Chapter 171: Misunderstanding
The Red Dragon King’s expression stiffened. Although the wooden floor had been replaced and even freshly waxed by the meticulous workers, the traces of renovation were still visible.
“Could it be…?” The Red Dragon King’s heart sank.
He glanced at his assistant, who immediately summoned a few young, strong men to come in. “Lift these floorboards.”
Once the floorboards were lifted, fresh cement was revealed beneath. The marks of both old and new were evident, showing that the patching had been done not long ago.
“Smash it! Use some force!” The Red Dragon King nearly shouted.
The people around him had never seen him lose his composure like this. Even his assistant was startled, unsure of what exactly was bothering him with the floorboards.
The underling responsible for smashing the floor thought to himself, “It’s just the foundation below, there’s nothing hidden. What’s the point of smashing it?”
But to his surprise, a hammer strike created a hole in the floor.
Under the intense gaze of the Red Dragon King, the underling kept hammering, and soon the secret chamber beneath the floor was fully revealed.
However, all that was left inside was not crates of gold but rotten wooden blocks and construction debris.
“Jump down and have a look,” the Red Dragon King pointed at an underling.
The underling carefully searched around and reluctantly shook his head. “Grandmaster, there’s no treasure down here, just junk.”
The Red Dragon King’s face clouded over, his teeth nearly grinding together. “Xu, You, You!”
He stormed out of the basement, and as soon as he stepped into the yard, he saw a group of people holding up IOUs, surrounding him.
“Pay the debt! Paying debt is a matter of principle…”
The bald man wearing a gold chain froze when he saw the figure approaching. The person who appeared was the gaunt, grim-faced Red Dragon King, and his words of scolding got caught in his throat.
The Red Dragon King gave him a cold glance.
The bald man’s imposing tone weakened immediately. He shrank his neck and said, “What are you doing here? I’m looking for Zhu Ailian; she bought this villa.”
In this area, almost no one was unaware of the Red Dragon King.
Although they hadn’t had much interaction, it was well known that he had deep ties with both the wealthy elite and the underworld. His influence stretched far, even overseas.
Any gang that had crossed the Red Dragon King had been thrown out of the country without waiting for official intervention, and they had never been heard from again.
The Red Dragon King didn’t respond to the bald man at all. Without even looking at him, he scowled and got into his car, leaving.
Although the bald man felt displeased, he didn’t dare to show any disrespect. After the Red Dragon King left, he gathered the other debtors and surrounded the assistant of the Red Dragon King.
“Li Shiye, the debt goes with the house. Even though the house has passed to the Dragon King, the debt hasn’t been cleared!”
Some tried to plead: “Exactly, the Dragon King’s family is powerful, he won’t dodge our little debt!”
Others tried to threaten: “If you don’t pay us today, we’ll surround this place and won’t let you leave!”
The Red Dragon King’s assistant had always been quite dignified, and this was the first time he encountered such a difficult situation. As people pushed and shoved, the suit he was wearing became wrinkled, and he could only helplessly say, “Everyone, please stop. Don’t be in such a hurry. Let’s talk things over slowly.”
Xu Youyou had no idea whether the Red Dragon King had paid off his debts. Her casting call for Dream of the Red Chamber had just kicked off today, after nearly a month of promotion.
The offline auditions were held at a high-end hotel’s event hall in Hu City. Xu Youyou had only rented the venue for five days because she planned to organize auditions in batches in six major cities across the country during the month-long campaign. This would save the contestants from having to travel far.
Although anyone could sign up for the auditions, only those who had passed the preliminary selection received an audition pass to attend the offline event. The first round of screening had already eliminated 90% of the applicants.
The first round of selection took place on a dedicated website, where contestants submitted their photos. After screening, the contestants selected their preferred time for the offline review.
Today was the first day of the offline auditions. There were six judges: Xu Youyou, Professor Wu, Xie Ran, Ouyang Ouyang, the company’s chief stylist Wang Anna, and a rotating judge. The rotating judge for today was Song Zhibai, who immediately caused a stir among the contestants as soon as he appeared.
Song Zhibai had recently become a huge sensation due to a hit drama, and he was now one of the fastest-rising stars. The contestants knew that even if they didn’t make it to the next round, simply seeing Song Zhibai in person would be a big win for them.
“They really like you, Xiao Song. You’ve really become famous,” Xu Youyou teased with a smile.
Song Zhibai gave a slight smile and asked seriously, “They like me, but what about you, boss?”
Song Zhibai not only had an exceptional facial structure but also deep, mesmerizing eyes. As Xu Youyou was caught in his focused gaze, she suddenly felt flustered.
Xu Youyou cursed inwardly at Song Zhibai for crossing boundaries but forced herself to stay calm, replying, “Of course, I like you. You’re my cash cow.”
At her response, Song Zhibai’s expression darkened slightly. Clearly, Xu Youyou still didn’t take him seriously.
The auditions officially began, and the first female contestant walked in. With her looks alone, she caught the attention of everyone present. Xu Youyou glanced at the information card and saw that this contestant wanted to audition for the role of Lin Daiyu.
“My name is Zheng Shuying. Since I was a child, my parents always said I resembled Lin Daiyu with my delicate, wind-swept appearance. Although I think Lin Daiyu is sharp-tongued and calculating, I still want to give this role a try…”
Xu Youyou couldn’t help but frown slightly. Professor Wu immediately spoke up: “Lin Daiyu is not a sharp-tongued or calculating character.”
Zheng Shuying became displeased and said, “She fought over the imperial flower, wasn’t she petty and calculating?”
Xu Youyou was at a loss for words. She then changed the subject, “Tell me your understanding of the character of Xia Jingui.”
Zheng Shuying asked, “Who is Xia Jingui?”
Xu Youyou was stunned. She had thought that with Zheng Shuying’s beauty, even if she couldn’t play Daiyu, she could still try out for other roles. But this question completely caught her off guard. She couldn’t help but ask, “How much of Dream of the Red Chamber have you read?”
Zheng Shuying replied, “I stopped when they were selecting the imperial flower. I found Lin Daiyu too petty and unlikable, so I didn’t continue.”
Xu Youyou: …
Xu Youyou felt there was no need to activate her character compatibility card. She said, “Your understanding of the character is flawed. You’re not suited for this role. Please bring in the next person.”
Zheng Shuying had excellent looks, and although she was now wearing makeup, Wang Anna could tell she had a solid foundation. Unable to resist, Wang Anna spoke up:
“Boss, it seems she hasn’t had any cosmetic surgery. It’s a pity to eliminate her just like this.”
