Chapter 7: Have I Been Too Good to You Lately, Making You Overstep?

The next day, Yun Xingcan and Meng Chengxiao arrived at the company together.

Guo Meng came running excitedly toward Yun Xingcan, holding a script.

“Brother Yun! Brother Yun! Director Lü’s new drama wants you to audition for the male lead’s second role! Here’s the script!”

Guo Meng’s voice was quite loud, drawing glances from many artists in the company.

Yun Xingcan stopped Guo Meng with an expressionless face. “Why are you shouting? Aren’t you afraid of disturbing others?”

“Oh.”

Guo Meng quickly covered her mouth and apologized to those around her.

After Yun Xingcan entered Meng Chengxiao’s office, whispers gradually rose behind him.

“That Yun Xingcan, what’s he pretending for? Acting all indifferent like that, he really looks like he’s asking for a beating.”

“Exactly! Right after being discharged from the hospital, he was assigned to that recently popular variety show. Maybe that scandal from half a year ago was true after all.”

“Was he really with President Meng… I don’t think he’s at a loss. President Meng is so handsome he could debut himself. Who’s really taking advantage of whom isn’t certain.”

“Having someone like President Meng as a patron, you know, it’s really not bad.”

Lin Ming stood behind the crowd, silently listening to their gossip.

Sometimes, when someone’s life is too good, it’s easy to make others jealous.

During this time, Lin Ming had hinted to Meng Chengxiao countless times, but the man wouldn’t even give him a proper glance.

He had thought that if he became an artist directly managed by Meng Chengxiao, with Meng Chengxiao overseeing all his affairs, he could grow closer to him.

But Meng Chengxiao’s rejections were too decisive. While he could play along with others, he always directly refused Lin Ming’s advances.

How could Lin Ming not hate Yun Xingcan?

Back then, he had pulled so many strings just to spend one night alone with Meng Chengxiao.

Yet somehow, he ended up with the boss he had arranged for Yun Xingcan, while Yun Xingcan latched onto Meng Chengxiao!

The entertainment industry was never clean, but Meng Chengxiao had kept Yun Xingcan spotless!

Lin Ming had fantasized more than once: if it had been him that day, would all the resources be his instead?

Would Meng Chengxiao have liked him instead?

Lin Ming didn’t like Meng Chengxiao, but in this circle, who wouldn’t want to be associated with Meng Chengxiao?

The gossipers gradually dispersed, and Lin Ming composed himself before heading off to work.

He had come to the company today for a poster shoot.

This Evening Media had its own professional photography team, but not just anyone could use it.

Lin Ming’s popularity had been quite good recently, and his status in the company had risen accordingly. This professional team was now available to serve him at any time.

Yun Xingcan stayed in Meng Chengxiao’s office, legs crossed as he read the script.

He hadn’t expected Lü Feifan to offer him an audition for the male lead’s second role.

Just yesterday, they said only the third male role was left.

This drama was an ancient suspense detective series called Surging Intrigue.

The male lead was a prince, and the female lead was a coroner.

The male lead, under the emperor’s orders, assisted the judicial court in solving cases, where he met the female lead. The two fell in love at first sight, getting to know each other through cases, and eventually entrusting their lives to one another because of them.

The second male role was also a prince a villain solely focused on seizing the throne. All the mysterious cases in the capital were his doing.

Villain roles were challenging to portray, whether it was the twisted complexity of their personalities or their morally ambiguous opposition to the protagonists.

It required an actor to have a deep understanding and insight into the character.

“How is it?”

Meng Chengxiao, who had been working hard all along, suddenly spoke up.

Yun Xingcan slightly raised his head. The sunlight happened to fall on his face, his fair skin glowing like fine jade, flawless and poreless.

“The script is excellent, but the antagonist male lead role is quite challenging to portray.”

Meng Chengxiao had read the script beforehand the male lead’s character development was indeed demanding for any actor.

“Try imagining yourself as a war god holding prayer beads in one hand and a sword in the other, climbing over everyone’s corpses while chanting sutras for the souls beneath your feet.”

With just a few words, Meng Chengxiao constructed a world before Yun Xingcan.

A world perfectly suited for this character.

To portray a role well, one must dissect one’s inner psyche.

“Remember to perform well tomorrow.”

Lying on the sofa and swinging his feet, Yun Xingcan sighed wistfully, “Another audition?”

“Yes. Although Lü Feifan agreed to the male supporting role yesterday, she prefers you to try for the male lead.”

Yun Xingcan nodded with some concern.

“What? Scared?”

“Won’t I be pushing out the original male lead actor?”

Meng Chengxiao remained indifferent. “So what? How often do overt and covert struggles occur in this industry? Sometimes peace isn’t something you can choose.”

Clutching the script, Yun Xingcan’s eyes blazed with determination.

“You’re right! Just wait for my good news tomorrow!”

Meng Chengxiao adored this side of Yun Xingcan confident yet humble, endlessly endearing.

“Oh, by the way, any thoughts about Lin Ming?”

Meng Chengxiao’s sudden mention of Lin Ming left Yun Xingcan momentarily speechless.

“Follow your heart.”

“I can’t think of any way to seek revenge. I only want him to face legal punishment.”

Meng Chengxiao absently tapped his index finger on the desk.

“I respect your choice.”

After a long pause, Yun Xingcan quietly said, “Actually, I’d rather watch him slowly fall behind me until he goes mad.”

Meng Chengxiao looked up at Yun Xingcan his eyes were icy, filled with resentment.

Meng Chengxiao didn’t dislike this side of Yun Xingcan; in fact, he admired it.

After surviving a murder attempt, no one would remain saintly.

“Got a plan?”

Yun Xingcan’s lips curved into a smirk, his eyes gleaming shrewdly as he leaned close to Meng Chengxiao, resting against the man.

“I don’t have one, but doesn’t President Meng?”

His pale, slender, vulnerable neck was right under Meng Chengxiao’s gaze it’d be a shame not to bite it.

But Yun Xingcan dodged, pressing his fair, slender hand against Meng Chengxiao’s chest. “President Meng, will you help me or not?”

At this moment, Meng Chengxiao resembled an infatuated ruler, willing to promise anything for his beauty’s smile.

“I will.”

As the two were being intimate, the office door knocked from outside.

“Come in.”

Yun Xingcan remained on the sofa reading his script, unaware of who entered.

Until a familiar voice one he’d never forget in this lifetime sounded.

“President Meng, and Starry Splendor?!” Lin Ming acted utterly surprised, as if he hadn’t expected a second person in Meng Chengxiao’s office.

Yun Xingcan held his script and gave a perfunctory greeting.

“President Meng, I just received a message from Director Yang. He wants me to audition tomorrow.”

Without even looking up, Meng Chengxiao asked, “Which Director Yang? Which production?”

Lin Ming smiled, looking quite pleased. “It’s Director Lu’s recent project. Director Yang is the assistant director in the crew. I just received the notice and thought it would be a great honor to act in Director Lu’s production, so I want to give it a try.”

As an artist under his own company, Meng Chengxiao naturally hoped he would become increasingly popular.

Although he had just been contemplating how to have someone thrown in prison, when a profitable opportunity like this came knocking, Meng Chengxiao wouldn’t stand in the way.

“Which role are you planning to audition for tomorrow?”

Lin Ming pretended to be troubled, furrowing his brows in feigned distress. “I heard the male lead has already been internally decided, and only the third male lead is left. But I’m quite interested in the antagonist male second lead role.”

Yun Xingcan’s movements paused as he picked up his ears and began eavesdropping openly.

“Just go audition for the third male lead.”

“President Meng, could you guide me like you did before?”

“I haven’t read this script yet. You can study it yourself tonight and your acting skills are decent enough.”

Lin Ming looked as if he had received imperial approval, thanking him happily before leaving.

Yun Xingcan’s eyes hadn’t left Meng Chengxiao since Lin Ming departed.

“What is it?”

“Do you often guide his acting?”

It wasn’t that Yun Xingcan cared well; he cared quite a bit.

Before starting this company, Meng Chengxiao had been a somewhat famous director during his student days.

He was quite a campus celebrity at their university.

Theoretically speaking, Meng Chengxiao was Yun Xingcan’s senior by six years.

Yun Xingcan had often heard about Senior Meng’s romantic rumors and new achievements in student groups and forums.

And this Senior Meng had a particular hobby inviting people to his place to give them acting guidance.

Of course, not just anyone could receive his instruction he only called those he had taken a liking to.

Several of them had ended up signing with Meng Chengxiao’s company.

“Hmm? Is there a problem?”

Yun Xingcan held his breath, unable to find the right words for a long moment.

“Yun Xingcan, have I been too nice to you lately, making you overstep your boundaries?”

Yun Xingcan’s heart skipped a beat, realizing he had crossed Meng Chengxiao’s bottom line.

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Zephyr Yizelle

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