The entertainment industry: My 99 future timelines!

One week later, in the conference room of Xujing Film Industry.

At nine o'clock in the morning, sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, cutting bright strips of light across the long conference table.

Li Xu arrived first and sat alone in the main seat, with a thick script spread out in front of him, and storyboard sketches and character biographies next to him.

He twirled a pen in his hand, his gaze fixed on the two empty seats opposite him.

On the left is Liu Yifei's, and on the right is Jing Tian's, with writing on them in pen and paper.

This seating arrangement was intentional on his part.

In order to avoid having them sit next to them, but face to face, so that when reading the script, they have to look directly at each other instead of burying their heads in the sand.

The conference room door was pushed open, and Jing Tian peeked in. When she saw that Li Xu was already there, her eyes lit up.

"Good morning, Li Xu~"

She was in a great mood today; she practically skipped in.

But after she came in, she glanced at the names on the table and did not sit in her assigned seat as Li Xu had arranged. Instead, she plopped down in Liu Yifei's seat.

Li Xu raised an eyebrow: "Tian Tian, ​​you're sitting in the wrong seat."

"You didn't sit in the wrong seat."

Jing Tian rested her chin on her hand, smiling mischievously. "I just want to sit here, is that not allowed? It doesn't matter where I sit."

"Where should I sit?"

"She's sitting across from me."

Jing Tian blinked. "Anyway, we'll be reading the script together later, so sitting close together will help us bond."

Li Xu was speechless, but ultimately the matter was harmless.

Just as he was about to say a few words, the conference room door slammed open again.

Liu Yifei walked in.

She was dressed simply today, in a light gray knit sweater, black trousers, and her long hair loosely tied back.

She paused for a moment upon seeing the seating arrangement.

Without saying much, he simply sat down opposite Jing Tian.

Upon seeing this, Jing Tian suddenly stood up, ran directly to Liu Yifei's side, sat down shoulder to shoulder with Liu Yifei, and said with a smile, "Sister Yifei, I was just joking with Li Xu, but now I want to sit next to you. Let's not sit opposite each other. We're going to be best friends like twin sisters from now on, so we need to be closer."

As she spoke, she suddenly reached out and gently placed her hand on Liu Yifei's shoulder.

Liu Yifei's body stiffened slightly, her heart went numb, and she couldn't help but look to Li Xu for help.

Jing Tian leaned even closer, almost whispering in her ear, "Sister Yifei, don't look at Li Xu, it won't do you any good. According to the novel, we're going to be best friends who shower together and even lie in bed together while filming... Hehe, we'll be so close, it'll be a good opportunity to build our relationship. Li Xu won't object."

Li Xu was now completely baffled. He realized that Jing Tian was deliberately stirring up trouble today.

He immediately coughed lightly: "Ahem, alright, stop fooling around, Jing Tian. Everyone will be here soon. Let's start preparing and familiarizing ourselves with the script."

"I've just finished writing the script today. It's a bit different from the original novel. You two can take a look and see if there's anything you can't accept or if you want it changed. It's good to let you know in advance, because once we start filming, there's no going back."

As he spoke, Li Xu handed the script of "July and Ansheng" to Jing Tian and Liu Yifei, one copy for each of them.

Seeing this, Jing Tian stopped being bored and began to watch attentively.

While the two were intently reading the script, Li Xu began to share his thoughts on the film.

"Tian Tian, ​​Yi Fei, you two look at the script while I talk to you."

"I want to make one thing clear today: our film, 'Soulmate,' is neither a simple coming-of-age film nor a so-called lesbian gimmick film."

"What we want to film is a journey that two girls complete over fifteen years, a journey of gazing into each other's eyes, devouring each other, and redeeming each other."

Upon hearing this, Jing Tian and Liu Yifei both raised their heads slightly and looked at Li Xu.

"Tian Tian, ​​what does the character July represent? She is the best girl in everyone's eyes. She has been well-behaved and sensible since she was a child. She went to university, found a decent job, and planned to get married and have children step by step."

"As for Yifei, your character Ansheng is the complete opposite of the bad girl in the eyes of the world. You are lonely, insecure, and lack sufficient family care since childhood. Your thought is that since you all say I am bad, then I will be bad for you to see, which is a self-destructive form of resistance."

"But everyone's personality has two sides; no one is only one-sided."

"So, in July's heart lives An Sheng, and in An Sheng's heart lives July. They are two sides of the same person, representing the tearing and struggle that every woman has experienced in her growth."

"Does wanting to be someone mean wanting to be a good girl to get love, or wanting to be a bad girl to get freedom?"

"In the end, they realized that either of these paths, if too pure, would lead to a dead end. So July gave An Sheng freedom with her death, and An Sheng used the rest of her life to become like July."

The meeting room was quiet.

Jing Tian, ​​unusually, didn't laugh. She sat up straight and looked at Li Xu with bright eyes.

Liu Yifei lowered her eyes, her fingers unconsciously tracing the edge of the script.

"So, you all need to immerse yourselves in your respective roles from now on."

"Tian Tian, ​​your behavior just now was not like July at all, but rather very calm."

"As for Yifei, you're too much like July, not at all calm. I hope you can both change your mindset. Don't worry, if you can't get out of character, I'll pull you out."

Li Xu's voice was deep, and his face was full of seriousness.

The conference room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

After a short silence, Jing Tian's face lost its earlier joking and teasing tone towards Liu Yifei, and she began to seriously look down at the script, her face showing the obedient girl look she had in July.

Liu Yifei adjusted her sitting posture, trying to mimic An Sheng's unruly and rebellious demeanor.

As an actor, learning to get into character is a basic standard.

Li Xu watched from the main seat, nodding in approval to himself.

Half an hour later, it was estimated that Jing Tian and Liu Yifei had finished reading the script.

Li Xu clapped his hands and said, "Alright, you should have read the script pretty well by now. Let's start with the initial script reading and have you two go over your lines a bit."

"Now let's start with the first scene. She's thirteen years old, and in July, she brings An Sheng home for the first time."

The script reading then officially began.

July and An Sheng began sharing secrets when they first met at the age of thirteen. An Sheng would come to July's house for dinner.

Liu Yifei: "July, your mom is so nice. My mom only makes me learn this and that, saying that girls need to be obedient to marry well."

Jing Tian replied, "What's the use of being obedient... Sometimes I really envy you, you can say whatever you want, and skip class whenever you want."

Things went relatively smoothly here.

When they read the scene about "sharing bras" when the characters were sixteen, the atmosphere in the meeting room became a little awkward.

Fortunately, there were no outsiders in the meeting room except for Li Xu. Jing Tian and Liu Yifei were quite relaxed and willing to let loose.

Even so, the two still stumbled a bit during this dialogue.

The script describes An Sheng teaching Qi Yue how to wear underwear. The two girls are in a dimly lit room, shirtless, back to back.

Liu Yifei reads An Sheng's line: "July, you've developed better than me."

She read calmly, but her ears turned slightly red.

Jing Tian continues Qi Yue's lines: "An Sheng, you... don't look at me... yours is very good too."

Jing Tian's voice trembled slightly; it wasn't an act, she was genuinely a little embarrassed.

Li Xu spoke with an extremely calm expression and a completely normal tone:

"Stop, Tian Tian, ​​something's not right here. July's mindset shouldn't be shyness, it should be shame."

"She was such a good girl, she didn't receive much education in this area from her family growing up, and she felt ashamed of her body because it was something a good girl shouldn't talk about."

"An Sheng said you're more developed than me. Qi Yue shouldn't feel shy, but rather panicked about whether I'm too fat or if this is wrong. She doesn't really understand these things."

Jing Tian was stunned, then slowly nodded: "I understand."

Upon rereading, Li Xu nodded and agreed that this time he felt it was correct.

Then soon he turned eighteen, and Su Jiaming appeared.

Li Xu plays Su Jiaming, so he also has to speak lines here.

This scene is the first time Jiaming sees both Qiyue and Ansheng at the same time. It takes place in a library, and the sunlight is lovely.

Li Xu deliberately changed the content of both the original novel and the original movie, because the original Su Jiaming was too scummy and had no personal charm at all, which he didn't like.

Li Xu spoke up, "July, Ansheng, are you sisters? You don't look alike, but you feel very similar."

Jing Tian said, "We are good friends, she is my closest best friend."

Liu Yifei said, "She's closer than a sister. She's my only friend, and also my family."

Upon reading this, Liu Yifei and Jing Tian were both taken aback.

Jing Tian looked up and glanced at Liu Yifei first; Liu Yifei looked back at her as well.

Neither of them spoke, but after a moment of eye contact, they both looked at Li Xu.

Li Xu's expression remained calm as he jotted down the emotional changes of the two people in his notebook. He then nodded in agreement, saying, "Very good, the chemical reaction is there, and the emotions are right. That's it."

Upon hearing this, Jing Tian glared at Li Xu. She seriously suspected that this scoundrel was pretending not to know anything.

Liu Yifei also glanced at Li Xu, a hint of annoyance flashing in her eyes, but given her personality, she didn't want to say anything in this situation, so she just lowered her head and continued to read her lines and ponder her emotions.

The script readings and dialogues went on until noon. Seeing that Jing Tian and Liu Yifei were tired, Li Xu took a one-hour break.

This hour was both a time for the two of them to calm down and a time to order food and eat.

Seeing this, Liu Yifei got up and went to the restroom.

But after she finished relieving herself and was washing her hands in front of the mirror in the bathroom, the door was suddenly pushed open, and Jing Tian walked in with a brisk smile.

Jing Tian walked to the sink next to her, turned on the tap, and casually put her hand on Liu Yifei's waist, her voice laced with laughter and teasing: "Sister Yifei, you have such a great figure, such a slim waist, I'm so envious. And your lines just now were great too, looks like I should learn more from you in the future."

Amidst the sound of running water, Liu Yifei squeezed out hand sanitizer, took two steps to the side, glanced at Jing Tian with some concern, and said, "Tian Tian, ​​you are also beautiful, elegant, and from a good family."

After saying that, Liu Yifei didn't want to stay with Jing Tian any longer, so she quickly tried to leave the restroom.

But she had only taken two steps, just reaching the bathroom door, when she heard Jing Tian suddenly speak behind her. Her voice was very soft, but it was deafening to her ears:

"Sister Yifei, I actually know you like Li Xu too, right?"

Liu Yifei turned around, her eyes filled with complex emotions, and looked at Jing Tian, ​​who was leaning casually against the bathroom counter. She tried to keep her voice calm: "So? Tian Tian, ​​are you perhaps trying to assert your dominance?"

Jing Tian smiled.

It wasn't the usual bright, carefree laugh, but a laugh full of nonchalance and playfulness.

She spoke calmly, her tone resolute:

"No, what I really want to say is that I don't mind if you and Li Xu have a relationship."

"I think his personality is too wooden now, and there are some things he doesn't understand or think about."

"Furthermore, I don't want to get married too early, and I don't think dating a guy with Li Xu's personality too early would be a good experience."

"People say that one generation plants the trees so that another can enjoy the shade. But I think that every time a guy has another relationship, it's like that girl has smoothed out one more of his personality flaws, and he'll know better how to handle a relationship. I just want to be the last one."

Liu Yifei was stunned.

What kind of nonsense is this?

What kind of messed-up mentality is this?

If she remembered correctly, she and Jing Tian were only a year or two apart in age, so how come there seemed to be a huge gap of more than ten years between their mindsets? They didn't seem to be from the same generation at all.

"Tian Tian, ​​I think you're under too much pressure lately, and you're talking nonsense."

"If I really do fall in love with Li Xu, why wouldn't I marry him? Did you witness it?"

"Besides, I don't need you to give way to me. We can compete fairly. This isn't a movie. I'm not the real An Sheng, and you're not the real Qi Yue. You don't need to give way to me, and of course I won't."

Jing Tian shook her head and stopped leaning against the sink.

Instead, he walked directly to Liu Yifei's side, his gaze firm, and his tone sincere as he spoke:

"Sister Yifei, in the novel and the movie script, July and Ansheng are supposed to be jealous of each other, hate each other, and love each other deeply, but off-screen... we can be normal good friends, and we can compete fairly."

"Don't let a man turn you into someone like July and An Sheng."

At this point, Jing Tian paused, her voice even softer: "That would be too tragic, and it doesn't suit our personalities either."

Liu Yifei looked at Jing Tian.

Looking at this girl who was only a year younger than him, who seemed carefree but was actually more insightful than anyone else, he couldn't help but laugh.

What an innocent and interesting girl! In the fiercely competitive entertainment industry, she can actually say such things. No wonder she comes from a wealthy family.

"it is good."

However, she nodded and agreed softly before turning and leaving.

"Then it's a deal!"

"Don't let a man make you suffer too much, even if it's Li Xu. Let's go, An Sheng, keep reading the script. I haven't tormented you enough yet~"

Hearing Liu Yifei's words, Jing Tian was satisfied. Humming a song, she quickly went out the door.

The afternoon reading session continued.

Before dinner in the evening, I finally read the script up to the climax of the whole film—the scene of the confrontation in the bathroom.

Two adult women, naked, tear open all the love and hate they've shared over the past fifteen years and show it to each other.

Liu Yifei read An Sheng's lines with an agitated tone and red eyes, turning to Jing Tian and saying, "July, look at me! I have nothing! I don't even have a home! But you have everything! Why?!"

Jing Tian had gradually adopted the emotions of July's character, and upon hearing this, she couldn't help but roar out in anger as well, completely losing any semblance of her former role as the campus sweetheart, Shen Jiayi.

"And what about me? An Sheng! Look at me! What do I have? I have a decent job, loving parents, and a man who wanted to marry me. We were even about to get married, but you stole him from me!"

"And you have unparalleled freedom, able to roam the world as you please, while I've been disciplined and raised as a so-called 'good girl,' but I don't even know what I truly want in my heart!"

Jing Tian roared, her voice trembling, her hands trembling, her whole body trembling.

Li Xu watched intently from the side, his face showing appreciation, without showing any intention of stopping the conversation.

This is the feeling of July and An Sheng in his mind; this is the true feeling of immersion he wanted in the role.

After he silently watched Jing Tian finish her roar, he suddenly stopped sitting there, stood up, walked around the table, and went to Liu Yifei.

Looking down at Liu Yifei, who remained quietly seated in her chair, he spoke in a complex voice, a mixture of resentment and tenderness:

"An Sheng, I hate you."

Liu Yifei looked up at Jing Tian, ​​and tears finally fell.

"I know," she said softly.

"But I hate myself even more, because even now I realize that I love you far more than I hate you."

Jing Tian spoke last, her voice still soft, but every word was like a knife, piercing deeply into An Sheng's heart.

Liu Yifei reached out, her fingers threading through Jing Tian's hair, and pressed against the back of her neck, the two of them making a gesture that was almost an embrace.

"July, I love you too."

She began, "That's why I'm going to destroy you."

Li Xu stared at the scene for two seconds, stunned. The two were even more emotional than he had imagined, but he still nodded slightly: "This one is done."

-

The reading session ended in the evening.

July and An Sheng have known each other since they were thirteen and have started sharing secrets.

She fell in love with the same boy at eighteen, they tore each other apart in the bathroom at twenty-five, and they were separated by life and death at twenty-seven. Her entire life temporarily came to an end in this script-reading siege.

At this moment, the setting sun was already shining obliquely through the floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing the entire conference room in a warm golden light.

Jing Tian's eyes were still red, but she had already returned to her usual carefree self, lying on the table playing with her pen.

"Li Xu, I'm hungry. You're treating tonight. I want a big meal to make up for all the tears I shed today," she grumbled.

Liu Yifei was organizing the script, not saying a word, but a faint smile played on her lips.

Looking at Jing Tian, ​​I couldn't help but laugh, yet I also found her rather adorable.

Li Xu smiled and agreed.

He looked into the conference room; Jing Tian was still playing with her pen, and Liu Yifei was still organizing her script. The light of the setting sun shone on them, making them look exceptionally gentle.

At this moment, he suddenly felt that he was both harmonious and somewhat out of place between the two of them, like some kind of inexplicable variable.

Li Xu suddenly remembered the final fate of Su Jiaming, Qiyue, and Ansheng in the script.

He silently thought to himself that he absolutely did not want that kind of ending to happen in reality.

So he walked over and gently tapped the table:

"Let's go, Tian Tian, ​​let's go eat. It's on me, and Yi Fei wants to come too."

"Yay!" Jing Tian jumped up.

Liu Yifei also stood up and put the script into her bag.

The three of them walked out together, their footsteps echoing in the empty corridor.

Outside the window, the city lights are coming on one by one.

The story of July and An Sheng has only just begun, as has the story of Su Jiaming.