Chapter 54: Who Would Have Thought That Jiang Yuning Actually Had the Guts to Come
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Lu Jingzhi, who had already put on a black suit, bent over to look at the screen of the laptop that Jiang Yuning had just turned on. He frowned as he saw all the comments that had been posted about her.
Jiang Yuning had just requested Ku Jie to a.s.sign the young paparazzo as her personal a.s.sistant when she almost hit Lu Jingzhi on the chin as she was about to turn around.
“Why haven’t you left for work yet?” Jiang Yuning asked as she subconsciously turned off the laptop because she did not want Lu Jingzhi to worry about her.
“I am leaving now,” Lu Jingzhi said as he stood up and patted Jiang Yuning gently on her head. “I have already prepared four bodyguards to accompany and protect you when you attend your audition today.”
Jiang Yuning stood up and hugged Lu Jingzhi tightly as soon as she heard those words. “Give me some energy and luck for today.”
“Your brother is right. You just have to do your part and not worry about anything else because we will always have your back, okay?”
Jiang Yuning nodded her head before kissing Lu Jingzhi on the lips. “I know what I have to do now.”
“I will wait for your good news.”
Lu Jingzhi then let go of Jiang Yuning and then headed out of the villa immediately.
Jiang Yuning looked at Lu Jingzhi’s back as he walked away from her and she was finally clear about what she had to do. She was no longer the miserable and lonely actress that had to fend for herself. She had two strong man standing behind her and backing her up and therefore, she had to live and fight for her own rights.
She went to her walk-in closet and decided that she should put on a black Chanel dress and she paired it off with a pair of diamond earrings. n.o.body could stop her from being high-profile and dressing up beautifully.
At eight thirty in the morning, the young paparazzo arrived at Jiang Yuning’s house as he was supposed to accompany her to Guangying Media for the audition. He was extremely surprised when he saw the four tall, well-built bodyguards standing in front of the villa together with Jiang Yuning.
“Sister Yuning, isn’t brother-in-law overreacting? Isn’t this too exaggerated?”
“I am not represented by any entertainment agency right now and you do not have any experience in this. That is why he is taking all these precautions because he is worried,” Jiang Yuning explained. “Stop talking nonsense already. It is time for us to set off.”
“We can leave now!” The young paparazzo was very excited, but when they finally arrived at the entrance of Guangying Media, he could no longer smile because the entrance of Guangying Media was filled with countless numbers of paparazzi and members of the media.
“What are you afraid of? Let’s go,” Jiang Yuning said as she tapped the young paparazzo lightly on his shoulder. The young paparazzo pushed the car door open and quickly rushed ahead to block the paparazzi and reporters from getting closer to Jiang Yuning.
“Sister Yuning, you can go first. I will block them off.”
Jiang Yuning smiled and then replied, “Come over here and walk with me. We have bodyguards protecting us.”
“Jiang Yuning…”
“Miss Jiang…”
The reporters swarmed up and tried to get closer to Jiang Yuning for an impromptu interview but the four bodyguards protected Jiang Yuning from all sides and they were unable to approach or get closer to her at all.
The young paparazzo followed closely behind Jiang Yuning and very soon, the group of six managed to enter the reception hall of Guangying Media.
Many of the staff members working for Guangying Media looked at Jiang Yuning with contempt as they said, “Who would have thought that Jiang Yuning actually had the guts to come…”
“Her reputation is already so bad. Why is she still coming here to further embarra.s.s herself?”
Jiang Yuning listened as they continued badmouthing her but could not do anything as she did not have the ability to stop anyone from talking. Furthermore, she was already used to all this negativity after all her years in the entertainment industry.
Jiang Yuning was then led to the waiting area where she was supposed to wait with the rest of the actors and actresses who were here to audition for a role. The waiting area was divided into two different groups—group A for the artistes who were here to audition for a leading role, and group B for those auditioning for the supporting roles.
The people waiting at the group A waiting area were those that Jiang Yuning often saw taking up the leading roles in other dramas. They were well-established and well-respected actresses such as Bai Chenxi and Lin Fei.
At the same time, the actresses also turned around to look at Jiang Yuning but they did not take her presence seriously as she was not a threat to them at all.
Even if Huo Yuxi had come in person, there would not have been any extra sense of superiority.
When she looked at the actresses sitting at the group B waiting area, Jiang Yuning did not know any of them at all. Those in group B had also stared at her and felt that she must be here to audition for a leading role.
Jiang Yuning did not say anything but quietly walked towards the group B waiting area before she sat down. Everyone was surprised to see her taking a seat at the waiting area for the supporting role.
One of the actresses waiting in the group B waiting area could no longer control her curiosity and moved closer to Jiang Yuning before approaching her directly. “Which role are you going to audition for?”
“Qin Tong,” Jiang Yuning replied.
“That vicious female supporting role?”
Everyone was relieved as they all felt that Jiang Yuning was actually suited for the role of that vicious woman.
In an era where everything was constantly posted and talked about on the internet, all the actresses would subconsciously try to avoid getting involved with a negative and vicious role because they would be hated for no reason and judged because of the role that they were playing.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Yuning was going to directly audition for that role. It seemed as though she was completely confident in herself and no longer cared about what others thought of her.
“Then, I think that you probably do not need to attend the audition today. You can just play the role by being yourself…”
“Hahaha…”
The people sitting around them started laughing and criticizing Jiang Yuning.
“Sorry, I was just cracking a joke. I hope you do not mind. After all, everyone here is part of the entertainment circle.” The girl smiled arrogantly, but Jiang Yuning was not about to admit defeat so easily.
“You…I am afraid you cannot be counted as one of us,” Jiang Yuning counterattacked as she looked around her. “I understand that the people who are considered insiders in the entertainment circle are usually recognized by the public. Do anyone of you here know what this girl’s name is?”
The people sitting around them shook their head as n.o.body knew the girl at all.
“You…”
“Sorry, I am also just joking.”
The girl glared at Jiang Yuning as she returned to her original seat. She continued cursing at Jiang Yuning. “I cannot believe that an actress like you who had scored so lowly on all your dramas would actually think that you really are a big shot. Just wait to be laughed at already!”
Jiang Yuning did not respond to her criticism but continued focusing on the script in her hand.
After a short while, a staff member then called out Jiang Yuning’s name. “Group B candidate number 104, Jiang Yuning, please head to room 301 on the third floor for your audition.”
“Good luck!” The young paparazzo made a thumbs up gesture to Jiang Yuning from not too far away where he was seated.
“Okay!” Jiang Yuning answered with a smile on her face.
In fact, none of the staff in Guangying Media could understand why Jiang Yuning would be invited to partic.i.p.ate in the audition after all the trouble and scandal that she was involved with Huo Yuxi and Lu Zongye had been shared all over the internet. It was really annoying. As they reflected upon her previous performances in all the films and dramas that she had appeared on in the past, the judges overseeing the audition merely wanted to get through with her audition as a formality as soon as possible.
Jiang Yuning entered the audition room and she could see several high-level officers and investors of Guangying Media seated before her.
“You can choose to act out any scene for the character that you are auditioning for,” one of the Guangying Media staff suddenly instructed her.
Jiang Yuning calmed herself down and she did not feel that stressed out because she knew that the judges seated before her were probably not interested in her audition at all.
Qin Tong was a tragic character. The first half of her life was bright while the second half was depressing and finally, there was a moment of redemption in her life.
Jiang Yuning eventually chose to act out a scene where Qin Tong knelt down beside her ill father’s bedside after discovering the fact that her father had sold off his own kidney to repay her debts.
She knelt down on the ground and then reached out a hand as though she was holding onto her father’s hand. She then rubbed her father’s hand gently against her face. The blood vessels on her hand were popping out as she cried out, “Dad, why did you do that? Why?”
Then, Jiang Yuning slapped herself in the face and said, “I will buy your kidney back now!”
Jiang Yuning tried to stand up but she staggered as though she was in shock and was too weak to stand. Jiang Yuning did not turn around but continued crying instead, as though she was so upset and in so much pain.
This was one of the only times where the character, who usually dared to love and hate, showed this weak side of herself.
Initially, the judges of the audition thought that they would be witnessing a very awkward, exaggerated, and unprofessional performance from Jiang Yuning and had never expected her to perform way beyond their expectations.