Wu Special Assistant understood both Qin Ran and Yu Shuman well. Yu Shuman wasn't the type to demand special treatment, so she was likely just having the crew's boxed lunch for lunch. If she really wanted special treatment, she wouldn't have come early in the morning and waited in the lounge for hours. She would have waited to be notified when it was her turn to audition, but instead, she chose to arrive early and wait.
Since Yu Shuman wouldn't go out for lunch, Qin Ran wouldn't either. As long as she was with Yu Shuman, Qin Ran didn't care what she ate.
Seeing Wu Special Assistant leaving with the boxed lunches, the producer didn't want to impose any further, so he scratched his head and went off to handle other tasks. Qin Ran took her boxed lunch and a bottle of mineral water from Wu Special Assistant and, guided by the staff, found Yu Shuman. The moment she saw Yu Shuman, Qin Ran nearly ground her teeth in frustration.
It wasn't because of anything Yu Shuman had done, but because Zeng Qian was hovering around her again! How is she everywhere?! This girl just won't go away!
When Yu Shuman saw Qin Ran, she put down her lunch and waved her over. Qin Ran quickly carried her lunch and joined her, sitting down beside Yu Shuman and eyeing Zeng Qian across from her warily.
Zeng Qian, who was naturally friendly, didn't seem to notice Qin Ran's displeasure. She cheerfully introduced herself, "Hello, President Qin. I'm Zeng Qian, but you can call me Qianqian. I'm also here to audition. I met Sister Manman on a variety show before, so we're having lunch together."
Qin Ran replied through gritted teeth, "I know. I saw it on the livestream."
Zeng Qian was a bit surprised. "President Qin watched my livestream?"
"…No, I watched Manman's," Qin Ran corrected, growing more frustrated. Even when she was working abroad, she frequently tuned in to Yu Shuman's livestreams. Although she couldn't always watch live due to work and time zone differences, she still made time to check in whenever possible. But every time she opened Yu Shuman's stream, Zeng Qian was always there with her.
Just thinking about it made Qin Ran's jealousy almost palpable.
Zeng Qian, however, remained oblivious. Realizing that Qin Ran had seen her through Yu Shuman's livestream, she nodded in understanding, "Ah, that makes sense. I heard you and Sister Manman are good friends, but I didn't expect you two to be this close in private!"
Their relationship wasn't just close—it was far more intimate than Zeng Qian could ever imagine!
Qin Ran silently huffed to herself as she opened her lunchbox and sighed at the sight of the large piece of fatty meat inside. She really didn't like eating this kind of food, but with Yu Shuman sitting next to her, if she didn't eat it, Yu Shuman would definitely say something. As soon as Yu Shuman saw Qin Ran break apart her chopsticks to start eating, she opened the bottle of water for her.
In a gentle voice, she said, "I think the scrambled eggs with chives are pretty good, Xiaoran, you should try them."
Qin Ran glanced at Yu Shuman's lunchbox, and her gaze inevitably swept over Zeng Qian's as well, noticing a stark contrast between the two. Yu Shuman's lunchbox was nearly empty, with only a few small ingredients like green onions and garlic left, while Zeng Qian's looked almost untouched.
Yu Shuman really had a hearty appetite. She could eat a lot because she burned a lot of calories daily, not only from her work but also from her routine morning and evening runs. Her level of physical activity was impressive.
Despite her athleticism, makeup could transform her into a delicate and fragile-looking lady, which was truly remarkable. However, after eating, Yu Shuman's lipstick had faded back to her natural lip color, making her look vibrant, healthy, and full of energy.
After lunch, Zeng Qian's chattering was interrupted when her manager came to take her for a makeup touch-up. Yu Shuman also followed Qin Ran to a private lounge for Lucy to do some quick touch-ups. Normally, auditioning actors wouldn't have a private lounge, but Yu Shuman was simply taking advantage of the one reserved for Qin Ran. Knowing that Qin Ran and Wu Special Assistant were coming, the producer had specially arranged for a room for Qin Ran to relax in.
Now, Qin Ran was sitting backward on a chair, hugging the backrest, her eyes fixed on Yu Shuman. After finishing the makeup touch-ups, Lucy left the room, preferring to get some fresh air outside rather than staying there. Once they were alone, Yu Shuman noticed Qin Ran staring at her without blinking and couldn't help but ask, "Xiaoran, are you jealous?"
Yu Shuman wasn't only direct but also incredibly perceptive. She quickly realized that Qin Ran's mood had soured during lunch. Qin Ran buried her face in her arms and softly murmured, "Yeah." Yu Shuman couldn't help but chuckle, "Qianqian just wanted to chat with me."
"I know..." Qin Ran's voice was still muffled. Rationally, she completely understood Yu Shuman. Yu Shuman wasn't her personal possession but a free person with the right to make her own friends. In college, Yu Shuman had many friends and still frequently chatted with her former roommates. Recently, Qin Ran had even seen a senior who used to attend performances with Yu Shuman sharing personal stories and interactions with her in the fan group, indicating that they were still close.
Not only did Yu Shuman maintain strong relationships with old friends, but she also had the freedom to make new ones. Zeng Qian, despite her bubbly personality, had a good character and was a suitable friend for Yu Shuman. Although Qin Ran was a jealous person, she wholeheartedly supported Yu Shuman's right to make friends.
But on an emotional level, Qin Ran had the dark desire to lock Yu Shuman away, hiding her somewhere no one could find her, so she could be her own private treasure.
After lunch and a short rest, the staff came to summon Qin Ran for the afternoon auditions. Qin Ran waved goodbye to Yu Shuman and entered the conference room, where she saw the afternoon's audition list.
Qin Ran's right eyelid twitched, not needing to ponder too much to realize that something was bound to happen—especially after seeing Ling Miaohan's name on the audition list. This girl just won't go away! Why do they keep crossing paths? Qin Ran's mood darkened immediately, especially when she saw that Ling Miaohan was also auditioning for the third female lead.
It was possible that, in the original novel, this role had originally belonged to Ling Miaohan. After all, the character's "wealthy heiress" setting suited her perfectly. If Yu Shuman landed this role, it could be seen as stealing it from Ling Miaohan, but Qin Ran didn't care. She couldn't even remember if this role was Ling Miaohan's to begin with. And even if it was, so what? She had never gotten along with Ling Miaohan and her clique anyway.
The producer was a seasoned veteran, always keenly observing the expression of their biggest investor in the room. He noticed that Qin Ran's face had darkened, and her mood seemed to plummet. He quickly leaned over and discreetly glanced at the audition list on the table, spotting the name where Qin Ran's gaze had lingered—Ling Miaohan.
The producer instantly understood: even if this role wasn't given to Yu Shuman, it couldn't go to Ling Miaohan. Rumors had been circulating that there was tension within their girl group, and it seemed those rumors were true. However, the producer kept his face neutral, politely asking if Qin Ran wanted some tea.
Qin Ran shook her head, saying that mineral water would be fine.
She was sharp enough to notice the producer's quick glance at the audition list, realizing that he had made a mental note about Ling Miaohan. Qin Ran's mood lifted slightly, even as she inwardly chastised herself for being so petty. She took a sip from her bottle of water.
The afternoon auditions officially began, and it wasn't long before Ling Miaohan entered the conference room.
The moment the director saw Ling Miaohan, his eyes lit up. It wasn't hard to understand why—Ling Miaohan's temperament and appearance perfectly matched the director's vision for the third female lead: a cold, slightly arrogant, yet internally resolute wealthy heiress.
After entering, Ling Miaohan bowed to the judges before introducing herself. After she finished her introduction, the producer asked a few questions, and once Ling Miaohan had answered, the director selected a scene for her to perform.
Everyone's audition script was the same, but the specific scene chosen for them to perform was at the director's discretion. For characters with fewer scenes, the script would only have a short segment for the audition.
Before beginning her performance, Ling Miaohan glanced at Qin Ran. To Qin Ran, that look seemed to say, "I know you're trying to sabotage me, but I'm still going to give it my all."
Qin Ran remained impassive, quietly watching Ling Miaohan's performance from her seat.
It was evident that Ling Miaohan had put in some extra effort, possibly even hiring a coach to help with this scene. Her performance was indeed quite good, even to Qin Ran's untrained eye. She couldn't distinguish between good and excellent, but she could certainly tell the difference between bad and terrible. Even as the head of an entertainment company who had deliberately studied acting, Qin Ran still found it difficult to make those finer distinctions.
Ling Miaohan's actions were crisp, and her lines were delivered without breaking character, but her acting wasn't exceptional.
While Qin Ran might not be able to judge, she was good at reading people's expressions. She noticed that the director's initial excitement at seeing Ling Miaohan had cooled, replaced by a look of indecision. If Ling Miaohan's acting had truly been exceptional, with the right look, temperament, and skills, the director wouldn't have hesitated. Given his personality, he would have made a decision on the spot.
After Ling Miaohan finished her performance, the producer politely exchanged a few words with her, giving her the standard response to wait for the results.
The director remained silent, seemingly wanting to see if any other actresses could outshine Ling Miaohan.
As more actresses auditioned, the director's indecision grew more apparent. Qin Ran could tell he was wavering; if no better option appeared, he might settle on Ling Miaohan. But the more actresses Qin Ran saw, the more confident she became. She knew that Shuman would win this role.
Though Qin Ran was a bit of a romantic, she wasn't blinded by it. In her eyes, Yu Shuman's acting was unparalleled, no doubt about it. But she had also witnessed how hard Yu Shuman had worked. Qin Ran didn't believe that Yu Shuman would lose to someone like Ling Miaohan, who only put in last-minute efforts.
As Qin Ran pondered, the next actress to audition was Yu Shuman. She gently knocked on the door, and after the producer said, "Please come in," Yu Shuman opened the door and stepped inside. In that moment, Qin Ran's eyes lit up.
After her afternoon touch-up, Yu Shuman's pale lip color and prominent mole made her stand out from Ling Miaohan, clearly deviating from the director's initial vision for the third female lead. However, Yu Shuman's face carried a serene smile, seemingly approachable, yet her eyes held a detached arrogance, as if she looked down on everyone.
"Good afternoon, teachers. I'm Yu Shuman."