Chapter 217: Chapter 198: Ji Xizhi Finally Has a Scandal!

Ji Xizhi sat at the corner of the long table, her back straight, hat and mask removed, revealing a face that couldn’t be ignored.

Artist No. 87 was initially stunned.

Then he saw the placard in front of Ji Xizhi’s table.

Each table, including Director Jin’s, the producers, and people like Shanli, had signs indicating their roles such as director, scriptwriter, producer, etc., similar to other crews in charge of auditions.

Only Ji Xizhi’s was different.

Ji Xizhi’s sign was a bit odd. It wasn’t computer-printed but handwritten, with bold, beautiful, and elegant letters.

Four words: Legal Consultant.

Legal Consultant? What’s this role?

Wasn’t Ji Xizhi set to play the female lead?!

Or is “Legal Consultant” just another term for the female lead?

Artist No. 87’s mind was a bit tangled.

Ji Xizhi sat at the table, seeing Artist No. 87’s expression, and routinely explained for the Nth time: “I’m not the female lead. Please start the audition.”

Artist No. 87: “?”

“Uh uh… okay.”

Beside her, Shanli was almost laughing herself to tears, with one hand on Ji Xizhi’s shoulder and the other on her stomach, saying, “Zhi Zhi, look, so many people have come in, and you’ve explained this seventy times. Even they think you’re the female lead; how can you bear to refuse Director Jin!!!”

Ji Xizhi glanced at Shanli, her expression growing more composed, and seriously said, “I didn’t refuse.”

Next to her, Director Jin’s eyes lit up; was there still a chance?

Then Ji Xizhi continued, “I’ve secured a role that’s suitable for me!”

Director Jin: “…” She really did like that role.

Ji Xizhi: “As for the female lead, I lack the acting skills to fit it at the moment.”

Ji Xizhi spoke with ease and candor, without any of the burdens other celebrities have regarding their acting abilities.

Even Artist No. 87, upon hearing Ji Xizhi, felt it was both ridiculous and realistic.

A currently popular and trending Ji Xizhi admitting she lacks acting skills; if this gets out, the marketing accounts and Black Fans would ridicule her to the moon.

But that wouldn’t compare to Ji Xizhi refusing Director Jin; if that gets out, it’s even more explosive!

Wait a minute! If Ji Xizhi turned down Director Jin’s new drama’s female lead due to insufficient acting skills, how hard must it be to cast Director Jin’s female lead!

Artist No. 87 belatedly realized they were being swept along.

A bit dazed, they finished the audition and left the audition room, immediately surrounded by several artists who had been discussing at the door.

“How did it go?”

“As long as we try our best, we’ll have a chance!”

“Did you see Ji Xizhi in there? Was it her? Did she get the part?”

Artist No. 87 showed a numb face: “Yes, it was her, she got it, but… hey! Anyway, let’s all focus on honing our acting skills from now on!”

With that, Artist No. 87 left the waiting area with their head down.

The other artists: “?”

What’s wrong? Did they get a shock?

Several people didn’t understand at first, but when it was their turn for the audition, and heard Ji Xizhi explain for the N+Nth time, they instantly got it.

Even top-tier stars are improving their skills; what’s stopping us from doing it too!!!

The artist who was a fan of Ji Xizhi felt the most motivated after hearing Ji Xizhi speak.

That artist immediately set plans and goals for improving their acting skills right then and there.

If Director Jin wasn’t still in the middle of the audition process, they would have detailed their goals aloud for Ji Xizhi to hear.

The morning auditions concluded.

Everyone was exhausted, and Director Jin straightforwardly booked a small restaurant to have a meal with everyone from the audition crew.

Director Jin was a straightforward person, not working with Shanli for the first time, so they were mostly familiar with each other, relaxing and not avoiding suspicions over the meal.

“Rival in Love” is an adaptation of a popular novel, and it’s Director Jin’s first work back in the field, so the news of today’s audition was certainly known to major media outlets.

When Ji Xizhi went to the small restaurant with Director Jin and others, they were photographed right at the door.

Less than half an hour later, there were rumors on Weibo that Ji Xizhi would join the crew of “Rival in Love.”

The accompanying pictures were dynamic images of Ji Xizhi dining with Director Jin and others.

With visuals as evidence, most people in the comment section quickly believed it.

[Ahhh, Ji Xizhi, she’s perfect for the role of the female lead in ’Rival in Love’! From her looks to her professional skills, she’s perfect! Director Jin really knows how to pick!]

[Oh this, Ji Xizhi has neither acted before nor trained formally, and now she’s entering the acting field? Laughable, seems like anyone can act now!]

[Tsk tsk, not content with variety shows, now she’s turning to acting to make money too, real fans of Ji Xizhi have it tough!]

[Sorry, without an official announcement, we intellectuals won’t recognize baseless rumors. I also advise netizens and marketers to speak cautiously, or see you in court!]

[First time seeing someone claim being a fan of Ji Xizhi is unfortunate. My friend, a long-time Ji Xizhi fan, went from 200th in the school to 8th in the last exam, aiming for 1st. Nothing to say, Ji Xizhi fans’ misfortune makes others envious! (She’s submitting her schedule in the fan group, I’m posting on Weibo for her!)]

[Hey, I don’t mind, as long as the acting is good. Just hope the acting really gets good!]

[Seeing Ji Xizhi, I first get a sense, could it be a simple meal together?]

[Pft, with auditions today, and then a meal, how could it be so coincidental?]

…

With Ji Xizhi tied to the news of being the female lead, discussions became varied.

Additionally, with the dynamic images of Ji Xizhi dining with Director Jin’s crew, the news seemed almost confirmed.

The spread of information was getting faster.

The artists who auditioned this morning soon saw this trending news.

Friends and managers sent inquiries too.

The auditioning artists quietly responded: Don’t cue us, focusing on honing acting skills.

Friends/Managers: ???!

Director Jin, dining with the crew, was soon shown this trending topic and opened it to see the various speculations from netizens.

Jin’s eyes cooled: “I hate these tagging paparazzi! Use the official account to explain.”

She thought for a moment and added, “Just deny the female lead for now, don’t mention anything else.”

Director Jin purposely held back, teasing the curiosity of netizens. After all, they needed the attention.

But after finishing, Director Jin still asked Ji Xizhi’s opinion: “Ji Xizhi, are you okay with this?”

Ji Xizhi wasn’t concerned and simply nodded, saying: “Okay.”

“But if fans ask me, I’ll tell them.”

Hearing this, Director Jin couldn’t help but smile.

Though she hadn’t known Ji Xizhi for long, she seemed to understand why Ji Xizhi was so well-liked in the entertainment industry.

The official account for “Rival in Love” quickly came online, releasing a Weibo post that the female lead was undecided, but Ji Xizhi’s role was set.

The crew’s clarification, along with the announcement, directly sent the topic soaring.

[Here’s the key point: Ji Xizhi isn’t the female lead, she has another role?]

[Congratulations on the collaboration~ Hehe, looking forward to our Zhi Zhi!]

[So what role is Ji Xizhi playing? The male lead?]

[Hmm??? Why not? I think the male lead suits Ji Xizhi too.]

[Why isn’t Ji Xizhi playing the female lead? I don’t think anyone suits it better than her, please, Director Jin, take a look at Zhi Zhi!]

Curious onlookers sincerely asked across the web.

Director Jin: My native language is speechless.

It was the artists who auditioned today, unable to bear it as they passed by.

A small account directly replied: [Ji Xizhi thinks her acting isn’t good enough, so she won’t act!]

This statement was intended as a simple explanation but struck differently in the eyes of netizens.

One sentence directly catapulted “Rival in Love” to peak popularity.

It also gave Ji Xizhi’s Black Fans a topic to latch onto.

Ji Xizhi can’t act!!!

Finally, Ji Xizhi had an exploitable flaw!

A group of Black Fans who had been lying in wait for ages, ready to pounce.

Seizing the point of Ji Xizhi’s acting to wildly comment.

[Quite self-aware, not that her acting is bad, she just has none!]

[Good thing she isn’t playing the female lead, even other roles might not be suitable. What role requires no acting? Hope the crew considers carefully and doesn’t randomly assign roles!]

[No acting skills, but still forcing her way into the group for money, discomforting!]

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