Studio Superstar: Chapter 42

Old Gao acted human and first gave everyone a boxed meal. He let them eat dinner on the spot before continuing to record.

Jiang Quan was still in high spirits when he appeared in front of them. He spoke in a sonorous voice, “To the remaining 31 participants, I am here to congratulate you on moving to the next round.”

“In today’s competition, each of you received the audience votes. I told you beforehand that the audience votes will affect your play selection in the next round.”

Some participants said clearly, “Just enter the selection room according to the number of votes from high to low!”

Jiang Quan smiled.

Yes, the rules were that simple.

“The next round is a real team battle between the mentors and participants. Each mentor is responsible for two plays. The content of the plays is completely decided by the mentors themselves. The specific number of actors in each play will be fine-tuned by the mentor after the team members are determined.”

“The specific content of each play won’t be announced at this stage. Once you enter the selection round, you will only see two play keywords on each mentor’s desk. It is the story keyword and the protagonist keyword.”

“Participants with the invitation card can choose which play they want to star in. If you are interested in being the protagonist, please insert the invitation card into the card slot of the corresponding character. If you aren’t interested in the protagonist information displayed and are just interested in the story, please insert the card into the card slot of the corresponding play.”

In the audience, Jin Xiaochen whispered, “Then I must play the protagonist if I can.”

Xue Xiao listened carefully.

“Once the invitation card is inserted, it can’t be changed. Card slots that have already been occupied can no longer have a card inserted. Students holding invitation cards from multiple instructors can only choose one slot to insert the card in.”

Suddenly, many eyes fell on Xue Xiao and Dou Mingjian.

There was an enviable number of participants who held more than one invitation card.

“That is the end of the explanation of the rules.” Jiang Quan put down the cue cards and said with a smile, “Then let’s officially start now. By the way, the four mentors should say hello to the participants.”

The small screen in the studio lit up. At the other end, four mentors appeared in front of the students.

Everyone laughed. “Why do you have to separate us from the mentors again?’

“That’s right.” Su Shijin crossed her legs and shook her toes. “Why don’t we record it together? Do you want to pay a high electricity bill?”

Jiang Quan coughed. “Isn’t it because we are afraid that the mentor’s canvassing session will be too chaotic later.”

Su Shijin said, “Okay. Wow, who are you implying?”

Guan told her, “In any case, it isn’t me.”

Feng Wei laughed. “Hehehe, it definitely isn’t me either.”

Shen Tingyan: “.”

Su Shijin bared her teeth, and the participants laughed.

“Okay, it is already so late. Let’s start and finish quickly.” Su Shijin took the initiative to cue the process after finishing her fun. “Who is first place in the audience’s vote?”

A staff member ran up and handed Jiang Quan a card.

He glanced down.

In fact, most people already had a premonition about today’s 1st place winner.

The on-site reactions given by the audience were often the most direct. Cries or laughter, as well as applause, were the most direct praise.

Jiang Quan raised his head and smiled. “Let us congratulate the 1st place in the audience vote—Xue Xiao. You got 964 votes!”

Applause burst out immediately.

“Sure enough—”

“F*k, there were only a bit more than 30 votes left for a full vote!”

“It is awesome, awesome!”

“Xiao Xiao is so awesome!”

In the midst of the cheers and congratulations of Chang Yun and the others, Xue Xiao was slightly stunned.

There were 1,000 spectators at the scene… and he actually got 964 votes?!

Under Jiang Quan’s signal, he quickly stood up, walked down, and headed to Jiang Quan’s side.

Jiang Quan asked him, “Did you expect this number of votes?”

Xue Xiao shook his head honestly. “…No.”

He really didn’t expect it.

He only expected that his result would be pretty good today. He hadn’t expected them to be this good.

However, the number of votes also meant that everything he wanted to show had been conveyed to the audience.

Xue Xiao let out a long breath.

This was fine. It was the only thing he could do as an actor.

“In the last round, you were 7th place. This time, you jumped to 1st place and have the right to enter the selection of roles first,” Jiang Quan said with a smile. “You are also the only participant who has obtained four mentor invitation cards. This also means that the entire selection room is at your disposal.”

Xue Xiao’s blood surged as he listened.

“—Come, secretly tell me. Have you thought about which mentor you want to choose?”

Jiang Quan was about to come over, but Su Shijin on the other side didn’t agree.

“Hey hey hey, you can’t do this. We haven’t canvassed votes yet. The canvassing session we agreed on is about to begin!’

Xue Xiao couldn’t help laughing.

“Xiao Xiao must choose Teacher Shen this time!”

“I haven’t seen Teacher Shen so calm and composed. He must be confident.”

“F*k, Xiao Xiao and Teacher Shen are definitely an unbeatable mentor-participant team!”

“Why does it feel like a husband and wife team—Pfft! Why are you filming me?”

“Don’t worry, it is recording the show!”

“Hahahaha!”

Xue Xiao’s ears turned slightly red from the ridicule.

He sneaked a glance at the small screen.

Shen Tingyan sat on the edge of the four mentors. His legs were crossed, and his posture was elegant.

It wasn’t known why, but Xue Xiao had a tacit feeling that couldn’t be explained. His face was quite hot.

Feng Wei said slowly, “Teacher Shen, your advantage is here. There is no need for you to speak. How about we talk more this time?”

Shen Tingyan smiled lazily. “Why? I also gave an invitation card.”

Guan Ruoying sighed, “Teacher Shen, if you open your mouth, then Teacher Shen will definitely choose you!”

Xue Xiao shrunk back his neck. His whole body turned red, and he was a bit nervous.

On the other side, Shen Tingyan looked at his appearance, and the corners of his lips curled up without a trace.

He admired it with interest while saying lightly, “Really? My play was placed there last time, but he still didn’t choose it?”

Xue Xiao’s head dropped with guilt when he heard this, and his ears were about to drip blood.

The whole audience was crowing, and Su Shijin couldn’t stand it any longer. “F*k, don’t show off your cleverness! Even after completing this competition, there is still the next round!”

Shen Tingyan thought absentmindedly that if he continued the teasing, this little light bulb would be embarrassed.

So pitiful… and cute.

Shen Tingyan let him go and said calmly, “I’m just kidding. Read the information about the four mentors’ plays carefully and choose from the heart.”

Xue Xiao raised his head and looked at him cautiously.

Shen Tingyan’s tone couldn’t help softening. “Be responsible for your own choices.”

Xue Xiao was slightly started. Then he pursed his lips, nodded, and smiled. “Okay.”

After Shen Tingyan finished speaking, he said with ease that next was the free time for the other three people.

Su Shijin was the first to speak. “Xue Xiao, I might not be an actor or director, but I have participated in many filming activities of the crew. I can teach you acting. I can also teach you character speculation and plot understanding. When you leave this show in the future, we can also have more cooperation opportunities.”

The participants were amazed.

Oh my god, she was starting to use drama appointments as a bargaining chip!

Su Shijin received Shen Tingyan’s look and the meaningful gazes of Guan Ruoying and Feng Wei. Even so, she calmly finished speaking, “Think about it yourself. I will definitely send you to the fourth round.”

Xue Xiao was flattered. “Thank you, Teacher Su.”

Guan Ruoying said, “Xue Xiao, we have collaborated once, and you should be familiar with my teaching style. I am very relaxed here, and you don’t have to feel pressured. We can flexibly perform every play well. We can also have a three-dimensional cooperation. Who doesn’t have a drama?”

Guan Ruoying’s arrogant speech ended, and it was Feng Wei’s turn. “Xue Xiao, I won’t say much. I just hope that you will take a closer look at my play after you enter. With your ability, it must not be a problem for you to be promoted to the fourth round. What you should consider is what you want next.”

Xue Xiao was slightly startled.

Feng Wei said with deep meaning, “In addition to the mentor selection, there should be something more important to you right now.”

On the side, Shen Tingyan glanced over.

The four of them were still keeping it a secret what play they chose for the next round of the competition.

Feng Wei stopped speaking after saying this. No matter how many suspicious and probing looks Su Shijin and Guan Ruoying gave him, he pretended not to feel anything and drank tea leisurely.

Shen Tingyan withdrew his gaze and scoffed.

Pretentious old fox.

He looked at Xue Xiao in the studio on the other side.

Xue Xiao seemed to be confused by Feng Wei’s words.

The participants’ invitation cards had been temporarily handed over to the staff for safekeeping. Now the staff sent the four huge invitation cards with different names back to him.

Before walking to the selection room, Xue Xiao turned around in a daze.

The two of them looked at each other across the screen.

Shen Tingyan stared at him motionlessly.

Xue Xiao’s cheeks turned red.

He lowered his eyes, turned back shyly, and opened the door to the selection room.

Shen Tingyan’s lips curled up.

No problem.

—

The moment the door of the selection room opened, the screen on the mentor’s side turned into a life and right split screen. The screen of the selection room was on the left.

This time, there were no more dazzling movie posters in the room. It was much cleaner and simpler.

There were two tables on the left and right.

Each table had a sign with the mentor’s name, a sign with the information about the first play, and a sign with the information about the second play.

Xue Xiao entered and instinctively walked to Shen Tingyan’s table first.

The mentor’s studio.

Su Shijin ‘tsked’ when she saw this, Guan Ruoying sighed, Feng Wei remained calm, and Shen Tingyan’s posture became even more relaxed.

…….

Xue Xiao walked to Shen Tingyan’s table and took a look.

It was exactly as Jiang Quan said. There was very little information, and left enough suspense.

For example, the keyword for Shen Tingyan’s first play was ‘reincarnation.’ The protagonists were ‘a man who has died 10 times’ and a ‘girl whose time has stopped.’

The keyword of the second play was ‘color.’ The keywords of the protagonists were ‘paintbrush’ and ‘painting paper.’ It was particularly abstract.

Xue Xiao suddenly felt a novel feeling.

The plays selected by Shen Tingyan had his unconventional style. The first play looked like a soft science fiction theme, while the second play was more like a stream-of-consciousness. It didn’t seem the type to be adapted for a variety show.

Xue Xiao tried to recall it. He seemed to have some impression of the first play but couldn’t remember what movie it was. He could only give up and start pondering on which one he preferred from the information obtained so far.

…Halfway through thinking, he remembered that he still had to look at the tables of the other three mentors!

Xue Xiao walked to the table of the mentor Guan Ruoying on the side with shame and took a closer look. Then he walked to the table of the mentor Su Shijin opposite him, shaking his hand and looking…

The mentor’s studio.

Su Shijin muttered, “The speed of passing is too fast. Did you see it carefully? Xiao Xiao.”

Guan Ruoying added, “Hey, I didn’t seem so nervous when winning the Best Actress Award back then.”

Feng Wei continued to drink tea, and Shen Tingyan continued to be quiet.

On the other side, Xue Xiao skipped Su Shijin’s table at an even speed and walked toward Feng Wei’s table.

This time, he stopped for a long time…

Shen Tingyan’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Xue Xiao stopped in front of that table for at least three minutes. Su Shijin and Guan Ruoying had already given up on their illusions and started watching the play. The two of them looked back and forth between Feng Wei and Shen Tingyan.

The former was still the same while the latter was very calm.

The situation was unusual. Could it be that Director Feng really had some secret weapon? Looking at it from their perspective, they couldn’t make out any words clearly. They didn’t know what the information of his two plays was.

However, the suspense didn’t last long. Finally, Xue Xiao turned around and walked back to Shen Tingyan’s mentor table.

Shen Tingyan completely leaned back against his chair, his lips curving up.

Su Shijin said, “I knew this would be the result.”

Guan Ruoying complained, “If I am compared with Teacher Shen in front of Xue Xiao, there is really no competitiveness at all!”

Director Feng put down his teacup and didn’t seem disappointed. “It seems I still have to congratulate Teacher Shen.”

Shen Tingyan smiled. However, before he could speak, Xue Xiao suddenly stopped as he held up the invitation card and was about to insert it in a certain card slot.

He seemed to be very undecided. After thinking for a while, he raised his head and looked over.

There was a fixed camera placed in the corner of the ceiling of the selection room. He knew that the mentors were watching this room through this camera.

Xue Xiao hesitated before saying, “Teacher Shen, you said you want me to choose from the heart and be responsible for my choices.”

Hearing these words, the corners of Shen Tingyan’s mouth tightened, and a bad premonition rose in his heart.

Su Shijin and Guan Ruoying’s eyes lit up. Was there a twist?!

Xue Xiao lowered his head and hesitated like he was fighting fiercely in his heart.

Shen Tingyan stared at him closely, body tensing subconsciously.

After a moment, Xue Xiao seemed to have finally made a decision.

He bowed and said, “Teacher Shen, I’m sorry.”

Then he turned around and walked resolutely to Feng Wei’s table. He inserted the card into one of the protagonist’s card slots.

The whole set of actions was extremely fast and took only three seconds.

Su Shijin and Guan Ruoying said, “Ha!”

Feng Wei: “Hehehehe.”

Shen Tingyan: “……”

Xue Xiao finished inserting the card inside. He turned to the camera with his hands together and added guiltily, “Next time, I will definitely choose your team, Teacher Shen!”

Shen Tingyan couldn’t smile any longer.

This little light bulb had started drawing a cake for him again!

White Lily

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