Meng Ying muttered under her breath, “It’s totally there.” She fanned herself with her hand. “But the heating in this room is indeed a bit strong.” She beckoned to Song Yushi, “Yushi, come sit.”
Song Yushi sat on a corner of the bed.
Sister Fei wouldn’t be picking her up until the banquet was over, and she didn’t want to go back downstairs to be pointed at and gossiped about. Listening to Meng Ying talk here was a good alternative.
Qi Ke obviously thought the same.
Meng Ying was naturally talkative, and Qi Ke was good at keeping the conversation going. The two of them chatted about everything from the persecution of artists by their managers to how scummy companies had terrible marketing, and then to how hard it was to make money in a recession. Song Yushi finally couldn’t listen anymore.
“Do you have any availability in your schedule recently?” Song Yushi asked.
“Yes!”
Qi Ke and Meng Ying said in unison.
Song Yushi gave Qi Ke a speechless look, then turned to Meng Ying. “The most important supporting roles for my next drama haven’t been cast yet. If you’re interested, I can introduce you to the director. He’s downstairs.”
Meng Ying was overjoyed. “Okay, okay!”
The two hit it off immediately and were about to go downstairs to find the director right away. Qi Ke followed behind them. Meng Ying excitedly went out the door first, while Song Yushi paused, turned around, and looked at Qi Ke in silence.
Qi Ke knew her too well. That look clearly said, “What does this have to do with you?”
Qi Ke lifted her chin. “Can’t I recommend myself?”
Song Yushi raised an eyebrow slightly.
In the group, Qi Ke was the main vocalist. She couldn’t even rap, relying on her stunning voice to attract fans. In all the years since her debut, she had never set foot in the film and television industry. Her acting skills were impossible to judge.
Song Yushi tilted her head, recalling Qi Ke’s performance on the reality show.
She said sincerely, “Your acting isn’t bad.”
Qi Ke: “…” She decided to take it as a compliment.
The little disturbance from earlier hadn’t affected the banquet at all. The dancing continued, the wine kept flowing, the medieval-style music was lively and cheerful, and waltzes spun in the center of the dance floor, skirts flying.
The director was popular, but he couldn’t ignore Qi Ke’s influence. As soon as he heard Qi Ke was interested in a supporting role, the director immediately became interested.
Although the girl group had disbanded a few years ago and Qi Ke’s popularity wasn’t what it used to be, she was currently in a “shipped” CP with the female lead of his drama. The two of them together meant buzz. Free buzz was not something to be refused; what reason was there to turn it down?
The director made a swift decision. “Well, no time like the present. How about a screen test first?”
Song Yushi: “?”
It was a bit too fast.
Song Yushi’s reaction was a little slow. By the time she realized what was happening, she was already sitting in a reception room on some unknown floor of the villa. A printer stood next to a bookshelf, spitting out character biographies one by one.
Qi Ke leaned against a nearby table, enthusiastically reading the white sheets of paper, occasionally discussing a thing or two with Meng Ying.
Song Yushi walked over. “Have you chosen a role?”
Qi Ke waved the paper in her hand and said, “After careful selection, I’m very satisfied.”
Song Yushi glanced at it. The vicious female supporting character.
Song Yushi: “…”
Meng Ying was still hesitating. As the vicious female supporting character, Qi Ke had more scenes with Song Yushi. She chose a scene to show the director, and he had her do an on-the-spot audition.
Song Yushi was forced to cooperate with her.
The scene was about the vicious female supporting character confronting the female lead and threatening her to leave the male lead. It was cliché, but the confrontation between the two was thrillingly intense, and the female lead’s counterattack was different from the usual Mary Sue plots.
Song Yushi closed her eyes and got into character.
The moment she opened them, her face was pinched by Qi Ke. “What makes you think you’re worthy of competing with me for him?” Qi Ke’s gaze was sharp as she delivered the most ruthless line: “If I ever see you with him again, I’ll fly away with you to a lovers’ paradise!”
Song Yushi: “…”
Director: “Wrong line!”
Qi Ke rolled her eyes. “A harmonious union for a hundred years!”
“Wrong!”
“Everlasting love!”
“…”
“Until death do us part!”
“Can you not steal the male lead’s lines!” the director exclaimed, on the verge of a breakdown.
Qi Ke: “…”
Meng Ying watched from the side, stunned, and murmured, “This supporting character is actually in love with the female lead, right?”
Qi Ke gave her an appreciative look. “My good lady, you have a sharp eye.”
Song Yushi: “…”
Get lost!
