Loving Asia's Multi-Talented Queen: The Path to Stardom 134 Madonna

The camera flashed and Jay Chou's voice was suddenly heard, "Can't you do any other expression? I can't see anything than your mere hallow smile!"

Meng Lulu trembled after hearing Jay Chou's voice. She looked around her and saw people whispering. She saw the look on their faces. Her eyes immediately looked for Xu Jia Li. She was so frightened that she needed someone to assure her that it would be alright. She gazed at Xu Jia li and saw her laughing as she chitchatted with her assistant.

Her face turned red. She couldn't stop her body from trembling. She felt suffocated as she gazed at Xu Jia Li. She couldn't believe that the person she idolized the most was laughing at her now, 'How can she laugh at me like this? All this time I only treat her right.'

"Get out of there if you can't give me even a passable shot!"

****

Xu Jia Li stopped from talking to Shen Linqin when she heard Jay Chou's loud voice. Shen Linqin was just telling her how scared she was when the paint fell down. She furrowed her brows when she saw that Meng Lulu's face was so pale and her lips were trembling.

She felt bad for her that she wanted to stand and come to her rescue. However, she knew that Jay Chou would only burn with so much anger if she did that.

She looked straight at Meng Lulu's eyes, trying to motivate her but it was no use. Meng Lulu was already shivering with fear and embarrassment.

"Get out of there! All you have to do is to project and show us the emotions required in the photo shoot! This is the worst set I've been! Full of Liuliang stars!"

****

After Meng Lulu's turn, she went back to her dressing room with her assistant, Tang Xie who followed her behind. Xu Jia Li was about to approach her when Director Han called her. It was her turn again.

With heart full of worries and melancholy, she helplessly gazed at Meng Lulu's back. She felt bad for her and hoped that her happy disposition would not change just because somehow couldn't appreciate her.

She strode forward. Once she was in the middle of the set, she looked straight at Jay Chou's eyes. Her eyes pierced through him. Somehow, she couldn't help but feel a slight anger towards him.

She started to do her best to show the emotions needed for her character. For some, they would say that it was very easy to smile in front of the camera yet their eyes lacked the intensity that would show their real feelings.

Xu Jia Li smiled yet her eyes showed sadness. She was serious but her eyes showed the hope she had inside.

As usual, Jay Chou remained quiet as he took Xu Jia Li's pictures. The crews who watched behind were also hopeless as they slouched in defeat. They were beaten from Jay Chou's high and mighty character.

They didn't even appreciate how great Xu Jia Li was as they began to throw unsympathetic gaze at her. For them, it was still her fault that Jay Chou was in that grumpy mood. They even pointed their fingers at her why Meng Lulu had to suffer Jay Chou's arrogance and ruthlessness.

****

In truth, Jay Chou was very satisfied as he took Xu Jia Li's pictures. He was a man that seldom gave positive words or compliment even if he liked what he saw. It was his ego telling him not to give too much compliments because it only made one lost its focus.

Earlier, when he first took Xu Jia Li's picture, he was about to yell again and be mad at her. But when he saw the changes in Xu Jia Li's face, he stood rooted on his place. It was like he was struck by lightning. The effect on him was intense.

In a split second, Xu Jia Li's expression turned from emotionless to a bubbly, cute young teenager. Her autumn- colored eyes shone with life. There was something that sparked in Jay Chou's heart. He couldn't help but capture every angle that he could. He couldn't take his eyes off of her.

Her eyes touched the deepest part of him. He was picky and he only had few models for his studio. He wasn't easily pleased. It was so hard for him to admire anyone no matter how beautiful they were.

The thing he hated most was the Liuliang stars that didn't do much but rely on their looks. It was the reason why he hated Xu Jia Li the moment he saw her. Her beautiful face was enough to make him think that he used that beauty to climb to where she was now.

His heart thumped so fast as he gazed at her. His opinion about Xu Jia Li immediately changed to 360 degrees. He couldn't control the feelings he had inside as the shutters of the camera sounded mellifluous to him. He had never seen anyone who could make him feel full of life.

Xu Jia Li's vivacious expression was enough to make him believe that she was indeed a university student full of ambition, dream and life. Her smile could send a thousand fleets. He was awestruck, and ashamed for judging her quickly. She was so really striking.

His good mood was even put to a higher level when he captured the chemistry between Luo Daming and Xu Jia Li. They looked like a young couple in love.

Even if he shouted at Meng Lulu, his good mood wasn't affected at all. It was only natural for him to say what's on his mind so he didn't even pay any more attention towards the young girl.

When he saw Xu Jia Li walked again in the middle of the set, his heart once again fluttered. He was excited that he couldn't explain what he felt. He pressed his camera, capturing what Xu Jia Li wanted him to see.

The admiration and respect he had towards her grew even bigger when he saw how she managed to show such powerful emotions. He couldn't point it out. It might be her undeniable beauty or her expressive eyes. Anyhow, he was moved by her projection.

How hard it was to smile yet the eyes showed otherwise! He believed that artists who managed to induce different emotions through their eyes were exceptional.

He couldn't hide his happiness that he shouted, "I finally found my Madonna!"

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A/N: Madonna in this context refers to an idealized beautiful woman that artists make as their model in various arts like photography, painting, sculpture, etc. sometimes, they refer to it as their muse.

Chapter end