Chapter 102: Heartfelt Confessions

Su Muru had just called out when Ji Mei snatched the phone back. Chen Fang was her man, after all. Besides, having not seen Chen Fang all day, Ji Mei was eager to hear his voice. As Ji Mei and Chen Fang chatted, Ji Mei brought up Su Muru’s audition process.

To Chen Fang’s surprise, Su Muru’s audition was much easier than he had imagined. That morning, upon arriving at the audition site, Su Muru was personally interviewed by Xi Dong. She performed a five-minute live scene, and Xi Dong was thoroughly impressed by her performance.

This was entirely thanks to Su Muru’s own talent. The opportunity had been given by Chen Fang, but Su Muru seized it with determination. In truth, Su Muru was fully qualified to play the lead actress. In both appearance and skill, she was flawless.

Unfortunately, the female lead in “Three Lives, Three Worlds” was already one of the top stars in the Beijing circle, possessing not only beauty and talent but also a much stronger background than Su Muru.

Of course, Xi Dong was a director who valued acting above all else. If the lead’s acting were lacking, he would have championed Su Muru without hesitation. But since the lead’s skills were also excellent, Xi Dong had no reason to make a change.

Still, the second female lead was a considerable role. For Su Muru’s first project in the Beijing circle to be a Xi Dong-directed production, and as the second lead with plenty of screen time, was already unprecedented in the film industry. Countless actresses must envy her in secret.

“When will she move to Hengdian?” Chen Fang asked, genuinely interested.

Coincidentally, Ji Mei was interested too. “Probably in the next couple of days. I’ll help her pack and take her to Hengdian.” Ji Mei couldn’t hide her laughter as she spoke, and Su Muru, eavesdropping nearby, suddenly felt displeased.

So she was just getting in the way by staying here...

Boyu, you’ve changed. You used to be different.

Su Muru wore a look of utter resignation, silently pleading for the gentle, thoughtful Boyu to return. Now she was hopelessly lost in the allure of men.

Chen Fang pondered for a moment. He decided not to visit Ji Mei for the next couple of days. He’d wait until Su Muru had left. Besides, he hadn’t been back to his own duplex in several days. Now that he had a woman, he couldn’t forget about Pang Tong either.

After chatting a while longer with Ji Mei, Chen Fang hung up. He then made his way to the recording studio where Wang Situ was practicing.

Wang Situ was deeply absorbed in her singing practice. Chen Fang entered the studio unnoticed.

He quietly watched Wang Situ through the soundproof glass. The silly girl hadn’t rested all afternoon, and her voice was even more hoarse.

A minute later, Wang Situ paused.

Seeing this, Chen Fang spoke into the microphone, “Wang Situ, that’s enough for today.”

Hearing his voice through the headset, Wang Situ looked up at the glass. Chen Fang smiled at her, and Wang Situ couldn’t help but return a contented smile. Seeing his face seemed to melt away all her exhaustion. She took off her headphones and stepped out of the inner studio. “I was planning to practice a few more times.”

Chen Fang shook his head. Too much is as bad as too little. He didn’t have any of the green throat-relief medicine on hand, so Wang Situ needed to practice in moderation. If she strained her voice, it could spell disaster.

Just like now—Wang Situ hadn’t rested all afternoon, and her voice had almost become as deep as Yang Kun’s. It meant her vocal cords had reached their limit.

“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. You’re doing well. Try to speak less and drink more water, avoid spicy foods, and take care of your voice. As a singer, your voice will always be your most precious asset,” Chen Fang reminded her.

Wang Situ felt warmth in her heart and nodded with a smile.

Together, they headed for Xi Yuanyuan’s office.

Xi Yuanyuan was busy. Lately, Future Stardom had been at odds with other entertainment companies. As a result, their agents were also swamped, needing to constantly monitor online public opinion.

Moreover, the recording of “Let’s Fall in Love Together” had gone exceedingly well. The production team wanted to sign Chen Fang to a long-term contract, making him a regular guest on the show, arranging different female guests for him each episode.

The production team offered an impressive fee for the guest role.

In other words, if Chen Fang signed the long-term contract, a substantial sum would soon be deposited into his account.

But Xi Yuanyuan hadn’t agreed right away. On one hand, she needed Chen Fang’s opinion. On the other, the thought of him dating different female celebrities—even if only pretending—made her uneasy.

Chen Fang and Wang Situ did not linger in Xi Yuanyuan’s office. Seeing she was busy, they tactfully left.

At a small restaurant, Wang Situ ate with great appetite.

Chen Fang was somewhat surprised. He’d intended to take her to a fancy place, but Wang Situ preferred these modest eateries.

“Eat slowly,” he said, “no one’s competing with you.”

Chen Fang laughed and shook his head. Wang Situ ate without a hint of elegance, quite the opposite of those rich girls who took delicate bites—she was even rougher than Chen Fang himself.

Yet he found it charming. Wang Situ was a woman without guile; being with her was easy, without the need to tiptoe around her feelings.

Suddenly, Chen Fang thought of something. “Situ, does your family know you’ve signed with Future Stardom?”

He’d never asked before, but now he realized it was important. After all, Future Stardom didn’t have a great reputation. If she’d kept it from her family, trouble could arise down the line.

At his question, Wang Situ’s expression darkened. “They don’t know.”

Chen Fang failed to notice her sudden drop in mood, and said gently, “You really should tell your family. If needed, I can go with you and explain everything.”

Wang Situ hung her head, lost in thought.

After a long silence, she spoke in a low voice, “My dad always supported my singing.”

Chen Fang didn’t know much about her family, but from her tone he sensed sadness and disappointment. “I believe you,” he said.

He didn’t press further. This was her private matter.

Wang Situ looked up at Chen Fang, her bright eyes shimmering with unshed tears, but her lips carried a faint smile. “Chen Fang, my dad used to be a singer too! Just like you, he had a wonderful voice.”

Chen Fang smiled in return.

Ah! A musical family!

But judging by Wang Situ’s usual habits and attire, hers was likely not a wealthy household. Her father probably wasn’t a singer in the entertainment industry, but like Chen Fang in days past, perhaps sang on the streets, earning small change from tips.

Being a singer is a difficult path.

Chen Fang was lucky.

But not every singer is so fortunate.

“You care so much about Star Road—it must be connected to your father, right?” Chen Fang asked softly.

It was the first time he’d seen Wang Situ so emotionally shaken. Her parents were likely the main reason she had chosen to pursue a career as a singer.