mesbooks Chapter 163 The Spoiled Princess
Chapter 163 The Spoiled Princess
He abruptly pressed the pause button.
Staring intently at that fleeting moment in the still image, a half-smile playing on his lips, his eyes darting about.
"this......."
"This is exactly the feeling I wanted!"
Lai Shui was so excited that he slammed his fist on the table and stood up:
"Sweet but not cloying! Alluring but not vulgar!"
"There's something in those eyes! They're so expressive!"
"Isn't this just like Situ Jing? She can be a refined lady and a mischievous devil at the same time!"
But then he hesitated:
"But this girl is singing and dancing...she must be a singer, right?"
"Most singers nowadays are terrible at acting."
"If you only have a pretty face but no acting skills, you can't carry a leading role in a drama."
Lai Shui murmured, her finger unconsciously opening the comments section.
All I saw was...
The top-rated comment:
Who would have thought that this sweetheart queen is actually Empress Zhang Yan?! #JiangBaizhiZhangYan#
Below is a promotional photo from "Beauty's Rival in Palace".
Red dress, phoenix crown, tears, a sense of heartbreak.
Lai Shui was stunned.
He looked at the energetic JK girl in the video.
Then look at the photo of that heartbroken empress in the deep palace, her grief beyond measure.
"This...this is a person?"
The stark contrast made Lai Shui gasp.
Holy crap!
"That acting...it's got something!"
"They can portray extreme sadness, and they can also portray extreme sweetness!"
"This level of versatility is incredible!"
"Zhang Yan... Yu Zheng's drama?"
Lai Shui's eyes lit up. Since he was chosen by Yu Zheng, his acting skills must have been tested!
Moreover, being able to land a supporting role in such a big production before even making a debut shows that he has exceptional talent!
"How about we let her try out my acting?"
Lai Shui has been searching for more than half a year, and now they can't wait even a second longer.
He took out his phone, opened his contacts, and found that familiar name—Yu Zheng.
Although everyone usually hangs out in Beijing's elite circles, they've engaged in a lot of open and covert struggles to grab resources.
But for the sake of the female lead in this drama, Lai Shui felt that he could put his pride aside for the time being.
.......
Kyoto, inside a mansion.
Yu was scrolling through Weibo, seeing the whole internet praising "Jiang Baizhi". He was in a very good mood these past two days, and his sense of superiority, that only he knew her background, was overflowing.
"Buzz—"
My phone vibrated.
Caller ID: [Director Lai Shui]
Yu Zheng raised an eyebrow, a playful smile playing on his lips:
"Oh, what a rare guest!"
"This guy never calls unless he needs something, why is he calling so late..."
He seemed to have guessed something, and slowly answered the phone, his tone languid:
"Hey? Director Lai? Calling me so late, are you inviting me out for a late-night snack, or to your wedding?"
On the other end of the phone, Lai Shui had no time for banter and went straight to the point, her tone urgent:
"Director Yu! I need to ask you about someone!"
"Your character Zhang Yan in 'Beauty's Rival in Palace,' the girl named Jiang Baizhi!"
"How's her acting? I want to cast her as the lead in 'The Mischievous Princess'! Can you give me her contact information?"
On the other end of the phone, Yu Zheng's voice sounded a little strange, as if he was trying to suppress a laugh:
"Old deadbeat, you have a really sharp eye..."
"The Mischievous Princess? Situ Jing?"
"Tsk tsk tsk, you actually want 'her' to play this former dynasty princess, this street tyrant?"
Lai Shui was so anxious on the other end of the line that he kept stamping his feet. He thought Yu Zheng was reluctant to let him go and was giving him his contact information, or that he felt the newcomer couldn't handle the situation. He quickly explained:
"Old Yu! Stop being sarcastic!"
"I'm serious!"
Lai Shui's voice was so excited, it was as if he had just been injected with chicken blood:
"The lead actress, Situ Jing, for my drama 'The Mischievous Princess' hasn't been cast yet!"
"I just watched that trending video, and I think she's perfect for the role!"
"Look at that kiss she blew, the mischievousness in her eyes, and that natural, unpretentious charm!"
"Isn't this the spitting image of Situ Jing? She can be stunningly beautiful in women's clothing, and she also embodies the chivalrous spirit of Situ Jing, who often dresses as a man in the drama!"
"I think she was born for this role!"
Upon hearing the words "dressing as a man to uphold justice,"
Yu Zheng finally couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.
"Ha ha ha ha!"
"Yes, yes, yes! Absolutely right!"
"When she wears men's clothing... it's absolutely a natural performance, it looks completely natural!"
"He's even more manly than a real man!"
Lai Shui was dumbfounded by the laughter: "What are you laughing at? Is it that funny?"
"No, it's nothing."
Yu Zheng forced himself to suppress his laughter and wiped the corner of his eye:
"I just feel... you two are a match made in heaven, and I have to let this relationship happen!"
He listened to Director Lai Shui's anxious voice, his eyes gleaming with a kind of "stirring things up" light.
Since they had decided to help Jiang Bai keep the secret, and even to create a "national goddess" hoax.
How can playing just a supporting role like Zhang Yan be enough?
If only I could land another leading lady role...
This is going to be really funny!
Thinking of this, Yu Zheng cleared his throat and said in a deliberately profound tone:
"Alright, since you're so sincere."
I'll give you her WeChat ID.
"However, let me be clear from the start, this girl... has a rather unique personality, and she's still in school, so she might not have that much time to be on set all the time."
Yu Zheng slowly and deliberately finished the second half of the sentence, his tone revealing a sense of "a rare commodity to be hoarded":
"After all, she was admitted to the Shanghai Theatre Academy through proper entrance exams, and she still has to attend classes regularly. My scenes in 'Beauty's Rival in Palace' were specially rescheduled for the National Day holiday for her."
Upon hearing this, Lai Shui not only didn't back down, but became even more enthusiastic:
"What's there to be afraid of about going to school?"
"As long as she's willing to come, I can wait! I can mediate!"
"If all else fails, I'll move the entire crew to Shanghai! I'll set up a tent right outside her school!"
"For Situ Jing, this little price is nothing!"
Seeing Lai Shui's "I can't live without her" attitude, Yu Zheng was overjoyed.
Stable.
The fish was biting the hook really hard.
"Okay, that's enough."
Yu Zheng didn't waste any more words and tapped the screen twice with his finger:
"I've given you my business card."
"The rest depends on your own abilities."
Before hanging up the phone, Yu Zheng added a meaningful sentence:
"Hey you deadbeat, I wish you... not only a pleasant cooperation, but also that you can spark some unexpected chemistry."
"Especially for the scenes where she's dressed as a man, remember to give her more; you'll come back and thank me."
"beep--"
The phone hangs up.
Lai Shui looked at the business card recommended on WeChat, his hands trembling with excitement.
"Scenes in men's clothing?"
"Hey, Old Yu really understands me! Great minds think alike!"
"The essence of the character Situ Jing lies in her cleverness and androgynous charm when she's disguised as a man!"
"This girl has such a heroic look; she'd be absolutely stunning in men's clothing!"
Without saying a word, he immediately clicked "Add to Contacts".
The verification message was written in an extremely humble and sincere manner:
[Hello Ms. Jiang Baizhi, I am director Lai Shui. I sincerely invite you to audition for the lead role of Situ Jing in "The Mischievous Princess"!]