Chapter Twenty-Five: The Pretty Girl with Glasses

The work of auditioning seemed interesting at first glance—you could catch sight of several beauties now and then and ask them to perform seductive gestures. Some were so bold that their seduction bordered on outright provocation. But when the same thing repeated itself endlessly, it became dull and tedious.

Aside from the first day, when Guo Minghui had appeared, perhaps luck had run out, for two whole days passed without a single candidate who satisfied Yan Xu—not even for a minor supporting role. It wasn’t that there was a lack of beautiful women; rather, none of them could be associated with the image of the heroine in Yan Xu’s mind, who was meant to be a cute and lively reporter.

The most tangible gain from these two days was perhaps the stack of little slips of paper with phone numbers he had acquired. These were from women who hinted at exploring things further, though it hadn’t yet reached the frenzy of later years when schoolgirls vied to be part of the unspoken rules of the industry. Most of the women who left these notes wore heavy makeup, looking as if they plied certain trades, while the rest were those who seemed unsatisfied in daily life and enjoyed overestimating their charm—girls who could only be described as the “dragons” of the century, some even more terrifying than the infamous Feng Jie. Seeing them was like watching a horror movie, making his stomach churn and wishing he could vomit.

“We should be about done for today,” said Brother Jiu, yawning as he looked at Yan Xu.

“Yes, just these last few. Once we’re through, we can wrap up.” Yan Xu rubbed his temples to stay alert. Sitting there all day left him not only with an aching back, but also drowsy.

“Here, the last few,” Brother Jiu handed over the remaining forms.

Yan Xu took the forms and flipped through them absentmindedly. Only ten candidates left—it seemed today would end fruitlessly as well. Dusk had already fallen, and his stomach was starting to grumble.

“Hm?” In his inattentive browsing, one form suddenly caught his eye. He blinked hard, rubbing his eyes as if to clear his vision. If meeting Guo Minghui earlier had been a pleasant surprise, then the name on this form was nothing short of a shock.

Could fate really be lending a hand? He quickly glanced at the ID photo attached. Though the image differed greatly from how he remembered her, he was certain—this was the person in his heart. That she would come to audition was sheer dumb luck, something he could not have dared to imagine.

“What is it? Is the next one coming in?” Seeing Yan Xu staring blankly at the form, Brother Jiu leaned over to take a look.

“Call her in first,” Yan Xu said, moving the form to the top of the stack. His heart was pounding, excitement making his voice tremble. He was eager to meet her—though he was almost sure, he wanted to see her in person to confirm.

“All right,” Brother Jiu glanced at the form. The woman in the photograph looked utterly ordinary, nothing special at all. He didn’t understand Yan Xu’s interest, but said nothing. He beckoned to the receptionist: “Go, have her come in first.”

The receptionist walked to the door, opened it, and called out, “Next, Zhou Huimin!”

A girl of seventeen or eighteen walked in. Her long hair was tied into a ponytail, with neat bangs covering her forehead and eyebrows entirely. An old-fashioned pair of black-rimmed glasses masked half her face. When she smiled, a glimpse of braces was visible, and her cheeks retained a touch of baby fat. She was taller than most girls, but wore a simple, thick blue-and-white athletic jacket, faded jeans, and white basketball shoes. No matter how you looked at her, you couldn’t connect her with the idea of a beauty.

To everyone else, she was just another plain face. But in Yan Xu’s eyes, he saw the beauty hidden beneath the surface.

Zhou Huimin—a goddess of her era. Yan Xu remembered clearly the sheets of stickers and countless posters he collected as a teenager. During those years, her pure face adorned nearly every boy’s room, her image everywhere, in every alley.

But she was supposed to make her debut at the fourth New Talent Singing Awards next year, and after winning runner-up at the 1986 Amateur DJ competition, she would formally enter the entertainment industry. Yet here she was at his film audition—surely the result of his own butterfly effect.

“Are you Zhou Huimin?” Yan Xu tried to calm his excitement, studying the girl before him.

“Yes,” she replied with a nod.

“Do you like acting in films?” At this stage, Zhou Huimin was still green, lacking the ethereal grace of her later years or the mature sensuality after her return.

“No, I don’t,” she answered, catching everyone off guard.

“Are you here to mess around?” Brother Jiu was stunned by her reply.

“What do you like, then?” Yan Xu interrupted, patting Brother Jiu’s arm. He found her answer rather refreshing.

“I like literature and painting. I hope to become a painter,” Zhou Huimin replied, meeting Yan Xu’s gaze without the slightest hint of timidity.

“Then why did you come to audition?” Yan Xu pressed on. He knew well that Zhou Huimin was not only a beauty but also a talented artist whose works had won many awards and been exhibited multiple times.

“For the money, of course. Didn’t you say outside that those selected would be handsomely rewarded?” Zhou Huimin answered bluntly. Her family was not well off; she had been looking for work since graduating from Form Five.

“You’re quite straightforward.” In just a few words, Yan Xu could see that this Zhou Huimin was not the gentle, sheltered girl he’d imagined. She had personality and her own ideas, perhaps because of growing up in a single-parent family. She was more mature and independent than most girls her age—once she made a decision, she saw it through. No wonder she later became a devoted partner for fourteen years.

“Work is for money, nothing to be ashamed of,” Zhou Huimin said candidly.

“Well said,” Yan Xu praised. Working for wages was only natural.

Once he was sure that this was indeed the Zhou Huimin from his memories, Yan Xu decided then and there that she would be the heroine of his film—even if it meant rewriting the script for her.

In his memories, Zhou Huimin always seemed so pure and demure, a sheltered young woman. Yet in his film, the female lead was a clever and lively reporter—a far cry from that image. He had even considered changing the character to a teacher. But now, he saw that she could easily handle the role.