Chen Ming examined the snuff bottle. It wasn't an antique; it looked more like a cheap trinket the system had thrown his way as a prank.
He glanced disdainfully at the two copies of *FHM* magazine, gritted his teeth, and shoved them into the drawer.
"Damn you, Bingbing, you’ve ruined me!"
Chen Ming composed himself, sat back at the desk, and spread out his notebook to list the upcoming films based on his memory.
"Eunuchs..."
"It’s August 2010. I seem to recall that *The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate* will be holding casting calls around this time."
The film told the story of the conflict between the Eastern and Western Depots and the martial arts masters during the reign of the Ming Dynasty’s Emperor Xianzong. It was a perfect fit for him!
The directors were the Hong Kong-based Tsui Hark and Jacob Cheung.
Tsui Hark went without saying, and Jacob Cheung had directed *The Last Eunuch*. Wasn't this a match made in heaven?
Although the film was shot at a studio base in Hebei, local extras were in short supply. Chen Ming remembered that the *The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate* crew had come to Hengdian to scout for character actors.
"You're the one!"
After he calmed down, Chen Ming finished a cigarette to suppress his surging emotions and dialed Brother Dajin’s number.
"Hey, Brother Dajin!"
Brother Dajin’s gravelly voice tore through the earpiece. "Did you shred your vocal cords, kid? You sound like Mei Chaofeng practicing the Nine Yin Manual!"
Chen Ming paused, then cleared his throat. "Just started learning opera, haven't quite adjusted yet."
"Ha! You’ve got a knack for picking up skills. It’s too damn hot these days to be out working, though..." Dajin said on the other end.
"It’s not about a job. I want to ask you something—have any film crews been looking for extras to play eunuchs?" Chen Ming asked.
He didn't mention *The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate* directly because some crews, for secrecy, would use random project titles during casting. He didn't want to miss anything by being too specific.
"Look at you, keeping your ears to the ground. Is the work in Hengdian not enough for you?" Dajin laughed heartily. "Actually, there is one. Someone came by a couple of days ago... looking for people with experience in war and period dramas, and specifically eunuchs. Not to flatter you, but even if playing corpses and eunuchs is a last resort, your talent for playing a eunuch is legendary among us extras."
Chen Ming’s mouth twitched. "Brother, you mean it's 'obvious to all'."
"Close enough. Honestly, you should give it a shot. This gig is heading to Hebei. Who knows? You might find a whole new world up there."
"Did they mention the name of the crew?" Chen Ming asked to confirm.
"No, but a few of them had Hong Kong accents. You know your Brother Dajin’s Cantonese—I definitely wouldn't have misheard that."
Chen Ming could already picture Dajin standing there with his hands on his hips, wearing a black t-shirt, looking proud of himself.
The sound of rustling paper came over the phone.
"I’ve got it for you: tomorrow morning, at the Xishang Hotel. They aren't locals, so you can just use your own identity! Actually, forget it, I’ll ask around in the QQ group to see if anyone’s interested, and I’ll bring a few people over myself tomorrow!"
Chen Ming felt a wave of warmth. "Brother Dajin..."
"Don't you start with that. Are you thinking about cutting me out of my commission if you get the part? Let me tell you, don't even think about it!"
"Fine, fine, I'll give you a bigger cut this time!"
"That’s more like it! Nothing else? I’m hanging up!"
After the call ended, Chen Ming took a deep breath.
*Old Jin, you’ve secured this fortune. I’ll make sure to bring you along for the ride in the future!*
***
The next morning.
Most auditions here were held in the various hotels of Hengdian. While they looked dilapidated from the outside, the interiors were actually decent. Of course, minor actors didn't get to be picky, while the big stars had everything prepared for them.
"Brother Dajin!"
Dajin was wearing a black t-shirt with a giant "GUCCI" logo on the chest, white shorts, and a gold chain around his neck. He was sporting a slicked-back hairstyle and talking to the extras he had brought. When he saw Chen Ming, he waved him over.
"You kid..."
Dajin looked left and right, then pulled him aside while the other extras looked on with envy and jealousy. "Did you get work done? Didn't you say actors shouldn't get plastic surgery? Where did you go?" Dajin asked.
"I didn't get anything done!" Chen Ming said helplessly.
"Don't lie to your brother." Dajin punched him in the arm. "Though, I have to say, it looks natural. You look even more handsome!"
Dajin waved his hand toward the back, ushering his five extras into the hotel like a neighborhood boss. The audition was on the eighth floor, and a young crew member was waiting by the elevators.
As the elevator doors opened, the audition effectively began.
Dajin, as if a switch had been flipped, immediately hunched his back slightly, reached out both hands, and wore a warm, obsequious smile. "Director Liu! Hey, why did you come down to meet us yourself?"
No matter who they were, calling someone on a film crew "Director" was always the right move.
The young man seemed embarrassed by the title and hurriedly waved his hands to indicate he was just a staff member.
"You’re so young and already on such a great crew! You have a limitless future ahead of you! Here, here!" Dajin said as he took a black plastic bag from behind him and shoved it into the young man’s hands without waiting for a refusal. "Take a look, aren't the conditions of my guys here pretty good?"
Chen Ming knew that bag likely contained cigarettes. He stood tall, chest out, eyes forward, showing off his physique.
"They're not bad. All very spirited. Shall we go in?"
"Sure, sure. I’ll wait outside. I’ll leave them to you."
Dajin bowed again with a smile, then turned around. "Go on in and audition for Director Liu! Put on a good show, don't embarrass us!"
The young man, addressed as Director Liu, looked over the extras again, his gaze eventually settling on Chen Ming, a flash of surprise in his eyes.
"You, stand at the front. Come with me."
He led the group to the door of a conference room on the 8th floor. The doors were closed, with a piece of white paper taped to the front reading "Audition Hall." There was no mention of the film's name—it was clearly their style.
They waited for about half an hour. More people kept arriving, and the hallway grew increasingly crowded. Many people stood leaning against the wall, but Chen Ming kept his spine perfectly straight. He closed his eyes, already entering his character.
"Hey, look at the first guy. He’s really handsome!"
"What’s the use of being handsome? He hasn't even landed a featured role in all these years."
"You don't know the story, do you?"
Two people were whispering. Another joined in. "That guy is Chen Ming. He was a featured actor years ago and even worked on Zhang Yimou’s set!"
"Whoa, then why did he end up like this?"
The older man, clearly a veteran Hengdian drifter who knew Chen Ming, glanced at him before lowering his voice. "He offended someone. Walked out on a dinner with the boss. Offended both the lead extra scout and the boss. If it weren't for Dajin taking him in these past two years, you wouldn't even see him in Hengdian anymore."
"Why did he walk out? That was such a good opportunity!"
"He’s too proud. Thinks he’s a trained professional, thinks he’s been on big sets—he got a big head!"
The drifter spoke with a certainty that seemed to decide the other man's fate, his eyes filled with contempt.
"If he were really talented, why would he be here fighting us for scraps?"
Their voices weren't loud, but those in the immediate vicinity could hear them. They started eyeing Chen Ming’s back, which remained as straight as ever.
Chen Ming stayed in his own world. To him, getting into *The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate* was the only thing that mattered. In his recollection, there were plenty of eunuchs from the Eastern and Western Depots in the film, and many had lines—that was his stage.
As for the rumors?
A general has a sword; he does not slay flies!
"Alright, this group, come in with me! Only eight!"
The young man who had brought them called out. Chen Ming’s eyes snapped open. The young man counted, and once there were eight, he closed the doors.
Chen Ming was among them. They walked into the small conference room, and the first thing they saw was a camera pointed at them, with a row of tables behind it where several middle-aged men sat.
*Jacob Cheung! Why is he here in person?*
Usually, for something so minor, they would just send a casting director. Why would he handle it himself?
But the opportunity was right in front of him, and Chen Ming wasn't about to let it pass. They all stopped on the green cross marks taped to the floor.
"Introduce yourselves." A crew member said.
The men at the table didn't even look up; one was flipping through a stack of photos.
"Greetings, directors. My name is Xu Kang. I’m 25. 178 cm, 70 kg... here to audition for a eunuch!"
No one responded. Xu Kang didn't seem awkward; he walked forward and began to mimic a eunuch’s gait—shoulders hunched, head lowered, a humble and fawning smile on his face.
One of the men at the table glanced up once, then looked back down at his work. The crew member next to them didn't even look at the person auditioning, keeping his eyes on the men at the front. Seeing no reaction, he cut him off. "Alright! Next!"
Because Chen Ming had been the first to enter, he was at the very end of the line.
Everyone was used to the directors not reacting. *I’ll just do my job. Don't expect them to applaud.*
Seven people, less than five minutes. It was Chen Ming’s turn.
It really was that fast.
"Greetings, directors. My name is Chen Ming, a graduate of the Beijing Film Academy..."
As Chen Ming spoke, one of the directors looked up, habit prompting him to look down again, but then he suddenly raised his head—twice as fast as before—and began to scrutinize Chen Ming.
"I’m 22, 186 cm, 75 kg. I’m here to audition for the role of a eunuch."
Chen Ming finished and bowed deeply. When he looked up, he noticed all the directors had stopped what they were doing and were staring at him.
Their expressions... why did they look like that older sister who wouldn't stop asking him out to dinner?
Having learned from the others, Chen Ming didn't wait for a reaction. He began his performance.
He tucked his shoulders and chest, retracted his neck, and hunched his back. He took a few quick, small steps forward—silent, as if his soles were sliding across the floor.
His upper body leaned slightly forward as he walked, always ready to bow and take orders. His gaze remained low, hands folded in front, fingertips curled inward.
"Stop!"
This time, it wasn't the crew member who interrupted, but Jacob Cheung.
He squinted at Chen Ming, seemingly choosing his words carefully.
"This... is this a family tradition?"