A new skill!
Zhao Jun immediately opened her system interface. A newly activated skill had appeared:
Character Biography Writing — enhances your understanding of a role.
Even Zhao Jun, a complete outsider with no formal acting knowledge, could identify the key turning point of that scene. Naturally, the actors present hadn't missed it either.
The fourth auditioning actor was Liu Mingcheng.
He had absorbed the earlier performances and added his own nuance. At the moment where something was supposedly thrown at him, he instinctively flinched — but then visibly restrained himself, as if suppressing the urge to dodge through sheer rational control.
Perhaps Zhao Jun was biased because he was her father.
Or maybe Liu Mingcheng simply had that upright, stubborn look that suited the role.
Either way, Zhao Jun felt he had performed the best so far.
She turned to glance at Director Pan in the baseball cap.
He placed a checkmark next to #4.
The next role being auditioned was the midwife.
The lines were similar: first urging, "Your Highness, push!" and then announcing the good news, "It's born! A little princess!"
To Zhao Jun, most of their performances looked similar. The main difference was in how they mimed holding the newborn.
Most of the cradling gestures were scientifically questionable.
Just like how Xiao Zhang had been holding her.
However, Zhao Jun noticed something odd in the script logic.
If a baby had just been born, would the midwife immediately carry it out for everyone to see?
When she herself was born, she had been carried out of the operating room and passed around among family members. But in ancient times, medical conditions couldn't have been that advanced.
Definitely not a serious historical drama.
There were significantly more actresses auditioning than actors. Since both the midwife and palace maid roles could be altered with makeup, many actresses auditioned for both roles in one go.
After this round ended, most remained seated.
When Actress #8 delivered the "It's born!" line without miming holding a baby at all, several others visibly showed regret on their faces.
They had realized the detail too late.
Zhao Jun felt she could see everything clearly — the subtle micro-expressions, the tiny shifts in posture.
Was it because she was positioned near the director, like a proctor at an exam hall, giving her a vantage advantage?
Or were babies naturally more sensitive to emotional changes?
Or…
Did she truly have talent in this area?
The system wouldn't have chosen her without reason.
Perhaps in her previous life, she really had dreamed of becoming an actor — and failed.
Maybe this was her second chance.
So many people wanted to enter this industry. In this room alone, it was easily ninety percent of those present.
If the system had selected her out of countless others…
She hoped it meant she had real talent.
The auditions continued.
Suddenly, Zhao Jun felt Xiao Zhang's hands clamp under her armpits and lift her into the air.
It was still cold outside. Zhao Jun wore thick layers, so she didn't feel pain. She wasn't the Princess and the Pea.
But being suspended like that was uncomfortable.
An ordinary baby might have burst into tears.
Zhao Jun was not an ordinary baby.
Whatever Xiao Zhang's intention was, she decided she needed to retaliate.
She activated her three-months-trained kicking skill and thrust backward hard.
Babies actually had considerable strength. Even slender women often struggled to restrain a squirming infant.
Zhao Jun didn't use her full force — not enough to truly injure him — but it was enough to make his stomach seize in pain.
He nearly jumped.
For a split second, Zhao Jun was almost thrown upward.
Fortunately, Zhao Shumin stood nearby. She lunged forward and caught Zhao Jun before she could fall.
Xiao Zhang, who had been sitting cross-legged on a chair, tipped backward entirely, knocking over the table as well.
On that table sat Director Pan's thermos.
He had just taken a sip and found the water too hot, so he had loosened the lid to let it cool.
The thermos crashed to the floor with a loud clang.
Hot water splashed out.
Xiao Zhang yelped again as it scalded him.
The actor currently auditioning was startled and forgot his lines.
"What are you doing? Why all the fuss?" Director Pan stood up, initially irritated.
But Xiao Zhang had been burned — by water from his own thermos — so he couldn't very well scold too harshly.
"Be more careful next time. Xiao Zhang, go back. Get checked at a hospital and see if you need ointment. Take a few days off."
Immediately, Xiao Zhang protested, "Director Pan, I don't need leave! I can still work!"
"Do I look unreasonable?" Director Pan forced a smile. "You nearly got injured. Of course you need rest.
"Anything going on at home lately? You've seemed distracted these past few days. Take a break. Better than causing another accident."
"I'm fine, Director Pan! I'll focus!"
Director Pan's smile faded.
"If it's not family issues, then are you clashing with our production? That's even worse. The female lead's from Hong Kong — she's superstitious about that kind of thing.
"Anyway, we're just casting extras right now. Not busy. Come back when things get hectic."
Director Pan was the casting director.
Xiao Zhang worked under him.
If he only returned after casting wrapped up — there'd be nothing left for him to do.
Xiao Zhang tried to argue further, but another assistant had already swiftly called in cleaning staff to mop up the water and tea leaves. Even Xiao Zhang's chair was removed.
He wasn't stupid. He saw the displeasure.
He left in embarrassment.
After sending Xiao Zhang away, Director Pan looked at Zhao Shumin with faint guilt.
After all, he had been the one to order his assistant to hold the baby.
"Such a brave kid," he said awkwardly. "Didn't even cry. Let's confirm her role."
Zhao Shumin was still upset.
"That was far too careless! What if she had fallen?"
She wasn't naïve. It was obvious Xiao Zhang had ulterior motives.
She felt both dissatisfied that Director Pan had chosen such a person to hold her child — and regretful for agreeing to let someone else hold her daughter.
If her reaction had been even a second slower…
Zhao Jun could have fallen.
"I'm sorry, Teacher Zhao." Another assistant offered tea and placated her, guiding her to sit with Zhao Jun on a sofa against the wall.
Zhao Jun panicked slightly.
She had worked so hard acting obedient all this time — what if her mother rejected the role in anger?
She immediately broke into cheerful giggles, showing no fear whatsoever.
Seeing her daughter's innocent smile, Zhao Shumin's anger softened.
"You're still laughing? You almost didn't get to laugh at all!" she scolded lightly, tapping Zhao Jun's nose.
Zhao Jun blinked innocently, giggled again, and reached for her mother's finger.
[Feigning innocence. +5 Acting XP]
Feigning innocence?!
How was that feigning innocence?!
She was genuinely adorable!
How could the system describe such a cute baby with such malicious wording?
Zhao Jun let out a few soft baby noises, which her mother interpreted as apologetic cooing.
After a while, Sister Li came over.
"It's settled. Role secured. Contract tomorrow."
"Good that it's settled," Zhao Shumin said. "But that assistant was really careless."
She wasn't surprised by the result. Even without the incident, she had already passed the audition.
And the production would naturally want to smooth things over.
Sister Li was a mid-tier agent — not powerful enough to fight for major roles, but small roles wouldn't be snatched after passing auditions.
Lowering her head as if checking on Zhao Jun, Sister Li whispered, "I'll tell you later."
Zhao Shumin understood instantly.
They thanked Director Pan during a break and left together, heading to a nearby restaurant to wait for Liu Mingcheng.
The restaurant wasn't busy yet. Most tables around them were empty.
Sister Li glanced around cautiously before leaning in.
"I found out about that Xiao Zhang. He did it on purpose."
Since her daughter was unharmed, Zhao Shumin's anger had mostly faded. Now her curiosity ignited.
"Why?"
Sister Li loved an attentive listener.
She didn't drag it out.
"That Xiao Zhang is related to a casting head — same surname. I think he's Zhang Qiang's nephew or something.
"They were trying to push one of their own actors. They tampered with some of the audition script sheets in the waiting room. A few actresses got the wrong version for the midwife scene — theirs said to carry the baby out.
"So a bunch of people performed it wrong.
"The smarter ones realized something was off when they saw others not holding a baby and adjusted mid-performance.
"But there were probably specific actors Xiao Zhang wanted to sabotage — so he caused that little 'accident' to interrupt their auditions.
"The actors who got the wrong script have already told their own casting heads. They're arguing in the group chat right now.
"Honestly, pulling tricks is one thing — but he nearly caused your baby to fall."
Zhao Shumin frowned.
"I didn't expect that. He seemed honest at first glance."
She knew of Zhang Qiang.
His reputation wasn't good. Rumors said he lured newcomers to drinking parties. Not outright illegal — or he'd have been arrested — but harassment and inappropriate behavior weren't uncommon.
She had kept her distance from him.
Sister Li nodded.
"Exactly. Normally, we agents compete after actors pass auditions — that's where networking and maneuvering come in.
"But sabotaging auditions directly? That's low.
"If you want to fight for roles, fight for roles. Don't use crooked methods. That's bad character.
"I always say — be decent people.
"Look at him now. Backfired. Directors hate trouble. Xiao Zhang's getting replaced.
"And Director Pan asked me to apologize again — about nearly hurting the baby."