When will I be the queen

Chapter 501 Skill
My senior's audition notice was the most complex and convoluted of all the roles he auditioned for. The requirements were somewhat abstract, even contradicting the actual performance requirements. He needed to portray fear, anger, and introversion. Crucially, he had to be timid yet capable of breaking tables.

With a little attention, you can basically understand the character of the senior apprentice. But understanding the character doesn't mean you can perform it well. You must grasp the essence of the senior apprentice's character, otherwise, you'll either end up looking like a eunuch or a mentally ill person.

Yuwen Jiming immediately grabbed a corner of the carpet and folded it back. No one knew what he was doing, but no one spoke or stopped him. Then, Yuwen Jiming stood in front of the folded carpet, his eyes wide with terror, and let out a thunderous roar. Then, as if all the air had been sucked out of him, he straightened up, let out a long breath, and then fell straight backward.

Zombie fall.

Cai Cai and the Immortal Lord, in sync, both raised their eyebrows. This was a hard skill from theatrical performances, one of the most difficult techniques, extremely hard to master. Falling backward with a straight back was called a "hard zombie"—the entire back stretched into a straight line, neck stiffened, falling backward with absolute rigidity, the arms unable to move an inch, not even the slightest shift in position; otherwise, it wouldn't be called "stiff." It relied on the shoulders and back to absorb the force and protect the body; the slightest mishap risked death. The control over the body had to reach an astonishing level; otherwise, it was absolutely impossible to master.

Humans have an uncontrollable urge to protect themselves. It's a natural mechanism. Then, for the sake of performance, a person goes against their nature, using extraordinary willpower to control their body. For this alone, calling him a remarkable actor is not an exaggeration.

The immortal lord glanced at Cai Cai and said, "You don't know?"

Cai Cai genuinely had no idea. This person had never shown this ability to Fang Xiaoning before.

After Yuwen Jiming fell, he quickly sprang to his feet. He clenched his fists, pretending to have picked up a weapon, and with another shout, swung it down. Then, he pretended to glare at the person in front of him, his hands still tightly gripping the weapon, as if he were about to strike again.

Yuwen Jiming was slightly out of breath, but had a big smile on his face, indicating that the performance was over.

Cai Cai clapped her hands and exclaimed, "You've really done something amazing! You've been training since childhood?" The parents are really generous.

Yuwen Jiming knew that with this zombie fall, he could definitely make a name for himself. He was saving his trump card for a crucial moment. In Yuwen Jiming's view, now was that crucial moment. Being able to showcase his skill in front of the Immortal Lord and Cai Cai, securing a role with this ability, could determine whether he stayed or left. Compared to before, when he could stay even without showcasing his skill, those weren't crucial moments, and those people, including Fang Xiaoning, weren't the ones he needed to demonstrate his abilities to.

Because Fang Xiaoning's contribution to his career was minimal. It was definitely not as significant as that of Xianjun and Cai Cai.

"When I was little, I watched plays with my elders and I liked this move. I begged them to teach me, so I learned it. It's considered a childhood skill, but that's all I know. I need to build up my back with thicker pads. As for the others, let alone sing a few lines, I haven't even heard of many. I originally wanted to learn the 'Dragon Twisting Pillar' move, but unfortunately, I didn't master it. All I know is this 'Carp Leap,' but I don't do it well either." Yuwen Jiming spoke the truth. An expert could tell from his words that he was only half-baked and just putting on a show, barely managing to pull off any fancy moves.

"You're too modest." Cai Cai thought that being able to act like a zombie and dare to fall backward was already quite remarkable.

The immortal lord thought to himself, "Indeed, the passion of one's youth is the true treasure."

"Then the role of Senior Brother is yours," the Immortal Lord decided directly. "You can use this action to perform it, or you can choose not to. Our crew won't force you; it's all up to your own wishes. After you get the script, you can discuss it with the director, screenwriter, and action director. The decision is yours." He made it very clear. He would absolutely not force Yuwen Jiming to do this performance.

Yuwen Jiming couldn't help but laugh and thanked him loudly. He dared to reveal his trump card, so he naturally had the intention of putting on a show. But for the Immortal Lord to make such a decision, he truly deserved to be called an Immortal Lord.

Wei Min sighed inwardly, but smiled and agreed, not daring to utter a single unnecessary word.

Cai Cai shared the same thought as the Immortal Lord. Presentation and performance are two different things, not to mention that a character has a storyline to follow; one cannot ignore the character and the plot because of a single action. Furthermore, as fellow actors, mutual respect is essential; otherwise, it will be so disheartening when directors use us at will.
Now all that's missing is a master.

"Actually, we can be more lenient on the age limit." Cai Cai thinks that anyone under forty years old, as long as they don't look too fat or have a wide jawline when they're on camera, is fine.

The immortal said he would observe further before making a decision.

As a result, they didn't find anything suitable until almost the end of the afternoon.

Huang Xin and Li Muzi arrived. "This is the last one," they said, explaining that she had also come at the last minute. "She was traveling nearby and even went to an amusement park. She came as soon as she heard the news." She wasn't even part of their invitation list. It wasn't that she wasn't eligible; she was just too laid-back.

Cai Cai didn't know who this was referring to, but the Immortal Lord had already mentally drawn up a shortlist of candidates.

But when this smiling man walked in, the immortal lord truly hadn't expected it.
When Cai Cai saw that the Immortal Lord had actually stood up, she didn't have time to see who had come in before she also stood up.

The newcomer laughed heartily, stopped, and bowed slightly. "Not at all, not at all. Long time no see, long time no see."

It seems he is acquainted with the Immortal Lord.

The immortal gestured for the visitor to sit down and then introduced him to Cai Cai, "I learned some self-defense techniques when I was young. This is a disciple of the master who taught me self-defense techniques. I call him my senior brother. Cheng Jihe. He used to be my stunt double and later became an actor. He's very good at it."

That's high praise. Cai Cai greeted, "Hello, I'm Cai Cai."

Cheng Jihe waited until the Immortal Lord and Cai Cai were seated before sitting down himself, waving his hands repeatedly, "No need to be so polite, no need to be so polite." After thinking for a moment, he added, "My sect is quite large, and I know you. I have a junior brother who was your bodyguard in the capital. He brought back some autographed photos of you and gave them to us; I'm a fan of yours." It wouldn't be good not to make things clear. This wasn't about trying to curry favor; Cheng Jihe knew that Cai Cai's identity was extraordinary, and if the intermediary found out later, it would seem as if he had intentionally concealed something, which wouldn't be good either.

Cai Cai thought for a moment, "Oh, is it Li Jikun?" The name sounds like it must be him.

Cheng Jihe had heard her junior brother rave about how cute and smart Cai Cai was, so she wasn't surprised at all that she recognized him immediately. "Yes, that's him. Thank you so much for taking care of him and your family all these years." This junior brother's family wasn't well-off; his mother and sister both had serious illnesses and needed to take medication year-round. Even with medical insurance, the burden was still heavy. It was Cai Cai's family that, after learning about the junior brother's situation, arranged for his family's medical subsidy under the guise of employee benefits and also approved a nutritional allowance, which directly alleviated the junior brother's heavy burden.

What Cheng Jihe found interesting was that he had initially assumed the Cai family, like other wealthy families, was adept at manipulating employees by bestowing favors upon them. However, his junior colleague later revealed that aside from bonuses, fixed benefits, and a basic salary, he received no other perks. This made Cheng Jihe realize just how special the Cai family truly was.

Cai Cai was unaware of these matters, but Tang Jinyi had a vague recollection. He sized up Cheng Jihe, remembering that this man had seemingly presented a banner to the company in the capital. The attitude towards employees, families, and the group was consistent: if someone was truly in difficulty, and they had the means and ability, they would definitely lend a hand. However, the extent of their assistance was carefully analyzed and discussed by the lawyers and HR personnel based on the actual situation. It wasn't about being overly kind, nor would it turn a great favor into a great enmity.

There were practically no employees in need of assistance in the capital, just that one, and it didn't take much effort. Tang Jinyi didn't even remember the employee's name, but she remembered the employee's family, presented them with a banner, and even offered to extend the employee's employment contract. In reality, the lawyer later said that this person was just using this as an excuse to check the employee's contract to see if we had tampered with it after providing assistance.

Tang Jinyi happened to be at her company in the capital at the time and witnessed the incident, so she had some recollection of it. Seeing that Cai Cai didn't know, Cheng Jihe didn't explain further, only saying that this junior brother's family was doing very well now. Cai Cai wasn't curious at all about the bodyguard's family background; in fact, she knew nothing about it. Knowing that his family was well was enough for her.

The immortal was curious about Cai Cai's attitude and asked her about it later, because Cai Cai sometimes seemed to enjoy listening to gossip.

"Loan sharks are here to work and earn money, not to sell out family privacy. If a loan shark wants me to know, I will naturally know; if I don't know, it means they don't want me to know. My mother taught me from a young age not to be curious about people, especially those around me, because it can affect my subjective judgment. In other words, it can lead to acting on emotions. My mother said that subjectively, when hiring people, we subconsciously tend to hire those we are familiar with because we feel they are easier to control. But often, the root of bad things lies here. My mother said that the more objective you are about people and things, the easier it is."

The immortal lord didn't say anything after hearing this, but he couldn't help but frown inwardly. The Tang family's education seemed really out of place on Cai Cai.

Seeing that neither Xianjun nor Cai Cai remained silent, Wei Min took the initiative to speak, acting as the "bad cop" and following procedure, asking Cheng Jihe to introduce himself first.

Cai Cai had already reviewed Cheng Jihe's acting resume. Very little. Given her extensive film viewing experience, she hadn't seen a single film starring Cheng Jihe, which gave her an idea of ​​how few of his works he had. The key point was that these works, whether in front of or behind the camera, and even in production and distribution, were all relatively unknown. This was highly unusual.

Because everyone in the entertainment industry, even those who are obscure or unknown, has at least one somewhat famous representative work, even if it's just a single photo. Otherwise, what's the point of their careers? Besides, to produce and distribute content, money and connections are essential. Even if the person is gone or the company goes bankrupt, there will still be at least one well-known work. The fact that it gets released and broadcast speaks volumes about their ability.

The entertainment industry has countless projects, with filming starting and wrapping up every day, but only a tiny fraction actually reach the audience and get seen. Viewers often feel there are many artists, with new faces constantly emerging, but these represent only a tiny fraction. A vast number of artists remain unseen. Therefore, those who do get noticed are extremely rare.

Of all the works that Ke Cheng Jihe has acted in, none of them are truly famous.

It's like a bunch of nameless weeds crowding together, carving out a space in the vibrant entertainment industry, and then continuing to be weeds.

how did you do that?
For the sake of ideals.

Cheng Jihe gave a very detailed self-introduction. Because aside from the Immortal Lord, very few people here probably knew him. He knew his own situation well, and every time Cheng Jihe introduced himself, he did so as if he were a newcomer.

Then Cai Cai understood why this person was so unruly.

Following the old internet trope of accidentally entering someone's family home, Cheng Jihe's entry into the industry is quite fitting. His family has been running a chain of hotels for three generations, so they are considered wealthy. After graduating from high school, he planned to study abroad, but instead, he went to the military entrance exam with a friend, passed, and joined the army. After three years of service, he attended a short-term training school to learn to be a chef, intending to become the head chef at his family's hotel after completing his training. A film crew was shooting at the school, and he went to watch the excitement, which is how he got caught on camera.

Cheng Jihe was a man of exceptional bearing, exuding the air of a gentle, well-bred young nobleman from a wealthy family. He was tall with thick hair, and although he had single eyelids, his deep-set eyes and large size made them appear as if they were double eyelids. His gaze was always subtly enigmatic, radiating a friendly charm. Because of his privileged background, he was spoiled by his parents and siblings, resulting in a wide range of interests. From martial arts and cooking to electronics and car repair, from horseback riding to diving, from airplanes to submarines, he could do it all. While not an expert, he was certainly proficient enough to handle any situation at any time.

After being photographed, the director who was reviewing the film thought he was quite good. In a private conversation, he mentioned him to his son, who was an independent agent. This agent personally went to see Cheng Jihe and took a liking to him, but didn't sign him. He asked Cheng if he wanted to continue acting, saying he could take him to see some projects. If Cheng was really interested in entering the industry, they would continue to discuss it.

Cheng Jihe was quite popular at the time, being called the school's most handsome man and the department's most handsome man. He was a little vain, and after hesitating for a while, he agreed.

His first acting job was as a stunt double for Xianjun. His resume mentioned he knew Changquan (a style of Chinese martial arts) and had won a provincial martial arts championship. After the interview, he trained with Xianjun in seclusion for over three months. Cheng Jihe naturally got to know Xianjun, and Xianjun, through Cheng Jihe's name, learned of their connection. After the stunt double job ended, Xianjun introduced Cheng Jihe to many other jobs.

Cai Cai then asked the Immortal Lord why Cheng Jihe hadn't signed the contract.

Xianjun is actually quite regretful, but Cheng Jihe has never signed with any company or team; his personality cannot be bound by constraints. Moreover, Cheng Jihe is deeply influenced by his first agent and always maintains an attitude of being ready to withdraw from the industry at any time.

Cai Cai was curious: Who is the manager?
The immortal lord announced a name, "He committed suicide."

"."

Cheng Jihe naturally didn't mention these things, nor was it necessary.

He talked about his experience entering the industry, his collaboration with Xianjun, and then talked about his later works, introducing two of them, a movie and a TV series.

"The movie wasn't even shown in theaters; it was sold directly to a streaming platform and streamed online. It's a story about a chivalrous hero who falls from grace and becomes a cruel executioner. From the beginning, the producers thought it might not pass censorship, so they asked the director to change the lead role to a supporting one. The director agreed on the surface, but secretly filmed it according to the script, producing two versions. The version shown at screenings was the one with the supporting character. Then, they hired online trolls to market the version with the lead character, portraying it as an absolute masterpiece, a film of banned quality, and then sold it to the website."

Cai Cai looked on incredulously. What kind of operation was this? "It passed the review?" This kind of project wouldn't even get approved.

"No, the director is still in jail."

"."

Cai Cai was speechless for a moment. No, what are you highlighting in this kind of work? It's definitely a black history, isn't it? The fact that the authorities haven't banned you is truly a testament to their keen insight. Why did you bring it up instead of keeping it to yourself?

“I’m not the lead actor. The lead actor has already retired from the industry. I play a pure villain in it. This role made me realize how subjective an actor’s understanding of a character can be. Because as soon as I got the script, I knew it was a villain. At first, I acted according to the expressions and actions of a villain, a bad guy, and I was also thinking that I was doing bad things. But the director kept stopping me, saying that my acting was wrong, and he also told me what was wrong.”

Cheng Jihe knew this was a dark history, but that role was too important to him, which is why he kept bringing it up.

"One day, as I was reciting my lines, I suddenly realized that this was my character. I saw him as a bad guy, a villain, but if the character were a real person, he would see himself as the most hardworking, diligent, and courageous person in the world. Everything he did would be natural, necessary, and the right thing to do. Then, instantly, I was able to act. The director didn't stop me from acting anymore."

Cai Cai nodded. That's true. Acting is often like that; you get it instantly. As for playing a villain, the audience, with their broad perspective and outsider's view, naturally knows who the good guys and bad guys are. But actors absolutely cannot have a godlike perspective that transcends the character. They can have typical villainous actions, expressions, and lines, but everything must conform to the character's established traits and logic. Once they step outside the original framework of the character, the character is ruined, and the play is ruined too.

Therefore, actors cannot have objective emotions when playing villains. As Cheng Jihe said, the more subjective you are, the better. It's not about empathizing with the villain, but at least understanding them. At the very least, you can't question or despise the actor playing the villain.

It's true that many projects try to avoid promoting villainous characters and storylines, unless the actors playing them have excellent reputations and acting skills, or are of high status. Because if a villain is portrayed too well, it can genuinely evoke endless hatred from the audience. For example, Huang Shiren, An Jiahe, and Hannibal Lecter. When actors play villains, press releases usually describe it as a challenge, a breakthrough performance, and other protective statements. Just imagine the consequences of playing a villain well.