I entered Huayu Entertainment in 2016.

The next day, Wang Zian slept until noon.

When he woke up, he could faintly hear the sound of a television from the next room, as if it were broadcasting the news, with a baritone voice reading something.

Wang Zian sat up and drew back the curtains.

The midday sun rushed in, making him squint and shield his eyes with his hand.

The sky outside the window in February in Beijing is a little bluer than it was a few days ago, like a piece of blue cloth that has been washed but not completely clean.

His exam was scheduled for the afternoon.

After getting up, I quickly tidied myself up, washed my face, brushed my teeth, and combed my hair with water.

I changed into a clean, gray hoodie, but the style was almost exactly the same as the one I wore last time.

He brought three identical hoodies, two pairs of cargo pants, and two pairs of sneakers in his suitcase.

He hesitated for a moment before leaving, then took a black mask out of the side pocket of his suitcase and put it in his pocket.

There were significantly fewer people at the entrance of the Beijing Film Academy than during the preliminary exams.

7631 people applied, and 73% were eliminated in the preliminary test, leaving 2039 people to enter the second test.

But more than two thousand people is still too many.

Beijing Film Academy plans to enroll 45 undergraduate students and 30 vocational college students this year.

The second round of interviews will also be used to screen candidates.

Wang Zian felt quite helpless. He, who didn't want to apply to the Beijing Film Academy, actually had to compete with these students.

With more than 2,000 people dispersed to different exam times, the number of people appearing at the school gate at the same time was reduced by more than half.

But there are more reporters now.

Long lenses and short lenses were set up across the street, all pointing at the school gate.

There were TV reporters carrying cameras, online media holding DSLRs, and several hosts with microphones talking to the camera.

The reporters kept taking pictures of the people queuing to enter the examination hall.

The sound of camera shutters clicking incessantly, like a swarm of crickets chirping incessantly in the grass.

Once they spot a student who looks good, or one they've already arranged to meet, all the cameras turn to them simultaneously, as if by prior agreement, and the sound of camera shutters suddenly intensifies, like a downpour hitting a tin roof.

Wang Zian, wearing a mask, walked around the edge of the crowd.

Nobody noticed him.

I took off my mask at the entrance, swiped my admission ticket, and went inside.

He looked around curiously, hoping to spot some celebrities, but he didn't see a single one.

Didn't Sister Meng say she was in charge of exam room discipline? Why haven't I seen her?

When his classmates asked him about the test, he couldn't give a clear answer.

Soon, a third-year female student came out to call out the exam numbers.

After hearing his exam number, Wang Zian raised his hand and obediently walked over to stand in line.

Then I heard Zhou Ye's name.

"Here!" Zhou Ye's voice came from the other end of the crowd.

Wang Zian turned around and saw Zhou Ye squeezing out from the group of test takers.

She was wearing the same long black down jacket today, with the zipper zipped up tightly.

She squeezed through the crowd to the front of the line and stood next to Wang Zian.

The two looked at each other; neither spoke.

Luckily, the two were put in the same group again.

The waiting time for the second interview was very long.

The corridor was filled with candidates waiting to enter. Some were reciting their speeches, some were stretching their legs to warm up, and some were quietly practicing their singing against the wall.

After a long wait, it was finally their group's turn.

Upon entering, Wang Zian first glanced at the examination room, which was not the same as the preliminary examination room.

The preliminary exam was held in a large classroom, while the second exam was conducted in a small auditorium.

The stage wasn't large, but it was much more formal than a classroom podium.

The stage had wooden floors, dark curtains hanging from both sides, and a row of professional spotlights overhead, illuminating a small area in the center of the stage.

Five proctors sat in front of the stage, and several cameras were behind the proctors' seats.

The small auditorium was much dimmer than the large classroom for the preliminary exam; only the area on the stage was illuminated, while the rest of the hall was shrouded in darkness.

It seems that the second round of interviews is more rigorous.

Wang Zian glanced at the examiners; none of them were the same people as before.

However, a very familiar face appeared: Feng Yuanzheng!

Why is this person here?

Wang Zian turned his gaze back and followed the group to sit down on a chair in the waiting area.

After an invigilator announced the exam rules and requirements, the exam proceeded with recitation, talent show, vocal performance, and physical performance.

The second round of auditions focuses on assessing fundamental skills such as vocal performance and physical expression.

After the announcement, the exam began.

The first candidate went on stage and first had to recite a passage randomly selected from the given text, followed by a talent performance.

Then the second, the third, and the fourth.

Prince An watched them go up on stage one by one in silence.

Those who make it to the second round of interviews are indeed quite capable; they make significantly fewer mistakes compared to the first round.

Talent show; someone performed a folk dance, and their skirt spun around under the lights like a flower.

Someone sang "I Love You, China," and when they hit the high notes, the veins in their necks bulged, but they still maintained a steady pitch.

Soon it was the turn of the person in front of Wang Zian.

He was a boy, tall and with broad shoulders.

After introducing myself, I recited "Saying Goodbye to Cambridge Again" at the teacher's request.

To be honest, several people have already recited it.

Wang Zian couldn't hear anything different about it.

This person's talent is martial arts; he performs a drunken sword routine with great grace.

Wang Zian had also trained and could tell at a glance that this guy was a professional with a certain level of skill, not someone who had been trained quickly in a training course.

The examiners lowered their heads to score, their pens scratching on the score sheets.

The scorekeeper collected the score sheets and set them aside.

Just as it was about to be his turn, Wang Zian suddenly felt his legs shaking.

Looking down, I realized it wasn't him shaking, but Zhou Ye next to him.

The girl's face was pale, and her eyes were filled with nervousness.

Her legs were together, her knees trembling slightly, very quickly, like a leaf being blown by the wind.

Wang Zian turned his head to the side and lowered his voice to a whisper, so low that only the two of them could hear him.

"take it easy."

Zhou Ye suddenly turned his head, his almond-shaped eyes wide open.

"You're amazing."

She looked at Wang Zi'an, her lips moved, but she didn't say anything.

Wang Zian glanced at her, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Besides, you're very pretty, that's enough!"

Zhou Ye blinked.

After that, it was Prince An's turn to go on stage.

Wang Zian walked out of the waiting area and headed towards the area in the center of the stage that was illuminated by the lights.

He walked slowly, the hem of his hoodie swaying gently with each step.

As Zhou Ye watched Wang Zi'an's retreating figure, a strange sense of calm suddenly settled over him.

···

Feng Yuanzheng simply raised his head slightly.

I sat here from morning till afternoon today, and I've seen at least 150, if not 200, candidates.

Self-introduction, recitation, singing, dancing; self-introduction, recitation, singing, dancing; like a looping program, different faces, the same content.

His eyesight was already a little blurry.

He raised his head, his gaze falling on Wang Zi'an in the center of the stage, and then his eyes brightened.