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"If you no longer love me, then please let me leave quietly."
"This is my only wish."
"I..."
On the stage of the Little Li Hall, a young man and woman were performing a scene of obsessive parting love. Their expressions of helplessness, sorrow, pain, and melancholy shifted across their faces, subtly tugging at the audience's heartstrings.
Although their acting was still somewhat raw, with slightly over-theatrical lines and stiff movements, for first-year students at Beijing Film Academy, their performance was undeniably commendable.
Lu Chen watched intently, memories flooding his mind.
These memories belonged to Mo Ran.
In Lu Chen's recollections, Mo Ran had also experienced such youthful days, though on stage, he was always cast in supporting roles, silently watching the girl he admired fall for the class's most handsome boy.
He felt no jealousy, held no resentment, and never actively pursued anything; his emotions were buried deep within.
Among the three protagonists of Lu Chen's dream world, Mo Ran's presence was the faintest. His life, compared to Xu Bo and Fang Mingyi, lacked excitement and richness. Often, he was alone, reading, browsing the internet, acting, all in solitude.
He never truly became the protagonist, neither in film nor in life.
Yet the things Mo Ran left with Lu Chen were far more meaningful than anything Xu Bo and Fang Mingyi had combined.
Sometimes, Lu Chen thought that if he were to choose a mentor among the three, it would unquestionably be Mo Ran.
"This girl is Fan Ying, and the boy is Lu Haoyu. Both are top performers from the Class of 2014 in the Acting Department," said Teacher Zhang, sitting beside him. He assumed Lu Chen had already picked out these students, so he gave a more detailed introduction.
Teacher Zhang was a smooth and perceptive man, likely why the Academy assigned him to host visiting guests. He clearly knew who the real decision-maker was.
Moreover, he knew the students in the performance class like the back of his hand, able to identify each one by name.
Lu Chen snapped back to the present, smiled, and nodded.
Fan Ying and Lu Haoyu were both impressive. Fan Ying, especially, with her bright eyes and delicate features, perfectly suited one of the roles still pending casting in his new drama.
But Lu Chen didn't rush to decide, what if an even better choice appeared?
Capital City was a hub of culture, with Beijing Film Academy, Beijing Opera Academy, and Zhong Chuan Media dominating, along with numerous other film-related academies and training institutions. Finding actors was hardly difficult.
The two students on stage finished their performance. The instructor in the front row stood and announced, "Alright, let's take a ten-minute break before continuing class."
Lu Chen turned to Fang Hui, sitting to his left: "Fang Hui-jie, do you have anyone in mind?"
Fang Hui was far more meticulous, notebook in hand, taking detailed notes.
Without hesitation, she replied, "Fan Ying is good, I think she'd suit Chen Xiaona perfectly. There's also Zhu Zheqin."
For Full House, Lu Chen's new drama, two major roles were still uncast. This visit to Beijing Film Academy was meant to scout talent and secure suitable actors immediately.
Fang Hui had read the script beforehand, so her suggestions were highly professional and aligned well with Lu Chen's vision.
This was the advantage of having collaborated before. Some directors are stubborn and refuse any input, but Fang Hui completely respected Lu Chen's decisions and trusted his judgment.
This trust also explained why, even after Lu Chen firmly rejected the contract demands of Fang Hui's former agent, he never abandoned the idea of working with her and even allowed a bit of news to circulate strategically.
Fang Hui's desire for directorial authority was modest; their cooperation on set had always been smooth and pleasant.
"Fan Ying can be a backup for now," Lu Chen said softly. "You'll oversee these roles. The project starts next week."
Fang Hui nodded in agreement. Lu Chen equally respected her authority as the director.
This was crucial: in any film crew, if the director lacks authority, the production cannot be properly managed, and a truly good drama is unlikely to emerge.
Fang Hui smiled: "Alright. Let's see a few more, or maybe we can visit Zhong Chuan Media tomorrow?"
Fang Hui graduated from Zhong Chuan Media's directing program. If suitable candidates were available there, she'd be happy to recruit a few newcomers from her alma mater.
Lu Chen laughed: "Tomorrow's out of the question, I'll be out of town. We'll discuss it when I return."
Fang Hui responded with a simple, "Mm."
For a celebrity like Lu Chen, traveling for endorsements or commercial appearances was routine, so she wasn't concerned.
"Hello, Teacher Lu Chen!"
At that moment, a group of girls approached. The one in the center blushed, her sparkling eyes full of excitement, and asked, "Could we take a photo with you?"
Lu Chen paused briefly, then smiled: "Of course, no problem."
The bold girl was none other than Fan Ying, who had just performed on stage, someone both Lu Chen and Fang Hui were particularly impressed by.
"Great!"
The girls chirped and giggled, crowding around Lu Chen.
Teacher Zhang and Fang Hui laughed softly and stepped aside, giving them room to take photos with him.
They knew that first-year students still had a fresh excitement for celebrity idols. By the time they were third- or fourth-year students, having seen so much, they wouldn't fawn over stars like this anymore.
kacha! kacha!
One by one, the girls took selfies with Lu Chen on their phones and politely thanked him afterward.
These students from Beijing Film Academy, already among the best of the best, naturally had good manners and poise.
"Fan Ying."
Just as they were about to leave, Lu Chen called out to the girl named Fan Ying.
Startled, she turned around: "Huh?"
Lu Chen asked, "Would you be interested in trying out for a role in my new drama?"
Originally, Lu Chen had placed her on the backup list. But after this brief interaction, he found Fan Ying's personality pleasant and natural, her manner unrestrained yet polite, so he extended the invitation directly.
"Ah!"
Fan Ying's eyes widened in surprise.
Of course she knew that Lu Chen and the others, accompanied by the Academy staff, were here for a reason, and it certainly wasn't to audit classes.
Directors and producers visiting Beijing Film Academy to scout actors wasn't unusual. But typically, they selected senior students, because compared to freshmen, older students had more experience and more free time outside of class.
Fan Ying recognized Lu Chen, had listened to his songs, and watched Autumn in My Heart, making her something of a fan. That's why she had pulled her classmates over for a photo.
She never expected that Lu Chen would offer her a casting opportunity.
This was Lu Chen, the creator and lead of Autumn in My Heart. Everyone knew how popular that TV drama had been. His new series would undoubtedly be one of the hottest dramas of the year!
Fan Ying felt like a fortune had fallen from the sky. Her head was spinning.
The surrounding girls couldn't hide their envy, and even a hint of jealousy. "Little Yingying is going to be famous!"
The Little Li Hall fell silent. Other students in the acting class overheard everything. Though such things weren't uncommon at the Academy, witnessing it firsthand still felt surreal.
After a moment of daze, Fan Ying finally reacted, hesitantly asking, "I-I can really do it?"
Lu Chen smiled: "Of course. You'll only know after the audition. Sister Li?"
He nodded at Sister Li, who understood immediately. She stood and handed Fan Ying her business card: "Contact me tomorrow."
Dazed, Fan Ying accepted the card and instinctively said, "Thank you!"
The next moment, she held the card tightly, as if grasping her life and future happiness in her hands.
Lu Chen and Sister Li exchanged a smile. Lu Chen said, "Let's go."
Sister Li and Fang Hui had no objections. They had seen enough for the day, and even selecting one promising candidate made the visit worthwhile.
If necessary, they could check the Class of 2012 or 2013 tomorrow, or visit Beijing Opera Academy or Zhong Chuan Media.
After Teacher Zhang led Lu Chen and the others out of Little Li Hall, several girls immediately surrounded Fan Ying.
"Ah, Little Yingying, you're going to be famous!"
"Yes! When you're popular, don't forget us, okay?"
"Lu Chen's new drama! I wonder what kind of role you'll get?"
"Heroine?"
"No way, that's Chen Fei'er's role."
"Treat us to dinner!"
Fan Ying was overwhelmed by their chatter and weakly said, "I don't even know if I'll pass the audition yet."
But she knew one thing clearly: this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
(End Of This Chapter)