Exchange of Movie Queens - Chapter 16

China truly operates on connections.

 

 

With Lu Qingming facilitating the introduction to Director Lin, the audition process became remarkably straightforward. A phone call later, it was scheduled for Wednesday at 9 AM—quite a tight timeline.

 

 

Xi Mo also needed to submit a resume per their request, detailing her past acting credits—standard preparation for most auditions. Unless you’re already a walking golden brand where one glance reminds people of your iconic roles, busy directors won’t bother researching your background. In such cases, the resume forms their crucial first impression.

 

 

Once a diamond-tier star, Xi Mo now lacked even a shabby wooden signboard, reduced to a complete newcomer.

 

 

Prideful as she was, she loathed this sudden demotion, but reality proved ruthless. Fortunately, her professionalism as a top-tier actor meant she could instantly switch personas—one moment cursing Ruan Yesheng internally, the next making polite inquiries as a rookie.

 

 

“They want a resume—that’s your domain, not mine,” Xi Mo maintained surface civility during the call. “Can I just use the online listings?”

 

 

A quick search revealed numerous fan-compiled profiles of Ruan Yesheng’s past work, but Xi Mo knew such sources were only half-reliable, often speculative. She needed confirmation from the source.

 

 

The search also unearthed Ruan’s old stills—one particularly arresting: barefoot in crimson bridal robes against snow, her flowing black hair frozen mid-motion yet so vivid it seemed to beg for a gentle touch. This promotional still from Footsteps in Song had been hailed by critics as “beauty in transcendent bloom.”

 

 

Having never paid attention before, Xi Mo now felt an odd sense of temporal whiplash through the screen. Disliking the sensation, she promptly closed the tab.

 

 

Ruan’s reply came indirectly, laced with lazy amusement: “The internet says you signed onto a lesbian film early in your career. Should we include that?”

 

 

Xi Mo: “…”

 

 

Absolute nonsense! If web rumors were true, pigs could climb trees!

 

 

And I’d never act in a lesbian film even at gunpoint!

 

 

“Fabrications,” Xi Mo replied coolly. “They approached me, but I declined. The project never materialized anyway—pointless to discuss.”

 

 

“Pity,” Ruan sighed with faux disappointment. “I’d have been curious to see it.”

 

 

Xi Mo: “…”

 

 

Ruan’s voice turned playfully acidic: “Especially since they paired you with Shen Qingbie in the rumors. Lucky it was just early speculation—imagine the box office explosion if it happened now!”

 

 

 

Xi Mo: “…”

 

 

Why bring up the sorest subject?!

 

 

Are you out of your mind?!

 

 

This was bound to be another unpleasant conversation. With a dark expression, Xi Mo said, “Wait, I see an entry here stating your birth year—what a blatant lie. Clearly, your profile can’t be trusted. But since you yourself mentioned this age in an interview, that means you’re untrustworthy too. Thanks, but I don’t need your advice anymore.”

 

 

Ruan Yesheng: “…”

 

 

Early in her career, her agency had deliberately falsified her age to craft a youthful on-screen persona for her. Though she had faded from the spotlight years ago, the birth year circulating online—which had once painted her as impossibly fresh-faced—was a lie she had gone along with for her career, shaving four years off her real age.

 

 

Xi Mo said icily, “We’re actually the same age. Back when netizens voted me into some ‘Four Rising Flowers’ list, I was embarrassed. Clearly, you’re thicker-skinned than I am.”

 

 

On the other end of the line, Ruan Yesheng flushed, unexpectedly defensive yet oddly endearing: “I’m not thicker-skinned—I just have younger skin. What are you gonna do about it?”

 

 

“I’ll do this. Goodbye.” Xi Mo promptly hung up.

 

 

She had initially reached out with a sense of responsibility, intending to carefully draft a resume for the director’s review. But now, her patience had evaporated. A standout resume either required meticulous detail or relied on calculated mystery—the latter being far riskier without solid backing. Xi Mo typed a few sparse lines about Ruan Yesheng, not even bothering to include a photo, and sent the email.

 

 

After all, Ruan had latched onto her coattails for this role. No matter how pretentiously vague the submission, Lin Qitang wouldn’t dare reject it.

 

 

On the day of the audition, she arrived early—a gesture of humility and professionalism the industry favored.

 

 

With time to spare, she was ushered to the waiting area of Lin Qitang’s studio. A staff member studied her briefly before offering coffee, the courtesy lukewarm but polite.

 

 

Xi Mo settled onto a sofa, opposite a woman whose crisp, understated elegance radiated quiet intensity. Her sharp features were lightly made up, but her eyes—piercingly shrewd—made anyone meeting her gaze feel stripped bare.

 

 

The woman’s breakfast sat untouched on the coffee table as she watched Xi Mo with undisguised interest.

 

 

Ignoring her, Xi Mo took a sip of the mediocre coffee and frowned faintly.

 

 

Suddenly, the woman stood and walked over.

 

 

Assuming she was heading for the exit near the sofa, Xi Mo paid no mind—until the woman circled behind her and slid into the seat beside her, draping an arm over her shoulders.

 

 

Xi Mo: “…”

 

 

Who the hell are you?!

 

 

Who said you could touch me?!

 

 

Her neck stiff, Xi Mo turned to glare at the woman’s sly, smiling eyes, mentally running through recipes—braised, marinated, salt-crusted, pickled—for whatever audacious limb dared invade her space.

 

 

 

The woman narrowed her eyes, casting only a sidelong glance at her as she spoke with a rather flirtatious tone: “Sweetheart, it’s only been a while since I was away, and now you’re pretending not to know me? What kind of act is this?”

 

 

Xi Mo: “…”

 

 

Sweetheart???

 

 

Sweetheart!!!

 

 

Are you out of your mind?!

 

 

Do you want to go drink tea at the police station?!

 

 

Xi Mo was so shocked she felt waves of disbelief, nearly tossing her carefully maintained grace and elegance to the wind. She almost pushed the woman away while gripping her neck to fiercely shout “You shameless creep!” But in that split second, she quickly realized something.

 

 

She wasn’t herself right now—she was Ruan Yesheng.

 

 

This woman… must be someone close to Ruan Yesheng.

 

 

From the woman’s earlier words, Xi Mo swiftly pieced together the necessary details.

 

 

First, this was someone extremely familiar with Ruan Yesheng, someone so intimate they’d dare call her something as cringeworthy as “sweetheart.”

 

 

Sweetheart? Disgusting!

 

 

Second, this person had been away for some time—maybe to another city, province, or even abroad—and had only just returned. After the body swap, Xi Mo had switched to a new phone number, while Ruan Yesheng’s old number remained with her. If this woman had tried to contact her, she would’ve called Ruan Yesheng’s old number. But since Ruan Yesheng was now using Xi Mo’s voice, she couldn’t have answered directly. So, Ruan Yesheng might have ignored the call and replied with an excuse via text, possibly even mentioning her audition at Lin Qitang’s company today—which would explain why this woman was waiting here. Of course, that approach could be risky, so Ruan Yesheng might not have done it. Another possibility was that the woman had asked Feng Tangtang.

 

 

Feng Tangtang had nearly lost her mind upon learning about the audition. If not for the confidentiality agreement, she probably would’ve blared it through a megaphone across the neighborhood.

 

 

Realizing she had almost slipped up, Xi Mo broke into a cold sweat. She subtly removed the woman’s arm from around her and smiled as if greeting an old friend. “I was just waiting for you to come say hi first. How have you been all this time away?”

 

 

A few more days of pretending to be Ruan Yesheng, dealing with a few more weirdos like this, and she’d develop enough split personalities to populate the solar system.

 

 

The woman’s eyes flickered with amusement as she studied Xi Mo, her gaze almost piercing through to her soul, making Xi Mo feel an uncomfortable pressure.

 

 

Then the woman smiled and replied, “I’ve been doing great.”

 

 

For some reason, Xi Mo found that smile a little unsettling.

 

 

The woman continued, “I called you yesterday, but you didn’t answer. I even texted, but no reply. So I had to ask Tangtang. She said you might be preparing for the audition and didn’t want to be disturbed. She gave me the address, so I came straight here.”

 

 

Her gaze drifted lightly. “Such a huge thing like an audition, and you didn’t tell me?”

 

 

Xi Mo smiled. “I was planning to tell you later—wanted to surprise you.”

 

 

Who the hell are you?!

 

 

Ruan Yesheng’s mom or dad?! Why should she tell you anything?!

 

 

The woman’s glossy lips parted slightly as she stared unblinkingly. “Oh, I am certainly… very ‘surprised.'”

 

 

Meanwhile, Xi Mo had already taken advantage of the conversation to discreetly pull out her phone and send a quick text to Ruan Yesheng: “Ran into a crazy woman who calls you ‘sweetheart.’ Who is she?”

 

 

 

Ruan Yesheng replied surprisingly quickly: “My agent, Yan Tinghuan.”

 

 

Xi Mo: “…”

 

 

…This woman actually has an agent.

 

 

Afraid of slipping up and calling her the wrong name, Xi Mo quickly followed up: “What do you usually call her?”

 

 

Yan Tinghuan narrowed her eyes at her, seemingly displeased: “Sweetheart, busy, are we? Talking to me while replying to someone else.”

 

 

Xi Mo suppressed a sigh, forcing a smile: “Work matters. Can’t ignore them.”

 

 

On the other end, Ruan Yesheng stared at the message, her smile tinged with something complicated, and her reply came just as fast: “Honey.”

 

 

Xi Mo: “…”

 

 

You’re both insane!