Seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune, I became a legend in the entertainment industry by avo

Chapter 112 So what if I'm short, a Peking University graduate?

Sa Beining walked up to Zhang Qilin and said, "Thank you, thank you Qilin, this is truly inspiring."

His voice carried throughout the studio through the microphone. "It was a very special performance. I noticed that many audience members, especially uncles and aunts around the same age as my parents, listened very attentively, and some even hummed along softly."

Zhou Yiwei chimed in: "Yes, the song 'Ode to Coral' is a memory for several generations, but today's version is truly refreshing and eye-opening."

Sa Beining turned to Zhang Qilin, his tone filled with curiosity: "Qilin, the arrangement of this song and your singing style are both very special. Could you share with us why you thought of interpreting 'Ode to Coral' this way?"

Zhang Qilin politely bowed slightly to the two hosts: "Thank you for your praise, Teacher Sa and Teacher Zhou. Actually, I would especially like to thank the renowned arranger Professor Guo Wenjing for his careful guidance on this adaptation. My idea is that as times change, classics also need new ways of expression."

I hope that young audiences can feel the indomitable spirit and patriotism conveyed by these melodies, and that the strength to stand firm in adversity can be passed on to everyone.

After listening, Zhou Yiwei nodded slightly and said with appreciation: "This is not only a continuation of the classics, but also a very courageous innovation. That unique smoky voice brings the artistic conception of the whole song to a new level."

Sa Beining nodded in agreement: "Indeed, the reason why a classic becomes a classic is because it contains eternal value. Your performance this time has undoubtedly injected new vitality into the classic."

He then turned to the audience and raised his voice: "Did you all agree that Zhang Qilin's performance was excellent?"

The audience roared in unison, "Fantastic!"

The applause was thunderous, and someone even shouted, "One more time!"

Sa Beining responded with a smile: "Although I would love to hear it again, our program has to continue. If you really want to hear it again, tune in to our program during the May Day holiday. Exciting content awaits you."

Sa Beining continued, "Zhang Qilin, I knew you studied acting, but I didn't expect you to sing so well too."

"Of course," Zhou Yiwei replied with a smile, "Those of us from the Beijing Film Academy are not just good at acting."

Sa Beining immediately raised his hand to interrupt: "Hey, wait a minute, wait a minute, Teacher Zhou, I don't agree with what you're saying. It could easily cause a conflict between sects!"

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He turned to face the audience: "Students from the Central Academy of Drama and the Shanghai Theatre Academy, please don't get excited!"

Then, facing the main camera, he put one hand on his hip and began gesturing with the other: "Ladies and gentlemen, I have to clarify something. Although I graduated from Peking University, not Beijing Film Academy, Peking University does have a Top Ten Campus Singers Competition, okay? I even won a prize back then!"

As he spoke, he quickly turned to Zhang Qilin and asked sincerely, "Qilin, tell me honestly, when you were singing just now, did you feel any spiritual support from one of Peking University's top ten singers?"

Zhang Qilin was almost laughing out loud at Sa Beining's humor, and said in response, "I felt it. As soon as Teacher Sa's aura was activated, I immediately felt more confident."

Sa Beining stepped forward with satisfaction, standing next to Zhang Qilin, then raised an eyebrow at Zhou Yiwei: "Yiwei, have you noticed anything similar between us?"

As he spoke, he struck what he thought was a very cool pose and gestured for Zhang Qilin to cooperate with him.

Zhang Qilin cooperated by striking the same pose, but his facial expressions were noticeably more controlled than Sa Beining's.

Zhou Yiwei looked left and right, examined it carefully for a few seconds, then shook his head and deliberately said, "I can't tell."

Sa Beining's expectant expression froze instantly, then his shoulders slumped, and he looked helpless: "Yiwei, Yiwei, how did you get into the Beijing Film Academy with your observational skills? When we stand together, the most obvious thing we have in common is—we're both handsome!"

Laughter erupted from the audience, and some people began to applaud.

Zhou Yiwei feigned surprise: "Really? I thought you were talking about height."

Sa Beining immediately jumped up and down: "Hey, hey, I'm at least a standard height of over 1.7 meters, and besides, Qi Lin isn't that much taller than me."

Zhang Qilin nodded, suppressing a laugh: "It's not much taller."

Sa Beining pretended not to hear Zhang Qilin's expression and said to the audience with a serious face: "Dear viewers, you must understand that height is not important, talent is the most important thing. I'm not saying this because I graduated from Peking University."

His words drew laughter from the audience.

Sa Beining changed the subject: "Speaking of talent, I heard that Qi Lin is called a genius at the Beijing People's Art Theatre. He was able to perform in plays after only a few months at the theatre, is that right?"

Zhang Qilin understood what Sa Beining meant and said modestly, "No, no, there are many actors in the Beijing People's Art Theatre who are better than me. I was just lucky to have met such a good team as 'Rickshaw Boy', which gave me the opportunity to play a rickshaw puller in it."

Sa Beining took a few steps back and looked Zhang Qilin up and down: "Everyone knows that 'Rickshaw Boy' is about the working class. People like you and me, with our inherent qualities, honestly, I find it hard to imagine how you could play a rickshaw puller without making the audience feel disconnected from the story?"

Before Zhang Qilin could answer, Zhou Yiwei turned to Sa Beining and said slowly, "Professor Sa, are you—doubting the professional competence of our Beijing Film Academy?"

Sa Beining immediately raised his hands in a gesture of surrender: "No, no, how could I dare doubt the professional competence of the Beijing Film Academy? I'm just curious, how did Qi Lin, so young, manage to play this role so well?"

As he spoke, he looked at Zhang Qilin.

Zhang Qilin answered earnestly: "To play this role well, I did a lot of research, and then I went to experience it firsthand—"

"Experiencing life?" Sa Beining asked curiously, "Like when you went to Majuqiao?"

"Yes." Zhang Qilin nodded. "I first learned about the situation from experts and some elderly gentlemen who had met the rickshaw driver, and then I experienced a few days of rickshaw tours in the hutongs of Kyoto. I combined the two experiences to create two interpretations."

After listening, Sa Beining shook his head with emotion: "Qi Lin, when you stood on the stage singing 'A Tree of Red Flowers Reflecting the Blue Sea,' you captured the essence perfectly. But if you were standing next to a rickshaw, the contrast would be... I can't even imagine that scene. How about Yiwei and his junior team up and give us a live performance?"

Zhou Yiwei nodded and said, "Okay."

Afterwards, the two went offstage to change clothes, while Sa Beining and another host interviewed Yu Zhen.

After a while, Yu Zhen's interview ended, and the stage lights turned dim.

A prop of a symbolic rickshaw handle stands on the side of the stage.

Zhou Yiwei, wearing an old cotton-padded coat, walked onto the stage with his hands tucked into his sleeves and his shoulders hunched.

He was breathing out air, and although it was an act, his demeanor was exactly like that of an old rickshaw puller who made a living in a rickshaw factory.

As the audience marveled at Zhou Yiwei's versatility in portraying any role, Zhang Qilin entered the stage from the other side.

His hair was somewhat disheveled, his back was slightly hunched, his hands were tucked into his sleeves, and his feet seemed to be truly on frozen ground, his steps carrying the dragging gait characteristic of a coachman trying to save energy.

The most striking thing is the face.

The spirited and refined young man who was on stage just moments ago is gone.

Instead, he wore an expression that was worn down by life, a mixture of weariness, alertness, and a touch of cynicism.

The smile on his face was devoid of warmth; it seemed more like a mockery of his own situation.

The audience was somewhat stunned.

They've seen plenty of handsome men, but very few are willing to make themselves look ugly.

Even some of the guests backstage were somewhat surprised when they saw it.

In a large dressing room, a group of people were gathered around a slightly overweight middle-aged man, watching the stage footage on the screen.

The middle-aged man paused slightly when he saw Zhang Qilin enter the stage, then muttered, "Interesting."

A sweet, Taiwanese accent sounded from behind: "Director Gao, is this young man very famous?"

Gao Xixi turned to Lin Xinru and said, "Xinru, you don't know, this young man is very popular in mainland China recently."

The tall He Rundong chimed in, "I know him! There were so many photos of him online a while ago."

Lin Xinru looked at the screen curiously: "I've been in Taipei lately~ I didn't expect there to be new talent emerging from the mainland. Director Gao, is he very talented?"

Gao Xixi nodded;

"It's not easy for him to capture the state of a lowly rickshaw driver so accurately in just one appearance."

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Lin Xinru pressed on, "Director Gao, according to you, he should have a bright future in the entertainment industry, right?"

Gao Xixi's eyes held a hint of caution: "In the entertainment industry, talent alone is far from enough; opportunity plays a decisive role as well, but—"

Lin Xinru nodded slowly, her eyes revealing thoughts she didn't want others to know.

on the stage.

Zhou Yiwei stopped and called out in Zhang Qilin's direction, "Xiao Shunzi, are you packing up so early?"

Zhang Qilin raised one foot and pretended to stomp it lightly, as if it were numb from the cold.

His voice was hoarse, with a lazy, Beijing accent: "What do you mean it's still early? It's cold and deserted, you can't see a soul on the whole street, and you can't even find a seat after half a day. My feet are about to crack from the cold."

He rubbed his hands together, breathed on them, the movements natural and practiced.

There were faint gasps from the audience.

The audience stared wide-eyed.

The young man in front of me, hunched over and complaining about the cold, is completely different from Zhang Qilin, who sang "Ode to Coral" just a few minutes ago.

His tone of voice, rhythm of speech, and even the subtle gesture of breathing out air all conveyed the authenticity and bitterness of a working-class person in the bitter cold.

Zhou Yiwei took a few steps closer, pulled out a flat wine flask from his pocket in a rather formal manner, and handed it over: "Here, have a sip, warm yourself up."

Zhang Qilin glanced at the wine pot, quickly turned his face away, waved his hand, and said in a tone that was a little impatient but also hid a hint of embarrassment: "I won't drink it, I won't drink it, it's too hot for my throat."

Zhou Yiwei sighed in agreement and put away the wine jug: "Alright, if you don't want to drink, fine. So—how much did you earn today? Did you prepare the car rental fee?"

Zhang Qilin looked up abruptly, his brows furrowed, as if a sore spot had been touched.

But it quickly turned into a mocking expression of "what's the use of trying?"

He lowered his eyes, fumbled in his pocket, and pulled out a meager handful of copper coins.

He pretended to count them, then shoved them into Zhou Yiwei's hand.

His tone was sharp, but his eyes revealed the hardship of making a living: "Here you go! That's your transportation allowance for today! You won't be shortchanged! Take it!"

The audience held their breath, as if they were truly in that car factory in the dead of winter, watching two people struggling to make a living.

Meanwhile, in another dressing room backstage, sat a beautiful woman with an elegant demeanor.

Looking at the monitor, she couldn't help but whisper, "I never imagined that after so many years, the Beijing People's Art Theatre would produce such a talented young person again."

Her eyes held a mixture of relief and distant memories.