Huayu, my cheat code is a bit strange.

Chapter 28 Being Too Arrogant Isn't Good (Please read on, please recommend, please do everything!)

It is human nature to be close to others of the same kind and to build connections.

When an outlier appears in a group, the connection breaks down, and what follows is exclusion.

Gu Xiao stood in the queue, sensing the subtle, unusual glances around her, and a self-deprecating smile appeared on her lips.

Sure enough, mental preparation is just that—mental preparation. I'm just an ordinary person after all.

The individual sessions are still ongoing.

However, thanks to Gu Xiao's astonishing actions, no matter how outstanding the other art students were, the atmosphere in the examination room seemed deserted.

The suffocating feeling only eased slightly when the last art student finished singing and the chief examiner, Chen Yi, announced that the next round would begin.

"Next up is a group skit titled 'Reunion,' and we'll have five minutes to discuss it."

Unlike his previous unpredictable style, Chen Yi explained in great detail this time:

"Unlike the second round of auditions, we won't be watching your full performance."

These words made the test takers' hearts jump again.

Chen Yi's gaze slowly swept over the young face before him, and he continued:
"The teachers present will interrupt you at some point and forcibly change the situation of the skit. They may ask you to immediately adjust to a completely different emotion than before, or even force you to engage in impromptu physical interaction."

As soon as the words were spoken, the staff quickly stepped forward and led Gu Xiao, Liu Yifei, and eight other candidates to a preparation area roughly marked with white tape on one side of the examination room.

The invisible pressure felt as real as a physical weight on the hearts of every art student.

"The theme is 'Reunion,' and we need to design character relationships and backstories. What are your thoughts?"

A tall, slender boy spoke first. He spoke quickly, but his gaze unconsciously avoided Gu Xiao.

"Most of us are students, so it's best if our background is fixed on campus."

The short-haired girl chimed in, her thoughts clear: "The basic scenario is a class reunion, spanning three years. Within this framework, it's reasonable for emotions to build up, whether it's awkwardness or enthusiasm."

Everyone nodded in agreement; this was indeed the safest approach at the moment.

With the framework set, the discussion quickly became lively.

Some suggestions were made, while others were accepted.

Whether by chance or by design, almost everyone who offered their ideas would glance at Gu Xiao with eyes full of fear and distance.

Gu Xiao had anticipated this, and after confirming her identity, she chose to remain silent.

Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you. He dislikes being forced, so naturally he will not force others.

Liu Yifei stood beside him, looking somewhat lost and sad.

……

……

While the art students were having a heated discussion, a silent exchange was also taking place among the examiners.

The examiners' pens glided across the scoring sheets, pausing occasionally to mark meaningful marks.

"Yu Hong, number three, has good lines, but his singing isn't great, and he's too tense. Let him do an impromptu performance in a bit."

"That short-haired girl did a good job performing the Mongolian dance in the retest, and she also has a very spirited look."

"Where is Chen Hexuan? He made a significant mistake during his recitation just now."

The examiners whispered among themselves, exchanging glances as they wrote comments on paper, each punctuation mark potentially determining the fate of the art student.

The three rounds of auditions are always the best of the best, and each spot involves the most core resources in the film and television industry, so there is no room for carelessness.

Wang Jinsong's gaze fell on the boy standing alone in the corner of the examination area, and he said with a complicated expression:
"Looks like it's still a bit lacking."

"Performance is a team art."

Huang Lei replied casually, "In a collaboration, standing out too much is not a good thing."

He admitted he'd been amazed by someone's singing earlier, but this was the acting department; acting skills were the only measure of everything. Huo Xuan couldn't help but roll her eyes: "You think it's right to ostracize others?"

Huang Lei was speechless for a moment, but dared not retort.

He's a star mentor to his students, a man of his word, but he's a complete newbie among the faculty at the Beijing Film Academy.

"It's not a bad thing for young people to experience more hardships."

Chen Yi interjected, "He's too proud. Being too complacent will make him lose his drive, which is not good for his development."

Huo Xuan was about to retort when she caught a glimpse of Zhou Xiaowen's amused smile out of the corner of her eye, so she swallowed her words.

The other examiners smirked slightly, clearly finding it quite interesting to watch the infighting within the acting department.

A middle-aged man sitting in the corner said casually, "I quite like this kid."

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and found that the speaker was none other than Tian Zhuangzhuang, the director's tutor.

This is one of the best fifth-generation directors in mainland China. He has been nominated for the Berlin Golden Bear and won the Tokyo Golden Kirin. His reputation is second only to Chen Kaige and Zhang Yimou.

Chen Yi's expression was strange: "What? Is your directing department short-staffed?"

Tian Zhuangzhuang waved his hand dismissively: "I'm so annoyed by how you acting department talks to yourselves. You don't cherish good talents, so it's no wonder you're always overshadowed by the Central Academy of Drama."

Chen Yi's face darkened instantly, and Wang Jinsong and Huo Xuan were also quite indignant, but they couldn't refute him.

It's almost a consensus in the industry that the Beijing Film Academy produces stars and the Central Academy of Drama produces actors.

Every year at the film festival awards ceremony, the acting department and the directing department always have a fight, with the former accusing the latter of always using actors from other schools and not taking care of their own students.

"Old Tian, ​​our acting department has its own considerations."

Chen Yi said coldly, "A qualified actor must be able to accept all kinds of difficulties. If you don't deal with this kind of exclusion now, what will you do when you join a film crew later? The harshness of the director, the competition from colleagues, the pressure of public opinion, which one is not more cruel than this?"

Tian Zhuangzhuang pulled a cigarette case from his pocket, then, realizing it wasn't the right occasion, put it back. He scoffed, "How do you know he really wants to be an actor?"

He gestured with his chin toward the preparation area. "You've seen the preliminary audition video too. Maybe they're just bored and came here to hang out."

"Even if he was just playing around, he shouldn't give up so easily at this point; it's the least he can do to respect art."

Chen Yi glanced at his colleagues and said confidently, "Besides, which young person doesn't yearn for the big screen? Doesn't long to stand under the spotlight and receive applause and adulation from millions of viewers?"

Tian Zhuangzhuang looked at him quietly, a meaningful smile appearing on his deeply lined face:
"Then we'll see."

……

……

The discussion time flew by.

Eight candidates returned to the stage, awaiting their fate.

"Begin." Chen Yi's voice was concise and powerful.

The tall boy immediately got into character, smiling and opening his arms wide: "Old classmates, it's been a long time!"

The skit unfolds amidst pleasantries.

At the class reunion three years later, everyone exchanged fabricated updates on their lives. The atmosphere seemed lively, but it was tinged with an undeniable sense of alienation.

Gu Xiao plays a classmate who returns after studying abroad, and her character is aloof.

He only occasionally chimed in with a few words, and most of the time he stood quietly beside Liu Yifei, as if he were truly just an outsider.

Just as the skit was halfway through, Chen Yi raised his hand to interrupt, "Student number two, please change your mood and put yourself in the role of number one's friend, since you need his help today."

All eyes turned to Gu Xiao.

The test has begun.
P.S. Thank you to reader "Peng Gong" for the 11 monthly tickets! You're so generous, sir!

(End of this chapter)