Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Ever since Ning Yuyi served her, Lin Yiyue was on cloud nine, occasionally leaning over to whisper into Xie Lou's ear to confirm what just transpired.

"Did Ning Ning just call me 'Mom'?"

At this point, Xie Lou had become an embodiment of jealousy. On one hand, he wanted to comfort his wife; on the other, he felt a twinge of jealousy that their son had called her "Mom" first.

Ning Yuyi found himself having to repeatedly address Xie Lou while serving him food, attempting to quell the sour feeling enveloping him.

By the time Xie Yiezhou arrived, only remnants of the meal remained on the table.

"Didn't anyone save any for me?" Xie Yiezhou flopped down, shedding his coat for disguise, "Ning Ning, don't you love your second brother anymore?"

"We've ordered a diet meal for you. Aren't you on a diet?" Lin Yiyue remarked, shooting him a glance.

Oh right, the diet.

Xie Yiezhou gritted his teeth just as the server brought out the pre-ordered diet meal and started clearing the table.

"Here, Ning Ning, I brought you a little cake." Xie Yiezhou slid a beautifully packaged cake box towards Ning Yuyi, "It's from that popular online sensation cake shop. I passed by it earlier and grabbed one. Yao Yao mentioned it's quite tasty."

"Is it from 'Kiss'?" Ning Yuyi had seen this cake shop trending on social media. He had always been keen to try, but the shop always had a long line stretching down the street, so he had reluctantly given up.

Opening the box, inside was a cake shaped like three kittens—upon closer inspection, it was a mother cat with two kittens.

Clearly, the cake was custom-made, modeled after Tian Tian and the others.

It seemed Xie Yiezhou had been planning this for some time.

Under Xie Yiezhou's expectant gaze, Ning Yuyi divided the cake into five portions and distributed them to everyone.

"Let's enjoy it together."

With the first bite, Ning Yuyi understood why the shop was such a sensation.

Both the creamy, sweet yet non-greasy topping and the soft cake below were utterly delicious.

Seeing Ning Yuyi's delight in the cake, which he found a tad too sweet for himself, Xie Yienan made a mental note of the shop's name, planning to invest as soon as he returned.

And then open a branch in Qing'an.

Unbeknownst to Ning Yuyi, his brothers were arranging a dedicated cake shop just for him. He was still wondering how he'd get his future cake fixes without waiting in line.

Due to his excitement, Ning Yuyi had little sleep the night before. Though he started energetically, he began to yawn incessantly after the meal.

"I'll take Ning Ning home." Xie Yienan supported the drowsy Ning Yuyi, "Mom, Dad, will you go back on your own?"

While Lin Yiyue wanted to spend more time with Ning Yuyi, she felt pity seeing him struggle to stay awake and urged Xie Yienan to get him home quickly.

"I'll come too." Xie Yiezhou, having finished his magazine shoot and cleared his afternoon schedule, naturally didn't want to miss an opportunity to bond with his brother.

Ensuring Ning Yuyi was comfortably reclined in the back seat, Xie Yienan drove smoothly toward Qing'an.

"Have you shown the script to Ning Ning?" Xie Yiezhou adjusted the co-pilot seat to recline and lay back, resting with his eyes closed.

"Yes, but he's fond of the Ninth Prince's character in 'Zhouyang Emperor'. He wants to try that role."

Straining to recall, Xie Yiezhou said, "Oh, hasn't that role already been assigned?"

"Ah, Han Yusi of 'Ice and Fire' gained a bit of fame recently."

"I vaguely recall that," Xie Yezhou squinted, "I remember Zhou Erhe mentioned to 'Old Friends' that Han Yusi should not participate in the variety show recording."

The two men, being brothers for many years, understood each other perfectly. Xie Yinan got Xie Yezhou's point immediately.

"Let's consult Zhou Erhe."

"As long as you remember."

Once Xie Yinan returned to the company, he immediately reached out to 'JJ Literary City' to discuss with the author of 'Zhou Yang Emperor' about personally making script modifications with the production team.

He then approached the director of 'Zhou Yang Emperor' and used a favor from Fenghua to vacate the role of the Ninth Prince.

Of course, all of this was done secretly without Ning Yuyi's knowledge, planning to surprise him.

At midnight, the chime of the ancient clock woke Ning Yuyi. He rubbed his groggy eyes and headed to the bathroom for a shower.

Slipping into his pajamas, Ning Yuyi browsed 'JJ Literary City' to read the novel 'Zhou Yang Emperor.'

Compared to the simplified script, the novel was more mysterious, with the protagonist acting with strategy at every turn.

……

Ning Yuyi spent four days and nights reading the novel at home. After finishing it and spending his remaining JJ coins to reward the author, he finally stretched and stepped outside.

— Mainly because Zhou Erhe wanted him to come to the company for a surprise.

"What surprise? All so secretive," Ning Yuyi muttered, taking a taxi to the company's entrance.

"You're here," Zhou Erhe was waiting for him in the main hall. As Ning Yuyi entered, Zhou Erhe promptly led him towards the basement.

"Where are we going?" Ning Yuyi was puzzled.

"Audition," Zhou Erhe pushed him into the co-pilot seat, "For the Ninth Prince role in 'Zhou Yang Emperor'. Are you up for it?"

"Wait, right now?" Ning Yuyi leaned out the car window, looking at Zhou Erhe, "You're not giving me any time to prepare?"

"With your acting skills, do you need to prepare?" Zhou Erhe gave him a reassuring look. "Besides, this audition is spontaneous. You're not the only one unprepared."

"Oh."

The audition venue was in one of Fenghua's studios. By the time Ning Yuyi arrived, many were already waiting outside.

The studio was divided into two sections: one for waiting and resting during auditions and the other sectioned off with black curtains where the director was stationed.

Ning Yuyi got out of the car, following Zhou Erhe to the makeshift waiting room. As he entered, Han Yusi was the center of attention.

At that moment, Ning Yuyi belatedly recalled that the role had originally been earmarked for Han Yusi.

"Wasn't the role initially set for Han Yusi?" Ning Yuyi whispered.

"It was," Zhou Erhe confirmed, "but even if it's just for appearances, auditions are still held. The director isn’t autocratic like Zhang Xueyong.” Pointing towards the audition room, he continued, "Mr. Xie has invited the original author."

"The author is involved in the auditions?" Ning Yuyi gritted his teeth, exhaling sharply, "I thought the director had been trying to get him for a while."

Zhou Erhe replied, "Mr. Xie knows him. The investment department tried acquiring the rights, but couldn’t. One call from Mr. Xie changed that."

"Is that so?" Ning Yuyi hadn’t revealed his connection with the Xie family yet.

Yes, mainly out of concern that Zhou Erhe’s heart couldn’t handle the shock.

The previous group of auditionees came out, all looking downcast. As they exited, a few waiting outside immediately pulled them aside.

"It's uncertain," one of them, with a newly shaved buzzcut, murmured, "My look isn't the fit. But I came here hoping to get lucky."

"What was the director's expression? Serious?" someone inquired.

"The director was fine, but the author seemed dissatisfied," the buzzcut guy replied, glancing over his shoulder to ensure no one was eavesdropping, "The director seems to highly regard the author's opinion. One shake of the author’s head and the scene stops."

Upon hearing this, Han Yusi’s expression darkened.

He had spent days wining and dining with the director for this role. The audition was supposed to be a mere formality, as he was the confirmed choice.

He hadn't expected the sudden involvement of the original author.

"The author is quite handsome, on par with Xie Yezhou," buzzcut remarked, "If he entered showbiz, he'd probably be a big hit, unlike us..."

Murmured sighs filled the air.

Annoyed, Han Yusi glanced outside, hoping to find solace, only to lock eyes with Ning Yuyi at the door.

Ning Yuyi swore that for a split second, Han Yusi looked green with envy, a mix of disbelief, jealousy, and malice painted across his face.

However, within moments, Han Yusi regained his composure and approached Ning Yuyi with a smile.

"Ning, are you also auditioning for this role?" Han Yusi, feigning familiarity, tried to sling an arm around Ning Yuyi, but Ning sidestepped him.

"Yes," Ning Yuyi replied, clearly not wanting to engage further. He turned to Zhou Erhe and walked to a corner.

Han Yusi's smile seemed strained, but he followed and sat next to them, "We’ve become quite distant, Ning. We used to be best buddies as kids."

"Not me," Ning Yuyi corrected quietly, "Your best buddy was Xiaopang."

Han Yusi’s best friend was a chubby kid from the orphanage named Xiaopang. He loved pranks and often stole food from the other kids, reigning as the unchallenged bully.

Han Yusi and Xiaopang were close. But compared to Xiaopang's overt mischief, Han Yusi was more insidious – appearing friendly but backstabbing when the opportunity arose.

As children, the two had once locked Ning Yuyi in a dark, abandoned room overnight. When found the next day by the orphanage caretaker, Ning fell ill with a fever for a week.

Ultimately, Han Yusi played the innocent, claiming he had returned to fetch Ning Yuyi but received no answer, assuming he had already left.

Ning Yuyi concealed the chill in his gaze.

While he might appear clueless, he wasn’t oblivious to everything.

He could discern between malice and good intentions.

As Han Yusi tried to cozy up, Ning Yuyi firmly pushed him away, lifting his gaze, eyes gleaming, and asked, "Do we know each other?"

"It’s me, Ning. I am..." Han Yusi's smile waned. He hesitated, not wanting to bring up his name from the orphanage days.

"Oh, I must've mistaken," Ning Yuyi replied with wide eyes, "You're the youngest of the Han family. I'm just a kid from the orphanage. How could I possibly know you?"

"Ning, are you still holding a grudge against me?"

"Not Mr. Han, my artist already stated he doesn’t know you." Zhou Erhe intervened, protectively positioning himself in front of Ning Yuyi, "Are you trying to get close to him to make him drop the audition?"

"Really? Such a saint in this world?"

Han Yusi's already strained smile vanished, his face darkening as he glared at Zhou Erhe.

"What a peculiar man," Zhou Erhe muttered loudly, "Just because my artist is handsome doesn't mean you can bully him. Trying to use your

School

Bullying tactics, huh? Auditions are based on merit, not connections."

With a flourish of his sleeve, Han Yusi turned and exited the waiting room.

From his heaving chest, Ning Yuyi could tell Han Yusi was seething.

"Who knew you were such a talker," Ning Yuyi whispered.

"No kidding, I was part of the university debate team," Zhou Erhe replied proudly.

"Impressive, respect."

"Thanks for the compliment."

"Ning Yuyi, you're up," a staff member called out.

"Okay." Ning Yuyi nodded to Zhou Erhe and proceeded for the audition.

Inside, there was a row of tables with an open space in front of them, presumably for performances. The director sat in the center, flanked by the assistant director and producer.

Most eye-catching was a young man next to the director, wearing sunglasses. His chiseled jawline was pronounced, lips curled in amusement, with a pen twirling in his hand.

A camera was set up facing the open space, aiming not only to gauge their acting but also their on-screen presence.

Ning Yuyi walked up and stood in front of the table.

"Hello, director. I am Ning Yuyi."

"Yes, I'm aware. Zhang has praised you before," Lin Hai handed him a script, "Try this part."

Ning Yuyi glanced over and recognized it as the scene where the Ninth Prince has an outburst.

It was the confrontation in the Golden Hall when the Ninth Prince realizes his own brother has been using him, setting him up to distract the enemies and making himself look good in front of the old emperor.

However...

"Isn't there a male lead to act opposite me?" Ning Yuyi quickly skimmed through the script.

"Yes, he’s just taken a restroom break. Wait a moment." The young man beside the director, wearing sunglasses, spoke with anticipation, "I'm looking forward to your performance."

"Thank you?" Ning Yuyi responded, a touch uncertain.

A side door opened, and to Ning Yuyi's surprise, Xie Yezhou walked in.

Ning Yuyi widened his eyes, silently questioning Xie Yezhou.

Is it you?

"Ahem. Now that you're back, let’s run this scene together."

"Alright." Xie Yezhou quickly reviewed the script and then took his position.

Ning Yuyi’s curiosity about Xie Yezhou's presence faded as he read through the script again, immersing himself in the role of the Ninth Prince.

When the director signaled the start, Ning Yuyi lifted his head, his demeanor entirely transformed.

The initially nonchalant director instantly sat upright, commenting, "Zhang might have understated it. Such an impressive immersion at such a young age. Remarkable talent."

"Indeed, the madness in the Ninth Prince's eyes is very well portrayed," the handsome man next to him remarked, chin propped in his hand.

The intensity of the scene left Ning Yuyi feeling drained. As it concluded, he leaned slightly against the wall for support.

"Are you alright?" Xie Yezhou quickly stepped forward, "Feeling dizzy?"

"No, just got a bit too engrossed in the role." The emotional highs and lows left him feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Xie Yezhou’s brow remained furrowed.

Getting deeply engrossed is both a gift and a curse for actors.

Once too deep into a role, it becomes challenging to separate oneself from the character.

"Impressive," the handsome man stood up and approached them, "Such great acting skills."

"Of course, he's my little brother. Why wouldn’t he be exceptional?" Xie Yezhou boasted with pride.

The director, who was hesitating behind, nearly fell off his chair upon hearing those words.

"Hah, he's my younger cousin," said the handsome man as he removed his sunglasses, leaning down with a smile towards Ning Yuyi. "Hello, little cousin. I'm Lin Chijing."

Lin Chijing?

Never heard of him.

Ning Yuyi looked puzzled, turning to Xie Yiezhou for assistance.

"Cut the nonsense," Xie Yiezhou warned Lin Chijing, but his tone softened instantly when addressing Ning Yuyi. "His father is our uncle and the original author of the novel."

The author of "Emperor Zhouyang."

A gleam appeared in Ning Yuyi's eyes, and he immediately started asking Lin Chijing about his queries from the novel.

Lin Chijing answered each one.

"Let's have dinner first," Xie Yiezhou intervened, pulling them apart. "Director, I won't be attending the auditions later."

"No need, no need," the director said, laughing agreeably.

Given the circumstances, he was sure not to give the role to anyone else.

Had it not been for Xie Yiezhou's intervention, he might have given up on Ning Yuyi. Despite the good acting skills, he didn’t have a substantial fanbase. And considering those days with Yu Sihan…

Tsk, what a pity that Yu Sihan agreed to his terms.

After Xie Yiezhou and Lin Chijing left with Ning Yuyi, the director immediately instructed his crew to announce the role was taken.

The staff complied, and after the announcement, there was an uproar of disappointment.

"That's it? I didn't even get a chance!"

"I prayed at a temple in the mountains for this audition. Had I known, I would've slept in!"

"Ugh, I even got hair extensions to fit the part. What a waste of money."

Sighs filled the room.

Outside, Yu Sihan, who was about to ask about his turn, heard the auditions had ended and glared menacingly towards the audition room.

Damn it, Ning Yuyi again.

Why, since his rebirth, was Ning Yuyi always opposing him?

Why was he still alive? He should have been dead long ago.

His phone kept vibrating in his pocket. Checking the caller, Yu Sihan moved to a quiet corner to answer.

"Hello, Dad."

"You good-for-nothing!" An infuriated voice exploded from the other end of the line, echoing in Yu Sihan's ear, "Who in the Xie family did you offend?"

"The Xie's blocked one of our land deals for no apparent reason. What did you do?"

"I shouldn't have brought you back from the orphanage. Those orphanage days tainted your blood. You can't even handle an actor's job, let alone compete with your elder brother in the company."

"Let me make it clear: the company is your brother's. If you want to remain in the entertainment industry, stay there and don't bring me any more trouble."

……

A barrage of cruel words relentlessly rained down on Yu Sihan.

Yu Sihan's lips turned pale, the veins on the hand gripping his phone bulging. He struggled to contain himself.

After ending the call, he hurled his phone to the ground, his eyes filled with loathing.

Ever since his rebirth, his doting father and the elder brother he once disabled were now against him.

He was supposed to be the protagonist of this story. Why? Just why?

It was all because of Ning Yuyi. It was all his doing.

"Ning Yuyi, you just wait. I'll make sure you fall from grace and struggle in the mire just like me."

Author's note: I just finished writing this and haven't had a chance to review it. I'll edit any mistakes later.

(I'll address any errors in the earlier parts when I have time.)