Drama Queen Reborn as a Top Student!
Chapter 68 - 046 Shen You’an: She Must Be a Charlatan (Second Update)

Chapter 68: 046 Shen You’an: She Must Be a Charlatan (Second Update)

During the audition, he already felt that Director Cen Shu was excessively indifferent towards him, but he never imagined he would be eliminated from consideration.

Among the male actors in the industry right now, in terms of reputation, status, or acting skills, he was undoubtedly the most suitable choice.

Feeling restless, he had no choice but to call a contact to inquire about the situation.

It didn’t take long before the other person called back, "Director Cen chose a complete rookie with no experience whatsoever. Such a shame."

Liang Ruofan pressed his pale lips together. "A rookie? How could this happen?"

"Ru Caiying is making her comeback. Director Cen was very impressed with her audition. You know Director Cen has always excelled at portraying female characters. To highlight the female lead, he couldn’t possibly cast a well-established male actor like you, someone with star power and a substantial fan base. Missing out on Director Cen’s film is unfortunate, but would you really be willing to play second fiddle to Ru Caiying?"

Liang Ruofan thought for a moment and said, "What if the female lead gets replaced?"

If Director Cen’s choice of a rookie male lead was merely to maintain balance with the female lead...

Then, if the female lead wasn’t Ru Caiying, perhaps...

"That’s not entirely impossible. Looking forward to hearing good news from you." The other person was well aware of Liang Ruofan’s relationship with Radiant Entertainment’s president.

If a rookie female lead could replace Ru Caiying, based on Director Cen’s balance theory, Liang Ruofan might still stand a chance.

After hanging up the phone, Liang Ruofan contemplated briefly, then dialed another number.

~

"An’an, I got the role!" Qi Baotan was as excited as a child who’d just gotten their favorite candy.

In Other Shore Entertainment’s lounge, Shen You’an was flipping through a fashion magazine. Without glancing up, he chuckled and said, "Mm. I told you, you’d definitely get it."

"An’an, you’re amazing. How did you know reciting poetry would work? Even now, I still find it incredible."

"I guessed."

Looking at Director Cen’s life résumé, he majored in both drama and film directing at the Academy of Film, and he himself was rich in romantic creativity and poetic sensibility. He infused these qualities into his films, creating timeless classics that are still revered.

Reciting poetry indeed struck Director Cen’s soft spot, but this had to do with his personal habits.

In Shen You’an’s past life, he’d watched an interview with Director Cen. In it, Cen had said he enjoyed having actors recite poetry during auditions. On one hand, it allowed him to assess their literary knowledge, memory, and emotional expressiveness. On the other hand, it also revealed their mastery of dialogue delivery, since acting demands equal skill in voice, stage presence, form, and expressions.

Of course, that interview wouldn’t emerge for another decade or so. For now, no rookie could possibly understand Director Cen’s preferences.

Qi Baotan beamed and said, "The staff from Director Cen’s studio called to notify me, asking me to come in for costume fitting in three days. Oh, by the way, Ru Caiying must’ve received the call too, right? Just thinking about acting alongside my idol feels like a dream."

At that moment, hurried footsteps echoed outside the lounge. Qi Baotan smiled and said, "Ru Caiying has arrived...."

Soon, Qi Baotan frowned. "Ru Caiying looks upset.... She doesn’t seem pleased at all."

Ru Caiying walked into Zhao Heng’s office, her assistant waiting outside in the hallway.

Shen You’an closed his magazine, still gazing at the office door, his brows knitting ever so faintly.

Qi Baotan sensitively sensed that something was amiss.

"I, Ru Caiying, debuted at sixteen, won all three major acting awards, and now I lose to some anonymous rookie? It’s utterly ridiculous."

Ru Caiying burst into the office and immediately confronted Zhao Heng.

"If it were truly a matter of my skills falling short, I’d accept it without protest. But the fact that this rookie has absolutely no experience, how am I supposed to believe this? President Zhao, when you signed me initially, you promised me you’d give me the greatest possible support and wouldn’t let capital erode my career. Does your promise still hold weight?"

Zhao Heng had already caught wind of the situation from other channels; he had more information than Ru Caiying herself.

"Rest assured, the company will never go back on its promises to you."

Ru Caiying took a deep breath. "I apologize, President Zhao. I overreacted earlier. Please don’t take it personally."

Zhao Heng poured a glass of water and placed it in front of her. "Have some water first."

Ru Caiying took a sip to soothe her throat before speaking again. "President Zhao, do you know the background of this rookie?"

In today’s film and television industry, capital reigns supreme. Newcomers are popping up like mushrooms after the rain, each with significant backing. It’s precisely because of this that the industry has been sabotaged by these rookies who do nothing but flirt, act cute, and pout.

The reason Ru Caiying quit acting back in the day wasn’t for any virtuous motive like becoming a devoted wife and mother. She was cornered with no other option. After her marriage ended in failure, she returned to the industry, only to find it wasn’t the same as before; there was no longer room for her.