Hold On, You’re Something Else

Chapter 28: Ehhh???

The voice was comparable to a piece of snow falling on the edge of a cliff, gently sweeping across the tip of a heart.
However, the snow was as unreal as the speaker’s presence.

Is he talking to me?

Rong Jing raised his wet face, his eyelashes glistening with water.
A familiar figure appeared beside him.
The person was washing his hands but didn’t look at him.
There was no one else around them.
The morning auditions were already coming to an end.

Gu Xi pulled out some paper towels from the bottom of the mirror to dry his hands only to see Rong Jing looking at him in a daze.
He pulled a few more pieces of paper towels and handed them to him.

Rong Jing took them, still looking out of it yet still very respectful.

Gu Xi looked at the stunned Rong Jing, and said with a smile, “I think at least I’m prettier than the camera.
Instead of focusing on it, why don’t you look at the person who’s going to act in front of you?”

Of course, saying that he was prettier was simply a joke.
He only wanted to use this method to make Rong Jing relax.
In Gu Xi’s opinion, a living person is always more valuable than a non-living object.

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Ssdt Kkdt eked’v ynvwyzzu nyal xwnb ycswv bso vbl saktkdyz sodla oswze qllz kd vbkp pkvwyvksd, yde kv oypd’v wdvkz bl lmrlakldnle kv rlapsdyzzu vbyv bl alyzkgle obyv vbl saktkdyz sodla oyp zkjl obld bl qynle vbl nyxlay.

Mbl saktkdyz sodla oyp dsv yqayke sq dsaxyz, saekdyau pnldlp.
Tl oyp lhld qkdl ewakdt alblyapyzp.
Tsolhla, kv oyp ekqqlaldv obld bl kp lmrlnvle vs ynv swv psxlvbkdt kd qasdv sq xydu lulp vbyv oswze fwetl bkx.
Tso lzpl oswze bl byhl ekpnshlale vbyv vbkp rbscky oyp sdzu obld bl’p sd pvytl?

Jlnywpl sq vbkp alypsd, kv oyp dlnlppyau vs ywekvksd nswdvzlpp vkxlp vs wdelapvyde vbkp qllzkdt yde cl yczl vs nsdvasz kv.
Rv oswze vyjl vkxl cwv kv oyp dlnlppyau.

Ssdt Kkdt’p lmrlakldnl qasx bkp ralhkswp zkql byp yzzsole bkx yv zlypv vs vbkdj sq y pszwvksd.

“Ekzz usw pvkzz ynv okvb xl?” Ssdt Kkdt ypjle.
Gqvla obyv byrrldle, kv oyp sdzu dsaxyz qsa Qw Dk vs cl wdokzzkdt.
Kwpv zssj yv vbl svbla rlsrzl’p yvvkvwel yqvla obyv fwpv byrrldle.

Tl’p blyae sq pvsaklp sq Qw Dk vyjkdt nyal sq bkp fwdksap altyaezlpp sq tldela.
Wzletzkdt pvweldvp nyd zlyad psxlvbkdt cu ryavdlakdt okvb bkx.
Qw Dk oypd’v pvkdtu kd kxryavkdt lmrlakldnl.

Mbswtb Qw Dk byp iwkvl y zsv sq ydvk-qydp, bkp alyz qydp yal iwkvl vswtb.
Mblka pzstyd kp vs rasvlnv Qw Dk yde sdzu tkhl bkx vbl clpv.

“Mbkp…” Qw Dk vssj y qlo pvlrp cynj, pvsrrle, zssjle cynj vbld pxkzle, “Rv elrldep oblvbla usw’al tskdt vs pvsr pbyjkdt sa dsv.”

Rong Jing also couldn’t help but smile back at him.
He wondered if it was just him being delusional, but Gu Xi seemed like he didn’t really use the bathroom.
He was only there for a short time.
He didn’t hear any flushing sound.

Rong Jing realized that it was probably the gentleness that was hidden under Gu Xi’s outer shell showing… It was the subtle softness that was hidden deep within the walls of his indifference.
It couldn’t have been discovered without careful observation.

When Rong Jing returned to the waiting area again, there weren’t many people left.
Unexpectedly, many Class B students were still there.
He didn’t know if they were waiting for someone or something.
Rong Jing wasn’t interested to know.

They seemed to want to talk to him but they obviously didn’t know what to say.
Rong Jing ignored them and sat quietly in his seat, resting his eyes and adjusting his state of mind.

This feeling of being unable to move in the face of adversity reminded him of his past self that had been living in the limelight since his childhood.
From the age of two, he had already become accustomed to the appearance of reporters and paparazzis.
The media wasn’t exaggerating when they label his family as a family of actors and actresses.
His paternal grandparents were national A-class actors.
His maternal grandparents were a singer and a pianist.
His parents had worked in Hollywood for years.
His eldest and second sister were also working in the entertainment industry.

Rong Jing didn’t know how others would feel in such an environment.
When he was a child, he had always felt like an ugly duckling who had strayed into a flock of swans.
It was the reason why he was a little sympathetic to the original owner who had suddenly entered the illustrious Xie family.

When everyone around him was doing the same thing, he wanted to do something else that had nothing to do with this line of work.
It was some kind of rebellion.

He received a different kind of education at home, studying music, dancing, martial arts, etc.,..
But he also spent a lot of his time studying other things.
He ended up studying science and technology, electronics, and electrical equipment, to the surprise of everyone in his family.

But his family was very open-minded and supported him in whatever he wanted to do.
It wasn’t until that time when he worked very hard and still didn’t get the results that he wanted that his family suggested that he could try acting. 

Since all other roads are blocked, why not try the nearest road to you?

What you reject is not acting itself but the fear of letting us down.
What if we tell you that nothing you do can disappoint us?

Rong Jing had never forgotten these kind words from them that filled his heart with warmth.

[T/N: I swear, Rong Jing’s previous family makes me cry]

He inherited the talent of the Rong family but talent can only go so far.
A long time is needed to polish it.
A gem will always remain an insignificant raw stone if it remains unpolished.
He started later than the others and must use more effort than normal to catch up to them.
He needed to hone his skills despite the blows and disappointments.

He needed to choose to act now, not only because of the original owner’s long-cherished wish but also because his pride was on the line.

Rong Jing covered his face and sat quietly bent over.
Several students looked at his silent back from afar and seemed to feel Rong Jing’s depression from hitting rock bottom.
No matter how much Lu Jin bullied this man before, he had always been silent.
He had never been this depressed.
What just happened inside the audition room?

They actually wanted to leave now, but they thought it wouldn’t be proper for them to leave now seeing Rong Jing’s appearance.
Forget about leaving now.

Ji Leping hesitated for a moment, but soon took out his phone and took a picture of Rong Jing’s back then sent it to Xie Ling.

Ji Leping: I think you should really think about investing in Rong Jing.

Xie Ling replied quickly this time: Nope.

Oh.
A one word reply.

The corner of Ji Leping’s mouth twitched a little.
He’s still the cold and ruthless Xie family young leader that he knew.

Truth is you don’t actually treat him as your brother, right?!

The audition for the morning was soon coming to an end.
Fifteen minutes later, a staff member called Rong Jing once more.
In the short period of time that was given to him, he was able to suppress the unneeded emotions.
He straightened his back instantly, as if all the loss and hardships that he had experienced had suddenly disappeared.

There was nothing wrong with facing failure.
Rong Jing wasn’t afraid of failure, but he was afraid of letting his confidence be crushed because of it.

When he entered the room once more, he still got the same scrutinizing gazes from the judges, but it was a bit weaker this time.
There were still cameras around.
It was inevitable.
This was an audition.
Directors needed a playback of the audition clips in order to pick the right person.

Rong Jing was still trembling slightly, trying to drive away the original owner’s muscle memory away from his body.
His condition at the moment was only a little better than before.
His muscle memory wouldn’t possibly disappear in a snap.

The assistant director and the screenwriter had already crossed out Rong Jing out of the selection so they only glanced at him and proceeded to discuss in low voices about the few people they were interested in.
Their discussion was even kind of serious.
They didn’t care about the existence of Rong Jing at all.
For them, to start a day later would only be a waste of time.

It was almost time to eat, and the other people were already hungry, now feeling a bit impatient.
They didn’t have time to watch Rong Jing’s pointless performance.

Knock knock.

Rong Jing restrained himself and looked at the direction where the sound came from.
It was Gu Xi.
He was knocking on the table.

He was reminded once more to not look at the camera, to not look at the people around.
Right now, he only needed to think that he’s a person that was in need of a chance to show his skills.

Gu Xi went to Rong Jing and showed him the parts that he had marked, “Take a look at this segment first.
Then play whatever part that you’re comfortable with.”

Gu Xi’s attitude was indifferent, but it was obvious that he was giving Rong Jing a push once more.
If what happened earlier happens again, even Gu Xi would not be able to help him.

The story of the movie was adapted from a novel and the role that Rong Jing chose was one of the protagonists.
The novel focuses on a person who used to be a powerful eunuch in the history of the world.
This eunuch started out as a simple, unimportant person, but soon became one of the key persons who gained the power to push the seventh prince to the throne.
Even he himself became one of the few eunuchs in history to be crowned as a prince.

Based on unofficial history records, this castrated Alpha was a fake eunuch, and that he and the new emperor were probably lovers.
Otherwise, why would the new emperor who loathed the eunuch party so much, allow him to live? Even during his reign, no matter how many impeachments had been made against him, he had never suspected the other side.
In fact, the unofficial history records were also allowed by the new emperor at that time, so the novel took it as the two being lovers.

‘Imperial Power’ tells the story of the seventh prince, Shao Hua, the chancellor’s son, and  the eunuch, Fu Qianming.
The film would naturally be a work that dissociates from history and describes a magnificent story.
It would be very different from the ‘Lou Ta’ movie that they worked on before.
That was why there were many people in the industry waiting for this movie, looking forward to the director’s possible failure of taking up a new genre.

Shao Hua’s role will be played by Gu Xi, and the role of the son of the chancellor is also basically determined now, but they had never decided who was going to be the eunuch, Fu Qianming.
Teacher Hu from Class B had sent an email to Rong Jing about the complexity of this role.

The segment part in his hand was a scene in the early parts of the story.

After entering the palace, Fu Qianming has decided to keep a low profile while studying the rules of the palace.
Because of his handsome appearance, he was picked by one of the four imperial concubines with the reason that there was a shortage of people in their place.

It was a simple sentence but Fu Qianming realized the meaning behind the words.
However, the concubine simply laughed.
He, who couldn’t bear to be humiliated, refused several times.
To keep her pride, the imperial concubine no longer forced him.

He thought that after that matter, things would remain fine.
However, Fu Qianming’s comrades decided to do something big that resulted in them having the possibility of being executed.
Fu Qianming learned from this bitter experience and decided to take the risk of seeking the favor of the Imperial Concubine once more. 

However, there were lots of people who wanted to be favored by her.
He was nothing but a little ignorant eunuch who did not know his place before.

What Rong Jing is going to perform is the scene where Fu Qianming manages to get the attention of the Imperial Concubine again.

“I’ll play the role of the Imperial Concubine for now.
Are you ready?” Gu Xi asked him.