153. Rehearsal of the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion

Heaven knows how devastated Shu Xiaoya felt when she learned that this interview was an invitation-only audition.

Still, she didn’t leave. For an actress like her, opportunities had to be fought for—even if her chances were slim, she didn’t want to give up.

She took a deep breath and pushed open the conference-room door.

The setup was so bare-bones that she couldn’t help pausing in surprise.

“Is this really an audition for Zhang Yu’s new movie?” she wondered.

Then she remembered the other actors who had come out of the room, each wearing an expression of lingering satisfaction. That reassured her a little.

She stole a glance at the two people seated across from her.

One of them was unmistakably Zhang Yu.

The other wore a mask, concealing most of their face. But from the eyes and brows she could see, Shu Xiaoya felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

“This should be a proper audition… right?” she told herself, trying to keep her nerves in check.

“Miss Shu, here’s your script. You can begin whenever you’re ready.”

The other actors had received excerpts for their roles along with their invitations. As a last-minute addition, Shu Xiaoya was handed a scene handwritten by Ji Fanxing.

The instant she took the page, her gaze was drawn to the handwriting.

The strokes swept and danced across the paper, each one brimming with life. It was as if the writer’s bold, free-spirited nature shone through every line.

Her hand trembled. Had it not been for the words on the page, she might have thought she was holding a work by a master calligrapher.

It took her a moment to collect herself and read the passage.

“You are a female psychologist who falls in love with one of your patients over the course of treating him.”

Shu Xiaoya read the words aloud, one by one.

Zhang Yu looked at Ji Fanxing in surprise, seemingly puzzled by her choice.

If he remembered correctly, the psychologist was a major supporting character—the female lead’s second-in-command, so to speak.

The original plan had been to cast an actress known for her beauty in the role.

With the part in hand, Shu Xiaoya closed her eyes, searching for the character’s essence.

When she opened them again, she seemed calmer, already slipping into the role.

“Whenever you’re ready,” Ji Fanxing said, leaning back in her chair as she watched Shu Xiaoya intently.

Zhang Yu sat up straighter, just as focused.

This was an audition for an important role. They had to pay close attention.

Shu Xiaoya pictured the psychologist again and again in her mind, striving to become her.

There was no scene partner, no props—only a table and a chair. Yet she seemed to be sitting in a counseling room.

As she listened to the patient who came to confide in her day after day, her gaze grew gentler and gentler. Then, at a certain point, she began to struggle, lost in confusion—and at last, she fell completely.

She brought to life, with breathtaking clarity, the inner world of a psychologist swept into the whirlpool of love.

A note of admiration flickered in Zhang Yu’s eyes as he watched.

“She’s a very good actress,” he thought, nodding to himself.

And yet, for some reason, he felt that something was missing. Shu Xiaoya still fell short of the female lead he had envisioned.

Her appearance, at the very least, was a long way off…

Ji Fanxing caught the hesitation in his eyes.

After a moment’s thought, she stood and walked over to Shu Xiaoya.

“Would you mind if I adjusted your look?”

The voice was as clear as spring water, and somehow familiar. Shu Xiaoya’s heart skipped a beat.

“Y-yes. Go ahead.”

Only after getting her consent did Ji Fanxing step closer. She gathered Shu Xiaoya’s hair into a simple knot, revealing her slender neck, then produced a pair of gold, half-rimmed glasses from who knew where and put them on her.

She also had Shu Xiaoya take off her ill-fitting jacket, leaving her in the white blouse underneath.

“That should do it.” Ji Fanxing stepped back, presenting Shu Xiaoya to Zhang Yu.

“Doesn’t she look completely right for the part now?”

Zhang Yu’s eyes lit up. Wasn’t this exactly the cool, intellectual psychologist from the script?

“Miss Shu, congratulations. The role is yours.”

With that last doubt dispelled, Zhang Yu had nothing left to deliberate.

Shu Xiaoya was still looking at Ji Fanxing’s retreating figure, wondering why those eyes seemed so familiar, when Zhang Yu’s words made her look up in delight.

“Thank you, Director Zhang! I’ll do my very best!” Shu Xiaoya was overjoyed.

Ever since the news spread that she had offended Zhao Jinyu, the production team of Undercover had terminated her contract. The roles she had already discussed—or had merely been considered for—had all vanished as well.

She had even been turned away when auditioning for other productions.

She had thought she would have to leave acting behind for good. Now, at last, she had something to look forward to. It was wonderful.

After a long day of auditions, Zhang Yu and Ji Fanxing found a restaurant where they could discuss the film’s production over dinner.

As they chatted, Zhang Yu suddenly slapped his forehead.

“That’s it! I knew there was something familiar about that girl, Shu Xiaoya. After you changed her look, she was the spitting image of your older sister, Ji Shengxue! What a coincidence…”

On the set of Undercover, Ji Shengxue had just finished filming for the day when someone stopped her.

“Shengxue, I did you a huge favor last time. You can’t turn down my invitation again.”

Zhao Jinyu sidled up to Ji Shengxue with a smiling face, greedily breathing in her natural fragrance.

Ji Shengxue took an imperceptible step back. “You shouldn’t say things like that so carelessly, Mr. Zhao. Please show some respect.”

Zhao Jinyu froze. To get back at Ji Fanxing, he had paid Zhao De five million to rig the votes.

He was about to bring it up, but then remembered that Zhao De had been disqualified from attending this year’s convention because of it. Zhao De was now searching everywhere for the person who had caused him trouble.

So he changed tack. “I got rid of that brat who was making you unhappy. I hear no production will take her now. Isn’t that enough to make you feel better?”

As he spoke, Zhao Jinyu leaned close to Ji Shengxue again and whispered,

“I could tell from the start that you didn’t like her.”

Ji Shengxue stiffened for an instant, but her expression betrayed nothing. “You’re joking, Mr. Zhao. I don’t even know her…”

…

The first round of casting for Infernal Affairs was finalized. The next day, Ji Fanxing hurried to the Dragon Kingdom Conservatory of Music.

“Teacher Ji!”

The moment she stepped through the entrance to the folk-music department, enthusiastic greetings rang out from every direction.

“Hello, everyone,” Ji Fanxing replied with a smile.

Since she had demonstrated her mastery of the pipa and erhu on two occasions, and then led students from the folk-music department onto the showcase stage to perform All Things Flourish in Chang’an, the students had greeted her warmly as “Teacher” whenever they saw her.

She did her best to live up to the title. In her spare time, she held extra lessons, sharing with them the experience she had gained in Huaxia.

For the showcase performance, Gu Huaiyuan had arranged a practice room for her.

At that moment, the students inside were rehearsing in an orderly fashion.

Ji Fanxing listened outside the door for a while and nodded to herself. It seemed they had all been working hard during the few days she was away.

During a break, Lu Shengge looked up, spotted her through the window, and hurried out in delight.

“Fanxing! You’re finally here. Did you hear us practicing The Orchid Pavilion Preface just now? What did you think?”

Ji Fanxing noticed the bandages on her fingers. “To make this much progress in such a short time, you must have worked incredibly hard.”

Lu Shengge clasped her hands behind her back.

“Since you put it that way, I’ll take it as a sign we did well! I’m so happy!”

She hesitated, then whispered,

“You said you were going to find a special singer for this song. Did you find one?”

Before stepping into the practice room, Ji Fanxing turned back and gave her a playful wink.

“Guess.”