Leisurely Traveler with Check-in System-Chapter 47: The Unlucky Leading Lady

The next day, Li Younan went to audition for the background actor role. This time, with the experience of the first day, he got selected without any difficulty.

The casting director was very enthusiastic when facing Li Younan, but they said with a bit of regret, "Today, you’re not needed to play a stand-in, you can only be a background actor." They also said, "You have a great look. You might consider doing this long-term. The crews around here would love someone with your image. Once you have more roles, you can try for special appointments, and maybe one day a big director might notice you, and you could officially step into the entertainment industry."

Li Younan nodded and said, "Okay, thank you, director."

He recalled his time at the company, when the boss painted a rosy picture for him. But in comparison, this casting director wasn’t actually doing that; they weren’t in a subordinate relationship, so it was more like pointing out a path for him. However, these words were just to be heard; the entertainment industry is more suited for dedicated and talented people like the lead actress from the first day.

The experiences over these two days made him realize one thing: It seems glamorous on the surface, but actors have their own professional challenges too. For instance, if he were to shoot a kissing scene with a female star he had never met before, Li Younan felt he would inevitably be portrayed as an emotionless lecher.

This crew was clearly well-funded; you could see the difference from the box lunches they provided and the cleaner props. There were even tents to rest in while waiting. There was another long wait ahead.

Today’s scene was to be shot in the street, with background actors appearing in the shot for a long time, and this time Li Younan would be showing his face. Fortunately, he didn’t need to provide any acting skills; the director arranged for him to find a small stall and gave him a plate of peanuts, asking him to eat peanuts after the camera started rolling.

This job was undeniably easy. Li Younan gently shook the prop folding fan, occasionally flicking it open with a "snap" and fanning himself lightly, pretending to be a charming scholar.

If you filtered out all the modern people outside the set, the uneven cobblestone road, gray walls, and wooden eaves on either side painted a picture of the past. A peddler with a rattle, steam drifting from a tea stall. Blue printed fabric hung at the entrance of a cloth shop, and jars piled up on the street from a sundry store. Several idlers squatted in corners, basking in the sun.

Li Younan imagined himself to be an ancient person; this experience was far more interesting than an ancient-themed park.

Scheduled to start in an hour, without realizing it, Li Younan ate all the peanuts in the plate, but filming hadn’t begun. Just then, there was a commotion in the distance. Li Younan clearly heard someone say, "With this attitude, I really can’t act with you."

Watching the drama is human nature, and everyone put down their tasks and looked over. A supervisor on site shouted to them, "What are you looking at? Does it have anything to do with you?"

Li Younan glanced over but didn’t see anything. As he looked down, there were two peanuts left in the bowl, and he intended to finish them off. A hand reached over and took the last two peanuts from his bowl.

Li Younan looked up, and it was the lighting guy from two days ago, looking gleefully mischievous as he said, "It looks like our leading man and lady are having a conflict."

"They’ve been having conflicts for a while now."

With that, he tossed the two peanuts into his own mouth.

Li Younan remained silent and refrained from commenting on the issue. However, due to this little interruption, the progress of the filming was disrupted; everyone waited for half an hour before finally starting.

Someone from the crew carrying a big megaphone announced, "All departments, positions ready..." In front of the camera, the clapperboard cracked, and filming officially began.

All the machinery focused on the scene’s leading man and lady in the center. As part of the background, Li Younan silently pretended to chat with another background actor in the designated spot.

The peanuts in the plate were gone, and to make the scene more realistic, the other person took out a bottle of Erguotou and filled Li Younan’s bowl and their own bowl full.

Li Younan’s expression froze for a moment; can this be done on set?

Putting down the bowl, the other person said with an exaggerated smile, "One, two, three, four, five, three, four, five, six, seven."

With a sing-song tone, as if telling a very funny joke.

Li Younan was momentarily stunned, then suddenly came to life, nodding seriously: "Three, four, five, six, seven. Ten, Jack, Queen, King, Ace."

The other person laughed, patting Li Younan’s shoulder: "Three, four, five, ah! Three, four, five!"

The two of them laughed heartily together.

Li Younan felt that this moment was definitely his peak performance.

Compared to his smooth sailing, the lead actor and actress in the center of the shot were having issues. The director called "cut," and all activity immediately ceased.

The director went up and exchanged a few words with the lead actor and actress, then restarted the filming.

This time, Li Younan was the first to speak: "One, two, three, four, five."

The other person chuckled: "Seven, eight, nine, seven, eight, nine."

However, this time, before Li Younan could speak again, the director once again shouted "cut."

The director stepped up and sternly criticized the lead actress. This cycle of back-and-forth happened several times, making everyone more exhausted. The director, frustrated, yelled through the megaphone: "Take a 20-minute break!"

Taking advantage of this chance, all the background actors hid under a tent to rest.

At this point, the background actor working with Li Younan patted him on the shoulder: "Brother, good acting!"

Li Younan bowed with a fist: "You’re too kind, you’re too kind."

The other person said, "Dude, I’m going to hit the restroom."

Li Younan replied, "Go ahead, go ahead."

The two of them laughed again. It was clear that the other person was also here for the fun of experiencing life.

After that guy left, Li Younan was the only one left sitting there. He was already under the awning, so there was no need to move. Just then, he saw the leading lady walk straight toward him.

...

Last time, Li Younan didn’t really get a good look at the leading lady. But this time, she sat down beside him so neatly and decisively.

The star, without a doubt, was the woman with the highest looks in the whole crew.

Always calling her "lead lady, lead lady" isn’t very polite; her name is Lan Yiyi.

Now, she just sat beside him in full view of everyone. Not saying something would be very awkward, but forcing something out might be even more awkward.

But evidently, she understood the principle of "as long as you’re not embarrassed, it’s others who get embarrassed," and sat there silently sulking, ignoring Li Younan.

Li Younan helplessly looked up; the sunlight had already moved past the awning and landed on the table, and the weather was still so hot.

Lan Yiyi had been making mistakes all day, unable to find her rhythm. She lowered her head, wearing a look of defeat. Suddenly, she turned her head and asked Li Younan, "Am I really that bad?"

Li Younan was taken aback for a moment and quickly shook his head, "How could that be? I think you’re a very dedicated actress."

Li Younan said these words with utmost sincerity, but it seemed to trigger her. Her expression changed to one of disbelief and shock, then to barely concealed grievance, saying, "You came just the day before yesterday, right? I’ve never seen you before."

Li Younan blinked and nodded.

Lan Yiyi said in a voice full of distress, "So you’re mocking me along with the others too?"

Li Younan’s mouth twitched slightly, huh? What the heck, is being dedicated a negative trait now? Some industry secret?

At this moment, Lan Yiyi felt like the world had abandoned her. She moved from the center of the bench closer to Li Younan’s position, to the edge.

Between them lay a long, empty bench surface, like an invisible chasm.

The air seemed to freeze.

Then Lan Yiyi said sullenly, "Move further away from me."

Li Younan hesitated for a moment and asked, "Do you mean you want me to leave?"

Lan Yiyi didn’t look at Li Younan and nodded.

Li Younan sighed lightly, propping his hands on his knees, ready to stand up. This movement shifted his center of gravity upwards. More importantly, the enormous downward pressure he was exerting on the bench at his end instantly disappeared.

Just as Li Younan’s backside left the bench surface, and his body hadn’t fully straightened up—

The laws of physics mercilessly took charge.

With the weight suppression on the left side gone, the hard wooden bench sprung up like a spring.

"Ah—!"

Lan Yiyi only had time to let out a brief yelp before her body was ruthlessly flung backward and downward by the bench’s opposite end’s dip and her own weight. It felt as if the ground she was sitting on suddenly caved in.

"Thud!"

Lan Yiyi fell to the ground in an extremely awkward position, sprawling out with her legs even slightly flipped up due to inertia.

By this time, Li Younan had fully stood up, turning around in astonishment, his face filled with sheer, wide-eyed bewilderment.

He looked at Lan Yiyi, who lay on the ground, dumbfounded and filled with shame and wrath.

A law Newton documented over three centuries ago landed on the unsuspecting Lan Yiyi in the most straightforward yet clumsy manner.

Lan Yiyi’s nose tingled, and she burst into tears with a loud "wah."