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

"My ancestors followed the Empress Dowager in the Westernization Movement, my father used government funds to open factories, and what about me?" Zhang Qilin suddenly chuckled softly, tapping his fingers unconsciously on his knee twice. "I'm just clinging to this little bit of ancestral property, wanting to learn from others and start some real businesses, but this world... this world won't let you live a good life."

His speech quickened, not as a roar, but as an uncontrollable anxiety seeping from the very marrow of his bones.

He stood up and paced back and forth in the small space, his steps sometimes quick and sometimes slow, sometimes stopping, then suddenly turning around as if to argue with someone, but in the end he just waved his hand dejectedly.

"They say opera singers are crazy, and opera viewers are fools," he sat down again, his voice lowered, filled with deep weariness, "But what about us, those who are neither here nor there?"

He uttered the last sentence almost with a sigh, his gaze shifting from the distance to the empty floor before him, and he remained silent for a long time.

The room was silent for a few seconds.

The look in Park Chun-shin's eyes as he looked at Zhang Qi-lin was more scrutinizing than stern.

He was very curious; during the performance, he noticed that Zhang Qilin's demeanor had changed.

Qin Erye's words were inherently sad, but Zhang Qilin's performance conveyed a sense of change, even for someone who had acted in "Teahouse" for decades.

It's simply unbelievable.

To understand the reason, Park Chun-shin asked:

"Your approach is quite different from what is taught in academies and what is commonly seen on stage. Tell me your understanding of it."

Zhang Qilin's performance this time was actually based on his inner feelings.

After activating the "Fragment of Popularity," he naturally acted in that direction.

He wasn't sure how well it would go, but judging from the expressions of the examiners, it shouldn't have been bad.

Upon hearing Park Jon-shin's question, he quickly began to think.

He can't exactly say it was because he had good public appeal and just went with his gut feeling, can he?

After a moment, Zhang Qilin slowly said:

"The Qin Erye I understand cannot be simply summarized by the label of 'idealist'. He was born in that crack, witnessed the tail end of the old era, and then crashed into the iron wall of the new century."

"His 'saving the country' was based on bewilderment, self-preservation, and the helplessness of knowing that what he was holding might be a straw, but he had no choice but to grasp it. Therefore, I think his grief and indignation burned inward, and in the end, it was a kind of ashes-like exhaustion, rather than a flame that erupted outward."

He expressed the feelings he had during the performance.

Yang Lixin nodded slightly and quickly wrote something on the scoring sheet.

Wu Gang leaned forward slightly, clearly drawn to this interpretation.

"Did you figure this out on your own, or did someone guide you?" Wu Gang pressed.

Zhang Qilin explained:

"It's about observation, reflection, and experiencing life. I've seen people sleeping under bridges late at night, who are struggling to make a living in Beijing so their families can have a better life."

"They may not be able to articulate any profound principles, but I think that indomitable spirit in the face of adversity is something that Master Qin also possesses deep down. It's just that he lives a more dignified life, but also a more painful one."

"Dignity and pain," Park Jon-shin repeated the two words, his face still expressionless. "So, the focus of your performance just now wasn't on 'shouting,' but on 'holding it in.'"

"Yes, I feel that suppressed anger burns for a longer time."

Pu Cunxin nodded:

"You should rest for a bit."

Then, the examiners began to whisper among themselves.

"What do you guys think?" Park Chun-shin asked.

"It's definitely different from the academic approach," Wu Gang said with a research-like tone. "Academic training emphasizes 'release,' focusing on the point of emotional outburst and physical control. He, on the other hand, does the opposite, emphasizing 'restraint.'"

Wu Gang paused for a moment and continued:

"That anxiety is internal, not external, especially the pacing part in the middle. The rhythm and pauses of his steps are not a stage design, but more like an unconscious bodily reaction when a person is truly anxious. He is a promising talent."

Yang Lixin adjusted his glasses and added:

"What's even more remarkable is that his 'restraint' has layers. The initial low laugh is self-deprecating, the increased speaking speed is the pent-up emotions finding a crack, the pacing is the restlessness, but the final wave of his hand suppresses all external agitation, turning it into a profound sense of powerlessness."

"This process of 'suppressing' is more difficult to act than a direct outburst, and it is also more in line with the essence of characters like Master Qin. They have status and burdens, and no matter how painful it is, they have to maintain their dignity. Their collapse is also quiet."

"I think this candidate performed very well."

After listening to Yang and Wu's analysis, Pu Cunxin looked at Zhang Qilin, who was waiting quietly.

He then turned to Gong Lijun, signaling her to share her thoughts as well.

Gong Lijun said with a smile:

"On a professional level, Teacher Yang and Teacher Wu have already explained it very thoroughly, so I won't repeat it. What I noticed was the infectiousness that this child exuded during the performance. He could make the audience quickly believe that he was playing that character. This ability to draw people into the role is very rare."

"You mean he's already showing signs of 'audience appeal'?" Park Chun-shin said.

Gong Lijun gently shook her head, her voice gentle yet clear:

"Even though his performance is still a bit raw, it is already trending in that direction. Actors who are truly 'audience-friendly' always have that natural affinity, and you can still feel a slight difference between his on-screen and off-screen personas."

Gong Lijun's words made Pu Cunxin ponder for a moment, and then his gaze turned to Zhang Qilin, who was waiting on the side.

Wu Gang pondered for a moment before replying:

"The key is whether this was a flash of inspiration or whether he had truly grasped the essence of it; there is a big difference between the two."

Yang Lixin smiled and looked at the others:

"Then let's move on to the next step, let him unleash his true nature, and see how he performs this time."

Wu Gang and Gong Lijun nodded in agreement.

"Zhang Qilin," Park Chunxin raised his head, his tone steady, "the next segment is 'Liberating Your Nature,' there's no set topic, feel free to improvise."

Zhang Qilin stood up in response:

"Okay, examiners."

Unleashing one's natural instincts in performance is a core and fundamental part of performance training.

It means allowing actors to feel, think, and act like real people in fictional situations.

Since there are no restrictions, he can choose to become anyone, or even any life form.

However, he learned from the divination this morning that the mentors should avoid certain taboos today, and he needs to do his best to avoid them in the upcoming performances.

Playing an animal is the safest choice, as it easily avoids what the teachers would object to.

But Zhang Qilin knew in his heart that imitating animals was definitely not what the examiners wanted to see.

They held themselves to high standards; he had to impress the examiners with the most compelling content.

If you're going to play a character, you have to avoid those things, so what kind of character should you play...?

An image appeared in Zhang Qilin's mind.

That's him.