Chapter 21 - Treat Her With All Due Respect

“Do you mean that President Pei has taken a fancy to a certain actress who is here for the audition? He only came because he knew that she would be here?” Jiang Yiming looked astounded.

“What else could it be? Do you think there could be another reason?” Feng Anhua chuckled.

“This…” Jiang Yiming felt awkward.

Based on what he knew, there was only one actress that day who had used connections to secure an audition.

Her name seemed to be He Shanshan.

Jiang Yiming wasn’t sure what kind of connections she had. He merely knew that a top management employee had called them and arranged for He Shanshan to come for an audition that day. He had implored them to take care of her and be nice to her.

“Could it be He Shanshan?” Jiang Yiming pondered, looking pensive.

Feng Anhua smiled feebly. “I saw that actress’ resume. She is merely a student at the Capital City Drama and Theater School and she doesn’t have any previous work portfolio. How could she have managed to qualify for the audition without President Pei’s connection? I reckon that… her relationship with President Pei is unusual. Even President Pei came personally today.”

“It can’t be true. No one has seen President Pei with a woman during all these years. Furthermore, President Pei is a man of a prominent status. How could he possibly put so much effort for a mere actress…” Jiang Yiming looked bewildered.

“Old Jiang, President Pei is still a man.” Feng Anhua sniggered.

“What should we do then?” Jiang Yiming was conflicted.

“What else can we do? Follow the normal procedure and simply pick He Shanshan for the role. No matter what your principles are, they surely aren’t more important than respecting President Pei, right? Remember, we have to treat He Shanshan with all due respect on account of President Pei,” replied Feng Anhua.

…

A while later, the crew was ready for the auditions to begin.

The actresses were waiting nervously outside the room for the audition.

Soon, the actresses entered the room one by one when their numbers were called.

Lin Yan didn’t plan on lingering. Thus, she turned around and got ready to leave.

At that moment, a staff member sprinted out of the room.

“Number 33! Where is number 33?”

The staff member caught a glimpse of the number on Lin Yan’s chest and rushed over to her. “What is wrong with you? Why didn’t you respond when I called for you? Aren’t you going in?”

Lin Yan realized that the staff member was mistaken. “I… I am not…”

The number on her chest had been left there from the other audition with the trashy plot.

“Hurry up! If there are any slip-ups today, I will lose my job!”

Lin Yan looked around in a daze as the staff member dragged her into the room without giving her the chance to refuse.

“The director is coming. Be quiet!”

He had just finished talking when the producer, director, assistant director, and scriptwriter ambled out one after another.

Lin Yan had to clam up.

Jiang Yiming’s eyes scanned the room quickly before he spoke. “Where is number 29?”

“She is not here yet…” a staff member mumbled.

“What?” Jiang Yiming looked livid.

Every staff member knew very well that Jiang Yiming hated celebrities who were late.

Feng Anhua whispered in Jiang Yiming’s ear when he sensed his anger. “Old Jiang, number 29 is He Shanshan.’

Jiang Yiming swallowed his anger when he heard that. “Let’s wait for a while then.”

“Wait?”

Everyone was startled to hear that. Anyone who was auditioning for Jiang Yiming’s movie would be eliminated right away if he or she were late. Why was he waiting for this woman?