Li Chu was captivated by the story. An image of Qin Mu seemed to appear before her eyes: a pale, frail, beautiful Omega girl, draped in an innocent facade, yet unable to conceal an underlying strangeness. She was like a half-human, half-ghost wandering the world, hiding murderous intent beneath her fragility.
Li Chu took a deep breath, trying hard to calm herself.
The sudden ringing of her phone startled her. She stared blankly at it for a moment before reaching out to grab it.
Having maintained the same posture for a long time, her shoulders, neck, and arms protested with soreness. Li Chu rubbed her neck as she answered the call.
Before the other person could speak, Li Chu excitedly blurted out, “Brother Nan, this script is amazing! Even though it’s not finished, you can already see its potential!”
There was a pause on the other end before he replied, “Yes, this script is very good. The writer is San Qiu, and the director is Ji Yun.”
San Qiu and Ji Yun were a well-known duo in the industry. They hadn’t been around for long but were very famous. They specialized in crime films and had previously collaborated on a popular anti-corruption drama and two successful crime-solving movies.
“Huh? The company could actually secure such a resource for me?!”
Li Chu knew the script was great, but she hadn’t expected it to be this impressive. A good script plus a good director—as long as the casting wasn’t a disaster, it was practically guaranteed success. She hadn’t thought she’d get this kind of audition opportunity.
“Actually, the company didn’t secure it. Director Ji Yun approached us himself, offering you this chance.”
Tang Congnan sounded somewhat embarrassed. With Ji Yun and San Qiu collaborating again, this script was clearly a hot commodity. An agent at the company had managed to secure an audition slot, but they hadn’t intended it for Li Chu. They planned to give it to their own artist, another Omega actress who had been in the industry longer.
Tang Congnan and Hu Yi had actually been looking for idol dramas for Li Chu. They felt it was a waste for someone with her looks not to do idol dramas. Besides, idol dramas, especially campus ones, could easily gain popularity within a niche audience if the visuals were good and the plot was sweet enough. Such productions also had short cycles, avoiding concerns about gaps in exposure.
But with 《Die at Dawn and Dusk》 on the table, Hu Yi and Tang Congnan immediately prioritized it. A good drama was worth the wait. Even if there was a temporary gap in exposure, Hu Yi and Tang Congnan believed that once this drama was filmed and broadcast, everyone would know Li Chu’s name.
“How would Director Ji Yun know about me?”
Li Chu was surprised. She didn’t think she was that popular. Although her acting seemed decent on the show, there were plenty of good actors in the entertainment industry.
Tang Congnan explained, “Director Ji Yun said someone recommended you to him. He watched your recent performances and felt you had great potential. More importantly, your age and appearance are suitable.”
Age and appearance are suitable, Li Chu nodded inwardly. That was true. While the entertainment industry was full of talent, young, good-looking Omegas with decent acting skills were indeed scarce.
The character Qin Mu was a delicate, beautiful flower of evil blooming on flesh and lies. It was a challenging role to play.
Moreover, if she took this role, she would have to play two characters. In Qin Mu’s lies, Qin Chao had to appear. Although everyone would eventually know Qin Chao didn’t exist, before the reveal, the writer and director needed to create the impression that Qin Chao was real.
Qin Chao’s persona was even stranger than Qin Mu’s. She was a Beta, lacking the characteristic softness of an Omega. She was extreme, neurotic, and carried a world-weary gloominess.
“Baby, can you handle it? If you accept, Director Ji and Teacher Qiu said they want to have dinner with you, to meet you.”
“Yes!”
Li Chu didn’t know if she could meet their standards, but she had to try. There was no shame in failing.
Tang Congnan: “Okay, I’ll reply to them then. Once the time is set, I’ll come pick you up.”
“Okay!”
Li Chu nodded. Before diving back into the script, there was one more thing she needed to do.
【Xiao Chu】: Teacher Ning, did you recommend me?
Li Chu scrolled up. Their last chat was Ning Manqing’s “Good night” reply from yesterday.
In the past half-month, the messages between her and Ning Manqing could be counted on ten fingers. It wasn’t awkwardness from their intimacy half a month ago, but because they were both very busy.
Li Chu was so busy her schedule was chaotic, flying here and there daily, spending most of her sleep time on planes. Ning Manqing seemed even busier; sometimes, a simple greeting took hours to get a reply. It felt like they were in different time zones.
Their most recent meeting was last week’s recording of 《This Is The Actor》. Two episodes determined the progression from fifteen contestants to twelve, and everyone was tense. Li Chu and Ning Manqing hadn’t been paired together either time.
Li Chu didn’t struggle much with those two roles, and since she and Ning Manqing weren’t staying at the same hotel, they didn’t interact privately. Li Chu also didn’t want to rely on Ning Manqing constantly, so even though they were on the same show, Li Chu hadn’t spoken much with her.
In the last ranking, Ning Manqing placed third, while Li Chu barely scraped by at eleventh, avoiding elimination. The recording for the new episode was starting in a few days.
Although the competition format was brutal, forcing people to push their limits, this time pressure also allowed the audience to see an actor’s resilience and adaptability. It wasn’t just for the audience; it was also for the directors and producers watching from the sidelines. Those still on stage had real talent, and each was working hard, hoping for re-employment, hoping for roles.
The notification sound pulled Li Chu back from her wandering thoughts. She looked down at the message on the screen.
【Teacher Ning】: Yes, Director Ji initially wanted me for this role, but since I differentiated into an Alpha, it wasn’t suitable anymore.
【Teacher Ning】: He was looking for a suitable actor, so I recommended you.
【Xiao Chu】: So Qin Mu was originally a Beta?
Forgetting her thanks for a moment, Li Chu eagerly asked about the character. No wonder Qin Chao was a Beta. If Qin Mu had been a Beta, the script would still make sense. But changing her to an Omega seemed to enhance the feeling, making the twist more special and highlighting the emotional aspects.
【Teacher Ning】: Yes. Teacher San Qiu was prepared to rewrite the script again if he couldn’t find a suitable Omega actor or a Beta actor who could capture that feeling.
Just as Li Chu was about to thank Ning Manqing and praise Teacher San Qiu’s dedication, a new message popped up.
【Teacher Ning】: I will be playing Xi Yiyun. If you mind, I can turn it down.
【Xiao Chu】: What would I mind! Teacher Ning, if you say that, I’ll get angry! You gave me this opportunity; I can’t thank you enough! How could I possibly mind you taking a role!
Li Chu’s hands trembled as she typed, feeling flustered and completely unsure how to express her current emotions.
【Ning Manqing】: Even if I hadn’t recommended you, Director Ji would have noticed you. Don’t sell yourself short.
【Ning Manqing】: I was just worried that my participation might hinder your immersion and performance.
Ning Manqing thought nonchalantly, Cloud Mist tea is a famous green tea.
【Xiao Chu】: Work is work; it shouldn’t be mixed with reality. Teacher Ning, you’ve really been good enough to me.
【Xiao Chu】: So good that I don’t even know how to repay you.
Li Chu was genuinely exasperated. How could such a considerate female Bodhisattva exist in the world!
She didn’t want a romantic relationship with Ning Manqing, and she didn’t want Ning Manqing to take responsibility, but that didn’t mean she would refuse to act in emotional scenes with her. Those were different things.
【Ning Manqing】: Didn’t you consider me your teacher? Have you ever heard of a teacher teaching students for the sake of repayment?
A faint smile touched Ning Manqing’s lips. She could imagine the girl on the other end earnestly typing away, just from Li Chu’s messages. Of course, she knew that given Li Chu’s personality, she definitely wouldn’t refuse work-related matters, let alone ask her to turn down a role because she minded.
Ning Manqing hadn’t initially planned to let Li Chu know about her involvement, just like with the Black Gold matter. She had intended to surprise Li Chu by showing up on set. But then she changed her mind.
She didn’t want Li Chu to end up with someone else someday, only to find out later how Ning Manqing had paved the way for her, and then feel moved enough to place her on an even higher pedestal. That wasn’t what she wanted.
She could sense that Li Chu was a very slow-to-warm-up person. So, she would take it slow, until their paths became intertwined.
By accepting her kindness, Li Chu would surely keep thinking about how to repay her. Ning Manqing could let her ponder this for a long time, until Li Chu’s wings were fully fledged. By then, Ning Manqing hoped she would have already gotten what she wanted.
The little peach on the other end, unaware of the many gentle traps waiting for her, carefully considered Ning Manqing’s words and felt as energized as if she’d been injected with chicken blood.
【Xiao Chu】: Teacher Ning, I definitely won’t let you down!
She would definitely land this role! She wouldn’t disappoint Teacher Ning’s expectations! She would become Teacher Ning’s best student and share the honor with her!
Dusk had fallen outside, and the room grew dim. Li Chu turned on the light and continued to study the script.
Ji Yun and San Qiu favored portraying various types of ‘killers’ as protagonists—some were anti-social geniuses, some were forced into darkness, and others were natural-born master criminals. Of course, these protagonists rarely met good ends.
It wasn’t necessarily that they believed evil couldn’t triumph over good, but sometimes justice prevailed through superior skill, and other times the protagonist simply fulfilled their perceived mission and met their end.
Qin Mu’s ending was the latter.
She had killed many people; she was destined not to end well. Although the film censorship bureau in this world wasn’t quite as… discerning… as the one in Li Chu’s original world, letting such a vicious serial killer have a happy ending would send a terrible message. San Qiu and Ji Yun clearly felt the same way.
Li Chu reread the portion of the script she had, underlining key points and making notes. She even wrote a character profile for Qin Mu.
After studying, Li Chu pondered how to portray Qin Chao. Qin Chao and Qin Mu had completely different vibes. Initially, Li Chu tried to act her out stiffly, unable to find the right approach. She paced the living room a few times, then suddenly spotted the hair tie she’d left on the coffee table, and an idea sparked.
In the script, Qin Mu was a consummate deceiver. Few answers the police got from her were truthful, including her descriptions of the hooligan and the nurse.
Qin Mu claimed the hooligan often teased her but never did anything serious, at most touching her hand and taking her hair tie.
Qin Mu said she wasn’t very familiar with the nurse either. Years ago, when her mother was hospitalized, the nurse often administered injections and changed medications for her mother. Later, when Qin Mu had a cold and needed an IV drip, the nurse happened to be the one who administered the needle once.
The truth was far from this.
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