Zhao Junjie introduced himself, and as he turned his head, he was shaken to his core in that instant.
The girl had a delicately handsome and spirited face, initially unremarkable. He couldn't even tell if she possessed a charisma like Qiao Muran's; all he saw were her eyes, cold and serene. In a trance, he recalled a scene from a book, where Qiao Muran faced the weeping heroine—was her gaze similar to this back then?
Even though he was mercilessly rejected, he saw a glimmer of Qiao Muran's decisiveness in her, which made him even happier.
"I'm not forcing you, are you the net manager of this shop?" Li Zhou probed, staring intently at Musheng, as if he also wanted to uncover more shades of Qiao Muran in her.
Musheng pursed her lips and said nothing. Finally, Zhao Junjie stepped forward to smooth things over: "Director Li, our Musheng is just a little net manager, she's never thought about entering the entertainment industry."
"I..." Li Zhou began to speak, but the plump assistant director beside him said to Musheng with candid honesty, "We pay for the role!"
Li Zhou's eyes widened, just as he was about to say 'don't insult my ideal of Qiao Muran with money!' when he heard Musheng's aloof reply: "How much?"
Li Zhou: "..." His heart crumbled instantly.
The assistant director, seeing signs of Musheng's agreement, was delighted: "Our payment is based on your performance..."
Li Zhou: "Shut up!"
Assistant Director: "..."
Li Zhou, somewhat disappointed, said to Musheng, "Never mind, it was my mistake to speak out of turn."
In his mind, Qiao Muran should be aloof, not someone who would bend for money…
Musheng nodded, showing neither disappointment nor any strong emotion, as she walked over to the bar and began watching television in front of Xiao Keke.
Xiao Keke's eyes twitched, and she let out a cold snort... and watched with her.
Li Zhou was still feeling disappointed when Zhao Junjie's words left him stunned: "Director Li, don't take this the wrong way, but if you're hiring someone to act, you definitely need to pay them; what, did you expect her to act for free?"
"..."
Right, how could he forget such an important thing? Qiao Muran was one matter, but paying someone to act was a totally separate issue!
The assistant director felt wronged. Just a moment ago, he was trying to convey this exact point, and the director told him to shut up—it was so unreasonable!
Li Zhou coughed lightly, feeling embarrassed, and looked at Musheng who was expressionlessly watching a TV drama. He approached to apologize: "I'm sorry, Miss... Musheng, it was my fault just now. It's only right for you to inquire about the payment for acting."
Only then did it hit him; this girl's surname was also Musheng. The only difference from Qiao Muran was a single character in their surnames—could this be a wonderful connection?
He started to suspect that Musheng was deliberately trying to draw his attention to sneak in, but looking at her demeanor, it seemed unlikely...
Musheng glanced at him, tapping her fingers on the table, and suddenly, she curved her lips into a smile: "Director Li, I didn't really want to act because I'm not interested in the entertainment industry. However, I need money now, so I can do it, as long as you pay."
The words were very blunt and coarse.
Even Xiao Keke standing beside was somewhat stunned, and Li Zhou also felt an indescribable awkwardness. Such a vulgar statement, when uttered by Musheng with a natural arrogance, was somehow impossible not to accept…
Li Zhou felt some regret, but considering the urgent needs of the crew, he really couldn't find anyone who could give him that raw "I am Qiao Muran" vibe as instantly as Musheng. High-class temperament could be cultivated, surely staying a few days in a five-star luxury presidential suite could have some effect, but what about the acting talent?
Li Zhou was hesitant, "I will determine your pay based on your acting. Bai Miya will be here soon, and you will rehearse a scene with her." He was quite honest. Musheng had never acted before and had no fame. Generally, the pay for a supporting actress like her would be based on the actor's popularity. He'd set Musheng's fee based on her acting ability. Normally, anyone could act, but the difference lay in whether they could immerse themselves or others into the character. If Musheng had some talent, he could perhaps offer a higher fee, but if not... Haha…
There weren't many people from the crew on the second floor; they were all just curious whether the director, in a fit of desperation, had lost his mind by bringing in a network manager to play the difficult role of Qiao Muran. Thousands of fans of Qiao Muran on the internet had already prepared their blades for Li Zhou.
Some crew members with anonymous accounts on social media secretly posted messages, although they were somewhat vague because of the production's regulations.
"Heard that the most important role of Ye Kai's life has been cast."
"Someone might be playing Qiao Muran!!"
"Heard someone might be playing Qiao Muran, most likely a girl around seventeen or eighteen." The crew member who posted this message looked at Musheng sitting there then nodded to himself, estimating that the age was probably right.
And just like that, these few posts caused an uproar on Weibo.
…
After discussing with Musheng, Li Zhou asked the assistant director to give her a part of the script to study in preparation for the scene with Bai Miya. Li Zhou had no high hopes for Musheng's interpretation; just a hint of the correct emotion would suffice. After all, if she couldn't perform, her own natural vibe was enough!
Musheng glanced at the script, then tossed it aside and opened a website to watch a movie instead. Xiao Keke's face turned green, "You're not going to read the script?"
This time, she wasn't against it since Musheng's acting wouldn't block her path, and it wasn't certain to work out anyway. What if Musheng's acting was so bad it broke new ground?
Musheng nodded her head, "I've got this. I'm just going to watch a movie to study how to act later." Films are usually the best way to showcase an actor's skills.
Xiao Keke couldn't contain herself anymore, "You're learning how to act in a rom-com by watching a horror movie?!"
Zhao Junjie: "..."
Li Zhou: "..."
The crew: "..."
Due to Xiao Keke's loud volume and the quietness on the second floor, everyone heard her.
For some reason, looking at Li Zhou, everyone's eyes carried a hint of sympathy and questioning, wondering if the director had gone mad, really choosing a network manager to try out such an important role.
After hearing Xiao Keke's shout, Li Zhou's heart shattered even more. He sighed, looked up at the sky with tears in his eyes, and resigned himself to endure the consequences of his own foolish decisions.
Musheng simply ignored their expressions and enjoyed watching a horror movie. Xiao Keke was so scared she went off to drink juice to calm her nerves. And as the horror movie ended, the leading lady of Ye Kai's life, finally made her belated appearance.