Shrine - Chapter 41
Chapter 41
In the afternoon, Shi Ran brought Ruan Ruan back to her residence in Jiangcheng, Waitan No. 1. The name alone suggested it was located on the Bund, where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold. It was a large, flat-level apartment of over 300 square meters. At first glance, it seemed to have no walls, only windows. The afterglow of the setting sun spread and diffused between the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the widely spaced, slender mullions acted like a viewfinder, helping the owner of the house capture every inch of the river view.
Living in Jiangcheng and Beicheng, sunlight was both the cheapest and most precious commodity. If it was on the street, it was cheap. If it was in the window of a house, it was expensive.
Ruan Ruan walked along the windows, admiring the view carefully, wrapping herself in the warm sunlight.
The vacant house was cleaned year-round. Every room was spotless, with brand-new bedding. Ruan Ruan casually picked a room to put her luggage in, but she tossed her silk pajamas onto Shi Ran's bed.
Neither of them was pretentious or coy, and they both knew what was going on.
After finishing her voice messages, Shi Ran told Ruan Ruan that they didn't need to go to Mozhen. As it happened, Tao Jin and her girlfriend were both home, so they would go downstairs to see them later.
Ruan Ruan was surprised by two things: one, "downstairs," and two, "girlfriend."
Before she could wonder if Shi Ran had gotten used to saying "downstairs" at the hotel, Shi Ran explained that she and Tao Jin were neighbors. When she first moved in, she was buying a parking space, and it just so happened that Tao Jin had one for sale. That's how they met.
Tao Jin was very good with people and skilled at networking, making her one of the few people Shi Ran felt comfortable talking to.
As for Tao Jin's girlfriend, Shi Ran didn't say much. Ruan Ruan would find out when she got there.
After making contact, Shi Ran took Ruan Ruan to their door. Although the layout was similar, Tao Jin's home was decorated very differently. The furnishings had an artistic flair, and large paintings covered the walls. Even the choice of sofa had a pioneering, avant-garde character. A dark red wall next to the dining table, paired with a few mismatched chairs, made it clear that this was someone living their own life, and also that the owner was very artistic, with a rather sharp artistic attitude.
Ruan Ruan felt a little nervous. She was never very confident when it came to artistic circles, perhaps because of her education, or perhaps because of the many disdainful looks she had received from "stylish" people when she submitted her resume in her early years.
However, Tao Jin was the opposite of her decor. She was very gentle, with hair just past her chin, wearing a casual and comfortable half-length skirt. The sleeves of her blouse were rolled up as she smiled and greeted them, "Teacher Shi, Teacher Ruan."
Ruan Ruan relaxed a lot and greeted her along with Shi Ran. Shi Ran, on the other hand, wore her slightly lazy, world-weary expression, as if she wasn't the one who had arranged the gathering.
But Ruan Ruan understood her well now. All of her outward expressions seemed cute to Ruan Ruan.
The three of them sat down on the sofa. Tao Jin's girlfriend came out of the bedroom, looking as if she had just woken up. She had washed her face and was rubbing the excess skincare product onto the back of her hands. It was, surprisingly, Chen Piaopiao.
Ruan Ruan let out a small, silent "wow" in her heart. She recognized her. She had been a fairly famous young actress with a promising career before she dedicated herself to acting in plays. Some said it was a pity, while others praised her for her artistic pursuits. Seeing her in private, it turned out this was the reason.
The unfathomable entertainment industry, where rumors were the most flamboyant and the truth was the most deaf and dumb.
"The two teachers are here." Chen Piaopiao sat down on the single sofa opposite them with a smile. She was now one of the bosses of Shengying Tianxia, and her tone was becoming more and more like a businesswoman's.
"Just call me Ruan Ruan," Ruan Ruan said quickly.
"What would you like to drink?" Tao Jin stood up. "How about an iced Coke? Piaopiao likes this, emmm, I think it's too sugary. Is that okay for you, Ruan Ruan?"
As she bent down to choose from the fridge, she smiled brightly, as if she and Ruan Ruan had been friends for years.
"Why don't you juice some kiwis," Chen Piaopiao said, turning her head.
"I don't want to, I'm lazy," Tao Jin said, bringing over two cans of Coke. "This, or plain water, or 'poor hospitality.' You have three choices."
Ruan Ruan immediately smiled. She watched as Tao Jin placed the Cokes in front of her and Shi Ran, then leaned forward and said, "This is fine, thank you, Teacher Tao."
"Call me Tao Jin." They were all about the same age.
"Ruan Ruan is interested in participating in a play, is that right?" She sat opposite them, crossing her legs. Since they had already talked on WeChat, she went straight to the point.
"Yes, but I don't have any experience, and I don't know much about it... but I'm willing to learn," Ruan Ruan said.
Chen Piaopiao looked up at her. She was a bit like her younger self—the little white flower appearance was similar, and so was the unyielding spirit.
"Which company is Ruan Ruan with now?" She twisted open a can of cookies and passed it over.
"I signed her," Shi Ran said.
"Oh, oh, oh," Chen Piaopiao understood instantly, letting out a few light syllables of laughter. "My apologies, Boss Shi."
Tao Jin scrolled through the messages on her phone and put it down. "It's okay if you don't have experience. None of us were born with it. But I need to understand your expectations for the genre and role. What type of character do you want to play?"
"I..." To be honest, Ruan Ruan hadn't thought about it. It had been less than a day since she learned of this opportunity.
"I can play anything," Ruan Ruan pursed her lips and said softly, "except a man."
She heard three floating breaths. Tao Jin, Chen Piaopiao, and even Shi Ran, who had been observing coolly, all laughed.
Ruan Ruan immediately felt a bit embarrassed. When she was alone with Shi Ran, the class difference between them wasn't so strong. Now, with three big shots facing her like three powerful spotlights, her lack of connections despite being in the entertainment industry for years was instantly exposed.
She felt a faint source of heat behind her; it seemed to be Shi Ran's hand touching her waist.
It seemed to be a comforting gesture, but she didn't intend to speak up for her.
Ruan Ruan came back to her senses and said, "I haven't done my homework yet. I came here just because I really want to act. I haven't had many opportunities before, so when I say I can play anything, I mean it. I'm willing to do anything."
Sincerity is always the ultimate weapon, and she didn't plan on being cunning about this. When Tao Jin and Chen Piaopiao heard the words "haven't done my homework," for some reason, they paused, exchanged a subtle glance, and blinked.
"It's okay, I'll help you think about it." Tao Jin curved her lips into a smile.
Ruan Ruan looked up, her eyes filled with unconscious gratitude.
"This is what we producers do—help plays find the right people, and help people find the right plays," Tao Jin said lightly.
"Teacher Shi," Chen Piaopiao looked at Shi Ran, who hadn't said much. "Do you have time to stay for dinner? Tao Jin might need to chat with Ruan Ruan a bit more."
"You're cooking?" Tao Jin looked up at her, bewildered.
"Ordering takeout," Chen Piaopiao said.
"Why not treat us to a meal out?"
"I want to play mahjong."
Ruan Ruan smiled again. She found this couple really interesting; their conversation flowed seamlessly.
She pursed her lips, thinking Shi Ran wouldn't agree, but unexpectedly, Shi Ran spoke up leisurely, "Bloody battle to the end?"
Chen Piaopiao's eyes curved into a smile. "I knew you'd know how to play." Her form of address changed imperceptibly, and the distance between them quickly closed.
The four young people began to shuffle the mahjong tiles with a clatter. To Ruan Ruan's surprise, Tao Jin's house actually had a game room. It seemed the two of them had many friends.
In comparison, Ruan Ruan was the one who didn't really know how to play. She learned as she went. The best player was Chen Piaopiao, who effortlessly made Pongs, Kongs, and won by self-draw or discard. The second best was Shi Ran. She looked uninterested, but every time she won, it was with precision.
Tao Jin's mind wasn't on mahjong; she was just playing along. While playing her tiles, she softly asked Ruan Ruan about trivial matters.
After a few rounds, she had a good grasp of Ruan Ruan's personality and preferences. By the time they finished, she already had a plan in mind.
So, she didn't rush to eat. She went to the living room and pulled out a theater company's publication. "Ruan Ruan, there are no suitable roles for you in my group at the moment. Plus, I'm on tour, which would require you to set aside a long period of time for me, and that would be inconvenient for you to coordinate."
"However, a friend of mine has a play in Jiangcheng. Before we started playing mahjong, I asked her about the roles she's missing. I just helped you pick a few, and these are all very suitable."
She spread the publication open and circled a few things on it with a pen. "After dinner, you can go back and take a look. Think about it and then reply to me. There's no rush."
Ruan Ruan glanced at the play's synopsis. Three words: Dream of the Red Chamber.
Get instant access to all chapters now.
Comments
Post a Comment