Chapter 15: He Wants to Prevent It

Chapter 15: He Wants to Prevent It

Lu Xu naturally noticed Gu Sinian being escorted in by the assistant director.

Their eyes met, and Lu Xu caught a glimpse of Gu Sinian's expression.

He wasn't the original owner of this body, having recently transmigrated into it, and he hadn't interacted with the other three members of Verse. However, from Gu Sinian's attitude, it was clear they were not the type who could get along.

Lu Xu lowered his head and continued to study the script.

Because of Gu Sinian's appearance, the previously quiet audition room erupted into hushed whispers.

"Isn't that Gu Sinian?"

"The clash between Verse members is about to happen, this is going to be epic!"

"I was just browsing Weibo, Lu Xu is really good at calling people out."

At the moment Gu Sinian appeared, the actors auditioning for various roles had a premonition—this drama was likely slipping away from Lu Xu.

Unlike Lu Xu, who was fighting alone, most of these actors had already signed with agencies. Before coming to the audition, their agencies had already hinted that the male lead for this drama was decided.

Therefore, they were all auditioning for roles other than the male lead.

Now that Gu Sinian had shown up, everyone guessed that he was the male lead for this drama.

In this situation, was there any chance for Lu Xu to get the role?

"The resources from Ling Ge Entertainment are really good," one actor muttered quietly, "In big productions, they can add scenes, and in smaller ones, they get the male lead. Gu Sinian doesn't have as much experience as I do."

"Keep your voice down!" his companion reminded him.

Everyone knew that Ling Ge Entertainment was good at marketing and was infamous for turning the tables. While Lu Xu could still argue with Ling Ge Entertainment, they certainly couldn't.

The script for this historical drama was genuinely impressive. Although the production was small, the cast was impressive. It wasn't the type of idol drama that could catapult someone to stardom, but it was more suited for actors who preferred to work steadily.

Everyone could only sigh at how capable Ling Ge Entertainment was, having the clout to secure such coveted roles for Gu Sinian.

...

From the expressions of the others, Lu Xu could already guess some of it.

But he was here to compete for the role. As an actor, all he could do was perform well in every audition. The final decision was in the director's hands, not his.

Besides, he had already acted in "The Noble Son." Things couldn't get worse than when he had just transmigrated.

Lu Xu waited patiently to enter.

The audition wasn't a large-scale one, just a small-scale session. Lu Xu was given number 3. There were four actors vying for the role of the second male lead.

Arriving early, Lu Xu overheard that the male lead had already been locked in.

It wasn't clear if the second male lead had been decided, or maybe it had been set long ago, and they were just here to make up the numbers.

"Number 3 can enter now."

Hearing the call, Lu Xu stood up and walked inside.

Upon entering the audition room, Lu Xu observed that only a few people were seated at the table. The director and the scriptwriter sat in the middle, while the rest of the crew sat more dispersed. Among the group, Lu Xu only recognized the director and the scriptwriter. Before the audition, Lu Xu had thoroughly researched both the director and the scriptwriter, watching several of the director’s past projects.

Gu Sinian was also sitting at the conference table, looking completely at ease and clearly on friendly terms with the director.

Director Mu Qian nodded at Lu Xu. "Sit down."

Mu Qian gave Lu Xu a cold look. "I’ve reviewed your resume, and you should be prepared for your audition scene. Let's get started."

He didn’t give Lu Xu a chance to speak. After giving his instructions, he turned to chat with Gu Sinian for a bit instead.

Gu Sinian’s smile grew even brighter.

The cameras were still rolling, and despite the bright sunlight streaming in through the windows, the indoor lights remained on.

Lu Xu was auditioning for the role of Wu Shen, a progressive youth from the revolutionary era. Born into a wealthy family, Wu Shen was the youngest son. Had he chosen to live a life of luxury, his path would have been smooth. His family’s wealth was enough to allow him and his family to flee abroad, far from the ravages of war.

But Wu Shen refused to go along with that.

He read progressive books and newspapers, and he knew that many people in this world were still living in dire conditions.

He became the protagonist’s assistant, comrade, and lifelong confidant.

What Lu Xu was auditioning for was a scene where Wu Shen spoke passionately in front of his parents.

All eyes in the room were now fixed on him.

Director Mu Qian and scriptwriter Jin Mu had very indifferent expressions.

Just moments ago, Gu Sinian had shown them Lu Xu’s controversial online posts. Mu Qian, a seasoned director, and Jin Mu, an experienced scriptwriter, preferred actors who kept a low profile online.

Especially since Lu Xu had been criticizing Gu Sinian.

The crew had already decided on Gu Sinian as the male lead. Gu Sinian’s tarnished reputation would be of no benefit to their drama. If they chose a second male lead who didn’t get along with Gu Sinian, it would be troublesome for the crew.

Mu Qian himself wasn’t particularly fond of Lu Xu either. He had only invited Lu Xu to the audition because of the recent buzz around *The Noble Son*.

So, even before Lu Xu walked in, they had already written him off.

However, since the audition was officially public, it wouldn’t look good to just tell Lu Xu to leave immediately.

……

Taking a deep breath, Lu Xu launched into his performance.

For the role of Wu Shen, he had specifically bought a white shirt.

Initially, he kept his head bowed, but when he finally looked up, he had fully embodied the character.

Wu Shen was passionate, yet pure. He had the stubbornness of someone from the old era but was willing to shed blood for the emergence of a new one.

Lu Xu slightly adjusted his posture, and in the next moment, his expression already carried the backbone of a young intellectual.

It wasn’t an affected, scholarly air, but rather a passionate, radiant, and resolute one. At this moment, he was facing his mother’s tears. His mother didn’t want him to join the revolutionary cause; she just wanted him to live quietly as a rich man. With his elder brother managing the family business, he wouldn’t have a bad life.

"I don’t want that, Mother. I don’t want it."

The sound that filled the room made Mu Qian pause for a moment.

Lu Xu’s voice was clear, his diction sharp and forceful, as if he had poured all his beliefs into his voice.

Mu Qian had worked with many young actors, including Gu Sinian, who had just auditioned a little while ago. Most of them had somewhat unclear enunciation. While vocal tone was important, what truly mattered was vocal projection and conveying emotion through the lines.

Voice, speech, body movement, and expression—all are indispensable.

Lu Xu's two cries of "I don't want to" instantly drew everyone's attention to him.

"You want me to study abroad, but do you know what I saw during my years overseas?"

"When mentioning our people, they say our people are ignorant and numb, and even though I excelled in every subject and was physically strong enough to join the softball team, they still said, 'You're different from the others.'"

"But as long as I walked the streets and said I was from this country, the condescending smiles and disdainful looks on the faces of those foreigners are something I will never forget for the rest of my life."

As he delivered his lines, Lu Xu's expression was resolute, and his voice grew increasingly tense, as if each word was ground out through clenched teeth, filled with infinite anger.

There was no one opposite him.

Yet, one could feel as if his mother was sitting right in front of him.

When he said the line "You are different from the others," his eyes welled up, but before the tears could fall, an overwhelming anger took over.

He was angry.

Angry at those contemptuous voices and gazes.

Angry at what this country was going through.

He was no longer lost, for he had found his goal.

"I’m just one person; I can’t be a savior."

Lu Xu slowed his tone: "If I can save just one person, I’ll do it. If I can save hundreds, I’ll do that too."

"Even if I have to walk through fire, I’m willing, but I can’t just stand by and watch!"

"I want to rescue the ignorant, the numb, and the unaware; I want them to no longer be ignorant, numb, or unaware; I want them to have the freedom that all people should have."

Standing there, Lu Xu was like a pine tree.

At first, he restrained his emotions because he was facing his mother and didn’t want her to worry.

But the fire in his heart burned fiercely.

As he delivered the lines that followed, Lu Xu's voice became increasingly impassioned, and it felt as if the entire room echoed with his cries.

Director Mu Qian was initially holding a pen.

But as Lu Xu spoke the second line, Mu Qian quietly put the pen down.

The young man’s performance made it feel like Mu Qian was witnessing that era firsthand, as if he were living through it himself.

Lu Xu’s lines were flawless, and the emotions he conveyed were perfectly captured. Wu Shen was passionate, but not reckless, and not blind.

He simply could not bear it.

He couldn’t bear being a bystander, watching others mock his fellow countrymen—who were essentially him.

"You are different from the others."

What made them different?

In the end, we’re all the same.

Even though Lu Xu was wearing a rather modern white shirt, rather than a traditional long robe, his charisma allowed people to forget about his attire when he was fully immersed in his role.

Lu Xu made no unnecessary movements; it was as if the young man named Wu Shen came to life because of his performance.

After finishing this scene, Lu Xu stopped.

At this moment, there was no trace of the intense emotions from the recent audition on his face; he was very calm.

The entire audition room was utterly silent.

Lu Xu was the third candidate, but everyone was certain that even though candidate four had not started yet, their performance would not be better than Lu Xu's.

Lu Xu possessed effortless charisma.

During the auditions of the previous two candidates, Mu Qian and Jin Mu had casually chatted—the performances of the two didn’t bring much impact to the director and the scriptwriter.

However, Lu Xu’s performance was able to draw people into his emotions.

The film they were about to shoot had a theme that was inherently moving.

Because it was about a past that this nation had experienced, a past that could not be ignored, something that resonated with everyone.

…

Gu Sinian clenched his teeth until Lu Xu left.

He had just expressed his disinclination to work with Lu Xu in front of the director and the scriptwriter, but Lu Xu’s performance impressed them so much…

Mu Qian had already assured him earlier, but now… he felt that the director might change his mind.

Gu Sinian’s mind raced; no matter what, he couldn't work with Lu Xu.

He needed to find a way to stop Lu Xu from taking this role.