Chapter Fifty-Six: Sir, I Beg You to Put Away Your Powers! (Please add to favorites, please vote for recommendations!)

Originally, Li Shixin had planned to secretly chew a Peak Willpower Gum before the audition. But after hearing the skit framework and character settings that Wang Hai provided, he decisively chose to rely on his own understanding to perform.

He was far too familiar with this kind of character.

Just now, he had actually brought to life the stuttering man from the junkyard. However, his body was still a bit fragile. The stutterer, though chronically malnourished, was after all a young man of thirty-eight. The “gecko crawl” on the ground, which looked unremarkable when the stutterer was beaten up on the street, was still too much for Li Shixin’s old bones; for a moment, his body truly couldn’t bear it.

Rubbing his ribs and arms, still sore from bumping into the chair and camera, Li Shixin struggled to his feet only after hearing Jiao Chendong excitedly say he’d passed. But then Wang Hai suddenly declared, “He’s not it,” and Li Shixin froze.

“Are you kidding, teacher? If he’s not it, then what kind of actor is your crew looking for?”

“Exactly! I’m not a big shot, but I’ve been around Rongdian for more than ten years. Maybe I haven’t eaten pork, but I’ve seen pigs run! What the old man did just now, maybe it’s a stretch to call it world-class, but how many actors in the entire domestic entertainment industry could pull that off?”

“Forget it, I see what’s going on. This open audition is just for show! Even if Ge You or Li Xuejian came today, they wouldn’t pass either! Let’s go! What a trash production team—wasted my time and ruined my youth!”

Wang Hai’s rejection utterly infuriated the actors in the rehearsal studio.

Li Shixin was angry too.

He felt he’d performed flawlessly.

Though his time in the junkyard hadn’t been long, the stutterer was the character he’d studied most deeply. Maybe he hadn’t completely embodied the man just now, but with his stage experience and insight into the character, he was confident he captured seventy or eighty percent of the spirit.

Young man, it seems if this old fellow doesn’t teach you a lesson, you really don’t know how many eyes the King of Horses has!

Amid the chorus of support from his peers, Li Shixin gave Wang Hai a deep look and slowly lay back down on the ground.

“Ow... Young man, if you want to act, just act, but your kick was far too hard... Oh, my elbow, oh, my kneecap, oh, my lumbar disc...”

Then, his barely audible, breathless moans suddenly cut through the din of voices.

In fact, Wang Hai hadn’t used much force in his kick just now.

But from the moment the scene began, his brutality had already made an impression. During Li Shixin’s powerful performance, all eyes were on him, so no one noticed Wang Hai’s kick.

But now, seeing Li Shixin lying on the ground, trembling and contorted, the people around instantly exploded!

Even a clay statue has some hot blood, let alone a group of actors who already felt tricked by the crew and were simmering with frustration.

In an instant, accusations and curses erupted toward Wang Hai like a flood!

Amid the uproar, seeing the situation escalate, Jiao Chendong strode grim-faced into the center of the studio, restraining his voice and anger, clenching his teeth: “Hai, you’ve gone too far! I get that you want to use the role to attract investment. If you don’t want the old man, that’s your choice. But do you really have to treat people like this?!”

Wang Hai was dumbfounded.

He knew exactly how much force he’d used. The old man’s dramatic rolling and crawling was all his own acting!

“No, Jiao, you’ve got it wrong. When I said he’s not it, I didn’t mean his acting isn’t good! I meant that the third male lead has too little presence in this show. With acting like his, it’s wasted on the third male lead!”

Wang Hai’s explanation brought instant silence to the rehearsal studio.

Still writhing on the ground like an earthworm, Li Shixin was going mad inside.

Can’t you just finish your sentences all at once?

I’ve already started this bit—now how am I supposed to end it?

Huh?!

How do you expect me to wrap this up now?!

In the silence, Wang Hai let out a breath, crouched down, and gave Li Shixin a thumbs-up. “Teacher, I misjudged you. Your résumé may not be impressive, but when it comes to acting, you’re the real deal! I just thought it over—though the third male lead is crucial to the plot, he doesn’t get much screen time. With your skills, it’s a waste. I mean… would you like to try out for the main male lead, the coach? What do you think?”

“Whoa!”

At Wang Hai’s words, the room erupted in gasps.

It wasn’t unheard of for a newcomer to impress the producers at an audition and be bumped up to a bigger role. But how often does that happen?

That’s the stuff of legends, usually reserved for the top stars!

To see the once-tyrannical Wang Hai now negotiating and offering Li Shixin a lead role, the other actors’ emotions grew complicated.

Envious and jealous looks converged on Li Shixin from all sides.

Ding!

Received 18,647 applause points with strong feelings of [envy, jealousy, hatred]!

Hearing the notification in his mind, Li Shixin raised an eyebrow.

He still didn’t get up. He glanced at Wang Hai, then at the overjoyed Jiao Chendong, and smacked his lips.

“No.”

“……”

After a brief pause, the crowd exploded!

“Damn! Sir, that’s going too far! What an opportunity!”

“From third lead to first! Sir, you’ve only just arrived in Rongdian—others would kill for this luck! If you don’t seize it, you’ll regret it forever!”

“Don’t be foolish, sir! In Rongdian, talent alone won’t get you to the top.”

“That’s right! There are plenty of good actors, but sir, ask around—how many have gone their whole lives without ever playing the lead? Your luck’s here—cherish it!”

Seeing Li Shixin turn down a once-in-a-lifetime chance, the actors gnawed their teeth in frustration, wishing they could swap places with him.

Is this old man crazy?

Still won’t accept?

As the crowd boiled over, Li Shixin curled his lip.

You think I’ll just play the lead because you say so?

Wouldn’t that make my ten days in the junkyard go to waste?

Wang Hai was stunned, too. “Sir, although ‘Riding the Wind’ is a women’s inspirational drama, the head coach is the pivotal male lead. The third male lead—the father of Qiao Hong—only has one major scene at the start, and most of his other appearances are in heavy makeup; on screen, you might not even recognize the actor. Which is more important? Think carefully!”

Jiao Chendong sighed beside him. “Sir, have you made up your mind?”

Li Shixin nodded. “I have.”

“I can play both roles.”

“Wait, what?” Jiao Chendong sputtered, caught off guard. “Sir, what did you say?”

Still lying on the floor, Li Shixin smiled faintly. “Since these two roles are so different, and the third male lead is mostly unrecognizable, and you’ve seen what this old man can do—of course I can handle him, and even make him shine. So why make things complicated? I’ll do both myself!”

“……”

(꒪⌓꒪), (꒪⌓꒪), (꒪⌓꒪), (꒪⌓꒪), (꒪⌓꒪)……

Amid the dumbfounded faces, Li Shixin squinted his eyes and chuckled quietly.

Children make choices.

Old men, of course, take it all!

“But—” Wang Hai’s worldview was completely overturned by this old man who seemed to have no sense of shame. With a twitching mouth, he forced a laugh. “Sir, you want to play two main roles in a single drama? Both are key to the plot. Do you really think… that’s possible?”

Impossible?

Li Shixin brushed off Jiao Chendong, who was trying to help him up, and with a bang, lay back down on the ground.

“Oh, my elbow, oh, my kneecap, oh, my lumbar disc… Young man, if you’re going to act, just act, why kick so hard? Oh, these old bones—you’ve kicked them to pieces… Folks, kind people, someone please help this old man and dial 911. If my life is spared today, I’ll put your name on my ancestral tablet for eternity…”

(꒪Д꒪)ノ, (꒪Д꒪)ノ, (꒪Д꒪)ノ, (꒪Д꒪)ノ, (꒪Д꒪)ノ……

Staring at Li Shixin—who just moments ago was bargaining with Wang Hai, and now suddenly appeared breathless and on the verge of death—the whole rehearsal studio went mad.

“Sir, for the love of God, please stop! Enough with the theatrics!”

Wang Hai, whose pant leg was gripped tightly by Li Shixin, was on the brink of collapse.