The first step

Chapter: 5

Chapter : 5

The casting director exchanged a glance with another producer before tapping the script lightly against the table.

“This role is small.”

“I know.”

“You barely appear for more than fifteen minutes total.”

Xiao Chen lowered his eyes briefly before answering honestly,

“That’s okay.”

The producer raised an eyebrow.

“You’re not disappointed?”

A faint smile appeared on Xiao Chen’s face.

“No role is truly small if someone remembers it afterward.”

The room fell quiet again.

Not because the answer sounded clever.

Because he genuinely meant it.

The casting director studied him for a long moment before finally nodding once.

“We’ll contact you later.”

Most actors hated hearing those words.

Usually they meant rejection.

But for some reason—

when Xiao Chen bowed and walked out of the room that day, his chest still carried hope.

Small.

Fragile.

But alive.

And for the next several days, he memorized those script pages obsessively anyway.

Even before getting confirmation.

During supermarket breaks, he practiced lines quietly beside storage shelves.

Late at night after dance practice, he stood before the tiny apartment mirror repeating emotional scenes until his voice became hoarse.

His younger brother once walked past his room at two in the morning and sighed dramatically.

“Ge, normal people sleep.”

“Future famous actors suffer for art.”

“You’re acting in three scenes.”

“Three important scenes.”

His brother rolled his eyes before tossing him a steamed bun.

“Mom said eat something before becoming emotionally tragic.”

Xiao Chen laughed softly before catching it.

The apartment remained small.

Life remained difficult.

But every time he looked at those script pages—

his heart still beat faster.

Because maybe…

just maybe…

this was finally the first door opening for him.

A week later, while Xiao Chen was organizing boxes inside the supermarket storage room, his phone suddenly began vibrating inside his pocket.

At first, he almost ignored it.

Most unknown numbers were usually advertisements or rejected audition notices delivered politely.

But something inside him still paused.

He wiped his hands quickly against his apron before answering the call.

“Hello?”

“Is this Xiao Chen?”

“Yes.”

“We’re calling from the production team regarding your recent audition.”

For one second, the entire world around him became quiet.

Even the noise of workers moving nearby seemed distant suddenly.

The woman continued warmly,

“Congratulations. You’ve been selected for the role.”

Xiao Chen froze completely.

His fingers tightened instinctively around the phone.

“…Really?”

A soft laugh came from the other side.

“Yes. The director was impressed with your performance. Filming starts next week.”

For several seconds, Xiao Chen could not speak properly.

A strange warmth rushed through his chest so suddenly it almost hurt.

After years of failed auditions…

after endless rejection…

someone had finally chosen him.

Not because of luck.

Not because of connections.

Because they saw something in his acting.

“Thank you,” he said quickly, voice slightly unsteady. “Thank you so much. I’ll work hard.”

Very hard.

After the call ended, Xiao Chen remained standing motionless inside the storage room while staring blankly at the dark phone screen.

Then slowly—

a smile appeared on his face.

Bright.

Real.

Almost disbelieving.

The role was not big.

He knew that better than anyone.

Compared to the main cast, his character barely existed on-screen.

But Xiao Chen also understood something important after reading the script hundreds of times.

This character mattered emotionally.

Every appearance carried meaning.

The role quietly connected several major scenes together like invisible thread.

And if he performed it sincerely—

people would remember him.

That was enough.

More than enough.

That night, Xiao Chen returned home earlier than usual carrying cheap fried chicken and milk tea for his family.

His younger brother looked suspicious immediately.

“You got rich?”

“No.”

“Then why are we eating luxury food?”

Xiao Chen tried to act calm for almost three seconds before failing completely.

“I got the role!”

The apartment exploded into noise instantly

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