Turns out I Was the CEO's White Moonlight [Rebirth] - Chapter 3

Perhaps noticing Shen Yelin’s gaze, the handsome young man immediately retracted his razor-sharp stare and replaced it with a gentle, harmless expression. Amidst the intermittent gasps from the crowd, he walked over composedly and offered Shen Yelin a faint, somewhat shy smile.

“Senior, it has been a long time,” he said cautiously. “I was busy filming yesterday and truly could not find the time to attend the banquet. It is rare for you to invite me, yet I failed to show up. I am truly sorry.”

Shen Xuan clung tightly to Shen Yelin’s arm, gazing wide-eyed at this man who was her personal idol. Xie Yun’s gaze shifted, and in an instant, it transformed back into a sharp blade capable of stripping flesh from bone.

Shen Yelin’s brow twitched imperceptibly. He felt that if Shen Xuan were a live animal waiting for slaughter at this moment, she would likely be carved down to a bloody skeleton by Xie Yun. It just so happened that this silly girl was his own family, and it was not convenient to explain things in public. He quietly moved to shield Shen Xuan slightly, gave a small nod, and said, “It is fine. Just take care of your health.”

Xie Yun’s expression changed slightly. His delicate brows furrowed as his scrutinizing gaze swept back and forth between the two of them. In the past, Shen Yelin would have assumed this junior was simply curious about Shen Xuan’s identity. However, now that he had been granted a “God’s perspective” by the System, which informed him that the other had long harbored a secret crush on him, it was clearly nothing but raw jealousy.

“And this is?” Xie Yun smiled at Shen Xuan. “Is she a fellow junior from our university?”

Standing by the side, the System, which was eager to see the world burn, gossiped, “Tsk tsk, Host, this junior of yours is quite calculating. By using ‘our’ and ‘junior,’ he is terrified you will tell him she is your new girlfriend, which would force him to let go. This is clever, truly clever!”

Unfortunately, Shen Xuan remained her ditzy self, despite having a face that looked sharp and calculating. “Oh, no. I am not from B University. You are Xie Yun, right? It is a pleasure to meet you. You look just like you do on the posters; you are very handsome.”

Xie Yun smiled and shook her hand. However, no matter how one looked at it, that smile was merely a professional facade.

Even the densest fool could smell the gunpowder in the air. Moreover, Shen Yelin was no fool. On the contrary, he was highly intelligent, having been protected and doted on by teachers since childhood. He understood the mounting tension with a single glance. He felt the faint throbbing of a hangover starting in his head again.

The System encouraged him from the sidelines, saying, “Host, I have detected the romantic values around you are skyrocketing! Please keep it up and hang in there!”

Shen Yelin thought the word “Shut up” in his mind. He glanced inside the room and saw that basically everyone who was supposed to be there was seated. They were only waiting for him, the largest investor, to enter before starting. He said to Xie Yun, “Let us not discuss this for now. Let us head in, as there are quite a few roles to be decided today.”

Xie Yun’s smile faltered for a moment before he withdrew his hand and feigned composure. He looked up at Shen Yelin, who seemed entirely oblivious to his feelings. A sense of resentment bubbled up from his heart, gradually growing into a thicket of poisonous thorns that pierced his heart with bloody pain. He smiled again, nodded gently, and said to Shen Yelin, “Alright.”

As the three of them walked in one after another, they immediately drew the attention of everyone in the room. Regarding this newly appointed CEO of Yaoyu Entertainment, many had heard his name but had never seen his face. Most of the internal information praised this young Mr. Shen for his transcendent beauty, though he was noted to be cold and unapproachable. Despite being a second-generation heir from a prestigious family, he had not picked up any of the typical vices of a playboy. In short, it was mostly glowing praise.

Originally, people thought these descriptions were exaggerated. But seeing him in person today, they realized the reports had not exaggerated at all. He had broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs. On a face that kept people at a distance, there sat a pair of “peach blossom” eyes with upturned corners. If not for the cold line of his pressed lips, he would look as if he were reeling in everyone’s soul. Yet, his collar was neatly and conservatively fastened with a tie, and he wore a well-tailored suit, radiating an aura of extreme abstinence.

Even standing next to Xie Yun, who was frequently praised for his top-tier visuals, Shen Yelin did not lose a shred of his brilliance. On the spot, a few young girls who had not seen much of the world surrendered. One gaped and whispered, “How can your Mr. Shen be this good-looking?”

“He has to be!” a Yaoyu employee beside her said ruefully. “Otherwise, why would we secretly say that the ‘Number One Face’ of Yaoyu is the new boss? Did you really think we were just blowing smoke for our salaries?”

The girl nodded in deep agreement.

Xie Yun took in those gazes of surprise and admiration. His face remained warm and gentle. He shifted his sight, catching a glimpse of Shen Yelin pulling out a chair for the woman he brought along. When Shen Yelin sat down beside her without hesitation, Xie Yun’s smile turned cold. He secretly clenched his fists, his palms stinging from the pressure.

As soon as Shen Yelin sat down, all the probing gazes in the room converged on him. He casually flipped through the script on the table and said to the others, “Just follow your usual process. Do not mind me; I am just here to observe.”

This was the truth. If it were not for the prior appointment with Xie Yun that was hard to decline, he would not have the patience to bother with the television casting. Besides, as a layman, he did not understand the intricacies of acting. He could only offer a meager “good” or “bad” evaluation, which was a waste of time.

Seeing how easygoing he was being, the people around them sighed in relief, and the atmosphere lightened. Since the largest investor had made it clear he would not interfere with the casting, the directors’ visions faced no obstacles, which was naturally cause for celebration. They quickly began the audition process, calling people in by their number cards to perform scenes from the distributed scripts.

Under normal circumstances, the ones with the most authority in this audition should have been the director and Xie Yun. With the CEO of Yaoyu, the biggest investor, clearly not intending to manage things, the creative team held the most power. Shen Yelin had no intention of vying for the center spot. He sat in the corner with Shen Xuan, looking through the script in his hand without much interest.

The script was thin, with only a few lines printed on it. Shen Xuan, however, was quite interested, pulling him into discussions from time to time. Xie Yun’s probing gaze drifted over from behind the table and never stopped for a second. If it were not for Shen Yelin’s strong composure and Shen Xuan’s genuine obliviousness, the room would have long since turned into a battlefield of swords and shadows.

The System sighed, “This is so sour, way too sour! This room is about to become a vinegar jar! Host, these overflowing romantic values of yours are no joke. I can already feel a steady stream of energy. I knew I did not pick the wrong person! Why can such a smart person not just speak properly and express his feelings?”

Shen Yelin brushed his thumb against the title page of the script and dampened its enthusiasm, saying, “You should be grateful he does not have the courage to speak up. That is the only reason you can stay here and keep freeloading off his energy.”

“What do you mean?” The System was baffled.

“Figure it out yourself.”

The intellectually challenged System fell silent, feeling quite aggrieved. While he was communicating with the System, the director’s side rejected two more people. Currently, they were auditioning for a minor role. Stars with even a bit of fame would not look twice at it, so those who came were mostly unknown, small-time actors. Some planned to win by being unique, while others took risky gambles.

For instance, there was one right in front of him now. Shen Yelin looked up impassively and met the eyes of the owner of the hand extended toward him. The person was quite handsome, possessing the kind of look that was very popular in the industry; his future development likely would not be bad. However, he was currently smiling at Shen Yelin quite stiffly, though his extended hand showed no shyness. He said firmly, “I would like to ask Mr. Shen to act out a scene with me. Is that okay?”

In an instant, the temperature in the room seemed to drop by eight degrees. Xie Yun’s smile vanished. The System could not help itself again, buzzing in Shen Yelin’s ear, “I do not think this guy will make it. Look, his character type clashes with Xie Yun’s. Will Xie Yun not tear this little brat apart? I want to see them fight!”

Shen Yelin ignored it. He closed the script in his hand and stared at the person calmly until the other’s smile nearly crumbled. Only then did he speak coldly, “What scene do you want to act out?”

Shen Xuan flipped the script open with a rustle, gave a fake cough, and explained to him while suppressing a laugh, “Ahem, Mr. Han Li’s script requires him to play an opera singer singing Farewell My Concubine with his beloved on a snowy night.”

Shen Yelin thought to himself that he did not look like someone who could sing opera. Yet, the hand reached out toward him remained so close that he could not simply ignore it.

Looking at the face before him, Han Li’s heart beat so hard it nearly leaped out of his chest. Those who muddle through the entertainment industry and are willing to climb upward always have special methods and information channels. Before coming today, he had learned through other sources that the new CEO of Yaoyu would be at the audition to participate in the evaluation. His source had told him earnestly that while the CEO was rumored to be a man of integrity, there was no wall that could not be pried loose, only lazy hoes. Whether he could seize this opportunity depended on his own effort.

The source also said that even if he could not pry him loose, if he could touch the CEO’s heartstrings during the audition, securing a role would not be a problem. Han Li remembered asking how he would identify Mr. Shen, since he had never seen him. The person who gave him the tip said without hesitation, “Just look for the most dazzling person in the room.”

When he stepped onto the audition set, he scanned the room as instructed and indeed found a man in a formal suit in the corner who matched the description perfectly. That man seemed to be born with a spotlight. Even sitting in a corner, he commanded everyone’s attention instantly. Han Li identified his target immediately and succeeded in making the man look up.

“Is that okay?” He tried his best to ignore the sudden chilly sensation rising behind his back and offered Shen Yelin a shy smile.

Shen Yelin looked at him, his brow furrowing slightly.