In the room.
You Rong listened to the receding footsteps outside, his brows furrowed as he walked inside. He twisted open a bottle of ice water and gulped down several mouthfuls, his face grim as he sat on the sofa.
In fact, such things were commonplace in the entertainment industry. He had grown accustomed to them two years ago. Seeing Lin Qinghe so lacking in self-respect today, however, he felt an inexplicable annoyance.
On the other side, Yuan Xiaoai was devouring the food Lin Qinghe had brought back. Seeing her return with the food she had mentioned giving to You Rong, she asked with confusion, "Sister Qinghe, didn't you say you were sending some to You Rong? Why did you come back?"
Lin Qinghe mumbled, "...He said he'd already eaten."
"Ah? And then you didn't bother?"
Lin Qinghe remained silent, her thoughts in a whirlwind, unable to fathom the reason for You Rong's sudden change in demeanor. She even suspected if You Rong was having mood swings.
Seeing Lin Qinghe's dejected expression, Yuan Xiaoai, recalling how Lin Qinghe had been constantly doting on and trying to please You Rong lately, became indignant.
Yuan Xiaoai walked over, hugged Lin Qinghe's arm, and said indignantly, "Sister Qinghe, don't be sad. If You Rong doesn't want it, so be it. Director Zhang cooks so well, we can keep it for ourselves and eat it slowly. Besides... there are so many handsome guys in the entertainment industry, many more good-looking than You Rong. How many popular male stars want to pursue you! Let's just ignore him!"
Lin Qinghe smiled at Yuan Xiaoai, sighing inwardly. She couldn't explain to Yuan Xiaoai.
"Xiao Ai, I'm a bit tired and want to rest. You can take these back and eat them slowly. If you can't finish them, put them in the fridge, and you can reheat them tomorrow."
Yuan Xiaoai sensed that Lin Qinghe didn't want to talk about it anymore and nodded, "Okay, I'll head back then. Sister Qinghe, you rest well."
"Mmm."
Lin Qinghe tossed and turned all night, unable to figure out the reason for You Rong's sudden change.
The next day, upon arriving at the set, Lin Qinghe was about to greet You Rong with a smile when he gave her a cold glance and turned to discuss the upcoming scene with the director.
Not only that, but You Rong remained aloof to her for the entire day, even actively avoiding her.
Lin Qinghe tolerated it for one day. The next day, You Rong was still the same, and Lin Qinghe still endured. By the third day, after they finished a scene together, You Rong turned to leave without a word. Lin Qinghe could no longer stand it!
Suppressing her anger, Lin Qinghe quickly caught up to You Rong, grabbed his arm, and ignoring his displeasure, said directly, "You Rong, I have something to say to you!"
Without waiting for You Rong's consent, Lin Qinghe pulled him towards a secluded spot.
They reached a deserted area outside the studio. Lin Qinghe stopped, turned to face You Rong, and trying to suppress the anger within her, asked patiently, "You Rong, why have you been avoiding me these past few days? Did I do something wrong? If so... please tell me, and I'll apologize!"
You Rong frowned, his thin lips pressed together, and said, "I'm not avoiding you, and you haven't done anything wrong."
Can you lie with your eyes open like this!
They were in the same film crew, staying in the same hotel, and apart from the lines they had to speak for the scene, they had barely exchanged a handful of words in the past three days. And this was not avoiding her?!
You Rong continued in a calm tone, "I need to go back and memorize my lines today. If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving."
Watching You Rong's straight back, Lin Qinghe was furious. She quickly walked in front of him to block his path. "You Rong! What's wrong with you? I like you, but as I said, I won't let my feelings trouble you. I'll try my best to treat you as a friend. Haven't we been getting along quite well as friends recently? Why have you suddenly become like this?"
The word "friend" struck You Rong as particularly jarring.
What Lin Qinghe said was not wrong. He didn't like her. In the beginning, he had hoped she would stop liking him and that they could be just ordinary friends, which would have been ideal. Now that his wish had come true, and she truly treated him as a friend, he didn't feel relieved as he had imagined. Instead, he felt suffocated, as if something was weighing him down.
You Rong lowered his gaze slightly and said, "...You're overthinking it."
With that, You Rong left without looking back, leaving Lin Qinghe furious and wanting to punch a wall.
You Rong, that scoundrel! How could he be more fickle than a woman!
Angrily, Lin Qinghe returned to the hotel. She tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep, and opened Weibo on her phone.
Lin Qinghe discovered that after the press conference for "The King's Chosen" some time ago, a small group had formed fan couples of her and You Rong, even establishing a super topic. The couple's name was "Rong He," a homophone derived from the last characters of their names. However, they were mostly subject to constant criticism from the individual fans of each of them.
Lin Qinghe found it quite amusing, but thinking of You Rong's icy demeanor that day, her pent-up frustration resurfaced, and she stopped looking at the super topic.
Boredly scrolling through the trending topics on Weibo, she suddenly came across a crucial piece of news.
Zhang Shanghua was preparing to shoot a new film, reportedly a collaboration with a renowned international director. The male lead was currently auditioning, but the process was not public. Only invited actors could participate in the auditions.
This kind of film was clearly aiming for awards. Securing the lead roles in this film would almost guarantee the Best Actor and Best Actress awards after its release.
Lin Qinghe immediately thought of You Rong. Regardless of anything else, for You Rong's future dramas to be broadcast and for him to regain his status as a top star and be recognized, he would need to win such authoritative awards and demonstrate his acting prowess to silence his critics.
Lin Qinghe pouted and grumbled, "You Rong must really be having mood swings these days. Maybe if he lands this male lead role, he'll cheer up a bit. And my progress bar will increase more smoothly..."
Lin Qinghe called Zhang Shanghua. Zhang Shanghua answered, anxiously asking, "My dear, why are you calling me so late? Is something wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
"Dad, no! I need your help with something!" Lin Qinghe said, "Dad, is the film 'Metamorphosis' you're preparing for in the male lead audition stage?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Shanghua immediately guessed Lin Qinghe's intentions.
"My dear, if you're hoping for your dad to cast You Rong as the male lead, that's definitely not possible. I'm not the only director for this film. There are many well-known figures in the industry involved, and the auditions aren't about popularity. They only require excellent acting skills and a perfect fit for the character."
"Dad, I know that... I just want you to give You Rong a chance to audition. If he can pass, then he passes; if not, then so be it."
Lin Qinghe had great faith in You Rong's acting. As long as he got the chance to audition, he would definitely be selected!
Zhang Shanghua hesitated for a moment and said, "Alright, I'll arrange an audition opportunity for You Rong. Whether he passes will depend on his own abilities. You can't blame me if he doesn't."
"Yes, I won't! Thank you, Dad!"
"It's nothing, no need to be so polite with your dad." Zhang Shanghua added, "When I have some free time later, I'll come to the set to visit you."
Considering Zhang Shanghua was an investor and producer of "Ask the Heavens," his visit to the set was understandable. Lin Qinghe didn't think much of it and replied, "Okay, see you then."