The Long-awaited Mr Han

And yet, when Xu Yuting's turn came, she kept tripping up—perhaps Lu Man's presence was too strong and it pressured her, perhaps she was simply bad at her lines, or perhaps she didn't memorize them at all.

Xu Jiashan was displeased. "Xiao Xu, what's with you? It's only these few lines, yet you can't get it done even after so long?"

"S-sorry, I clearly memorized them," Xu Yuting apologized.

"Go and get your script, don't waste everybody's time," Xu Jiashan said frostily.

However, it was not only Xu Yuting who made mistakes, even Gao Sheng and Sun Xiutong encountered the same problem.

The three were Wu Jingli's students, but they performed poorly as compared to Lu Man with her outstanding performance.

With their dismal basic skills and mediocre acting, they were totally outstripped by Lu Man.

The students did poorly, and as she was their teacher, this reflected poorly on Wu Jingli.

The results of her teaching was this, and she wanted to teach Lu Man?

What a joke!

Their scene finally ended.

Xu Jiashan said, dissatisfied, "Xu Yuting, Sun Xiutong, Gao Sheng, you three better memorize your lines properly and stabilize your acting. If you continue giving such a shaky performance, how could I let you all go on stage? If you're still like this by this afternoon, then you don't have to come tomorrow. I'll get replacements for you all."

Their hearts trembled and they quickly reassured him they'd perform well later.

They went about memorizing their lines. They barely had enough time to practice, much less make trouble for Lu Man.

And Lu Man's performance was stable the whole day.

It was only on her inexprience with the stage that Xu Jiashan needed to instruct her, telling her where to go and how to move more appropriately.

They needed to be more exaggerated than in front of a screen.

Lu Man was a fast learner, and she wouldn't repeat her mistakes, some of which Xu Jiashan only needed to mention once.

Lu Man's performance was approved by everyone except Wu Jingli.

But even Wu Jingli couldn't find fault with her.

Days of rehearsals passed, and in the blink of an eye, it's their debut performance before New Year's.

Fortunately, it's on the 28th.

Most companies were on a break.

Employees went back to their homes outside of the cities.

Those living in B City itself had the time to watch a play.

Shi Xiaoya was invited by Lu Man to do her makeup.

Filming and screening of Survivor was on a break during New Year's too.

Sun Xiutong and Xu Yuting were doing their makeup by themselves.

"Guess who I saw just now?" Sun Xiutong said as she drew her brows.

"Who?" Xu Yuting looked at her through the mirror.

"It's Shi Xiaoya, probably the top makeup artist in the country, doing Lu Man's makeup." Sun Xiutong pursed her lips. "Some people really end up with different fates. Lu Man's really too lucky, it's not enough to say that she's a winner in life. How she makes people jealous."

"True," Xu Yuting said. "Her life's smooth-sailing and Han Zhuoli's supporting her. Would she be so impressive without Han Zhuoli? She's only in a stage play right now and she could get the top makeup artist. How pretentious!"

"Even Teacher Xu and Teacher Dong, the male and female leads for our play, and the other senior actors Director Xu approached for a cameo, are all big-shots within the industry. But they never employed their own makeup artist! All used the makeup artists in our company." Sun Xiutong gave a massive eyeroll. "Only Lu Man has to be the most impressive. She has to be different from all, afraid that no one will know she's the magnificent Mrs. Han."