I really didn't intend to make a living based on my looks.

Chapter 86: Audition for the Battle of Changsha and Recommendation of the Female Lead

Yanjing Casting Office, Shandong Film & Television Media Group.

The bench was full of people; some were memorizing their lines, some were touching up their makeup in front of a small mirror, and others were staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Next up, Guan Xiaotong!"

A tall girl sprang up from the bench and strode into the audition room.

Before the door closed, director Kong Sheng's deep voice could be heard from inside: "Hu Xiangxiang, scene one, get ready."

In the corner of the corridor, Niu Junfeng was squatting on the ground, clutching a piece of paper in his hand, muttering to himself: "Xiaoman, sixteen years old, the Hu family's twin brother—"

Zhang Yijie sat next to him; both of them had come to test Hu Xiangjiang, and they exchanged nervous glances from time to time.

"Have you heard?" Zhang Yijie lowered his voice, "Hu Xiangxiang, who was originally slated to be the female lead, suddenly dropped out."

"Really?" Niu Junfeng was taken aback. "What do we do now?"

"We're urgently looking for people," Zhang Yijie gestured towards the audition room. "Guan Xiaotong is competing, and several other students from Beijing Film Academy and Central Academy of Drama have been called back for second auditions. The competition is fierce."

At the other end of the corridor, Zuo Xiaoqing had just come out of the audition room, her face calm.

She auditioned for the role of Hu Xiangjun, the eldest sister of the Hu family, a role that was very familiar to her.

A talented actress stepped forward to greet them, and the two exchanged a few words in hushed tones. Zuo Xiaoqing shook her head slightly, as if to ask, "Has Teacher Ren Chengwei arrived?" Someone called out.

"Here it is." A deep male voice came from the end of the corridor.

Ren Chengwei walked over, carrying the script; he was tall and imposing, with a calm and composed demeanor.

He was there to audition for Xue Junshan; the production team had long favored him, and today was just a formality.

Wherever they went, the young actors unconsciously made way for them.

"The director said that Xue Junshan is the soul of the whole series," someone whispered nearby. "When Teacher Ren came out, he felt like Xue Junshan himself."

"Of course, he's a powerful actor of the middle generation, this role is perfect for him."

The casting process for Battle of Changsha has been ongoing for several weeks.

This war drama, co-produced by Shandong Film and Television Media Group and Zhengwu Sunshine, is Kong Sheng's second time directing a war-themed film after "Life and Death Line," and has garnered significant attention within the industry.

The casting of actors for the three siblings Hu Xiangxiang, Hu Xiangjun, and Hu Xiaoman was of paramount importance in the casting process.

The audition is over; afternoon meeting room.

Smoke swirled around.

Hou Hongliang sat in the main seat, a cigarette between his fingers, the ash of which had accumulated to a considerable length.

On the table in front of him was a stack of actor profiles, the faces in the photos all young and beautiful.

"What should we do with Hu Xiangxiang?" He frowned. "The original plan—what was it called again?"

"Li Xin".

Kong Sheng leaned back in his chair, his face looking rather grim. "Yesterday I was suddenly informed that I had taken on another role and couldn't change my schedule."

She's willing to pay the penalty for breach of contract.

"What?" Hou Hongliang's face darkened. "Filming is about to start, and she's backing out now?"

"You can't blame her, that's just how her company is."

"And I'm not very satisfied with her either. She can't portray the character's arc, and I don't like her acting style. She's too aloof. Hu Xiangxiang isn't that kind of aloof young lady; she's a girl who grew up from everyday life."

Hou Hongliang's gaze fell on another document: "What about Guan Xiaotong? She just finished her audition this morning, and I think she looks good."

"Too young." Kong Sheng rejected it outright. "She can play a sixteen-year-old girl, but how can she portray the later parts? Hu Xiangxiang has to experience war, the loss of her family, and becoming a mother. She can't handle that sense of vicissitude and emotional turmoil. It's not a matter of acting skills, it's a matter of age and experience."

"What about the ones you had your eye on before?"

"Rejected." Kong Jin opened the notebook in front of her. "The one from Beijing Film Academy has enough talent, but he can't handle the emotional outbursts in war scenes. The one from the Central Academy of Drama has the gravitas, but lacks girlish charm. And there's another one, whose appearance is suitable, but his acting skills are too poor, and he can't get rid of his Hunan accent."

Silence fell over the meeting room.

Hou Hongliang stubbed out his cigarette. "So what do we do now? We're about to start filming, and we don't have a suitable candidate."

"If all else fails," the assistant director suggested quietly, "how about postponing filming?"

"Postponed?" Hou Hongliang's eyes widened. "Do you know how much money a day of postponement costs? The venue, equipment, personnel—everything is waiting!"

Kong Sheng didn't speak, but tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his brows furrowed.

Just then, a voice came from the corner.

"If you ask me, if it's not suitable, change it. If all else fails, I'll recommend one."

Everyone turned their heads in unison.

Jiang Chen leaned back in a chair in the corner of the conference room, twirling a pen in his hand, looking completely at ease.

Hou Hongliang was stunned.

Why does this guy always show up at meetings?

Who notified him?

And, holy crap, wasn't he supposed to be an auditioning actor?

Even though the male lead has already been decided internally, there's no need to be so high-profile.

"What are you doing in our meeting room?"

Jiang Chen blinked, looking completely innocent. "Brother Hou, you're being too polite. Aren't we family?"

Monkey King? ???

"Who the hell is family with you!" Hou Hongliang's face turned black with anger. "Get out! Go wait outside for your number to be called for the audition!"

"No way, Monkey King," Jiang Chen sat up straight, smiling innocently. "Besides, is the role of Gu Qingming really going to be given to an outsider? Huo Jianhua isn't as famous as me right now."

Hou Hongliang: "————"

Kong Sheng almost burst out laughing, then quickly coughed twice to smooth things over: "Ah Chen, be serious. Tell me, who are some suitable candidates you'd recommend?"

Jiang Chen dropped his playful grin and became serious.

"Yang Zi".

"Yang Zi?"

Jiang Chen leaned forward slightly. "Brother Hou, Director Kong, think about it. What's Yang Zi's background? She debuted as a child star, and 'Home with Kids' was a nationwide hit. Her popularity speaks for itself. Besides, she's currently at the Beijing Film Academy, so she has formal training, and she still has that natural talent. Most importantly—"

"Director Kong, you've worked with her before, haven't you? You know what kind of person she is."

Kong Sheng didn't speak, and his fingers stopped tapping.

Jiang Chen continued, "The character Hu Xiangxiang is a sixteen-year-old girl in the early stages, innocent and carefree. Later, she experiences war, the destruction of her family, and the loss of her loved ones. We need to portray the feeling of being torn apart by falling from the clouds into the mud. Yang Zi grew up on film sets and has seen the ups and downs of the entertainment industry. She understands what loss means more than her peers."

Kong Sheng was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke: "She does indeed have that kind of tenacity."

He recalled the set of Gu Jian Qi Tan, where a girl in a light green gauze dress, despite being a supporting character, would arrive half an hour early for every scene, bringing her script to rehearse her lines.

There was a crying scene where she spent two thousand minutes preparing, but the tears came instantly. After filming wrapped, her eyes were swollen like peaches, and she still smiled and asked him, "Director Kong, can I do it in one take next time?"

"Let her audition," Kong Sheng suddenly said.

Hou Hongliang was taken aback: "Old Kong, are you serious?"