Chapter 272: Chapter 272

At this moment, a commotion erupted in the cafeteria.

Lunchtime was a rare moment of respite, a chance for everyone to gossip, surf the internet, and unwind their tense nerves.

And just like Xiao Ling, they saw the news about Cen Shu’s new movie on the trending searches.

The name Cen Shu was known even to students who didn’t follow the entertainment industry—this generation’s most renowned director, a peak level of influence.

His new movie was, of course, a must-support.

But accompanying news of the new movie were details about the coveted titles of Cen Male Leads and Cen Female Leads.

As everyone knew, being selected by Director Cen to appear in one of his films was a guaranteed ticket to becoming a Cen Lead. It meant earning a foothold in the entertainment industry—starting way ahead of countless newcomers struggling in minor roles. It’s like winning the career lottery.

Today, the character posters for the movie were released.

"Wow, it’s Ru Caiying! I really like her. I didn’t expect her to make a comeback—this is amazing! A collaboration between Director Cen and the Best Actress? I’m definitely supporting this movie wholeheartedly."

"Who’s the male lead? Pu Yutai? Never heard of him, but he’s quite handsome..."

"Wow, this miss named Qi Baotan looks so cool..."

"Eh? Why do I feel third female lead looks so familiar? Haven’t I seen her somewhere before?"

"Maybe on TV? Director Cen’s actresses are all newcomers picked from film schools. Every single one of them is fair-skinned, beautiful, and with long legs—bright rising stars destined for success. Easy for you to run into one casually?"

"No, it’s not that. I really feel like I’ve seen her before..."

Dai Niantong glanced at the phone of the person next to her, and her pupils shrank slightly.

She grabbed the phone outright and zoomed in on the photo.

She and Luuo Yunqi had grown up together—she was more than familiar with Yunqi’s appearance.

Though the woman in the photo was dressed in ornate and lavish traditional clothing, showing only half her profile with an imposing aura that came across strongly, Dai Niantong recognized her immediately.

Her gaze fell on the line of small text at the bottom of the photo, which showed the name of the character and the actress.

Luuo Yunqi as Princess Hengyang.

Beside it was a line of poetry associated with the character—

"When autumn comes on the eighth of September, my blossoms slay all other flowers."

The murderous aura was unmistakable, perfectly paired with the luxurious gown’s embroidered golden phoenix that seemed poised to take flight. An image of an ambitious, powerful woman sprang vividly to life.

Maybe it was just someone with the same name.

But Dai Niantong could no longer fool herself. She finally understood what Luuo Yunqi had been busy with during her two-month disappearance over the summer.

Turns out, she had been selected by Director Cen to film this movie.

For a moment, her emotions were a complicated mess.

Sitting opposite her, Zheng Jinghan clearly figured it out too. She didn’t dwell on it much; her tone was full of admiration.

"Qiqi is so amazing! She’s already a Cen Female Lead at such a young age—she’s bound to become a superstar, right? Should we ask her for more autographs now so we can sell them for a fortune after she makes it big...?"

As she spoke, she started laughing to herself.

The students of Class L also realized at this point that the Cen Female Lead was their classmate.

Turns out her monthlong leave had been spent filming a movie.

She sure kept it tightly under wraps.

Dai Niantong glanced over at the distance, where Luuo Yunqi was chatting and laughing with Xiao Ling. Her beauty fell into the category of a gentle, traditional, and classical elegance—perfectly aligned with national aesthetics. Every feature of her face grew in just the right proportions, coupled with her graceful and composed demeanor, making her exceptionally striking amidst the crowd.

The stunning Xiao Ling, born into a family of dancers, couldn’t even overshadow her in the slightest. Updates are released by novel⟡fire.net

"Niantong, I remember you’re close with Luuo Yunqi from Class L, right? Did she tell you she became a Cen Female Lead? Or were you keeping tight-lipped and didn’t spill the beans to us? That’s just not fair," said a nearby girl with a hint of jealousy.

Being an actor or celebrity wasn’t something to envy, but being a Cen Female Lead was a whole different story—it meant skipping countless hurdles. If anyone had that choice, they’d undoubtedly leap at the chance.

Which is to say, Luuo Yunqi was unbelievably lucky.

"And she gets to act alongside Best Actress Ru—no way, I need to go talk to her."

The girls rushed en masse toward Luuo Yunqi, who instantly became the star of the cafeteria.

From a distance, Qin Xiangge looked over and furrowed her brows. "What’s going on over there? Why’s it so noisy?"

A girl beside her whispered, "It’s Luuo Yunqi from Class L. She’s the newly announced Cen Female Lead. The news broke online today—she sure kept it tightly under wraps before this."

Qin Xiangge’s brows furrowed even deeper.

"Cen Female Lead? Director Cen Shu?"

"Yep. Talk about luck. Honestly, I think she’s just average—not as pretty as you, Xiangge. Why didn’t Director Cen choose you?"

Qin Xiangge’s face instantly turned dark as she retorted coldly, "Acting has always been a disreputable business. You want me to be an actress? What do you take me for?"