The Hidden Wife Of Mr Lu

The audition

By the time Qin Ruoxi arrived at Rong Media Building, her legs felt like they did not belong to her.The taxi ride had been quiet, but every small bump on the road had sent a dull ache through her body. She had clenched her fingers into her bag the entire time, staring out the window without really seeing anything.She paid the driver and stepped out slowly.The building stood tall and intimidating in front of her. Glass walls reflected the bright morning sun, making everything look grand, distant, and unreachable.People moved in and out with confidence — actors, assistants, makeup artists, and managers. Everyone looked like they knew exactly where they were going.Ruoxi stood at the entrance for a brief second.She didn’t feel like she belonged here.But she walked in anyway.This audition was for a supporting role in a web drama backed by a major production company. Even a small role could change her life completely.She could not miss this chance.Inside, the waiting area was already crowded.Girls sat in neat rows, all dressed beautifully. Some were touching up their makeup. Some were rehearsing lines under their breath. Others were chatting confidently, laughing lightly as if this was just another ordinary day for them.Ruoxi quietly found an empty seat in the corner and sat down carefully.The moment she did, pain shot through her lower body again. She stiffened but forced herself to remain still.She lowered her head and clutched her audition file tighter.Her clothes were simple. Her face had only light powder. She felt painfully ordinary among the others.Her phone buzzed slightly.A message from Xia Yuxi.“You’ve arrived, right? Don’t be nervous. Just do your best!”Ruoxi stared at the message for a few seconds.Her fingers hovered over the screen before she typed back.“I’m here.”That was all she could manage.“Number 27, Qin Ruoxi!”Her heart skipped.That was fast.She stood up slowly, trying not to show how uncomfortable she was, and followed the staff member into the audition room.The room was colder than outside.Three judges sat behind a long table. A camera was set up in the middle. Bright lights shone directly toward the small mark on the floor where she was told to stand.A script was handed to her.“Scene 12. Emotional breakdown. You have one minute to prepare.”Ruoxi nodded.Her fingers tightened slightly on the paper.Emotional breakdown?She almost let out a bitter laugh.She didn’t need to act.Her eyes scanned the lines, but the words were already blurring.Because the emotions described in the script were too familiar.Loss. Confusion. Helplessness.She had lived through all of it just hours ago.“Ready?”She nodded again.The camera started rolling.For two seconds, she stood still.Then something inside her quietly broke open.Her voice trembled without effort. Her eyes filled naturally. Her breathing became uneven. Every word that left her mouth carried real emotion, real pain, and real vulnerability.She wasn’t performing.She was releasing.The room slowly became very quiet.One of the judges who had been looking down at his papers lifted his head.Another leaned slightly forward.Ruoxi’s hands trembled as she delivered the final line. Her voice cracked at the end, and tears slipped down her cheeks before she could stop them.“Cut.”Silence.She wiped her face quickly, embarrassed.For two seconds, no one spoke.Then one of the judges cleared his throat.“Thank you. You may leave.”Ruoxi bowed slightly and walked out.Her heart was still beating fast.She didn’t know if she did well.She didn’t have the energy to think about it.At the same time, inside Lu Corporation’s top-floor office, the atmosphere was completely different.Quiet.Orderly.Powerful.Lin Junyu stood in front of Lu Shaoming’s large desk, holding a tablet.“We’ve checked the hotel surveillance, President Lu.”Lu Shaoming did not look up immediately. He was signing a document calmly, his expression unreadable.“Speak.”“The woman entered the wrong floor by mistake. She was looking at her phone and did not notice the room number. She was not arranged by anyone.”Lu Shaoming’s pen paused slightly above the paper.A very small movement.But Lin Junyu noticed.“Continue.”“She checked into the hotel yesterday afternoon for an audition. Name: Qin Ruoxi.”That made Lu Shaoming finally raise his eyes.Lin Junyu stepped forward and placed the tablet on the desk, turning the screen toward him.A still image from the CCTV appeared.A girl walking down the corridor, looking confused, holding her phone.No makeup.Simple clothes.But her face was very clear.Lu Shaoming’s gaze stopped there.For a long moment, he did not say anything.He recognised her.Not clearly from the night — everything had been blurred by the drug.But something about her eyes…He leaned back slowly in his chair.“Background”.“She’s an aspiring actress. No powerful connections. Lives alone in a small apartment on Maple Street. Financially struggling. Today’s audition is at Rong Media Building.”Lu Shaoming’s fingers tapped lightly once on the desk.His expression remained calm.But his eyes were still on her picture.“Keep watching her movements,” he said finally.Lin Junyu nodded. “Yes, President Lu.”Outside the Rong Media Building, Ruoxi stepped into the sunlight again.The brightness made her squint slightly.Her phone vibrated.Another message from Xia Yuxi.“How did it go???”Ruoxi stared at the screen for a long time before replying.“I don’t know.”She lowered the phone slowly.She felt empty.Tired.Drained in every possible way.She began walking down the steps of the building, unaware that at this exact moment, in a glass office across the city, a powerful man was staring at her face on a screen.And remembering a night he could not forget.