jiabao and Zou Yirui.

Wei Jiabao took a step back, crossed his arms, looking a bit impatient. "Stop causing trouble!"

The woman became more aggressive. "Am I causing trouble? Fine, then tell me now: is it going to be me or Xiang Xiaoyuan?"

Wei Jiabao didn't respond immediately. She continued, "Don't tell me you can't do it. Isn't Wei Zhuang your sister? She owns the entire 'Tonghua.' Can't she make it happen?"

Xiaoyuan's heart raced as she listened.

After a moment, Wei Jiabao said in a calm tone, "Of course she can, but you signed a B-level contract. Only A-level artists in Tonghua have the qualification to negotiate with her."

Zou Yirui hesitated before saying, "Then promote me to A-level!"

"I can't do that. You can only be B-level. Only Director Chen, Sister He, and our film's screenwriter Cheng Yi are A-level. In fact, Tonghua's contract for artists is very strict, being signed as B-level is already an exception."

Xiang Xiaoyuan's impression of Wei Jiabao was that of a man easily swayed by women, lacking in decisiveness and intelligence. But now, he sounded logical, composed, and indifferent, completely unlike his usual self.

Xiang Xiaoyuan doubted her eyes a bit and couldn't help but peek again.

Under the moonlight, a young man and woman stood facing each other. The man crossed his arms, chin slightly raised. Objectively speaking, Xiang Xiaoyuan also felt that Zou Yirui's business capabilities were not suitable for signing a B-level contract. However, saying it out loud in front of them was a bit too blunt, especially considering a few hours ago this man had treated her with such deep affection and care.

The contrast made others feel a bit disheartened.

The person involved couldn't take it anymore, angrily declaring, "Then I won't act at all!"

"It's up to you, but..." his tone grew colder, with a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth as he said, "You should think carefully, once this opportunity is gone, it's gone for good."

Zou Yirui froze, her eyes instantly filling with tears. The person before her was so unfamiliar, he had always been so compliant, but now that was gone. Men could change so quickly for various reasons. She shivered and pinned him down with a question: "Are you seeing that Xiang Xiaoyuan?"

As Xiaoyuan listened to this point: "..."

What was even more infuriating was that Wei Jiabao raised an eyebrow, smiling but not answering.

Zou Yirui muttered resentfully, "Where did this little vixen come from?" She looked up and shot him another glare. "Let me tell you, once you give me something, don't even think about taking it back!"

"If you can cherish it, that would be best!" Wei Jiabao's tone seemed to regain some warmth as he said, "You know I care for you."

Zou Yirui bit her lip, gazing at him, her eyes brimming with tears of grievance.

This so-called love was truly strange and mysterious. Zou Yirui's expression at that moment was authentic and far more genuine than her acting, while Wei Jiabao no longer appeared so one-dimensional.

Xiang Xiaoyuan watched intently, finding a certain amusement in the drama of it all, not minding that they had drawn her into their exchange. In her understanding, the thoughts and experiences of actors could enrich their own accumulation of skills. She took pride in her abilities, she had always been seen as a top student by her teachers and classmates. She was proud but not arrogant, knowing she was still young, with limited life experience, and hadn't yet formed a complete system of performance.

As Xiaoyuan pondered, she initially thought the man favored the woman more and was accommodating, but the situation had now taken a different turn.

A new, difficult-to-understand feeling arose in her heart. She wasn't unfamiliar with the concept of love, she knew she was attractive and had never lacked admirers. She had seen desire looks from both men and women.

In college, she had agreed to the pursuit of a senior in the directing department out of pure curiosity. Less than two months later, they parted amicably, and that experience didn't hold any special significance in her memories...

Lost in thought, she noticed a shadow blocking the light in front of her. Looking up, she saw Wei Jiabao standing before her, watching her with interest. Zou Yirui had somehow already left.

Xiang Xiaoyuan didn't want to engage in conversation with him, casually called him "Mr. Wei," and turned to leave. She had no intention of calling him "director."

"Hey," Wei Jiabao stopped her, "Did you hear everything?"

Caught off guard and unable to lie, Xiaoyuan nodded slightly. "...I heard a little."

Wei Jiabao smiled and asked, "So, are you interested?"

Xiang Xiaoyuan was momentarily confused but quickly realized what he meant. She immediately shook her head "Sorry, I'm not interested."

"Oh? Really? I heard you haven't signed with a company yet. Are you really not interested in joining Tonghua?" Wei Jiabao continued, "I think you qualify for a B-level contract with us. Tonghua has top-notch directors, screenwriters, and actors. We could definitely help you become famous, and in time, signing an A-level contract wouldn't be impossible."

To be honest, Xiang Xiaoyuan felt a flicker of interest, but she also understood that opportunities that seem too good to be true usually come with strings attached.

She asked calmly, "What do I need to do then?"

Wei Jiabao smiled lightly. "I think you have a strong personality. Why don't you consider being with me?"

Xiang Xiaoyuan gave him a cold look, "Aren't you already in a relationship?"

Wei Jiabao shrugged, "I could break up with her first."

Upon hearing this, Xiang Xiaoyuan didn't want to talk to him anymore, "Sorry, but I'm still not interested. It's getting late, I'm going back." With that, she turned and left, not giving Wei Jiabao a chance to stop her.

"Hey! Are you really not going to consider it?"

"..." She didn't look back and continued walking, simply waving her hand dismissively.

From behind, her slender waist and the curve of her hips leading to her long legs were perfectly shaped. As she walked, her waist swayed slightly, radiating a clear and transparent charm in the night.

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