Huayu: Serious director, who's eavesdropping on your thoughts?

"Why?" Shu Chang asked, puzzled and even a little aggrieved.

"Your eyes convey so much worldly wisdom. You're so clever, so good at acting. You're portraying a young girl with all sorts of emotions and desires, facing a difficult situation."

"But what I want is an object, a kind of insensitivity." Zhao Huaiyuan stood up and paced back and forth, somewhat agitated.

"She doesn't understand human rules, she doesn't know what beauty is, she doesn't even know what sadness is. She just instinctively wants to go home. You're too perceptive, perceptive to the point of being worldly."

Shu Chang opened her mouth, wanting to refute, but she understood the meaning behind the director's words and could only leave the stage.

Even Shu Chang was rejected, so who else can do it?

Director Zhang, sweating profusely, leaned closer and whispered, "Xiao Zhao, aren't your standards too high? This won't do, that won't do, how about Shu Chang? Good acting skills can make up for it."

"No way," Zhao Huaiyuan refused.

..

After passing nineteen in a row, with his favorability rating barely passing, the frequent use of his cheat ability pushed his mental workload to the limit, and his physical discomfort became increasingly intense.

His forehead was covered in cold sweat, his face turned pale, and he looked strangely eerie.

"Xiao Zhao, are you alright? Why do you look so pale? Take a rest." Director Zhang asked with concern. Ning Hao, who was standing next to him, hurriedly opened a bottle of water and handed it to Zhao Huaiyuan.

"It's nothing, I've always had low blood sugar, it's an old problem. There's only one left, let's finish this." Zhao Huaiyuan took a big gulp of water, calmed himself down, and waved his hand.

The twentieth person is a girl named Li Qingrou.

This is a completely unfamiliar name, not on any list of connections, and is a truly ordinary person selected purely through layers of screening based on merit.

Her face was unadorned, her long hair was casually tied up with a hairpin, and a few strands of hair fell behind her ears, making her skin appear even whiter than snow, her face stunningly beautiful, and her beauty incomparable, so captivating that one could not look directly at her.

Her eyebrows were arched, her small nose was slightly upturned, and her eyes had a clean and clear quality, like the shallowest spring water in a mountain stream.

Perhaps it's because I'm at a loss for words, but it's hard to describe her appearance.

"Hello, teachers, my name is Li Qingrou." She gave a graceful bow, her voice soft and gentle, like the misty rain of Jiangnan.

Director Zhang was stunned. As a production director at China Film Group, he had seen countless beautiful women in his life.

But someone like Li Qingrou was truly someone he had never seen before.

No acting is needed; just standing there evokes a feeling that makes people want to protect her.

When still, she is like a beautiful flower reflected in water; when moving, she is like a willow swaying in the breeze. With every frown and smile, she seems like a light cloud veiling the moon, or drifting like swirling snow in a flowing wind.

In short, it's absolutely amazing!

Ning Hao sat up straight, his eyes filled with amazement, and opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word.

Zhao Huaiyuan was also surprised.

The delicate white flower's charm, its fragile quality that makes you want to protect it, is simply a perfect match for a small jade pot.

This feeling is even more lively than the little jade pot in the original version.

This person is truly amazing.

So much so that Zhao Huaiyuan was momentarily lost in thought.

Li Qingrou began her performance.

She simply knelt gently on the ground, hugging her knees with both hands, resting her chin on her knees, and curling up into a small ball.

She slowly raised her head.

A pair of clear, innocent eyes immediately locked onto Zhao Huaiyuan, who was sitting in the center.

Her eyes sparkled, and with every thought she had, it seemed as if a radiance flowed over her.

She bit her lip lightly, her eyes filled with a mixture of panic, vulnerability, and unspoken words.

She was like a small white flower in the wind, delicate and pure.

It was a pure, unblemished cleanliness, almost divine sanctity, making one reluctant to desecrate it.

When the performance ended, she stood up timidly, like a startled fawn.

"Director Zhao, it's her! I have a feeling that she's the leading lady we're looking for!" Ning Hao was a little excited. The shock this woman brought him was greater than that of a hundred exceptional women.

It was a pure, untouched, and absolutely innocent quality, untouched by any trace of earthiness.

Director Zhang nodded repeatedly, and couldn't help but draw a big red circle on the list:

"Xiao Zhao, I also think she's wonderful. I really can't find a single fault with her. Her image and her temperament are simply amazing. I have a feeling she'll become the leading lady of her generation. Is it settled?"

Zhao Huaiyuan was overjoyed. Yes, he had finally found the best candidate he had been looking for.

He picked up his pen, ready to circle Li Qingrou's name.

"She'll do," Zhao Huaiyuan thought to himself.

Li Qingrou looked delighted.

But just as Zhao Huaiyuan was about to make a decision, the lessons learned from his previous life and the caution he had after being reborn made him pause for a moment.

"Take one more look."

Zhao Huaiyuan closed his eyes, inhaled and exhaled, adjusted his state, and endured the discomfort of overusing the system before activating the mind-reading ability again.

hum!

This time the side effects were significantly more severe than any before; the pain was amplified by repeated exposure.

His vision suddenly went black, and beads of sweat instantly appeared on his forehead.

In the midst of the dizziness, countless black, malicious bullet comments emerged.

These three idiots...just look at their eyes...they've already taken the bait...ha...so easy to fool...

Zhao Huaiyuan's hand trembled slightly.

Li Qingrou, sitting in the audience, maintained her pitiful and endearing appearance.

[...This awful place...the way old men look at me...it's disgusting...I feel like throwing up...]

Pretending to be innocent is tiring... but I'll endure it for the sake of becoming famous.

Tonight I have to...accompany Young Master Chen...to a lousy show...low pay, lots of work...a stepping stone...

Zhao Huaiyuan accepted the mind-reading ability.

Take a deep breath.

Sure enough, I almost fell for it again.

What purity, what innocence, it's all an act. The filth in their hearts is dirtier than the sewage in the toilet!

A pink skeleton, yet another pink skeleton.

"Xiao Zhao, what's wrong? Still not decided? This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." Director Zhang was still urging him on. With such a promising example before him, he was so anxious that he wished he could make the decision for Zhao Huaiyuan on the spot.

Ning Hao was also puzzled. The person in front of him had such good conditions, so why was he hesitating?

"go out."

The two simple words left everyone stunned.

Li Qingrou was stunned, her expression almost cracking. Her large, innocent eyes blinked, looking utterly bewildered.

"Director...Director? Was my acting bad?"

"You acted so well, it makes me feel nauseous. Get out," Zhao Huaiyuan said coldly.

Li Qingrou had no idea what was happening.

It was very sudden.

She was momentarily at a loss, hurriedly bowed, and ran out as if fleeing.

After the door closed, everyone fell silent.

"No... Xiao Zhao, I know I shouldn't ask so many questions, but I just want to know what's going on? Aren't your standards a bit too high?" Director Zhang looked completely bewildered.

All twenty names on the list have now been crossed out.

Still not working?

We can't exactly steal a magical pot from the Eagle Museum to take pictures of, can we?

Ning Hao was also puzzled. "Yes, Li Qingrou is so great! I thought she was the only one for me just now."

Zhao Huaiyuan rubbed his temples without saying a word. This person reminded him of that despicable woman from his previous life.

For a moment, he even lost his composure.

He offered no explanation, nor could he explain it clearly; a deep sense of powerlessness suddenly overwhelmed him.

Is that really all?

From the arrogant Jiang Xin to the quirky Yang Mi... one after another, the actresses he had auditioned flashed before his eyes.

Is that really all?

He closed his eyes, his mind replaying the image of the innocent and adorable little jade pot in his memory, or rather, in his heart.

Has that kind of gaze, that untainted purity, truly disappeared from the corrupt entertainment industry?

"Alright, put it away."

After a long silence, Zhao Huaiyuan stood up, swaying slightly. "Let's think of another way."

Director Zhang sighed, but seeing Zhao Huaiyuan's appearance, he didn't dare to ask any more questions. He could only mutter to himself, "If they don't even want someone like this, where else can we find someone?"

There was nothing he could do; since President Han had given him special permission, what could he say? He could only start tidying up the documents on the table, preparing to leave. Ning Hao also stood up and began to help.

boom!

A muffled thud.

The rehearsal hall door was kicked open from the outside.

The group was startled and turned to look.

At the main entrance, against the glaring midday sun, stood a slightly thin figure.

Because of the backlighting, I couldn't see the face clearly at first.

All you could see was her panting heavily, her chest heaving violently, clearly having run all the way here.

She stood at the door with her bag on her back, the sunlight soft and diffused on her hair, face, hands, and clothes, as if she were in a misty haze, motionless.

These are not the main points.

The key point is her eyes.

Those eyes, which were usually criticized, were now frighteningly bright.

"Liu...Liu Yifei? Wasn't she on the set of 'Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils'? How come she's suddenly here?"

"What's this little girl doing here? She's not on the interview list!"

Ning Hao was surprised, and Director Zhang was also puzzled. The two of them looked at Zhao Huaiyuan sitting in his seat.

Liu Yifei has arrived.

She stood there, quietly looking at Zhao Huaiyuan, a deep sense of grievance in her eyes.

The feeling is like a child who has been forgotten by their parents at the kindergarten gate and only sees their parents come to pick them up when it gets dark. They want to rush over and cry, but also feel so angry that they want to bite their parents.