Huayu: That year, I withdrew from the Super Boy competition.

When Su Wei pushed open the dormitory door, the room was quiet and empty.

He took off his coat and draped it over the back of the chair, then leaned back and sank into the bed.

The conversation from the coffee shop during the day resurfaced in my mind.

The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3, Demon Lord Chonglou.

Only now, lying down, has that hidden surprise slowly crept up.

He appeared very composed in front of Cai Yinong during the day, but how could he truly be without any inner turmoil?

Despite the surprise, he knew very well that this role was not something that could be easily obtained.

The most pressing issue is acting skills, and to be honest, he himself isn't entirely confident about them.

The relaxed demeanor of actors who have worked their way up in the industry when facing the camera is something you can't learn from books.

He lived for over thirty years in his previous life, playing the role of a "respectable person" for half his life in the workplace and in interpersonal relationships.

But that's a disguise in real life, completely different from a performance in a prescribed situation.

If we really want to talk about advantages, there are probably only two.

Firstly, having lived an extra lifetime, I've met far more people and pondered far more thoughts than my peers. When reading scripts, I can always grasp the underlying nature of the characters more accurately.

Secondly, he had seen the finished product of "Chinese Paladin 3".

The entire series was etched in his mind. Although he couldn't remember the actor who played Chonglou's name, he had a deep impression of the character's demeanor and aura.

When you actually get to the audition, using this memory to gauge the situation will at least prevent you from going too far astray.

But that's all in the future.

The real trouble is never the audition itself.

Cai Yinong spoke politely, but anyone with eyes could understand.

If you want a role, you have to sign with Tangren Media.

This is normal. The company has invested real money in the project, so why should the role be given to an outsider?

Those who are signed in are family members, so it's only natural that resources should be allocated to them.

If you're not signing, go cool off somewhere else.

But Su Wei didn't want to sign with just any agency.

I don't want to right now, at least not right now.

He had only just begun to understand the industry and didn't want to tie himself to it so soon.

He couldn't say this to Cai Yinong.

He's the head of Tangren Media, he's made countless artists famous, and he's seen it all.

He's just a greenhorn college student, and he goes up to someone and says, "I want freedom, I don't want to sign a contract." Isn't that just stupid?

Su Wei turned over and faced the wall.

Sigh, there's no use in overthinking it.

Whether I'll pass the audition is still uncertain, so why am I already worrying about whether to sign a contract? Isn't that just making myself miserable?

Let's focus on doing the things at hand well first.

In the audition, show your true abilities.

If you pass, you've made a profit;

If you can't pass, go back to school and study hard to master the basics. Just live your life as usual.

As for signing the contract, it's not too late to think about it when we get to that point.

He closed his eyes, and his chaotic thoughts slowly calmed down.

The next morning, Su Wei was woken up by her phone ringing.

It's not an alarm clock, it's an incoming call.

He groggily reached for his phone, and the moment he saw the words "General Manager Cai," he jolted awake, his sleepiness instantly vanishing.

"Hello, Mr. Cai."

"Xiao Su," Cai Yinong's voice was as crisp as ever, "the audition is set for tomorrow afternoon at 2 PM at the Tangren Film Studio in Hengdian World Studios. Time is a bit tight, can you make it?"

"able."

Su Wei hardly hesitated.

"Okay, see you tomorrow."

As soon as he finished speaking, the other end of the phone hung up.

Su Wei held her phone and sat on the bed, stunned for two seconds.

He glanced down at the call log again, confirmed he wasn't dreaming, and immediately threw off the covers and got out of bed.

The first thing to do is to open the ticket booking website on your computer.

That's right, you can already buy plane tickets online at this point, but not train tickets.

Unfortunately, Friday's tickets were already sold out.

He could only buy a train ticket, an eight-hour journey, and a hard seat.

The second thing was to send a message to the class monitor, briefly explaining that I was going to Hengdian.

After finishing the two tasks, he breathed a sigh of relief and turned to pack his luggage.

The dormitory was still empty; I wondered if the others hadn't come last night or had left early this morning.

Dou Xiao's bed was neatly made, he must have been working part-time again. This guy is the most hardworking one in the dormitory, he never sits still on weekends.

The other two probably stayed up all night.

Su Wei didn't bring much with him. After packing everything up, he grabbed his bag, closed the door, and headed straight for the train station.

On the train.

Su Wei leaned against the car window, watching the scenery outside gradually fade from towering buildings to sprawling fields, and then to undulating mountain shadows.

He closed his eyes, leaned back in the hard chair, and thought about the audition.

I dozed off in the middle of the night, and when I woke up my neck was stiff and sore, and it ached even when I moved it.

Looking out the window, it was completely dark, with only a few scattered lights flashing by in the distance.

Dongyang Railway Station.

Su Wei walked to the roadside and hailed a taxi.

"Go to Hengdian World Studios."

The driver glanced at him in the rearview mirror and asked with a smile, "An actor here to audition, right?"

I guess so.

"Judging by your looks, you're definitely capable."

The driver made a casual remark but didn't ask any further questions, focusing on driving.

After an unknown amount of time, the car stopped in front of a hotel.

The storefront is small, and the words "Accommodation" on the lightbox are lit with a dark red light, giving it a vintage feel.

Su Wei paid the fare, got off the bus, and went inside to check in.

The room was on the fourth floor, and there was no elevator. When I opened the door, a faint musty smell hit me.

The room wasn't big, but it had all the necessary facilities.

He put his bag on the table and went downstairs first.

There is a 24-hour convenience store diagonally opposite the hotel.

He went inside and took a bag of sliced ​​bread, a bag of milk, and a bottle of mineral water from the freezer.

It's just a simple dinner tonight.

After finishing his meal, he took out his small notebook and, by the light of the lamp, wrote down the key points of the characters he had been working on all the way.

"The core of Chonglou (a traditional Chinese medicine formula): Pride, not ferocity."

"Eyes: Looking down, unfocused, indifferent, with emotions only visible in the eyes."

Posture: Keep your shoulders and back straight, move slowly and deliberately, and remain calm and unhurried.

After writing it down and looking at it, he stood up, walked to the bathroom mirror, and slowly raised his eyes in front of the mirror.

He had no expression, no frowning or trying to look cool; he simply raised his eyes, his gaze indifferent, conveying a sense of nonchalant indifference.

Once, twice.

He adjusted the intensity of his gaze and the tension in his jawline, slowly finding the right balance.

He practiced for more than ten minutes before stopping and gently exhaling at himself in the mirror.

Hmm, it's starting to look better than it did at the beginning.

He took a cold shower to relieve his exhaustion and lay down on the bed.

In the darkness, he stared at the ceiling with his eyes open.

Tomorrow at 2 PM.

He didn't know what the audition would be like.

Whether they can land the role, and how to negotiate the contract, are all unknowns.

But he wasn't flustered at all.

Tomorrow will be the first step.

He closed his eyes, and a sense of weariness slowly crept in.

I slept lightly all night, waiting for dawn.