Reborn in the Hong Kong entertainment industry in the 1980s

“I believe in Director Qi’s ability; he can indeed train any actor well.” Hu Xiaoxiao looked troubled and added, “However, if Director Qi does this, I’m afraid others will doubt his judgment.”

"What do you mean?" A judge standing nearby, rarely seeing someone dare to directly confront Qi Weiming, asked with a smile.

"Do you think that small island could raise someone as beautiful, confident, and radiant as me? Only women from prominent families and pampered by noble clans can have my kind of presence."

Hu Xiaoxiao looked at Director Qi with a smile, her eyes crinkling, her brows exuding confidence and arrogance.

She rested her elbows on the armrest, leaning back with a leisurely and lazy air, every move she made, including the hint of rebellion in her expression, was exactly the same as Xie Weihua's.

The judges were all people who had read the script and understood the characters, which is why they were sitting here selecting actors. And besides the screenwriter, the director was undoubtedly the most familiar with the script.

Qi Weiming recalled a crucial and one of the most exciting scenes in the entire series involving Xie Weihua: after protecting Zhao Zhenchuan, she was suspected by the Japanese and taken in for interrogation. Xie Weihua at that time must have resembled Hu Xiaoxiao in her current state.

Qi Weiming also realized that Hu Xiaoxiao had been playing Xie Weihua from the moment she entered. She had perfectly captured Xie Weihua's personality and behavioral logic.

“You are a very talented actress,” Qi Weiming said to Hu Xiaoxiao.

Hu Xiaoxiao sensed Qi Weiming's interest and seized the opportunity to add fuel to the fire: "I'm not only very talented, but also very hardworking. Director Qi, what do you think of my etiquette? Doesn't it have a very Republican-era feel? To play Xie Weihua well, I specifically consulted with a socialite from Shanghai back then and learned her manners and lifestyle. If the crew needs me in the future, I can also act as an etiquette teacher and correct everyone's manners and demeanor during the Republican era..."

Hu Xiaoxiao revealed the name of her teacher, and anyone familiar with old Shanghai would recognize her as a famous socialite from that era.

Qi Weiming's eyes suddenly lit up. "You've taken that old man as your teacher?"

“If it weren’t for that old lady teaching me step by step, how could I have learned so well in such a short time?” Hu Xiaoxiao stood up and showed off her outfit so that the director and judges could see it more clearly. “This dress and accessories I’m wearing were all lent to me by that old lady.”

When Hu Xiaoxiao came in and saw her outfit, Qi Weiming and the other judges only felt that it looked familiar and did not think much of it, assuming that Hu Xiaoxiao had borrowed it from some film crew or had someone make it herself.

Hearing Hu Xiaoxiao's explanation, they realized that this outfit had such a background.

“Real Shanghai socialites all say I have no problem, and I think I have no problem in front of Director Qi and the judges.”

Qi Weiming had never seen an actor as dedicated as Hu Xiaoxiao, willing to do so much homework and spend so much time and energy on a single role. He asked curiously, "Did you do this when you were filming before?"

Hu Xiaoxiao looked at the judges and said, "The judges should know how I act. From Zhou Bijun, who became popular at the beginning, to Mu Guiying recently, I have always given my all to play the role well."

The judges knew a lot about Hu Xiaoxiao's story. They told Qi Weiming about how she learned martial arts in order to film Mu Guiying well, and how she could be suspended by wires for several hours without complaining of being tired.

After listening, Qi Weiming finally understood why this excessively young girl had become so popular so quickly and become a leading figure among the company's younger generation. Moreover, he seemed to see in Hu Xiaoxiao the same dedication he had shown to his career when he was young.

Qi Weiming organized the materials, selected a scene from Xie Weihua's story, and had Hu Xiaoxiao act it out.

The indoor cameraman turned on the camera and pointed it at Hu Xiaoxiao.

Hu Xiaoxiao performed the role very naturally, requiring almost no preparation.

From the moment she entered the room, she was convinced that she was Xie Weihua. Whether there was a camera or not, it made no difference to her; she was the role, and the role was her.

Qi Weiming nodded secretly. After the filming was finished, he pondered for a moment and said to Hu Xiaoxiao, "Alright, you can go back now. I will announce Xie Weihua's selection within three days."

“Then I’ll wait for Director Qi’s good news.” Hu Xiaoxiao stood up and said sincerely, “Director Qi, you’ve been honing your skills for years, and once you do, you’ll be amazing. I hope I can be fortunate enough to share in your glory and soar to new heights with you.”

Qi Weiming smiled slightly, "With your ability and perseverance, you can soar high even without me."

"Talented horses are common, but discerning judges are rare. Director Qi, you are the discerning judge of television. Whether it's directing or casting, you have a unique eye, and no one in the industry doesn't admire that."

Hu Xiaoxiao finally breathed a sigh of relief after leaving the audition room.

Although director Qi Weiming did not immediately decide on Xie Weihua, his hesitation indicated that she had at least a 50% chance of being cast.

And that's the half of the opportunity she wanted.

Hu Xiaoxiao gently closed the door and was about to call the next person to audition when she saw You Na rushing over from a distance.

Compared to her previous makeup and outfit, Yuna had changed her clothes this time. She wore shorts, cloth shoes, a straw hat, and a white towel around her neck.

They came running from afar, as if a rickshaw was being pulled behind them.

Yuna saw Hu Xiaoxiao come out of the audition room and finally stopped, clutching her back and panting. "It's my turn, right?"

Hu Xiaoxiao stepped aside and nodded, "You can go in now."

She looked at Yuna, who was covered in sweat from rushing out, and her face without any makeup. Then she saw Yuna casually wiping the sweat from her forehead with a towel. She looked exactly like An Baojuan.

It will take three more days to find out who will win over Xie Weihua between her and Xia Lu, but Hu Xiaoxiao knows that the answer to who will win over An Baojuan is already clear.

The auditions didn't finish until the afternoon, and Qi Weiming quickly finalized the casting for other important roles.

He was still somewhat hesitant about whether to cast Hu Xiaoxiao or Xia Lu for the role of Xie Weihua.

He watched the scene he filmed with Hu Xiaoxiao and Xia Lu over and over again. Xia Lu had more acting experience, her acting style was more diverse, and she handled the details better. But Hu Xiaoxiao's image, age, and temperament were more suitable for the role of Xie Wei'an.

After thinking it over, he simply called screenwriter Lin Yi and brought up the matter.

Lin Yi laughed on the other end of the phone, "Actually, the fact that you called me means you already have a plan. If you're free, come to my house, and I'll show you some photos. Maybe that will help you make a decision faster."