Chapter 53: You're the One
In Blood Mist, there was a passage like this—
When he opened his eyes, the reflection of orange flames flickered in his pupils. His skin was as white as mutton-fat jade, his thin lips crimson as fresh blood. The corners of his lips curled slightly as his fingers tugged at the black bowtie, undoing the top three buttons of his shirt to reveal delicate collarbones and the faint outline of a red scorpion tattoo… He moved like a phantom wandering the night—mysterious, eerie, cold.
Now, Qin Linlin felt as if the Wu Xiaoye she had written had stepped right out of the pages of her book.
"Brother, are these the people who wanted to see us?" Rong Yu parted his lips slightly, his tone laced with mockery.
His voice was soft, as if he weren’t speaking to anyone in particular, merely murmuring to himself. Yet his gaze was fixed on Yin Chengjue’s direction—whether intentionally or an unconscious result of his acting, it was hard to say.
"Brother, I don’t want to see these people at all. I only want to be with you. Brother, let’s go on a date. Let’s eat your favorite grilled fish."
Then, Rong Yu’s tongue slowly licked the corner of his lips. "I love it too."
At this moment, only one word echoed in Yin Chengjue’s mind—Buy!
If he wants to eat it, go buy it right now!
But then he suddenly realized—Rong Yu wasn’t talking to him. He was acting.
"Alright, alright, let’s go buy it now." A voice seemed to rise from the depths of Yin Chengjue’s heart, startling him. When he looked again, Rong Yu’s expression had already shifted. His jade-like fingers methodically buttoned up the shirt he had loosened earlier, then carefully straightened his bowtie.
He was still smiling, but the sharp, sinister edge from before had completely vanished. Instead, his smile was warm, like winter sunlight—gentle and overflowing with affection.
"There’s a new grilled fish place that just opened. Why don’t we try it?"
As he spoke, Rong Yu turned and walked toward the door.
Bang! The door closed.
The room fell into complete silence.
"Just now…" Qin Linlin swallowed nervously before continuing, "Did I just see Wu Xiaoye, that psychopath, walk in… and then Wu Xiaoqing, the warm-hearted older brother, walk out?"
Click.
The door opened again, and Rong Yu stepped back in, greeting everyone with a polite smile.
"It’s you! Xiao Yu! I’ve decided—you’re the one!" Qin Linlin excitedly lunged toward Rong Yu, only to be intercepted midway by Yin Chengjue.
Unfazed, she continued showering Rong Yu with praise.
There were still many actors waiting outside for their auditions, but Qin Linlin seemed to have already made up her mind.
Deputy Director Liu wiped sweat from his brow, recalling the message he had received from President Huang earlier. After some hesitation, he spoke up, "There are still about ten people left to audition. Should we see them all?"
"Hmm, since they’re already here, let’s take a look. Xiao Yu, you can go back and wait for our call. I’ll contact you after I finish with the others!" Qin Linlin said cheerfully.
Deputy Director Liu sighed in relief.
Yin Chengjue glanced at him discreetly, his gaze drifting to the audition list in Deputy Director Liu’s hands—where Ming Qian’s name was listed three spots after Rong Yu’s.
Yin Chengjue had already witnessed Ming Qian’s acting skills in his past life.
To put it bluntly—he had none.
Back then, Yin Chengjue had poured a fortune into securing him high-profile roles right from the start.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that every single one of Ming Qian’s past dramas had been propped up by Yin Chengjue’s money.
Aside from his first big-budget drama—where the character’s personality happened to align with his own, leading to overnight fame—every other project he starred in had flopped.
Unless he was playing himself, he couldn’t deliver a single decent performance.
Eventually, Ming Qian had no choice but to pivot to variety shows.
After a brief hesitation, Yin Chengjue decided to stay and see just how Ming Qian would perform this time.
Digging Three Feet Deep: Wait for me in the tea room outside. I’ll come find you soon and take you to eat.
Yin Chengjue sent Rong Yu a WeChat message.
Rong Yu replied almost immediately.
Big Fish Spreads Wings: Okay!
The next three auditions went slightly better than the earlier ones. One actor even came prepared in Wu Xiaoqing’s signature outfit from Blood Mist. But compared to Rong Yu’s eerily accurate portrayal of both Wu Xiaoye and Wu Xiaoqing, Qin Linlin couldn’t muster much enthusiasm.
"Next." Qin Linlin waved impatiently.
Yin Chengjue lifted his eyes.
Deputy Director Liu also straightened slightly. Earlier that morning, he had received a message from President Huang, urging him to put in a good word for a newcomer named Ming Qian.
Ming Qian walked in dressed in a black suit, a deep blue patterned bowtie, and neatly styled hair. His makeup was light, with just a hint of red at the corners of his eyes.
The moment he entered, Qin Linlin’s eyes brightened slightly.
There was no denying it—with this look, Ming Qian perfectly fit her mental image of Wu Xiaoye.
Ming Qian also chose to perform a scene featuring Wu Xiaoye’s alternate personality, specifically selecting a high-tension confrontation scene.
Since both characters were angry, the dialogue was intense. Ming Qian had memorized his lines flawlessly and delivered them smoothly.
"Next." Surprisingly, Qin Linlin still didn’t mark him as a potential candidate.
Deputy Director Liu grew visibly nervous and ventured, "Miss Qin, I actually thought his performance was quite good."
Before Qin Linlin could respond, Director Chen shook his head. "No depth in his eyes. He’s just relying on his looks and makeup. At best, he’s more photogenic than that Liu Huan from earlier."
Liu Huan was the minor celebrity who had boldly declared he wanted to see who Qin Linlin would ultimately choose.
Instead of leaving immediately, Ming Qian lowered his head like a frightened animal, his eyes reddening. "Directors, this is my first audition. Maybe I didn’t perform well enough… But if you give me a chance, I’ll study the script harder and improve! I won’t let you down."
Deputy Director Liu’s eyes lit up: This kid knows how to talk.
Director Chen disliked stubborn actors, and while Ming Qian relied on his looks just like Liu Huan, his face was more suited to the role, and his temperament was far more malleable.
He glanced at Director Chen and, sure enough, saw a flicker of hesitation in the older man’s eyes.
"Next." But Qin Linlin remained unmoved.
Only then did Deputy Director Liu remember—Qin Linlin was the one calling the shots here. Even if Ming Qian seemed easy to handle, it all depended on whether the young miss was satisfied.
Ming Qian bit his lip, eyes brimming with unshed tears, and quietly left.
Meanwhile, Yin Chengjue sat in his seat, deep in thought.
He had noticed Deputy Director Liu advocating for Ming Qian.
But… why?
Could Feng Changheng still have the resources to invest in Ming Qian’s entertainment career?
Unable to piece it together for now, Yin Chengjue set the matter aside and went to the tea room to find Rong Yu.
By now, it was noon, and the grilled fish restaurant was packed. Fortunately, Yin Chengjue had reserved a private room in advance, so they didn’t have to wait outside.
The grilled fish arrived, sizzling on a hot plate over a low flame, its aroma rich and mouthwatering.
Yin Chengjue discovered a strange new pleasure—watching Rong Yu eat.
Especially when it was something Rong Yu loved. His eyes would sparkle, as if trying to absorb every last bit of the delicious food in front of him.
Propping his chin on one hand, Yin Chengjue watched as Rong Yu expertly lifted the fish slightly to tuck the bean sprouts, greens, and chives underneath.
"This makes it even more flavorful!" Rong Yu licked his lips.
Yin Chengjue’s gaze darkened. He took a sip of his iced tea.
Once the side dishes were served, they dug in. Rong Yu placed a large piece of fish on Yin Chengjue’s plate. "Brother, this part has fewer bones. It’s the best!"
Ever since their rollerblading outing, Rong Yu had started calling Yin Chengjue "brother", only occasionally switching to "Brother Yin".
Yin Chengjue found the former more intimate and never corrected him, so Rong Yu had stuck with it.
"How have things been lately? Now that the song rankings are out, you must have new missions, right?" Yin Chengjue asked.
Though the show hadn’t aired these segments yet, filming was progressing quickly.
Hey Brother, Let’s Debut! marketed itself as a training program for all-rounded idols, covering dance, songwriting, lyricism, singing, rap, and acting—all to mold a versatile group.
So far, every aspect except acting had been tested.
"The production team gave us a choice between stage plays and short films," Rong Yu said after slurping up some noodles and wiping his mouth. "I picked the stage play."
Technically, this was confidential information, and the trainees had signed NDAs (Non-Disclosure Agreements). But since Huansheng Entertainment was collaborating with Hey Brother, Let’s Debut!, Yin Chengjue could easily find out himself. So Rong Yu didn’t mind sharing.
"Oh? I thought you’d pick film." Yin Chengjue was surprised.
"I’ll leave films to Sally," Rong Yu grinned. "I’ve never acted in movies, but I’ve done stage plays in school. I’m more familiar with this format, and since Hey Brother, Let's Debut! is a competition, I want to show my best side!"
"Then I’ll be looking forward to it." Yin Chengjue reached out and ruffled Rong Yu’s hair.
Hmm
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