Life countdown begins, ice queen bursts into security room

Two hours later, Tang Yingxue fell asleep on Jiang Fan's shoulder.

That limited-edition lace set had been reduced to just a few strips of fabric, hanging precariously from the edge of the bed.

Jiang Fan leaned against the headboard, and the system panel popped up at the edge of his vision.

[Deep Compatibility x2, Lifespan +4000]

Current lifespan: 111800 points

Jiang Fan turned off the panel.

He glanced at Tang Yingxue.

A few strands of hair were stuck to his face, his mouth was half open, and his breathing was still a little heavy.

After being tormented like this, I wonder if she'll still be able to maintain her diva-like demeanor tomorrow.

Jiang Fan pulled the blanket over her.

Close your eyes and go to sleep.

-

The next morning at 8:30.

Times Media.

Su Yuyan stood at the end of the third-floor corridor, looking at the floor plan on her tablet.

Administrative supervisor Xiao Wu followed behind, holding a folder in his hands.

"Tang Yingxue is in lounge A, Xu Qingya is in lounge C, and Shen Nian is in lounge E."

Xiao Wu opened the folder and gave a report.

"The three lounges are located at opposite ends of the corridor and around a corner, so they are not visible to each other."

Su Yuyan nodded.

"What's the audition order?"

"Hou Jinlai is the first one, at nine o'clock sharp."

"You are the second, Xu Qingya is the third, Tang Yingxue is the fourth, and Shen Nian is the last."

"Each person should have a ten-minute break between them."

Su Yuyan calculated the time interval.

Allow one person to leave before letting the next person in.

"Where's the bathroom?"

Xiao Wu was stunned for a moment.

"bathroom?"

"What if three women on the same floor all need to use the restroom at the same time?"

Xiao Wu looked a little embarrassed.

Su Yuyan rubbed her temples.

"Never mind, it's probably not that much of a coincidence."

Today is a proper audition.

If they were to meet and really start fighting, that would be quite a spectacle.

Su Yuyan herself was not afraid.

She's the investor's boss, and nobody can find fault with her.

At 8:50, everyone had arrived.

In the audition room.

Yang Shuhua sat in the middle of the long table, with the script and list spread out in front of her.

On the left is Su Yuyan, and on the right is Jiang Fan.

Jiang Fan wore a black shirt today.

The bald head gleamed with a bluish light under the fluorescent lamp.

Yang Shuhua glanced at him and nodded with a smile.

Two stagehands stood at the entrance, each holding a walkie-talkie.

Yang Shuhua put on her reading glasses and picked up her pen.

"The first match is with Sun Wukong."

"Let Hou Jinlai in."

The door was pushed open.

Hou Jinlai walked in.

A young man in his twenties, about 1.7 meters tall, with a lean build.

She was wearing a gray tracksuit, and her hair was tied back with a hair tie.

Hou Chuanwu followed behind and slapped his son on the back of the head.

"Perform well, don't embarrass me."

Hou Jinlai walked to the center of the field and stood still, his hands hanging at his sides.

"Hello, Director Yang."

Yang Shuhua looked at him, sizing him up and down twice.

It looks really good.

"No need for lines yet. Here's a stick, show off your skills."

A staff member threw over a white ash pole.

Hou Jinlai reached out and caught it.

The moment you catch the stick, your center of gravity sinks and your knees bend slightly.

I noticed that he hunched his shoulders and scratched his cheek twice with the back of his hand.

With a flick of his wrist, the white waxwood stick spun several dense, impenetrable flourishes in front of him.

Then he leaped into the air, did a somersault, and landed silently.

He stood on one leg, with a stick across his shoulder, and placed his other hand on his forehead as if he were shading his eyes.

The entire room fell silent.

Hou Chuanwu stroked his chin in the corner, his smugness impossible to hide.

Yang Shuhua slammed her hand on the table.

"good!"

"Positive posture, expressive eyes—that's the style!"

She turned to look at Jiang Fan.

"Mr. Jiang, where did you find this treasure?"

"The Hou Family Troupe of Beijing, the sixth generation of inheritors of monkey opera."

Yang Shuhua ticked a box on the list.

"Sun Wukong is decided. Next."

Hou Jinlai put away his stick, bowed, and left.

-

The entrance to the women's restroom at the corner of the corridor.

Tang Yingxue pushed open the door and came in, wearing high heels.

They bumped right into Xu Qingya, who had just finished washing her hands and was coming out.

Their eyes met.

"Oh, Teacher Tang is here to audition too?"

Xu Qingya took out a tissue to wipe her hands.

"Hmm." Tang Yingxue glanced at her. "What role is Teacher Xu auditioning for?"

"The Queen of the Women's Kingdom"

Xu Qingya leaned against the door frame, blocking Tang Yingxue's path.

"And you?"

"Guanyin".

Xu Qingya paused for a moment while wiping her hands.

She crumpled the tissue into a ball and accurately threw it into the trash can next to her.

"Teacher Tang has never acted before, right? I wonder if she can pass Director Yang's test."

Tang Yingxue straightened her collar.

"No need for you to trouble yourself, Teacher Xu. With Jiang Fan's guidance, I feel there are no problems."

Xu Qingya's gaze swept across Tang Yingxue's face.

She stared at Tang Yingxue for two seconds, lowering her voice by half an octave.

"I never thought that a diva would be fighting with someone else for a man."

Tang Yingxue did not evade the question; instead, the corners of her lips curled upwards slightly.

"Teacher Xu, he doesn't belong to you alone."

Xu Qingya raised an eyebrow, about to retort.

Without waiting for her response, Tang Yingxue turned and walked away in her high heels.

Xu Qingya stood there, staring at her back.

Three seconds passed.

Xu Qingya turned and walked towards her lounge.

The high heels clicked rapidly on the corridor floor tiles.

"boom--"

The door to the lounge was slammed shut.

The sound traveled down the corridor and echoed throughout the floors.

-

Inside the audition room.

Su Yuyan frowned and glanced in the direction of the door.

It can't be that much of a coincidence.

She glanced down at her phone.

Xiao Wu didn't send any messages, so nothing serious should have happened.

Yang Shuhua turned to a page of the list.

"The White Bone Demon, Su Yuyan."

Su Yuyan composed herself and stood up from her chair.

Walk to the center of the venue.

Yang Shuhua pushed up her glasses.

"President Su, the White Bone Demon made her first appearance, disguised as a village girl delivering vegetarian meals."

Su Yuyan nodded and took a few steps back.

When you close your eyes and then open them again, your entire aura changes drastically.

His shoulders tucked in, his steps became smaller, and he walked with a slightly awkward gait.

He held a non-existent basket with both hands.

A smile played on his lips.

"Elder, this humble woman greets you."

Her voice was so soft it was almost cloying.

Su Yuyan took three more steps forward.

She slowly raised her head, concealing her fragility.

The sweet smile on her face faded.

The light in his eyes turned cold, and a cruel smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

Yang Shuhua took off her glasses and looked at Su Yuyan.

"President Su, it's such a pity you don't act anymore."

After saying that, he put a checkmark on the list.

Su Yuyan nodded slightly and walked back to the table to sit down.

As she passed by Jiang Fan, she glanced at him sideways.

His lips moved slightly, and the sound was audible only to the two of them.

"How is it?"

Jiang Fan gave a thumbs up.

Su Yuyan picked up her teacup, took a sip, and suppressed the smile on her lips.

Yang Shuhua turned to the next page.

"Next up, the Queen of the Women's Kingdom. Xu Qingya."

The door opened, and Xu Qingya walked in.

She wore a low ponytail, a pale yellow long dress, and very light makeup.

She walked to the center of the room and stood still, glancing at Jiang Fan sitting behind the table out of the corner of her eye.

Huh? Baldy.

Xu Qingya's lips twitched, but she managed to hold back her laughter, and her anger subsided considerably.

Yang Shuhua glanced at her.

"Refined and elegant".

Yang Shuhua leaned back in her chair.

"I'll be frank. I admire your singing, but acting and singing are two different things."

"You didn't perform well today, and I won't go easy on you just because of who you are."

Xu Qingya stood there and nodded.

"Director Yang, which scene would you like me to act in?"

Yang Shuhua opened the script.

"The Queen of the Women's Kingdom met Tang Sanzang for the first time."

"You need to portray a queen who has never seen a man before, experiencing her first heartbeat."

Xu Qingya glanced at Jiang Fan.

Bald, wearing a black shirt, sitting there motionless.

Xu Qingya closed her eyes briefly.

She recalled the image of him sitting in front of her that night, dressed in monk's robes.

When she opened her eyes again, she took two steps forward.

The steps were slow, but each step was steady.

Shoulders held high, chin slightly raised, displaying the demeanor of a ruler of a nation.

She stopped halfway there.

The gaze is fixed on a point in front.

His gaze shifted from dignified to curious, and then to panicked.

Her hands unconsciously gripped the hem of her skirt, then released it.

His lips were slightly parted, but he didn't speak.

He just stood there, looking ahead, without moving.

Yang Shuhua put down her pen and stared at Xu Qingya for a long time.

"That expression of yours...who taught you that?"

Xu Qingya composed herself.

"I practiced it myself."

Yang Shuhua turned her head and glanced at Jiang Fan.

Jiang Fan picked up his water glass, took a sip, and remained expressionless.

Yang Shuhua ticked a box on the list, then held the pen between her fingers and tapped the table twice.

"It has some potential, but it's still a bit lacking."

"After you join the crew, go through it with me before filming begins."

Xu Qingya nodded. "No problem."

"Okay, next one."

Xu Qingya turned and walked out.

As she passed Jiang Fan, she turned her head and silently opened her mouth.

"So ugly."

Jiang Fan glared at her.

Xu Qingya suppressed a laugh as she left the room.

Yang Shuhua looked down at the next name on the list.

He pushed up his reading glasses.

"Guanyin Bodhisattva. Tang Yingxue."