Possessive Madman Coaxes Him With a Hand on His Waist! The Cold-Hearted Host Starts to Feel Something - Chapter 25

Li Cheng lifted his eyes, thoughts swirling in his mind.

Preselected?

“Who told you that?” he asked Yan An.

“It’s just a rumor I heard,” Yan An replied. “The investors haven’t officially confirmed it yet, but it’s basically set in stone.”

Li Cheng’s brows furrowed. Preselected—who is it?

As Yan An tilted his head slightly, he spotted a male actor walking in through the doorway.

He nudged Li Cheng with his elbow.

“Li Cheng, he’s here—the hottest young actor from Huasheng Entertainment, Li Shen.”

Li Cheng turned his head.

The man walking toward them was tall and clean-cut, with striking features and the kind of face that made you think it’d be a waste if he weren’t a star.

Standing next to his slightly disheveled assistant, he looked even more dazzling by contrast.

Before Yuan Xin had gotten together with Chen Qiu… she’d actually chased after Li Shen once.

She’d liked him—her unattainable “male god.”

“Li Cheng, didn’t expect to run into you here,” Li Shen greeted with a casual smile.

Li Cheng’s lips curved faintly. Since the investors had already set their sights on this man, today’s audition was probably just a formality.

“What a coincidence,” Li Cheng replied coolly.

Li Shen stepped closer beside him. “How’s the script?”

Li Cheng pressed his lips together. “I like the role quite a bit.”

Li Shen smiled again, the curve of his lips carrying a subtle hint of challenge.

“Funny, I like it too.”

He brushed past Li Cheng, sitting lazily in a nearby chair.

A few minutes later, the director and producer arrived.

This was, after all, an S-tier fantasy IP directed by the renowned Zhang Qiu—

so the team had enough clout to make even top-tier actors wait.

Once the director arrived, he instructed the male actors to pair up and perform short, improvised scenes from the script.

Yan An patted Li Cheng on the shoulder.

“Li Cheng, let’s partner up. I’ve been analyzing this role to death—no matter how you act it, I can match you.”

Li Cheng glanced around the room.

Rather than act opposite someone he barely knew, he might as well work with Yan An.

“Sure.”

The audition scene was chosen at random.

Each pair had to interpret the characters’ personalities and reactions based on their understanding of the script—and perform it accordingly.

After a few rounds, it was Li Cheng and Yan An’s turn.

Director Zhang eyed the two of them and said softly to his assistant, “Their looks fit the roles perfectly.”

The assistant director glanced at the producer, looking uneasy.

The investors had been trying to insert their own pick for the role of the demon hunter—

but Zhang Qiu was notoriously stubborn. That’s why Li Shen, the investor’s favorite, was here today.

The producer silently prayed that Zhang Qiu would take a liking to Li Shen. Otherwise, the production start date would almost certainly be delayed.

Li Cheng and Yan An performed seamlessly together, like long-time partners who’d rehearsed for months.

Their scene depicted the moment when the demon hunter finally discovered that he himself was the most malevolent demon in existence.

Their delivery, presence, and emotional control were so on point that even the other actors couldn’t help but break into spontaneous applause.

When they finished, Director Zhang’s expression was unreadable.

He said only, “Good work.”

No further comment.

He raised his hand, signaling for the next pair.

Yan An leaned in, whispering anxiously, “Director Zhang didn’t look pleased…”

“I think he was,” Li Cheng replied calmly.

After they stepped down, the next pair was Li Shen and a younger-looking actor.

Once they began, the producer immediately started singing praises beside the director.

“Li Shen fits the demon hunter image perfectly. I’ve worked with him before—great in every aspect.”

Zhang Qiu nodded slightly. “Not bad. Let’s see the performance.”

He glanced at Li Shen and his partner. “Same scene as the last pair.”

“Got it, Director.”

Despite the same prompt, their rendition was completely different.

Li Shen even added a new sequence—killing the tree demon—each move so polished it looked rehearsed.

When they finished, several members of the directing team clapped in approval.

Yan An let out a long sigh. “Hey… he killed me off! That pisses me off!”

Li Cheng chuckled. “So sure the role’s yours already?”

“Who knows,” Yan An grinned sheepishly. “But I hope it is.”

Li Cheng, amused by his sincerity, reached out to ruffle Yan An’s hair.

“I think you did the best. You’ll be fine.”

“Really?” Yan An’s smile lit up his face.

Li Cheng couldn’t help but smile too. “Really.”

Yan An had this childlike quality about him—refreshingly pure for someone in the entertainment industry.

After the auditions ended, the production team told them to wait for the results.

Li Cheng and Yan An left the audition hall together.

When they got into the elevator, the doors opened as soon as they reached the first floor.

Yan An stepped out with one foot—then suddenly pulled back and hit the “Close” button fast.

Li Cheng frowned, puzzled.

“Fans outside?”

“No,” Yan An whispered, still frantically pressing the button before randomly hitting another floor.

Just before the doors fully closed, a foot wedged its way inside.

The next moment, someone stepped in.

The sight of the man made Yan An’s face go pale. He bolted for the door—

but the man grabbed his arm, yanking him back inside.

The elevator doors slid shut.

As the elevator ascended toward the floor Yan An had pressed, Li Cheng could feel his fear radiating.

Without hesitation, Li Cheng seized the man’s wrist, shoving him aside while pulling Yan An behind him.

Standing between them, Li Cheng’s voice turned icy.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

The man glared at him, full of menace. “Who the hell are you? You planning to play hero now?”

Yan An, panicking, blurted out, “He’s… he’s my boyfriend!”

Li Cheng: “…What?”