Against the Light - Chapter 35
Chapter 35: The New Film Crew
Gu Xinran had Fang Jinghai drive to the furniture city. She felt her home was too cold and impersonal, not cozy at all. There was nothing worth cherishing, so it was time to decorate properly.
She happened to have half a day free, perfect for a trip to the furniture store.
Three hours later, Fang Jinghai's legs were about to fall off. Her boss hadn't liked a single thing. It was a wasted trip. The two then headed to the shopping mall next door.
The moment they walked in, Gu Xinran froze.
Fang Jinghai looked at her, then followed her gaze, and her heart sank.
"…Sister?"
"Why… are you staring at that piano!!!"
Her boss was staring intently at the white piano displayed for show in the middle of the mall!!
"Jinghai."
"…" Fang Jinghai took a step back.
"I want that." Gu Xinran pointed at the piano, her mind filled with the image of Yilan teaching her how to play.
"No, you don't!"
Gu Xinran shot her a look. Fang Jinghai gave a sheepish smile. "Well, how about I go ask if it's for sale first?" With that, Fang Jinghai made a quick escape.
They were supposed to be buying furniture, and now she wants to buy a piano. This is insane!
After asking a staff member, Fang Jinghai's knees nearly gave out. This damn piano cost almost two hundred thousand yuan! She couldn't afford it even if she sold herself!
But when she turned around and saw Gu Xinran looking at the piano with a smile, her face full of longing, she… sighed and pulled out her phone to call Qu Qi.
"Sister Qi, if I told you Sister Ran was kidnapped and the ransom is 188,000, would you believe me?"
"???"
Half an hour later, Qu Qi arrived in a flurry.
"What? Buy a piano? What for? She doesn't even know how to play!" Qu Qi chewed out the frivolous Fang Jinghai, then rolled up her sleeves and turned to find Gu Xinran. She saw her sitting on the floor, completely disregarding her image, with her arms wrapped around her knees and her chin resting on her arms. A slight smile played on her lips as she looked at the piano with utter contentment.
This…
"Sister Qi, Sister Ran is a public figure. If someone recognizes her and says a big star like her can't even afford a piano, won't you, her manager, get flamed to death by her fans? Won't they say you're docking her pay and all that?" Fang Jinghai offered a logical breakdown.
Qu Qi rolled her eyes, about to complain, when she suddenly remembered that the payment for the two variety shows Xinran had participated in had come through, and she hadn't had a chance to give it to her yet.
Emmm…
"Ah, fine, fine, fine! Buy it, buy it! You go get her back to the car first." Qu Qi was exasperated but at her wit's end with the two of them.
In the car, Gu Xinran was scrolling through her phone. She hadn't spent much money recently, so she didn't even know if she had any savings. But when she saw that she needed a password to log into her mobile banking app, she hesitated.
She tried Yilan's birthday, then her own, then a combination of the two. And then, her bank card was locked.
She put down her phone, defeated, hoping the password would just pop into her head one night while she was sleeping.
Two hours later, Gu Xinran gazed contentedly at the very stylish cream-white piano sitting in her living room. With no other furniture, the piano looked perfect right in the center.
After the tuner finished, Gu Xinran eagerly sat down at the piano. Her slender fingers gently brushed over the keys, her face filled with satisfaction.
She closed her eyes slightly, recalling the chords Yilan had taught her, and tried to play them on the piano.
Qu Qi and Fang Jinghai exchanged a look. "What the hell, she actually knows how to play!?"
However, she only managed four bars before she was stuck. Qu Qi shook her head as if she'd expected it all along. She walked over and rested a hand on the piano. "You got the piano. Are you happy now?"
"Mhm." Gu Xinran beamed.
"For the next three months, you're going to have to work hard for me." Qu Qi propped her chin on her hand, winking at her with a smile that was anything but cunning.
"Wow, Sister Qi, you're amazing! Trading a piano for three months of her hard labor! What a steal!" Fang Jinghai counted on her fingers and gave Qu Qi a thumbs-up.
"Heh, you too." Qu Qi glanced at her, a smile that didn't reach her eyes. Her inner ruthless businesswoman was on full display.
"What's that got to do with me??"
"Are there any new scripts these days?" Gu Xinran asked, carefully wiping the piano keys.
"No big-name productions."
"I asked about scripts, not productions," Gu Xinran said, looking up at her.
Qu Qi took out her phone and fiddled with it. "See for yourself."
Gu Xinran scrolled through the summaries of a few scripts, then suddenly frowned. "Hey, this one seems quite meaningful."
Qu Qi tilted her head to look. "The script is good, but the team is completely unknown. They can't even afford a decent director. What kind of good film can they possibly make? It's a total waste of time. I've already passed on it."
Gu Xinran ignored her, focusing on studying the script.
It was a story about family and redemption, about a poor family. The father died in a mountain accident, leaving behind a mother and four young daughters. The mother had a leg ailment and was almost entirely dependent on a wheelchair, completely unable to support the family. At the time, the eldest daughter was only eleven.
Out of desperation, she made the painful decision to give her children away for adoption, keeping only the youngest, a daughter born with incomplete brain development.
After the daughters who left home grew up, some kept in touch with their mother, while others had completely integrated into their new families, their bond with their original family growing weaker by the day.
It wasn't until their mother passed away that they all gathered together again, staring blankly at their lonely, simple-minded little sister, at a complete loss.
Little Four went to live with her older sisters, trying her best not to cause trouble, but she always ended up making mistakes. She was passed from one sister to another, becoming the most superfluous person.
But she was pure and simple-hearted, always saving the best things for her sisters. Through their interactions, she carefully memorized her sisters' likes and dislikes, their birthdays. She inadvertently moved them, bringing a glimmer of warmth back to a family that had been shattered.
Only when they were sorting through their mother's belongings did they learn that she had never forgotten them all these years. In fact, she had been living in deep self-blame, blaming herself for not being able to raise them.
At the end of the story, the sisters reconciled, and the family of four lived happily together.
Gu Xinran gave it a quick read and was deeply moved. The world was full of cloying romance dramas; stories that could genuinely touch people's hearts were far too rare.
"I want to try for this one."
Qu Qi frowned. "So everything I just said was for nothing?"
"Only things that truly touch the heart are remembered for a long time. This story really moves me. I think it's worth a try," Gu Xinran insisted.
"Hiss, why are you so stubborn!"
"Which role are they casting for now?"
"The fool," Qu Qi said, rolling her eyes at her.
"Huh? Didn't Sister Ran play a fool in the competition? I think you'll have no problem!" Fang Jinghai gave Gu Xinran a thumbs-up.
"??? Hey, classmate, I think you're missing the point here."
Gu Xinran raised an eyebrow and smiled at her. "This is the one. I want to audition."
"No…"
"Sister Qi, why don't you think about it from another angle? I had so many enemies before. They definitely won't let me off easy. They're probably watching my every move right now. If I join a big production, and they jump out to fabricate scandals out of thin air, hire some online trolls to stir things up, or pressure the production with viewership ratings, it'd be great if the crew could withstand the pressure. But if they can't and they drop me from the role, wouldn't I become a laughingstock and be back to square one overnight?" Gu Xinran offered a shrewd analysis.
"That's possible, but it's still no reason to pick an obscure, unknown production."
"I'm not picking the production, I'm picking the script. This is a good story. Compared to those dime-a-dozen romance and idol dramas, it's on a whole other level. The production might not be top-notch, but the script is absolutely sincere. I'm also very curious about the director of this film. I'd like to meet them."
"Damn it, I think you're actually starting to convince me." Qu Qi blinked, experiencing a serious moment of self-doubt.
"Fine, go ahead and try."
"Thanks, Sister Qi! I'll play a song for you!"
"Forget it. You play the same two bars over and over. I can already sing along."
Qu Qi took back her phone and chatted with the person in charge of the production, signing Xinran up.
"Three o'clock tomorrow afternoon, audition at the film base. Jinghai, you go with her."
"You got it!"
"Hey, do you want to add any more furniture to this place?" Qu Qi glanced around.
"No need. This is enough." Gu Xinran caressed the piano, utterly content.
Qu Qi gave her a helpless look. This girl was as happy as a child over a piano. The word 'happy' was written all over her face!
"Alright then. Prepare well for your audition. I'm leaving."
After seeing them off, Gu Xinran returned to her bedroom, found a pen and paper, and began to write out the sheet music for 【Falling Flowers】 from memory. She had seen the score many times while singing the song and had pretty much memorized it. Then, using the chords Yilan had taught her, she began to practice playing 【Falling Flowers】 on her own.
She wanted to be able to play the entire song for Yilan the next time she came over. She'd be surprised, right?
The night passed peacefully.
The next morning, Gu Xinran woke up early after another night of restful sleep.
She picked up her phone and glanced at it. It was only half-past six. She casually scrolled through Weibo and checked her private messages. She had received many new ones. Most were fans saying hello. There were also some cursing her out with all sorts of nasty words, which she pretended not to see. At least there were no more threats like the one from yesterday.
She browsed the trending topics and, sure enough, photos of her and Yilan at the film set yesterday had been taken and uploaded to Weibo. Below, many fans were hoping for the two to get back together, saying how perfect they looked standing next to each other.
Gu Xinran frowned as she read.
She had said she wouldn't cause trouble for Yilan, yet here she was, dragging her onto the trending list again. It seemed she would have to be more careful in the future.
She thought about it and decided it was best to say nothing at a time like this. She decisively put her phone down and went to wash up.
She spent most of the day studying the new script's synopsis, analyzing the characters' personalities and behavioral patterns. No script was provided for this audition, which probably meant the topic would be given on the spot, relying entirely on improvisation.
At one in the afternoon, Fang Jinghai arrived right on time to pick her up. The two headed straight for the film base. While looking for the audition location, they deliberately detoured around Yilan's set to avoid being spotted by tourists and causing unnecessary trouble.
After much searching, they finally found the audition spot. It was a makeshift studio set up in a remote corner of the film base. The studio was quiet and nearly empty, a world apart from the bustling major productions nearby.
"Excuse me… is this the 【Sisters】 production?"
"Yeah. Who are you?" A staff member carrying equipment glanced at her dismissively.
"Hello, I'm an actress here for an audition." Gu Xinran smiled, her attitude very pleasant.
"Oh. Go in the studio, turn right, the last dressing room at the end." Seeing her good attitude, the young man's tone softened.
"Thank you."
Gu Xinran had Fang Jinghai wait outside while she entered the studio alone.
There weren't many people inside either, and most of them were resting. Since the cast wasn't complete yet, there probably wasn't much filming to do.
The moment Gu Xinran walked in, all eyes focused on her. She remained composed, offering a small smile and a nod to the people there.
"Hey, that person looks a little familiar," someone muttered.
"Of course she looks familiar. Isn't that Gu Xinran?"
"What? I didn't even recognize her at first glance. How is she so different from before??"
"She seems more composed. It's so strange."
"Hey, how did you recognize her right away? I stared for ages and still wasn't sure."
"Heh, she has a fan who's practically an animal."
"??? What?"
Several staff members discussed in low voices, their eyes fixed on Gu Xinran.
Gu Xinran walked to the innermost door and knocked. "Hello, I'm an actress here for an audition."
Hearing this, the staff members who had been whispering stared with wide eyes. What? Auditioning here? Is she still dreaming!?
"Come in."
Hearing a response from inside, Gu Xinran straightened her back, took a deep breath to calm herself, and pushed the door open.
The light in the room was a bit dim. A chubby middle-aged woman sat behind a desk. Next to her sat another person. This person had their chair reclined, a baseball cap covering their face, and their arms crossed as if they were fast asleep, completely unaware that someone had entered.
Gu Xinran averted her gaze and looked at the chubby woman. "Hello, I'm here to audition."
"Hello, my surname is Zheng. Zheng Ying."
"Hello, Director Zheng. My name is Gu Xinran."
Zheng Ying paused at the name, pushing up her glasses to look at her carefully. "You're Gu Xinran?"
"I am." Hearing the questioning tone in her voice, Gu Xinran was a little puzzled. Did this director know her?
Zheng Ying's expression turned a bit strange. "Um, why don't you go wait outside for a bit."
Gu Xinran frowned. The director's attitude was very odd. Had the original Gu Xinran offended her in the past?
"The other actresses haven't arrived yet. We'll start the auditions when they get here," Zheng Ying added.
Gu Xinran glanced at the time. She was indeed half an hour early. "My apologies," she said before leaving.
After Gu Xinran left, Zheng Ying looked at the person still sleeping beside her.
"Tell her to get lost," that person said.
"Oh, okay. But before that, we should at least create the illusion of a fair competition, right?"
"So much trouble." The person pursed their lips, turned their head, and went back to sleep.
The auditioning actresses arrived one after another. In total, only three others came. They sized each other up, and the air was thick with tension.
"Aren't you Gu Xinran?"
"Yes, I am." Gu Xinran gave a faint smile and looked away.
"So that's the Gu Xinran who stirred up all that drama on the show and ruined Yang Xue," the three whispered among themselves.
"Ah? That's her? She's so manipulative."
"You can't tell just by looking at her."
Gu Xinran heard them but pretended she didn't. Instead, she smiled, recalling Yilan's words: "A blade too sharp is bound to attract envy." It seemed that saying was quite applicable now.
After waiting outside for a while, Zheng Ying came out, took a look, and told everyone to come in.
Gu Xinran glanced over. The person from before was still sleeping, just in a different position, with their arms pillowed behind their head. The cap still obscured their face, making them unrecognizable.
Very strange.
"Alright, you four are the only ones who came on time. We won't be seeing anyone else who arrives. I hate people who aren't punctual."
The other three exchanged glances. It was just a small production, yet the director was so blunt. Where did she get the confidence?
"Have you all read the story synopsis? You'll be auditioning for the role of Little Four. Someone will be here shortly to act opposite you. The scene is: Little Four gets lost and is taken to the police station. The second sister comes to the police station to pick her up. Your job is to react to her performance, act along, and your goal is to move everyone."
The actresses were taken aback. "Everyone?"
Zheng Ying called out the door, and seven or eight staff members swarmed in, sitting around and watching the four with smiles.
The pressure instantly mounted.
"Are there no lines?"
"Nope. Improvise."
"Isn't that too difficult??"
As the others complained, Gu Xinran frowned slightly, her mind racing to sketch out the scene.
"You have two minutes to prepare. Go get the actress."
A moment later, a girl pushed the door open and came in.
Gu Xinran glanced over and was stunned.
"Qin Qiong?"
"Huh? Sister Ran?"
The two smiled at each other.
"What are you doing?" Zheng Ying looked at them.
Qin Qiong immediately looked at her obediently.
"Same as yesterday. Let's begin. You first." Zheng Ying randomly pointed at someone who looked relatively pleasing to the eye. The others immediately stepped aside.
The actress was a bit flustered, as if she wasn't ready, but since the director had called on her, she had no choice but to brace herself and go up.
Qin Qiong seemed to have performed this scene many times. She adjusted herself slightly and quickly got into character.
Her character was a corporate executive with a short temper who found Little Four to be a nuisance, treating her like a burden. Furthermore, their mother had favored Little Four when they were children, which made her deeply resentful.
Qin Qiong strode in aggressively. Upon seeing that Little Four was safe and sound, her gaze turned sharp.
"What are you doing running around with nothing better to do! Making so many people search for you everywhere, is it fun to cause trouble for everyone!" Qin Qiong demanded harshly, her presence intimidating.
The actress opposite her was stunned, completely unable to keep up with her performance.
"Next," the director cut in directly.
"Wait, Director, please give me another chance. That was too sudden…"
"Qin Qiong, that wasn't intense enough. Bring out yesterday's energy."
"Okay."
The director then pointed to another person to go up.
This person was much calmer than the previous one and was also able to get into character quickly.
This time, Qin Qiong's performance was a bit more intense. She threw the bag in her hand at the actress's leg, venting her frustration at her. The actress looked at Qin Qiong blankly, her large eyes gradually welling with tears, looking utterly wronged. She was clearly trying to move the audience with a crying scene.
However, the crew was obviously experienced and completely unmoved. After she finished her performance, she was the one left feeling incredibly awkward.
Zheng Ying sighed. This? This was it? She carefully glanced at the person still pretending to be asleep next to her. During the performances, she had secretly lifted the brim of the cap, but after two glances, she had covered it again, clearly having no desire to watch any more.
"Next."
The third person stepped forward, bowed slightly to the crowd, greeted the director, and then smiled at Qin Qiong, making sure to be polite to everyone first.
"Begin."
Qin Qiong instantly got into character, her performance stable. The girl was timid and didn't dare to look at her. After being berated, her gaze shifted evasively, looking very guilty.
"Sis… don't, don't be angry…"
"I was wrong. I won't, won't run off again." The tip of her nose was red, and she blinked her eyes, holding back tears, as if trying to please her. It was a heart-wrenching sight.
"Sis…"
Seeing that Qin Qiong wasn't making any overly aggressive moves, she carefully shuffled over, reached out, and tugged on her sleeve, looking at her with big, innocent eyes.
Qin Qiong shook her hand off, but she hugged her arm again, meekly calling her "sister."
Several staff members were slightly moved, exchanging glances and nodding imperceptibly.
Zheng Ying also nodded, then turned to look at the person beside her. Emmm, no reaction at all. Truly inscrutable. Just as she was feeling conflicted, she saw the person wave a hand.
"Alright, you can stay. The rest of you can go home."
Gu Xinran was stunned for a moment, then stood up. "Director Zheng, even when sentencing a person to death, you should at least give them a final drink before the execution," she asked with a smile.
Zheng Ying looked at her for a few moments, hesitated, then said, "Fine. But you have to move everyone within three sentences. If you can't, then don't humiliate yourself."
Gu Xinran glanced at the surrounding staff.
Everyone had an expression like they were waiting for a good show. It was very strange.
Gu Xinran thought for a moment, nodded, then turned and walked out.
Everyone was stunned. Wasn't that a bit too nonchalant? A truly graceful retreat!
"Alright, everyone can disperse. You, prepare for the second round of auditions."
"??? There's a second round?" The actress who had just passed was stunned before she even had a chance to be happy. Such a small, shabby production was holding a second round? Was that really necessary?!
Qin Qiong glanced at the door. It didn't seem like Gu Xinran to leave so readily.
Just as she was wondering, the door was pushed open.
Seeing Gu Xinran return, Qin Qiong smiled at her.
"You're…?"
"I'm ready."
Zheng Ying was greatly amused. "Within three sentences. Are you sure?"
"I only need one sentence." Gu Xinran gave her a slight smile, exuding absolute confidence.
"???"
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