Chapter 3

The bright lights of the hallway illuminated the tension in the air. Rows of hopeful faces buzzed with nervous energy, their voices a mixture of whispers, murmurs, and frantic recitations. Each person held a dream as fragile as it was powerful. Scripts in hand, they leaned against the walls or paced the floor, rehearsing lines and emoting gestures with exaggerated precision.

A young woman with a neat ponytail clasped her hands together. "Have you seen the director's previous work? It's amazing. I heard they're super strict about acting skills, though."

A tall young man, sporting a slightly wrinkled blazer, adjusted his collar. "Director Chen? Yeah, I heard he has his favorites. No matter how good we are, connections are everything in this industry."

"Who cares about the director? Sure he's big but have you seen the host listed? Ren Jiuxiao! The Ren Jiuxiao!" A female shrieked excitedly causing other females to sigh dreamily. 

A boy shrugged, his fingers nervously drumming against the rolled-up script in his hand. "I heard he's only here for a while. Rumor has it someone big is pulling strings to find new talent."

Further down the line, a small group rehearsed in hushed whispers, their words punctuated by bursts of laughter and quiet exclamations. The rookies cling to each other or their agent for support in the face of potential rejection.

A third voice chimed in, lower and dripping with disdain. "Speaking of favorites, I heard he's auditioning too. Shen Liang. Bet he already has this in the bag."

The murmur spread like wildfire. Heads turned toward the far end of the hall as if the mere mention of the name summoned the devil himself.

A sharp click of leather shoes against the polished tiles silenced the crowd. Conversations died down as a figure strode into view, commanding attention with the sheer force of his presence.

The man was tall and lean, dressed in a sleek black suit that seemed tailored to perfection. His hair was neatly styled, and his sharp features gave him an almost ethereal quality. A pair of sunglasses rested on the bridge of his nose, masking his eyes but doing little to conceal his striking presence.

"Is that—?"

"It's him!" someone whispered.

Shen Liang.

His every step exuded confidence, the kind that came not just from natural charisma but also a quiet arrogance. Dressed in a tailored black suit that fit his slender frame perfectly, his dark eyes scanned the room with the detachment of someone used to being watched. His pale skin contrasted sharply with his midnight hair, which fell in an artful mess just above his brow.

A faint smirk played on his lips as he reached the end of the hallway and chose a seat, deliberately apart from the rest. He crossed his legs, the motion fluid and graceful, as though even sitting was an art form in itself.

The murmurs resumed, now sharper, laden with judgment and jealousy.

"That's Shen Liang, isn't it?"

"Who else would waltz in here like they own the place?"

"I heard he has a terrible attitude. They say he threw a script at a director once because he didn't like the role."

"Well, it's not like he has to care about anything, right? Not when he has a sugar daddy bankrolling his career."

A snicker followed. "I heard it's some rich businessman. No talent, just connections. Typical."

Shen Liang didn't react, but his sharp eyes flickered toward the group closest to him, who had quickly hushed their voices when they noticed his gaze. There was no denying the glint of disdain in his expression before he leaned back, closing his eyes as if their very existence bored him.

A brave soul, a young man with striking features and an overly eager demeanor, decided to approach him. "Hey, Shen Liang, I'm a huge fan of your work! I saw your last drama; your performance was amazing."

Without even opening his eyes, Shen Liang replied, his voice haughty but clipped. "Thanks." raising his head as if wanting to be praised more.

The fan hesitated, clearly expecting more. When none came, he retreated, muttering something under his breath about arrogance.

The whispers grew louder again.

"See what I mean? Total diva."

"He probably doesn't even need to audition. It's just a formality for someone like him."

"Maybe the director Chen has already decided to cast him, no matter how bad his attitude is."

"No, this is Director Chen where talking about. Shen Liang bit more than he can chew on this one. Director Cheng doesn't care about connections or incentives. His known to only take on actual talents"

As the murmurs swirled, Shen Liang's lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile. He thrived in the chaos he left behind, finding it amusing how easily people's opinions could be manipulated with a well-placed smirk or a cold glance. He had long since learned that in this industry, reputation was a double-edged sword. Let them talk. It didn't matter. He was here to win the role, and that was all that mattered.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the hallway, a cluster of younger hopefuls huddled together, clearly intimidated. One of them, a petite girl with wide eyes, whispered to her friend, "I can't believe we're auditioning for the same role as Shen Liang. What's the point? He's so… perfect."

Her friend, a short-haired girl with an annoyed expression, replied, "Perfect? Please. He's just good at putting on a show. There's no one with as much black materials in the internet as that one. Half of his fame is because of scandals. Don't let his looks fool you."

The petite girl glanced back at Shen Liang, her face flushed. "Still… he's kind of mesmerizing, isn't he?"

Another chimed in her eyes darting toward Shen Liang as he settled into a seat near the corner, removing his sunglasses to reveal piercing, arrogant ice-cold eyes. "Yeah, right. They say he's got a big shot funding his career."

"That explains why he gets away with everything," someone else murmured. "But seriously, have you ever worked with him? He's impossible! He threw a tantrum over a broken prop once, and made the whole crew redo the scene."

"But he's talented," another voice countered, softer this time. "No one can deny that."

"Yeah, but talent doesn't give you the right to treat people like dirt."

Before her friend could respond, the heavy double doors at the end of the hallway creaked open, and a staff member stepped out, clipboard in hand. "Next group of five, please!"

The room fell silent as names were called. Each person stood, clutching their scripts like lifelines, and entered the audition room with varying degrees of confidence.

Shen Liang remained seated, his turn still some time away. The silence around him was deafening compared to the lively chatter that filled the rest of the hall. He tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling as if the painted tiles held answers to questions only he could hear.

The sound of hurried footsteps broke his thoughts. A frazzled-looking young woman darted into the hallway, her face flushed and her hair slightly disheveled. She clutched a script to her chest, her breath coming in short gasps.

"Am I late?" she asked the staff member, who gave her a stern look but waved her toward the waiting area.

As she passed Shen Liang, she faltered, her gaze lingering on him for a moment too long. Shen Liang raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable, but she quickly looked away and found a seat among the other hopefuls.

Another wave of whispers rippled through the room.

"Latecomer. That's bold."

"Did you see her looking at Shen Liang? She must be crazy."

Shen Liang smirked, more to himself than anyone else. He enjoyed being the center of attention, even when it came to criticism. It was better to be talked about than forgotten. He held his head high, proudly, arrogantly.

And he wouldn't have it any other way.

Unbeknownst to the group, Xu Yichen observed everything happening in the hall, hand fiddling with a excited cat ball System 1889 that was trying, and failing, to hide it's interest when Shen Liang appeared in the monitor and when the youth stood in front of them; Xu Yichen looked at the System 1889 that looks like it was about to worship the ground he walks on.

"Interesting~" Xu Yichen looks at Shen Liang solely.