All eyes turned to the door. Silhouetted against the light, a woman with a gorgeous figure walked in, dressed in a fiery red, knee-length dress.
Once the door closed, Chu Yao got a clear look at her. The woman had long, slender calves, and the four-inch heels she wore perfectly accentuated their lines.
The red dress had a simple cinched-waist design with a round collar and no sleeves. At first glance, it seemed unremarkable. But the woman's long hair was slightly curled, her red lips bewitching. She was alluring and enchanting, yet possessed a contradictory, hard-to-pinpoint trace of innocence.
The combination of these qualities was jarring, forcing one to admit that this was a true knockout.
But Chu Yao's first thought was, 'The second female lead!'
'She's the absolute spitting image of the second female lead.'
The character in the script seemed tailor-made for this woman.
Gu Yuxin, who had auditioned that morning, had also worn a red dress, and her disposition fit the arrogant and domineering nature of the second female lead. But Chu Yao felt she had only managed to portray the character's alluring and sexy side.
The second female lead was a complex character. Gu Yuxin's portrayal had been a bit one-dimensional, lacking a certain depth. This woman, however, was a perfect fit; any more would have been overkill.
But this woman…
Chu Yao's hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms, but she didn't feel the pain.
Mi Feifei…
'Why is she here again?'
Though a thousand thoughts raced through Chu Yao's mind, only a few seconds had passed in reality.
Mi Feifei, clad in red, walked straight up to Director Gu and greeted him politely.
The moment she turned, Chu Yao was stunned all over again. From the front, Mi Feifei's red dress wasn't particularly remarkable, serving mostly to accentuate her amazing figure.
The back, however, featured a massive bow tied at the waist. Above it, red ribbons crisscrossed, preventing it from being too revealing while still offering a tantalizing glimpse of her beautiful back.
Chu Yao considered her own looks to be top-tier in the entertainment industry, but seeing Mi Feifei now, even she, a woman herself, couldn't help but admire her. 'This woman has a truly unique charm.'
All eyes in the room were fixed on Mi Feifei and Director Gu. They spoke too softly for anyone to hear. All anyone could see was that Gu Changning's previously relaxed brow was now furrowed, his face holding a faint look of astonishment.
After they exchanged a few words, Mi Feifei sat down next to Director Gu. Both of their gazes then shifted to Chu Yao, who was standing in the center of the stage.
Director Gu waved a hand. "You may begin."
Chu Yao was dazed for a few seconds. When she snapped out of it, she squeezed her hand hard to calm herself. 'After all these years, what haven't I been through? It's just Mi Feifei. It's just Lu Xize.'
'So what? Nothing can affect me.'
Chu Yao closed her eyes, banishing all distracting thoughts. She recalled the script, raised her hands to strike a pose, and a torrent of flawless lines poured from her lips.
She delivered her performance in a single, fluid take. She had read the script, but every actor initially has their own interpretation of how to play a character.
Chu Yao's performance was her own interpretation of Zhong Xi.
She was quite satisfied with her performance, but when she saw Director Gu's brow furrow, she couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine.
'Is the director not satisfied?'
Gu Changning paid no mind to Chu Yao's anxiety. He just glanced at her before saying something to the woman beside him. The woman then picked something up from a chair and walked toward Chu Yao.