Chapter Fifty-One: You Are the One

Gao Yuanyuan was a native of the capital, born into an ordinary family of intellectuals. In high school, she caught the eye of an advertising company and filmed an ice cream commercial; over the next few years, she made a large number of ads, gradually making a name for herself in the advertising world.

Unlike other mainland actors, she didn’t apply to a professional art academy for university, but chose to study economics instead. During her college years, she continued to take on roles in TV dramas and films.

Last year, she starred in "The Intern's Story," but the show made little splash when it aired. This year, during the XN Olympics, a commercial for a mint candy aired on mainland TV, and Gao Yuanyuan, with her fresh and sweet girl-next-door image, won immense popularity. The media dubbed her the "Mint Girl."

One could say that Gao Yuanyuan entered the entertainment industry entirely on the strength of her pure, striking looks. In essence, she wasn’t much different from the later generation of young stars who relied solely on their appearance.

However, when it came to acting, this late-blooming commercial model showed surprising talent. Her later portrayal of the scheming Zhou Zhiruo made countless young viewers detest her character. From the fresh-faced "Mint Girl" to the ruthless "Abbess of Emei," Gao Yuanyuan broke through her own limits, proving her versatility as an actress.

Casting her as Song Mingxi might turn out to be a great decision.

The next day, in the China Film conference room, Gu Zhi, Liu Qi, and Lu Chuan sat behind a long table. Opposite them, Gao Yuanyuan stood stiffly, looking nervous.

Gu Zhi had asked Liu Qi to find her yesterday, and he hadn’t expected such efficiency—the meeting was arranged in just one day. He then called Lu Chuan along; the three of them were there to give Gao Yuanyuan a simple audition.

Lu Chuan, though he didn’t have the final say, was still the director, and Gu Zhi felt it necessary for him to get acquainted with the actress he would be working with.

Gu Zhi sat in the center, his eyes moving up and down as he sized up the beauty before him.

"Height, about one-sixty-five—neither tall nor short, just right."

"She really is stunning, but almost too pure. To bring out that wild edge will test her acting."

"Tall and slender, not overly curvy—well-suited for action scenes."

"Yes, not bad at all. She’s even prettier when she’s young…"

Since entering the room, Gu Zhi hadn’t taken his eyes off her. He was silent, and neither Lu Chuan nor Liu Qi rushed to speak; all of them were quietly observing Gao Yuanyuan.

Other than exchanging brief greetings at the start, the four simply stared at each other in silence. Gao Yuanyuan felt increasingly uneasy under their gaze but dared not move.

After all, sitting before her was China Film’s core team, and Gu Zhi—currently the brightest new star in cinema—was right across the table. Gao Yuanyuan had never dared to dream she’d be invited to audition for the lead role.

Gu Zhi’s first film had made Tang Wei a star, and now countless young actresses were desperate to join his new project. Faced with such a rare opportunity, there was no way she wouldn’t be nervous.

"This Gu Zhi is even more striking in person than in his posters."

"Why is he staring at me like that? Did my makeup smudge?"

"Could he be hinting at something inappropriate…?"

"No, impossible—he’s only seventeen. His mind can’t be as dirty as those old bosses."

"If it’s really like that, I’ll just walk away. After all, I’ve turned down plenty before."

...

Three minutes passed before Gu Zhi finally moved, nodding slowly.

"Here, take the script and turn to page seventeen."

"What? Oh, right, okay."

Caught up in her thoughts, Gao Yuanyuan nearly missed his words. She hurried forward to take the script from him, glancing at the cover—"My Sassy Girl"—and quickly flipped to page seventeen.

"Look at this scene: Song Mingxi, drunk, is leaning against a subway handrail. In the seat before her sits a young man; beside her stands an elderly man. She uses force to drive the young man away so the elder can sit down."

"Have you found it?"

"Yes, starting from the line, ‘Hey, stand up!’—is that right?"

"That’s it. Act out the part where you forcefully drive him away. You have two minutes to prepare."

"Remember, your expression should be arrogant."

Gao Yuanyuan’s large eyes flickered uncertainly as she glanced at Lu Chuan and Liu Qi beside Gu Zhi. Shouldn’t the director be giving instructions at an audition? Or at least the producer? Yet neither had spoken, and it was the screenwriter, Gu Zhi, who took the lead.

Lu Chuan sat expressionless, his hands clasped on the table, showing no intention of speaking. Thankfully, Liu Qi gave her a gentle nod, reassuring her.

Now Gao Yuanyuan understood who truly called the shots in this crew.

She wasted no time, bowing her head to study the script and memorize her lines.

Two minutes later.

"Mr. Gu, I’m ready."

She set the script down, her expression outwardly calm, though her heart was pounding in her throat.

The lines were short—memorizing them wasn’t hard. What mattered was gathering and expressing the right emotion.

She’d never tried a role like this before. Song Mingxi was the polar opposite of her usual fresh image, and now she had to perform to empty air.

Just a few lines, yet it was a challenge she’d never faced.

"Begin."

Gao Yuanyuan took a deep breath. The next second, her brows knit together. The gentle, charming eyes suddenly turned cold.

With a careless sweep, she brushed her bangs aside, angled her body, dropped her head, and shouted fiercely at the empty space ahead:

"Hey!"

"Stand up!"

"Give your seat to the old man!"

Her brows furrowed deeper, her expression growing more domineering. Her lips parted slightly as she raised her right hand and slapped the air below.

Finally, she lifted her chin, her face fierce, gestured emphatically toward the empty spot, and barked out a final command.

"Get up!"

...

"Cut."

At Gu Zhi’s word, Gao Yuanyuan instantly relaxed, letting out a long breath and rolling her right shoulder. That slap had been so forceful, she nearly dislocated her arm.

Gu Zhi was very pleased with her performance and nodded at her before turning to ask Lu Chuan.

He trusted that a professional would notice things he might miss; the director’s opinion mattered.

Lu Chuan, though particular, had a sharp eye for talent—no wonder he’d become a renowned director.

"A bit too forceful. The expression was a little too fierce, which made it seem deliberate. Tone it down a bit during filming, and it’ll be perfect."

Gao Yuanyuan nodded slowly at this, her eyes shifting upward thoughtfully.

If Lu Chuan approved, that meant she’d passed. Gu Zhi then looked to Liu Qi, who also nodded her assent.

"Good. The role is yours, Gao Yuanyuan."

"Take the script home and study Song Mingxi’s behavior and character. Make sure you memorize the lines thoroughly. The shoot will begin in early November, so be ready as soon as possible."

"Thank you, Mr. Gu! Thank you, Director Lu! Thank you, Sister Qi! I’ll do my very best!"

Gao Yuanyuan’s radiant smile could not be hidden. She bowed to each of them in turn, grabbed the script, and dashed out, throwing her arms around her mother who had been waiting quietly outside.

"Mom, I got it! I’m going to be the lead actress!"