Seemingly noticing the unease on Qin Yaoyao's face, Xiao Yanzhi lowered his head slightly. Noticing her discomfort, he spoke in a low and gentle voice, "If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask Director Zhang directly."
He spoke softly, as if she were a precious treasure in his hands.
Within a minute, Qin Yaoyao silently put the script back on the table. With a pale face, her voice grew smaller and smaller. "Mr. Xiao, I won't audition anymore. Let Sister Jiang Li do it."
Qin Yaoyao bit her lip and explained awkwardly, "I can't dance or play the flute."
Hearing this, Director Zhang finally breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. He quickly put on a smile and said, "That's really a pity. The protagonist of this ancient - costume drama is set like this. Otherwise, Mr. Xiao, could you let Yaoyao choose another role?"
Xiao Yanzhi kept a straight face and ignored Director Zhang. His eyes still stared coldly at Jiang Li. "She can't. Can you?"
There was a casual tone in his words, and Jiang Li's heart sank bit by bit.
He really didn't seem to know her at all.
Even so, she still remained calm and replied, "I can do a bit."
Obviously, this was a modest statement from her.
Jiang Li had been in the entertainment industry for many years. She couldn't claim to be proficient in all eighteen martial arts, but she was definitely one of the top all - round entertainers in the industry.
Playing the flute and performing a classical dance were just basic skills for her.
Seeing this, Director Zhang quickly picked up the conversation, "Then how about having Miss Jiang try this scene? It'll also give Mr. Xiao a chance to evaluate."
Xiao Yanzhi's face was cold. He didn't say a word but just pulled over a chair and sat down.
His voice was cold and emotionless. "Start."
Jiang Li lowered her eyelids. Without any hesitation or coyness, she took off the windbreaker she was wearing and put it aside.
Since she had read the script in advance, she knew that she needed to perform a classical dance in this part.
For the audition, she had specially worn a form - fitting training suit. Although it was simple and plain, it could show off her perfect figure. The close - fitting outfit also helped her perform better on the spot.
When she stood in the center of the performance area, everyone's eyes were on her.
Jiang Li had outstanding looks. She was the kind of cold and charming beauty. Her figure was curvy, making her more eye - catching than any other woman on or off the set.
She held her chin high, with a calm look in her eyes. Although she had a charming appearance, the pride radiating from her made people not dare to have any other impure thoughts.
Qin Yaoyao, due to her young age, had a natural purity in her eyes. But perhaps because she was used to relying on men, there was always a hint of coquettishness in her.
Jiang Li was different.
She was like a thorny rose, blooming proudly but not for anyone.
This kind of aloof and cold temperament was truly rare in the industry, especially for an entertainer who had been in this messy circle for four years.
When the director signaled that she could start, Jiang Li took a deep breath, picked up the jade flute in her hand, and the clear and melodious sound of the flute spread out.
Her light steps swayed with the rhythm, and she easily entered the acting state.
When the dance was over, she slowly stopped. Her hands hung down on the sides of her body, holding the jade flute. Her back was straight, and her eyes lifted calmly.
She looked like a hermit, with a faint coldness that made her beauty seem a bit fragile.
In fact, as soon as Jiang Li showed up, the female lead of this drama was almost set. Now that everyone had seen her amazing performance, they all thought that this role was non - hers.
No one else could replace her.
Jiang Li gasped slightly and tried to calm her breathing. "Director, is this okay?"
"Great, it's really wonderful!" Director Zhang clapped his hands in satisfaction and was extremely happy. He was about to turn to praise Xiao Yanzhi, but when he saw Xiao Yanzhi's increasingly gloomy face, he immediately fell silent.
Xiao Yanzhi said nothing. His eyes stared fixedly at her chest, which rose and fell rapidly due to the strenuous exercise.
And her long legs and slim waist, which were so captivating, were all on display.
Not only he was looking, but everyone else was also staring at her.
This feeling of his property being exposed to the public and being watched wantonly by everyone made him extremely unhappy and irritated.
Seeing Jiang Li's excellent performance, Qin Yaoyao's face became extremely stiff, and a flash of unwillingness crossed her eyes.
"Mr. Xiao, you see, in terms of both temperament and ability, Miss Jiang is more suitable for this role."
Xiao Yanzhi remained silent for a long time, with a gloomy face. The director couldn't figure out his thoughts. Thinking that he might have said something wrong in his excitement, he quickly added, "If you want Yaoyao to appear in the drama, I'll add a role for her right away!"
As soon as the director finished speaking, Xiao Yanzhi raised his eyebrows slightly, as if thinking of something. He looked at Jiang Li coldly, and there was a hint of playfulness in his calm tone. "Can the script be changed?"
"Of course it can!" Director Zhang nodded like a pounding garlic.
While answering, he thought to himself that it was just adding a supporting role. What couldn't be changed?
"Then change the scenes of the female lead. Dancing and playing the flute right from the start. I don't know what kind of coquettishness she's showing off."
Xiao Yanzhi's tone was calm, but his words were extremely sarcastic. "If it's played like this, I don't know if this is a New - Year - themed drama or a restricted - content drama."
As soon as these words were said, everyone gasped.
Even as calm as Jiang Li, she turned to look at him at this moment, and her eyes trembled slightly.
Although he said he was changing the script, everyone could clearly hear who he was scolding.
As soon as he finished speaking, he looked down at Qin Yaoyao again, and his tone softened a bit. "Our Yaoyao can't do it now, but she can learn."
As if there was no one else around, he rubbed Qin Yaoyao's head. His voice was much gentler than before. "Do you have the confidence to learn how to dance?"
Feeling everyone's eyes on her, Qin Yaoyao's smile was a bit forced, but she still answered bravely, "I have the confidence to learn, Mr. Xiao."
"Good. Then Yaoyao is tentatively selected as the female lead for now. As for Jiang Li," he paused for a moment and then said indifferently, "you'll be responsible for teaching Yaoyao how to dance."
Xiao Yanzhi was the person with the highest status in this room, so his words naturally carried a lot of weight.
It was like the final decision.
After saying that, with a cold face, he almost didn't give others a chance to speak and strode out directly.
No one had expected things to develop like this. The room immediately fell silent.
Qin Yaoyao came to her senses later. She quickly trotted after him. When passing by Jiang Li, she said in a low voice, "Sorry, Sister Jiang Li."
Then she chased after him, as if she couldn't be away from Xiao Yanzhi for a moment.
Jiang Li unconsciously tightened her hand that was holding the flute.
Director Zhang looked desperate. He staggered to Jiang Li's side and grabbed her arm. "Miss Jiang, can you... persuade Mr. Xiao for me?"