C1 First Meeting

"Cut!"

The director sitting in the chair in front of her looked visibly frustrated. "Zhenzhen, what's going on? It's just a crying scene! We've done four takes already!"

Zhenzhen glanced at her portfolio, which had been slammed onto the table, her face pale. She quickly forced a smile and apologized, "I'm sorry, Director. It's not that I can't cry, I just..."

"Enough!"

The director waved her off dismissively, as if shooing away a fly. "Let the next person in. Stop wasting our time."

No matter how much she pleaded, he wouldn't give her another chance. It was a harsh reality that to become a successful actress, especially to reach the top, one had to master the art of crying on cue.

Zhenzhen was undeniably beautiful, but her naturally smiling eyes made her crying scenes appear awkward, neither truly sad nor convincingly happy. This had been a stumbling block in her acting career, keeping her from breaking through.

This audition was yet another failure for the same reason. Biting her lip in frustration, she turned to leave. But as soon as she stepped out, a mocking voice greeted her.

"Well, if it isn't our sweet, innocent beauty, Zhenzhen. How did it go? Another failed audition?"

The voice dripped with schadenfreude. "Looks like I'll be taking the lead role in this one."

She didn't need to look to know who it was. It could only be Yuh Wan, the director's favorite, who had been a thorn in her side ever since she joined the company. Yuh Wan seemed to have it out for her, always picking fights, though Zhenzhen couldn't recall ever offending her.

"Yeah, the lead role is yours, right?"

Zhenzhen lifted her gaze slightly, glancing at Yuh Wan, who was beaming with smug satisfaction. She replied coolly, "You and the director are pretty close, aren't you?"

"What do you mean by that?"

Yuh Wan's laughter stopped abruptly, her voice turning sharp. "Zhenzhen, don't take out your failed audition on others. Maybe you're just not thinking straight."

Qu Zhenzhen's words were clear enough. In the entertainment industry, everyone knows the unwritten rules, and several people immediately turned to look at Yuh Wan.

Yuh Wan's face darkened even more. "Who's really not thinking straight here? I have no beef with you. What's the point of targeting a C-list actress like me?"

Zhenzhen pressed her lips together, her long-suppressed resentment bubbling to the surface. She stared at Yuh Wan and said through gritted teeth, "Who knows who's feeling guilty? With your acting skills, it's a wonder you even get noticed!"

Zhenzhen was a lukewarm actress, teetering on the edge of the industry. But she was done with swallowing her pride and decided to lay her cards on the table.

"You!"

Yuh Wan's face turned a mix of red and white. In a fit of anger, she raised her hand to strike Zhenzhen, but someone else was quicker.

Smack.

The sharp sound of a slap echoed, and a red mark appeared on Zhenzhen's face.

"Zhenzhen!" The director was nearly beside himself with anger. "Do you even know what you're saying? Trying to smear our company like this—no wonder your audition was terrible!"

Zhenzhen was clearly taken aback, frozen in place, unsure how to react.

"As an actress, you don't even know when to keep your mouth shut. What kind of performer are you? Unless... you come with me."

The director's eyes glinted with something strange as he led Zhenzhen to an empty lounge.

"Unless you do as I say and keep me happy, I can cut down your crying scenes and give you all the opportunities you want!" The director's face twisted into a sleazy grin, his eyes gleaming as he reached for Zhenzhen's waist.

"Get lost." Zhenzhen slapped the director's hand away in disgust and turned to leave. How revolting!

The director's face instantly darkened. "You really think you're something special, don't you? Do you believe I can make sure you never work in this industry again?" He reached out and roughly grabbed Qu Zhenzhen's shirt, revealing a hint of skin. A wicked desire flashed across his face.

"Ah!"

In a fit of rage, Zhenzhen kicked him hard in his most vulnerable spot, causing his face to contort in pain. Her voice was icy cold. "I recorded everything on my phone. If you try anything else, I'll hand the audio over to the media."

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving the director stunned. Thankfully, she had the foresight to start recording.

Not long after, Zhenzhen stood at the entrance of the entertainment company, clutching a large cardboard box filled with her personal belongings.

"Get lost. Don't expect to see a single cent," the director sneered from behind her. He was determined to vent his frustration after being threatened.

Zhenzhen paused for a moment, then suddenly pulled out a white ceramic mug and hurled it at the director's feet, startling him so much he nearly tripped.

"Company-issued. Returning it," she said.

Next came a pen, a folder, a mouse pad...

"Zhenzhen! Throw one more thing, I dare you!" the director shouted, dodging awkwardly and cursing. "Do you believe I can ruin you?"

Zhenzhen stood tall, tossing the last item at his feet. Suddenly, she smiled instead of getting angry.

"I despise people like you. I live authentically, and I'll never become like you!"

"Just give me a year! In a year, you'll be the one apologizing to me!"

She enunciated each word clearly, then turned to leave, only to bump into someone at the door.

A faint scent of mint wafted over her, making her unsteady. The documents in her hand fell to the ground, and she nearly stumbled, but the person caught her arm just in time.

"Steady now?"

The deep, clear voice made Zhenzhen pause for a moment. She looked up to see a tall man, forcing her to tilt her head back.

Handsome, very handsome.

Before she could react, he released her and stepped back with a half-smile. "You've got quite the personality."

"Thanks."

Zhenzhen mumbled a quick acknowledgment, grabbed her documents, and prepared to leave. Handsome or not, he wasn't hers, and good looks don't pay the bills.

As she moved forward, she suddenly bumped into a solid chest, her heart racing. What was this guy doing, blocking her path again?

"Want me to help you out?" Xie Yaotian asked with a playful grin. This woman's feisty nature amused him.

"No need." Zhenzhen cleared her throat, awkwardly leaning against Xie Yaotian. She could almost feel the faint rhythm of his heartbeat...

Her face flushed red, and in her fluster, she tried to leave quickly. But suddenly, Xie Yaotian scooped her up. "Careful."

"Smash!"

A delicate glass flew out from the room, narrowly missing Zhenzhen, and shattered on the floor.

The director stormed out, cursing under his breath. "What a diva! If you want to leave, then just..." His words trailed off as he noticed Xie Yaotian holding Zhenzhen at the doorway. Instantly, his demeanor changed, freezing in place. "Mr. Xie..."

Xie Yaotian gently set Zhenzhen down, raising an eyebrow at the director. "Seems like you've got quite the temper."

"No, Mr. Xie..." The director shot a venomous glance at Zhenzhen, then quickly plastered on a sycophantic smile. "I was just upset with myself. Sorry you had to see that..."

Zhenzhen snorted. "Weren't you just acting all tough? What happened to that now?"

She spoke directly, without any pretense. With someone standing up for her now, why wouldn't she seize the chance to vent her frustration?

There seemed to be a hint of amusement in Xie Yaotian's eyes; this woman's courage truly impressed him. Turning to the director, his voice turned colder, "Apologize."

"Mr. Xie!" the director's voice rose, "You..."

"I never leave room for negotiation. Don't make me repeat myself." Xie Yaotian's gaze turned icy.

The matter concluded with the director publicly apologizing to Qu Zhenzhen. She didn't bother to question why Xie Yaotian suddenly decided to help her. It was best to accept it without overthinking; some things weren't hers to delve into.

After expressing her thanks, she left, and Xie Yaotian also planned to head out.

At that moment, Xie Yaotian's assistant caught up, glancing at a document and suddenly exclaiming in surprise, "Mr. Xie, isn't this the woman who was chosen as the supporting actress for our company's series last year but turned us down?"

"Turned you down?"

The director's eyes nearly popped out.

"Yes, she said she wouldn't do kissing scenes without camera tricks."

The assistant, Sultan, nodded confidently, though his eyes were full of doubt. "This must be her way of creating buzz for herself."

They gossiped for a while before Sultan realized that his boss had already read through the entire document.

He was shocked, "Mr. Xie, you wouldn't..."

"Isn't there a new series coming up?" Xie Yaotian closed the file, asking nonchalantly.

"Send her the details."

Just that one sentence left Sultan astonished, and the director looked as if he'd been slapped.

As for Qu Zhenzhen, she couldn't have imagined that her life would reach such a pivotal turning point at such an awkward time.