Chen Meilin.

Meiying looked stunned as Xuejian unexpectedly pecked her on the cheek, a gesture she had never received from him before. She was left wondering what would come next. "Good luck on your audition," Xuejian said kindly before turning to greet the directors and other staff.

Still in a trance, Meiying was approached by Chen Meilin. "Hi there," Meilin greeted warmly.

"Hi," Meiying responded, her mind still swirling with confusion.

"You're auditioning?" Meilin asked, displaying genuine interest and Meiying nodded.

"That's great! I hope you win. I would love to get to know you more," Meilin expressed sincerely.

"Thanks, me too," Meiying replied with gratitude as Meilin waved goodbye and left her to gather her thoughts.

In the upcoming movie "Shadow Within," Meilin would be portraying an energetic country bumpkin who moves to the city. Chen Meilin was considered one of the most successful actresses in China, having even appeared in blockbuster American movies that required a Chinese female lead. Her warm and gentle nature made her highly sought after by directors in China, as she flawlessly executed any role given to her.

However, in Meiying's previous life, when Meiying had just entered the industry, Chen Meilin's reputation took quite a hit. She was caught driving under the influence and illegal drugs were found in her car. This scandal led to Meilin receiving immense criticism and losing support from her fans. Meiying had visited Meilin during that difficult time to show her support, but sadly, Meilin felt overwhelmed and committed suicide not long after. It was revealed later that Meilin was innocent and had been framed. Her reputation was tainted, and it was a great tragedy that couldn't be undone. But in this life, Meiying will make sure that never happens.

Later, two actors made their entrance: Zhang Hongzong and Huang Yifan. They were both set to play significant roles in the movie. Hongzong, portraying the two-faced villain, would aptly depict a character who masqueraded as kind-hearted but possessed a sadistic and psychopathic nature. Meiying couldn't help but notice that the role of the villain suited Hongzong, as he appeared to be two-faced in reality as well.

In the movie, Hongzong's character would be the first person Meilin's character befriended upon arriving in the city, forging a friendship that would prove vital to the plot.

Yifan, on the other hand, was cast as the lead character, a detective partnering with the hot-tempered detective on a complex serial killer case. If Meiying secured the role, most of her scenes would revolve around their dynamic partnership.

When Hongzong and Yifan greeted everyone, Meiying caught Hongzong swiftly excusing himself upon spotting her and she couldn't help but chuckle.

As the auditions commenced, individuals took turns entering the audition room. Some emerged with tears, others with smiles, and a few with expressions that revealed nothing.

Then, it was time for those auditioning for the hot-tempered detective role and Meiying was called up first. She entered the room, where Director Zhou, Xuejian, Meilin, and Yifan sat as the judges.

In the center of the room, a table and two chairs with a dummy seated upon one took center stage. Meiying confidently approached the judges and greeted them warmly.

"What's your name, young lady?" Director Zhou inquired.

"Wang Meiying," she boldly replied, igniting a flicker of curiosity in the director's eyes. He turned to Xuejian, who simply nodded in response

"Okay, show us what you can do," he declared, eager to witness her performance.

Meiying walked out of the room and stormed back inside, her eyes narrowed and an intense anger radiating from her. Approaching the table with a forceful stride, she slammed her hand down on the documents that she dropped on the table causing the it to shake slightly.

"What's your name?" she demanded, her voice sharp and filled with authority.

"Xuan, you were found slipping into the building by five pm, why" she sat down on the other chair and questioned, her voice laced with challenge. She then withdrew a pen from her pocket and pretended to scribble something down.

"Is that all" she asked.

As if she heard something that annoyed her, she stood up abruptly, glaring at the dummy sitting in front of her. Clenching her fist tightly, she slammed it onto the table, causing the dummy's head to tilt forward.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" she barked, positioning the dummy's head back to its proper place. A smirk appeared on Meiying's face. She heard Chen Meilin laughed but continued with the act.

"Xuan, you may appear innocent, but you could also be guilty," she uttered, a glimmer of mischief shining in her eyes. Unyielding, she walked behind the chair where the dummy sat, running her fingers along the backrest handle. Leaning down, she whispered into the dummy's supposed ear.

"I need your cooperation here," she hissed, straightening up with a sudden surge of anger as if she had heard something unpleasant. In a burst of fury, she pushed the dummy's head down onto the table.

"Why are you stuttering? Maybe you're the killer and that's why you..." Meiying shouted, abruptly halting her words as she glanced towards the door as if someone had entered. An exasperated sigh escaped her lips as she collected the documents from the table. But before leaving, she couldn't resist delivering a final act of frustration. With a quick kick, she sent the chair the dummy was seated in flying across the room before striding away confidently.

The room erupted with applause, the sound of hands clapping filling the air, except for Xuejian, who remained expressionless as he gazed at her.

"That was absolutely brilliant! For your first time acting, you executed it flawlessly. Mr. Wang, why have you kept this talented gem hidden from us?" Director Zhou exclaimed, turning to Xuejian, who simply shrugged in response.

"You were exceptional! This is undoubtedly the best performance we've seen since the auditions began," Yifan chimed in, clearly impressed.

"Best? Any word that surpasses 'best' should be reserved for you. I can't wait to share the stage with you. And by the way, your comedic timing was spot-on," Meilin praised earnestly.

"Thank you all, but let's not forget that there are still a few actors waiting outside. Perhaps someone might portray the role even better than me," Meiying humbly acknowledged.

"Do not underestimate yourself. We will announce the results later," Director Zhou informed her, to which she nodded appreciatively before making her exit.

Little did Meiying expect that her husband wouldn't even offer a simple comment on her performance, despite being the one who had wished her luck. It puzzled her as she couldn't fathom his indifference.

As the evening drew near, the auditions concluded, and the results were finally announced. To Meiying's delight, she secured the role, and Director Zhou extended his congratulations to her, Meilin and Yifan also approached her

"Congratulations! I can't wait to act alongside you," Meilin exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"Thank you so much! Please take good care of me," Meiying chuckled.

"Of course, rest assured," Meiying replied, her warm words resonating with genuine sincerity as she bid them farewell and walked away, leaving only her and Yifan standing there.

With a charming smile, Yifan introduced himself, "I'm Huang Yifan."

"Yes, I know." Her response left Yifan both amused and intrigued, his smile growing wider.

"A fan, perhaps?" he inquired, a playful glimmer in his eyes.

Reflecting for a moment, Meiying gently shook her head, causing a flicker of disappointment to cross Yifan's face.

"But I will be delighted to work with someone as esteemed as the Emperor of China," she confessed. In an instant, Yifan's disappointment transformed into pure delight as he looked up with an even brighter smile.

"Thank you," he expressed sincerely, his voice laced with gratitude. "See you on set," Yifan added, waving goodbye with cheerful enthusiasm.

Then as Meiying was about to dial Jingyi's number, her phone was abruptly snatched from her hands by Xuejian. Without uttering a single word, he forcefully pulled her towards his car.

"Get in," he commanded, his voice firm and unwavering. However, Meiying remained unmoved, stubbornly folding her arms as she stared back at him with the pout of a grumpy child.

"What is it?" he retorted, his tone laced with annoyance.

"You didn't compliment me on my acting," Meiying revealed, her voice filled with a hint of disappointment, surprising Xuejian with her unexpected request.

"Is that all?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. Meiying nodded, silently confirming his suspicions.

In one swift motion, Xuejian closed the distance between them, leaning in closer until their faces were inches apart. With tenderness, he planted a gentle peck on her cheek, his lips barely grazing her skin. "You did well. Now, get in," he declared before gracefully sliding into the car.

Meiying stood there momentarily, her thoughts in a daze. First her forehead, then her cheek. What would be next? Perhaps her lips? Taken aback, she instinctively covered her lips.