Chapter 24: Ordinary People
Chen Xi ran into her by chance. She had just been to a writer’s home to rush a manuscript and saw Yu Linna watching the live broadcast on the street on her way back to the editorial department. She hadn’t intended to greet her, but seeing the expression on the girl’s face, she somehow felt she couldn’t just ignore her.
That expression, it seemed like a smile, but it also conveyed sadness. Especially those blue eyes, filled with deep sorrow. Chen Xi sighed and finally went over to greet her. After all, she was an adult, and she had to maintain a certain composure when dealing with children.
“Miss Chen, what are you doing here?”
“Just passing by. What’s wrong? Why do you look so lost?”
Chen Xi followed her gaze. The large screen in the commercial square was showing the award ceremony of the National Singing Competition. The most prominent figure in the live broadcast was undoubtedly the eighteen-year-old girl who won the championship, Nangong Ying. Among all the past winners, she was probably the youngest.
“She’s my friend. We go to the same school.”
She pointed at Nangong Ying and explained.
The puzzle in Chen Xi’s mind clicked into place. No wonder this little girl was so focused on the broadcast; it was her friend who won the award.
“Your friend won, and you’re not happy?”
“No, I’m happy, really happy. But at the same time, I’m also sad. I’m falling further and further behind her.”
Nangong Ying was rapidly growing in places she couldn’t see. Gradually, the distance between them widened. Nangong Ying was already standing on the national competition’s award stage, while she was still wandering in this city, never venturing out.
Only she knew this feeling of disparity.
“Come on, I’ll buy you a cup of coffee. I have some time.”
Chen Xi sighed, adjusted her glasses, and invited her for coffee. She had plenty of time; dealing with this little girl wasn’t difficult. Besides, this girl was someone she had taken a liking to and even recommended to others. She believed her judgment wasn’t that bad.
At the intersection of South Gate Road in the commercial district, malls and shopping centers were everywhere. Chen Xi went to a familiar coffee shop and led the blonde girl inside. The cool air conditioning greeted them as they entered, raising goosebumps on her skin. Yu Linna rarely experienced air conditioning, and this feeling was quite comfortable.
They found a seat, and Chen Xi ordered a coffee, then handed the menu to Yu Linna.
“Order whatever you want, it’s on me.”
“Thank you.”
Yu Linna didn’t hold back, ordering a black tea and a new cake, the total easily exceeding 100 yuan. Chen Xi remained unfazed, handed the menu to the waiter, and then carefully observed the blonde girl.
“Miss Chen, what’s wrong?”
“Just call me Sister Chen. That’s what my colleagues call me. It’s a bit awkward being called Miss Chen. Speaking of which, I recommended you to Murong Yan’s film crew before, you did go, right?”
“Yes… Wait, you recommended me? I thought it was Miss Huang.”
“She just called you; I was the one who made the arrangements. I thought you looked quite good, your appearance very similar to the character Murong Yan was looking for. So I recommended you.”
Chen Xi hadn’t intended to do this, but her occupational habit as an editor kicked in. She always liked to scout talent, regardless of their skills, as long as they were useful. Although Yu Linna had no talent, no acting skills, no stage experience, and couldn’t even sing, she had a pretty face. And it was a rare, mixed-race look that happened to meet Murong Yan’s requirements, so she recommended Yu Linna.
It turned out that her recommendation was correct. Murong Yan got the shot he wanted and even saved a lot of money, a real bargain.
“…Thank you for recommending me.”
If Chen Xi hadn’t mentioned it, Yu Linna wouldn’t have known that she was the one who helped her. She had always thought it was Huang Jinglin. She hadn’t expected this editor, whom she barely knew, to specifically look out for her.
She was truly grateful because this opportunity opened more doors for her, whether as an extra or a stage actress. Without that experience as a featured extra, things might have been worse.
“But I’m sorry, I haven’t made any progress since then. In fact, I was just kicked out of the drama troupe because my acting wasn’t good enough.”
Chen Xi remained silent, listening to the girl. She could see the frustration in her eyes. She had been working hard these past few days, using all her available time, even during breaks. But even so, she still couldn’t change her fate.
Her experiences were common for most people in society. It was just that she was a child, experiencing these things earlier.
“First of all, your appearance is indeed a major advantage. Compared to mainland actors, you have the advantage of mixed-race features. You’re more likely to be chosen for film roles because some films require that kind of look. But you lack professional training and don’t know how to act, so it’s not surprising that you’re facing this situation. However, if you want to change, you should study hard and improve your skills.”
Chen Xi replied seriously, offering her advice.
She suggested that Yu Linna reflect on herself and improve her abilities to return to the acting world.
Yu Linna also knew that she was currently a novice, knowing nothing, starting from scratch. Studying diligently was indeed her only option.
“And, I also overlooked something…”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Chen Xi didn’t want to elaborate and brushed it aside.
When she first discovered Yu Linna, she thought this girl’s appearance was a major advantage and that she was a promising talent. But she herself had made a mistake, misunderstanding the workings of the entertainment industry, thinking that looks alone were enough. In reality, Yu Linna’s looks weren’t particularly outstanding in the entertainment circle. The most striking feature was her blonde hair. Other than that, she wasn’t very recognizable.
Yu Linna had never tried acting or singing before. When she stepped onto the stage, she was helpless. This led to her early elimination and her dismissal from the drama troupe. The reason was simple: she lacked talent.
In this world, talent reigned supreme. Without talent, one could only be eliminated.
“Speaking of which, why did you participate in the competition? With your abilities, it seems like you were just setting yourself up for failure.”
“…I went with Nangong. She said there was prize money if you placed. Who knew I wouldn’t even pass the eliminations…”
“…”
This girl is obsessed with money.
Participating in a competition for prize money was probably the most absurd reason she had ever heard. No wonder she was eliminated so quickly; she wasn’t passionate about music. She couldn’t even read music properly.
After much thought, this girl’s only merit seemed to be her good looks.
“Your appearance is indeed suitable for the stage. But professional stages don’t require flaunting your body or face. You should still focus on honing your skills.”
Of course, if you had connections, it would be a different story. Chen Xi didn’t say this out loud, keeping it to herself.
If Yu Linna had powerful backing, perhaps she would have opportunities to appear in some productions. After all, she was pretty. But Yu Linna didn’t seem like someone with connections.
“That’s all for today, I should get going. If you want to continue being an actress, I have a suggestion for you.”
“What suggestion?!”
“In two weeks, there’s an open audition in Shenzhen. It’s for the female lead in the movie Stormrage. I heard they couldn’t find a suitable actress and are holding nationwide auditions. You can try out. After all, your appearance is definitely an advantage.”
“Thank you so much, I’ll definitely go!”
After saying this, Chen Xi left.
Leaving the coffee shop, she couldn’t help but sigh deeply. She hadn’t realized so much had happened. Yu Linna, this girl she had taken a liking to, seemed to have no real talent. From the way she spoke, she knew nothing about the stage, let alone the entertainment industry.
No acting skills, no unique qualities, not even a decent talent, what was she good at?
Had she, Chen Xi, made a mistake? Scouting writers and scouting stars were two different things, completely opposite. If Yu Linna were a writer, even without any significant works, her identity as a beautiful young writer could be used for publicity and commercial purposes.
But Yu Linna wasn’t a writer; she was a novice who wanted to enter the entertainment industry.
So, her usual methods wouldn’t work on her. More importantly, Yu Linna couldn’t even be a decent extra, how could she become a star?
An audition? Forget it. That was just Chen Xi deceiving her. Countless people nationwide participated in auditions, followed by screen tests. Why would it be Yu Linna’s turn to play the female lead? She told her to try out just to give her something to do. She didn’t think Yu Linna could stand out.
After all, auditions ultimately depended on acting skills, the ability to carry a film. Yu Linna, this girl who knew nothing, what skills did she have to rely on?
“Sigh…”
Chen Xi had scouted so many people over the years, and this was the first time she began to doubt her judgment. Perhaps Yu Linna wasn’t as special as she thought, maybe she was just a bit prettier than others.
I should go back.
Perhaps she really had made a mistake. Yu Linna was probably just an ordinary person, not special, because there were many people more special than her.
And all of this, Yu Linna knew nothing about. She still naively thought that someone had helped her again.
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