[TL/N: Just skip to the next chapter]
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Outside the audition room, Liu Xiaoli had been anxiously waiting. When she finally saw her daughter emerge with a smile, she rushed up to her.
"Xixi, how did it go?"
"Mom, the director said I performed really well. I'm the first choice."
Liu Yifei repeated what she had told Yang Mi earlier.
Liu Xiaoli was overjoyed, her pretty face breaking into a smile. "I knew my daughter was the best!"
At that moment, Yang Mi, carrying the mindset of someone about to face their doom, stepped into the audition room.
After learning that Liu Yifei had essentially secured the role, she had already begun planning her next move. Oddly enough, she was no longer nervous.
She just wanted to get this audition over with.
Walking in, she calmly glanced at the judges seated behind the table. Her gaze lingered briefly on Martin, silently marveling at his looks before launching into her self-introduction.
She had practiced this introduction countless times, so it rolled off her tongue fluently.
"Hello, esteemed judges. My name is Yang Mi. I'm from China, and I'm auditioning for the role of Cho Chang."
Columbus stroked his chin and asked, "You're Chinese? Mixed race?"
"No, no, I'm not mixed. I'm fully Chinese." Yang Mi stammered, not out of nervousness, but because her English wasn't great.
Columbus shook his head slightly in his mind but still handed her a script with Cho Chang's lines.
As Yang Mi clumsily stumbled through the lines, Columbus was surprised to notice that Martin had already marked her name with a check—and even added a small dot.
And so—
Just as Yang Mi finished her awkward reading, fully expecting rejection, she heard Columbus say, "Your line delivery needs improvement, but your appearance is quite suitable. Go home and wait for notification. If you don't hear from us in three days, assume it didn't work out."
Wait… what? What does that mean?
Does this mean I still have a chance?
Yang Mi was stunned.
Her dazed expression was rather amusing to Martin. The girl hadn't been fully shaped by the industry yet—though she was already a bit slick, there was still time to salvage her rawness. Her acting, too, hadn't fallen into the rigid patterns she would develop later, meaning she was still moldable.
That said, Liu Yifei remained the first choice. Unless she turned down the role, Yang Mi or Katie Leung would only get in based on luck.
The next day, Liu Yifei's agent—her mother, Liu Xiaoli—received a call from the Harry Potter production team.
However, after hanging up, Liu Xiaoli's expression wasn't as thrilled as Liu Yifei had expected.
Liu Yifei's face fell. "No way, Mom! They said I was the first choice. They wouldn't go back on their word already, would they?"
Liu Xiaoli quickly put on a reassuring smile. "No, no, the production team called to confirm that you got the role. But… but they want you to report to set within a week."
Liu Yifei was first excited, but then something clicked in her mind. "A week? But… doesn't that clash with The Return of the Condor Heroes?"
"Yes, it does. That's exactly why I'm troubled."
"Can't the schedules be adjusted?"
"Most likely not." After answering, Liu Xiaoli decided to give it a try anyway.
She first called Zhang Jizhong, but he refused outright. Then she called the Harry Potter team, who also rejected any schedule changes.
Now things were tricky!
A choice had to be made.
If Yang Mi had known about Liu Xiaoli's dilemma, she probably would have rolled her eyes.
This is what we call a humblebrag!
"Mom, what do we do? Which one should we choose?"
After thinking for a while, Liu Xiaoli made up her mind. "Let's go with The Return of the Condor Heroes. Xiaolongnu is the leading role, while Cho Chang is just a minor character. Even though Harry Potter is hugely popular, The Return of the Condor Heroes has a deeper cultural foundation in China. Xixi, you'll be working in China for the next few years—it's better to choose The Return of the Condor Heroes."
"Oh, okay." Liu Yifei had her own thoughts but didn't object. She was used to letting her mother make the decisions.
Elsewhere, Yang Mi was discussing things with her agent.
"Sister Liu, I probably won't get Cho Chang. Let's head back to China and try for Xiaolongnu in The Return of the Condor Heroes. Before my audition, I casually asked the staff about the Harry Potter filming schedule—it overlaps with The Return of the Condor Heroes. If Liu Yifei takes the Cho Chang role, she won't be able to play Xiaolongnu. This is our chance."
"Wait, really? Are you sure Liu Yifei got the role?" Sister Liu's interest was piqued.
To be honest, Sister Liu had never supported Yang Mi wasting time auditioning for Harry Potter. First, her English wasn't good enough. Second, while Harry Potter was famous, Cho Chang was just a minor role.
But she hadn't expected this stubborn girl to spend six months cramming English, at least to the point where she could hold a basic conversation. Yang Mi had even paid her own way to London for the audition—and actually made it through the first round.
Even though she ultimately failed, getting through the first round was still something to brag about in China. A few well-placed media articles would boost her reputation.
And now, there was even a chance for Xiaolongnu!
Could this girl really have some luck on her side?
...
Three days after the audition.
Yang Mi and Sister Liu were packing up, preparing to leave.
Then, Yang Mi's phone rang.
Yes, she had given the production team her personal number.
"…Hello? This is Yang Mi… What? Really? Oh, that's amazing! Thank you, thank you… I'll report on time."
Hanging up, Yang Mi stood frozen for a moment. Then she suddenly leaped into the air.
"OH YEAH! I GOT THE PART! I PASSED THE AUDITION!"
Sister Liu stood there in disbelief.
Wait… what?
But… wasn't Liu Yifei chosen?
"Liu Yifei must have given up the role. She couldn't resist the chance to play Xiaolongnu," Yang Mi said smugly. "Honestly, she should've checked for scheduling conflicts before auditioning. She must be regretting it now."
"What about The Return of the Condor Heroes?" Sister Liu asked.
"Of course, we'll turn it down! This is Harry Potter—a Hollywood blockbuster!"
Compared to Liu Yifei's lead role as Xiaolongnu, Yang Mi didn't hesitate at all in rejecting the role of Guo Xiang.
After all, both were supporting roles—but one was in a Chinese TV drama, and the other was in a Hollywood blockbuster.
Wasn't the choice obvious?
"Sister Liu, looks like we'll be staying in London for a while. We should find a place to stay."
"Alright, I'll take care of it."
Now that Yang Mi had secured the role of Cho Chang, Sister Liu started taking her much more seriously.