Newly Promoted Top Star x Washed-up Best Actor 36

Lin Sui suddenly lost consciousness. When he opened his eyes again, what he saw was not Yan Qin, but a mirror.

He was wearing a T-shirt made of soft and comfortable fabric, and the touch of fluff swept across his face.

"Oh, Brother Lin, why did you open your eyes? We need to do your eye makeup in a moment, keep them closed for now."

The girl standing beside him, who was dusting setting powder, hurriedly said. Lin Sui only had time to catch a glimpse of a face with pale skin and red lips under the light source before he closed his eyes again.

With just that brief glance, he took a rough look around the room through the mirror. This was a makeup room.

This world transition was quite sudden. Before he and Yan Qin had even finished rolling in the sheets, he heard the System drop a line saying it was time to go. Then his vision went dark, and when he opened his eyes again, he was here.

Yan Qin should have come along with him. That was for the best. After all, anyone who suddenly found their partner missing right in the middle of being intimate would definitely be left with some psychological trauma.

Lin Sui spoke in his heart with mock subservience, 'Mother-in-law, you can't treat us like this just because you don't have a sex life of your own.'

The System: 'Hehe.'

'Look at the plot. It's the same this time: complete the task, and you cannot break character.'

The System didn't seem willing to say more. It dropped these two sentences and some content settings, then fell silent.

Lin Sui felt it was a bit dull. The System had gotten smarter; knowing it couldn't win an argument against him, it stopped asking for trouble.

Lin Sui closed his eyes as his makeup was applied, digesting the plot of this world in his mind.

This was an entertainment circle world. Yan Qin was a Best Actor who had faded into obscurity after an accident.

He came from a professional acting background. While still in school, he starred in an art-house film that won an international award. He was a Best Actor who achieved fame in the industry at a young age, a truly capable actor.

After that, he appeared in a few more movies. His output wasn't considered high; sometimes he played supporting roles, sometimes the lead. Although some had average box office results, without exception, they all had excellent word-of-mouth.

He was completely devoted to the art of film and television. At the age of twenty-four, he once again won the crown of Best Actor. However, on the way to the award ceremony, his car was blocked by a crazed stalker fan expressing their love. Coincidentally, his car's brakes failed, and he was severely injured, forcing him to recuperate for a long time.

In the blink of an eye, three years passed. The tides in the entertainment industry shifted quickly, and things had long since changed completely.

It wasn't actually difficult for Yan Qin to make a comeback, but it was hard to get good roles.

Nowadays, traffic stars dominated, and capital was disrupting the market. Good scripts were already scarce, and with money interfering, some good scripts ended up ruined. Yan Qin was someone with high standards for scripts. Furthermore, many offers were just trying to exploit his past fame, and Yan Qin was even less willing to look at those.

The producers and investors he rejected were quite dissatisfied. Everyone's networks were interconnected; it only took a word of greeting, and those who originally intended to collaborate with Yan Qin also found other excuses to back out. Thus, Yan Qin fell into a predicament: no resources, and no roles to film.

However, the good karma he had accumulated in the past was still there. He successfully joined a production crew to play the second male lead. The male lead was a newly promoted top star, a flower vase with peerless good looks.

Lin Sui took a look. Oh, sure enough, it was the original host.

Lin Sui reviewed the original host's experiences and couldn't help but frown inwardly.

He was a person who disliked useless trash the most, and naturally, he also disliked incompetent fools who pretended to be capable. The original host just so happened to be exactly that kind of person.

The original host was not professionally trained; he hadn't even taken more than a few acting classes. His reason for entering the entertainment circle was simply to enjoy the feeling of being the center of attention.

He debuted with top-tier resources handed to him and a massive amount of PR articles praising him. In his last starring role in a historical drama, his acting could be described as an utter disaster, entirely carried by his face.

Half a year into his debut, he had no presentable works, but his face fans were incredibly formidable. Coupled with the fact that he indeed possessed a remarkably handsome face that exuded an aura of splendor and wealth, even if he was just selling his looks, it was pleasing to the eye.

The entertainment industry was somewhat deformed and extreme. The original host lived all day amidst flowers and praise, and genuinely believed that his acting was pretty good. This time, he stubbornly insisted on starring as the male lead in a famous director's work, wanting to wash away the label of having poor acting skills.

The director naturally refused, but the original host was flamboyant, domineering, and a vicious supporting character. How could he tolerate the director's refusal? He directly intervened and blocked the director's avenues for securing investment, forcing the director to agree.

The original host filmed this movie intending to wipe away his previous humiliation, but the person acting as his supporting role was Yan Qin. Even though Yan Qin had a scar on his face, his acting skills were more than enough to crush the original host ten streets over. Once the movie aired, public opinion was almost completely one-sided, saying that the original host ruined a masterpiece. The original host became a laughingstock.

The original host was incredibly petty-minded and deliberately targeted and made things difficult for Yan Qin at every turn. In the end, he suffered the consequences of his own actions, while Yan Qin, having refined his acting skills even further during his period of silence, became a legend in the film industry.

Compared to Young Master Lin's unpredictable moods in the previous world, the original host of this world was more arrogant, overbearing, and brainless. He reveled even more in the feeling of being watched. Who else could be a better fit for a vicious cannon fodder?

The bead in his Spiritual Platform lit up with a faint glow, heavily emphasizing, 'You cannot break character. The original host's acting is terrible; you cannot suddenly have a counterattack.'

The System knew that with Lin Sui's acting skills, turning the tide would take no more than an instant.

Lin Sui lazily replied to it, 'Got it.'

It seemed the System was afraid of his methods from the previous life and wanted to take preventative measures in advance. However, why would this be difficult for Lin Sui? There was more than one way to bring about change.

The System was a fool. It thought that this would restrict him from showing off his skills and ensure Yan Qin maintained his disgust towards him... Yan Qin this time was someone exceptionally serious about acting, looking down on those with poor skills who forcibly hogged resources while thinking highly of themselves. But the System had still thought too little; this actually made things much more convenient for him.

Lin Sui formed a plan in his mind, and his posture leaning against the chair became even more lackadaisical.

At this time, the makeup artist finished his eye makeup and gestured that Lin Sui could open his eyes.

"Brother Lin's skin and facial features are both so excellent. You look exceptionally good even without much makeup..."

The makeup artist flattered him, picking words that would please Lin Sui.

The original host had somewhat of the attributes of a narcissistic peacock. Even though Lin Sui had to take deep breaths inwardly at the praise, outwardly, he still put on a smiling face.

The clicking of high heels sounded out. The voice arrived before the person did.

"Baby, you are truly too beautiful today! You are humanity's unattainable Artemis. Your beauty today intoxicates me as always. When you take the makeup test photos later, you will definitely outshine everyone!"

The manager, Fu Nai, dressed head-to-toe in accessible luxury brands, strode briskly over to Lin Sui in her high heels.

Lin Sui was given a bit of a headache by her exaggerated tone. Those in high positions most tabooed blind praise, and the original host had precisely lost himself in this bed of roses, becoming an idiot in an ivory tower. Lin Sui suspected that this was the real torture the System had prepared for him.

"Do you know why Artemis is unattainable?"

The young man's thin lips parted slightly, his eyes like an ocean of honey.

Fu Nai froze for a moment and shook her head somewhat awkwardly.

How would she know? It was just some over-the-top flattery a corporate slave had memorized from the internet.

"Because Artemis favored maidens who did not marry, and promised Zeus from a young age to remain a virgin forever."

The implication was that she would never be obtained, hence she was unattainable.

Looking at the smile still lingering on the corners of Lin Sui's mouth, Fu Nai felt a faint chill run down her spine.

Fu Nai couldn't quite put her finger on it; she just felt that Lin Sui seemed a little different today.

This flattery had severely backfired. Fu Nai wasn't embarrassed, though, and smiled as she said, "Darling, you're so cultured. I didn't even know any of this."

People in the industry calling each other 'darling' and 'baby' was just a verbal tic, but hearing it made the veins on Lin Sui's temples throb.

Even Yan Qin hadn't dared to call him so affectionately. Aside from the Lin Family who would occasionally call him 'baby' to dote on him, who else would dare address him like that?

"Just call me by my name next time. And there's no need to constantly praise me, it's annoying to listen to."

The original host was naturally someone with a bad temper who acted on every whim, so when Lin Sui changed his attitude, the others didn't think much of it. They merely grumbled inwardly and changed how they addressed him.

"Alright, Ah Sui. It's almost time, we can head out after a quick tidy up."

Fu Nai made a gesture, and the miscellaneous personnel in the makeup room all withdrew, leaving only Fu Nai and Lin Sui's two personal assistants, Tao Yang and Tang Yuan.

"The original second male lead has been replaced. That person planned to work on two sets simultaneously, but the schedules clashed, so he paid the penalty fee and left. Director Liu found someone else to fill in."

Fu Nai saw things clearly in her heart. This production crew and script were both quite good, but the male lead was Lin Sui. The other drama, however, was filled with new-generation young actors and actresses. Although their acting might not be stellar, it wouldn't be as atrocious as Lin Sui's. It was completely obvious which side that second male lead would choose.

However, it was impossible for her to say these words to Lin Sui's face. Continuing to speak about the actor who had come to help out, she said, "It's that Yan Qin who won two Best Actor trophies. It's truly such a pity what happened to him back then. I saw him when I arrived just now. After his accident, his contract with his company was terminated, and now he doesn't have an agency to sign with. He came all alone, looking so pitiful."

"He was a Best Actor in the past, after all, and this time he only got the acting opportunity by helping out, asking for a very low salary."

Fu Nai sighed lamentably. She had also been a fan of Yan Qin back then; who would have known that the ways of the world were so unpredictable?

Yan Qin had quite a few scenes, but his salary was merely a fraction of Lin Sui's. It wasn't that the director was bullying him; Yan Qin had requested it himself, primarily coming for the script. However, most people didn't believe it. After all, who didn't love money?

Lin Sui's face was completely cold as he said, "Never heard of him."

"It's normal not to have heard of him. He had an accident a few years ago and hasn't shown his face in the entertainment circle for a long time."

"He got injured and didn't recuperate properly, but still came running to the entertainment circle to join the fuss," Lin Sui patted imaginary dust off his clothes and pretended to ask casually, "Where was he injured?"

Fu Nai thought for a moment and said, "I think it was his waist or his leg?"

Lin Sui's expression grew even colder. If it was his waist, he wouldn't let the System off.

After all, moving by himself was truly too tiring.

Seeing him walk out with a dark expression, Fu Nai thought he was just being disdainful of the person. Saying no more, she hurriedly followed his footsteps outside.

The setting of Director Liu's new work this time was a modern period drama. Lin Sui had to play two roles and had two sets of clothing.

One set was a modern suit, and the other was an elegant traditional long gown. Lin Sui was shooting the suit photos first. The makeup artist had elongated the outer corners of his eyes, adding a few degrees of arrogance and domineering to his inherently amorous eyes. He looked just like an aloof and imperious young master of that era.

In the photography studio, Lin Sui saw Yan Qin, who was currently shooting. He was wearing a long gown and trousers, with a black windbreaker draped over the outside, looking cold, stern, and mysterious.

His appearance was even more deep and restrained than in his previous life, resembling a polished obsidian.

Lin Sui found it quite a pity. They hadn't finished doing it yet.

Then, his brow furrowed, and he turned to leave.

"The supporting role's makeup photos are being taken before the lead's. You might as well just change the lead actor."

The photographer's face stiffened. He complained inwardly that it was all because Lin Sui had arrived late, but he couldn't afford to offend Lin Sui. He had no choice but to apologize repeatedly and ask someone to escort Yan Qin off the set.

Yan Qin gave Lin Sui a fleeting glance and slightly furrowed his brows.

He wasn't unhappy because of this incident, but rather regretful that a good script was going to be ruined like this.

Lin Sui noticed his gaze and stopped when they brushed past each other.

"So what if you used to be a Best Actor? Does a washed-up has-been even deserve to make a comeback?"

The beauty smiled, yet his tone was filled with malicious mockery.