A cobalt supercar roared its way down the street. It wove through the lanes and sliced through intersections as the roar and pops of its engine filled the air of K City. As the car turned through the streets, people became harder to find, plots of lands became larger, and buildings became opulent, decorated by stone statues, gleaming ivory gates, and hidden security cameras. After a couple minutes of driving, the car turned into an underground parking lot beside the [Nine Heavens Jade Auditorium].
The day of cast meetings had arrived.
Chu Changfeng stepped out of the supercar, slamming the door shut with a dull thunk and quiet click. Illuminated under the electric lighting of the parking garage, he scanned the area and made a mental note of all the cars present before smacking his lips and striding away to the elevator. “... Exciting business.”
Once the elevator doors had closed, the headlights of another two cars swept across the parking garage before parking in the corner. Out of the first car came Xia Ruyun and Li Feiling, engaged in idle conversation. The two, dressed in sweatpants and hoodies, walked ahead towards the elevator. Out of the second car came Gao Qian and Ye Shuhua, the managers of the actress pair, who followed the first two into the elevator.
“Be careful,” Li Feiling tied her hair back into a messy ponytail during their ascent to the auditorium. “Chu Changfeng is a suspicious little pig who’s greasier than the food stands in the shopping districts! I have no idea what his ancestors or parents did, but from the moment we met as children, he’s been a pungent, repulsive bastard who has an ego larger than his nose.”
Xia Ruyun flashed an ‘ok’ hand sign before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. As the last of the air left her lips, she brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Her shoulders, though, remained tense as the elevator eased to a stop, the doors sliding open with a quiet ding.
It’s a lot of new people, but this isn’t the past anymore. Focus on staying safe and actually speaking.
If only there was a way to skip the annoying ‘get to know people’ phase...
Their group of four walked out of the elevator with their conversation on pause. They followed the signs put up by the director and his crew to the main auditorium, drawing some gazes and murmurs from the other actors and actresses who stood around chatting and waiting for the beginning of the itinerary.
“Oh my god, is that Li Feiling?”
“The movie queen.”
“I didn’t expect that she’d actually take part in a project like this.”
“Aren’t there rumors that she’s being pursued by Chu Changfeng?”
“They would be a good match... movie king and movie queen...”
“But aren’t there also rumors that she hates his guts?”
“I mean we’ll find out soon enough.”
“True...”
“And who’s that beside her?”
“Haven’t you heard, that’s Xia Ruyun!”
“Holy... she looks so different. What? Really?”
Standing off to the side, they waited. Xia Ruyun, used to all the murmurs, just pulled out her phone and tuned it all out. Her delicate eyelashes fluttered as she focused on her own work.
Once the noontime sun flooded through the hall’s skylight windows, the main auditorium’s doors eased open to reveal a room dotted with round tables of eight seats. In the back, sat two longer tables laden with food.
“Welcome, welcome,” An assistant ushered everyone into the auditorium. “Please get some food to warm your stomachs! We’ll spend some time just eating and getting comfortable before starting the cast reading.”
“Is there a detailed plan available? For what we’ll be doing today?” An actor right by the door raised his hand. “I would just like to know if I need to reschedule a promotional shoot.”
“Don’t worry, a detailed plan has been printed out and put at each of the seats, so please spend your time carefully reading once you sit down,” The assistant smiled before motioning for everyone to enter the door. “We did provide a general time block, did you not schedule based on that?”
“Well, I was just planning on leaving half-an-hour early. The event is five hours long, there’s no way there’s that much critical information,” The actor elaborated, only to fall silent as the assistant became occupied with a different actress’s manager. Seeing his attempt at communication stifled, he turned to his manager with a shake of the head. “Let’s just go in. We’ll figure it out once we see the agenda.”
Li Feiling and Xia Ruyun watched this scene from the side. After looking at each other and raising their eyebrows at the chaos of the exchange, they began filing into the auditorium amidst the rest of the cast. As they walked in, both began exchanging some courtesy greetings with the others.
“Li Feiling! I’m excited to work with you!”
“It’s a pleasure as well, I'm hoping we have a splendid collaboration.”
“Xia Ruyun, the rumors were true, you are working again! Looking forward to working together, your songs were just amazing back in the day. I remember my nieces and nephews would never stop talking about you! Even these days, I still put the songs on when they come over to visit.”
“Th... Thank you, thank you, I’m honored. I’m just getting back into acting though, please treat me like any other junior. I’m looking forward to working and learning from you during this upcoming project.”
“Li Feiling! Nice to see you again! Looking forward to working with you as well! I’m sure this project will reach another level with you here.”
“Haha, nice to see you again too, didn’t expect you’d be part of this project either. Thank you for the kind words, but truly, no need to expect too much. In fact, with more familiar faces, I’m sure this project will go just that bit more smoothly.”
Waving and nodding to anyone who greeted them, Xia Ruyun and Li Feiling separated themselves from the rest of the group. A sigh left Xia Ruyun’s mouth as she slumped over just a touch. “I didn’t expect to be greeted. By a sixty-year-old actor of all people too...”
“You’re famous, have confidence,” Li Feiling patted Xia Ruyun on the shoulder with a smile. Leading the way, she took a seat at a table near the center of the auditorium—just a little shifted towards the front. The two agents along with Xia Ruyun, with no seating preferences of their own, followed her to the table and took their own seats.
“No assigned seating right?” Gao Qian scanned the table with sharp eyes before leaning over and picking up an agenda. Taking a seat beside Xia Ruyun, she pulled out her phone and began entering the specific details of the event into her phone. “Xia Ruyun, I have to leave halfway through for a different client of mine, are you able to return home on your own or with Li Feiling? Otherwise I can schedule a driver to come pick you up.”
“No worries,” Xia Ruyun glanced over the agenda herself. As she read it, she traced the edge of the paper with her finger. “I’ll go back with Li Feiling, we’re planning on grabbing a meal anyway.”
Before they could continue their conversation though, a group of four appeared on the other side of their table. Led by a certain Chu Changfeng, the atmosphere of the table froze over as the four took their seats, filling the table.
“What a pleasant surprise, Feiling. What a coincidence that we’ve all taken a seat together. The two leads and two of the most important supporting characters, we’re like the lead table,” Chu Changfeng extended a hand while breaking into a smile. “Looking forward to collaborating, everyone, especially you, Feiling. It’s been so long since our last project together.”
“Mhm... likewise,” Li Feiling returned the handshake with a brief touch before retracting her arm. “What a coincidence indeed, Chu Changfeng.”