"...Curious?"
Under He Yuan's curious gaze, Xu Gui slowly said, "Unfortunately, this is a secret I can't tell you."
He Yuan: ?
"Actually, telling you isn't impossible." Xu Gui glanced at her and said, "The future can be changed before it arrives. If I tell you now, the future might be changed... Are you sure you want to hear me?"
He Yuan immediately covered her mouth with her hand and shook her head vigorously, indicating, "I'm not curious at all anymore, don't tell me."
Seeing that she finally had a chance to be the main character, if she let this opportunity slip away because of her curiosity, she would probably slap herself a few times when she woke up in the middle of the night.
He Yuan calmed down and realized that she had absolutely no curiosity about this matter.
Xu Gui looked at her reaction and chuckled.
He Yuan snapped out of her reverie and noticed what Xu Gui was holding. She glanced at it and asked with some surprise, "Are you looking at a script?"
"Yes," Xu Gui nodded, handing her the script. "My agent showed me several scripts, saying they were all good, so I chose this one… This role has few scenes, but it's very powerful."
He Yuan flipped through it. "Is it the role of [Si Xuan]?"
Xu Gui nodded.
He Yuan glanced at the director and producer, noticing they were well-known figures in the industry. The script itself was also famous, with many parties optimistic about its production. She hadn't expected it to end up with Xu Gui.
Clearly, Xu Gui's agent had put considerable thought into choosing the script. Although the roles offered to Xu Gui weren't particularly important, and the screen time was limited, being able to act in such a good production was already a rare opportunity.
Xu Gui scratched her head, somewhat embarrassed, and said, "I hadn't planned to read the script, but I saw yours last night and thought I'd take a look..." The
densely packed character biographies written on sticky notes on He Yuan's two scripts had truly impressed Xu Gui, giving her a real sense of what acting meant and making her more serious about the role she was about to play.
So, she took out the script early this morning and only just finished reading it.
He Yuan glanced at the script and found it was only a small part, mainly the section before and after the character [Si Xuan]'s introduction; the rest was missing. This was quite common in the industry; sometimes, actors might not even receive a complete script until they've finished filming all their scenes.
Xu Gui leaned back on the sofa, somewhat bewildered, and said, "Actually, after thinking about it carefully, I have absolutely no idea how to act."
Kuang Ming had said it was a great role for her, and she could earn money, so she agreed without hesitation. But now, after serious consideration, she realized she knew absolutely nothing about acting, let alone how to act.
"I'm completely lost right now," she told He Yuan.
He Yuan glanced at her, pulled her up to sit, and said, "Actually, acting is quite simple. Look..."
She picked up a pen and paper and wrote the name [Si Xuan] on a piece of white paper, saying, "Before acting, we need to analyze the character you're playing. For now, let's start with [Si Xuan's] background..." "
According to the script, [Si Xuan] is a powerful demon, an ancient demon, which is why she was able to sacrifice herself to the heavens..."
He Yuan's whole being shone with enthusiasm when she talked about acting.
Xu Gui looked at her thoughtfully and said, "It seems you really love acting..."
He Yuan paused for a moment, then said with a complicated tone, "When I was little, my family was poor. The farthest I ever went was to our town. My neighbors had a TV, and I loved going to their house to watch TV..."
That was her first exposure to "TV dramas," her first experience with "acting." The vivid characters on TV left a deep impression on her, planting a small seed within her heart.
Actually, most people do this when they're young—imitating TV characters, draping themselves in sheets, sticking chopsticks in their hair, and imagining themselves as those characters. For most children, it's just play, and they forget it as they grow older. But for He Yuan, it was a dream she always held dear.
She didn't know when it started, but she fantasized that one day she could appear on TV, like the actors, performing various roles.
She wanted to become an "actress."
So, she dropped out of school, packed her bag, and headed north, working her way up through various film and television studios. Eventually, she arrived in City A and finally signed with [Xinghai], settling down there.
Initially, her agent had high hopes for her, but although her acting was good, her looks weren't particularly outstanding; she was at best pretty but not strikingly beautiful. So, after a while, the agent abandoned her, leaving her to fend for herself.
All the roles He Yuan has gotten now are ones she earned herself.
She jokingly told Xu Guo, "I've been an extra for so many years, it wasn't for nothing. I have some connections… Don't underestimate extras; they're always on the go, they're very well-informed." It
's through these friends that she occasionally gets a role, and when she's lucky, she gets several scenes.
"I really love acting…" she told Xu Gui, then added, "But I also really want to be famous."
She felt that her dreams and ambitions weren't contradictory. She loved acting and wanted to be famous, to become a big star. To outsiders, her years as an extra, playing small roles, seemed content and satisfied.
But only He Yuan herself knew how burning, unwilling flames were buried beneath her calm and contented heart. She wanted to be famous, to be a household name.
After saying this, He Yuan was a little embarrassed. She told Xu Gui, "I usually don't tell others these things, afraid they'll laugh at me for being presumptuous and having unrealistic dreams."
But for some reason, she said it to Xu Gui.
He Yuan thought about it carefully and came to an answer: "Maybe he thinks that even if you listen to me, you won't laugh at me."
Xu Gui nodded and said seriously, "I won't laugh at you!"
Hearing this, He Yuan couldn't help but laugh, and the laughter grew louder and louder. She leaned against Xu Gui and said, "Xu Gui, you're so funny."
Xu Gui: ?
*
With He Yuan's help, Xu Gui had a general understanding of the character [Si Xuan] and had a better grasp of acting; at least he wasn't completely clueless.
He Yuan ordered two cups of milk tea, which had arrived by then. She handed one to Xu Gui and said, "Actually, you don't need to worry too much. If you really want to act, Mr. Kuang should have an acting coach teach you before filming."
She thought Kuang Ming was quite reliable; he was also a very capable person. Otherwise, he wouldn't be their company's top agent, and he wouldn't let Xu Gui go to film without knowing anything.
This would not only damage his own reputation but also ruin Xu Gui's.
Xu Gui was puzzled: "Do I really have to act?"
He Yuan sipped her milk tea and mumbled, "It's not that you necessarily have to act, but for celebrities, acting is the way to maximize their fame... So, in our industry, there's a saying: 'If you sing well, you'll act!'
Anyway, whether you're a singer or a dancer, most of them end up acting, regardless of their acting skills; they just blindly rush down the path of acting.
Of course, by now, part of the reason is that acting is a quick way to make money."
Xu Gui nodded slightly, indicating that she understood—after chatting with He Yuan for half a day, she had gained a general understanding of the entertainment industry.
In the following days, Xu Gui didn't go out, learning how to act from He Yuan. Kuang Ming had originally been suggesting finding her a teacher to learn acting, but after hearing Xu Gui say that He Yuan was teaching her, he came to the dormitory to watch their lessons and didn't bring it up again.
"Miss He's acting is very good..." he said, somewhat surprised.
Xu Gui proudly replied, "Of course! He Yuan has been acting for twelve years. Don't let her young age fool you; she started acting at sixteen. She's a true veteran actress!"
He Yuan blushed at the praise and subconsciously said, "I'm not that good..."
Xu Gui said, "Your acting is good, that's a fact. Let's just admit it openly. Why belittle ourselves? He Yuan, you should be more confident."
He Yuan was taken aback.
Xu Gui then said to Kuang Ming, "It's just that she's unlucky. She hasn't met a good agent. If she had a better agent to plan things for her, she would have become famous long ago... But it's okay, according to my divination, she'll become famous soon!"
After saying that, she nodded seriously.
He Yuan blushed at Xu Gui's praise—she rarely received such compliments. Born in a backward and isolated area, her parents and relatives used a harsh, almost oppressive approach to education, rarely praising her. After starting work, she was even less often praised.
Xu Gui's direct and affirmative praise made her feel embarrassed.
Kuang Ming, however, was taken aback by Xu Gui's words and took a serious look at Xu Gui's roommate for the first time.
At first glance, she seemed like an ordinary girl—ordinary in the context of the entertainment industry, where beauties abound, with countless stunning women.
Yet Xu Gui predicted she would become a huge star…
Kuang Ming pondered.
…
Xu Gui had previously advised He Yuan to give up the script for "The Murderer." After careful consideration, He Yuan declined the director's invitation when he asked her out again.
The director was somewhat surprised, as he felt He Yuan had no reason to refuse.
"Can I know why?" he asked He Yuan.
He Yuan said, half-jokingly, "Because someone did a fortune telling for me and said I'm not suitable for taking on 'The Murderer,' it would be detrimental to my career." — She didn't directly mention Xu Guilai.