Chapter 44: You ‘re Very Similar to the Her I Know

Translator: _Min_

The event staff nodded and stepped out, returning shortly with another person before leaving again.

Si Fuqing glanced at Qu Lingyun, who was still engrossed in his work.

So it was him.

Life had its ways of creating inexplicable intersections.

“Miss Si, you can remove your mask now. No one else is here,” the filming director coughed to clear his throat. “Let me introduce you. This is Mr. Qu Lingyun. Please keep this confidential after you leave.” Si Fuqing took off her mask and casually acknowledged, “Alright.”

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“Let’s get started,” Qu Lingyun looked up, ‘We- I‘

He voice was halted mid -sentence.

Silence envelopd the room.

The filming director’s grip loosened, and his thermos dropped, landing heavily on his foot.

He was too stunned to even yell.

For a moment, the filming director could only think of the online comments that had ridiculed Si Fuqing as so ugly that they could make someone vomit their meal from the previous night.

Nonsense!

All nonsense!

Is this not the face of a goddess?

Qu Lingyun suddenly rose, walking towards Si Fuqing as if to pinch her face to confirm its authenticity.

Si Fuqing crossed her arms and glared, “What are you trying to do? This is my real face.”

The filming director was about to intervene when Qu Lingyun hesitated, his hand frozen mid-air. He awkwardly chuckled, “Sorry, terrible habit.” It puzzled him that he felt intimidated by an obscure actress.

As a designer and director, Qu Lingyun had a stringent definition of beauty.

He demanded natural beauty; even those with minor cosmetic enhancements were unacceptable to him.

His eccentricity didn’t deter stars from seeking his favor.

After all, very few artists from the Great Xia had come close to a Glenn Award. There was only one Qu Lingyun.

Who wouldn’t want to be associated with such a genius director?

“Perfect, you’re the one,” Qu Lingyun declared unequivocally. “Let’s sign the contract.”

Si Fuqing paused, restraining her irritation.

She smiled, hiding her intent to kill deep inside, “I may have a good face, but my acting skills are terrible. Aren’t you being hasty, Director Qu?” Qu Lingyun snorted, “The others out there? They’re unwatchable.”

Si Fuqing:

Si Fuqing found herself unable to refute.

“I have only haters in the entertainment industry,” she continued. “Choosing me would not only fail to tap into the market but also attract negative attention.”

“Entertainment industry?” Qu Lingyun sneered, “I am looking for actors, not celebrities. The Lan brand doesn’t need celebrity endorsements to boost sales.” Such was the clout and influence of Lan.

Even for top-tier celebrities, when it comes to Lan’s high-end couture line, it’s they who seek an invitation from Lan, not the other way around.

“Please step out,” Qu Lingyun waved at the filming director. “Tell everyone outside that no more auditions are necessary and they can leave.”

The director left, still somewhat dazed.

Silence settled between the two remaining people in the room.

‘You remind me of someone I know,” Qu Lingyun finally spoke after staring at her for a while. ‘You really do.”

“Oh?” Si Fuqing arched an eyebrow, “Someone as pretty and adorable as me?”

Qu Lingyun choked, “No… not like that. You don’t look alike.”

Different faces.

Different ages.

The only similarity was the striking beauty each possessed at their vivid age of eighteen.

And the impression they gave him, that unintentional, piercing beauty, was identical.

And their eyes.

Si Fuqing remained unflinching, “Where is she now?”

Qu Lingyun hesitated for a moment before speaking, “She’s probably gone. Otherwise, why would she not return or send any news for four years?”

Si Fuqing’s eyes narrowed.

She had entered Glenn at eighteen.

It was part of a mission from her master, tasked with excelling in various fields while keeping her identity a secret. Even her fellow disciples were kept in the dark.

She had to disguise herself.

At twenty-one, she received an urgent summons to return to her sect and left Glenn for her laboratory.

Then an experiment malfunctioned, and she was killed in the blast, waking up three years later.

Life’s intricacies were indeed perplexing, and as she sat there, Si Fuqing pondered the winding paths that had led her to this precise moment.

Then there was a malfunction in the experiment; she had been killed in the explosion and woke up three years later.

It had been four years since she left Glenn.

“She was a genius, a prodigy in both acting and designing,” Qu Lingyun continued. “You know about Lan? She’s the one who named it.’

Si Fuqing slipped her hands into her pockets, her face expressionless.

Lan, named after her sister, Wan Kuanglan, whose name meant to restrain the surging tides and support the collapsing edifice.

“I’ve never seen anyone more suited for acting than her,” Qu Lingyun sighed. “I had even crafted a script over a year, but sadly no one could fulfill that role.” He would rather let the script rot than have someone else ruin it.

Si Fuqing paused, her expression indifferent, “Maybe it’s not entirely impossible to bring it to life.”

Qu Lingyun shook his head, choosing not to continue on that topic. He turned serious, “Since you’re decided as the spokesperson, Lan’s headquarters has also decided to make East Moon one of the focus brands for this year.”

“In addition to this advertisement, there will be some short films later. Should we connect on WeChat for smoother work coordination?”

He showed his QR code.

Si Fuqing clenched her teeth and smiled, “I don’t think that’s necessary.”

“It is necessary, very necessary,” Qu Lingyun seemed to have already switched to his manic work mode. “Trust me, I plan to make you the top model.”

“Interested in acting? We could collaborate on that too.”

Si Fuqing remained silent.

I shouldn’t have done this.

She had a biting comment on the tip of her tongue but wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to say it out loud.

“I disagree,” Si Fuqing finally responded. “I’ll do just this one advertisement; I won’t be the brand ambassador.”

“Then you might want to reconsider,” Qu Lingyun didn’t push her. He nodded, “Originally, the budget for this advertisement was 200,000. Now, I’ve decided to raise it to 2 million. If you become the spokesperson, the fee would be 50 million.”

Si Fuqing sat up straight, her previously lackadaisical demeanor vanishing. She looked at him intently, “Deal.”

Qu Lingyun, who had planned to persuade her relentlessly over WeChat later, was left baffled.

It took him a good ten seconds to remember the number he had just thrown out.

50 million.

Money.

He was not as enticing as money?

His feelings were mixed.

Though someone finally wasn’t that crazed about him, he still felt slightly disgruntled.

“Let’s discuss the details in my private studio,” Qu Lingyun checked the time. “I have to go now; we’ll finalize the dates via WeChat,”

Si Fuqing’s demeanor had also improved considerably, “Alright.”

Just before exiting, Qu Lingyun couldn’t resist asking, “Why do you always wear that kind of makeup?”

“Oh,” Si Fuqing casually put on her mask, “I’m too good-looking. I fear you’d all fall for me.”

Qu Lingyun was speechless.

Though their appearances were entirely different, this peculiar narcissistic character was eerily identical.

Outside.

Under the staffer’s coordination, the subsequent auditions were conducted by the assistant director.

“Miss Xu, your look is absolutely perfect,” the assistant director exclaimed.

“Unless something unexpected happens, you are the one.”

Xu Ruotong hummed softly, “I’m quite busy, can we speed this up? “Alright,” said the assistant director, “Let me consult the director.”

Before he could stand, the filming director had already approached.

As the assistant director was about to mention Xu Ruotong, the filming director preempted him, “Qu Lingyun has made his choice. No more auditions are needed.”

“A choice has been made?” The assistant director was taken aback. “Did Qu Lingyun bring someone from Glenn?”

It was already surprising that Qu Lingyun would survey this project. Could it mean that East Moon was now in the sights of Lan’s upper echelons?

The assistant director was getting excited at the thought.

“Thank you all for coming,” the filming director clapped his hands and turned to the other auditionees. “The choice for the advertisement has been made.

We’ve prepared some coffee for everyone.”

The room went silent, but no one uttered a word.

Except for Xu Ruotong, whose eyes grew colder, “What do you mean? You invite us from far and wide for auditions, and now you’re telling us to go back?”

“The assistant director just said I was chosen, and now you’re reneging? Such a fledgling brand and you lack integrity already. What kind of clothing business are you running?

As Xu Ruotong spoke, her expression grew colder, “I’m not leaving today. I want to see who you’ve chosen that’s better suited than me..”