Huayu: This celebrity doesn't follow the rules.

Chapter 124 The Most Beautiful Twin Stars of Beijing Film Academy, Their Relationship is So Good

February 29, Beijing Film Academy.

This is a day that only comes around once every four years, but the liveliness on campus has nothing to do with leap years.

Today is the third round of auditions for the Performing Arts Academy!
The spring chill lingered, and the old poplar trees on campus still had bare branches, stubbornly stretching towards the gray sky, but the holly bushes by the roadside had already shown a hint of resilient green.

A cool yet anxious atmosphere permeated the air, a scent mingled with countless dreams and expectations.

The campus is more like a grand stage than ever before.

People crowded in front of the teaching building, at the entrance of the performing arts academy, and even along the tree-lined path leading to the examination hall.

Young men and women with dreams of becoming stars wear clothes that best highlight their personalities without appearing overly affected, their faces adorned with carefully applied makeup and barely concealed nervousness.

Parents and teachers accompanying their children to the exam kept giving instructions and encouragement, their eyes filled with even greater anticipation than the students themselves.

In 2016, 7631 students applied to the Performance Department of Beijing Film Academy.

Of the 2039 candidates who took the second round of interviews, only 455 made it to the third round.

The final number of students admitted was 45, with an admission ratio of 170:1.

Of course, this is only for the undergraduate program; the vocational college program will also enroll 30 students!
The competition for art exams is no less fierce than a battle!

Even more numerous than the test takers and their parents are the media reporters carrying "long guns and short cannons".

They gathered in small groups, exchanging information, their eyes scanning every young face that might become the focus of attention like radar.

"There seem to be even more people this year than last year. How long will it take to screen them all?"

A young reporter stamped his feet to warm them and breathed on his hands.

A seasoned male reporter wearing a baseball cap chuckled knowingly beside him: "They say the same thing every year. It's been three rounds of testing, and those who remain have been through several rounds of selection. It's getting interesting."

"Brother Wang, you're well-informed. Do you have any particularly good prospects this time?"

The young reporter leaned closer and asked, offering a cigarette as he did so.

The veteran media professional, known as Brother Wang, waved his hand, refusing the cigarette, and squinted as he searched through the crowd: "Hmm... I heard there are a few with good prospects. Hey, look at that one over there, hasn't he acted in some web series?"

The group chatted idly, listing the known star candidates from this year's exams.

Suddenly, the young reporter seemed to remember something: "Oh right, I heard someone say that two of the girls in this year's class have very powerful backgrounds?"

"No way, isn't it Guan Xiaotong? Is she even more amazing than her?"

"Uh, those are child stars, not the same. I'm talking about newcomers!"

Which two newcomers?

Brother Wang chuckled and lowered his voice, "Brother, you haven't been in this business for long, have you? Your information is outdated. It's Tian Xiwei and Zhou Ye."

“I know Tian Xiwei!” the young reporter immediately chimed in, “Geng Geng from ‘With You’! The drama should be wrapping up filming soon, right?”

"She's a newcomer who got to play the lead role in the Zhenhua Trilogy, so she must have some connections."

"But who is this other Zhou Ye? I've never heard of her. Does she have any works?"

He looked completely bewildered.

Brother Wang revealed an "I knew it" expression and said in a tone of someone who's been there, "That's why you're still young. This week, Ye doesn't have any new works yet, but he's got quite a background."

"Recently, there's been a lot of buzz circulating in the industry about a big-budget production called something like 'A Thousand-Year Song,' and it's really getting popular!"

"How big of a production?"

"I heard the male lead is Huang Xiaoming! Top-tier, right?" Brother Wang glanced around, his voice even lower. "The female lead, it's Zhou Ye! A newcomer paired with Huang Xiaoming right away!"

"And Meng Ziyi, a rising star in the industry right now, will be her supporting actress!"

"Do you think he's got a powerful background?"

"What?" The young reporter's eyes widened in disbelief. "Huang Xiaoming as the male lead, and Meng Ziyi as the supporting actress?"

"This...this resource is incredible! What's Zhou Ye's background? Does he own a mine or something...?"

"Shh! Keep your voice down!"

Brother Wang interrupted him, "I don't know the specifics of the backers, but it seems to be signed by Jiangying Media. But to be so heavily promoted, they must be extraordinary."

"Although ordinary people don't know her yet, many eyes in our circle are already watching her."

Several media professionals around them, who were listening intently, nodded in agreement. Their discussions were filled with curiosity and scrutiny towards those with connections, as well as a hint of subtle sourness.

Just then, a considerable commotion broke out at the school gate.

Several black vans with dark tinted windows were parked precisely in the most conspicuous spot in the media area.

The car door opened, and the first people to get out were several smartly dressed staff members.

They quickly scanned the scene and subtly nodded toward several familiar media reporters, exchanging knowing glances.

Shortly after, a young girl got off the bus first.

She wore a light-colored duffle coat, a soft scarf, and her hair was tied in a neat bun. She had a sweet smile on her face and looked lively and approachable.

The door of another car opened, and another young woman appeared. She wore a well-tailored, dark-colored long wool coat over a simple white top, her black hair cascading smoothly over her shoulders, and her makeup was extremely clean, almost bare-faced.

In stark contrast to the sweet and outgoing girl in front of her, her face was expressionless. She even subconsciously furrowed her brows slightly due to the glaring flash of the camera, appearing somewhat cold and aloof. Her lips were slightly pursed, and her eyes, though clear, carried a sense of unapproachability.

Ms. Li, the company's publicity manager, immediately stepped forward and smiled at the reporters in the core area, saying, "Brother Wang, Sister Zhang... please take good care of my two little ones."

"Please, teachers, take more good photos!"

As he spoke, he secretly made a hand gesture.

The reporters understood immediately and shouted even louder.

"Xiaotian! Zhou Ye! Look this way!"

"Look here, ladies!"

"These must be the most beautiful twins in this year's art exams!"

They took the money, and they were quite dedicated...

Sister Li quickly stepped between the two and whispered, "Hold hands, smile, interact a bit."

Tian Xiwei reacted extremely quickly, almost reflexively reaching out to affectionately link arms with Zhou Ye, leaning closer to her with an even sweeter smile, tilting her head towards the camera to portray a deep sisterly bond.

But she forced out a sentence through gritted teeth, in a voice only the two of them could hear: "Tsk, your hands are as cold as a dead person's. Can't you smile? Get ready to work, sis!"

"I don't know what Jiang Ye saw in you, hmph, flat-chested princess!"

When Zhou Ye was pulled by her arm, her body stiffened almost imperceptibly, and then she managed a very shallow smile, "Are you angry, sister?"

"I didn't want Uncle Jiang Ye to choose me as the female lead! The pressure is really immense!"

"I've been having trouble sleeping lately. I don't know why he likes me so much. Maybe he likes aliens too, and we have similar interests?"

"you……"

Tian Xiwei maintained her sweet smile, but secretly pinched Zhou Ye's arm.

"Ouch! Be gentle!"

Zhou Ye frowned almost imperceptibly, and raised her other hand, seemingly affectionately covering Tian Xiwei's hand that was holding hers, but in reality she was secretly trying to pry her fingers apart a little.

How can this Tian Dabing be so strong!
The two were all smiles, and their body language appeared incredibly intimate in front of the camera, but their private gestures and whispers were a completely different story.

This subtle awkwardness, in the lens of experienced media, was interpreted as a girl's shyness and a little nervousness, making it all the more real and endearing.

"Great! Fantastic! Look here, sisters!"

"Zhou Ye, can you stop smiling? You look better that way!"

"Hold on tighter, Xiaotian!"

The surrounding examinees looked at the two radiant figures surrounded by the media, their eyes filled with complex emotions.

"Are you from the same company? The benefits are really good..."

"Look how close they are, they're even holding hands."

"Being pretty really makes a difference; she's already getting so much screen time even before the exam..."

With staff clearing the way and the media surrounding them, the two beauties, who were temporarily bundled together, maintained a facade of close friendship while secretly engaging in silent banter and rivalry as they headed towards the acting academy's examination hall.

But in a small meeting room at the performing arts academy, the scene was quite different.

Dean Zhang Hui sat in the main seat, with several senior professors and associate professors sitting on either side.

In addition, there were several guests whose faces were relatively unfamiliar but whose demeanor was extraordinary.

This is the first time this year that an external expert examiner group has been introduced, including Liu Jia, a performing artist from Beijing People's Art Theatre; Huang Xiaolei, Chen Kun, and Cao Cuifen, veteran actors; Xia Gang, director; Gao Du, professor at Beijing Dance Academy; and Du Wei, a Chinese music composer.

The atmosphere was serious yet warm and friendly, reflecting a friendly academic exchange.

Zhang Hui looked around, a familiar, slightly serious smile on his face, and said, "Dear teachers and experts, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to support the admissions work of Beijing Film Academy."

"This is the third round of testing. The children who have made it this far are one in a hundred, and some of them are already well-known star candidates."

He paused, then softened his tone: "Our Beijing Film Academy has always adhered to the standard of both moral integrity and artistic talent in its selection process. We look at not only whether a candidate has the professional skills to be considered, but also whether their character can withstand the test. There may be a lot of noise outside, but inside the examination hall, we must uphold the bottom line of professionalism and fairness. We hope that all the teachers and experts will conduct the examinations impartially and ensure the best possible outcome for the future of our performing arts."

His words were polite and impeccable.

At this moment, an elderly professor with gray hair took a sip of tea and casually remarked, "Yes, every year people talk about whether it's a big or small year. I wonder if there are any particularly outstanding students among this batch of promising young talents?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the teachers from the school exchanged smiles.

A middle-aged associate professor chimed in: "I've heard that a few of the kids have a good foundation."

"Liu Yijun's son, Liu Yitong, is here this time. I heard that he has been learning from his father on film sets since high school, and he is quite good at both theory and practice."

"Hmm, I vaguely remember this kid. He performed very well in both the preliminary and final exams," someone nearby chimed in.

Another female professor added with a smile: "I think Xiaotong is the most reliable, right? She's a child star, her on-screen experience is unquestionable, and she's established a good reputation in several of her dramas. As long as she performs normally, there shouldn't be any major problems."

This statement drew nods of agreement from many, as Guan Xiaotong's abilities and reputation are widely recognized as being at the level of a product exempt from inspection.

(End of this chapter)