I thought of joining the fun

Yang Yun, as one of the busiest men and women in the company, was seldom seen doing small tasks. His strength lied in commanding and delegating. Most projects went through his desk before admission, but he never felt the urge to visit a place such as the auditions for minor characters. Yang Yun rarely picked even lead actors. He had hired competent people for those tasks.

"What's the matter here?" Yang Yun asked his secretary as they were on the way out of the company. A few people were whispering and gathering to exchange gossip. When they saw him from afar, they scattered like birds.

Gossip and gatherings were typical in their business. They were essential tools of trading, so Yang Yun did not feel the urge to run after every small subject, but his gut-feeling told him that the miscellaneous gazes he received revolved around a matter that he should not let slide.

"I don't know. But I will find out." Secretary Ming left for a few minutes and returned briefly afterwards.

"It seems there is a small issue regarding the auditions today." Secretary Ming didn't beat around the bush and put the facts on the table. "It is said that someone joined the auditions through connections. And now a few actors we have invited are making a fuss about it. They accused us of rigging our auditions."

"How could that be? Who dared setting up our auditions?" Yang Yun didn't believe what he heard. That's unheard. "Which of our actors went to the audition?" It could only be one of YNG's actors to make waves...?

"Today is the 'Red Thread's second male leads audition. So it should be Tian Yu."

"Tian Yu? He creating a fuss again?"

Yang Yun wasn't surprised hearing that name. "But how could they believe it's rigged? He's one of our actors. If we don't let our actors join our auditions then who else should join? If I remember correctly, he has high chances of getting the role this time. When they fail, it's them lacking, not the other way around," Yang Yun despised those who accused him of playing unfairly.

In the end, Yang Yun likewise felt that Tian Yu fit the role, so he allowed the person to go and try. If they had no fitting actor, they would let it go and chose someone from another company. But why jump over the fence, when one also owns a peach tree?

"Maybe there is a misunderstanding," Secretary Ming also found it unrealistic that there would be tumult at the audition for the second male lead. It wasn't a minor role, but it also wasn't the lead role. What kind of drama happened even before they began shooting? Wasn't this a bad omen?

"Maybe Tian Yu had a fit of anger again?"

"This rascal. Let's see for ourselves." Yang Yun swiftly decided.

—-

"What farce is this?!"

"They invited us here, but they already have the people picked out!! Don't they have a conscience?!"

"So even YNG has fallen this low..."

"You are still new, are you? This industry has always been like that. YNG isn't as white as a lotus flower. It's a wonder they could hide behind their facade for this long. Just wait 'til word gets out."

The actors and the managers accompanying them has been talking between themselves. Although it seemed like they were whispering, their voices were loud enough for the employees of YNG to hear. They weren't trying to hide their unrest.

Jie Jie stood next to Min Lee. She was shaking with anger, while Min Lee seemed indifferent. From time to time, they eyed the outcasted Bai Jingyi, who sat quietly in a corner, shunned by the other artists.

"I wonder who it was." Min Lee murmured. His eyes were glinting with expectations.

"Those guys, they obviously have no eyes and no ears," Jie Jie said, her eyes darting worryingly between that group and her good friend. "Jingyi obviously has the looks. And the right temperament. They pretend not to see..." Not admitting what they said at all.

The casting had been going very well at first.

When they introduced themselves during the first round, the director and producer have been delighted with Jingyi's superior looks. His temperament of a hardworking and earnest young man also met their requirements. He was calm and quiet; otherwise, already looking and behaving how the second male lead should be.

Between the other candidates, only Tian Yu of YNG had looks comparable to Bai Jingyi - but his temperament was too fierce. When he stood next to the male lead, his demeanour was too severe. The two men clashed like ice and fire. It would still be okay if this were an action movie, but unfortunately, it was not.

Another actor brought the right temperament, but his looks were inferior to Bai Jingyi's. Next to the rising star Jiang Liuxiang, that man looked scrawny, and people wouldn't know why the female lead would have a hard time choosing between the two.

When Bai Jingyi stood next to Jiang Liuxiang, his looks weren't overshadowed by the former model turned actor which was quite a feast already since Jiang Liuxiang was over 1,90m tall. A few females workers have been sighing in wonder over that beautiful picture and tried to take photos secretly. The two men, one smiling amicably, the other smirking mischievously, looked like spring and summer, quite harmonious.

Next to the female lead Wang Lin, Bai Jingyi looked even better - enough for people to tear up the CP in his favour.

Wang Lin wasn't the typical young budding female lead but a woman of character. She played the female lead in an office environment and was even a department head. So her attitude and aura were confident and outstanding. As the second male leads superior, she also behaved like his big sister from time to time. It wasn't easy to find a person who could pull it off - to stand next to such a strong-willed female as a subordinate in one moment and as a man in the next. Jingyi had no qualms with that position. He inwardly looked up to Wang Lin already. They were both the same age, but Wang Lin was already a seasoned star while he was still nervously standing next to her.

Director Ye was very content with the visuals. If only Bai Jingy had more profound cultivation in acting, but the young man only had a few classes before - any veteran in the field would be able to tell the difference.

But he was willing to overlook that. That's why movies like this were novice-friendly.

A movie like 'Red Threat' was, in fact, heavily depending on visuals. The better the actors looked, the more people were willing to overlook their subpar acting skills. This kind of movie had not much investment involved, as well. Mostly one or two companies, who had excess money, were involved, so no one expected them to win prices. Still, director Ye wants to leave an impression on the people's hearts with every work he made.

Good looking young actors were perfect for this kind of role. It was also the reason why Min Lee and the director didn't felt pressure inserting another young bud and giving him someplace to try to take roots.

But unfortunately, from an unknown source, the rumour came up that the role of the second male lead was already decided in advance. The author herself was rumoured to have picked a candidate and forcefully demanded the unknown man, who wasn't even an actor in the first place, to get the role of the second male lead.

The other actors were told that the whole casting was meaningless and that they were holding the auditions for publics' sake. The author didn't even felt the need to attend. Doesn't that mean that she wouldn't even feel the need to look at them?

Another reason they believed it readily was because Tian Yu, who was an actor of YNG had knowledge of that farce and was furious enough to pick up a fight with that man at first sight upon arriving. Also, none of those young actors had ever seen Jingyi before or had heard of his agency.

YNG claimed to be fair and open, but it never did things meaninglessly. They had a list of trusted, well-known companies they acknowledged. And Bai Jingyi's third rate company - they had to search it up on the internet first! It was an insignificant company that would typically never get through the gates of YNG!

Although the movie wasn't YNG top priority, this was way too much of a change. It's like the emperor allowed the clown to sit at the banquet! As pious ministers, who spend so many resources and efforts to court favour all this time, how could they swallow such an insult and not spit blood? Them, losing against an unknown actor from a third rate agency? - Ha, over their dead bodies!

Jie Jie, who didn't think of that, found that those actors imaginations were too much. As Jie Jie was indeed prejudiced, she found everyone, who looked down on Jingyi even more unpleasing to her eyes.

"You also find him better than the rest, right?" As if to look for affirmation, she asked Min Lee.

"Well, he wins the visuals!" Min Lee gave her a thumbs up.

"That means he lost in other departments?"

"Well, no one is perfect...?"

When reading from the script, there was undoubtedly a gap between the unaccustomed Jingyi and the others, who were professionals. Thanks to the fitting image and temperament, he didn't feel unnatural, but keen eyes could see that the man was insecure. It was a pity. In this line of work, the face was a driving factor, then talent, then confidence. If one had at least two of these things, they could have a stable income until the third comes naturally.

Just as Jie Jie tried to say that Jingyi was indeed perfect, sudden outcries echoed one after another.

"Mr. Yang!"

"Sir! Welcome!"

"President Yang, what brings you here?!"

Everyone's attention went towards the entrance where a cluster of people has formed. Two men have arrived and gathered all the attention in an instant. The people who were running their mouths against YNG were now singing praise as if their life depended on it.

"Michael?" Min Lee tilted his head in wonder. Instead of going to meet his boss, the writer decided to stay where he was and watched the crowd. Jie Jie also didn't move, although she was curious.

She knew that the man that arrived was a big boss. Even she had heard of Michael Yang, the acting president of YNG.

Yang Yun, in the meantime, exchanged some obligational greetings and soon locked onto his target, Director Ye.

"President Yang, what brings you down here? Is there a problem?" Director Ye asked. No news was good news, as the saying goes. Not having the president overlooking your work was always better than having to look back in anguish.

"Well, I was close by and heard you are still busy, so I thought of joining the fun." Yang Yun replied nonchalantly. "But why aren't you done, though?"

"That's... it's just we haven't decided on the supporting male lead yet!" The producer, shivering and blue-faced, answered.