Chapter 22

At night, Bai Yin lit a scented oil lamp and sat in a luxurious bathtub with massage function. The ripples of the water circled around her as she extended her milky white arm to stir up the foam on the surface and lightly blew it away.

Her phone lay on the water table beside the tub, with Sun Lili's messages pouring in one after another:

"Song Anti issued an apology statement, but it's useless. Everyone is still criticizing her."

"It is said that the production company of 'Ni Chang' is preparing to recast the leading actress."

"Several heavyweight brands that Song Anti endorsed have issued statements, saying that they have terminated their contracts with her."

"This time, Song Anti's downfall is quite thorough!"

Bai Yin glanced at her phone screen, unperturbed as she had expected all of this. In this era where everyone loves to gossip, public figures should be cautious with their words and actions, or else any mistake they make will be blown out of proportion. Song Anti's downfall was due to her arrogance and lack of intelligence.

Bai Yin was enjoying her bath when she heard the sound of the front door opening downstairs, followed by the familiar footsteps of a man. There was no one else but Chen Huaixiao.

However, Chen Huaixiao had not been home for some time now. Most of the time, he stayed in the private living room on the top floor of Canxing Media, and on weekends, he would go racing for two or three days. For him, this house was like a hotel for occasional rest.

Bai Yin could tell that Chen Huaixiao really didn't like her, but she didn't care about that anymore. Chen Huaixiao saw her as a source of occasional pleasure and relaxation, and she saw him as a tool.

Their marriage was a matter of mutual benefit.

As Bai Yin was about to get up, she heard a creaking sound, and the sliding door of the bathroom was pushed open!

Bai Yin was startled and quickly sat back in the bathtub, piling the foam in front of her.

The man walked in without any expression on his face. In the misty water vapor, his black bathrobe looked elegant and refined. He came to the edge of the tub, hung his bathrobe on the hook without any hesitation, and stepped into the bathtub.

Bai Yin felt the water level rising and almost reaching her nose, so she sat up higher and leaned against the wall.

The bathtub was very large, like a hot spring pool, and even with two people in it, it still felt spacious.

It had been almost two or three weeks since they last saw each other, but Chen Huaixiao didn't even say hello and was now "face to face" with her without any hesitation or awkwardness.

Bai Yin reached out for the bubble bath and squeezed out a lot of white foam to avoid any unnecessary embarrassment between them. "Don't be polite."

"This is my home. Why should I be polite?" The man's muscular arms were resting on the edge of the bathtub, and his smooth muscle lines were beautiful. He raised an eyebrow and looked at her.

Her skin was white and translucent. She had tied her hair into a cute bun, and a few black strands of hair were wet and dripping around her temples. In the misty water vapor, her stunning features exuded a lazy vibe.

However, the red mark on the left side of her face was still visible.

Chen Huaixiao reached out and held her chin. "Does it hurt?"

Bai Yin saw the sympathy in his eyes and moved closer to him, coquettishly saying, "It hurts so much."

Bai Yin was an expert in using a soft voice to act cute.

"You have always been strong. In high school, when the big sister bullied you, you beat her up so badly that no one dared to mess with you." Chen Huaixiao's voice was calm. "But now you've taken this slap yourself, ruining Song Anti's pure image. Why are you pretending to be pitiful?"

Bai Yin rolled her eyes.

As expected, nothing could escape Chen Huaixiao's notice.

He knew her too well.

How could she let herself be bullied for no reason?

"If you already know, why bother asking?" Bai Yin moved away slightly and said coldly, "I won this battle beautifully. Do you have a problem with that?"

Chen Huaixiao didn't know what was wrong with him. Since watching the video in the afternoon, he had been unable to calm down.

Bai Yin had chosen to marry to secure her position in the Northern City, even betting her future, and now she had endured this slap when she could have easily avoided it.

Who knew if she would betray him, sell him out or even leave him for her own interests tomorrow.

The thought of the possibility made Chen Huaixiao feel like a trapped beast in a cage, struggling to break free.

Bai Yin noticed Chen Huaixiao's cold expression and understood it somewhat.

Chen Huaixiao didn't like women who were calculating, and she had become exactly the type he hated the most.

"Chen Huaixiao, you've known me for a long time. Is it really necessary to be so angry?" Bai Yin stood up elegantly, stepped on the water with her fair toes, walked to the shower area, took a casual shower, wrapped herself in a bathrobe, and walked out.

Chen Huaixiao didn't stop her, his gaze following her leaving figure.

The pool was filled with a pleasant fragrance, invading his nostrils.

Chen Huaixiao picked up a rose petal and squeezed it tightly in his palm. He didn't know what was wrong with him.

He felt trapped.

Bai Yin changed into a nightgown and sat in front of the vanity mirror, using a boiled egg to roll over the red mark on her left cheek.

Soon, Chen Huaixiao walked out as well, still wearing a black pajama with two buttons undone, revealing a hint of his collarbone and a faint hint of desire.

Bai Yin glanced at him through the mirror.

She thought he was a stubborn person and would never touch her after they had an argument.

However, he unexpectedly walked towards her.

Bai Yin quickly stood up and took two steps back. "I'm not in the mood tonight."

Chen Huaixiao snorted coldly, "With the way you look now, I'm not in the mood either."

He walked to the dressing table, put something down, and then turned and walked out of the room.

Bai Yin glanced at what he had left behind--

A bottle of bruise-healing ointment.

...

The filming of the drama "Ni Chang" encountered numerous troubles and controversies from the very beginning, but it also generated a lot of buzz.

Of course, controversy brings attention.

All the controversies surrounding the topic have added momentum to the release of "Ni Chang," so it's hard to say whether it's a blessing or a curse.

Song Anti has already terminated her contract with the production team, and they are now urgently seeking a suitable actress to fill the role.

"Ni Chang" is a highly anticipated production, and after Song Anti's departure, many artists have set their sights on the lead actress position.

The director has auditioned several actresses recommended by investors, but either their acting or dancing skills were not up to par. They finally found someone who could both act and dance, but when dressed in ancient costume, she wasn't very attractive...

Recently, the director and producer have been wracking their brains over the lead actress issue.

In the scenes at the palace, several actresses are auditioning for the most important scene in the film, where the lead character, Yan Huan, eavesdrops on a conversation between a eunuch and a powerful official and learns that her former lover betrayed her for power and gain. This scene is very demanding and tests the actresses' acting skills.

Four actresses came to audition for this scene today, each portraying Yan Huan in a different style. Some were good at crying scenes, others at portraying hysteria, but none were good enough for the director.

Zhao Xun, the director, is known for being strict and uncompromising, frowning and shaking his head repeatedly, saying, "Too exaggerated!" "Not good, too stiff," and "You guys have been in the entertainment industry for so many years, why are you acting like newcomers?"

One up-and-coming actress who had always been adored by fans and favored by investors couldn't tolerate Zhao's nitpicking and said, "Director Zhao, we've acted in many popular movies before. It's insulting to compare us to newcomers like that."

Zhao pointed to Bai Yin, who was watching and learning on the sidelines, and said, "Fine, let her give it a try. She's a dancer and has no acting skills, but watching her will show you what the problem is."

Bai Yin walked over hesitantly and said, "Director Zhao, I'm not prepared."

Zhao waved his hand and said, "It doesn't matter. Just do it."

His intention was to show these popular actresses how their exaggerated acting skills were no different from those of a newcomer.

Bai Yin had read the original novel of "Ni Chang" and knew the plot and the lead character's personality inside out. As she watched the other actresses auditioning, she kept thinking about Yan Huan's psychology.

Now was her chance to try it out.

"I may not act well, so just watch it casually."

As soon as the director shouted "action," Bai Yin immediately got into character.

After overhearing a conversation between a eunuch and a corrupt official, she stumbled and ran to the end of the palace road, only to hear a dull thud as she fell to the ground.

Several dance partners were secretly shocked. This was the hard, stone ground, and she was really putting in effort.

Her knees must have been really painful!

The female stars held their arms and looked at Bai Yin with disdain. "She's really exaggerated."

Zhao Xun said, "You see, you're just like her, only showing external emotions. There's no inner acting in your eyes. This is the acting of a newcomer. Are you proud of yourselves?"

Just as he was about to stop the scene, he suddenly caught Bai Yin's expression.

She fell to the ground, and a faintly eerie smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.

It was a smile that seemed like a smile, but also not quite.

She stood up unsteadily and looked at the magnificent palace of the Ming Dynasty in the distance, her eyes filled with tears.

She kept smiling, controlling her expression, and didn't let a single tear fall.

Sadness, anger, and unwillingness...

She slowly turned around, gazing at the long road she had just come from. The complex expression in her eyes seemed to be bidding farewell to her past self. At the moment she turned around, tears fell, and in that instant, all the expressions disappeared.

The current Yan Huan had no more worries, no more sadness.

She looked at the main hall of the Ming Dynasty Palace and step by step... walked towards the darkness without light.

...

The audition ended, and the set was silent.

Everyone was immersed in Bai Yin's performance, as if the woman who made a pact with evil and turned into a demon had just appeared before them alive.

Bai Yin is Yan Huan!

The few female stars who had just been dissatisfied were now all writing "bow down" on their faces.

Pick any random extra on the set, and they all had this kind of acting ability. They... felt embarrassed to compete for the leading actress position again.

"Director, forget it. I'm afraid I can't play the female lead."

"Me too. I'll tell the company that I voluntarily withdrew."

The female stars left with embarrassment.

The assistant director saw the situation and quickly stopped them. "Don't, don't, don't, try again."

With such a precious gem in front of them, the female stars knew they couldn't surpass the acting skills of the extras from earlier, so they all declined.

The assistant director sighed, "It's not easy to find someone at the last minute. We finally found four, and they're all not satisfactory."

Zhao Xun frowned and just stared at Bai Yin.

Bai Yin felt like she had caused trouble and was afraid that Zhao Xun would be angry and take away the lead dancing position that she had fought so hard for. She apologized to Director Zhao and quickly left.

In the dressing room, Qiao Xinqi heard that Director Zhao had been irritable all afternoon and no one dared to provoke him.

Most likely because of Bai Yin's performance just now.

She sneered, "If she offends these female stars who have powerful backers, Bai Yin can kiss her career goodbye."

Bai Yin was too lazy to bother with her and began removing her makeup by herself.

"She drove away Song Anti, and now she's causing trouble again. She's like a disaster, a bad omen. Do you think Director Zhao is blind? Just wait and see, soon enough, she'll be the one leaving."

A dancer came to her defense: "It wasn't Bai Yin's choice to go up there, Director Zhao made her. If she offended those few, can you blame Bai Yin?"

"You think she's innocent? Song Anti was a victim of her scheming."

Rolling her eyes, she approached Bai Yin. "Isn't that right?"

Bai Yin couldn't take it anymore and stood up, grabbing her collar. "Qiao Xinqi, don't think I don't know the dirty tricks you're playing behind my back."

"What dirty tricks am I playing?"

"Even if I leave, I can still drag you down with me. Would you like to try?"

The two were too close, Bai Yin's cold expression making Qiao Xinqi's scalp tingle and goosebumps rise on her back.

She instinctively felt that she couldn't afford to provoke this woman.

"Director Zhao is coming."

Qiao Xinqi pulled away from Bai Yin, a cold sneer on her lips as she watched the show.

Bai Yin took a deep breath, preparing her words in her heart.

If Director Zhao really decided to fire her in anger, how should she respond?

Soon, Zhao Xun walked in, accompanied by the assistant director, producer, and the dance director Li He.

Zhao Xun looked serious as he addressed Bai Yin: "Bai Yin, this is a difficult decision. 'Nishang' is a big budget film, and every decision I make is responsible to the investors and everyone on the production team."

"Director Zhao, I understand."

Bai Yin was extremely upset. This was the opportunity she had fought for so hard.

"Although you're an unknown newcomer, the producer and I agree that you're worth taking a risk on!"

She looked at Zhao Xun in astonishment. "Director Zhao, are you saying...?"

"Do you want to play the leading role in 'Nishang'?"

Not only was Bai Yin shocked, but the other dancers and extras around her were stunned as well.

For such a big production, the leading role was usually given to a famous actress with a large following.

Zhao Xun was daring enough to use a newcomer!

Qiao Xinqi was thunderstruck, falling back into her chair with her nails digging deep into her palms.