Chapter 72: You Snuck in To Check on Her?

Translator: CTCTRANS Editor: CTCTRANS

“Ah, I’m sorry! How could I have let you go hungry, Sweetie? Jiang Yiran, move already!”

Jiang Xuxu knew how into food Qi Wu was. Hence, she immediately felt guilty upon realizing they were making Qi Wu wait. Qi Wu was already so thin!

Her rose-tinted view of Qi Wu caused her to momentarily forget that Qi Wu’s slender arms had defeated everyone in the arm wrestling competition.

Eyes wide with confusion, Jiang Yiran stared.

This was a clear case of double standards.

What was even worse was that Tan Song chimed in, saying, “We only have one table left. We can leave after moving it.” Jiang Yiran was speechless.

Jiang Yiran had no choice but to comply.

Why was this happening?

How did he end up trying to fight for a place in a group of fanatics?

After the selection, contestants had a week to study and rehearse their parts. A week later, the competition would be broadcast live.

As the contestants performed, the audience could start voting.

Today marked the first day of practice. Qi Wu arrived at the designated classroom alone to meet with Song Qi. As she arrived, she found Song Qi already inside, waiting.

Meanwhile, in the control room, Chang Xun was there once more.

As Qu Man exited her office, she spotted Chang Xun sneaking into the room like a mischievous dog.

She raised an eyebrow with a dark look in her eyes. “Are you a dog?”

Seeing that it was Qu Man, Chang Xun breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly reverted to his usual demeanor. “Is Song here?”

Qu Man gestured toward the surveillance footage displayed nearby. “He’s meeting with Qi Wu.”

Chang Xun was confused.

He immediately sat down near the screen. Coincidentally, Hu Mofei was also present.

“Hey, Chang, what brings you here?” Hu Mofei asked.

“I’m here to check on Qi Wu’s progress,” Chang Xun replied, not bothering to turn his head.

Hu Mofei knew that Chang Xun was the one who had talked to Qi Wu earlier, so he was not surprised to hear that.

He patted Chang Xun’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Chang. Our daughter is quite capable. Even Song can’t win in an argument.”

“Our daughter?”

Chang Xun raised an eyebrow. “Since when were you into celebrities, old man?”

Shortly after that, Qu Man found herself staring in disbelief as she watched the two men who were Qi Wu’s fans bicker like schoolyard kids.

It was truly unbearable.

She shook her head in exasperation.

Not long after Qi Wu arrived, Song Qi handed her the script he had prepared in advance.

“Normally, you’d only need to perform for one minute, but I think you need the entire script.”

Qi Wu accepted the script and, after sitting down on a stool beside Song Qi, began to read through it.

Song Qi could not help but feel a bit uneasy as he silently watched her.

“Don’t you have anything to say? ‘City of Loneliness’ is different from the others. It has very little dialogue, and much of it relies on the actors’ own interpretation and acting.”

Qi Wu calmly flipped through the script without responding to Song Qi.

Song Qi’s unease grew.

“Do you know Xu Jingcheng?” he asked. “He’s an award-winning actor, and his final film before retirement was ‘City of Loneliness.’ Even so, it took him a week to fully immerse himself in the role.”

In the control room, Chang Xun and Hu Mofei had ceased their playful banter to focus on Song Qi and Qi Wu.

They were rendered speechless upon realizing Song Qi was blabbering and pushing Qi Wu for an answer.

They exchanged a look.

Chang Xun muttered, “Is Song going through a midlife crisis? Isn’t he usually the type to avoid unnecessary words? When did he become so talkative?” After a brief pause, Hu Mofei shook his head. ” Song is acting out of character.”

Qi Wu had clearly indicated that she wanted to read the script on her own, but Song Qi kept talking to her.

Due to his persistence, Qi Wu finally looked up and replied to him. “You have answered every question I might even have.”

Song Qi froze in shock.

He recalled what he just said and realized she was right.

Awkwardly clearing his throat, he asked, “Do you understand it now?”

Qi Wu tilted her head. Instead of replying to the question, she started explaining her understanding of what she thought of the script.

‘”City of Loneliness’ is about a city that had cut off all love. Xi Yu is a demon disguised as a human. She is driven by her demonic instincts. By chance, she bumped into a foreigner who will bring love back to the city, causing the haze shrouding the city to dissipate.”

She calmly continued, “Xi Yu died before that could happen. It’s not because she fell in love with the foreigner. She was defeated by the city which had found love once more.

The script never once mentioned what kind of demon Xi Yu was. Her death was also abrupt with no explanation given.

Song Qi listened intently. At the end of her explanation, he excitedly asked, “What kind of demon do you think she is?”

“A demon of emotions.’

Qi Wu did not hesitate. “Isolated from all love, the city made her grow stronger. When love returned, Xi Yu did not have anyone to love. Basically, the foreigner was not worth her love. That was why she lost.”

That was why the last line of the script was, “O great demon who has abandoned love, why love?”

“You’re very smart and perceptive, but that’s not all you need to be an actor.”

Anticipation was growing within Song Qi. He had momentarily forgotten his initial low opinion of Qi Wu and the notion that she was simply well-connected but talentless.

Qi Wu stood up.

Without a word, she suddenly fell to the floor with a thud.

The sharp sound of impact echoed in the room. Everyone was stunned, even Song Qi. Then, his eyes widened in realization.

Qi Wu’s face contorted in agony and defeat, yet her expression still carried a hint of disdain. She was, after all, the formidable demon who ruled over the City of Loneliness. Even in her defeat, her arrogance remained evident.

She crawled slowly through the pain as though she was near her destination. Just as she was about to collapse, she reached out with trembling hands.

It was as though she were grasping for something that eluded her, slipping through her fingers.

Defeat flashed in her disdainful eyes as her eyes dimmed. She no longer felt any struggle or resentment. Her hand dropped limply.

In the control room, silence reigned. Almost every staff member had stopped what they were doing to watch Qi Wu’s performance on the screen.

Chang Xun’s phone rang, breaking the heavy tension in the room.

Chang Xun snapped back to reality and checked the caller ID. It was Jin Si. Confused, he answered the phone.

“Where are you?”

“I’m watching Qi Wu from the production team’s control room,” Chang Xun reflexively replied.

There was a grunt of confusion before Jin Sit s voice turned icy cold.. “You snuck in to check on her?”