The lights and cameras were ready. Luo Chen was standing in front of the camera.
Ye Wanwan sat on the chair opposite, waiting silently.
Shortly after, three minutes had gone past.
Ye Wanwan: "Time's up."
A hint of panic flashed across Luo Chen's eyes as he spoke hurriedly, "It was a sin for me to be born, my entire life... life..."
He probably wasn't used to being in front of the camera again, and now Luo Chen was stuck after saying just one phrase.
Ye Wanwan furrowed her brows. "Again."
Luo Chen clenched his fists, took a deep breath and tried again.
"It was a sin for me to be born, my entire life was a sin... everyone and I..."
As he was about to continue, Ye Wanwan simply cut him off, "Your expression's too stiff. I want you to re-enact the scene, not recite lines here. Again."
Luo Chen's face turned paler. He closed his eyes to calm himself down then started again.
"I was..."
However this time, only two words managed to leave his mouth before he was stuck yet again.
There was no color on Luo Chen's face anymore--he was as white as a sheet of paper. "Sorry!"
Ye Wanwan didn't have any expression on her face. "Again."
On the fourth take, Luo Chen still wasn't able to put any emotion into his acting.
Ye Wanwan shouted "cut" continuously. Luo Chen hadn't passed a single take after over ten tries.
After the twentieth take and watching Luo Chen's performance turn from bad to worse with each take, Ye Wanwan stopped rapping on the armrest of the chair and looked as if her patience was wearing thin. There was no warmth on her face.
As if sensing the manager's unhappiness, the entire atmosphere in the filming studio was suffocating; nobody even dared to breathe.
And under all the immensely anxious gazes from everyone, Luo Chen was soaking wet from his sweat and his fists were tightly clenched.
I can't do it...
As expected, I can't do it...
Before, he was like a fish in the water in front of the camera but now, standing in front of the camera with everyone's eyes on him made his entire body stiffen up and shiver--it was totally beyond his control and he even started to develop feelings of repulsion towards himself.
Ye Wanwan naturally noticed something was wrong with Luo Chen.
Not only did he find being in front of the camera repulsive, he also found himself repulsive.
The Luo Chen in the past was very bright--he was confident in front of the camera like it was his main stage, his empire, but now, being in front of the camera was like being trapped in a cage. His entire body was bound by an invisible chain.
She also noticed that Luo Chen seemed to hate his own face and kept hiding from the camera subconsciously.
Although she expected some of this behavior, Luo Chen's condition was worse than she thought...
Ye Wanwan slammed the table next to her suddenly with a loud "pa" and said icily, "This face of yours is your greatest strength--it's a gift many yearn to have. It's been bestowed upon you by God to help you put food in your mouth! You hate it for bringing you bad luck? Let me tell you, everything bad that happened to you wasn't because of your face, but it was because you were weak and incompetent!
"Meng Liang received the best actor award when he was around 18 years old. As his mother fell ill, he went MIA for six years then came back only when he was 24 years old. Yet, he still managed to get another award as best actor. Li Zhong Yi was acting in supporting male roles for 30 years and got his first role as the male lead only when he was 53 and immediately shot to fame. Qiao Ke Xin was ridiculed ever since she debuted but she kept swimming against the current and is making her way up, not showing any signs of weakness at all. Today, she's nominated for the Golden Orchid's best actress award. You've only lost three years of your life and were treated unfairly, yet you think it's the end of your life?"
With those words, Ye Wanwan's expression froze. "In a place like the entertainment industry, if you want to reach the top, you have to go through things hundreds, maybe even a thousand times worse than this while under immense pressure. If you're not strong enough then I'm very sorry, but I suggest you leave the entertainment industry soon. I won't waste my time on an artist who doesn't have any conviction!"