Rebirth 02, the Celestial Being Told Me to Stop Pretending

Zhu Yanwen walked over with a bottle of wine and sat down next to Lu Chen.

"Director Lu, excuse me for interrupting. Let me offer you a toast."

Lu Chen picked up the wine bottle on the table and clinked it against his.

"Director Lu." Zhu Yanwen put down the wine bottle, rubbed his hands, and his expression suddenly became a little embarrassed. "I have something I want to tell you."

"explain."

"I heard your company has a new movie to shoot."

Lu Chen glanced at Liu Yifei beside him.

"You're quite well-informed."

"Yifei said so." Zhu Yanwen scratched his head, smiling somewhat sheepishly.

"Director Lu, I won't beat around the bush. I want to ask if I have a chance."

"You're quite direct."

"That's just how I am," Zhu Yanwen grinned.

"I have thick skin. When I was an extra, if the director yelled at me, I would just stand there and let him yell. After he finished yelling, I would ask him, 'What did I do wrong? Can you teach me?'"

"and then?"

"Then they added two more scenes for me, haha."

Since there was no suitable candidate for the male lead, Zhu Yanwen was a good fit.

"Come to the company for the audition tomorrow at 3 PM."

Zhu Yanwen was stunned for a moment, then suddenly stood up.

"Really, Director Lu?"

"real."

"Director Lu!" His voice trembled with excitement.

"I...I fucking..." He took a deep breath, picked up his bottle, and downed it in one gulp.

"Thank you, Director Lu!"

"But in the end, it depends on whether Professor Xue agrees, you understand?"

"I understand, I understand." He then turned to Liu Yifei beside him.

"Thank you, Yifei. I...I wish you a long and happy marriage."

Liu Yifei, who had been watching quietly from the side, blushed instantly upon hearing this.

"Don't talk nonsense, Lu Chen and I aren't like that," Hua said, but she felt a sweet warmth in her heart.

Lu Chen shook his head and didn't say anything, thinking to himself that this kid was quite articulate and that he needed to speak to Teacher Xue about finalizing the male lead's role.

As soon as Zhu Yanwen left, Jiang Yiyan brought over a fruit platter.

"Mr. Lu, have some fruit." She placed the fruit plate in front of Lu Chen. The watermelon inside was cut into small pieces and had toothpicks stuck in them.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." She sat down on the other side of Lu Chen, at a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

"Director Lu, I've seen your films 'Who Turned Off My Lights' and 'Crazy Stone'."

She turned her head to look at Lu Chen, her eyes shining brightly in the dim light of the private room. "The photos are really good."

"Thanks."

"You're only twenty-two this year, right?" Her tone carried just the right amount of surprise.

"To become a director at such a young age, that's really impressive."

"Good luck."

"Luck is also part of ability." She smiled, picked up a toothpick, stuck a piece of watermelon in it, and handed it to Lu Chen.

"Try it, it's quite sweet."

Lu Chen politely accepted the toothpick but did not eat it.

Jiang Yiyan withdrew her hand, her smile unchanged, but a hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes.

She quickly composed herself and turned to Liu Yifei, saying, "Yifei, President Lu is so cool, he hardly ever talks."

Liu Yifei smiled.

"He's always been like this."

"Really?" Jiang Yiyan tilted her head, looking at Lu Chen.

"Mr. Lu, are you usually this cold to Yifei?"

No, she's different from others.

Liu Yifei chuckled beside her: "How am I different? Tell me."

Lu Chen smiled and looked at her: "Don't you know what's going on?"

Jiang Yiyan's smile froze for a moment, then melted away.

She picked up the water glass in front of her, took a small sip, and felt a bitter taste in her mouth.

Liu Yifei lowered her eyelids, picked up her slice of watermelon, and ate it in small bites without saying a word.

Lu Chen seemed oblivious to the subtle atmosphere created by his words, or perhaps he was aware of it but didn't care.

He put the piece of watermelon he had been holding back onto the edge of the fruit plate.

"Mr. Lu, do you have any new plans?" Jiang Yiyan asked again, her voice softer than before, tinged with a hint of probing. "I heard you're preparing a new film?"

"Still looking at the notebook," Lu Chen replied briefly.

"If there's a suitable role for me, just call me anytime," she said, half-jokingly and half-seriously.

"My salary isn't high, and I'm very easy to work with."

Lu Chen nodded, neither agreeing nor refusing, but simply said "okay" again.

Jiang Yiyan tactfully got up and left.

Liu Yifei was whispering to Zhou Yang, her head down. "What do you think of him?"

"Handsome. And very talented too. How far have you guys progressed?"

Not a single step.

"Really? I can tell he treats you differently from everyone else."

"I don't know, maybe they think I'm too young."

Luo Jin sat quietly on the sofa, listening to others sing.

He stood up and walked over to Lu Chen when a slower song was played in the private room.

"Director Lu." His voice was not loud, and he was very composed.

"sit."

Luo Jin sat down opposite Lu Chen. "Director Lu, I heard from Yi Fei that your company has signed directors like Ning Hao and Xu Zheng, and is also training new actors."

"Um."

"I'd like to ask," he paused, "what requirements does your company have for its actors?"

Luo Jin's gaze was calm, lacking Zhu Yanwen's shamelessness and Jiang Yiyan's probing. He was simply asking a question.

"Solid basic skills, willing to endure hardship, and not picky about roles."

Luo Jin nodded.

"I studied Peking Opera from a young age, and I sang old male roles for ten years. Later, I was admitted to the Beijing Film Academy and switched to acting."

Lu Chen nodded slightly without saying anything.

"Director Lu, I'm not as eloquent as Yanwen," Luo Jin smiled, a hint of shyness in his expression.

"I don't know how to market myself. But if you're willing to give me a chance, even if it's just a minor role, I'm willing."

Lu Chen looked at him.

What have you acted in?

"I played Zhou Ping in 'Thunderstorm' and Qin Zhongyi in 'Teahouse' during my school years."

"Is there a video recording?"

"Yes. I'll copy it for you later."

"it is good."

"Thank you, Director Lu."

He walked back to his seat and continued to listen to the music quietly.

It was almost 11 o'clock when the show ended.

Zhu Yanwen had drunk a bit too much and was helped out by Lu Fangsheng.

Luo Jin walked at the very back, carrying Zhou Yang's bag.

Jiang Yiyan said goodbye to Liu Yifei at the door.

She took Liu Yifei's hand, her smile gentle: "Qianqian, I had such a great time today. Let's meet up again next time!"

"OK."

"Mr. Lu," she turned to Lu Chen and gave a slight bow, "It's a pleasure to meet you today. I hope we'll have the opportunity to work together in the future."

"Um."

Before Jiang Yiyan turned to leave, she winked at Lu Chen, but Liu Yifei didn't notice at all.

Liu Yifei stood next to Lu Chen, wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a mask.

"Where are we going?"

"I'll take you home, where else would we go?"

Lu Chen opened the car door, and Liu Yifei bent down to sit in the passenger seat, expertly fastening her seatbelt.

Lu Chen started the car and drove out of the KTV's underground parking lot.

There weren't many cars on the streets of Beiping late at night, and streetlights flashed past the car windows one after another.

Liu Yifei took off her sunglasses and mask, but still wore her hat, and huddled inside Lu Chen's oversized coat.

Lu Chen glanced at her.

Why are you looking at me like that?

"Because you're good-looking."

Liu Yifei snorted and pulled her hat down further, covering half of her face.

As the car drove past the East Third Ring Road, Liu Yifei suddenly spoke.

"Lu Chen".

"Um."

I'm seventeen years old.

"I know."

Seventeen is not young anymore.

"Isn't that still a minor?"

Liu Yifei snorted.

"You wait."

"What are you waiting for?"

"Wait until I'm eighteen."

Lu Chen gripped the steering wheel. "Okay."

-

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