Chapter 10

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“What the heck is this? Even this has issues?” Liu Ye’s first thought was: ‘I’m screwed.’ No way, aren’t they really strict in the capital?

During the initial audition, he got laughed at a few times because of his accent. But, firstly, he didn’t think there was anything wrong with his accent, and secondly, hadn’t he passed that round anyway?

When he arrived at the examination hall, he heard whispers: “That’s the top scorer from the first round,” and was momentarily stunned.

The first impression that came to his mind: A rich young master. Fair-skinned, with a soft and gentle aura typical of someone from the South, yet tall and imposing. But as soon as the guy opened his mouth, even if Liu Ye had just jumped into this with no clue, he knew the gap between them immediately.

And now? Even he didn’t pass?

He probably wasn’t the only one of the remaining nine people thinking this.

“…Also, this line, ‘I’m leaving, write me when you get there!’—your delivery was off. You didn’t grasp the father’s emotions well here; it’s still the same as when he first started speaking. You need to understand that, during farewells, a father’s emotions would change. You can’t only look at this from the son’s perspective.” The examiner in the middle continued, delivering a long critique.

What is this, nitpicking?

“Understood, teacher. I admit I didn’t capture that properly. I’ll study the script more carefully when I have the time,” Lin Hao bowed.

Exactly!

It was only a one-minute performance, and you expect him to understand the father’s feelings in depth? If you think you can do better, then go ahead!

“Alright, overall, it was just average. Make sure you practice more when you go back,” one of the teachers concluded, and then exchanged a smile with the other. At least Lin Hao didn’t get angry or feel defeated from being criticized so harshly. He even gave himself a slight defense, saying “when time permits.”

This wasn’t just a good student; he was clever and sharp, too. The chief examiner thought: We must accept this student!

If Lin Hao knew what they were thinking, he’d probably sweat a bit: ‘You flatter me with such praise.’

“Next!”

…

Lin Hao stepped down, feeling a little disappointed. Firstly, the prompt was different from what he had prepared for. Secondly, he did miss some nuances by drawing on the emotions from past scripts during the recitation.

Personally, he thought his performance this time was decent, even better than the initial round. But it seemed the teachers had high expectations of him. He wasn’t a naive 17- or 18-year-old anymore, so he figured maybe they were just trying to keep him humble.

After all, being ranked first comes with its challenges anywhere.

Just as he sat down, someone next to him nudged him: “I thought you did great! The teachers are just nitpicking.”

There were only ten people in the room, so to speak up now was quite bold. And wait… wasn’t this Liu Ye? No way, a guy from the Northeast, with that thick Northeastern accent.

Lin Hao just nodded and smiled in acknowledgment:

“Thanks, but I really do have areas to improve.”

What a pretender!

Liu Ye felt displeased. The first two people before Lin Hao got praised, but the teachers only had harsh words for him. Who wouldn’t be upset? People from the big cities sure know how to put on a facade.

That reminded him of someone he hated from back home. Lin Hao noticed Liu Ye’s change in expression, looking rather disdainful.

“…”

Lin Hao had no idea what was running through his head, but the chief examiner had already called: “Alright, thank you. Next!”

“Coming!”

Liu Ye responded loudly, drawing laughs from the others. He stood up hastily and rushed forward to prepare in a minute.

“This is the one who claimed he didn’t know anything?” the head examiner asked.

“Yes, but he’s quite interesting. Kids like him are easy to coach,” another examiner commented. “Whereas that Lin Hao, he has a mind of his own, and if you don’t keep a close watch on him, he might lead the whole class astray.”

“What should we do, give him some pressure?”

“No, let’s not. The kid’s only 17 or 18, don’t crush his spirit,” the teacher Zhang interjected anxiously.

“Don’t worry, I know what to do,” Chang Li said with a determined look. She already had a plan in mind.

…

The whole process didn’t take long.

With good examples set before and everyone feeling nervous, performances became a bit lackluster. Finally, the fun part arrived, and the female examiner in the middle called out three groups: two of three members each, and one of two.

“The last group, Lin Hao, Liu Ye.”

Well, there were only two of them left. Lin Hao greeted Liu Ye, but the latter ignored him.

Oh, he’s got an attitude, huh? Lin Hao, who could be quite stubborn, was not one to back down easily. He had a soft spot for girls but was hard on guys. If Liu Ye wanted to act tough, Lin Hao wouldn’t hold back. He wasn’t planning to make things difficult, but if Liu Ye did, then let the butterfly effect begin. Watch out—don’t blame him if things go sideways.

With that, Lin Hao confidently stepped forward.

“Your topic is…” Chang Li hesitated, thinking about the perfect prompt. Seeing the tension between them, she had an idea: “Brothers. You have three minutes to prepare.”

Oh wow, this prompt.

Lin Hao thought it was ridiculous, but it was the teacher’s choice, so he had no say. Improvised acting required genuine reactions, and now the stage was set.

…

“What do you mean?” Liu Ye started off aggressively, embodying a bold, unrestrained vibe. His frustration was palpable, and it suited the line.

“What do I mean? Wasn’t it your turn to clean today? Oh, you got scolded by Mom, and now you’re blaming me? Conveniently forgetting I had to cover for you?” Lin Hao provided context, grounding the argument in a plausible scenario.

“I told you this morning that I might come back late, didn’t I? Couldn’t you help me out just this once?”

That reaction was decent, and Chang Li took note.

The girls were strong contenders this year, but the boys seemed weaker, so any surprise from Lin Hao was welcome. However, she had to lower her expectations for the others.

“And how many times has this happened?”

Lin Hao casually sat down, not minding his pristine pants getting dirty. He leaned back slightly, a skill honed in physical training, and added: “You need to learn your lesson. Stop being so careless and carefree.”

Ah, he’s the elder brother, the chief examiner could sense. Lin Hao’s portrayal, the sense that this had happened repeatedly, set a solid rhythm. Acting alongside him was comfortable for newcomers, but for actors with strong instincts, the clash could be intense.

Good acting should evoke something in everyone, and Liu Ye wasn’t stupid. He sensed the appreciative looks from the others.

He had to adapt to Lin Hao’s cues, responding with flustered, improvised lines for almost a minute. Lin Hao countered steadily, even lifting him up when necessary, making it seem like Liu Ye was irrational, and his energy gradually deflated.

At this point, only wild, desperate punches would work.

So he shouted:

“Always lecturing me! Always blaming me! Mom’s totally biased toward you! Last time, you didn’t even wash the dishes, and she didn’t scold you! Think you’re so great?”

Not bad, Chang Li thought. Liu Ye’s sudden burst of emotion brought tension. Otherwise, she might’ve stopped it for being monotonous.

Now it was Lin Hao’s move. If he mishandled it, it would cost him.

…

“Is that even the same thing?”

Lin Hao turned slightly, licking his lips—a subtle expression of frustration. His facial expression changed accordingly: “That was once. I had a severe cold. Are you seriously comparing that to you going out to play? And how many times do we have to argue about this? You always bring up the same thing.”

“You have your faults too! Why are you even talking?” Liu Ye, upset by Lin Hao’s attempt to salvage the scene, lashed out even more.

“Liu Ye, watch your language! Did you take a pill today or what?”

Examiner Li immediately caught on to Lin Hao’s reaction when Liu Ye cursed. Lin Hao’s anger, triggered by the vulgarity, wasn’t entirely logical, but at least it gave a sense of progression.

The setup was Liu Ye refusing to concede, escalating to cursing. The insult became the fuse. If this were a movie scene, Li noted that Lin Hao’s subtlety worked, but in live performance, he could be more expressive.

“None of your business! I’ll…”

Feeling emboldened, Liu Ye saw his energy turn the tide and wanted to press on, but he suddenly noticed Lin Hao’s hand swinging toward him. He instinctively dodged, yet a loud sound resonated:

*Slap!*

The crisp smack reverberated through the room. Liu Ye held his cheek, stunned, and for once, he didn’t need to act.

…

A clever trick, thought Chang Li. Did this kid intentionally coordinate his actions with the camera angle, or was it by chance? From their perspective, it appeared like a real slap. However, based on her experience, she quickly realized Lin Hao’s two-handed movement was designed to create the illusion—he had actually slapped his own arm.

It was a fake hit, but the sound effect was convincing.

…

Liu Ye was left speechless, genuinely rattled by the fake slap.

The other students watching the exam were also momentarily stunned.

…

Lin Hao’s face looked a bit tense, with traces of regret, but his expression soon hardened again. Without saying a word, he shot Liu Ye a cold glare, turned, and slammed the door as he left.

The entire scene had been brief, ending with the initially calm older brother storming out. Whew, Lin Hao thought, better to wrap it up while things were still holding together. That whole segment in the middle was chaotic, and the two of them were barely syncing up. Any longer, and it would have fallen apart.

Acting in an unscripted scene, especially with a novice?

Most likely a disaster. He didn’t even want to think about the logical and detailed mess of his performance. The whole thing felt like a blur, and he doubted his role would have been particularly impressive if this had been a movie scene.