I entered Huayu Entertainment in 2016.

Wang Zian stopped halfway through turning his head away.

He took a deep breath, slowly turned his neck back, and smiled.

As the old man spoke, the group of people stopped.

Five or six pairs of eyes all fell on him.

Some were curious, some were scrutinizing, and some looked completely bewildered.

Wang Jinsong stood at the front, wearing a dark gray jacket, with a tuft of hair sticking up slightly in the wind, and a "I've got it" smile on his face.

Wang Chunzai, who was standing next to him, was wearing a dark blue woolen coat and carrying a canvas bag. He was looking him up and down with the eyes of someone examining a treasure.

There was no other way but to respond.

Wang Zian put his phone in his pocket and stood up straight.

She replied with a smile, "My train is tonight!"

Wang Jinsong took a step forward and stepped out from the crowd.

He walked up to Wang Zian and stood there, his eyes never leaving Wang Zian.

My gaze slid from his face to the bag slung over his shoulder, then back to his face.

"Where are you going? Shanghai Theatre Academy!"

When those two words came out of Wang Jinsong's mouth, there was a subtle sense of probing.

Upon hearing the name Shanghai Theatre Academy, the other teachers also began to scrutinize him carefully.

"No." Wang Zian shook his head, causing his backpack strap to sway slightly. "I'm going home."

Wang Jinsong narrowed his eyes.

The eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses were not big to begin with, and they looked even smaller when squinted, but their gaze became even more focused, like a magnifying glass focusing sunlight into a scorching point.

He tilted his head and looked Wang Zi'an up and down again: backpack, black hoodie, cargo pants, white sneakers.

It doesn't sound like he's lying.

"Are you leaving already?" Wang Jinsong's voice was a beat slow, as if he needed more time to process this information.

He turned his head to look at the group of teachers behind him, then turned back, his gaze finally settling on Wang Zi'an's face.

"You feel you can't pass the exam and aren't planning to take it again?"

Prince An nodded.

At this moment, the female teacher in the crowd couldn't help but speak up.

She took a step forward.

"Child, my name is Wang Chunzi, and I am a teacher in the Performing Arts Department of Taipei Film Academy."

She paused here, as if waiting for Wang Zi'an to process the information, before continuing, "You did very well in the first test, so relax and prepare for the second test."

Wang Zian looked at Wang Chunzai. This person looked like Sister Meng's teacher!

He then looked at the old man beside him.

Wang Jinsong seemed to have been waiting for this moment.

"My name is Wang Jinsong, and I'm the vice dean of the Performing Arts Department at the Beijing Film Academy," he paused, his gaze lingering on Wang Zi'an's face for a couple of seconds, "Kid, you have a lot of talent!"

He emphasized the word "very" more than the others.

The meaning is quite clear: you've definitely passed the first test, kid. Stay and prepare for the second test.

····

These teachers are the invigilators for the various examination rooms at Beijing Film Academy today.

The preliminary exams at the Beijing Film Academy are conducted simultaneously in several exam rooms; otherwise, it would have been impossible for thousands of students to complete the exams in just a few days.

They were all sizing up Wang Zi'an, but since he wasn't in their examination hall, none of them had seen him before.

But the moment they saw the young man, they knew why Wang Jinsong and Wang Chunzai had stopped.

The streetlights shone from the side, outlining the contours of his face as if they had been cut with a knife.

Her high and prominent brow bones cast a small shadow above her eye sockets, making her phoenix eyes appear even deeper.

His straight nose, sharp jawline, and the natural, slightly upturned corners of his mouth gave him a composed air even when he was expressionless.

But his most attractive feature isn't his face.

Instead, he was surrounded and scrutinized by a group of strangers, but his expression remained flat.

It's not that there are no emotions, but rather that the emotions are kept within a just-right range, without overflowing.

This composure isn't feigned; it comes from within.

Not nervous, not reserved, not smug, and not indifferent.

He also exudes a casual yet composed scholarly air.

The teachers exchanged glances.

There was a shared judgment in their eyes: this child didn't seem to come from an ordinary family.

Feeling somewhat helpless under his gaze, Wang Zian had no choice but to reveal the real reason he had come to take the exam.

He only came because his friend gave him the wrong name.

He's just here to give it a try.

He's finished speaking.

Everyone fell silent.

Wang Jinsong and Wang Chunzai felt particularly sorry.

Wang Chunzai's mouth was slightly open as she looked at Wang Zi'an's expression, as if trying to confirm whether he was making up a story.

But she couldn't see anything in his eyes—no flickering of a lie, no smugness when making up a story, only a calm that said, "I know this sounds ridiculous, but it's really true."

Wang Jinsong remained silent the longest; he looked at Wang Zian without saying a word.

····

Wang Chunzai and Wang Jinsong never imagined that such a promising talent would actually not be studying art.

However, the two of them then thought about Wang Zian's performance today.

Very good.

What does this mean? It means this child is extremely talented.

This shows that no one taught him or honed his skills; his recitation in the exam room today, which made everyone hold their breath, was purely based on talent.

It is a piece of uncut jade that has never been touched.

More importantly, he actually did not apply to the Central Academy of Drama.

What does this mean? It means they don't need to compete with anyone.

In recent years, the quality of admissions to the Beijing Film Academy has declined too rapidly, to the point that it has resorted to competing for child stars to maintain its reputation.

He is the vice dean of the performing arts department, and most of the pressure rests on his shoulders.

Every year during the admissions season, he has to compete fiercely with the Central Academy of Drama and the Shanghai Theatre Academy for students.

A promising talent with a privileged background and no competitors—this is like a windfall!

He didn't want Prince An to leave.

·····

Cars were constantly flowing on the road.

A bus drove past them, its taillights casting long red streaks in the twilight, illuminating the roadside flowers, plants, and trees on and off.

Prince An's figure appeared even more heroic under the light and shadow.

Wang Jinsong's eyes flickered behind his glasses.

He removed his hands from the edge of his pocket and stood up straight.

He looked at Wang Zian, the light from the streetlamp reflecting two small, bright spots onto his glasses.

He turned his head and exchanged a glance with Wang Chunzai.

That glance was so quick that Prince An almost missed it.

Wang Jinsong narrowed his left eye slightly, and Wang Chunzai immediately understood, raising his right eyebrow slightly.

At the same time, the corners of their mouths turned up in a very subtle upward motion.

"Has the child eaten?"

Wang Zian was taken aback.

This problem came as a complete surprise.

One second they're talking about exams, the next they're asking if I've eaten.

He answered instinctively, "I've already eaten."

Wang Jinsong nodded, as if he had taken it to heart.

Then he continued, speaking as naturally as if he hadn't heard the previous answer.

"It's okay if you haven't eaten here before. Let's go to the restaurant up ahead and have a meal, then we can have a good chat."