MQSP - Chapter 13
Chapter 13
Lu Qing walked back to the parking lot excitedly, eager to tell Baiye the good news. Just as she was about to open the car door, she saw the girl huddled over, her face buried in her arms, her body trembling slightly as if she were crying.
Lu Qing stopped in her tracks and sighed inwardly. This child… does she only show her vulnerable side when she's alone? Lu Qing had known her for over a year and had never seen her look so dejected.
Lu Qing felt she shouldn't disturb her right now; Baiye certainly wouldn't want her to see this weak side. But she couldn't just leave the girl to cry her heart out alone, especially when things had already taken a turn for the better.
After a moment's thought, Lu Qing turned and walked to a corner where her car was out of sight. Only then did she take out her phone and call Baiye.
The phone rang seven or eight times before the call was answered. Before the other person could speak, Lu Qing said, "Baiye, are you still in the car?"
"Teacher Lu, I'm here," Baiye's voice was quiet, but she sounded much calmer.
"Wait for me a little longer, then. I'll be right back. And I'm bringing you some good news!"
"Good news?"
"Mhm, just wait for me." Lu Qing hung up after saying that. She waited for about ten more minutes before walking back to the parking lot as if nothing had happened.
"Feeling better? If you're still not well, we should go to the hospital." Lu Qing got in the car and turned to look at her. The girl had indeed returned to her usual self, but the slight redness of her eyes was impossible to hide.
"I'm fine, there's no need for that trouble."
"You silly child, how can taking care of your own body be a trouble!"
"I'm really fine now."
"Alright then, I'll take you back to school." Lu Qing started the car. On the way, she deliberately remained silent, waiting for Baiye to ask about the good news. However, the girl seemed to have no interest in the matter at all, not even bothering to ask, which made Lu Qing feel a little awkward.
"By the way, Baiye, didn't you say you wanted to try for the role of An Liang? Why the sudden change of heart?" Lu Qing was very curious.
"Um… I just… wanted to challenge myself…" Baiye turned her head to look out the window. She wasn't very good at lying; whenever she did, the word 'guilty' was practically written on her face.
"But you didn't prepare for An Xi at all. To change your mind so suddenly, you must be very confident."
Baiye gave a bitter smile. She probably wasn't so much confident as she was overestimating her own abilities.
"Well, if they asked you to play the role of An Xi, would you still want to do it?"
"Teacher, please don't joke with me. I know I'm still far from good enough. I'll continue to work hard and study."
"You're not lacking at all. I watched your audition. Your emotions were on point, your feelings were rich, and you handled some of the minor details and actions very well. Have some confidence in yourself. You're not worse than anyone."
"But I was still eliminated."
"That's because of Lin Yuqing!" The moment she mentioned this, Lu Qing was seething.
"What?" Baiye was stunned. Because of Auntie Lin?
Lu Qing controlled her emotions. "Let's not talk about her. Baiye, remember this: you are not worse than anyone! In this industry, things like this are commonplace. Since you've taken this step, you have to be mentally prepared. Sometimes, in this circle, talent isn't everything."
Speaking of this, Lu Qing felt a wave of emotion. She knew all too well what most people in this industry would do for personal gain. Baiye was too pure, too guileless, and not at all calculating. She still thought she didn't get the role because her acting wasn't good enough. How could someone like that survive in this industry? In the future, could she maintain her current innocence without being tainted by it?
Lu Qing was lost in her own thoughts, completely unaware that her careless remark had just set off a tempest in Baiye's heart.
Was it Auntie Lin who didn't want me to play this role?
Auntie Lin doesn't want me to play An Xi, but wants me to play An Liang? Why?
Could it be… that she really doesn't want to be too close to me?
"Baiye? What's wrong? You look so pale. Are you feeling unwell again?"
Baiye shook her head, slowly taking a deep breath to suppress the sour feeling welling up in her heart.
"Tsk, can you even film in this condition?" Lu Qing expressed her concern.
"Film what?" Baiye forced herself to make conversation, not even realizing what she was saying.
"Was I just talking to myself? Your role has been decided. You're playing An Xi!"
"Mhm." Baiye nodded, her mind still elsewhere.
Lu Qing was a bit baffled. She pulled the car over to the side of the road and stared at her for a long time. "Hey, can you show a little bit of the appropriate reaction? Like, happiness? Excitement? Or maybe elation?"
"What? What did you just say?"
Lu Qing deliberately stayed silent, wanting to keep her in suspense. Staring into her eyes, she finally saw a trace of surprise on her face.
"Teacher Lu, could you please say that again?"
"Su Yu just made the final casting decision. You will be playing An Xi. As for An Liang, she'll find someone else."
"What about my senior sister?"
"She withdrew."
"Why?" Baiye looked shocked.
"Hey, can you stop worrying about other people for a second! You got the role you wanted. Aren't you happy?" Lu Qing felt like this kid's train of thought was a bit too convoluted. How could she be thinking about someone else at a time like this?
"I…" Should I be happy?
Getting the role she wanted should be a happy occasion. But if Auntie Lin didn't want her to play it, or didn't want to act as a couple with her at all, then what was there to be happy about?
Lu Qing found her very strange. Unwilling to see her looking so melancholic, she decisively reached out, placed her hands on Baiye's cheeks, and pushed the corners of her mouth upwards. "Smile a little. Show some energy. You're a young person, after all."
Baiye froze for a moment, then shifted back, avoiding her hands.
Lu Qing also froze. This was the second time she had unconsciously reached out to touch Baiye. She didn't know why. She wasn't usually a touchy-feely person, but with this little one, she couldn't help but want to show her concern.
"Uh, right, your family is in this city, right? Your exams are over, why haven't you gone home yet?" Lu Qing awkwardly retracted her hand, running it through her own hair as she changed the subject.
However, this topic inadvertently poked at another of Baiye's worries. "Um… in a couple of days, maybe…" She didn't know how to face Auntie Lin right now. More than that, she was terrified of seeing disappointment, or even disgust, in Auntie Lin's eyes.
"Why?"
Baiye shook her head. "It's nothing. Um… my roommate is in the dorm by herself, so I'll keep her company for a couple of days."
"Oh." Lu Qing nodded and said no more, focusing on driving.
A phone rang, breaking the silence in the car. Baiye took out her phone and saw it was a call from her auntie. She hastily hung up and shot Lu Qing a furtive, guilty glance. Seeing no reaction from her, she picked up her phone again and secretly sent Xia Xiaozi a text message.
Ding-dong. Before Baiye could even send her message, one arrived from Xia Xiaozi.
【Xia: Are your exams over? When does your break start? I'll come pick you up.】
Baiye nervously picked at her fingers. After some thought, she replied, 【There's no need. I'll go back by myself in a couple of days.】
Just as she sent the message, her phone rang again.
"You're quite the busy person," Lu Qing chuckled.
Baiye gave an awkward smile. She glanced at her phone; it was Su Yu. Connecting this to what Lu Qing had just said, she quickly answered.
"Hello, Director Su."
"Hello, hello, Baiye. I'll get straight to the point. The role of An Xi, do you still want to play it?"
Lu Qing, sitting beside her, heard everything clearly. She even snuck a peek at Baiye's expression, but it remained largely unchanged. How boring!
"I… can I think about it?" Unexpectedly, she didn't agree right away. This surprised not only Su Yu, but Lu Qing as well.
"Um, Baiye, if you're bothered by the role change earlier, I apologize. I…"
"Director Su, it's not because of that. It's my own issue."
"If you're not confident in your acting, that's even less of a problem. It's enough that I'm confident in your acting!"
"Thank you for your trust. Could you let me think about it for a bit longer?"
"Um… alright. But please get back to me as soon as you can."
"Okay, thank you." After hanging up, Baiye was once again caught in a dilemma. To act, or not to act?
Lu Qing could sense that something was on her mind, but since Baiye refused to say anything, she couldn't help even if she wanted to.
Back at school, Baiye thanked Lu Qing and walked toward her dorm, her mind heavy with worries.
Standing at the door, she looked at the closed door and subconsciously reached into her pocket, only to remember that she had given her key to her roommate that morning. She knocked, but there was no answer from inside. She quickly took out her phone to call her roommate, only to find out that the girl had already gone home!
Baiye stood at the dorm entrance for a long time before it dawned on her that she was locked out. And all her roommates had gone home. Didn't that mean she had nowhere to stay tonight? Not just tonight, she had nowhere to go right now…
Go back to Auntie Lin's place? She didn't dare.
But if she didn't go back, it seemed there was nowhere else to go. Go back to Yu Yang? It was too late to buy a ticket now…
Lost in her own turmoil, she wandered around the school's athletic field for a long time. Finally, Baiye steeled herself. What's coming will come; there's no escaping it. Could she really avoid seeing Auntie Lin for the rest of her life over this?
With that thought, Baiye finally made up her mind to go home.
Meanwhile, Lin Yuqing was also preoccupied and couldn't continue filming, so she wrapped up work early.
In the car, Xia Xiaozi was on edge. Lu Qing's thoughtless words today had basically lit the fuse. There was no telling when her boss might explode. She had originally thought about having Baiye come back, hoping that her boss might restrain herself a little for the girl's sake. But now, she was left all alone to face a ticking time bomb!
"Is Xiao Ye on break yet?" Lin Yuqing suddenly asked. Her tone was flat, betraying no emotion.
"Ah, probably not yet. She said she'd be back in a couple of days."
Xia Xiaozi hesitated for a long time. "Um… Qing Jie, since it's already a done deal, can you not be angry with Xiao Ye? She really wants to act, so just let her…"
"She's so young, and you want to let her into such a chaotic industry? She doesn't know any better, but don't you?"
Xia Xiaozi shrank back, not daring to breathe another word as she focused on driving quietly.
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