March 22, 2025, 4:00 AM.

Xu Qichen died suddenly.

In one moment, he was sitting in front of his computer, working on his new BL novel, and in the next moment, he fell into the keyboard, plunging into darkness.

At that moment, a slightly metallic voice could be heard from somewhere.

“Hello, welcome to the BE Fanatic’s Survival System. I am the system AI, designated as 0901.”

Xu Qichen: “What system?”

The voice calmly replied, “This system is also known as the Heartless Author Repayment System, Love Me Again Reader System, and No Acceptance of BE Rewrite System.”

If Xu Qichen could see his own face right now, he would probably be full of black lines. These aliases were all too familiar to him, frequently appearing in the comments section of his Weibo.

As a male BL novel writer, Xu Qichen was undoubtedly a rare species. With his unique and captivating storytelling style, he gained popularity through diligent updates.

However, his novels had two common flaws: weak romantic plotlines and unintentional BE (bad end). These two issues had been criticized since the beginning of his writing career. However, despite the complaints, his outstanding plots and inherent popularity kept him as a popular writer, as long as he was still alive.

System: “Mr Xu, in this system, you will be transported to various different worlds, assuming different roles to complete assigned tasks, while…”

“I refuse,” Xu Qichen interrupted straightforwardly.

The AI, undisturbed by the interruption, responded, “Understood. The host chooses to reject entering the system…”

Wait… Can he really refuse?

“Rejecting entry into the system. The host’s real-life outcome remains unchanged.”

“Wait a minute!” Xu Qichen immediately reacted, “Am I really dead?”

“Yes.”

There was no doubt in that tone.

Xu Qichen probed, “So, if I enter the system, is there still a chance to save myself in reality?”

“Yes, if you complete all the tasks, the outcome of your death in reality will be rewritten.”

This was too surreal. Fortunately, he was a writer, as an ordinary person would have a hard time accepting these bizarre settings.

Xu Qichen’s parents had passed away, and his aunt, who had raised him until high school graduation, had been kind to him. He wanted to earn more money to provide her with a better life. The new novel had only just started with ten chapters, and the little angels in the comments were eagerly waiting for more. Besides…

No, he couldn’t die yet.

Xu Qichen composed himself, “I choose to enter the system.”

“Very well, let’s proceed to the first world.”

The efficiency of this system was a bit too high.

As Xu Qichen absorbed the information, his mind was filled with fragmented images. The dark space around him began to distort, and countless shining fragments gathered towards him, slowly forming his body.

Xu Qichen looked down and saw his hands gradually taking shape. He tried to clench them, feeling the terrifying realism of his skin.

Opening his eyes, he saw nothing but the ceiling and a few unfamiliar yet familiar faces.

“Mengze woke up!”

Frowning, Xu Qichen sat up from the sofa, and before him were four young men with different temperaments and impeccable appearances, wearing exaggerated stage makeup.

The little man just now called him Mengze.

Mengze…?

“The system file is complete. Mr. Xu, your identity in this world is Ji Mengze, the face of the national idol group SOULMATE.”

What?!

Ignoring the concerned greetings from the others, Xu Qichen got up and walked to the mirror. A supremely delicate face appeared, with the same exaggerated makeup, even more beautiful than a girl’s.

Xu Qichen couldn’t help but touch his current face, asking the voice in his heart, “Why have I entered my own novel?”

The system AI answered, “All the travel worlds in this system come from the novels created by Mr. Xu. The roles assigned to Mr. Xu are also the protagonists in the novels.”

Xu Qichen looked carefully at himself in the mirror and then at the people around him.

He had indeed entered his own novel.

This novel was a celebrity themed story that he started serializing six years ago. It was called “The Peak Competition of Beauty and Acting.” In reality, his creative purpose at the time was not purely innocent. It was because celebrity themed stories were very popular in those years, so he decided to write one to cater to the market.

His current identity was one of the male leads in the novel, a superior popular idol in a super popular boy band. Xu Qichen was well aware of the current trend of male beauty, so he created Ji Mengze, a perfect vase, in a very clichéd manner. Just in terms of beauty, he could be described as a world-class beauty. Unfortunately, his acting skills were not great. Relying on his popularity, he starred in one flop after another.

The other male lead, Lin Ran, was the youngest ever Best Actor, naturally talented in acting. The two of them met while working on a same-sex themed movie and disliked each other. But they couldn’t resist the skyrocketing popularity after the movie was released, and the national CP quickly rose to fame, appearing on variety shows and topping the search rankings.

However…

Xu Qichen remembered that this novel had a bad end.

There was nothing he could do about it. As he reached the later stages of writing this novel, Xu Qichen lost interest and just wanted to finish it and start a new one. So he killed of Ji Mengze, the character, due to prolonged online bullying and malicious slander, choosing suicide as the ending.

Now that he thought about it, it was a bit irresponsible.

Recalling all the plot details, Xu Qichen began to feel strangely confident.

“0901, I have a question,” Xu Qichen decided to address the AI by the number mentioned earlier. “I am the author, and I created all the storylines. What is the point of players playing the game with the Eye of Heaven?”

0901 explained, “Mr. Xu, firstly, this system is based on your original novel, but it is not exactly the same. Secondly, you are no longer the author with a god’s perspective; you are now a participant in the story, and every choice you make will bring unpredictable changes to the plot.”

Xu Qichen felt a headache coming on. He had transmigrated into his own novel, hoping to be the winner of life with a script in hand, but now it seemed that the previous script might not even matter, and every step he too could lead to completely different outcomes.

The butterfly effect, huh…

“Mr. Xu, I will now assign you the main mission,”

A screen appeared in front of Xu Qichen, visible only to him, displaying a line of blue text: Rewrite the ending where Ji Mengze commits suicide.

Xu Qichen stared at the words and asked, “What if I fail the mission?”

“In any world, once a mission fails, you will not be able to resurrect in real life.”

Compared to quick transmigration novels he had read from his colleagues before, what Xu Qichen was experiencing now felt more like a death game. He had no way out.

Honestly, Xu Qichen was never a fan of celebrities, and he didn’t have much feeling towards those online idols either.

But if he became a popular idol who was constantly subjected to cyberbullying and online hate, how could he turn the tables?

The reflection in the mirror looked really good, although he was not bad-looking in real life, compared to this character’s appearance, he was nothing.

“Oh, by the way, do I need to imitate the character settings from different worlds?” This was a question Xu Qichen was concerned about, as it meant he would have to rely on his poor acting skills.

0901: “If your identity is suspected by people in the system world, the mission will be in crisis, which could lead to failure.”

In other words, he had to make sure he didn’t act OOC. (TLN: Out of Character)

“Mengze, are you okay?” One of the young men with the gentlest temperament walked up to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Xu Qichen carefully recalled the character settings and smiled in response, “I’m fine Mingqi.” Seeing the other person also smile slightly, Xu Qichen breathed a sigh of relief. He guessed correctly.

The short guy who shouted the moment he woke up should be the lead vocalist, Bai Yi. When writing the novel, Xu Qichen thought that male group lead vocalists were usually not tall, so he made this setting. The muscular guy next to him should be Jiang Ling, who was in charge of the rap.

His gaze fell on the corner where a slender but slightly rebellious-looking person stood. Xu Qichen thought for a moment and concluded that it should be Shen Huan, the main dancer in the original work, who also had a crush on Ji Mengze.

Xu Qichen roughly sorted out the original characters and weakly smiled at everyone. “I’m sorry for worrying you.

Bai Yi: "You suddenly collapsed when you came off stage, it scared me.”

Jiang Ling crossed his arms and said, “It’s lucky you didn’t faint on stage, otherwise the fans in the audience would go crazy.”

Xu Qichen nodded and was pushed to the sofa by Mingqi. A glass of water appeared in front of him, and when he looked up, it was handed to him by Shen Huan.

He whispered a thank you, took the water, and sipped it slowly, his mind quickly recalling the plot.

Suddenly, the sound of high heels could be heard from the entrance.

Bai Yu whispered, “Mom Yu is here~”

Just as he finished speaking, a woman in her thirties with a capable temperament walked in. Xu Qichen looked at her, sensing her strong aura.

That’s right, this is Soulmate’s manager, Li Yun.

Xu Qichen weakly spoke up, “Sister Yun…”

Li Yun turned to the other members and said, “Go and get ready, we have a concert celebration banquet later.” Then her gaze fell on Xu Qichen’s face. “How are you?”

Xu Qichen: “I’m much better.”

“That’s good. Amy, help Mengze get ready again. The sooner, the better! Come find me when you’re done.” The last sentence was directed at Xu Qichen.

Xu Qichen nodded and followed the staff into the dressing room. He took a shower and the hairstylist wanted to give him a new hairstyle but Xu Qichen only asked him to blow dry his hair.

However, the makeup artist, Amy, unexpectedly applied makeup on him again. Truly a specialized profession.

The other members quickly finished getting ready and got into the assistant’s car. Xu Qichen was pulled into another car by Li Yun.

After getting in the car, Li Yun threw him a stack of papers, “Take a look.”

It was a movie script. Xu Qichen quickly realized that in the novel, after the Shanghai concert, Ji Mengze was pulled away to participate in an impromptu audition. It was because of this audition that he had subsequent interactions with Lin Ran. This was a crucial turning point in the plot.

Skipping directly to the main storyline, that’s quite the progress.

“Oh, by the way, Mr. Xu,” the voice of the system sounded again, “In addition to the main mission, you also need to complete a side mission that runs through all the system worlds. If you successfully complete it, you will receive additional points and items from the system, which will help you complete the main mission. If you fail, even if you revive in the real world, your brain nerves may be damaged, which could affect your normal life.”

…This game is going too far.

“So, what is the side mission?”

0901: "The side mission is to perfect the emotional connection between each attacking and defending character in each world. The more fulfilling and sweet the relationships are, the more reward points and props you will receive."

Xu Qichen is starting to suspect that this system is a revenge product created by some disgruntled genius reader due to long-term grievances and dissatisfaction with the product.

He blames himself for being too naive, thinking that he could simply write a few romantic storylines and collect some points and props. He didn't expect it to become a matter of life and death now.

But as a single and emotionally inept person, he doesn't even know how to navigate the emotions between two people from a god's perspective, let alone create a romance between himself and the characters he created. It's simply too difficult for him.

Xu Qichen opens the script. During the serialization, only fragments of the play within the play were mentioned in the original text. Now, seeing the fragmented ideas turned into a complete script, he finds it quite interesting.

"This is Director Chen Anping's new play. If it weren't for Du Mong's misfortune, we wouldn't have had the chance to audition."

Du Mong was a character he created, a talented cannon fodder who gained fame overnight by starring in a film by a renowned director. His subsequent works also received good reviews, and he was on the rise, needing a highly popular and award-worthy film.

And here it is, the opportunity to work with Chen Anping, a Chinese-American director, and the rising star Lin Ran. It's impossible for it not to become a hit.

But just at this time, Du Mong was exposed to have improper relationships with multiple young internet celebrities. One revelation after another, Du Mong, who had always maintained a clean-cut image, was pulled down from his pedestal by the masses of gossip-hungry netizens, completely destroying the reputation he had built over the years.

The director had chosen him precisely because of his image and alignment with the character, but now that his true colors were revealed, the overwhelming negative reviews alone were enough for the investors to replace him without hesitation.

Li Yun crossed her arms and looked at Ji Mengze, who was silent with his head down. She said, "You won't attend the celebration banquet later. We'll go straight to the audition. I've already made arrangements." She glanced at her watch and continued, "Chen Anping clearly wants to use this film to compete for awards."

Of course, for films competing for international awards, they need to combine human depth, topicality, and the ability to quickly accumulate buzz. The only option is to explore LGBT themes. Even if they don't win an award in the end, the level of discussion and publicity would guarantee a return on investment.

That's exactly how Xu Qichen had thought when he wrote it.

How could he have predicted that one day he would transmigrate into this novel?

"I've read the script, and based on appearances, there's no one more suited for the role of Yun Ning than you."

Appearance... Xu Qichen forced a bitter smile. "But I don't have acting skills."

Li Yun glared fiercely at him. "Let's discuss it after we arrive. With your popularity, the opportunities that come knocking are never the best ones. If you don't fight for good resources, you won't be able to obtain them."

This woman is even more formidable than what he wrote.

"We're almost there." Li Yun looked out the car window. The audition hotel was not far away. "Get ready."

According to the original storyline, the next step would be to enter the hotel, start the audition, fail the audition, and then join the crew due to pressure from the investors.

"0901," Xu Qichen once again asked the system, "Can I actively change the story plot?"

"As the original author and the host of the system, of course, you can, as long as you can bear the consequences of the changes."

Xu Qichen looked at his face reflected in the car window and pondered for a moment before speaking.

"Wait a moment."

"What's wrong?"

Xu Qichen turned his head to look at Li Yun and pointed at her assistant, Xiao Wang.

"I want to wear the white T-shirt he's wearing."

Li Yun was momentarily stunned.

"Also," Xu Qichen started undressing, "help me remove all the makeup."

Xiao Wang hesitated, "But... I'm much fatter than you, and this shirt is cheap..."

Xu Qichen began unbuttoning his shirt, "It's okay, just take it off quickly. Let me borrow it for one night."

Xiao Wang looked at Li Yun, and Li Yun smirked, nodding her chin, "If he tells you to take it off, then take it off. Xiao Zhang, help Ji Mengze remove his makeup."

Xu Qichen took the white T-shirt that Xiao Wang hesitantly handed over and quickly pulled it over his head. Xiao Zhang took out a makeup remover wipe and started working.

Xu Qichen scratched his own bangs that obediently hung over his forehead and muttered under his breath, "Luckily, I just took a shower and didn't style my hair."

Li Yun looked meaningfully at the obedient boy in front of her, removing the glamorous stage clothes and makeup, revealing a clean and innocent seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy.

"You do have a brain after all."

Xu Qichen felt that Li Yun was even more sarcastic than he had written her to be. He smiled at the woman but didn't say anything. He saw a black baseball cap next to his seat and casually put it on his head.

With everything ready, Li Yun led Xu Qichen into the hotel. The audition location was in a large suite. As soon as they got on the elevator, they saw several staff members in black suits. Li Yun seemed to be familiar with one of them and immediately put on a friendly smile, "Oh, Brother Hong, long time no see. Are you in charge of the auditions today?"

The person called Brother Hong also smiled and put his arm around Li Yun's shoulder, "Yeah, the most tiring job. Are you bringing someone to audition too?"

"Mengze, come."

The name was not unfamiliar to Xu Qichen, but it was always difficult to associate it with himself. Xu Qichen sighed softly and followed Li Yun.

Brother Hong's eyes lit up, "Hey, isn't this your company's super idol? Hello, hello, my sister really likes you." Xu Qichen shook hands with him with a smile and said thank you a few times.

But Brother Hong obviously didn't expect Li Yun to bring Ji Mengze with her. He whispered, "We're old acquaintances, so let me give you a heads up. Today's audition is not like the others, a few people are being picky. You guys better be mentally prepared for a day trip."

"What do you mean?"

"Besides Director Chen and Writer Qu, there's another person inside."

Li Yun immediately understood, "Lin Ran?"

Brother Hong snapped his fingers, "Exactly. Let me just tell you, Writer Qu based the male lead on Lin Ran."

Prototype, when Xu Qichen heard this word, he felt a little helpless and a little amused.

"He was already chosen in advance. It's normal for Lin Ran to personally select the actors."

Li Yun felt a little doubtful. Although she hadn't interacted much with Lin Ran, the people around her had good things to say about him, saying that he didn't have an attitude, but had one particular dislike: idol actors who relied solely on their looks for fame.

This could be a bit troublesome.

Xu Qichen, on the other hand, seemed indifferent, leaving Li Yun sighing.

"Enough talking, let me take you to fill out the forms. After that, Mengze, you can wait in the lounge. There are too many people today, it's crowded."

Xu Qichen nodded and let them lead the way. After a busy round, Li Yun went out to take care of some things, leaving him in the lounge to read the script.

The movie was called "Nanke". Xu Qichen had initially struggled when writing the story, wanting it to be artistic but not greasy. It was really difficult. He had come up with several names before ultimately choosing the original version.

Nanke was the character name for Lin Ran in the play.

The core of the story in the script was actually quite simple.

It started with the reunion of two young people.

The timeline jumped back and forth, interspersing memories of the two main characters from five years ago in a foreign country during their reunion. It focused on depicting the emotions and growth of the naive and complex youth, as well as their experiences and acceptance after the passage of time. It explored friendship and love, the future and the past.

The entire movie was filled with long monologues, which tested the actors' dialogue skills.

Xu Qichen was reading with his head down when someone lightly tapped his shoulder. He looked up and saw a young man with dimples, looking to be in his twenties. His voice was filled with surprise.

"It's really you! I thought I was seeing things over there!"

Xu Qichen quickly recalled the character from the novel. The dimple detail was quite unique, and he responded with a smile, "Sun Cheng, you're here too."

Sun Cheng vigorously nodded his head, full of energy. Xu Qichen looked at him, feeling a sense of novelty seeing the real person who matched the character description. Sun Cheng was a supporting character in the novel, with good acting talent and a professional background. He had an outgoing personality and was a strong competitor for this role. He had also been a guest on a variety show with the SOULMATE group before, so they had some connection.

"Are you here to audition for Yun Ning?" Sun Cheng glanced at the script Xu Qichen was reading.

Xu Qichen didn't hide it and nodded.

"I am too, but the character in this is a melancholic pretty boy, which is completely different from me." His dimples were deep.

Xu Qichen replied, "It's okay, having contrast makes it more challenging,"

The smile froze on Sun Cheng's face, and Xu Qichen felt a bit strange. Did he say something wrong?

Sun Cheng grabbed Xu Qichen's shoulder, "You're such a good person, so gentle. I want to be friends with you. Can I add you on WeChat? I didn't get to add you last time. I really love your group's songs. I wanted to go see your concert..."

Xu Qichen: "..."

"Huh?" Sun Cheng touched Xu Qichen's face, "Are you not wearing any makeup? There's not a speck of powder on your face."

Xu Qichen nodded, "Are you wearing makeup? I can't tell."

"Oh my god, you really...Ah, you're so good-looking."

Maybe it was because someone was talking nearby, or maybe the audition time for each actor was just too short, but it felt like no time had passed before it was Sun Cheng's turn.

Xu Qichen gave him a symbolic pat on the shoulder and encouraged him before he left the lounge looking like he was about to face death.

Xu Qichen continued to read the script with his head down. He felt like he hadn't read many pages when Sun Cheng came back. His expression was full of bitterness, and as soon as he saw Xu Qichen, he started lamenting, "Mengze~"

He really was too familiar.

Xu Qichen asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's so difficult. I was startled when I walked in and saw Lin Ran. I almost forgot my lines. Then Director Chen asked me to perform the scene where Yun Ning gets drunk. I don't know if I did well or not, but they stopped me before ten minutes had passed." Sun Cheng complained while grabbing his hair.

"Did Director Chen say anything else?"

Sun Cheng shook his head, "Director Chen is so cold. He didn't say a word with his poker face, but Lin Ran asked me a question at the end."

"What?"

"Do you think you can handle Yun Ning?"

Sun Cheng imitated Lin Ran's expression and sighed like a deflated ball.

"Then what?"

"Then I said I want to challenge him." Sun Cheng sighed, "Although his expression is quite gentle, I was scared as soon as I heard it."

Xu Qichen patted his back, not saying any comforting words. He was not good at comforting others, and he had never been comforted before. It was better to say less at this time.

The drunk scene? Xu Qichen became a bit nervous when Sun Cheng mentioned it. Besides participating in a play during college, he had never acted before. Ji Mengze's character setting was also an acting idiot, so what should he do? Did he really have to rely on the script to have any interaction with Lin Ran?

"0901, can additional character settings be purchased with points? Such as acting skills..."

The cold voice responded quickly, "That is against the rules, and besides, Mr. Xu, you only have five hundred initial points."

"Oh. What can I buy with five hundred points?"

"It depends on your needs. A pen, two lighters, or five small cans of fruit candy, etc."

Xu Qichen thought for a moment. "Then I'll take a can of candy."

"Okay, Mr. Xu." Xu Qichen heard a "ding" sound, and a jar the size of an egg appeared in his left jeans pocket when he reached in with his hand.

"0901, your business is a bit unfair."

"Sorry, I did remind you it was a small can."

Since he had already bought it, Xu Qichen took out the candy jar and shook it in front of Sun Cheng. "Want some?" He asked.

Sun Cheng shook his head, still looking dejected.

Xu Qichen put the candy jar back and saw Li Yun walking in. It was probably his turn soon. Xu Qichen asked Sun Cheng, "Do you know where the bathroom is?"

"Um... I think you have to turn left and walk straight to the end."

Xu Qichen stood up and greeted Li Yun before leaving. Li Yun, on the other hand, asked him, "When did you get so close to Sun Cheng?"

"We're not close, just happened to run into each other and chatted for a bit."

Li Yun's expression didn't look too good, with a hesitant look. Finally, she instructed, "Go quickly, it won't be long before it's your turn."

Xu Qichen adjusted his cap, lowered his head, and struggled to squeeze through the crowded door, heading straight to the bathroom.

In the bathroom, Xu Qichen pondered Li Yun's expression just now.

In Xu Qichen's memory, Sun Cheng's character was not an important role, with a simple background and not many appearances later on.

But if he were to change the original plot, it should also affect the development of the original characters' stories.

While washing his hands, Xu Qichen suddenly felt a bit dizzy. He shook his head and turned off the faucet. The reflection of the metal was a bit dazzling. His vision suddenly darkened, and his legs began to weaken. He immediately pressed his hand against the marble countertop, supporting his body.

I should have eaten first before coming here.

He heard the sound of flushing, and a person walked out of a cubicle and stood next to him to wash their hands.

Xu Qichen couldn't even lift his head with the onset of low blood sugar. He slightly moved aside and slowly shuffled his steps, leaning his right shoulder against the wall, his whole body leaning against it.

Fortunately, he had just bought the shady candy from the system. It really came in handy.

He reached into his pocket and took out the small candy jar, gripping the body of the jar with his left hand and forcefully twisting the lid with his right hand.

It wouldn't open.

He could hear the sound of running water continuously beside him.

Gritting his teeth and trying to twist it again, his hand had no strength, and it still wouldn't budge.

A deceitful system, deceitful candy.

Xu Qichen now had no energy left to mock the system.

The sound of running water finally stopped, followed by the sound of tissue being pulled out, then the sound of dry tissues rubbing against fingers, echoing repeatedly in Xu Qichen's dizzy brain, causing a ringing in his ears.

The crumpled tissue was thrown into the trash can.

The person was about to leave.

Although his legs could barely support his body, Xu Qichen's consciousness remained, he was just struggling.

There was no other choice. He reached out his left hand and grabbed the arm of the person who was about to leave the bathroom.

"Sorry, can you please help me open this?"

The person's footsteps halted, and from under the brim of Xu Qichen's cap, he could only see the person's waist and below, a pair of straight long legs, wearing trousers, and the person did not take the candy jar from him.

On the verge of fainting, Xu Qichen's hand, which was holding the person's arm, weakened and drooped down. He grabbed the person's wrist and placed his candy jar in their hand, his voice weak.

"Please help me."

After a brief silence.

The person seemed to finally agree, reaching out and taking the small candy jar from Xu Qichen's hand. With a click, the jar was opened and handed back to Xu Qichen, his fingers were also long and beautiful.

Xu Qichen took the jar, whispered a thank you, and the next moment, he collapsed on the ground, tilting his head back and pouring the colorful candy grains into his mouth. It didn't look like he was eating candy, but more like taking drugs.

The replenishment of sugar gave him a feeling of blood flowing back, and Xu Qichen's numb limbs slowly regained strength. After sitting for a while, it seemed that the person was not planning to leave.

If he fainted here, it would be a disaster. This person had done him a great favor, and he would have to thank them properly later.

Xu Qichen was about to stand up with the support of the wall when he suddenly found his field of vision widening.

The baseball cap on his head was lifted off by the person who opened the jar.

Xu Qichen, sitting on the ground, looked up and saw a face that could be described as very handsome. He tilted his head, looking at Xu Qichen with a smile that was not quite a smile.

In that instant of meeting each other's gaze, for reasons that couldn't be expressed, maybe it was the creator's intuition about their own hard work, Xu Qichen immediately confirmed that the person in front of him was Lin Ran.

An awkward first meeting, an awkward plea for help, and an awkward position.

The most awkward thing was that his mouth was stuffed with a mouthful of fruit hard candy.

Assorted flavors, sour and sweet.

Just as Xu Qichen was caught off guard, Li Yun's voice came from outside.

"Mengze? Mengze? Are you in there?"

"Yes!" Like grabbing a lifeline, Xu Qichen responded with a mouthful of candy and quickly got up, looking at the man in front of him, he bowed, "Thank you." Then he walked out.

"What are you doing? You scared me to death." Li Yun pulled Xu Qichen forward, her high heels clicking.

The female staff around them had surprised expressions on their faces, quietly calling out Ji Mengze's name. Xu Qichen then realized that his hat was still in the hands of that person.

Xu Qichen subconsciously turned around and saw Lin Ran coming out of the bathroom. Their eyes met, and Lin Ran raised the black baseball cap in his hand, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Xu Qichen turned his head and asked, "Will Lin Ran really be in the audition room later?"

Li Yun said, "Yes, the actors who auditioned earlier have all seen him." Li Yun tried to reassure Xu Qichen, "Don't worry, even though Lin Ran became famous at a young age, he has a good temper and isn't arrogant."

Xu Qichen wasn't comforted at all. He knew better than anyone what kind of person this young actor with a gentle and kind surface was deep down. Why did he have to create a character with a smiling tiger persona?

But there was something strangely familiar about the way Lin Ran's physical appearance was materialized...

Seeing him lost in thought, Li Yun quickly told him to stop thinking and said, "Hurry up and get ready, you're up next. Do you want to take the script with you?"

Xu Qichen shook his head, "No need."

Li Yun looked at him skeptically, but seeing his calm expression, she became even more worried. "Don't be too relaxed, okay?"

Xu Qichen nodded, "I know."

Not long after the person who auditioned before him came out, Xu Qichen took a deep breath. He had eaten too much candy just now, and his teeth felt a bit weak.

Upon entering, he realized that there were only two people sitting inside, a man in his forties and a woman in her thirties wearing glasses. They should be Chen Anping and Qu Qing. The third chair was empty for some reason, and Xu Qichen felt a sense of relief. He bowed slightly, walked to the front of the recording equipment, and briefly introduced himself.

Since he entered, Chen Anping and Qu Qing had been scrutinizing him, their gazes not too friendly. Xu Qichen could tell, after all, Ji Mengze was known for being a flower vase with nothing but looks, so their reaction was understandable.

Chen Anping kept a cold face and didn't say anything, creating a tense atmosphere.

Xu Qichen was not a competitive person, so he rarely felt the nervousness that comes with competition. He stared back at Chen Anping, unmoving.

Qu Qing was the first to speak, her tone neither warm nor cold, "Have you read the script?"

"Yes."

"First, you can try the monologue on the third page of Yu Ning. There's a script there that you can read."

Xu Qichen nodded, thinking that they were probably worried he would perform poorly and didn't want to make it too difficult for him. However, he didn't reach for the script. Instead, he cleared his throat, looked at the camera, and began directly.

"In June, the hot air on the asphalt road distort the view of everything in sight, swaying like seaweeds in the eyes. The sound of bicycle wheels spins madly in my ears. Sweat, warm breeze, blue sky, they mix together like oil paints on a palette."

"Will he be at that cafe today? Maybe. He was wearing an old black uniform yesterday, but it suited him well. Why didn't I take a look at his name tag? Then I would have known his name."

Xu Qichen spoke slowly. His voice was quite unique, a slightly cold but soft and tender teenage voice.

"What if he's not there? What if he's taking a day off today? It's so hot, the sun is scorching my back, and it hurts a little. The road seems like it's melting, looking all oily and sticky, like clothes stuck to my body. In the mixed air, a faint scent of aroma appears. My nose is really sensitive."

"Should I go in and buy a cup of coffee? Let's take a look through the window first. If he's not there, I'll go in and enjoy the air conditioning. But what if he is?"

"The palm of my hand inexplicably sweats, becoming sticky. I hate summer, it makes me look miserable. The window is transparent, allowing me to see clearly the shape of his smiling lips as he takes orders for others. He's here, should I stay or go? I try to pedal, but my feet won't move."

Xu Qichen looked at the camera, his expression becoming restless.

"Hello, one... iced mocaccino."

"I went inside after all. It's all because of summer, the high temperature and stuffiness gripping my body, forcing me to speak."

"Now, I started to dislike him a bit, just like how I dislike summer."

"Intense, unabashed, oppressing my heart."

After finishing the last line, Xu Qichen was momentarily caught up in his emotion. Feeling dazed, he suddenly heard a few applause, and he turned his head to see Lin Ran leaning against the door frame.

Lin Ran smiled and walked into the room, sitting next to Director Chen. Director Chen looked at the handsome young man in front of him, his gaze still cold but seemingly less disdainful than before. After a while, he spoke, "When did you memorize the lines?"

"While waiting backstage," Xu Qichen honestly replied.

Suddenly, a familiar voice popped into his mind, "Mr. Xu, you have an excellent memory."

This was the first time 0901 had initiated a conversation. Xu Qichen answered, "I studied liberal arts in high school, so memorizing things is a piece of cake for me. Besides, this monologue is written by me, so I have some impression of it."

Writer Qu wasn't like Chen Anping. The expression on her face revealed undisguised surprise. She almost wanted to stand up just now, hug this clean-faced young man in front of her, and shout, "It's you!" But she was just a screenwriter. No matter how well he fit the character, it still depended on the director.

"Your voice and appearance both fit the character of Yu Ning very well, " Qu Qing pushed her glasses up her nose.  "The monologue of other auditionees were missing something, but your monologue gave me a visual image."

To be honest, now that Ji Mengze was dressed in jeans, white t-shirt, and his natural looks, he looked like Yu Ning that had walked out of the script. However, acting was also a big issue. After all, this was a movie, not a magazine shoot.

Xu Qichen wasn't good at accepting compliments, so he just slightly lowered his chin. "Thank you, but in terms of acting, I really can't compare to others."

Director Chen nodded slightly, seemingly not displeased with this answer. At least he had self-awareness and didn't make excuses about not having a background in acting. However, Ji Mengze's reputation in acting really made people worry. Chen Anping stared at Xu Qichen for a long time without saying anything, making him feel uneasy.

Xu Qichen stood there, but his gaze remained on Lin Ran.

"0901, does the appearance model of Lin Ran have a real-life prototype?"

0901: "Mr. Xu, there is no real-life prototype. It was established based on the character setting in your novel."

This answer was perfunctory, but Xu Qichen couldn't help but keep looking at Lin Ran. Unexpectedly, it seemed like Lin Ran noticed and turned his head to look at him.

"Director Chen, how about I try acting a scene with Ji Mengze?"

Xu Qichen's inner thoughts were to refuse.