Amusing Ourselves to Death Arc
Agent 20
Xin Lan offered Qin Yuyan some words of encouragement and patted her on the shoulder.
However, despite this simple gesture of support, Qin Yuyan felt very pleased.
When they saw Zhang Haishan and Song Qing, Xin Lan went up to greet them.
Zhang Haishan and Song Qing’s attitude was much warmer than the first time they had dinner together. After all, although twenty million was not a significant amount for a movie, it did relieve their urgent financial situation, allowing them to breathe easier and operate more freely.
“Director Zhang, this is our Qin Yuyan. We’ll have to trouble you to take good care of her.”
Xin Lan slightly turned to the side, and Qin Yuyan immediately greeted them.
Zhang Haishan examined her from head to toe. Excessively beautiful young women often gave the impression of lacking in acting skills, but he was not someone who judged solely by appearances. He believed that true qualities could only be revealed through actions.
“I’ll certainly take good care of her, but as you know, there’s something I mentioned before…”
Zhang Haishan hesitated.
“I remember what you said. There’s no way I’d want to put you in a difficult spot. If you think it’s feasible, then accept it. If not, we’ll pack up and leave. The money can stay with you, considering it as my investment that won’t be reclaimed.”
Xin Lan smiled warmly, which relieved Zhang Haishan.
He had been worried that Xin Lan might bring someone who didn’t meet his expectations and that she would take the money back. However, Xin Lan was so understanding. Two million was certainly not a small sum for a talent manager. He had also inquired within the industry and learned that Xin Lan’s family was not from a wealthy and prominent background.
Qin Yuyan listened to their conversation and felt somewhat puzzled.
What money? What investment?
Did Xin Lan invest in this movie?
It seems like Xin Lan used her money to secure her an audition opportunity.
Qin Yuyan encouraged herself, feeling confident in her grasp of the role. She wouldn’t let Xin Lan down and certainly wouldn’t let down the money Xin Lan had invested.
Qin Yuyan went in for the audition, while Xin Lan waited at the door.
She replied to some messages on her phone, scheduled appointments with her assistant, checked in on how things were going with Cheng Zhi, and when everything was in order, the audition room’s door opened, and Qin Yuyan walked out with Zhang Haishan.
“No wonder Xin Lan is such a great talent manager; everyone under her guidance is exceptional.”
Zhang Haishan raised his thumbs up, indicating his great satisfaction.
Qin Yuyan’s performance from the moment she entered the audition room left him astonished. Actors with such vitality and a younger appearance were a rare find. Not many were willing to focus on acting when they could easily rely on their looks to get by.
Xin Lan had not been particularly worried from the start, and when Zhang Haishan spoke, she knew it was a done deal.
Standing beside Zhang Haishan, Qin Yuyan gave Xin Lan a wink, momentarily captivating her with her charm.
“Well, if you’re satisfied, then let’s have a pleasant collaboration. When do you plan to start filming?”
“In two days.”
“So soon?”
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“Yes, most of the roles are already cast. It’s just the leading lady that needs a bit more consideration. Now, it seems there’s no need for further competition, so we can start as soon as possible.”
“Alright, where will the filming take place?”
“In Liucheng.”
Liucheng is a county town under this city, approximately sixty kilometers away.
“Alright, I’ll give Qin Yuyan your contact information. Please let us know the specific details later.”
“Great, see you soon.”
The joy on Zhang Haishan’s face was almost impossible to conceal. He wished he could gather everyone on the set right away and start filming. However, he maintained his composure and knew he needed to make the necessary preparations first. As he thought about it more, his excitement grew. He waved to Xin Lan and Qin Yuyan before turning and entering the room they had just come from.
“We’re starting filming in two days, so should we skip going back?”
As Qin Yuyan walked alongside Xin Lan, she slyly included the word “we” in her conversation.
Xin Lan hadn’t originally planned to leave so soon. After all, Qin Yuyan had just entered the production after signing the contract, and Xin Lan always intended to stay for the entire duration. She would leave once Qin Yuyan was settled into the production. Anyway, there was no rush since Shen Yun’s audition wasn’t scheduled yet.
Seeing Xin Lan nod, Qin Yuyan felt a bit elated.
“How about we have Rabbit arrange another room next to mine for you?”
“Rabbit” was the nickname of Qin Yuyan’s assistant, a lively and efficient girl.
“Rabbit” was Qin Yuyan’s assistant, whom Xin Lan had introduced to her the day before. She was a lively and efficient girl, quick and straightforward in her actions.
Qin Yuyan didn’t have the courage to suggest sharing a room with Xin Lan. Even thinking about it, she knew Xin Lan would never agree, and it would be awkward to bring up.
“Alright,” Xin Lan nodded in agreement. “So, would you like to rest at the hotel for a bit, or shall we go out and explore together?”
Xin Lan currently had no pressing matters, and her schedule was flexible based on her artist’s preferences.
“Let’s go out and explore together, then have lunch. There should be some attractions in this city. I’ll check the travel guide.”
Qin Yuyan made the suggestion, and Xin Lan naturally agreed to accompany her.
There were quite a few attractions in this city, but the closest and most famous one was a temple said to be very spiritual.
Perhaps due to the current holiday season, there was an increase in the number of tourists, and transportation was particularly crowded.
There was a long line in front of the subway, and Xin Lan and Qin Yuyan were pushed onto the subway by the people behind them.
When the subway doors closed, it was already packed to the brim inside, leaving no space whatsoever.
Xin Lan held onto the railing in front of her to maintain her balance, while Qin Yuyan stood behind her, reaching out to grab the railing.
If viewed from the side, it almost looked like Qin Yuyan was half-hugging Xin Lan.
Qin Yuyan had initially been concerned that the crowded transportation might be uncomfortable, but now she was completely content. Thanks to Xin Lan being in front of her, she couldn’t help but feel amused.
With everything falling into place so naturally and openly, offering such an intimate opportunity, she didn’t mind if there was a bit more of it.
Given Xin Lan’s keen perception, she naturally noticed that she was practically half-embraced by Qin Yuyan’s chest due to the crowded crowd.
Qin Yuyan couldn’t help but find the situation amusing, and she was aware of it. However, in such crowded circumstances, there wasn’t much she could do. Even if she tried to move forward, attempting to create some space between them, others would continue to push, keeping them close together.
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So the best response was to pretend not to notice, avoiding making the atmosphere too overtly ambiguous.
Furthermore, the subway’s current odor wasn’t pleasant. They were in the midst of a hot summer, and in such a crowded situation, everyone was inevitably sweating. The subway car was enclosed, with no outside breeze to disperse the air. Consequently, the air was filled with a strong odor of sweat.
What was even worse was that Xin Lan couldn’t identify the source of a faint body odor among the crowd. This subtle scent lingered in her nose. In contrast, Qin Yuyan’s fragrance seemed particularly pleasant.
In this situation of one quietly rejoicing and the other tacitly accepting, Xin Lan and Qin Yuyan reached the subway station they were headed to.
Exiting the crowded subway car, Xin Lan felt much better.
Qin Yuyan, on the other hand, was somewhat reluctant to leave the subway but didn’t dare to show it on her face.
As it was one of the more famous attractions, the temple they had arrived at was bustling with visitors.
People of all ages and backgrounds, men and women, filled the area, creating a lively atmosphere.
Not far from the temple’s entrance, there were many stalls selling snacks. Qin Yuyan’s mouth watered as she looked at them.
“There are so many people right now; how about we go inside the temple later and first explore the food options?”
Xin Lan suggested, following Qin Yuyan to the stall selling sugar figurines.
The stall owner, an elderly man, was focused on crafting a figurine in his hands. When he noticed customers approaching, he looked up and smiled at them.
“On this side, they’re ten yuan each, on this side, they’re fifteen. We can also make custom ones. Would you two like to take a look?”
The sugar figurines came in various shapes, including small animals and characters like Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie, all looking lively and vivid.
“Can you make figurines of people, like me and her?”
Qin Yuyan pointed to herself and Xin Lan.
“Sure.”
“Then make both of us.”
Qin Yuyan’s eyes sparkled, and she appeared very happy.
Making sugar figurines, of course, took some time. So after Qin Yuyan paid and placed the order, she took Xin Lan to explore other things.
After wandering around and exploring the surroundings, they returned to the same stall to collect their sugar figurines.
The elderly man had crafted a cute version, though it wasn’t very accurate, but you could still see a resemblance.
Qin Yuyan took hers with joy and handed Xin Lan her miniature figurine while keeping the cute version for herself.
“Eating oneself seems quite ruthless. How about this: I’ll eat yours, and you can eat mine.”
Qin Yuyan thought she had concealed her little plan quite well, and she said so with an innocent expression.
Having seen through Qin Yuyan’s intentions, Xin Lan remained silent for a moment before nodding.
After all, she was a 28-year-old adult, and she couldn’t simply say, “I want to eat a sugar figurine that looks like me, so let’s swap.”
As they both enjoyed their sugar figurines, they entered the temple. People were kneeling and offering incense, and the grand temple had a solemn and majestic atmosphere. The central deity’s statue exuded an imposing and dignified aura, inspiring reverence.
Qin Yuyan disposed of the wrappers from their snacks in the trash bin and then tilted her chin towards Xin Lan.
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“Do you want to make an offering and cast divination blocks together?”
Casting divination blocks is a practice where people here believe they can communicate with the deities by casting divination blocks to receive divine guidance. When they are uncertain about something or want to inquire about a matter, they come to cast divination blocks. This temple is renowned for its accuracy in divination, which has contributed to its growing reputation.
Xin Lan had initially thought of saying that she didn’t believe in such things, but when she met Qin Yuyan’s gaze, she found herself unable to refuse.
This person was truly strange; meeting her eyes made it difficult to reject certain things.
Casting divination blocks requires sincerity. One must first light incense and candles as an offering to the deity, then explain the reason for casting divination blocks to the deity. Afterward, with hands clasped in prayer, they make three respectful bows before casting the divination blocks onto the ground.
The divination blocks consisted of two pieces, one convex and one flat. If they landed with one convex and one flat side up, it was considered a “sacred divination,” signifying the approval or affirmation of the deity. If both sides were flat, it was a “smiling divination,” indicating that the matter required further consideration. If both sides were convex, it was an “angry divination,” suggesting that the matter was not feasible. For important matters, one should ask three times.
Following the steps, Xin Lan cleared her mind and asked a question.
Can I find someone to accompany me?
She cast the divination blocks, and the answer was a sacred divination.
Xin Lan was somewhat surprised. She thought it might be a coincidence, and even though she found it hard to believe, she still held onto a glimmer of hope. She cast the divination blocks two more times.
The results were all sacred divinations.