Chapter 5: Pinru Plays Aili

"Let's begin the audition now." The director gave a light cough, composed his emotions, and said:

"I need to see how you perform in front of the camera."

As he spoke, he flipped through the script: "Let's try scene 125."

"Chihyun, you act with them, play the role of Aili for a moment."

Use Pinru to play Aili?

The producer and screenwriter were somewhat speechless.

However, there was only one actress present; they couldn't exactly have these men go up there and strike poses, could they?

"Oh... that... no problem," Qiu Chihyun said, stumbling slightly over her words.

She understood Chinese, but could not communicate fluently.

Upon hearing this, Qi Hui, on the contrary, looked at the content of scene 125 and couldn't help but have a strange expression on his face.

This scene was the one where [Hong Shixian] and [Aili] were having an affair in the Hong family bedroom—which was actually Lin Pinru's bedroom—and were ultimately caught by Lin Pinru.

Zhang Ruoyun looked solemn, reading the script intently; having been crushed by the two seniors just now, he was determined to regain some ground.

He couldn't be looked down upon like this.

Ling Xiaosu pondered the character and the persona, thinking about how to act it out in a moment.

Qi Hui... he was somewhat lost in thought; this scene was a bit strange.

A few minutes flashed by, and Qiu Chihyun had already moved a chair and sat down in front of the camera.

"Let's start, in the order from before," the director said.

Little Zhang took a deep breath, walked forward slowly, and went to Qiu Chihyun's side.

Qiu Chihyun sat on the chair, performing a pantomime, touching the air to apply makeup to her face.

"Why are you wearing Pinru's clothes?" Zhang Ruoyun stood with his hands on his hips, his expression somewhat overbearing: "And using her things?"

He still hadn't forgotten the identity of Hong Shixian as a young playboy.

"Uh... since we want to... that, seek excitement..." Qiu Chihyun said the lines, stumbling over her words.

But before she could finish, Little Zhang couldn't hold it together; his emotions weren't stable.

"Cut!" the director called out directly.

The reason he chose this scene was because the male and female leads each had one line of dialogue.

But he hadn't expected there to still be problems.

Little Zhang was somewhat depressed; he hadn't even used his full strength yet.

"Teacher Ling, you go," the director said.

"That... should I use Mandarin, or Korean?" Qiu Chihyun raised her hand to ask.

Part of the blame for the previous audition attempt lay with her.

"Korean," Ling Xiaosu patted his chest and said: "I will catch your performance."

"Thank you," Qiu Chihyun said gratefully.

"Begin."

Qiu Chihyun turned around, sat back on the chair, and busied herself, constantly applying air to her face.

Ling Xiaosu walked over from behind and tugged at her clothes: "Why are you wearing Pinru's clothes? And using her things?"

The director nodded slightly; it had five parts of the look of Hong Shixian.

Qiu Chihyun stood up, a charming expression appearing on her face: "자극을 추구해야 되니까..."

"???" Ling Xiaosu was stunned for a moment:

"It's my turn, right?"

"...그럼 끝까지 지켜봐야죠."

Both of them spoke at the same time, then both fell silent.

The scene was a little awkward.

A few seconds later, Qiu Chihyun was the first to lose her composure, tentatively asking: "How about... I use Mandarin after all?"

"Cut!" The director called a halt, somewhat speechless: "Let's stop for a moment."

Qiu Chihyun stood in place, feeling somewhat embarrassed; she knew it was because of her that the audition had some issues.

"Miss Qiu, be more confident," Qi Hui said in Korean:

"The Aili you are playing is a confident, proud character."

"You are not in line with the character like this."

Qiu Chihyun was slightly stunned, then took a deep breath: "Okay, I understand."

The two communicated in Korean; those present looked on, not understanding, but they could see that Qiu Chihyun had swept away the previous embarrassment and lack of confidence.

She looked a little more like Aili now.

The director watched the two, his heart stirred, and he immediately said: "Qi Hui, you two start the audition."

"Speak Korean," Qi Hui said to Qiu Chihyun in Korean.

Qiu Chihyun nodded slightly, turned around, and sat on the chair just like before, using the air to apply makeup to her face.

She was Aili now, wearing Lin Pinru's pajamas.

Getting ready at Lin Pinru's vanity.

Behind her, Hong Shixian, played by Qi Hui, walked out of the "bathroom," holding a towel for drying his hands.

Relaxed, natural, just like he was in his own home.

The director nodded; this was what Hong Shixian looked like at home.

Seeing [Aili] wearing Pinru's clothes in front of the vanity, [Hong Shixian] couldn't help but walk up, puzzled.

He gently tugged at the pajamas on [Aili]'s body and asked in Mandarin, puzzled: "Why are you wearing Pinru's clothes? And using her things?"

Not bad... the director nodded; this was the Hong Shixian he had envisioned.

Qiu Chihyun stood up, her hair flicking lightly to the side, a charming and seductive smile on her face:

"Since we want to seek excitement, we have to see it through to the end..."

As she spoke, she gently tugged at the clothes on her body to show Qi Hui, then looked at Qi Hui with a beaming smile, her eyes incredibly alluring.

Qi Hui pursed his lips, unable to suppress the corner of his mouth, and couldn't help but say:

"You are so slutty..."

With that, he pulled Aili, played by Pinru, into his arms.

The director's eyes lit up; this line wasn't in the script, but it was interesting!

"Hahahaha..." Ling Xiaosu and Zhang Ruoyun laughed wildly on the side.

This line was too hilarious.

The producer and the screenwriters were also unable to hold back their laughter.

"Haha... cough, cough, cough, Cut!" The director realized and immediately called a halt.

In front of the camera, Qi Hui slowly put down the lifted Qiu Chihyun.

"Oppa..." Qiu Chihyun blushed, not quite having recovered.

His body was so hard, his strength so great, and he smelled so good.

"That's acceptable," the director said with a straight face: "You two go out first, we will notify you of the results."

"Don't go too far, just stay near the hotel," the producer said: "The results will be out soon."

Hearing this, the three of them—Qi Hui and the others—exchanged glances, feeling a bit confused.

Shouldn't they go back and wait for the results?

After Qi Hui and the others left and closed the door, the director tapped the table, gave two light coughs, and said to the producer:

"The audition is over. I won't ask who is chosen for the male lead, but let me share my thoughts."

The producer nodded, signaling for him to continue.

"Ling Xiaosu's acting isn't bad; he performed quite well just now," the director said: "Although it caused some trouble due to the language, it was still okay."

"However, Qi Hui is better. His acting is on par with Ling Xiaosu's, and there are no barriers regarding language."

As for Zhang Ruoyun, he was ignored.

The producer nodded; he could see all of this.

Immediately, the producer looked at the screenwriter.

"Don't look at me, I don't understand acting," the screenwriter spread his hands:

"However, from a screenwriter's perspective, the one who understands the story and the character the deepest is, of course, Qi Hui."

Zhang Ruoyun was also ignored by him; Little Zhang was just here to make up the numbers.

The producer looked at Qiu Chihyun; she was the female lead and had many scenes with the male lead.

Her opinion could, to a certain extent, serve as a reference.

"Miss Qiu, what do you think..." the producer asked.

Then... then he saw Qiu Chihyun, red-faced, not knowing what she was thinking about.

Beside Qiu Chihyun, her manager pinched her thigh hard—what a disappointment.

"Ya... ah? What?" Qiu Chihyun reacted to the pain, then asked, somewhat dazed.

"...Forget it, pretend I didn't say anything," the producer said with a dark face; this woman was obsessed with male beauty.

You didn't even need to ask to know who she was leaning toward.

After a long silence, the producer slowly shook his head:

"I understand everything you are saying, but Qi Hui is just a newcomer with no fame at all."

Using a newcomer with no fame to play the male lead carries too much risk.

He was not targeting Qi Hui, but rather speaking based on the facts.

Before the audition, he wouldn't even have had any hesitation regarding the choice for the male lead.

That he could make him waver after the audition already speaks volumes about Qi Hui's ability.

"Let me add one more point," the director said.

"Although Qi Hui has no fame, his acting fee is not high; he saves money."

"Hmm?" Hearing this, the producer was stunned, and his eyes brightened slightly.

"Not only does he save money," the director continued, "but he also understands Korean, and his understanding of the script is quite good."

"These two points will save us a lot of time during filming."

The producer pulled out a Double Happiness cigarette and lit it in silence.

Saving time... for a film crew, saving time is saving money.

Amidst the swirling faint smoke, the producer's heart began to waver once again.