Chinese entertainment: What's wrong with actresses wanting to improve?

Chapter 13 See You Again, Zeng Li

At nine o'clock in the morning, in a classroom at Beijing Film Academy, Fu Yibai, Wang Peng, and a professor from the Department of Performing Arts were chatting.

Soon, the auditions began.

The first person to enter was Qin Lan, who had just debuted. At that time, she was not very famous and had only acted in two films and television dramas.

This woman will only gain some fame when "Princess Pearl III" airs next month.

Qin Lan's acting has some flair, but it falls far short of Fu Yibai's expectations.

"Very good, Miss Qin did a very good job."

You'll be notified of the audition results in a few days.

"Thank you, teachers."

Qin Lan bowed and turned to walk out the door.

"Next up, Tang Yan."

Fu Yibai raised his head and looked towards the doorway.

A girl wearing a white t-shirt and denim shorts walked in. She was tall and slender with long, shapely legs, long hair cascading down her shoulders, a slightly chubby face, and clear eyes that revealed a naive innocence. She looked younger than her actual age.

She was a student in the 02 class of the Central Academy of Drama, and had almost no decent works; she was a typical new face.

"Hello, teachers, I am Tang Yan."

Her voice was clear and crisp, tinged with obvious nervousness, and her hands unconsciously gripped the hem of her clothes.

As usual, Wang Peng introduced the audition scene.

.........

Tang Yan's performance was even worse. The three of them exchanged glances and understood each other's opinions.

"Ms. Tang, your performance was very good, but you are not suitable for this role."

Wang Peng directly announced her audition results.

Tang Yan wasn't particularly disappointed when she heard the result.

She was clearly aware of her own skill level.

After bowing, the girl looked at Fu Yibai with admiration.

"Director Fu."

I like you so much. Do you have time tonight?

I'd like to invite you to dinner.

"..."

Wang Peng and the professor from the performing arts department looked at Fu Yibai with strange expressions.

Fu Yibai smiled and declined, saying, "I'm sorry, Ms. Tang, I have a lot of work to do these days, so I probably won't have the time."

He didn't know what the woman meant, but even if she did have that kind of thought, he didn't have the energy for it right now.

He finished work very late last night and got up early this morning, so he's not in his best condition right now.

So, in order not to show any weakness, he decided to take a good rest for a day.

It was at this moment that he realized why the system task had rewarded him with the "Constitution - Full of Energy" attribute.

He really needs this reward.

Tang Yan was a little disappointed, but she quickly recovered her spirits.

"Then let's treat Director Fu to dinner next time we have the chance."

Please don't reject me then.

"Yes, definitely, definitely."

After Tang Yan left, several more auditions were held.

Fu Yibai now finally understands how important an international award is to a director.

When "Black Coal, Thin Ice" was auditioning, there weren't nearly as many actors.

The number of actresses who came to audition was extremely small, only a handful.

For this audition for "Caught in the Web", there were no fewer than thirty actresses who came to audition.

And many of them are already famous.

Apart from a few top actresses who looked down on this low-budget film, almost all the other actresses who had time came.

"Phew~"

"I can't take it anymore, I'm going out for a smoke."

Fu Yibai felt that he was getting a little tired of the aesthetic.

Turns out, looking at beautiful women all the time can be tiring.

"Let's go too."

Wang Peng and the acting professor were also starting to feel the strain.

The audition will be paused for ten minutes.

The three of them walked out of the classroom together.

The actresses preparing for auditions were all in the next room, but there was another woman sitting in the hallway waiting.

However, this person wanted to get up and leave after seeing Fu Yibai.

"Sister Li? What are you doing here?"

Fu Yibai looked at Zeng Li with some surprise.

His voice wasn't loud, but it sounded exceptionally clear in the empty corridor.

Zeng Li, who was about to turn around, visibly stiffened and stopped in her tracks.

She slowly turned around, her face showing a mixture of unexpected embarrassment and forced composure.

She was dressed simply today, with almost no makeup on her face, and looked a little tired, but compared to her glamorous look at the Berlin awards ceremony, she seemed more genuine and aloof.

"Director Fu."

She nodded slightly, her tone polite but distant. Her gaze met Fu Yibai's for a moment before quickly shifting to Wang Peng and the acting professor, where she forced a smile.

"Mr. Wang, Professor Chen."

The two nodded politely and then left the place in tacit agreement.

"Sister Li, are you here for an audition?"

Zeng Li hesitated for a moment, then shook her head and said, "I came with Xiao Jing. I'll leave after her audition."

Upon hearing this, Fu Yibai felt a slight sense of disappointment.

The air in the corridor seemed to freeze for a few seconds.

Looking at Zeng Li's evasive eyes and slightly pale face, Fu Yibai felt a real sense of loss, but it was quickly replaced by a more complex emotion—a hint of understanding, a touch of helplessness, and a vague sense of...irritation.

He knew she was avoiding him; after that night in Berlin, they tacitly chose to cool off and keep their distance.

This was originally the result he expected, and even welcomed.

But seeing her so deliberately drawing a line, a strange ripple of male pride was stirred up.

After all, this woman was the first woman he had been with since his rebirth, and he instinctively felt a different kind of possessiveness towards her.

"To accompany Hu Jing?"

Fu Yibai took two steps forward, closing the distance, and looked at her face, trying to catch her true thoughts.

"She didn't have an agent with her? Or is it...?"

He paused, his tone carrying a hint of inquiry that he himself was unaware of, and a faint trace of expectation.

"Sister Li, you actually came to see me?"

Zeng Li straightened her back even more, like a taut string.

She raised her eyes, this time without looking away, and stared directly at Fu Yibai. Her clear, cold eyes were filled with the embarrassment of having her thoughts exposed, as well as the stubbornness of being stung by his words.

"Director Fu is overthinking it."

Zeng Li's voice was a little strained, but she tried her best to remain calm.

"There is nothing between me and Director Fu except a working relationship."

"The Search" is your new project. Xiaojing came to audition, and I accompanied her as a friend, that's all."

She pronounced the words "that's all" clearly, as if reiterating them to herself.

Fu Yibai looked at her tense face, that stubborn yet vulnerable look, which subtly overlapped with, yet quickly separated from, the woman who had embraced him under the spotlight in Berlin that night and whispered "thank you" in his ear, and the woman who had listened attentively to his acting on set earlier and occasionally smiled faintly.

He suddenly felt a little bored.

It wasn't that I was uninterested in Zeng Li, but rather that I felt a bit weary of this unspoken, self-protective push-and-pull game between adults.

He twitched the corners of his mouth, but the smile was devoid of warmth.

"Really? That's good."

He took a step back, widening the distance between them that had been shortened, and put away the probing and aggression that had unconsciously surfaced earlier, reverting to the professional attitude a director should have towards an actor—one that maintained a certain distance.

"Hu Jing's audition is scheduled for later, so she may have to wait a while."

I hadn't even had a chance to congratulate you after returning from Berlin—Best Actress, well-deserved!

The domestic media response has been tremendous; you should be in for many good opportunities in the future.

He spoke in a flat, straightforward tone, as if stating an objective fact.

"Thank you, Director Fu."

Zeng Li lowered her eyelashes, staring at the smooth ground, her fingers twitching slightly.

"There are more opportunities now, but... we also need to be more cautious."

"certainly."

Fu Yibai nodded, as if in agreement.

A brief silence followed again.

This time, even the subtle resistance and tension from before dissipated, leaving only a faint, indescribable sense of estrangement and alienation.

More familiar than strangers, yet more distant than loved ones.