Huayu: Starting with Hextech

Monday morning, the sun was shining brightly.

Lin Xiao stood downstairs at Tangren Media Company and took a deep breath.

These past few days, thanks to the "get a little more handsome every day" buff, I've been getting a lot more attention on campus.

Even the dormitory supervisor glanced at him a few more times, muttering, "This Xiao Lin, he's gotten so energetic after just a few days."

Upon entering Tangren Company, he explained his purpose to the receptionist and was led to a lounge to wait.

Several people were already sitting in the lounge; they looked like they were there for auditions as well.

Lin Xiao had just found a corner to sit down when the door was pushed open again, and a tall and beautiful figure walked in.

His gaze was instantly drawn to it.

The girl wore a pale yellow dress, revealing a pair of straight, slender, and dazzlingly white legs.

She has delicate features, and her smiling face is adorned with two sweet dimples.

Tangyan!

That natural "naive and innocent" quality almost overflows.

She seemed a little nervous, her gaze sweeping around the lounge before finally settling on Lin Xiao in the corner.

There's no other reason than that this quiet boy is quite eye-catching; not only is he handsome, but he also has a strange, comfortable feeling about him.

Tang Yan hesitated for a moment, then walked over and sat down next to Lin Xiao, her voice soft and sweet: "Hello, are you here for an audition too?"

Her eyes were big and blinking, making her look a little silly and cute.

Lin Xiao suppressed the slight ripples in his heart and nodded with a smile: "Yes, hello, I'm here to audition for a Shushan disciple."

His attitude was natural, neither warm nor cold, maintaining a sense of distance.

"A disciple of Mount Shu..." Tang Yan blinked, her dimples appearing slightly. "Then we should be in the same production team! I auditioned for the role of 'Zi Xuan'."

Her tone carried a hint of pride, but also a touch of uncertainty, after all, this role was very important to her.

"Zi Xuan?" Lin Xiao showed a hint of surprise and admiration at the right moment. "This role is very challenging, spanning three lifetimes. I believe you can definitely play it well."

He knew, of course, that she would eventually get the role, but this perfectly timed compliment still made Tang Yan very happy.

"Thank you! You're really impressive to audition for Tangren." Tang Yan smiled, finding the handsome young man not only pleasing to the eye but also quite pleasant to listen to. "By the way, I haven't asked your name yet?"

"Lin Xiao, Lin (林) is composed of two trees, and Xiao (骁) means brave."

"My name is Tang Yan."

She smiled, and her dimples deepened.

……

Not long after, the staff came in and called out numbers, and it was Lin Xiao's turn to go in for the audition.

"come on!"

Tang Yan gave him an encouraging gesture with a sweet smile.

"The same to you."

Lin Xiao nodded in acknowledgment and went into the room.

The room was small, and three people were sitting in the front.

The middle-aged woman in the center, with her capable demeanor and sharp eyes, is none other than Cai Yinong, the president of Tangren Media. Beside her are director Li Guoli and a casting director.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't nervous.

After all, in his previous life he was just an ordinary office worker who dealt with computer code.

In this life, although he has integrated his memories and possesses four years of acting theory knowledge, his practical experience is almost non-existent.

He worried whether his "insignificant" status would be enough to catch the eye of Cai Yinong, a strong woman who had seen countless people.

"Hello teachers, I am Lin Xiao from Shanghai Theatre Academy. The role I am auditioning for is a disciple of Shushan."

Lin Xiao suppressed his nervousness and bowed respectfully.

Cai Yinong raised his head, and when his gaze fell on Lin Xiao's face, he paused noticeably, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

This kid... his photo in the file only looks good, but he's actually so good-looking in person?

"Begin your performance. Perform a scene depicting the Shushan disciples' alertness and shock upon discovering that the Demon Lord Chonglou has broken into the Demon Locking Tower."

Li Guoli provided the questions.

Lin Xiao closed his eyes and quickly drew upon the theoretical knowledge in his mind and the impressions he had from watching dramas in his previous life.

When he opened his eyes again, his gaze was sharp and focused. His body tensed slightly, and his right hand unconsciously clenched as if grasping a non-existent sword hilt. His face first showed astonishment, then turned into a stern and resolute expression.

He had no lines; he relied entirely on his eyes, facial expressions, and subtle body language.

After performing for less than a minute, Lin Xiao composed himself and resumed his humble demeanor: "My performance is over."

Cai Yinong and Li Guoli exchanged a glance, both seeing the satisfaction in each other's eyes.

"Are you a student of Professor Sun Yuyang from the Shanghai Theatre Academy?" Cai Yinong asked.

"Yes, Mr. Cai."

Cai Yinong tapped the table lightly with his fingers, scrutinizing Lin Xiao once more.

Appearance, acting skills, formal training, and Sun Yuyang's recommendation... it's almost flawless.

It's a real shame to give such a promising talent a minor role.

However, the company's key roles have already been filled...

She quickly weighed the options in her mind and finally made a decision.

"Not bad." Cai Yinong smiled faintly. "Lin Xiao, right? You have excellent qualities and your acting is spot-on. This role is yours."

It's... approved?

Lin Xiao felt a surge of excitement, and at the same time, a sense of "just as I thought" arose within him.

Reborn with a system, I truly am the chosen one!

"Thank you, Mr. Cai! Thank you, Director Li!"

Lin Xiao bowed again.

The signing process was simpler than I could have imagined.

The contract was only one thin page long, with clear terms, and the remuneration was the industry standard for newcomers.

For a minor supporting role, Tangren Media isn't really worried about the actor breaking their contract.

Without hesitation, Lin Xiao picked up the pen and signed his name.

The instant his pen left the paper!

hum!

The familiar electronic voice echoed in the depths of his mind once more, and the dark blue virtual panel reappeared before his eyes: [Hextech System]

[Ding! Detected that the host has successfully acquired their first film and television role, officially entering the entertainment industry. Hextech reward triggered! Please choose one of the following three options.]

Option 1: Character Upgrade Card (One-time use). Effect: Upgrades your current minor supporting character status to a major supporting character in the series. Destiny is predetermined; effect unknown.

Option Two: Tang Yan's phone number. Effect: Establishing a private communication channel beforehand might bring you closer. (A winding path leads to a secluded spot, where a Zen room is surrounded by flowers and trees.)

Option 3: Master-level Swordsmanship (Trial Card - 30 Days). Effect: Instantly masteres advanced swordsmanship skills, sufficient to meet the action requirements of any martial arts or fantasy drama.

Here it comes again! The cheat code is back!

Lin Xiao's heart started pounding uncontrollably.

Option two, Tang Yan's private number... I must say, it's very tempting.

Those sweet dimples and incredibly beautiful legs flashed before my eyes.

But reason told him that the most important thing now was to gain a foothold!

Once you're in the group, getting contact information will be a natural process; there's no need to waste a valuable system opportunity.

Option three, master-level swordsmanship, sounds cool and would definitely be helpful for filming action scenes.

But... he couldn't help but complain: "What's the point of having such amazing martial arts skills for a Shushan disciple whose role is only a few minutes long? Am I just putting on a show for thin air?"

"I choose one!"

[Selection confirmed! Rewards have been issued, causality is in progress...]

The light faded, and the system interface disappeared.

"Mr. Lin, here is a copy of your contract. Please keep it safe."

The staff member handed him a contract.

"OK, thanks."

Lin Xiao nodded, his heart filled with anticipation and a hint of doubt.

I've already used the character upgrade card, but it seems... nothing has happened?

Cai Yinong and Director Li were still discussing something in hushed tones, showing no intention of immediately changing his role.

"Causality intervenes..." Lin Xiao pondered the system's prompt, "Does it mean that the opportunity needs some time, or a 'trigger' to be triggered?"

He stopped thinking about it, thanked the judges again, and left the room.

As I walked into the lounge, I ran into Tang Yan, who was on her way to her audition.

"How is it?"

Tang Yan asked with concern, her big eyes full of sincerity.

Lin Xiao looked at her, and thinking about the options related to her in the system, a strange premonition suddenly welled up in his heart.

He gave a meaningful smile: "Everything went smoothly. See you in Hengdian."

After saying that, he nodded to Tang Yan, turned and left, his back straight and confident.

Tang Yan stared at his retreating figure, slightly dazed.

"See you in Hengdian? Isn't he just a minor Shushan disciple? The filming schedule doesn't seem to overlap with my main scenes..."

She tilted her head, feeling that this boy named Lin Xiao seemed a bit mysterious.

As I stepped out of Tangren Company's gate, the sunlight bathed my entire body.

Lin Xiao glanced back at the building, a smile playing on his lips.

"Tangtang, Mimi, Shishi... I'm here."