Chapter 21: Guaranteed Satisfaction

"Although I didn't continue to argue with them so that you could get the role, let me tell you! You are not allowed to listen to them. Their opinions are wrong, wrong!"

Chen Nuo hadn't realized that Li Er was actually this angry. Earlier, when Chen Kexin suggested everyone have a meal together at noon, Li Er had declined, saying she had to go back to teach a class. At the time, her face had been full of smiles, and not a trace of emotion could be seen. Yet, the moment she got into the car, she was like a different person, speaking with intense fury.

"What does that guy Liu Jianjun know? What does he know? Producer, producer—they're all just obsessed with money! What the audience likes—isn't that just a way to sell a few more movie tickets? Right is right, and wrong is wrong. Can right turn into wrong and wrong into right just because of a few movie tickets? The reason Chinese cinema has become this half-dead, half-alive mess is because there are too many people like him, pretending to know things they don't, and brainwashing young actors every single day..."

Chen Nuo sat in the passenger seat, not daring to make a sound. He somewhat understood why Li Er was in such a temper, but also somewhat didn't. It was just a scene, wasn't it? Was it worth it?

Li Er slapped the steering wheel hard and said, "You tell me, should that last movement you added have been included? Didn't it ruin the entire rhythm you had built up beforehand!?"

Chen Nuo straightened his back and said, "It absolutely shouldn't have been added, one hundred percent shouldn't have been added. My brain just had a glitch at that moment. Actually, I knew I was wrong right then, but I wanted to change it and couldn't."

Looking at him, Li Er said with a half-smile, "Insincere. Don't think I can't tell—do you think I'm deliberately picking on you?"

"Teacher Li, I really do think I was wrong. I've analyzed my own psychology; I just feel that I haven't shed my past idol baggage yet, which led to one mistake after another, and that's why I added that completely useless movement. I regret it to death."

"You, and idol baggage? You're a 'puke' idol—puke as in vomiting."

"True, sometimes I want to vomit when I look in the mirror, too."

Li Er finally smiled a little and said, "You do have some self-awareness. Let me tell you, Chen Nuo, I interview countless handsome men and beautiful women every year when recruiting for the film academy. If you are blindly confident in your looks, I think you're mistaken. Let me tell you, your appearance can only be considered above average. Without acting skills, you will never be able to play a lead role in your life."

"Teacher Li, isn't that a bit too discouraging?"

"Discouraging? I have even more discouraging things I haven't said yet. You think your acting is good? Heh, if we just grabbed any sophomore or junior from our school, their acting could leave you in the dust; you wouldn't even see their exhaust."

"...Teacher Li, am I really that bad?"

"What do you think?"

"I thought I was one of your prize students."

"Get out! You're smug and glib, relying on a little bit of talent. I'm telling you, when you go back, you must study your vocal music and body movement properly. I will tell Teacher Gao and Teacher Zhang to hold you to strict standards. Director Chen has requirements, and my personal connection won't work this time. Within a month, you must possess the basic skills for singing and dancing! By the way, you also need to find an agent as soon as possible. Although they've verbally agreed to take you, you need to find someone yourself to negotiate the contract!"

"An agent..." Chen Nuo rubbed his head, feeling a bit of a headache, and said, "Teacher, do you have any recommendations?"

"Do you want to find an independent agent or an agency?"

"Is there a difference?"

"Simply put, an agent has fewer resources but takes a lower commission, while an agency has more resources and can help you find roles, but the commission rate is also higher."

Chen Nuo thought for a moment and said, "I'd better look for an agent."

Li Er drove with both hands, glanced at him from the corner of her eye, and said, "Why?"

"I think for the next few years, I should focus on learning."

The corners of Li Er's mouth twitched slightly, and she nodded.

In the days that followed, Chen Nuo lived a very exhausting life.

It was unclear what Li Er had said to the teachers of body movement and vocal music, but in any case, he was now the object of special attention in every class. Every assignment given out—others might be ignored, but his was guaranteed to be checked.

But strict requirements had their benefits, and exhaustion had its results. After more than twenty days of study, he finally had some understanding of singing. At the very least, he knew how to project his voice and how to find the pitch, so he wouldn't go completely off-key the moment he opened his mouth.

As for body movement, there was still room to save the tendons and bones of an eighteen-year-old. At the very least, Chen Nuo felt that compared to a month ago, his body was more flexible and his movements were more coordinated.

If he were to go back and perform that scene of walking in the alley, he should be able to perform that wall-leaning movement better than he did before.

Time flew by, and it was January 2005.

The training class was ending in one last week, and the film academy would also be opening for registration soon.

That day, Chen Nuo got an application form from Li Er in advance. Li Er told him to go back, attach a photo, fill out the form, and hand it back in; he didn't need to worry about anything else, just wait for the preliminary examination.

As soon as Chen Nuo walked out of the school gate, he saw Ma Yanran wearing a long white down jacket, wrapped up tightly, revealing only her face, her nose a bit red from the biting winter wind.

She stood at the main gate, stamping her feet to keep warm while peering into the school.

Seeing Chen Nuo come over, her eyes lit up, and she waved at him.

Chen Nuo smiled. During this period, Ma Yanran hadn't been pestering him with various questions every day like she had at the beginning. He had thought this "sea queen" had already turned her attention to someone else, but he hadn't expected her to be waiting here with her net cast today.

He didn't know if she had come specifically to fish for him, or if he had just happened to bump into her net while she was casting it.

"Waiting for someone?" Chen Nuo walked over and greeted her.

Ma Yanran's face bloomed into a smile, "Yes, waiting for you. I have a question I want to ask you."

Chen Nuo said in surprise, "What question couldn't be asked over the phone? Don't you have my number? Is it worth it to wait so long in such cold weather?"

Ma Yanran said gloomily, "I wanted to say it over the phone, too, but you don't answer my calls."

"...Is that so? Then I must not have seen them. I'll be sure to pay attention next time."

Ma Yanran said, "It's fine. I know you don't like me, but since we are classmates, can you answer one question for me sincerely?"

"Go ahead."

"Then I'll be direct, don't get angry. Are you exceptionally close with Teacher Li?"

"Huh? No!"

"Sigh, stop pretending. These days, actually, all of us have seen it... Chen Nuo, I've already inquired; Teacher Li will be the chief examiner for the first few rounds of this exam... I just need you to help me put in a good word with Teacher Li." Ma Yanran revealed a soft smile, "I will definitely be very grateful to you, and I guarantee you'll be satisfied."

(End of chapter)