A thousand daggers pierced through Xu Jia Li's heart when she heard what the tall and handsome man told Zhou Bingbing. She wasn't at all oblivious when everyone inside the room mentioned that she would be the future miss of the Si family.
Her eyes suddenly started to water. She asked Shen Linqin to give her a tissue as she pretended to wipe the sweat on her face.
"Li-jie, are you sure you won't put any make up?"
Xu Jia Li didn't answer. Her mind was occupied as it went flying back to the last night Si Weimin and her were together.
"Li-jie, I still have a dress in the car. You can still change while group D is still being picked out." Shen Linqin was worried. The beads of sweat on her forehead were enough to know that she was scared. She didn't understand why Xu Jia Li had to wear a simple dress in this important audition.
"No, Linqin. It's alright." Xu Jia Li assured her.
"B-but Li-jie…"
"Stop being a worry wart, Linqin. I'll be fine." Xu Jia Li patted Shen Linqin's hand.
Shen Linqin nodded. She just had to trust Xu Jia Li. Although, she's worried, she knew more than anyone that Xu Jia Li was capable.
________________________________________
Xu Jia Li sat straight as she cleared her head. There were things that she had to do. She inhaled deeply as she remembered the call she received from her manager.
When Lan Meixu messaged her that she submitted Xu Jia Li application form, she wanted to revoke Lan Meixu's decision. She knew that it wouldn't be a good idea to participate especially news that Zhou Bingbing would be chosen was all over the internet.
"I don't really want to audition, Meixu-jie."
"No, Jia Li. You have to try. This is to show that there's nothing going on between you and Si Weimin. It will make people talking but once they see you perform in the audition, I know that things will be cleared at once."
She recognized within her that Lan Meixu was right. She had to prove herself.
Meanwhile, in another room where the selection was being conducted, only 2 from group D was selected. They would wait until the remaining applicants would be chosen.
Manager Tang made a remark as group C was almost done, "This is harder than I thought."
"Don't worry Manager Tang. Tomorrow it would be Assistant Wang Guo's turn." The three managers laughed as they picked 3 applicants from group C.
The same went to Group B where they only selected 3 applicants.
Selecting applicants from group A was the hardest. They were skeptical because everyone was really beautiful.
When it was Qi Xenjin's turn, she walked confidently inside. She bowed her head and greeted the three managers sitting in front of her.
"How are you, Manager Tang, Manager Hao and General Manager Wang?" Wearing her alluring smile, she continued,
"I'm Qi Xenjin. It will really be a pleasure to be the endorser of Si Cosmetics."
"Okay, Ms. Qi. Tell us what you know about the new cosmetic line of Si International Cosmetics." Manager Tang questioned her.
The three pairs of eyes focused on her.
She smiled meekly as she turned around and flaunted the beauty of her dress. She moved her hand closed to her face as she answered in a flirty way,
"Si Cosmetics boost of elegance and glamour. It has been that way since the start which makes it the leading beauty products in China."
"Why should you be selected?" Manager Hao replied.
"I'm young and vigorous. I embody the glamour, sophistication and beauty of Si Cosmetics." Qi Xenjin answered dreamily. She knew it in her heart that she was the perfect model for the brand.
Manager Tang clapped his hands as he nodded, "Very well, Miss Qi."
The other two managers also nodded as they told Qi Xenjin that she had been selected.
Qi Xenjin was overjoyed as she went out of the room. She walked passed Xu Jia Li and gave her a victorious grin. A glint of mischief flashed in her eyes.
The next one was Zhou Bingbing. When General Manager Wang saw her entered the room, he approached her immediately as he said, "Miss Zhou, it's been a pleasure to see you here. You don't really have to do this. You're already selected for the final selection."
Zhou Bingbing never felt so accomplished, she gave General Manager Wang a meaningful smile as she bowed her head to the other two managers who did nothing but admire her outstanding beauty.
"Thank you, Manager Wang, Manager Tang, and Manager Hao. I'll make sure to let my fiancé know you're working hard."
The three were left speechless after they heard the word, fiancé. Wang Wei was elated that he did what was the best thing to do. The other two managers just looked at one another, unable to speak.
They were asking each other through their gazes but none of them knew what to say. They just shrugged as they glanced at the retreating form of Zhou Bingbing.
When Zhou Bingbing exited, the rest of the selected applicants were in awe. It didn't take her a minute and she was already selected.
"She's really capable. Look at her. Her enviable beauty can't be surpassed by anyone here."
"The dress she's wearing is enough to make her pass the audition. She's so beautiful."
"Ahhh, I think I won't be selected in the second round. Look how beautiful Zhou Bingbing is."
Zhou Bingbing beamed at what she heard. She sauntered on her seat and gave her manager as meaningful grin.
Xu Jia Li's name was later on called by a lanky man. Everyone threw a stern gaze at her while others whispered incoherent words.
Unfaltering, she strode with her chin up toward the door. Shen Linqin gave her an encouraging smile as she mouthed the words, "You can do it, Li-jie."
Upon entering, she bowed her head and greeted the three managers, "Good morning!"
The three managers were shocked to see her wearing a very simple dress when all the others had worn their best dress for the audition.
Manager Tang immediately expressed his dislike as he frowned. He marked Xu Jia Li's form in his hand an x, 'She's not taking this audition seriously. Who does she think she is?"
General Manager Wang Wei also showed his disappointment upon seeing her bare face, 'Why would she come here without any preparation. She looks like my maid.'
The two managers gave each other a resolute nod as they were about to put her application form to the files of applicants who didn't pass.
"Ms. Xu, you may go. We're sorry but –"
Before Manager Tang even finished his sentence, Manager Hao cut him, "I want to hear what Miss Xu has to say before we ask her to go."
Being the oldest among the three, Manager Hao had seen something in Xu Jia Li's eyes. It was so powerful that when she entered the room, all he could see was those pair of autumn colored eyes. He didn't even notice that she was wearing a simple dress or she wasn't wearing any make up on.
He was quite disappointed with his other two colleagues as they failed to see something beneath her simple attire.
With all the applicants who were also beautiful in their own rights, only this particular lady caught his attention.
"Let us hear what you have to say, Miss Xu."
Before Xu Jia Li could start to talk, Elder Si entered the room. The aura he exuded felt like a cold breeze in the winter night. He threw them gazes as he was greeted by Wang Wei, "It's a pleasant surprise, Elder Master Si."
Manager Tang took a vacant chair and led Elder Si to sit as he told him how the audition process commenced, "We're almost done, Elder Master Si. We've only had two more and we're ready to move to the second stage."
Without speaking, Elder Si turned his gaze to the lady standing in front. He felt something moved inside him. There was something magical, or so he felt, radiated through her. He gazed intently at her and asked, "Why do you like to be the face of Si Cosmetics?"
"Si Cosmetics isn't all about glitz, glamour, or sophistication."
"Then what is Si Cosmetics?" retorted Manager Tang, "Are you saying that Si Cosmetics is only a simple company of make up and beauty products?"
Xu Jia Li flashed a smile on her face as she walked through the room, making her dress flow as she moved. She gazed back at them with the level of intensity only a professional model could do.
All the staffs inside the room, including the three managers and Elder Si were mesmerized by her soulful eyes, she walked slowly as she continued, "Labeling Si Cosmetics only for glamour defies its soul, and why it's even here in the first place. Si Cosmetics brings out the natural beauty of a person, in its simplest yet prettiest form."
Mouth agape, Manager Tang could only look at Xu Jia Li. It was like something powerful was pushing him even deeper as he listened to her even more.
"This simple dress and a face without make up are the real beauty that Si Cosmetics brings out. And though glitz and glamour may look prettier, a shiny dress may look eye catching, its beauty will lose its shine as times go by. A timeless beauty, the embodiment of Si Cosmetics, is beauty beyond compare. Ageless, spotless, a natural beauty enhances by Si Cosmetics."
All the staffs inside couldn't help clapping their hands after Xu Jia Li finished with her answer. They all felt what she wanted to express.
Manager Tang and Wang Wei couldn't contain the embarrassment they felt after almost getting Xu Jia Li dismissed from the audition.
Wang Wei finally understood that she purposely wore a simple dress to show most of the women who use Si Cosmetics not to hide their natural looks but to enhance their real beauty.
Xu Jia Li gained the admiration of the entire staff present in the room. Everyone beamed at her as they raised their hands, giving her thumbs up.
Manager Hao was elated as he knew that there was something special about Xu Jia Li. He wore a huge smile on his face as he glanced with pride at Manager Tang and General Manager Wang Wei who both looked like crushed gingers.
Elder Si nodded his head as he gazed intently at Xu Jia Li. He then turned his head to Wang Wei sitting beside him, "What is her name?"
"She's Xu Jia Li, Elder Master Si."