Volume One, Chapter Five: Losing to Me Is No Cause for Shame

Page (1/3)

The topics drawn by the teams of Qiao Yunan and Su Nianxi were both set in contemporary times. The script told the story of a girl who, after a car accident causing a concussion, gradually realizes that her memories differ vastly from her current reality. The overwhelming disparity renders her unable to accept this unfamiliar world. Upon learning that her beloved grandmother had long since passed away from illness, she ultimately breaks down completely.

Like the previous group, the focus was on an intense emotional scene centered on the girl. Qiao Yunan and Ling Xiyue were both stopped midway through their performances. Their acting was adequate but flawed, with some merits mixed in.

This time, Shen Yizhou and Lin Yue remained silent, while Professor Zheng offered brief comments. Essentially, he pointed out that both had significant room for improvement, especially in paying attention to the finer details.

In the end, they received scores of 70 and 68 respectively.

As they left the stage, Qiao Yunan deliberately walked past Su Nianxi with a provocative glance, as if flaunting her success. Su Nianxi gave her a baffled look, then turned to ask her assistant for a bottle of soda.

Perhaps she was too old-fashioned; nowadays, even passing grades seemed worthy of pride?

“Next group,” Lin Yue said, having watched the two performances with growing despair.

For the first time, she found herself agreeing with Shen Yizhou’s assessment, shaking her head with a sigh: “You were right, Nei Yu might really be finished.”

Shen Yizhou had long seen through it all: “Let’s thank them, at least now we don’t have to worry about unemployment.”

Lin Yue shivered at those words. She had no desire to be called back for work in middle age—what was that but elder abuse?

Fortunately, the two didn’t talk long before Su Nianxi and Song Shian stepped onto the stage amid a wave of sighs. Of course, the venue itself was quiet; most of the murmurs came from the live stream.

“Su Biao is truly finished today. With these strict judges, how could they not just kick her off after that poker-faced acting?”

“Waiting for Shen the Movie King to turn on his mic. I’ve wanted to roast her for ages, finally she’s on.”

“LOL, the only entertainment in this show is watching the judges’ awkward expressions and sharp critiques.”

“The acting is just terrible. Where on earth did the directors dig these people up?”

“Ready when you are,” Professor Zheng said with a polite smile. After all, grace was everything in life.

Page (2/3)

Su Nianxi responded calmly. Passing by Song Shian, she quietly said, “Stick to the acting route you designed, and I’ll follow your lead.”

“...Okay.” Song Shian looked slightly surprised but obediently agreed.

Seeing his compliance, Su Nianxi casually tousled her hair and crouched in a shadowed corner.

At this, Shen Yizhou squinted slightly and straightened up a little.

“Why are you here? I’ve been looking for you all night.” Song Shian rushed in from the other side of the stage, anxiously reaching out to pull the girl up.

But as soon as he stretched out his hand, Su Nianxi slapped it away.

She stubbornly lifted her head; her eyes were bloodshot, tears swirling in their depths. “Go away.”

Her voice trembled with suppressed emotion.

“Snap out of it. Everything you see is real. This is your life! Your memories are just temporarily confused; they’ll come back someday.” Song Shian’s tone grew more serious, his gaze filled with urgency and care.

“You’re lying! That’s not me! The day before I woke up from the hospital bed, I was still talking to Grandma. How could she already be dead? You’re lying! You’re all lying to me!” Su Nianxi choked on her words, trying desperately to hold back her tears, tilting her head as if swallowing all her feelings.

But the tears betrayed her, bursting forth like pearls slipping from a broken string.

Song Shian knelt down and, abandoning all caution, embraced her. “I know, I know what you’re afraid of. I’ll stay by your side. This place isn’t fit for you. Let’s go home, okay?”

But Su Nianxi clearly didn’t hear him; she frantically pounded at his chest, trying to push him away. “You don’t understand. We can’t go back. We can’t go back...”

Her last words were barely a whisper, yet her restrained collapse roared beneath the surface.

“Alright, that’s enough.” Finally, the silent judge Ji Huihong spoke.

She was also a renowned veteran artist, with deeper expertise in theater and film compared to television dramas.

At her command, the two who had been entangled moments before suddenly stood apart as if separated by a vast river, strangers once more.

Shen Yizhou, watching the sudden distance between them, couldn’t help but smile faintly.

“Very good. Both of you have made great progress compared to your previous works! Your attention to detail is much better than the first two groups.” Ji Huihong glanced at her score notes and nodded in approval. “Especially the girl—your emotions were spot-on, and your crying scene was beautiful. If this were a casting audition, I’d choose you.”

This was high praise indeed. Su Nianxi, hearing it, showed little reaction but smiled politely to express her thanks.

“I can’t believe it! Has Su Nianxi been possessed? How did her acting improve so much!”

“Is this really her? Compared to the dramas she starred in before, it’s like she’s a completely different person.”

“Even the judges are praising her. I almost shouted ‘awesome’ watching it—I thought I’d finally lost my mind.”

Page (3/3)

The viewers watching the livestream were stunned. They had come expecting to witness Su Nianxi’s downfall, only to be painfully surprised.

“She must have taken classes. Look at the expressions of the other contestants—they probably didn’t expect her to be this good.”

“Did anyone else notice her partner’s face? He looked like he’d seen a ghost. I’m pretty sure they hadn’t rehearsed at all earlier.”

“Isn’t that even more impressive? That was all on the spot? I’m starting to think she’s not so bad after all.”

“Yeah, she’s a bit crazy, but at least she’s got talent. I can accept that.”

“I think you guys are just hungry for drama—any kind of crazy woman will do.”

But regardless of the viewers’ opinions, the judges’ consensus was unprecedentedly unanimous.

“Su Nianxi, your final score is—” Lin Yue picked up the microphone, comparing the final scores from the judges. “95 points.”

As soon as she spoke, every contestant waiting in the wings gasped sharply.

Ninety-five? What did that mean?

Just five points shy of a perfect score?!

The highest scores from the previous two groups were around seventy, and some hadn’t even scored at all.

And Su Nianxi had effortlessly claimed the highest score?

“Don’t be so quick. Song Shian’s score hasn’t been announced yet,” Ling Xiyue observed the looks in their eyes, speaking up.

“Song Shian, your performance was good, but it was clear Su Nianxi was leading your rhythm. So we give you a 75. Keep working hard,” Lin Yue announced after disclosing Su Nianxi’s score.

With that, all the debut contestants had completed their initial evaluations.

And undeniably, Su Nianxi had taken the top spot.

“Su Nianxi, does being number one bring pressure?” Zheng Zhiwen asked, watching her walk offstage with an indifferent expression.

She didn’t pause, her voice carrying a faint rebelliousness. “Shouldn’t the pressure be on them?”

As she glanced lazily toward the waiting area, she added, “Oh right, no need to feel inferior after losing to me.”