Chapter 82 : The Twilight Price Ring
82: The Twilight Price Ring
"Wife Muyao, this is how I know President Chu~"
Today in Su City, the weather was very nice—sunny and cloudless.
Under such weather, just past 8 AM, the air already carried hints of summer's scorching flavor, with temperatures unknowingly climbing to 30°.
However, Su Mo, who was riding in the little BMW with Lin Muyao to Sushan Film City today, didn't suffer from this summer heat.
Feeling the suitable cool breeze from the car's air conditioning, looking at the beautiful scenery outside, while answering how she and Chu Tianlan met and obtained the tutoring job, Su Mo found it quite pleasant.
Lin Muyao, driving the BMW sedan into Sushan Film City, listened to Su Mo's account along the way of his tutoring and rental stories with Chu Tianlan. Looking at Su Mo's face showing no guilty expressions while speaking, explaining very openly without any shyness.
Through the conversation along the way, Lin Muyao roughly confirmed some things.
Her husband Su Mo didn't have high emotional intelligence, and had a mistaken perception of his own charm. He seemed to only define himself as a very ordinary boy with no luck with women. Regarding that woman Chu Tianlan, he only considered her a kind and amiable senior, completely lacking any crisis awareness.
Facing such innocent Su Mo who didn't know his own charm, Lin Muyao honestly felt somewhat troubled.
Along this journey, Lin Muyao had also hinted to Su Mo that Chu Tianlan might harbor thoughts about him.
But Su Mo's response was: How is that possible? I'm just an ordinary university student with weak health. She's the Student Council President—how could she possibly be interested in me?
He even provided counter-evidence to Lin Muyao, pointing out that if not for the 'shield' incident a few days ago, she and he would probably have no interaction either! Regarding Su Mo's very rational explanation, Lin Muyao, who was driving, couldn't find reasons to refute for a moment, as it really made sense.
Although Lin Muyao really wanted Su Mo to stay away from Chu Tianlan and give up this tutoring job so she could support him financially, since they had just confirmed their relationship yesterday, Lin Muyao could also tell from Su Mo's restaurant bill payment and buying two gifts that although Su Mo was physically weak, he still had the unique dignity of boys in his bones.
If she really made Su Mo give up part-time work for her to support him, it would easily anger Su Mo and instead push him toward Chu Tianlan.
Facing this situation, after some consideration, Lin Muyao made a decision in her heart.
This month, she'd let Su Mo continue the tutoring work. With Chu Tianlan's nephew and niece present, presumably Chu Tianlan wouldn't do anything during tutoring.
When she was free, she'd accompany Su Mo. As for when she was busy with livestreaming or studies and couldn't watch over Su Mo, she'd have her best friend An Xiaoqian help supervise. After all, the two had met twice and were familiar, so they couldn't let Chu Tianlan steal her home.
As for next month when Su Mo finished tutoring, Lin Muyao thought with a slight blush—by then she'd have her father buy another apartment in Weiyang Apartments.
After making up her mind, Lin Muyao's little BMW finally entered Sushan Film City.
Because Sushan Film City covered a large area with various types of productions.
Although Lin Muyao and Su Mo had left early and it wasn't even 8:30 yet, the film city was already in busy mode, so traffic naturally slowed down.
Sitting in the car, Su Mo originally wasn't very nervous.
After all, last night she had reviewed the script until 11 PM, memorizing everything she needed to remember—she came prepared.
But now seeing the busy actors, cinematographers, and film vehicles constantly passing by in the film city.
Thinking that today she was auditioning for the fourth male lead, not playing a background extra role, but would be acting under people's attention and cameras.
Perhaps influenced by yesterday's livestream, thinking of cameras being in front of her still made Su Mo somewhat apprehensive.
Just as Su Mo was feeling anxious about the upcoming audition.
A system notification sound suddenly rang in her mind.
[Ding, detected host's current predicament. Detected host has 900 Challenge Coins remaining. Challenge System warmly reminds that host can try purchasing the product "Twilight Price Ring" from the system shop]
Hearing the Challenge System mention "Twilight" in the notification, Su Mo was slightly stunned. This name seemed to be a skill that paired with her disguise technique.
She instinctively checked the system shop.
[Twilight Price Ring: Legend says this is a ring worn by the spy 'Twilight.' After wearing this ring, the host can make wishes to the ring, temporarily gaining acting skills to better imitate target characters. But the drawback is paying a price—consuming the host's luck value. The more compatible the imitation target with the host, the smaller the price. The greater the difference, the higher the price. Current host luck value: 37]
[Luck Value: An indicator measuring a person's fortune. Normal human average is 30 points.
Below 10 points: prone to truck transmigration accidents; 10-20: prone to accidents but not transmigration; 20-30 points: stepping in dog poop when going out, gacha game pity system; 30-40 points: small gacha luck; 40-50 points: winning small lottery prizes; 50-60 points: fishing gets bites immediately, finding money when going out;
Luck points are consumed by events (like gacha, lottery), and will slowly recover over time when consumed too much.]
Looking at the Challenge System's long explanation about luck values, and seeing her own luck value of 37.
At this moment, Su Mo silently clenched her pink little fists. She finally understood why dormitory Boss Lin Kun always asked her to help with game gacha.
Damn it, actually consuming her luck value.
She wouldn't help others with gacha anymore!
After briefly complaining, facing the system's introduced "Twilight Price Ring," Su Mo couldn't help but hesitate.
After all, buying it should help her pass the audition and get the fourth male lead actor opportunity.
But at this important time of doing SSS missions, although her luck value seemed quite high, was it really worth using luck value to get work at this crucial moment?
Just as Su Mo was weighing pros and cons, Lin Muyao finally parked the car in the designated parking area for "July Lies Love Song."
Following Lin Muyao out of the car, Su Mo saw many people gathered at the center of "July Lies Love Song."
Looking at these people, many of whom were new unfamiliar faces from her last visit to the crew, Su Mo thought and asked:
"Wife Muyao, are all those people from the crew?"
Following Su Mo's pointed direction, Lin Muyao looked ahead and saw a group of young people standing before the crew's chief director, Director Zhang.
Looking at those people, Lin Muyao gently patted Su Mo's shoulder and explained:
"Them? They should all be actors internally recommended to audition for the fourth male lead. But husband, you don't need to worry too much. Yesterday morning during filming, Director Zhang specifically asked me to invite you for an audition. Director Zhang should appreciate you—your chances of getting the role are much higher than theirs!"
Hearing Lin Muyao's comforting words, looking at the twenty-plus people ahead auditioning, Su Mo inexplicably felt like backing down.
After all, except for college entrance exam scores, Su Mo really had no confidence facing such small odds of one person chosen from twenty-plus people!
Looking at Su Mo beside her, with conflicted emotions appearing in her big peach blossom eyes, looking exactly like herself when first competing for actor roles.
Having experienced this and understanding Su Mo's mindset, Lin Muyao considered briefly. Recalling that Su Mo was always on the path of part-time work, even now going to Chu Tianlan's house for tutoring was for money. Thinking of this important characteristic, Lin Muyao changed her comforting approach and asked:
"Husband, how much do you get paid per day as an extra?"
Regarding Lin Muyao's question, Su Mo, who often worked as an extra, answered without hesitation:
"After deducting the middleman's cut, about 150-200 per day, a bit higher if lunch isn't provided."
Hearing Su Mo's explanation, Lin Muyao's expression stiffened slightly. Because middlemen were really too exploitative—now Sushan Film City crews posting "direct recruitment" for extras paid minimum 220, up to 500 with boxed meals included.
While Su Mo usually got 100+, sometimes without meals—this was too exploitative of university students!
Looking at the innocent male university Junior Su Mo who didn't understand market rates and thought he wasn't earning too little, Lin Muyao shook her head and continued:
"Husband, actors and extras have different salary systems. An actor's daily wage is 3-4 times that of extras, and normal extra wages should be higher."
Hearing Lin Muyao's words, Su Mo's clear eyes couldn't help but brighten slightly. 3-4 times a day—wouldn't that be almost 1000 yuan per day?
That was too high!
Seeing Su Mo becoming interested, Lin Muyao pressed her advantage:
"Husband, the role you're going to play is the fourth male lead in 'July Lies Love Song'—a regular cast member with another salary system. For an entire production with 100+ scenes, you could earn around a hundred thousand..."
Looking at the number ten that Lin Muyao made with her jade hands while speaking.
"How much???"
Su Mo directly exclaimed in shock... Her originally retreating eyes once again ignited with blazing fire.
The next moment, a mechanical electronic synthesized voice rang in her mind.
[Ding, congratulations host, Twilight Price Ring exchange successful]