Hanging up Tong Yue’s call, Jiang Lingxi approached Lu Zhengzheng with her phone. "Did you find anything?"
"Mmm, mmm," Lu Zhengzheng nodded while turning her laptop screen towards Jiang Lingxi. "This actor is named Yu Si. According to the information found, she hasn’t signed with any agency and seems to be a freelance actor. She’s been in the industry for six or seven years and acted in quite a few TV shows and movies, including some popular ones; I’ve even watched several. But strangely, she doesn’t leave much of an impression."
"Is it that situation Tong mentioned, where the show is popular but the person isn’t?"
"That does seem to be the case. Look, Xixi, I even checked her personal profile. Six or seven years since debut, yet she has less than a million followers. Clearly, she doesn’t actively manage her account. She might just view acting as a job. Even so, she has die-hard fans like ’Oh my Sisi’."
Jiang Lingxi took Lu Zhengzheng’s mouse and scrolled down, finally stopping at a recent post. Discover more novels at n0velfire.net
{"Got a new job, so happy! But need to experience what it’s like to be unable to walk. Should I buy a wheelchair with my own money to try it out first?"}
The attached image was a simple scenery, with dark eaves peeking through lush green trees under a clear sky.
It seemed to reflect the poster’s state of mind at the time.
Lu Zhengzheng glanced at the screen and was taken aback by the photo. "This looks like it was taken at the film city in the Imperial City."
They had been filming there for a while, practically going through the entire replica of Yinhe Palace. Lu Zhengzheng felt she could even act as a tour guide now.
"Wait, this post mentions a new job involving difficulty walking. Could Yu Si be the actress displaced by Jiang Xiyu?"
These words made Lu Zhengzheng look up into Xixi’s eyes, and somehow, she understood the meaning behind them.
Her brain finally had a moment of clarity.
If she couldn’t figure it out from this much of a hint, she’d need to study up on her intelligence.
But can intelligence be studied?
"Yu Si is unlucky. She might have already bought a wheelchair, and now it’s money wasted. But she’s so dedicated; why did the director of ’Qingcheng Legend’ replace her with Jiang Xiyu? Could it just be because Jiang Xiyu breaking her leg fits the role better?"
"If you’re curious, you could ask the person directly."
Before Lu Zhengzheng could comprehend Jiang Lingxi’s words, she watched as Jiang quickly navigated through private messages and typed: "Sisi, I’m still waiting for your Yu Xin. Why was it suddenly changed to Jiang Xiyu? I don’t like Jiang Xiyu; I just want you to play the role~~~"
The short message, punctuated with three tilde waves, left Lu Zhengzheng stunned and she instinctively asked, "Xixi, since when did you become a fan of Yu Si?"
"Just now." Jiang Lingxi, seeing that the private message hadn’t been read yet, stood up and instructed Lu Zhengzheng, "Keep this account. Pay attention to the private messages and see if Yu Si responds."
"Oh, okay." Lu Zhengzheng nodded instinctively, then turned to watch Jiang Lingxi’s retreating figure as she headed towards Xu Ling’an. Then she looked back at the screen to the private message just sent, still feeling bewildered.
Why did it seem like Xixi suddenly became so interested in Jiang Xiyu?
Could something have happened that she didn’t know about?
Jiang Lingxi returned to her previous spot, seated at the desk with the exam papers. "Have you finished grading?"
"Yes, congratulations on advancing to the next level," Xu Ling’an handed over a paper filled with red check marks. "Except for missing a small step in the second-to-last big question, but the final answer was correct—the rest are all right."
Jiang Lingxi glanced at the bright red ninety-eight in the upper right corner and flipped to the second-to-last question, where Xu Ling’an had filled in the missing step with a red pen.
She studied it for a few seconds before admitting her mistake earnestly, "It was my oversight."
Xu Ling’an sternly played the role of a small teacher for a moment, "You must be more careful, Student Jiang."
"Yes, yes, I’ll learn from this and check it over to aim for a perfect score next time."
Hearing their conversation, Lu Zhengzheng: "..."
Facing two academic prodigies directly just made her, an academic slacker, feel extremely out of place!
Fortunately, someone soon knocked on the door. "Is Teacher Jiang here? The scene is set up. The director asked to notify you for today’s second scene."
"Okay, I’ll be right there."
Jiang Lingxi asked Lu Zhengzheng to put away her paper, then strode out the door.
Xu Ling’an waited for Lu Zhengzheng to pack up, and the two trailed behind.
"An’an, do you think I have a chance if I sign up for the agent qualification exam now?"
"Xixi is so busy yet preparing for next year’s college entrance exam, working on papers even during breaks. You, a top scorer, read books whose titles I can’t even pronounce. Watching you both strive hard every day makes me feel so unmotivated."
Xu Ling’an: "Well then, welcome to the study group?"
Reaching the set, Lu Zhengzheng joined the other actors’ assistants under the sunshade, pulled out her phone, and quietly placed an order for a set of agent qualification exam preparation materials.
Though she’s an academic slacker, she has dreams too.
Especially being surrounded by two academic geniuses, she should be able to pass!
Even though Little Tao hadn’t returned, Jiang Xiyu was eager to join the crew.
But she entered the crew while filming was already underway, so except for an official welcome post on the crew’s social media, there was no tangible welcome ceremony.
In fact, even when she was wheeled in to meet the director, Lin Yinglian didn’t put down the loudspeaker she was using and merely gestured with a glance, "Go to makeup and change clothes first. We’ll shoot Yu Xin’s costume photo this morning."
Faced with such indifferent treatment, Jiang Xiyu could barely suppress the shock on her face.
It was Lin Yinglian who personally called her to take this role. She had even heard that the crew had dismissed the original actor for Yu Xin in her favor. Why was the attitude so cold upon meeting?
This chill, in stark contrast to the enthusiastic welcome she imagined, made Jiang Xiyu’s heart waver. Swallowing back her words, she followed the crew member leading her to the makeup room with a forced smile.
Fortunately, the makeup room was private, helping her regain some composure.
The cast of "Empress Yuan Zhao" next door had several main actors sharing just one makeup room.
When Jiang Yuting, who came to connect her with the group, arrived, Jiang Xiyu’s face cooled instantly. "What’s Lin Yinglian’s deal? He specially invited me here to act, and I rushed over despite my leg injury. How dare he be so indifferent when we meet?"
Jiang Yuting, who had previously been setting everyone up with iced drinks and had an assistant distribute them, was clueless about the meeting, and was taken aback. "Indifferent? Maybe it’s just natural! If he looked down on you, why’d he replace the original actor at a cost for you? I think you’re overthinking!"
Hearing Jiang Yuting’s instinctual conjecture, Jiang Xiyu’s heart skipped a beat.
Jiang Yuting had flattered her, so she naturally assumed she suited the role of Yu Xin better but conveniently ignored the possibility that her selection might have been arranged by someone from that phone call.
Was Lin Yinglian forced to use her, and was he reluctant?
If the director doesn’t favor her, how can she survive in the crew?