Chapter 89: Bring Back a Leading Lady

The murmurs all around her carried the same meaning, and as for the person they were all talking about...

Joan glanced at the little sovereign beside her, who had lately become obsessed with block puzzle games for reasons no one could fathom, and let out a silent sigh.

It was only because Yunfu had such a broad heart; otherwise, the gossip and whispers of the entertainment world could really drive a person to despair.

And at that moment, the other leading figure in the discussion was walking slowly toward them.

Her almond-shaped eyes curved with a smile, her skin as fair as snow, her thick black hair smooth as silk. Qiu Fangfei had exactly the image of a sweet and obedient girl, which was why so many people called her the nation’s daughter.

Joan lowered her eyes again to look at Yunfu, still engrossed in her game. Her features were like a painting, yet she carried an austere and formidable presence. The two of them were utterly, fundamentally different.

Soon, the production team arranged the drawing of lots.

Joan thought that with so many people, no matter how unlucky they were, they surely could not end up on the same team as Qiu Fangfei. Yet when she checked the number in her hand, the one before hers was Qiu Fangfei.

"Tsk, that’s brutal. If she has to perform after Qiu Fangfei, she probably won’t even get a chance to stand out."

"Come on, even if she’s not after Qiu Fangfei, that doesn’t mean she’ll necessarily get noticed."

"With acting like hers, only that one project made a little splash. But the drama hasn’t even aired yet. Who knows if her skills are any good at all?"

The surrounding chatter never made Yunfu lift her head. She kept looking down at her phone, as if none of it had anything to do with her.

Qiu Fangfei, who had also heard the comments, let a faint smile touch her lips. She gave a soft inward snort—Rourou had even told her to be careful, but her? Ha.

After about half an hour of waiting, watching the girls who auditioned before them come out one after another with dejected faces, Joan became dejected as well.

At last, it was their turn.

This time Yunfu did not need Joan to call her; she put away her phone with practiced ease.

She stood up and lightly patted Joan on the shoulder. "Don’t worry. I’ll bring you back a lead role."

Joan: "..."

Good heavens, did she have to be so full of herself?

But when she looked at that departing figure heading toward the audition room, her steps languid, yet somehow carrying the momentum of a thousand warriors, an inexplicable confidence suddenly rose in her heart.

Perhaps? Perhaps Yunfu really could defeat Qiu Fangfei, who had been acting for more than a decade, and win the lead role.

Five people were grouped together, and besides Qiu Fangfei, there were three other girls in the room.

Seeing the two of them, the other three already looked as if all hope had drained from their faces.

The director of the drama, Pan Dalong, glanced at the five people before him, and his gaze was unconsciously drawn to one particular figure.

She did not stand in the middle, nor did she look at him. She simply stood there, quiet, relaxed, and unconcerned.

But her expression was serious, and those eyes... for one fleeting moment, he almost truly saw in them the emotions that role should possess.

Soon, however, he gathered himself.

"This audition has no set theme, but you should all know it is a film about depression.

Interpret depression as you understand it, and perform for two minutes each. Begin."

Apart from Qiu Fangfei and Yunfu, the other three exchanged glances and saw uncertainty in one another’s eyes.

No theme? Impromptu performance? That was truly making things difficult.

Qiu Fangfei glanced at the others beside her, full of confidence. Smiling, she stepped forward and said to the people from the production team, "Director Pan, I’ll go first."

"All right. Start when you’re ready."

Qiu Fangfei nodded, then lowered her head to gather her emotions. About a minute later, she lifted her face.

At once, those almond-shaped eyes were brimming with tears, ready to fall yet still held back. Beneath them lay a despair so profound it was almost impossible to detect, pitiable and fragile.

Then suddenly, she smiled, as if she had found salvation—but the despair in her eyes only deepened.

Tears began to fall with her smile.

"So... I’m not lazy. I’m not being difficult. I’m just ill, that’s all."

She murmured the words, her voice carrying endless desolation.

Two minutes were up. Her performance ended.

Silence hung over the room, and then thunderous applause broke out.

Qiu Fangfei suppressed the pride rising in her chest and bowed toward the production team before turning away.

The moment she turned, she saw Yunfu with her arms folded, lazily watching from the side, her eyes calm and unruffled.

An irrational burst of annoyance rose in Qiu Fangfei’s heart, and she could not help glaring at her. Go on, keep pretending. In a moment, you won’t be able to.

No one had the courage to perform after Qiu Fangfei, so the three remaining girls naturally turned their eyes to Yunfu.

Pan Dalong was full of anticipation. He glanced at her number. "Yunfu, was it? Ready?"

The other four, including Qiu Fangfei, all looked at her with schadenfreude.

Yunfu nodded. "Ready."

She stepped forward and took off the outer coat she was wearing that day.

Beneath it was only a simple T-shirt, revealing a pair of flawless, snow-white arms.

In an instant, everyone around seemed to feel the air freeze. They watched, unable to stop themselves, as the girl onstage began to perform.

Her twisting body looked as though it stood at the edge of a cliff, or perhaps on the roof of a tall building, rising onto the balls of her feet and moving in delicate, uncertain motions.

Even the corners of her mouth held the faintest hint of a smile.

Yet whether in her eyes or in her movements, there was only the struggle and pain of someone walking toward death in order to live.

Her body was supple, so her dance was light and beautiful, so beautiful it made people hold their breath.

No one wanted to break that shattered beauty.

With a turn, Yunfu seemed at once liberated and utterly trapped; then she fell backward.

In that instant, it felt as though she truly plunged into an abyss, or perhaps had already fallen from the rooftop.

From beginning to end, there was not a single word, not a single tear—only a faint smile and a dance. Yet it let everyone truly see the struggle, the pain, and the surrender of a person suffering from depression.

The room fell silent. No one spoke.

It was the film’s producer who first came back to himself. Staring in astonishment at Yunfu before him, he could only say four words: "Youth is to be feared."

Qiu Fangfei stared at the person before her in disbelief. She could not believe she had actually been outdone by a pretty face.

Then she remembered the words Xi Rourou had said to her: "Fangfei, you must not underestimate her."

The performances of the other three, in comparison, were simply painful to watch.

In the end, the production team said, "Your performances are over. Go back and wait for word."

Seeing Yunfu come out, Joan hurried over. "How was it? Did you perform normally? Forget it, forget it. It’s over now. I won’t ask."

Yunfu looked at her with amusement, her tone thoroughly infuriating. "Relax. As long as they aren’t blind, the lead role won’t end up in anyone else’s hands."

"..."

You really are awfully confident.

Qiu Fangfei had come with full confidence, but when she left, she was deeply unsettled.

She had acted for more than a decade, so she understood better than anyone what Yunfu’s performance today signified.