Chapter 12: 8.2

The two walked into the Hengdian while they talk. Shen Lei took out his work card and handed it to the screening staff at the door. He was familiar with the way and led Jiang Qi from the side door to the audition hall on the second floor.

 

He and 'Director Wang' are well-known seniors in the entertainment industry. Wang Zhaoqiu, one of the top three directors in China, has reduced his production after the age of fifty.

 

Every time he is rumored to have a new film preparation, he would often release the script beforehand which would make a large number of people busy making contacts.

 

From the level of the best actor and actresses, down to the little idol who just debuted in a girl or boy group. They all want to get a piece of the pie - even if they would play a supporting role.

 

Shen Lei by chance cooperated with Wang Zhaoqiu a few years ago and it was only after this connection that they formed a friendship. This time, he brought Jiang Qi to open his eyes.

 

He knows that Jiang Qi is extremely talented and if he wants to really mix in this circle, he has to directly contact the people on top in order to achieve the effect of 'broadening his horizons.

 

The heroine of Wang Zhaoqiu's movie was decided long ago – she is the daughter of the boss of Shengxuan Media, also known as the princess under his company. Yue Yuan, had gathered thousands of resources at a young age and even Wang Zhaoqiu had to give her face.

 

However, Yue Yuan does not purely have big coffee resources1. Her own conditions are still very good. She is not picky in terms of role or appearancea and her acting skills are also good. But mainly, the temptation of her bringing capital into the project is the highest draw.  

(TN: Big Coffee refers to all kinds of stars in showbiz according to the level of big names: A coffee (A-lister), B coffee, C coffee, etc.)

Even though Wang Zhaoqiu is irritated at Shengxuan Media who controls the number of films released after another movie and sometimes even high-level artist have to compromise for the sake of bread.

 

Fortunately, the most important thing in the script is the actor who has not yet been selected.

 

Yue Yuan can just be used as a tool - for instance this audition, Wang Zhaoqiu asked her to come over and audition with the actors all day and she had to agree to show dedication.

 

When Shen Lei was chatting with him, Jiang Qi had already lowered his eyes slightly and looked at the audition room through the glass window.

 

They stood in the high observation room and listened to the conversation in the room through headphones.

 

Jiang Qi heard Wang Zhaoqiu who was behind the camera instructing the screenwriter, “Tell those boys to come in and try the C7 scene."

 

Jiang Qi, who had some experience in reading and acting, understood that 'C7' refers to the seventh paragraph in the script.

 

This is the passage where an autistic heroine finally opens her heart after meeting a man who has pursued her for a long time.

 

The heroine asked timidly, ‘Will you be with me?’

 

And the male protagonist avoids his eyes but pretends to calmly deceive her,’ Yes.’

 

.

 

A perfect deception.

 

Jiang Qi watched the first actor go to the audition. Inside the room, the conversation in the earphone made his light-colored pupils shrink and his slender fingers had grasped the railing unconsciously turning his knuckles white.

 

"Huh?" Shen Lei noticed his abnormality, took off his earphones, and raised his eyebrows suspiciously, “What's wrong?"

 

Jiang Qi stared at the audition room, shaking his head slowly and sluggishly.

 

Actually nothing, but... this audition reminded him unconsciously of himself.

 

Once, he was also so despicable as to deceive the girl who trusted him with all her heart.

 

The dialogue between the male and female protagonists in the audition still rang in inside his ears and every word seemed to overlap with their past - the boy's voice tentatively asked, ‘If one day... I lied to you, would you forgive me?’

 

The girl's firm voice said, ‘Yes, because I know you like me.‘

 

In fact, when you really like someone, the bottom line will be infinitely lowered for him.

 

Some stupid girls still think that the occasional deceit of their sweetheart is a 'white lie', just like Zhiqi thinks of him.

 

Jiang Qi unconsciously remembered the summer they graduated from elementary school many years ago.

 

He promised to go to No. 8 Middle School with her and that they would still be classmates, but he lied.

 

Sometimes, Jiang Qi didn't want his memory to be so good, but whenever he close his eyes, he could vividly remember what happened back then.

 

The thirteen-year-old summer was the hottest summer in his memory. It was like being inside a steamer. The people were stuffy and sweating all over in the cramped space without air-conditioning fans.

 

It seemed that his wound that had not been treated in time had pus and rotting. He felt hurt when his salty sweat swiped across it and made him frown unconsciously.

 

Jiang Qi was lying on a wire bed less than one meter away, feeling like a piece of rotten raw meat that might disappear into space at any time.

 

After a moment, a girl's vibrant voice woke him up -

 

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"Jiang Qi? Jiang Qi? Are you at home?"

 

This... This was clearly Zhi Qi's voice.

 

Jiang Qi was stunned for a moment.  All of the sudden, he did not know where the strength came from to support him to jump up from the wired bed.

 

His face was pale and his whole body was almost boneless, but he still forcibly stood up straight and rushed out.

 

Jiang Qi remembered that in the cramped and smelly living room, he had a face-to-face with Zhiqi and the girl was obviously stunned.

 

"Jiang, Jiang Qi, why haven't you gone to school for a week? Why are you so thin?" The girl with the braided hair looked fresh, healthy, and her whole body was exquisitely carved. She was looking at him timidly, “Are you still okay? I heard from Teacher Li that you didn't even attend the graduation ceremony, I..."

 

"Get out." Jiang Qi interrupted the girl, his voice weak and cold.

 

Zhiqi stared at him blankly, as if she didn't understand what Jiang Qi was saying.

 

However, the boy became extremely anxious. Whether it was the wound on his body or staying in the stuffy space with Zhiqi, he was so hot that it was almost embarrassing.

 

But the most disturbing thing is the danger that might ome at any time.

 

"Get out." Jiang Qi repeated, raising his hand laboriously to the door. He coldly gave the girl an strong order, “Let's go now."

 

This kind of attitude made Jiang Qi’s head teacher inquire about his address and avoid his home. The driver took the bus for more than an hour under the scorching sun to arrive at Chenkong Alley. After a while, Zhiqi even forgot the heat.

 

The girl only felt wronged. Seeing Jiang Qi's cold expression for some unknown reason. Zhiqi's big black eyes quickly condensed with a layer of tears.

 

The area was hot and stuffy, whether it is the people or the dense bungalows, it felt like being baked by the blazing sun.

 

Outside the window, the sound of the crackling gong and the voice of the hawker came out, “Fa Gao—Fa Gao—"  an old man in the alley, who walks the streets and alleys every day at noon to sell Fa Gao. The old man is back?

 

Realizing this, Jiang Qi unconsciously clenched his hand hanging by his side into a fist.

 

His glazed eyes were almost filled with a thin layer of mist, but when he looked at people he had no expression and was extremely cold.

 

Now, he was like a restless and bloodthirsty little beast, like the filthy wild dog at the mouth of the alley... with the same eyes.

 

Zhi Qi, who was staring at him, took two steps back unconsciously under such stare.

 

"Jiang, Jiang Qi." They had been together for two years and she had never seen the boy look so terrifying. The girl's throat choked up unconsciously and her little hand was tightly clutching the strap of her schoolbag, “What's wrong with you?"

 

"I'm okay? Hurry up." Jiang Qi gritted his teeth, grabbed Zhiqi's slender wrist, and pulled her out of the dirty and shabby environment, “Don't come again." He emphasized it again as if she couldn’t understand and said harshly and indifferently, “Zhixi, remember, don't come again."

 

Tears rolled in her eyes and she glared at him for the first time, “Jiang Qi, you are so annoying!" The little girl had always been soft and charming, but this time she felt aggrieved.

 

After Zhiqi finished speaking, she turned around and ran away, accidentally stepping into the stinky water bubbles in the narrow alley.

 

It was always raining for Lin Lan. The dilapidated houses in the shanty towns were full of potholes and no one cleaned them. Naturally, there was water accumulation and the heat stinks.

 

The pitch-black water droplets splashed on the girl's fair calf and Zhiqi subconsciously made an 'ah yo' sound.

 

That's what it sounded like.

 

Then the little girl bit her lip stubbornly and despite the fact that the whole white shoe was soaked in muddy water, she trotted away without saying a word.

 

Jiang Qi watched her back to leave against the blazing sun and after a while, he covered the wound on his arm with hindsight.

 

There was a thin layer of mist in his eyes and he suddenly woke up from that dream in an instant.

 

——In fact, he and Zhiqi are not worthy of being friends at all and even standing together is basically humiliating the girl.

 

She was in the clouds and he was the dirtiest mud, a terminally ill dog, deep in a swamp who no one could save.

 

Jiang Qi stared at her back, lips silently opening and closing: Goodbye.

 

He's about to lie and break his promise about the decision not to part.

 

 

 

TN:

 

1. Big Coffee(大咖)-originally means a person who is more successful and who has achieved good results in a certain field. Taiwan refers to all kinds of stars in the show business circle according to the level of big names: A coffee (A lister) , B coffee (big name in business), etc. In addition, eccentrics usually refer to people with very eccentric temperaments and eccentricities.

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