We Are Filthy, Born From Mud - Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Yes, She Is Both Inferior and Arrogant.

The next day.

3:00 PM sharp.

Zong Yougu had changed into her clothes.

A black suit jacket, the fitted shoulder line making her look even more statuesque.

Her trousers hung straight, nearly wrinkle-free.

She stood frozen, staring at herself in the full-length mirror, her gaze constantly glued to her reflection.

Radiant.

This word suddenly popped into her mind. The corner of her mouth lifted slightly.

Before, she could only look enviously at the people on TV. Now, everything was different.

If Liangu were here, she really wanted Liangu to see her now.

Zong Yougu tilted her head slightly. She could see the situation outside.

The big screen was playing previews of the third episode and some clips of highlight moments.

The light from the screen shone brightly on the faces of the audience below.

There are quite a few audience members, Zong Yougu quietly noted with surprise.

But it wasn’t strange. Director He Gui’s reputation was well-known.

Su Tongguo was also slowly becoming famous recently. There should be many of her fans below.

Would anyone be looking forward to her, Zong Yougu? Zong Yougu couldn’t help but ask herself.

Maybe a few?

But perhaps only about ten? In fact, two or three would already be good.

Zong Yougu sighed, but quickly regained her usual expression.

It doesn’t matter. As long as she likes herself enough.

What did it matter if others didn’t like her?

She liked herself very much anyway.

Yes, that’s right.

Thinking this, Zong Yougu put on her familiar smile, a mix of inferiority and arrogance, two seemingly contradictory emotions.

She, too, started watching the screen intently.

The screen was currently showing clips of highlight moments.

It wouldn’t give spoilers, but it managed to perfectly showcase the actors’ high points, enticing the audience to keep watching.

In the second half of the video, Zong Yougu finally appeared.

The two segments the director showed her yesterday were playing.

However, it was different on the big screen.

Zong Yougu’s eyes flashed with excitement.

The lights suddenly brightened. The warm-colored lighting pulled everyone immersed in the show back to reality.

After about two seconds, applause and cheers erupted.

“Next, please welcome the creative team of The Rumor to the stage.”

Zong Yougu followed the team, stepping onto the thick carpet. The carpet seemed to absorb all sound. At this moment, Zong Yougu couldn’t hear anything clearly.

“Hello everyone, I’m Su Tongguo. I play Detective Lin Duan in the series. I hope everyone likes the character and the show.”

The microphone was passed around until it reached Zong Yougu.

Zong Yougu was unusually flustered.

What should she say? How many people actually wanted to hear her speak?

Zong Yougu’s introduction was brief again. She simply said, “I’m Zong Yougu, playing Wang Jiu.”

She quickly passed the microphone to the next person.

She was a little frustrated, but quickly adjusted her expression.

No one expects much from her anyway. As long as she likes herself, it’s enough.

“I believe everyone has some questions they’d like to ask the creative team. Today is a great opportunity! Please just raise your hands.”

“Hello, Miss Su. I really love your performance. Do you have any interesting stories from the filming process?”

One audience member happily stood up, looking intensely at Su Tongguo.

Su Tongguo took the microphone, thought for a moment, and said, “Of course! This was my first time trying this genre, and my first time seeing so much filming equipment. Because I wasn’t familiar with it, once I mistook a prop surveillance camera for the actual camera and acted to it for a long time.”

Su Tongguo put down the microphone and chuckled. A wave of laughter rose from the audience.

The next question was directed at Yu Zhao. Yu Zhao stood up and answered gracefully.

Her speech was always thoughtful and impeccable.

A round of applause followed her answer.

Zong Yougu narrowed her eyes, keeping Su Tongguo and Yu Zhao within her sight.

She thought both of them were utterly stupid.

Why bother answering fans’ questions so laboriously? Why care so much about what others think?

So stupid.

“Miss Zong! Can I ask you a question?”

A voice rang out from the back row.

In an instant, Zong Yougu’s head snapped up.

“I… I really like you. I watched your TV shows a long time ago, and you encouraged me through a long time. I’ve always followed you. If I remember correctly… you haven’t tried this type of role before. How did you manage to perform it so excellently this time?”

It was a small girl. Her voice trembled due to nervousness, breaking her sentence into several fragmented pieces.

But Zong Yougu listened patiently, her eyes never leaving the girl.

“I—”

She opened her mouth, only to realize she hadn’t taken the microphone.

She felt two pokes on her back.

She turned around and saw a smiling Su Tongguo and Yu Zhao. Looking further, she saw the equally smiling He Gui.

The microphone was passed through the three of them and reached Zong Yougu’s hand.

She gripped the microphone tightly.

A little sweat beaded on her palm.

How should she answer?

Would a lengthy answer be too verbose? Would a short answer seem too perfunctory and disappoint the girl?

“I…” Zong Yougu’s voice trembled. She cleared her throat, forcefully stabilizing her unsteady voice. “You’re right. I haven’t tried this kind of role before.”

She saw a flash of light in the girl’s eyes.

Zong Yougu’s lips curved involuntarily. She said, “I’m very good at mimicry and sensing other people’s emotions. When I read the script and grasped all the background, the character began to move in my mind. So, rather than acting, I was simply mimicking the actions of the character in my mind.”

Just as Zong Yougu put down the microphone, she seemed to remember something. She brought the microphone back to her lips: “Thank you. Thank you for always supporting me.”

The girl’s lips spread into a very sweet smile.

Zong Yougu smiled back, she didn’t know why.

The next question was directed at the director. Zong Yougu passed the microphone toward He Gui.

She couldn’t hear the surrounding noise at all. She could only hear her own frantically beating heart.

Pumping blood to her limbs, making her hands and feet warm up.

She turned around and realized that her expression at this moment was no different from Yu Zhao’s or Su Tongguo’s.

Equally stupid, equally carefree.

But she was genuinely happy.

“Due to time constraints, we have one last question left. Who would like to ask it?”

Zong Yougu heard the host ask.

Would anyone else seek her out? Zong Yougu couldn’t help but hope.

“Me! I want to ask!” A loud voice rang out, causing everyone present to chuckle.

“I have a question for Teacher Zong Yougu.”

Zong Yougu looked up happily, only to realize it was Zhang Yinyang.

Her eyes widened slightly, and a hint of irrepressible disappointment flashed across her face.

“Teacher Zong, did you accurately grasp this character because you had similar experiences?” Zhang Yinyang’s tone was very polite, but Zong Yougu was the only one who recognized her ill intent.

The microphone was handed over again. Zong Yougu was always skilled at dealing with naked malice.

She calmly took the microphone, narrowed her eyes, and smiled.

“I actually think imagination is very important for an actor. Of course, I’m not like this character. After all, I haven’t engaged in such a novel profession. But I can’t say there are no similarities at all. Everyone has dark thoughts; it’s a shared human trait. By just pondering a little, anyone can effectively portray this character.”

Zong Yougu stared straight at Zhang Yinyang and chuckled twice: “As for what those evil thoughts are, they’re nothing more than greed, cowardice, and the like.”

Zong Yougu calmly put down the microphone and shrugged at Zhang Yinyang.

Her gaze shifted away from Zhang Yinyang and began to sweep across the entire audience.

She felt a deep sense of separation.

On one hand, she was about to leap into a beautiful future.

On the other hand, Zhang Yinyang was constantly reminding her of the dirty things in her past, constantly dragging her down.

She felt like she was being torn in two.

She thought this inwardly, but the expression on her face remained perfectly composed.

Until she saw a familiar figure in the audience.

The person had hidden all facial features, their entire body concealed by oversized clothes.

It was Zong Liangu.

How did she arrive so quickly, and how did she get in?

Zong Yougu raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“Great, thank you, Liangu—Teacher Yougu.”

Zhang Yinyang unconsciously slipped up and said the wrong name.

Zong Yougu’s heart jumped. She watched Zong Liangu quickly turn her head.

Idiot, mad dog, dead woman.

Zong Yougu cursed viciously in her mind.

She sat stiffly in her seat, somewhat distracted during the rest of the event.

The later activities mainly involved small games. She watched Su Tongguo and Yu Zhao laughing and having fun.

Their laughter, along with the audience’s, enveloped Zong Yougu, lingering for a long time.

The event finally concluded. The priority was to prevent Zhang Yinyang and Zong Liangu from meeting.

Zong Yougu did not change out of her clothes and walked straight out.

Zhang Yinyang was indeed waiting for her by the theater entrance.

“What do you want?” Zong Yougu asked. She looked around constantly, pulling Zhang Yinyang towards a corner.

Zhang Yinyang waved her hand. She said, “I said I want you to pay with your life. Do you believe me?”

Zong Yougu stared silently at Zhang Yinyang, her expression unfriendly.

“Just kidding, don’t take it seriously.” Zhang Yinyang patted Zong Yougu’s shoulder.

Zong Yougu disdainfully shook off Zhang Yinyang’s hand.

“Yougu, I need money. I need money to treat my foot.”

“I remember giving you some recently, and even an extra ten thousand.”

“When you go to the hospital, money flows out like tissue paper. It doesn’t last. Besides, I spent quite a bit of money just to come and see you this time.”

“I’ll transfer it to you.”

“A transfer would leave a trace online. That’s not good for either of us, is it? How about this: I’ll make the effort to walk a few extra steps and come find you in a couple of days.”

Zhang Yinyang didn’t press the issue further and turned to leave.

Only Zong Yougu remained standing there.

“Zong Yougu, you’d better confess. Confess everything.”

Zong Liangu walked out from a nearby room.

She briefly lowered her mask, flashing a smile at Zong Yougu.

“The worst that can happen is mutual destruction. I’m already dead, so I have nothing to lose.”