The Truth

After receiving the script handed over by his agent, Lu Yan looked at it seriously.

This time it was a historical drama. Whether it was the writer or the starring role, it could be regarded as a huge lineup. Even the costumes and props were quite sophisticated. It was said that professionals had been specially invited to be consultants, which showed that the investors had also thrown a lot of money. Moreover, historical dramas were now in vogue. There were many people who filmed and watched them. He could imagine that after filming, it would definitely be another hit. Then the lead writer and the investors both would gain fame and fortune, and everyone would very happy.

It was just that all of this had little to do with Lu Yan.

The role he received was a male N, an unlearned dude. Because he coveted the beauty of the heroine, he was destined to be a cannon fodder on the path of the male protagonist’s growth. The end of the role was naturally miserable and unhappy. Such a role did not even have much room to play. Even if Lu Yan had a good appearance and acting skills, he couldn’t save his destiny that was to be cast aside by the audience. After all, although the tastes of today’s audiences had changed, and a large part of the audience had a soft spot for villains, they must also have both beauty and wisdom, personality and strength, and arrogant bosses, not this kind of character that had no sense of existence or were some wretched little people.

Lu Yan could almost foresee that after the show was broadcast, his role would either be submerged in numerous characters, or would be pulled out by fans of the hero and heroine to constantly whip the corpse to prove the hero and heroine’s true love and ups and downs. At most, there would be a few of his fans, who were obsessed with his beauty, complaining why he wanted to take such a bad character, plus a sentence like they were tired and unloving.

Lu Yan sighed silently in his heart. In recent years, almost all the roles he had recieved were of this kind. They were not brilliant and featureless. Most of the time, they were also disgusting. Except for a few true fans, few people would pay attention and care. But if he didn’t take it, not only would he have no job, but he would also receive constant cynicism from his agent.

Lu Yan’s agent was Fang Meng. In addition to Lu Yan, there were three or four artists under his hand, all of whom were the same as Lu Yan. Fang Meng always complained about his lack of talent and that the company didn´t value his talents at all, throwing him unpopular and worthless entertainers. Although Fang Meng was not too harsh on them, he was not too concerned about thier work. He spent most of his time courting company executives and popular artists.

It was conceivable that Lu Yan’s situation today couldn´t be separated from such an irresponsible agent. However, with his status and value today, it was almost impossible to change agent.

When he was really low, Lu Yan once thought a little arrogantly, just leave the showbiz. He couldn’t sayhe was young, but he was not too old either. It wasn´t a problem to leave this circle to find a job to support himself.

However, after all, he was not reconciled.

Lu Yan liked acting. So, he didn’t take the college entrance examination and went directly to apply for the Academy of Performing Arts. He was talented and worked hard enough. Lu Yan was a low-key and humble person with the optimism of his teachers, the envy of his classmates, and the admiration of his fans, but he was not unproud in his heart.

But when he really stepped into this bizarre world, the situation was completely different from when he was in school.

Since an important audition failed due to an accident, it seemed that his life’s luck had gone with it, and the tragic fate was simply the best portrayal of his journey along the way.

Lu Yan’s appearance was very good, the kind that people often say was handsome, with sword eyebrows and star eyes, thin lips and a straight nose. The figure was good, with wide shoulders and narrow waist, two big long legs. He was a natural clothes hanger. During the school period, he had appeared as a model several times. After his debut, this had become the capital for the few fans to show off.

Lu Yan’s acting skills were also good. Although because of his academic background, it was inevitable to have some academic remarks at the beginning. But after several years of tempering, coupled with his own efforts, he often carefully studied and figured out not only his own, but also other people’s roles, his acting skills were naturally more proficient.

Ironically, even though he worked so hard, he had not yet received even a role that allowed him to give full play to his strength. People say that gold always shines, but when it reached him, only fish eyes were left.

All he needed was an opportunity. At the beginning, Lu Yan believed so firmly.

After so many years, it was not that he had not encountered an opportunity, but every time he passed it by for one reason or another, it was embarrassing.

If Lu Yan was arrogant and proud when he first started, now his blood and edges had been smoothed by reality. He hadn’t even revealed his sharp edge before he had been forced to hide.

His situation was better than others, and he had to bow his head.

But what about after bowing his head?

Lu Yan smiled bitterly to himself, the smile that reached his head had become humble and grateful, “Let’s do this one, Brother Fang has worked hard.”

Fang Meng nodded, showing a smile that he knew. He patted Lu Yan on the shoulder, and said sarcastically, “Xiao¹ Lu is still sensible. Unlike others, who will pick and choose without looking at their own identity. They don’t have the skills and their tempers are not small, so it’s no wonder they can’t stand out.”

Lu Yan smiled and did not respond.

Talking bad about people behind their backs, Lu Yan would not do such a thing, he knew that the wall had ears, and no one knew when he could offend someone. Even if the person in question was a small person now, who knew if the other would become a big person or climb into a big person.

Lu Yan had also heard that Fang Meng was not taken seriously by the company because of his bad mouth,he had accidentally offended someone and was wearing small shoes.²

Of course, he would not remind Fang Meng of such a thing either.

Fang Meng saw that Lu Yan was not talking, and felt bored. He put his smile away and confessed, “Then get ready, and you will join the crew the day after tomorrow. Although it is not an important role, don’t give people the impression of playing big names³.”

Lu Yan nodded, he naturally understood this.

Fang Meng was about to open the door and leave, but turned around again, with a meaningful smile, “Xiao Lu, your luck is still good. If it weren’t for being a good friend of a big star, even for such a role, it doesn’t necessarily fall into your hands. You have to know how many people want to be in Director Wang’s play after squeezing their heads.”

Lu Yan was startled, “Xu Yongzhou?”

Fang Meng seemed to smile, “Apart from him, do you have any other friends who are big stars?”

Lu Yan was silent for a while, and Fang Meng had already left.

Thinking of Xu Yongzhou, Lu Yan’s eyes were slightly confused, and an inexplicable emotion flashed in his heart.

Xu Yongzhou was Lu Yan’s college classmate and roommate.

When Lu Yan was in college, the limelight was very vigorous and there was no difference at the moment. If one must find someone who could compare with him, Xu Yongzhou was the only one, and it could even be called a moment of brilliance.

However, after leaving the campus, the situation of the two was very different.

Xu Yongzhou was now in full swing, a hot star, and he was named the best actor at last year’s Golden Watch Award. He deserved his name.

Thinking of the time when he was in school, although the opponent was outstanding, he was still overwhelmed by himself everywhere, like a dream.

A ray of bitterness appeared in Lu Yan’s heart.

But having said that, in this world where everyone was pushing, Lu Yan still felt warm.

Over the years, when he was in trouble and had no work to pick up at all, Xu Yongzhou almost always helped him introduce crews and characters. Although his self-esteem was somewhat subtle and frustrated, Lu Yan was not a person who didn’t know what was good or bad, he was moved and grateful. He also felt very fortunate to have such a good friend and good brother.

Thinking of this, Lu Yan let out a sigh of relief, calmed his complicated emotions, took out his mobile phone and dialed a number. After the beautiful music rang two sentences, he was picked up, and the familiar and hearty voice came. “Hey……”

Lu Yan couldn’t help but smile, “Yongzhou, it’s me, Lu Yan.”

The other party seemed to know who it was, and smiled: “It’s you, Lu Yan, how about it? Did you see the new script? I’m sorry that the role is not very good. I wanted to help you get the second male, but recently the company has signed a newcomer that needs to be hold, and you know me too…”

Lu Yan interrupted in a low voice, “Don’t say that, I understand. Thank you very much.”

There was a smiled in the other side “You are my brother, do you still need to say thank you?”

Lu Yan also smiled, his mood seemed to relax with the word “brother”, and his tone was funny, “Big star, when will I have time to treat you to a meal?”

“Haha, I’m welcome about this. But I have something to do in the next two days, so let’s wait for the crew to meet in three days.”

“Okay.” After chatting casually, Lu Yan hung up.

The protagonist actor of this historical drama was Xu Yongzhou, so if he joined the crew in three days, he would naturally be able to see him again.

Lu Yan went to an audition for another movie the next day.

The director was a well-known domestic director Qi Bai. His films were very flavorful. Although he had not won international awards, he had won a lot of domestic awards. The script was also very good. The screenwriter was Yan Zhan, a well-known gold screenwriter in the industry. The film that these two people cooperated in was basically the guarantee of the box office. Of course, what made Lu Yan the most cautious was that the role he auditioned for this time, although a supporting role, was a very important and dramatic role. There were many inner dramas. If the actor performed well, he would be very brilliant. In other words, it was not impossible to hit the best supporting role. Of course, if he didn’t play well, it may seem vulgar. Naturally, Lu Yan was still very confident in his acting skills.

The chance to get this audition was accidental and inevitable.

Lu Yan had worked with the executive deputy director of this film before, he got busy with the other party accidentally, so he had a good impression of Lu Yan. When he saw this character this time, he immediately thought of him and talked to Director Qi. After a while, Director Qi asked him to come directly to the audition.

Lu Yan was a little excited when he received the call. He had always believed that he was not lacking in strength and that the only difference was an opportunity. If he could take over this role this time, Lu Yan was confident that he could perform well. This was the opportunity he had to seize, and he it should not be missed.

Lu Yan didn’t tell Fang Meng about this. He didn’t know why, but he subconsciously felt that Fang Meng was unreliable, and something important was hidden from him. He hadn’t counted on Fang Meng, so when Fang Meng asked him to take another bad character yesterday, he was neither angry nor resisted. He didn’t have expectations, so he wouldn’t be disappointed.

The audition went well.

Lu Yan completed the scene specified by the director very well, and then asked him to go back and wait for the notice.

When he walked out of the studio, Lu Yan smiled slightly, feeling relaxed all over his body. He believed that this role wcould be his. During the audition just now, although Director Qi had not spoken, Lu Yan didn’t ignore the appreciation and recognition in his eyes.

In a good mood, Lu Yan didn’t want to go back so quickly. Tomorrow, he would join the crew of that historical drama. Although it was a small character, the timeline was a bit long. A small person like him had no privileges and could only follow the crew all the time. He wouldn’t be able to be leisurely for a while.

Lu Yan walked all the way. When passing by the central square, he accidentally caught a glimpse of two familiar figures sitting in a corner of a remote cafe.

One was his agent Fang Meng, and the other was wearing sunglasses and a hat as a disguise, but that figure, Lu Yan, would not admit wrong, it was his good friend and good brother Xu Yongzhou.

Lu Yan frowned. How could these two people sit together?

An uncomfortable intuition made him helplessly walk in quietly, pick a blind spot in their sight and sit down where he could hear their whispering conversation.

The truth was always so ugly.

Notes

1. Xiao means small/little, use to show closeness. ↩︎
2. Wearing small shoes means using bad ideas behind the scenes to rectify people, or using power to find opportunities to put others in trouble. ↩︎
3. Playing a big name, acting like your someone very important or famous by being arrogant and looking down on others. ↩︎