Mr. Lu Was Devastated After I Left - Chapter 7

Listening to the sounds from the kitchen, Mu Yuan’s lips curled upward. Whether it is your man or your status, eventually, everything will belong to me. You owe me this for the rest of your life, Xu Zhuoyang.

As Mu Yuan stewed in his resentment, Lu Beiye returned with the bowl of porridge, prepared with unwashed rice. He placed it aside, scooped up a spoonful, and blew on it. “Little Mu, taste this and tell me if it is good.”

Mu Yuan’s smile stiffened. “Brother Lu, I prefer my current name.”

After his parents divorced, he had followed his mother. She harbored a deep hatred for his father and refused to let him use his father’s surname, changing it to her own, Mu. He had spent over a decade living in poverty with that name. After his mother passed away and his father took him back, he resumed the surname Yuan, which led to a life of luxury. He detested being called by that other name.

“Then I will not call you that again.” Lu Beiye watched him with doting eyes, patiently feeding him one spoonful at a time. “Your health is too poor. I worry you will not survive filming. Why do you not rest for a while? Once you recover, we can find a new production for you.”

Mu Yuan shook his head. “No. Even if I do not feel well, I must persist. My dream is to become someone like Xu Zhuoyang. I want to be a Best Actor too.”

At the mention of that name, Lu Beiye felt a pang of guilt. “You are in poor health; I worry you will collapse. Unlike Xu Zhuoyang, who has the stamina of an ox.” Lu Beiye gripped his hand firmly. “If you want to be Best Actor, I will spend whatever it takes to pave the path for you.”

“Brother Lu.”

Back at home, Xu Zhuoyang lay on the bed, holding the car keys Lu Beiye had left behind. His gaze was identical to that of Shan Wu, the character he was portraying in Shadow.

He tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Why were the keys here? Even driving from home to the company took thirty minutes; surely he did not run there in this freezing weather? Could Assistant Yan have come to pick him up? Was he in such a rush to go downstairs that the assistant was already waiting?

That man was acting so strange lately.

He held the keys up to inspect them closely, then tossed them aside in frustration.

To hell with it. I do not care anymore. I have an audition in two days; I cannot let these trivial matters affect my performance.

A few days passed in a blur. Xu Zhuoyang poured his heart and soul into his preparations, standing in front of the mirror for hours on end, practicing until even his cooking felt deadly serious, as if the kitchen were a bloodstained crime scene instead of a place to make dinner.

On the day of the audition, he saw many familiar faces, friends and foes alike. One man stared at him with green eyed envy, looking as if he wanted to tear him to pieces. Xu Zhuoyang gave him a dismissive glance, ignored him entirely, and sat calmly beside his friend, Xiang Liang.

Director Li Sheng looked around. “Is everyone here?”

A young man ran over, panting. “Sorry, Director, I am late.”

Li Sheng was impatient; he despised a lack of punctuality. Just as he was about to scold him, he froze the moment the boy looked up. “Xu Zhuoyang?” He then shook his head. “No, that is not right.”

Xu Zhuoyang was sitting right there. This could not be Xu Zhuoyang, yet the face was exactly the same. Li Sheng had seen countless people over the years and could instantly tell the difference between natural beauty and plastic surgery. The face in front of him had never been touched.

“Hello, Director. My name is Mu Yuan. There was a traffic jam on the way here. I am very sorry.” Mu Yuan bowed, his sincerity making it impossible to stay angry.

Li Sheng suppressed his internal excitement and coughed to maintain his composure. “It is fine. Do not let it happen again. Go sit over there while I explain the rules.”

He kept glancing back and forth between Mu Yuan and Xu Zhuoyang, his mouth twitching uncontrollably. Setting everything else aside, these two faces were perfect for his vision. He just had to see how they would perform. If they were lacking, he would have to grit his teeth and settle for less.

“We will pair up for the scenes. I will assign the groups at random.” He looked around, intending to pair Xu Zhuoyang with someone else, but he changed his mind.

The first group was nervous, breathing heavily, but the moment Li Sheng shouted “Action,” their auras transformed completely.

Li Sheng drew names to determine the order. As group after group took the stage, their performances were impressive, displaying bursts of rage or quiet restraint. Yet, Li Sheng felt something was always missing. He exchanged glances with the screenwriter, both seeing disappointment in each other’s eyes.

Li Sheng sighed and randomly pulled a slip from the box. The two names written on it lit up his eyes. “Group Seven: Xu Zhuoyang, Mu Yuan.”

The two stood up together. Xu Zhuoyang stood expressionless opposite Mu Yuan, his eyes locked onto him.

Having watched the previous groups, he realized that their performances had all been based on lines, emotions, or basic character settings.

He finally understood how he could stand out from the crowd.