---
Mo Yuwei's eyes widened in disbelief.
"What did you say?"
Xu Jiaqi nodded slowly, tears already forming in her eyes. "Yan Qingsi's death... it wasn't an accident."
Silence filled the hospital room.
Even the hum of the machines in the hospital seemed to fade into the background.
Mo Yuwei's expression hardened. "Then tell me everything. What really happened?"
Xu Jiaqi wiped the tears from her cheeks, drawing in a shaky breath.
She stared at her hands for a long moment before speaking, her voice soft but steady.
—
"I was the first to enter Starlight Media after graduating from the Acts School," she began. I was fresh out of training. I was hopeful, ambitious... naive. At the time, Jiang Xueyi was already gaining fame. Not A-list yet, but she had a steady fanbase. From the moment we met, she targeted me. I don't know why— maybe because I was new. Or maybe because I didn't suck up to her like everyone else."
She paused, bitterness coating her voice.
"She would speak ill of me in front of directors, spread rumors... twisting my words... it was endless... and slowly... I became isolated."
Her lips curved into a bitter smile. "I didn't have many friends. Until Qingsi arrived."
Mo Yuwei listened quietly, her expression unreadable.
"Qingsi arrived about eight months later, just when I'd started to gain some recognition. She was stunning—probably the most beautiful among all the new actresses. Her talent was undeniable and Jiang Xueyi hated her. However, people loved her instantly, and that only fueled Jiang Xueyi's jealousy. She tried the same tricks on Qingsi... but they didn't work. Qingsi always smiled gently and kept to herself. That grace made her even harder to slander."
Xu Jiaqi gave a small, sad smile. "She ended up redirecting her hatred back to me. But then, Qingsi and I… we became friends. She didn't care about what others said. We became best friends."
Mo Yuwei listened without interrupting, her gaze fixed on Jiaqi's pale face.
"One day, we were at a shoot learning from the seniors. We were assigned minor roles in a drama being filmed on one of the indoor sets. It was just supporting lines, but we were eager to learn from the senior actors."
Xu Jiaqi's voice faltered.
"Su Xian and Fang Zemin came to the set. Gu Yanchuan, as the head director, was with them. Qingsi and I were sitting at a table, reviewing our scripts and talking. When the three men approached, I felt this… chill crawl up my spine."
She clenched her fists. "Su Xian looked directly at me. Gu Yanchuan… at Qingsi. They stared at us like we were merchandise. It made my skin crawl. Fang Zemin introduced us, saying we were new and full of potential. Gu Yanchuan said he was looking for fresh faces for his next movie. Su Xian agreed and said they'd speak to us personally."
She looked away, shame flickering across her face. "Their intentions were obvious. The way they looked at us… everyone saw it."
Mo Yuwei's jaw tightened.
"Gu Yanchuan suggested we audition directly without going through our managers. Fang Zemin agreed. Su Xian even said they'd discuss 'further details' later. "
She paused, swallowing hard as fresh tears shimmered in her eyes.
"After they left, people were whispering. Some looked envious, others disgusted. We didn't understand it fully—until Li Danqing—she came to us."
Mo Yuwei frowned slightly. "Li Danqing? The award-winning actress?"
"Yes, at that time, she wasn't famous. She was a B-list actress then. She lowered her voice and asked if we were new. When we nodded, she just said, 'Be careful.' Then she walked away."
Xu Jiaqi's eyes glazed with pain. "I still remember her eyes. Not pity. Not concern. Just... warning."
—
Mo Yuwei's brows furrowed slightly. "Then what happened?"
Xu Jiaqi continued, her voice quieter now, trembling. "A week later, we were summoned to the CEO's office. Fang Zemin and Gu Yanchuan were waiting. They told us we'd been 'chosen' to audition. They handed us an invitation card with an address. Said it was for a private audition."
She scoffed bitterly. "He made it sound like a prize. He said Gu's movies were box office legends and every actor dreamed of working with him. Then he told us to dress nicely and be there in the evening."
—
Mo Yuwei's eyes darkened. "And then?"
She looked up at Mo Yuwei, expression haunted. "Outside the office, I told Qingsi we shouldn't go. That it felt wrong. But Qingsi… she was always braver. She told me she had a bad feeling too, but she also said if we refused, they'd blackball us on the spot. And if we didn't show up, they'd brand us 'disrespectful' and ruin our future. So we made a plan."
"What kind of plan?" Mo Yuwei asked gently.
"We agreed to go together. No matter what. We'd pretend to be polite, listen, and find a way out. But we wouldn't drink anything, we wouldn't stay long, and we wouldn't separate."
Mo Yuwei murmured, "She tried to protect you."
Xu Jiaqi nodded. "She did. We'd to stick together. We didn't want to seem ungrateful, but we weren't stupid either."
She swallowed hard. "We lived in the dorms provided by the company. That evening, we met outside and took a taxi together."
She paused.
"When we arrived at the address… we froze. It was not a casting office nor an audition hall. It looked nothing like a place for an audition."
She lifted her eyes to meet Mo Yuwei's.
"And I remember asking myself... is this what an audition looks like?"
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