1 01. Sleeping Potion

Nie Linzhi was going to audition for the female lead of "Young Love" today.

It was said to be an audition, but everyone knows it well, and it was just a formality. The film was invested and produced by actress Lucy Liu. Lucy Liu said earlier that she wanted to make a youth film that was not clichéd. Nie Linzhi neither takes it seriously nor expects it to be unconventional; after all, the original novel was a sweet love of a young couple that overcame family and societal hurdles.

Only a quarter of an hour before her audition, Nie Linzhi lazily got out of the company's van and walked to the lounge. As soon as she walked in, someone graciously offered her a seat, and her assistant, Nancy, happened to be back from buying coffee.

Nie Linzhi took the coffee and took a sip.

The sweetness of caramel lingered on the tip of her tongue, and she frowned, "This is not Americano."

Nancy curled her lips, "The cafe doesn't have americano."

Before Nancy finished speaking, there was another commotion at the door. Nie Linzhi paid no attention to it, just put down the coffee and said to Nancy, "I want Americano."

Her tone was a little cold but also firm with the irrefutable firmness of the superior.

Nancy curled her lips again and said "Yes" reluctantly, but she didn't move her body at all, as if she was waiting for Nie Linzhi to say: forget it.

It's a pity that Nie Linzhi didn't speak again, so she moved slowly outside.

As soon as Nancy went out, the person who caused the commotion just now walked up to Nie Linzhi, looking condescending and watching the show, "Did you teach your assistant a lesson just now?"

Nie Linzhi scrolled through her iPad, looking leisurely, and didn't say anything.

Gillian Zhou, who was completely ignored in front of a group of newcomers, was a little bit embarrassed.

"A new assistant, right?" She said softly, trying to save her image. "If she's ignorant, just teach her well. There's no need to make such a big fuss."

Nie Linzhi closed her iPad, looking up with eyes full of confusion, "Sister Gillian, did you hear about the audition? Are you going to try Chloe's part?"

Her voice was neither loud nor soft, with a layer of concern, but Gillian Zhou was at a loss for words.

Nie Linzhi bent her lips again and said with a smile, "Sister Gillian, it will be fine for you to try Chloe. The image and temperament are very suitable. By the way, I will try Lisa. I believe we will be able to cooperate soon."

After finishing speaking, she looked down at the time, "It's time. I'm going to audition first. See you on set." Nie Linzhi got up, and the end of her eyes swept over Gillian Zhou's uncertain face, smiling casually and seemingly contemptuously.

Standing in twos and threes in the corner were newcomers who came to try out small roles. Everyone watched Nie Linzhi leave the lounge and sighed in their hearts: What a visual.., that neck, collarbone, and face! The little fairy was really a little fairy, so pretty.

Gillian Zhou held her breath and couldn't get up or down. In front of all the newcomers, she didn't have the heart to manage her facial expressions; she seemed unsightly..

When Nie Linzhi was completely out of sight, the newcomers came back to their senses and realized that they had seen something they shouldn't have seen. On the surface, they were tacitly quiet like chickens, but in their hearts, they couldn't help but silently imagine a big drama of two popular actresses fighting openly and secretly.

Everyone here knows that the female lead, Lisa, has already reserved for Nie Linzhi, and the audition was just a formality. The producer created the image of fair casting and invited some rising stars to try the role of Lisa just to create buzz. Anyone with a bit of knowledge knew that the candidate had already been decided by default, but they would not make things difficult for Lucy Liu in the open, so they declined one after another. Only Gillian Zhou didn't read the room and jump in.

Nie Linzhi knew that she came to auditioned as Lisa but insisted that she was here as Chloe a poor girl, and that her image and temperament fit well. Isn't it just a satire cause she was dumped by her rich second-generation boyfriend some time ago?

The newcomers felt a little bit of a joke in their hearts, but also a little bit sad.

The entertainment industry was really changing in a flash.

Today was different from the past if Nie Linzhi and Gillian Zhou debuted relatively close. If it was 5 years ago, their star power might be equal, but now Gillian Zhou has fallen behind Nie Linzhi by leap and bound. When talking about actresses from that debut batch, who didn't mention Nie Linzhi first?

Besides, Nie Linzhi's backer is rumored to be several times stronger than Gillian Zhou. The newcomers hope to get lucky too.

　　*****

At noon, the wind carried heat, slightly blowing the hair on the side of the ear.

Nie Linzhi came out of the audition, took the Americano from Nancy, squinted her eyes slightly, and saw the company van approaching from afar and parked steadily in front of her.

Patrick poked his head out, "Sister Linzhi, Nancy, come on."

Before Nie Linzhi could move, Nancy got into the passenger seat first, turned on the air conditioner, and kept complaining, "It's only May. Why was it so hot?"

Patrick turned to look at her, but hesitated to speak, seeing Nie Linzhi still standing there; he hurriedly got out of the car and opened the door for Nie Linzhi.

Patrick: "Sister Linzhi, get in the car."

Nie Linzhi gave Patrick a look and then slowly got into the car.

It was rush hour, and the traffic was no joke, but they were blocked by a crowd of fans.

Patrick glanced at the rearview mirror; Nie Linzhi was not asleep, so he started talking casually, "Was there any problem with the audition just now?"

Nancy answered quickly, "There shouldn't be, but that Gillian Zhou also came to try Lisa."

Ah, Gillian Zhou.

Hearing the name, Patrick narrowed his eyes and said nothing. But he thought in his heart: Gillian Zhou is too greedy!

He couldn't understand Nie Linzhi any better. Gillian Zhou did so many ungodly things back then; it would be strange if she didn't give her some evil payback today.

Nancy was impatient to wait and asked again, "By the way, where are we going? I forgot today's itinerary."

Patrick was about to tell her, but Nie Linzhi asked, "Aren't you the assistant? Didn't you get paid?"

Hearing the indifference and impatience in Nie Linzhi's tone, Nancy's face was a bit unsightly, she didn't dare to look at Nie Linzhi's expression in the rearview mirror, so she whispered back, "The agenda was in my sister's place..."

'She used the manager again..' Patrick silently prayed for Nancy in his heart.

Sure enough, Nie Linzhi had an attack in the next second, "Get down."

Nancy didn't understand what Nie Linzhi was saying and looked at Patrick in a daze.

Patrick squinted and looked at the doorknob.

Nancy still couldn't react; she looked at the doorknob for a while and finally understood. She couldn't believe it, "Sister Linzhi… I can't.. I..."

Nie Linzhi frowned and slightly stared her down.

Patrick understood in seconds; he got out of the car and opened the passenger's door, showing no sympathy, only letting Nancy get off quickly.

Nancy was finally kicked out of the car.

Nie Linzhi felt her headache reduced.

But Patrick was a little worried, "Sister, are you really throwing her there?"

Nie Linzhi casually brushed her hair, "I can't use someone that didn't want to work."

"What if she talks nonsense? She's still Sister Lina's cousin, after all."

Nie Linzhi sneered but put on her eye patch, "I'm going to sleep. Play the 432 hz music."

Following her instruction, in his heart, Patrick light a candle for the cousins. The agency's contract was coming to an end soon.. except for himself, Nie Linzhi won't keep Lina as her manager. There was really no need to put up with a little assistant who relies on her nepotism and spoil the mood.

Patrick glanced at the time, "Sister Linzhi, we're going to be late there."

"It's okay."

Nie Linzhi took off her eye patch, looked out the window and replied nonchalantly.

It's just the premiere viewing ceremony, so it's no big deal if it's ten minutes late. She was already giving face by showing up to the company's production that she didn't even starred on.

*****

When she arrived at the cinema, the movie was half going. Nie Linzhi stood quietly in the corner, and didn't sit in her seat until a change of scene.

After she was seated, she looked at the screen with a calm expression. On the surface, she was continuing to enjoy the rivalry between the male and female protagonists, but.. '

'The plot is too common, domestic industry is blooming with great movie but they waste investment for this kind of drama. The cinematography helps but this is too bland.'

After watching it for a while, she felt a little sleepy, but with her status today it was not good to be photographed drowsy in public. She could only pull herself together and pretend to be watching the movie seriously.

When the movie was about to end, the empty seat on her right was occupied.

Nie Linzhi subconsciously tilted her head, and a hand with a large skeleton came into view, brushed off the mineral water bottle.

The light in the projection hall was dim, and Nie Linzhi looked at the other party from the corner of her eyes but didn't found him familiar.

As if the other party would look back in the next second, Nie Linzhi quickly withdrew her gaze and focused on the screen again. Taking the water bottle on her right, she emptied half of it when she felt her throat burning.

Turning her gaze, she inadvertently saw the tip of the man's hat. He wore a mask but his eyes were watching her.

Her body trembled and she couldn't scream because her throat felt like it was blocked by a pool of lava. She could feel her consciousness leaving her body and closed her eyes.