Chapter 50: Audition

Chapter 50: Audition

"What are you looking at? Your task right now is to focus on the script," Song Jia took the phone from her hand and said, "The image I’ve set for you isn’t that of a 'Traffic Flower.'"

The audition for Hua Luo Chang An had selected the female lead in the morning, and the afternoon was reserved for supporting female roles.

Those who made it to the audition were all established actors with solid reputations—some famous, some not. When they saw An Wen, they assumed she had walked into the wrong place.

Everyone knew An Wen—a newcomer who had been trending online lately. Rumors swirled about her having powerful backing. Was she here for a supporting role that had already been prearranged, just going through the motions for appearances?

But then they remembered that the director of this drama was Tang Zhiming, and the thought quickly dissipated.

Yet, their hostility toward An Wen couldn’t be suppressed and spilled out regardless.

After watching a few performances, An Wen couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer talent in this batch. Two actors had already moved the audience to tears, filling the room with a heavy, sorrowful atmosphere.

The crying scene on the city wall, portraying Lin Wanting, was the ultimate test of an actor’s explosive power and skill. Many had chosen this segment for their audition.

When An Wen’s name was called, she rose under the weight of the seniors’ gazes and walked to the center.

Her cherry lips curved slightly, her eyes clear as autumn water as she gazed ahead with a soft, innocent voice: "Cousin, it’s only just spring, yet the peach tree already has buds. You said you’d return soon—does that mean I’ll see you when the peach blossoms bloom?"

A trace of worry flickered, but then a wave of grievance surged forth. Tears welled in her eyes, making her look pitifully touching: "The battlefield is perilous… Must you really go? What if something happens to you there—" She suddenly fell silent, but the tears spilled over like rain upon pear blossoms.

"Promise me… Promise you’ll come back when the flowers bloom. Okay?"

She lowered her eyes as if heartbroken, waiting for her cousin’s reply. But when she lifted them again, it was as if she had become a different person. Those autumn-water eyes now brimmed with cold authority, regal and intimidating—unapproachable. This was no longer Cousin Lin, but Consort Shu.

The emperor’s most beloved, cherished consort.

Every movement exuded elegance and nobility, stripped of youthful naivety. Staring ahead, she said: "You escaped the frontlines, covered in scars, only to be captured and thrown into this prison, awaiting execution. Meanwhile, we live in luxury within the palace, having eliminated external threats—and now, we’re to rid ourselves of you, the thorn in our side. Heaven truly is unfair…"

A faint smile touched her lips. "The peach blossoms are in bloom now. You’ve returned just in time."

Her eyes glinted with cruelty. "After your death, I’ll burn your corpse to ashes and scatter them beneath the peach tree. You’ll be buried with the blossoms."

As if envisioning the scene, an inexplicable sorrow surfaced in her gaze—yet her lips still curved in a smile, one laced with cruelty.

She turned away. By all appearances, she should have been happy, but tears streamed silently from her eyes.

This kind of weeping was far more moving than any dramatic outburst.

By the time her performance ended, those watching around her were wiping their tears. Tang Zhiming looked at her with admiration.

"Go back and wait for the results," Tang Zhiming said.

"Thank you, Director Tang." An Wen wiped her tears and left.

Soon, it was time for Heartbeat Prince to air. The official announcement of An Wen’s involvement immediately sparked widespread discussion online.

Get a sneak peek of the behind-the-scenes footage—An Wen's face-washing clip has made it to Hot Search, attracting a swarm of beauty enthusiasts fawning over their screens.

["A true bare-faced beauty!"

"She looks even better in GIFs than still images."

"Her personality is so soft and cute."

...]