Lu Jiaxin watched the video in silence.
The tablet rested against the edge of the dressing table, paused just a second before the audition began. Soft light from the vanity lamps reflected faintly on the screen, catching in her eyes as she leaned forward, attentive in a way that had nothing to do with courtesy or obligation.
She had missed the casting audition that day because of a magazine shoot that could not be postponed. Contracts had been signed weeks in advance, schedules locked into place with ruthless precision. Even an actress returning to the industry did not have the luxury of rearranging everything at will. Even now, the faint scent of perfume and the sterile brightness of studio lights seemed to cling to her skin, a lingering reminder of the world she had stepped back into and the expectations that followed her wherever she went.
Still, when Wen Shaoheng sent her the video with a brief message telling her she should watch this one, she had opened it immediately.
