Chapter 1 Scene Seven
In Scene Seven of the first act, Zhan Yi took the script and her face immediately lit up with joy.
This scene had only two words for dialogue: "Seek death." As for the content, it was a fight scene.
Zhan Yi almost couldn't help but laugh out loud. Heaven was truly helping her. She had just performed fight choreography in her previous production. Although most of it was done by a stunt double, she had learned the moves. Even if they weren't many, dealing with a newcomer was as easy as pie.
Zhan Yi set the script aside, not even needing to prepare. She said with full confidence, "I'm ready."
Ren Kui raised an eyebrow. To be honest, she was also pleased to get this scene. She had a foundation in Taekwondo, so fight choreography was not a problem for her at all.
However, Zhan Yi's confident demeanor made her feel wary. What she knew, others might also know. Moreover, Zhan Yi had a lot of acting experience, so fight scenes shouldn't be a problem for her either.
With this in mind, Ren Kui didn't rush to start. Instead, she mentally rehearsed the movements.
In fact, for the past month, she had specifically sought out a fight choreographer to design and learn the fight scenes in the script, as combat ability was one of the most important skill points for the female lead.
Seeing that Ren Kui made no move, Zhan Yi became even more smug. "Ren Kui, this is a fight scene. It's not something you can do with just a few lines and expressions. Fists and feet have no eyes. Our faces as actors are the most important. I advise you to concede, lest I punch you in the face later and you cry from embarrassment."
Liu Teng's slightly nervous heart finally settled. He chuckled softly, "It seems I've won this round. Zhan Yi must have a foundation in fight scenes."
He Nian remained noncommittal, watching the performance with his arms crossed.
Soon, the one-minute mark arrived. He Nian slowly picked up the microphone, "Performance, begin."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ren Kui's eyes suddenly sharpened. She glared coldly at Zhan Yi with fierce intensity, "Seek – death –"
At the same time, Zhan Yi on the opposite side also finished her line. Then, she twirled her hands as if holding a sword, and with a confident aura, "stabbed" towards Ren Kui.
Ren Kui, not underestimating her opponent from the start, exerted her full strength. Since it was a modern drama, her moves were all modern fight choreography.
Without any fancy flourishes, Ren Kui took a step back with her right foot, raised both hands, and assumed a boxing guard stance. Then, with a low growl, she gathered power in her left leg, spun her right leg, and executed a powerful roundhouse kick, which instantly reached Zhan Yi's face.
Zhan Yi was still striking poses according to the flashy moves taught by the crew. Suddenly, the sole of a foot appeared before her. She couldn't stop her momentum and her face collided directly with it.
"Ah!" Zhan Yi screamed and immediately covered her nose, squatting on the ground and crying out in pain.
Ren Kui was startled and quickly retracted her movement. "I haven't even kicked yet. You ran into my foot yourself."
She had only been posing just now, fearing she might injure someone. Who knew Zhan Yi would run into her? She hadn't even felt anything, and Zhan Yi was already screaming like this.
It looked like she was trying to extort her. Ren Kui thought to herself, but her first reaction was to maintain a proper attitude. She quickly went to help Zhan Yi up. "I'm so sorry. As you said, fists and feet have no eyes. I really didn't do it on purpose. It's just a competition, friendship first. It's okay, right?"
"Get away from me." Zhan Yi's eyes were watering from the pain. She shoved Ren Kui away and glared at her angrily.
Ren Kui was stunned. She pointed at Zhan Yi's nose and stammered, "That... your nose is crooked. It looks like the implant is crooked."
Below the stage, there was chaos.
Staff members rushed onto the stage, trying to assess Zhan Yi's injuries.
He Nian, Liu Teng, and the other judges also hurried onto the stage, a group of people surrounding Zhan Yi.
Zhan Yi cried and shouted, "Ren Kui, I'm going to sue you. This is assault."
Everyone looked at the crooked nose, momentarily speechless.
He Nian asked Ren Kui with a stern face, "It was just a competition, couldn't you have held back a little?"
Ren Kui said aggrievedly, "I really just did a roundhouse kick. I hadn't even kicked her yet. If you don't believe me, check the surveillance footage. She really ran into my foot herself."
Liu Teng felt a bit wronged. "Have you trained?"
Ren Kui nodded pitifully. "Yes, but I only have a third-degree black belt. I'm considered a beginner."
Liu Teng was stunned. Good heavens, a black belt was a mark of technical skill beyond the first level, and she called herself a beginner? You could already compete with that.
"You... Since you know how to fight, why didn't you say so? Weren't you deliberately bullying people?" Liu Teng felt wronged. He had lost again.
Unexpectedly, Ren Kui's tears flowed, making her look even more aggrieved. "You didn't ask either. Everyone has their hobbies. I also know ballet, piano, erhu, and guzheng. Do I have to list them all out?"
This was the truth.
"But..." Liu Teng was choked speechless and felt too wronged, his face turning red.
Staff members hurriedly escorted Zhan Yi away, heading to the hospital.
While everyone was focused on Zhan Yi, Ren Kui quickly took out her phone and made a call.
"Hello, Mom, I knocked Zhan Yi's fake nose crooked. Can you help me smooth things over?"
"What? You... Didn't I tell you not to get into fights with people? What's going on with you?" Ye Suhua's roar immediately came from the phone.
Ren Kui's ears buzzed from the shock. She quickly moved the phone away. After the roaring stopped, she said pitifully, "It's a long story. I'll call you after my audition. Please help me handle it, Mom. Zhan Yi is not someone to be trifled with. If we don't strike first, who knows how she'll deal with me."
Then, before Ye Suhua could scold her further, she decisively hung up the phone and turned it off.
"Heh, so you know to call for backup when you cause trouble," He Nian said with a smile.
Ren Kui turned around and said pitifully, "Director, really, I didn't know she was just all show. You heard her talking tough on stage earlier. I couldn't underestimate her. Besides, if you check the surveillance footage, I swear, I absolutely did not kick her intentionally. She ran into my foot herself."
He Nian snorted, put his hands behind his back, and looked at the ceiling as if deep in thought.
After a long while, he tilted his head and looked at Ren Kui with suspicion. "Did your boss deliberately set me up here?"
"Ah?" Ren Kui was very confused. "This has nothing to do with our boss. You can't trouble our boss."
"I'm talking about the script," He Nian said impatiently. "No wonder you recommended people to me. So, these roles were tailor-made for you all, weren't they?"
Uh... On this point, Ren Kui had nothing to say. Others might not be, but it was indeed tailor-made for her and Han Zhao. In the script from the first day of training, the personalities of the male and female leads were not like this. It was only later, when the boss understood them, that the characters' personalities were revised.
The boss said that for an actor, a script was a matter of fate. Many people might not encounter a good script that made their careers in their entire lives. Since they were her people, she would definitely tailor it for them.
He Nian became more and more annoyed. "You're setting a trap for me, humph. Tell your boss that next year, he must provide me with at least one more script, otherwise this effort will be wasted."
Ren Kui looked a little troubled. "I'll tell him, I'll tell him."
Then she added, "Also, Director He, you should check the surveillance footage quickly to prove that we are not primarily responsible, so the compensation will be less. As for you and me, since you are the main responsible party, because the competition was proposed by you, it's quite reasonable for me to pay three and you seven. Later, any money I owe will be deducted from my salary."
He Nian was dumbfounded. "Girl, you're quite capable."
Ren Kui chuckled, "I've always been fair and just. I will definitely take responsibility for my mistakes. Oh, right, we also need to give Tianhua a heads-up, as Zhan Yi will be out of business for a year."