Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

Chapter 400: Audition and Interview with an Acquaintance Director (7.8k)
……

……

"Hehe, didn't expect that, did you?"

Will he be angry?

Jing Tian stared intently at Gu Qing, her heart filled with anticipation.

She deliberately moved to the back, wanting to see what would happen when Gu Qing realized she was being "isolated" and the seat next to her was empty.
Will there ever be a hint of surprise, helplessness, or even the slightest discomfort on that usually calm and composed handsome face?

But who would have thought,

After returning to her seat, Gu Qing merely glanced at the empty seat next to her, her face showing no emotion whatsoever, not even a flicker of her eyebrows.

He sat down very naturally, put his backpack down, and even subtly adjusted his posture, as if he had unloaded a heavy burden, exuding an aura of greater relaxation and ease.

Upon seeing this, Da Tian Tian's initial smugness at having succeeded in her prank vanished instantly, replaced by a strange sense of discouragement and frustration.

Does this guy really not care at all?
however,
Just as she was secretly complaining, Gu Qing suddenly turned his head and his gaze fell precisely in her direction.

Jing Tian felt a surge of secret joy, like a little sparrow fluttering about. "She really couldn't resist after all!"

She thought to herself, "He must feel embarrassed and want to apologize to me, and then he'll politely ask me to go back!"

Jing Tian was ready to "surrender," and even a soft hum of victory was brewing in her nose.

But before she could utter that groan,

But then Gu Qing's eyes shifted, focusing on her deskmate inside, and in a clear and steady voice, she calmly said:

"Jingyi, it seems your senior sister doesn't like sitting with me. Come back."

In an instant,
Jing Tian's smug smile, which was about to bloom, froze completely.

Her phoenix eyes were slightly open, and her red lips were slightly parted, giving her an almost blank expression.

"what?……"

Her brain seemed to freeze for a second, completely unable to keep up with the sudden turn of events.

"Uh-huh!"

Sitting next to Jing Tian, ​​Zhang Jingyi's face flushed red the moment Gu Qing called her name clearly, and she nodded hurriedly, feeling dizzy.

Even the wooden desks, which were originally quite heavy, now felt light and airy.

She moved her table and chairs back to their original positions next to Gu Qing with almost lightning speed.

In a blink of an eye,
In the last row, only Jing Tian remained, sitting alone at the makeshift old table and chairs.

The empty space next to it looked particularly abrupt and... desolate.

Looking at the rapidly changing situation before her, Jing Tian blinked her big eyes blankly, her mind filled with only one huge question mark:

"Is this...right?!"

That’s not how the script was written!
Shouldn't it be Gu Qing, who disliked her for being noisy, who was the one who was "abandoned"?

How did it all turn out that she was the one being "abandoned" in the corner?
"Junior Sister Jingyi, you traitor!"

Jing Tian finally recovered from the huge shock and was so angry that she almost stomped her foot, accusing, "You just sold out your senior sister so easily?!"

"Senior sister, I...I'm not..."

Zhang Jingyi turned around hesitantly, wanting to explain, but not knowing where to begin, her face turning bright red.

at this time,

A hand with distinct joints and a slender, graceful appearance naturally reached out.

The hand was warm and dry, gently touching the top of Zhang Jingyi's hair.

It felt as if a faint electric current was instantly spreading from the small area on the top of my head that had been touched, running through my spine and reaching every part of my body.

Zhang Jingyi froze, her heart pounding wildly and erratically in her chest.

She could clearly feel the warm and steady presence of that hand, and the subtle yet thrilling touch of his fingertips as they brushed through her hair.

Subsequently,

The long, slender hand above her head gently turned her head back to face the blackboard.

"Shh,"

Gu Qing made a shushing gesture with her finger.

He took out the familiar earphone case from his bag and handed it to Zhang Jingyi, saying naturally, "If you find it too noisy, you can wear this."

Jing Tian watched this scene with wide eyes and was so angry that she laughed.

however,
This anger surged to her head, but then she remembered that Gu Qing was actually several years younger than her, and in her eyes, he was indeed still a "younger brother".

The anger subsided considerably, and she wasn't really going to argue with him.

Especially at this moment,
Gu Qing slightly turned his head and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Coupled with his impeccable face...
To Jing Tian, ​​for some reason, she actually found it... kind of cute?
"Ha, little brat, so childish."

Jing Tian took a deep breath, trying to adopt the demeanor of an elder, and gave a soft hum, looking at Gu Qing with a gaze that carried a strange sense of "kindness" and tolerance.

She said to herself, "I'm a magnanimous woman, I won't stoop to your level."

Her sudden change to a "kind" smile, as if she were looking at her own mischievous child, made Gu Qing feel uncomfortable all over, and she almost got goosebumps on her arms.

What's on her mind?

A chill ran down his spine, and he quickly turned his head away, avoiding the gaze that made his scalp tingle.

Fortunately,

The school bell rang promptly.

The second period in the morning is "Ideological and Moral Education and Legal Basis," so we don't need to change classrooms.

Gu Qing stopped thinking about it and decided to use the last class of the morning to concentrate on reading the last part of the original novel of "Love O2O".

"Squeaky-"

He had barely turned the pages of his book for two minutes when he heard a sharp, teeth-grinding sound behind him: the screeching of table and chair legs scraping against the concrete floor.

Gu Qing closed her eyes, suppressing the urge to turn back and argue, choosing to ignore it and refocus her attention on the text.

Jing Tian was laboriously and slowly pushing her heavy old desk toward the wall, trying to carve out a less conspicuous "territory" of her own in the last row.

After finally settling in,

She sat down alone, her slender, jade-like hands supporting her cheeks, gazing listlessly out the window, unsure of what to do.

She was in such a hurry to enroll that she didn't even bring a single textbook.

Furthermore, as a senior alumna of the Beijing Film Academy, she had already taken these basic theoretical courses many years ago.

When I first heard it this morning, it felt somewhat novel, a chance to relive the campus atmosphere. But now, it just feels dull and boring, and time seems to be passing exceptionally slowly.

The idle young lady's thoughts began to wander again.

Thinking back to how Gu Qing had previously complained about her being noisy, and now had "exiled" her, the leading lady, to the very back, she felt a pang of sadness.

My previously calmed mood suddenly turned sour again.

Her gaze involuntarily fell again on the handsome and upright figure in front of her.

Gu Qingzheng bent slightly, intently looking at the book on the table, his back forming a beautiful curve.

A sly glint flashed in Jing Tian's phoenix eyes. She extended her delicate, slender, white fingertips, which were meticulously manicured.

From a not-too-distant distance, as if playing a prank, he lightly poked at Gu Qing's back, one poke after another.

The force was not actually great, but the movement was sudden and had a clear direction.

Gu Qing, who was engrossed in the story, felt a faint touch on his back. His body stiffened slightly involuntarily, and he straightened up.

"Senior, what's wrong with you?"

Sitting next to him, Zhang Jingyi noticed his movement and immediately turned her head, her eyes filled with pure doubt and concern, and asked softly.

"nothing,"

Gu Qing remained calm and replied in a flat tone, "It seems like a small bug bit me, but it's nothing."

"insect?"

Jing Tian, ​​sitting in the back row, couldn't help but twitch her lips, almost bursting out laughing.

"Spring is here... it's certainly possible for small insects to fly into the classroom,"

Zhang Jingyi believed her and thoughtfully said, "Senior, why don't we close the window? So that no more bugs can fly in."

"okay."

Gu Qing turned to the side and gently closed the window next to her.

In the instant he turned around, his gaze swept quickly over Jing Tian in the back row. "Who's childish?"

"I want you to take care of it?"

Jing Tian received his gaze, but instead of being annoyed, she raised her eyebrows slightly and returned his gaze with a smug expression, her heart filled with the excitement of a successful prank.

A class lasts for more than an hour, and Jing Tian seems to have suddenly found a new source of enjoyment.

It's as if she's reversed roles. In the past, only young boys experiencing their first crushes would cautiously poke or touch the back of the girl they liked in the row in front of them with their pen caps.

Now, she was using her fingertips to gently poke at Gu Qing's not-so-broad but well-defined back, seemingly treating it as a unique form of "communication."
They were pleased to see Gu Qing's barely perceptible stiffness or unease whenever she was harassed.

One, two, three...

At first, Gu Qing would helplessly avoid him or warn him with his eyes, but after a while, he seemed to give up resisting, becoming completely numb, as if he had truly turned into a statue.
He let the energetic young lady entertain herself while he focused on reading his book.

Finally,

Gu Qing felt that she was about to finish enduring this "torture," and she was about to finish reading the original novel in her hands.

suddenly,

He sensed something amiss—a very slight, yet powerful, touch coming from his left side against the wall, near his waist.

With a slight tingling and itchy sensation, it precisely hit his... ticklish spot!
Gu Qing's body trembled slightly, almost uncontrollably.

"Snapped--"

With a soft sound, the slender, fair wrist that was still causing trouble was precisely caught in mid-air by a long, strong hand with distinct knuckles!
"Well!"

Jing Tian instinctively covered her mouth with her other hand, almost letting out a scream.

The warm touch on her wrist made her heart skip a beat.

"It hurts..."

Before she could fully savor the sudden contact, she felt the hand gripping her wrist tighten abruptly.

The force was as strong as an iron clamp, and she immediately cried out in pain.

Sensing her pain, the grip tightened abruptly.

Jing Tian immediately pulled her hand back like a startled rabbit, leaving a faint red mark on her fair wrist.

She rubbed her wrist while glaring accusingly at Gu Qing's retreating figure.

"Gu Qing,"

The substitute teacher on the podium glanced at his watch; there were less than fifteen minutes left before get out of class ended.

He spoke up at the opportune moment, "It's getting late."

"Okay, teacher, I understand."

Gu Qing didn't say anything more, so she started tidying up the books and stationery on the table, preparing to leave early to avoid being surrounded by students from other classes after school.

He handed the original novel of "Love O2O" that he had just finished reading to Zhang Jingyi next to him, and said softly with a hint of encouragement in his voice, "Erxi, keep it up."

"Yes, yes! Don't worry, senior, I will definitely work hard!"

Zhang Jingyi immediately understood Gu Qing's meaning. She happily and solemnly accepted the original work with both hands.
I secretly vowed to myself that I would catch up on my studies after school and go back to the dormitory, and I must not let my senior down.

Gu Qing quickly packed her backpack and left the classroom ahead of time.

"Love O2O..."

Zhang Jingyi gently opened the first volume of the original novel that Gu Qing had handed her.

She was surprised to find that Gu Qing had carefully marked the dialogue sections in the book that belonged to "Zhao Erxi" with clean and neat handwriting.

What made her heart race even faster was that in the margins of the book, he had written brief tips and annotations for certain chapters.
For example, phrases like "emotional shift here" and "note the innocent and carefree tone" are clearly meant to help her better understand and grasp the character.

This kind of meticulous care, perhaps unintentional, completely touched the softest spot in the girl's heart.

An adorable, silly grin spread uncontrollably across his face, lingering for a long time.

Just as Zhang Jingyi was completely immersed in this secret joy that belonged only to her,

"Junior Sister Jingyi..."

She felt a gentle tap on her shoulder from behind.

Zhang Jingyi turned around and saw that her senior sister Jing Tian was resting her beautiful face on her hand, looking at Gu Qing's empty seat with a confused and puzzled expression. She asked, "Why...why did he just leave like that?"

"Senior sister, he's different."

Zhang Jingyi turned around and explained in a low voice, "If he waits with us until school is over, there won't be enough room to squeeze out of the school building, let alone the hallway on this floor."
Students from the entire building, and even those from other departments, would rush over to see him after school.

"Huh? Really? Is it that exaggerated?"

Jing Tian felt like she was in a dream when she heard this, and unconsciously bit her lower lip with her two signature rabbit teeth.

This popularity...this treatment...this is exactly the top-tier life she's ever dreamed of and fantasized about countless times!

Gu Qing, that brat, doesn't know how to cherish anything!
A surge of intense envy, jealousy, and a hint of... disappointment welled up in Da Tiantian's heart.

"correct,"

Jing Tian shook off the complicated emotions in her mind and remembered her question from earlier, "Why did you suddenly start calling him 'senior'? Aren't you in the same year?"

"because…"

Zhang Jingyi was about to explain that Gu Qing was imitating the way she addressed Gu Qing in the drama, and also to encourage her.

Jing Tian felt it was inconvenient to talk like this, so she gestured, "Junior Sister Jingyi, please sit inside."

She was referring to Gu Qing's seat. "I'll sit there, and we'll have a good talk."

"This... I... Senior Sister, I dare not."

The thought of sitting in Gu Qing's seat made Zhang Jingyi nervously purse her lips, as if it were some sacred and inviolable throne.

"What's there to be afraid of? He's not a tiger, he's not going to eat you."

Jing Tian didn't take it to heart and spoke up for you, "Don't worry, if he dares to bully you because of this, I, your senior sister, will help you solve it!"

"But senior sister... you seemed to have been 'bullied' quite badly just now..."

Of course, Zhang Jingyi only dared to silently complain in her heart; she would never dare to say this aloud.

With a mix of encouragement and persuasion from Miss Jing, Zhang Jingyi reluctantly and cautiously moved to Gu Qing's seat and sat down.

Jing Tian quickly moved and sat in Zhang Jingyi's original seat.

Seeing the young girl next to her sitting in Gu Qing's seat, looking absent-minded and lost in thought, Jing Tian couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

"Junior sister, I'm just asking you to change seats, it's not like I really scared you this much, is it?"

She couldn't help but ask, "Is Gu Qing really that fierce in private? Does he often act like a diva and bully you?"

"No, no, no, senior sister, you've misunderstood!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jingyi hurriedly raised her head to defend Gu Qing, her tone urgent and sincere, "Senior is really a very good person!"

She takes special care of us classmates and is usually very gentle. She often treats the whole class to milk tea and fruit.

For example, the opportunity we had to audition for the drama "Love O2O" was all thanks to him actively negotiating with the production team for priority!

"Gentle? In what way does he resemble the word 'gentle'?"

Jing Tian muttered to herself, rubbing her still slightly aching wrist, expressing deep skepticism about Zhang Jingyi's words.

Suddenly, something occurred to her, and her phoenix eyes darted around. "You call him 'senior'? It's not because you also auditioned for a role in this drama, is it?"

"Uh-huh,"

Zhang Jingyi nodded vigorously, hesitated for a moment, and then changed her words, saying, "The role I auditioned for is Meng... Zhao Erxi."

The role she originally wanted was actually the third female lead, "Meng Yiran".

Zhang Jingyi felt that it was unrealistic for her to compete with her senior sister Zhou Ye for the second female lead, given her neither her abilities nor her appearance.

In the original novel, Zhao Erxi is a typical sweet girl, with a lively, cheerful, innocent, and adorable personality.

Actually, it's more in line with the image of Zhou Ye's senior sister; it would feel a bit awkward for her to play the role herself.

Can be biased,
Gu Qing's simple "Erxi" in the morning was like a pebble thrown into a lake, making her a little "dizzy".

Zhang Jingyi suddenly felt a strong urge to try out this role that wasn't originally a good fit for her.

"Erxi? What a coincidence!"

Jing Tian's phoenix eyes brightened slightly, as if she had discovered something interesting. She looked at the somewhat shy girl beside her with a smile, "Junior sister, do you know?"

In the script, Erxi is actually my best friend in real life.

"Senior sister, I...I know," Zhang Jingyi replied nervously.

"you know?"

Jing Tian deliberately dragged out her words, leaning forward slightly, "Do you even know that as your 'best friend,' instead of helping your 'isolated' best friend, you're 'aiding and abetting' her?"

As she spoke, she stretched out her slender fingers and gently pinched Zhang Jingyi's chubby, soft cheeks.

"Senior sister... I... I..."

The exquisite face, so close yet possessing a delicate beauty, and the intimate gestures that made her feel awkward, caused Zhang Jingyi's face to flush crimson, her mind going completely blank.
Only one thought remained: How come everyone in the entertainment industry... is so good-looking...?

"How about this,"

Jing Tian found her appearance extremely amusing and offered a very tempting condition: "When you go to class this afternoon, you can switch seats and sit with me, your senior sister."

In return, I'll help you land the role of 'Zhao Erxi,' how about that?"

She smiled like a cunning little fox, "I'm the female lead, so it's just a matter of a word to the director and producer."

She was really looking forward to seeing what kind of wonderful expression of surprise and shock would appear on Gu Qing's face when he came back in the afternoon and found that his little deskmate had "betrayed" him again.

Zhang Jingyi was so shocked by her words that she opened her mouth slightly and froze.

"But...but Senior Sister,"

She snapped out of her daze and timidly, yet with a sharp insight, reminded him, "The senior we... the one we're targeting... he's the male lead, you know..."

In the crew,
Isn't it obvious who has more say, the male lead or the female lead?

Jing Tian's smile froze instantly, then collapsed at a visible speed.

"..." She was unable to refute it.

afterwards,

No matter how much Jing Tian threatened or tempted Zhang Jingyi, although she was amused to the point of blushing, she never relented in trying to persuade her to surrender.

Instead, after hesitating for a while, the girl advised her instead: "Senior sister, how about... I sit in the back? Wouldn't it be better if you sat with the senior?"

"You two are the male and female leads, your relationship... shouldn't be so strained. It would have been better to build some chemistry beforehand."

"No, I'm not going."

Upon hearing this, Da Tiantian refused without hesitation, proudly declaring, "Even a rabbit won't eat the grass near its burrow!"

"I'd rather sit alone in the back; it'll be quiet!"

Besides, she secretly added to herself,
One person sat in the back, and when he had nothing to do, he would bother the serious-looking Gu Qing in front.

Seeing his helpless yet unable to lash out, I felt... it was quite interesting.

at the same time,

The news that Jing Tian enrolled at Beijing Film Academy and was in the same class as Gu Qing has become almost a confirmed fact online, thanks to the spread of photos and videos from the event.

She is the "connected" female lead who replaced Zheng Shuang and was parachuted into the cast of "Love O2O".

After the news was widely disseminated and confirmed by various marketing accounts, the "Gu family members," who were originally gloating and elated for successfully "defeating" Shuangzi, were shocked.
In an instant, it was as if I had been struck by a bolt from the blue!
"What?! The female lead is Jing Tian?!"

"Why should she be allowed to work with my brother?!"

"I'm so stupid, really! I only knew about people with connections, how could I not have thought that there was no one more suitable for the 'connected persona' than this young lady?!"

"No! I can't accept this!! Has the production crew gone mad?!"

The Gu family members were going crazy; a sense of despair, like "escaping one wolf's den only to fall into another," enveloped them.

They stormed to Gu Qing's and his studio's blog, leaving furious comments and condemning his team: "Are you guys just blinded by greed?!"
They'd do anything for that little bit of money they brought in to join the cast, even sacrificing my younger brother like that?!

"Have you considered your brother's reputation and future?!"

Who doesn't know?

Is this Miss Jing a notorious "box office poison" in the film and television industry?
Some people may still be hesitant about Gu Qing's "box office magic".

However, Jing Tian's "poisonous" nature is a fact that has been verified by a series of works with huge investments and luxurious casts, but which ultimately failed to make a fortune or received poor reviews. This is a fact that is recognized both inside and outside the industry!
After school, Jing Tian returned to her hotel and habitually turned on her phone, only to find her mood plummeting.

On the trending search list,

Almost all of the discussions were about her, with negative comments and expressions of sympathy and regret for Gu Qing.

Previously, the Gu family members criticized Shuangzi for being ruthless and merciless; now, her blog comment section has received almost the same level of response.

The blog, which used to be rather quiet due to the low popularity of the works, is now filled with all sorts of sarcastic, mean, and obscene language.

Looking at those malicious and personally attacking comments, Jing Tian felt both angry and nauseous, and her chest tightened.

"Is...is this really something a human being would say?"

She used to think occasionally that even if she couldn't become a huge star, being infamous was still fame, at least she would get attention.

But now, facing this overwhelming malice firsthand, she realized that being criticized and insulted by the entire internet was far from as easy as she had imagined.
She was a little...unable to handle it.

Fortunately,

Her assistant and agent noticed her distress immediately, quickly confiscated her phone, and offered gentle words of comfort and encouragement.
That's how this seemingly strong but actually sensitive young lady didn't break down in tears on the spot.

"Sweetie, hang in there, just a little longer! The crew will finish auditioning all the actors next week, and filming will officially start soon!"

"Gu Qing is a top-tier celebrity with a huge fan base. Actresses who work with him will inevitably face some backlash from fans in the early stages, which is normal. They'll get through it!"

"Think about it, this is already considered good! If the production team had officially announced you as the female lead when Shuangzi first revealed it,..."
The firepower then was far more intense than it is now! Public opinion is now much more divided!

"Don't worry, look on the bright side. Every actress who has worked with Gu Qing has become famous!"

This show might just be our chance to turn things around and become a huge hit! We need to have confidence in ourselves!

……

"Go buy me a complete set of the original novel of 'Love O2O'!"

Jing Tian took a deep breath, turning her grief and indignation into strength.

She is willing to study hard!

……

Time flies, and a week has passed.

Over the weekend, the cast and crew of "Love O2O" officially launched auditions for supporting roles on the Beijing Film Academy campus.

Almost all the students who should have been on holiday and left campus stayed behind, filled with dreams and expectations, waiting enthusiastically and excitedly outside the designated teaching building.
They eagerly awaited this hard-won opportunity to enter the entertainment industry.

Gu Qing also got up very early. As the male lead and a student at the Beijing Film Academy, he was invited by the production team.
I served as one of the interviewers, personally participating in the interviews to vet my classmates.

"How old is this crazy woman, anyway?"

however,
Just as he took out the jacket he had worn yesterday to change into, he unexpectedly discovered that on the back of the jacket, near his shoulder blades...
Someone actually drew a crooked, yet strangely cute little pig's head on it with a black marker!

Gu Qing took her coat, looked at herself in the mirror, and sighed with despair, a few black lines appearing on her forehead.

It's obvious who the perpetrator is.

God knows how he spent this week.

Every day in class, I not only have to endure the "Buddha's finger" that keeps poking me from the back row.
His back and backpack were often covered with little notes that said things like "I'm an idiot" or "Xiao Nai is a pig," which annoyed him and gave him a headache.

He had tried giving her the cold shoulder and saying a few words, but this young lady's skin was thicker than most, and it was completely ineffective.
What else can we really do to her? We can't hit her or scold her away.

"Finish filming quickly, wrap it up quickly!"

Gu Qing has never been so eager for a drama to be filmed as soon as possible.

He just wanted to end it as soon as possible and get away from that overly energetic and extremely childish "leading lady".

When Gu Qing composed herself and arrived at the interview location in the teaching building chosen by the production team, she unexpectedly saw a familiar figure she hadn't seen in a long time in the corridor.

Gu Qing was taken aback at first, then her face lit up with delight, and she waved vigorously at the person.
"Director Yu Fen?! What brings you here!"

Standing before me was a middle-aged woman with a neat short haircut and a stylish and capable appearance. She was none other than Lin Yufen, the famous director who had once had a pleasant collaboration with Gu Qing in "Legend of Nine Tails Fox"!

Director Lin Yufen turned around upon hearing the sound, and upon seeing Gu Qing, a warm and gratified smile immediately appeared on his face.

"Gu, long time no see! Tsk tsk, you've grown even more handsome in the time since I last saw you!"

The two gave each other a brief hug and then started chatting as if no one else was around.

Jing Tian, ​​standing next to him: "???"

Looking at the actors and director in the crew, it was clear that they all had close relationships with Gu Qing.

How could she feel that this wealthy patron, who brought his own investment to the project, was...
It seems like they've been completely sidelined.
……

……

(End of this chapter)