By the time Fang Lei heard the noise and ran out, the corridor was already broken into pieces.
Jiang Ye and his companion were kneeling on the ground and didn’t dare to leave. They stayed there while trembling with fear.
The two of them cried until their tears and runny noses mingled together. There were several long and thin streaks of blood on their hands and faces. Jiang Ye’s forehead was covered with blood and the wound even seemed to have glass shards embedded in them. It was a shocking sight.
Seeing them, Jiang Ye cried harder and shouted inarticulately, “M-Mr Yang, Mr Ma…”
Fang Lei was stunned. The two bosses who followed him were even more shocked.
Jiang Ye and this group of young artists were invited to accompany them. They knew that Shen Tingyan didn’t like this, so they didn’t intend to send the young artists to him. Why did these artists end up getting into trouble?
Shen Tingyan didn’t look back as he spoke to Fang Lei, “Don’t let them come.”
It took Fang Lei a few seconds to react. ‘They’ referred to the people behind him.
He started to become confused. “…What are you going to do?”
The man in front of him was facing him sideways. Under the dim light of the corridor lamps, Fang Lei couldn’t see his expression clearly. He could only hear the man whispering a few words that made people shudder.
“Do you want to know?”
Fang Lei: “……”
He didn’t want to know! But he didn’t want his artist to go to court the next day!
But he had never seen Shen Tingyan like this… he had expected this man to be angry when he found out about the entanglement between Jiang Ye and Xue Xiao, but the situation still exceeded his expectations.
It was impossible for Shen Tingyan to stop at this time.
Fang Lei took two deep breaths. He gritted his teeth and said to the two people behind him, “Excuse me, Mr Yang and Mr Ma. Why don’t you go back to the box first? I’ll deal with the situation here.”
Mr Yang and Mr Ma thought about it before nodding. “Thank you for your hard work. I’m really sorry to make Teacher Shen unhappy today.”
They didn’t dare to make Shen Tingyan unhappy any longer. They had no choice but to turn a blind eye.
Jiang Ye and his companion suddenly showed expressions of despair.
Fang Lei stopped the hotel manager, who was coming over, and promised that those who deserved compensation would be properly compensated. He took everyone away and said to Shen Tingyan, “…Don’t overdo it.”
Shen Tingyan ignored him.
Jiang Ye watched people leave one by one. Only the two of them and Shen Tingyan were left in the corridor. His heart felt cold. He could no longer feel the pain from his forehead. Only regret and fear continued to expand.
Suddenly, a cold wind bottle lifted up his chin slightly.
He was so frightened that he gasped and trembled even more violently. He didn’t dare look at the face of the man in front of him. He only heard a low, cold voice coming from above his head. “Continue talking.”
Jiang Ye cried. “That’s it… It didn’t work. It didn’t work in the end. Xue Xiao laughed at him and ran away. Nothing happened to him!”
“Nothing?” The man repeated this word softly. It wasn’t in confirmation, but in a sneering and sarcastic tone.
Jiang Ye was excited and said immediately, “Yes, it isn’t like anything happened. He was blocked by Brother Zhang after he ran out. Brother Zhang is our agent. It was actually him who asked me to deceive Xue Xiao at that time!”
……
In a studio in another city, the host asked, “It was very different from what you imagined? Was it different in a good or bad way?”
Seeing Xue Xiao’s expression, he immediately understood and said cryptically, “I encountered a lot of ups and downs, right?”
Xue Xiao was in a daze.
It had only been less than two years, but those things seemed to have happened a long time ago.
He said, “…A bit disappointed and a bit doubtful.”
“At that time, I was thinking that if I want to take this road, can I only enter through this entrance? Do I have to go through these things?” He continued softly, “If that is the case, should I stick to this path?”
……
Jiang Ye poured out everything at once. “…Brother Zhang threatened him, saying that he could hide Xue Xiao.”
“Also, he said that if he didn’t want to sleep with people then forget acting. It would be the same wherever he went in the entertainment industry… he can’t be famous without a backer…”
Shen Tingyan’s eyes were dark to the extreme.
He stared at Jiang Ye, who was kneeling on the ground. Then he heard the sound of his own blood vessels beating.
The night after the second round, he heard Xue Xiao talk about his past and never thought it would be such a dark experience that the young man downplayed it.
……
The atmosphere in the studio gradually turned heavy and everyone was silent.
But at this moment, Xue Xiao’s tone changed and suddenly became brisk again. “But it turns out that there naturally can’t be only one path to the destination in this world.”
The host and the audience members were stunned.
“Every road is fair. There are shortcuts that can be taken at any cost, but there are also longer, further and more difficult but also down-to-earth roads.”
The young man said in a soft voice, “The world can be the same as we imagined, as long as we make the right choices.”
The place where the person he was staring at was located could never be filth.
……
“…Our company didn’t sign a contract with Xue Xiao at that time, so Brother Zhang’s threats were useless. Really, Xue Xiao said that he was going to the film and television city!”
Shen Tingyan’s mind kept flashing to that innocent, ignorant face. It was as if he had never experienced worries and had never been covered with any dust.
At this moment, he asked in an almost paranoid manner, “…Then what?”
His voice was already very hoarse.
Jiang Ye struggled to remember in the midst of his collapse. Fortunately, he followed Xue Xiao after he rushed out the door that night. Otherwise, he didn’t know what else he could say at this time. He felt like he was going to be killed by this man.
“B-Brother Zhang said that he will be a small actor for the rest of his life if he goes to the film and television city.” Jiang Ye sniffed. “Then Xue Xiao laughed at him and said—”
The young man said something that he still remembered clearly.
“Half a month ago, I was a teacher. Now I have chosen to be an actor. Who said that the starting point can determine the end point? Is life so impossible?”
The wind poured in from the window deep into the corridor, raising the young man’s black hair. His always gentle voice was unreasonably tough.
“At least, not for me!”
……
Jiang Ye gulped hard. “…After he finished speaking, he beat up Brother Zhang.”
Shen Tingyan’s eyes moved slightly.
“Really, it was a terrible beating. I didn’t expect Brother Zhang, who was so tall and powerful, to be unable to beat Xue Xiao! Xue Xiao left after that day and I never met him again,” Jiang Ye finished speaking. He shivered again and moved forward to beg. “I will apologize to Xue Xiao. Teacher Shen, please—”
The moment his hair was about to touch Shen Tingyan’s trouser leg, his hair was grabbed by a hand.
He was forced to raise his head with a look of fear. The man looked down at him. “Don’t harass him again. In addition, don’t appear in front of him for the rest of your life.”
His voice was so calm that it was terrifying.
Shen Tingyan let go. He threw out this person and said coldly, “Get out.”
……
Fang Lei chased Shen Tingyan to the underground garage. “Is it okay for you to go back by yourself? How about I call the driver from the company?”
Shen Tingyan didn’t drink tonight and the wine was blocked by Fang Lei, but he was still a bit worried. This guy wasn’t in a normal state at all right now.
“No.” Shen Tingyan opened the car door. before entering, he said to Fang Lei, “Tomorrow, sort out the information of that entertainment company and send it to me.”
Fang Lei was stunned.
The car door closed with a bang. The man sat down in the driver’s seat with a blank face and started the car.
Fang Lei had no choice but to step back. He sighed and let the man drive out.
“I understand.”
Shen Tingyan drove out of the underground garage. He stepped on the accelerator and after driving for a kilometer, he stopped on the side of a section of uninhabited road.
He lowered the window and lit a cigarette.
The phone buzzed and vibrated. He stared into the depths of the night. It wasn’t known what he was thinking. After a long time, he lowered his eyes slightly and the screen lit up.
The message was sent by his assistant, Xiao Ye. “Reporting to the boss, I’ve already boarded the plane and am expected to land in two hours!”
Shen Tingyan bit his cigarette as he unlocked the screen. He opened WeChat and saw the photo that Xiao Ye attached.
In the photo, the young man was leaning against the small window with a tilted head. His eyes were closed and he was sleeping soundly.
Perhaps it was because the air conditioner in the cabin was turned on too low, but he was covered with a blank and looked soft like a small animal.
Shen Tingyan stared at this photo for a long, long time.
It was until the cigarette burned to the end.
He twisted it, lit another one and closed WeChat. He opened the Guantian app and found the latest third episode of the show.
Shen Tingyan bent his elbows against the car window. He supported his forehead with his fingers as he lowered his head and watched quietly.
As long as the young man appeared in the camera, he would pull it back and watch it again.
He had never done this before. It also wasn’t like something he would do at all.
Over and over again.
On the eve of the play selection for the second round, the two silhouettes sat leaning against each other outside the balcony door of the dormitory. Their words were hazy through the door.
“Is there no option of ‘don’t act’ in your dictionary?”
The young man replied, “That isn’t true.”
“I made an appointment with my parents before I left home. If I haven’t made a name for myself by a certain deadline, I can’t continue to be so capricious.”
“The deadline?” The young man said with a smile. “Three years. It is three years.”
“Have you been in the industry for over a year? Then there is only over a year left!”
Three years.
Shen Tingyan took a puff of the cigarette and slowly exhaled.
Three years.
He closed his eyes and thought to himself.
Fortunately, he caught it.
On this day, it was already midnight when Xue Xiao returned to the camp.
He was so tired that he fell asleep. He only got up at noon the next day. He arrived at the classroom in Building 3 on time with Chang Yun and Dou Mingjian.
You Qianqian and Xu Shi had already arrived. After they sat down, they curiously asked about the recording of the show yesterday. They listened with envy.
Soon, a tall figure appeared at the door of the classroom. The five participants looked over and shouted obediently, “Hello, Teacher Shen!”
Shen Tingyan replied casually while looking around. His gaze fell on Xue Xiao.
Xue Xiao was slightly startled.
Shen Tingyan’s eyes were so heavy today.
Due to this slight abnormality, he paid extra attention to Shen Tingyan today.
As he received the script from Shen Tingyan, Xue Xiao noticed a very small scar on the back of the man’s hand.
The scar was obviously left not long ago. It was slightly red and swollen. It looked especially abrupt on the beautiful hand.
Xue Xiao couldn’t help frowning.
Shen Tingyan noticed his gaze, retracted his hand and said casually, “I was accidentally scratched but it is okay.”
Xue Xiao pursed his lips.
The two scripts had been revised and adjusted. Shen Tingyan had decided all the roles today.
Dou Mingjian, Xu Shi and You Qianqian were on a team. Their script was called ‘The House of a Thousand Faces.’ It told the story of a father and a pair of children who cheated people everywhere.
There was no warmth or family affection. Who connected these three people were the genes of a liar. The whole story was weird, distorted and deformed.
The three of them were attracted to the script as soon as they got it. You Qianqian was especially excited. The role was challenging and the story was complex. This was the favorite type of script for ambitious actors!
Meanwhile, Xue Xiao and Chang Yun were assigned to a group. Their script was called ‘Vertigo.’
They both had confused expressions on their faces when they first read the plot.
This was a very typical suspense thriller script. It was hard to guess the ending just by reading the beginning. The development was unexpected and every reversal was unimaginable. It was terrifying to think about it.
They had no idea what the final truth set by the screenwriter was. As the story progressed, their expressions became more and more shocked.
After they finished reading it, Shen Tingyan assigned roles to them. “Chang Yun will play Character B, Zhao Wenlei. Xue Xiao will play Character A, Zheng Nian. If you have any questions, ask them now.”
Chang Yun gulped and said hesitantly, “This role, I…”
Shen Tingyan looked at him for a few seconds before asking, “Do you think you can’t act it?”
Xue Xiao was stunned for a moment. Then he turned his head to look over. Chang Yun’s palms were covered with sweat.
For the two scripts that Shen Tingyan gave today, no matter whether they were ‘The House of a Thousand Faces’ or ‘Vertigo’, they were very difficult to act.
The story was difficult to act out, and every role was difficult to act. The same went for the character of Zhao Wenlei.
Chang Yun never thought that he would receive such a role. It was completely beyond his current ability.
He was in this classroom and stood out among the other four participants, who were excited as soon as they got the script.
It was like a poor student sneaking into the advanced class. He might’ve achieved pretty good results under Shen Tingyan’s training in the previous round, but at this moment, the difference was clearly reflected.
Shen Tingyan looked at him and said, “Once you leave this show and return to the industry, if a good script finds you, will you say, ‘I can’t act’ and refuse the script?”
Chang Yun’s hand tightened suddenly.
He lowered his head… this definitely wouldn’t work. If he retreated when he encountered difficulties, he would never get ahead for the rest of his life…
“There is one thing you have to be clear about.” Shen Tingyan’s face was calm. His words weren’t angry or cold. “Whether it is on the show or outside the show, a director will take the initiative to find you and give you a role because the director believes you can act it.”
Chang Yun shuddered and raised his head sharply.
Shen Tingyan’s words instantly accelerated the flow of his blood.
“So, are you going to accept this script now or are you going to walk out of this classroom?”
Chang Yun clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. He said, “I’ll act! But I might be stupid… Teacher Shen, don’t scold me politely when the time comes!”
Shen Tingyan sneered. “When have I ever been polite?”
The atmosphere suddenly eased and everyone laughed.
Xue Xiao also sighed with relief and encouraged him. “Brother Chang, let’s work hard together. If you have any problems, bring them up and discuss them together. It will definitely be solved.”
Chang Yun nodded vigorously.
Shen Tingyan closed the script. “Go back tonight and read the script twice. We will start the formal rehearsal tomorrow.”
“Yes!”
At this moment, the five of them couldn’t be clearer about something.
Shen Tingyan had handed over two weapons of great destruction to them today.
As long as they could act it out well, they could become classics.
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