Everyone in the Entertainment Industry Thinks I’m a Flirty Diva [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 56

As soon as these words were spoken, the room fell silent.

Ai Wenwen waited at the door for a long time before it finally opened.

Chu Xi cracked the door just enough to poke her head and one hand out, handing the face mask to Ai Wenwen at the door: “Here, take it.”

Ai Wenwen accepted the mask, craning her neck to peer through the gap, her curiosity thoroughly piqued: “What on earth are you hiding in there that’s so scandalous?”

Chu Xi: “The passionate stud with great skills.”

Ai Wenwen: “………………”

“You can’t be serious,” she said skeptically, then immediately tried to push her way in. “Holy shit, let me see!”

Chu Xi shoved Ai Wenwen’s intruding head back: “It’s true, it’s true. The passionate stud has already taken his clothes off, and he’s shy. I’ll let you see next time, okay? Now go back.”

Ai Wenwen kept trying to squeeze in: “What’s there to be shy about? How much for the night?”

Chu Xi: “Two hundred for the whole night, very economical. Now go back and stop looking.”

Gritting her teeth, she finally managed to push Ai Wenwen’s head out and quickly shut the door.

Chu Xi turned around, about to sigh in relief, only to find Gu Mingjing standing right behind her.

“Ah!” Chu Xi jumped in fright, pressing her back against the door. “You scared me to death.”

Gu Mingjing’s expression was both grim and furious, all his emotions culminating in a deeply heartfelt interrogation:

“What do you mean, ‘passionate stud with great skills’?”

“And what’s this about ‘two hundred for the night, very economical’?”

Chu Xi: ……………… Damn it!

She pouted: “Well, you’re the one who wouldn’t hide under the bed.”

Gu Mingjing clenched his teeth: “I’m only worth two hundred?”

Chu Xi knew she was in the wrong: “I’ve never hired one before, how would I know the market rate?”

“How much do you think you’re worth?” she asked, looking up. “I’ll pay you whatever you want.”

Gu Mingjing’s chest tightened, his emotions with no outlet—he couldn’t hit her, couldn’t scold her. In the end, he simply pulled her close by the waist and resumed the kiss that had been interrupted earlier.

Chu Xi didn’t resist much, her small fists resting against his chest as she closed her eyes and responded awkwardly.

Their breaths intertwined, his lips and tongue tracing hers meticulously, leaving no space between them.

They had kissed before, of course, but most of those times had been in bed, which meant Chu Xi’s technique hadn’t improved much. She still couldn’t breathe properly, and after just a short while, she was already lightheaded from lack of oxygen.

By the time Gu Mingjing finally released her, Chu Xi was completely disoriented. She let out a dazed whimper, her legs wobbling as she nearly collapsed.

Gu Mingjing barely managed to catch her.

After the kiss, whether out of shyness or something else, Chu Xi clung to Gu Mingjing’s arm, blinked a few times, then vigorously shook her head to dispel the stars dancing in her vision.

Gu Mingjing’s previously stifled heart finally eased. Gently stroking the side of her head, he asked softly, “What’s wrong?”

It took Chu Xi’s foggy mind a while to clear. She smacked her lips and said, “This is exactly how I felt when I got hit by the pot this afternoon.”

Gu Mingjing’s face darkened again.

“Celebrity Challenge” saw its ratings climb with each episode, and the show grew increasingly popular. While Chu Xi experienced a surge in her own popularity, she also completed her acting classes.

Their acting class concluded with a final performance showcase, where Chu Xi took first place in her cohort.

Even the acting teacher was surprised. Initially, the student she had feared the most upon seeing the class roster—the infamous “black sheep” of forced promotions—ended up giving her the biggest surprise, moving her to tears.

With her rising fame, numerous scripts began landing on Chu Xi’s desk, nearly all offering leading roles. However, after sifting through them with Fu Bai, they found most to be unreliable, some even downright cringe-worthy.

These scripts were clearly banking on her recent popularity. Nowadays, even the worst TV dramas could generate buzz simply by casting a couple of trending actors, relying on online criticism for publicity. Quality was hardly a priority. Meanwhile, the better-quality productions weren’t reaching Chu Xi.

After all, the image of her as the “black sheep” of terrible acting was already deeply ingrained. Her upcoming drama Peach Blossom Promise hadn’t aired yet, and the director’s bold decision to cast her was considered a daring move in the industry. Though reports surfaced during filming about her dedication—like practicing lines in the park every morning—her past performances had left such a scar that, despite lip service to her professionalism, both the public and insiders remained skeptical of her acting skills. Now that she was finally gaining traction, the only offers coming her way were low-quality, gimmicky projects that prioritized her popularity over talent.

Chu Xi and Fu Bai agonized daily over finding the right project. Meanwhile, her loyal “Brick Squad” fans happily shared her stunning photos and compiled hilarious clips of her antics from Star Challenge.

With few new dramas in production, Fu Bai proactively reached out to some well-regarded crews for Chu Xi. She also searched on her own and was taken aback when she stumbled upon an upcoming project with an uncast lead role.

Misty Abyss, an urban suspense-thriller adapted from a popular JJ novel. The female lead, Han Yi, was a police officer.

The story followed Han Yi, a detective, and Bai Shen, a forensic examiner, as they teamed up to solve a series of baffling cases, fighting crime and upholding justice.

Chu Xi’s gaze lingered on the words “police” for a long time, recalling the meticulously ironed police uniform that always hung in her childhood home, along with the silver 99-style police badge her mother had carefully treasured.

If she couldn’t become the person she admired most, then playing that person in a drama would be the next best thing.

Chu Xi sent the project proposal for Misty Abyss to Fu Bai, saying, “I think this one looks promising. Do you think we could try to go for it?”

“Which one?” Fu Bai gasped when he saw the proposal Chu Xi had sent him.

The production company behind this drama was Deep Sea Films, renowned in the industry for its impeccable reputation. Every series they produced was a masterpiece, with none scoring below 7 on Douban. Their casting standards were notoriously strict—there wasn’t a single weak performer in any of their shows.

Misty Abyss was Deep Sea’s flagship project this year, and casting was naturally a top priority. They wouldn’t even consider ordinary idol actors, let alone Chu Xi, whose notoriously bad acting struck fear into everyone’s hearts.

Others might at least get an audition, but Deep Sea probably wouldn’t even grant Chu Xi that chance.

Fu Bai didn’t outright reject her. Instead, he said, “Maybe… we should look at some other options?”

“Mmm.” Chu Xi slumped listlessly onto the table. “Fine.”

Fu Bai sent her a few more scripts.

But Chu Xi didn’t look at any of them. Instead, she spent the entire afternoon in the studio, reading the original novel Misty Abyss on JJ in one sitting.

And that only deepened her obsession with the character Han Yi—an ordinary, grassroots police detective who steadfastly upheld justice, calm and meticulous, tirelessly pursuing one cold case after another. The one who stood up when everyone else fell silent, determined to uncover the truth and seek justice for victims and their families.

Chu Xi thought back to her childhood, watching her father in uniform. Back then, her dream had been to either become a police officer or marry one.

In the past, she’d simply taken whatever roles were handed to her. This was the first time she genuinely wanted to play a character, to truly connect with a role.

Seeing her still so fixated, Fu Bai reluctantly sent her resume to Deep Sea Films—only to receive a rejection email the same day.

Chu Xi had clung to a sliver of hope, but the immediate rejection extinguished the light in her eyes.

Noticing her dejection, Fu Bai cautiously brought up another topic: “So, about Gu Mingjing lately…”

At the mention of Gu Mingjing’s name, Chu Xi stiffened. She hadn’t dared tell Fu Bai that she’d secretly upgraded Gu Mingjing to “underground boyfriend” status. Thinking he’d caught on, she immediately denied everything: “There’s nothing! Absolutely nothing! We can’t stand each other now—our relationship is worse than ever.”

“Last time you were cooking for him, and now you can’t stand each other?” Fu Bai muttered. He had no idea what kind of spell Chu Xi had cast on the CEO to make him agree to deny being the reflection in the spoon, and frankly, he didn’t dare ask.

Relieved that Fu Bai didn’t seem suspicious, Chu Xi drooped her eyelids. “Why are you asking about him?”

Fu Bai: “So… has Gu Mingjing stopped being your fan?”

Ever since the scandal between Chu Xi and Yan Zhun broke out, Gu Mingjing hadn’t publicly shown his support for any celebrity for a long time. He didn’t even buy the magazine featuring Chu Xi last time, so rumors were swirling that Gu Mingjing had stopped being her fan.

Chu Xi avoided eye contact, hesitating, “I… I don’t know. Probably stopped, right?”

“Alright,” Fu Bai sounded somewhat regretful. “What I wanted to say is that Yuanjing Group recently acquired 50% of Deap Sea Film’s shares. Gu Mingjing is now a major shareholder there. If you’re still on good terms with him, you could mention it to him. At the very least, he should be able to get you an audition opportunity.”

Chu Xi: “Huh?”

A tiny flame of hope flickered to life in her heart again.

——

Chu Xi went to Gu Mingjing’s house again and cooked a table full of dishes.

Something sudden must have a reason. Gu Mingjing didn’t immediately pick up his chopsticks but raised an eyebrow instead. “What’s the matter?”

Chu Xi’s face flushed red as she pulled out an envelope from behind her back. “This.”

Gu Mingjing chuckled. “A love letter for me?”

“No!” Chu Xi panicked, afraid he might open it thinking it was a love letter. “I wanted to ask you to pass this along for me.”

“You acquired Deap Sea Film, right? I was hoping you could—no, not you personally. If you hand it over yourself, it definitely won’t work. Could you ask Assistant Gao, or a secretary, or someone else to pass this to the director in charge of Misty Abyss at Deap Sea Film?”

Chu Xi: “I want to audition for a role in Misty Abyss, so I wrote a letter to the director.”

Inside the letter were her insights on the novel Misty Abyss, her analysis of the female lead Han Yi, and how much she adored the character. She sincerely hoped for a chance to audition.

Gu Mingjing held the letter. “If you like it so much, why not just tell me directly?”

If she had just asked him, there would be no need for an audition.

Chu Xi puffed her cheeks. “Didn’t we agree you wouldn’t interfere?” She lowered her head. “I want to try on my own. Just one opportunity is enough. Whether I succeed or not, I’ll accept it. Of course, success would be better, but if I fail, it just means I’m not right for the role.”

“But right now, I don’t even have a chance to audition. So… I want to cheat a little and ask for your help. Is that okay? Please?”

After saying this, she leaned in and quickly kissed the corner of Gu Mingjing’s lips.

Gu Mingjing looked into Chu Xi’s sparkling eyes and nodded. “Alright.”

…

Not long after, Deap Sea Film began casting for its annual blockbuster Misty Abyss. According to insider sources, Chu Xi—whose popularity had skyrocketed recently due to her stunning looks and unbeatable variety show charm—was also on the shortlist for the female lead role.

Upon hearing the gossip, everyone was shocked.

Chu Xi? Auditioning for a drama by Deep Sea Productions?

Is this some kind of joke? Does Deep Sea Productions not care about their reputation?

Even if she’s popular now, at best she can only star in some cheesy idol dramas. But to act in a Deap Sea Film? She’d be ruining their brand!

The onlookers turned their attention to Chu Xi’s fanbase, eagerly asking the big-name fans to confirm whether this was true.

In the “Brick Task Force” fan group, where members usually spent their days happily admiring Chu Xi’s stunning photos and watching clips of her variety show appearances, the news that she was considering acting again came as a shock. They were so startled that they even forgot to fawn over the latest breathtaking photos posted by the fan site admin, frantically spreading the word instead:

“Disaster strikes! Our beloved Xi Bao wants to act again!”