Chapter Text
# You're My Sunshine
# Chapter 1
China - a country filled with bright city lights, endless opportunities, and dreams that never seemed to sleep. Behind the glamorous entertainment industry, however, was a world full of pressure, competition, and sacrifices that nobody really talked about.
And somewhere in that world lived Xixi.
A young Chinese actor who had spent years struggling to survive in the industry.
People only saw the cameras, popularity, and handsome faces on screen, but they never saw the pain hidden behind the smiles. Xixi had worked day and night to reach where he was today. He had attended countless auditions, faced rejection more times than he could remember, and endured criticism from people who never truly knew him.
Some called his acting "average." Some said he would never become successful.
And some simply hated him for no reason at all.At first, those words hurt him deeply. There were nights when he questioned himself and wondered if he should just give up everything. But despite all the negativity, Xixi never stopped trying.
Slowly, after years of hard work, things finally started becoming stable for him. He wasn't extremely famous yet, but people had started noticing his talent. Directors began offering him supporting roles, brands invited him to small events, and for the first time in years, he felt like maybe his life was finally moving forward.
And today was another important day for him.
A new opportunity.
A new beginning.
Xixi stood quietly in front of the large mirror inside his apartment, fixing the collar of his black shirt. His hands looked calm, but deep inside, nervousness was slowly taking over him.
"Why am I this nervous..." he whispered to himself before letting out a small sigh.
Todav. he was going for an audition inHong Kong. A famous BL novel was being adapted into a drama series, and many actors had already auditioned for the lead roles. The project was becoming popular even before filming started, which made the pressure even worse.
Xixi looked at himself in the mirror again.
"What if I don't get selected?" he thought.
He quickly shook his head, trying to remove the negative thoughts.
"No... I have to do well."
Just then, his manager - who was already inside his apartment - called out from the other room.
"Xixi! Hurry up, we're getting late for the audition!"
"I'm coming!" Xixi replied while quickly grabbing his bag.
A few minutes later, he stepped out and joined his manager, who was already ready and waiting.
They left the apartment together and got into the car.
The moment he sat down, his managerlooked at him carefully before smiling.
"You look nervous."
"A little," Xixi admitted honestly.
His manager chuckled softly and started driving.
"Well, that's normal. This project is huge. But honestly, I think this role suits you."
Xixi looked outside the car window quietly. Tall buildings, crowded streets, and bright advertisements passed by one after another, yet his mind was somewhere else completely.
After a few seconds of silence, his manager suddenly spoke again.
"But are you really sure about doing a BL series?"
Xixi blinked before laughing softly.
"You know I don't exactly have a lot of work right now," he said jokingly. "If I reject this too, then how am I supposed to survive?"
His manager laughed loudly at his dramatic reply.
"You always make serious situations sound His manager laughed loudly at his dramatic reply.
"You always make serious situations sound funny," he said. "But honestly, Xixi... you're one of the most talented and handsome actors I know. Stop underestimating yourself."
For a moment, Xixi stayed silent.
Hearing those words made his heart feel a little lighter.
"Thanks," he said quietly with a small smile.
The rest of the ride passed with random conversations and laughter, helping Xixi calm down little by little.
But neither of them knew that this audition was about to change Xixi's life completely.
Not just his career.
But his heart too.
*Chapter 1 ended here*
---Delulu