Weak A, She Just Wants to Live to the End (GL) - Chapter 12

Lin Anan had originally planned to ask for more information about Yu Nanxi’s work schedule before replying to Li Sheng. She hadn’t expected that he would get so mad that he gave the role to Tang Xin instead.

Although directors would usually give priority to an artist recommended by a manager they had a good personal relationship with, a recommendation wasn’t a 100% guarantee. For example, if the artist’s appearance didn’t match the character, or if their acting skills were subpar.

So, in addition to the company’s recommendation, one’s own ability was also very important.

Therefore, even though Lin Anan and Tang Xin were both a little annoyed, neither of them had the guts to confront Li Sheng about it.

Later, Li Sheng even called them both into his office and asked if they were both willing to audition for the show.

For Tang Xin, getting a role in a show like this as a new artist was a miracle, so of course, she wouldn’t give up on it. As soon as Li Sheng asked for her opinion, she obediently nodded and agreed.

Since Tang Xin had agreed, if Lin Anan refused now, it would be the equivalent of directly angering Li Sheng, and it would also make her look like a sore loser.

She had no choice but to reluctantly nod.

Lin Anan went home and read the script for two days. On the third day, she and Tang Xin took the company car to the director’s studio to audition.

When they arrived, they realized that they weren’t the only two auditioning for the role of Song Yunzhao. But most of the other actors had already been eliminated, either because their acting was not up to par or their appearance didn’t fit the character.

Lin Anan looked around. In addition to the people auditioning for Song Yunzhao, there were also many actors auditioning for other roles. But after scanning the entire room, she didn’t see Yu Nanxi anywhere.

She wanted to ask about the confirmed cast members, but the staff on site were very tight-lipped. No matter how much she asked, she couldn’t find anything out.

But in fact, before she came, she and Wu Xixi had already come up with a plan.

Even though she had been a little unhappy when Li Sheng asked her and Tang Xin to audition for this role, after she went home and analyzed the situation with Wu Xixi, she suddenly felt that Tang Xin joining in might not be a bad thing.

If Yu Nanxi was indeed in the production, they could use Tang Xin as a cover and pretend to lose to her in a natural way, thus smoothly taking herself out of the running.

If Li Sheng asked, she could just say that she wasn’t at her best, and he wouldn’t do anything to her. Anyway, the role would still be in Shengji’s hands. At most, Li Sheng would be mad at her for a couple of days, and he wouldn’t say anything else.

This way, she could avoid running into Yu Nanxi.

At the same time, she wouldn’t have a direct conflict with Li Sheng. It was a win-win situation.

Of course, these were their worst-case scenarios. If Yu Nanxi really didn’t appear, they didn’t want to give up such a good opportunity.

After the Song Yunzhao auditions began, both Lin Anan and Tang Xin made it to the second round. Just as Lin Anan was discussing with Wu Xixi whether or not to try her best to get the role, Tang Xin was eliminated.

When it was Lin Anan’s turn, Li Sheng’s expression was quite sullen.

He didn’t say anything, but when Lin Anan was about to go in, she saw his dark expression and knew that if she also got eliminated, she would definitely be in trouble when she went back.

Lin Anan had no choice but to straighten her clothes and go in.

There were a few more people in the room than she had seen in the first round, including the associate director. She didn’t know who they were, so she just bowed to everyone and introduced herself.

The associate director held a few pieces of paper and looked up at her. “Are you familiar with Song Yunzhao’s lines?”

Lin Anan wanted to say yes, but she could only remember a few fragments. She had only read through the general plot, but she hadn’t made an effort to memorize the lines.

She thought for a moment. Although she was conflicted, she still answered honestly. “I know the general plot, but the lines… I’m not very familiar with them.”

The associate director suddenly chuckled. “You’re honest.”

“Come, Xiao Fu, give her these lines,” the associate director said, looking at a young man with a work badge. He motioned for him to hand a piece of paper to Lin Anan. “Can you express this scene in three minutes?”

“Yes,” Lin Anan replied, trying to stay calm. In reality, her heart was beating erratically as she looked at the four or five hundred words on the page.

Under everyone’s gaze, she stood there and read the content once. She then pondered the inner thoughts of the protagonist and the side character for a moment and memorized the lines. When she felt the time was right, she said to the associate director, “I’m ready.”

The associate director nodded and waved to the young man with the work badge. “Xiao Fu, come on, go up and act out a scene with her.”

The boy named Xiao Fu seemed to be used to this kind of thing. He walked to Lin Anan with a blank expression, took the paper from her hand, and stood quietly to the side.

This scene was about the female lead being framed and locked up in the cold palace. She accidentally ate the food sent by the second female lead and was poisoned, leaving her on the verge of death.

Song Yunzhao was the female lead’s maid. Lin Anan had to perform a scene where she happily picked a few plum blossoms from outside and brought them in to show the female lead. But she then found the female lead poisoned. She ran to the gate of the cold palace and begged the guards to find the male lead.

The guards refused. Song Yunzhao then hugged the guard’s leg and said desperately that as long as he told the male lead, she would do anything he wanted.

This was a scene that required multiple layers of emotion. If the expression and emotions didn’t keep up, it would easily fail.

Lin Anan was startled at first. This was the first time she, a nobody actress, had ever encountered such a multi-layered performance. The thought of it made her feel incredibly stressed.

But the arrow had been released, and there was no turning back.

She calmed her nerves, tried her best to stay composed, and then she took a few small steps toward the outside of the room, pretending to be happy. “Mistress, look, aren’t this year’s plum blossoms beautiful?”

“This is the first batch of plum blossoms this year.”

She paused, then threw the imaginary plum blossoms in her hand and lunged onto a chair. She said in a frightened tone, “Mistress, what’s wrong? Why do you look so pale?”

Xiao Fu picked up the paper in his hand and said in a robotic voice, “I don’t know. I feel so uncomfortable.”

Lin Anan looked at the table, anxious. “Where do you feel uncomfortable? Did you eat something just now?”

Xiao Fu continued to read without any emotion. “I just ate my meal.”

Lin Anan turned her head and glanced at Xiao Fu, pretending to look at the table. “But I also ate, Mistress. What’s wrong with you?”

“Mistress, I’ll go find the emperor right now. Please don’t fall asleep.”

The female lead’s weak tone was not something Xiao Fu tried to imitate. He just said in a stiff voice, “Zhaor…”

Lin Anan held the chair and stood up. She ran toward Xiao Fu, saying, “Mistress, I’ll be right back. You have to wait for me.”

She ran to Xiao Fu and suddenly felt a little awkward.

She was okay with acting at the chair, but acting at a person, especially an expressionless one, was incredibly awkward. It was easier to just act at the chair.

But with so many people watching, she could only bite the bullet and continue.

She grabbed Xiao Fu’s arm and pleaded, “Brother Guard, could you please take me to see the emperor? My mistress isn’t feeling well.”

Xiao Fu said in a dull voice, “No. Who do you think you are? Is the emperor someone you can just see whenever you want? This is the cold palace!”

Lin Anan’s face showed a look of pleading, and her body bent forward slightly. “Brother Guard, could you please just inform the emperor for me? Or help us find a royal physician? My mistress is really not feeling well. I’m begging you.”

Xiao Fu was unmoved, acting as if he were a cold, unfeeling character.

Lin Anan counted five seconds, then she fell to her knees in front of Xiao Fu. “Brother Guard, I’m begging you. I’m willing to be your slave or your horse. Please, save my mistress.”

The guard seemed to be a little moved. He turned his head and glanced at Song Yunzhao.

Lin Anan received Xiao Fu’s expressionless gaze. She pretended to unbutton her collar, hugged his leg, and pleaded bitterly, “Brother Guard, as long as you help me inform the emperor, I’m willing to do anything you want. Truly, I will do it willingly.”

The scene on the paper ended there, so Lin Anan’s performance also ended there. But after she finished, the room was silent.

She looked up at the scene, which was as still as a painting, and her heart tensed up. She then suddenly remembered that she was still hugging Xiao Fu’s leg. As if she had been burned, she immediately let go, then composed herself and pretended that nothing had happened as she stood up.

She then felt a little bad and bowed to Xiao Fu in a panic. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. I was a little disrespectful just now.”

Xiao Fu still didn’t have much of an expression. He also bowed to her and walked toward the associate director.

The people below finally moved. One of the older women suddenly let out a small laugh. It wasn’t a mocking laugh, but a genuine one.

The others around her also seemed to be trying to hold back their laughter.

Lin Anan’s face instantly turned bright red.

She thought about her exaggerated performance and the made-up lines toward the end. She was so embarrassed that she felt like her toes could curl up and build a villa.

The woman laughed a few times, then leaned over to the associate director and discussed something with him. The associate director then flipped through Lin Anan’s information. “Alright, that’s enough for today. Go back and wait for our notification.”

Lin Anan wanted nothing more than to leave this embarrassing scene. When she heard the associate director say that, she quickly bowed and ran out the door as if she were escaping.

The few people waiting outside surrounded her when they saw her come out.

Li Sheng walked to the front. “How did it go? What did the director say?”

“The director?” Lin Anan was a little confused. She then said, “I don’t know what the director said, but the associate director told me to go back and wait for a notification.”

After Li Sheng heard that, his face darkened even more. He turned and walked toward the office hallway without saying a word.

Lin Anan looked at Wu Xixi. The two of them had a mutual understanding and both pouted.

Tang Xin, who was standing next to her, saw Li Sheng walk away and smiled. “Sister Anan, don’t be sad. It’s okay if you got eliminated. Look, I got eliminated too, right?”

“I didn’t expect so many people to audition for Song Yunzhao. We just weren’t prepared. Let’s try auditioning for other roles later.”

Lin Anan couldn’t tell if it was just her imagination, but she felt that Tang Xin sounded a little smug when she said those things.

But Lin Anan didn’t plan on entertaining her. She just smiled and sat down on a chair next to Wu Xixi.

About half an hour later, Lin Anan and Wu Xixi were still chattering about the audition process. Li Sheng walked out of the hallway, his face much better than before.

He waved to Lin Anan and Tang Xin. “Let’s go. We’re going back to the company.”

He took two steps forward, then he couldn’t help but say, “When we get in the car, I’ll tell you some good news.”

The four of them looked at each other blankly and followed Li Sheng into the minivan.

After Li Sheng sat down, he said in a good mood, “Tang Xin, I’ll tell you your good news first.”

“Even though you were eliminated from Song Yunzhao, the director thinks you’re more suitable for another role. You can go back and take a look. It’s the personal maid of Consort Shu.”

“The screen time is okay, but the character isn’t as likable. But I’ve already accepted the role for you.”

Tang Xin had thought there was no hope for her. She hadn’t expected the director to give her another role. Being able to show her face in such a big production was great, even if it was a small role.

Tang Xin said gratefully, “Thank you, Brother Li.”

Li Sheng turned to Lin Anan, a rare friendly smile on his face. “Anan did well. You successfully got the role of Song Yunzhao!”

“What?” Lin Anan said in disbelief. “I… I got Song Yunzhao?”

“Yes,” Li Sheng said. “The director said that even though you didn’t act exceptionally well, you have a lot of potential and you’re a good fit for this role. She even complimented your acting, saying it had many layers. I was also very surprised.”

Lin Anan looked at Wu Xixi in shock, then she turned to look at Li Sheng, unable to believe it.

Thinking back on it, her acting was so exaggerated. The people watching were so embarrassed that they laughed, yet she still passed. It was unbelievable.

While Lin Anan was happy, she didn’t forget to butter up Li Sheng. “Brother Li, it’s really because the director respected you that she let me pass.”

“Thank you, Brother Li.”

Perhaps because he was in such a good mood, Li Sheng also became polite. “Your own effort is also very important.”

“Yes, it’s all thanks to Sister Anan’s own hard work. Congratulations, Sister Anan,” Tang Xin said sweetly. In a place where no one could see, she fiercely squeezed the fabric of her skirt.

Author’s Note:

Lin Anan: Damn you, Li Sheng. You said you would give it to me, but you gave it to Tang Xin instead.

Author (with a complicated expression): Actually… fate wanted to treat you well, but you didn’t appreciate it, so the ending… will be a little miserable.