Born in the 1980s, she was remarried and became a stepmother; a cold, rough man doted on her, pinchi

Chapter 186 The Leading Lady of the Play
The three of them boarded a train bound for Shanghai. The train rattled along, and people came and went in the carriages.

Shi Ning looked out the window at the scenery receding into the distance, feeling a mix of emotions.

This was her first time being so far from home, and she felt both excited and a little nervous about the unknown university life.

She turned to look at Shi An and Chen Yu sitting opposite her. Shi An was excitedly telling Chen Yu about the fun places around the school that she had found online, such as food streets and parks, her eyes full of longing.

Chen Yu listened while occasionally taking notes on his phone, and said with a smile, "We'll have to go and explore properly when the time comes."

After several hours of driving, they finally arrived in Shanghai.

As soon as I stepped out of the train station, a wave of heat hit me; the climate was quite different from my hometown.

The three of them, dragging their luggage, found the bus stop to the school by following the directions on their mobile phone navigation.

While waiting for the bus, Shi Ning looked at the tall buildings and hurried passersby around her and felt a sense of unfamiliarity.

Upon arriving at the school, the campus was filled with welcoming banners and enthusiastic upperclassmen.

Guided by volunteers, they first went to complete the enrollment procedures.

While waiting in line, Shi Ning started chatting with the girl in front of her.

The girl's name was Li Aiyuan. She was also a freshman in Shi Ning's major. She had a very cheerful personality and quickly became familiar with Shi Ning and the others.

After completing the formalities, Shi Ning went to the girls' dormitory, while Shi An and Chen Yu went to the boys' dormitory.

When they parted, Shi An told Shi Ning, "Call me if anything happens, don't keep it to yourself."

Chen Yu also said, "If anyone bullies you, tell us."

Shi Ning smiled and nodded: "Okay, you guys too, take care of yourselves."

When Shi Ning arrived at the dormitory, she found that two of her roommates were already there.

A woman named Wang Fang was making the bed when she saw Shi Ning come in. She greeted him warmly, "Hello, welcome!"

The other one was named Zhang Min. She was quiet and gentle, sitting at the table reading a book. She also looked up and smiled at Shi Ning.

After greeting them, Shi Ning began packing her things.

As they tidied up, they chatted and quickly became acquainted.

Shi An and Chen Yu were accompanied by their two other roommates from the dormitory.

One of them, Zhao Qiang, was a physical education student with a strong build. He was busy arranging his basketball equipment.

Another one, named Sun Hao, wore glasses and looked very refined; he was studying the school's curriculum.

After introducing themselves to each other, they all felt they got along quite well.

Next up is military training.

Every day before dawn, they have to get up and go to the playground to assemble.

Military training was tough. The sun was blazing, and standing at attention and marching left everyone with aching backs and sore waists.

Sometimes Shi Ning was so tired that she could barely keep going, but seeing her classmates gritting their teeth and persevering, she encouraged herself and knew she absolutely couldn't give up.

Although Shi An and Chen Yu, being boys, were relatively better in terms of physical strength, they still got a tan.

During the military training, the school organized various activities.

Once, during a singing competition, Shi Ning and his classmates were very enthusiastic, shouting slogans and singing at the top of their lungs. Shi Ning, who was usually a good singer, played an important role in this competition, leading everyone to win a lot of applause.

Not to be outdone, Shi An and Chen Yu's company also put on a strong show, with the two boys shouting slogans particularly loudly in the ranks.

In addition to military training, they also began participating in club recruitment activities.

Shi Ning had long been interested in the school's drama club, and she went to audition for the club.

During the interview, she performed a short skit. Although she was a little nervous, she did a pretty good job and successfully joined the drama club.

Shi An loves sports. He joined the school's soccer club and even played a friendly match with the senior members of the club.

Chen Yu joined the Financial Practice Club, hoping to learn more about real-world financial cases and improve his professional skills.

"Hey? The drama club is rehearsing a new play called 'The Promise of Time.' Why don't you give it a try?"

Wang Fang looked at Shi Ning, who was still in the dormitory, in surprise. Shi Ning slapped his forehead and said, "I forgot! I'll go right now. Thanks for reminding me, I'll treat you to something delicious tonight!"

When Shi Ning arrived at the drama club, the activity room was already bustling with activity.

Shi Ning was chatting with her clubmates when she saw a senior student with a strong presence walk in.

Shi Ning's friend nudged her and whispered, "Look, that's Li Xiao, a senior in her third year. She's a really good actress. She's played the lead role in several dramas before. I heard she wants to play the lead role in 'The Promise of Time' this time too."

Shi Ning's heart tightened, but she gritted her teeth and secretly encouraged herself: "I'm not bad either, I have to work hard to achieve it."

The casting call officially began, and the students in front of them went up to perform one by one. Shi Ning watched carefully from below, silently noting their strengths and weaknesses.

Finally, it was Li Xiao's turn. She confidently walked onto the stage and began to perform a classic scene from the female lead's story.

Her eyes, movements, and lines were all perfectly executed, vividly portraying the female lead's personality.

After the performance, enthusiastic applause rang out in the activity room.

When Li Xiao stepped off the stage, she smiled and said to everyone, "I hope we can work together to make this drama a success."

Looking at her senior's retreating figure, Shi Ning felt even more pressured, but she still resolutely walked onto the stage. She took a deep breath and began her performance.

At first, she was a little nervous and her voice trembled slightly, but she quickly got into the zone.

She tried her best to incorporate her understanding of the female lead into her performance, hoping to move the judges.

After the performance, Shi Ning looked at the judges with some trepidation.

At this moment, senior student Li Xiao walked over, patted Shi Ning on the shoulder, and said, "Junior, you acted well, but I have played this role many times and have more experience. However, I still want to thank you for your hard work."

Shi Ning raised her head and said earnestly, "Senior, I know you are very capable and familiar with this character. But I really like this character, and I have put in a lot of effort to understand her. I know I still have shortcomings, but I believe I can do better. I hope you can give me a chance."

One of the judges, a senior student, frowned and said, "Shi Ning, Senior Li Xiao is indeed very experienced. It might be more prudent for her to play this role."

Shi Ning was a little anxious and quickly said, "Senior, I know that you are very good. But I think every actor has a different understanding of the role. Although I don't have as much experience as you, I have my own ideas. And I am willing to work harder during rehearsals to play the role well."

Another judge, a senior student, thought for a moment and said, "How about this, give Shi Ning a chance, let her rehearse with senior Li Xiao, and then decide who is more suitable for the role? What do you all think?"

The other judges discussed it and all nodded.

Senior Li Xiao looked at Shi Ning, smiled, and said, "Okay, junior, let's rehearse together then. I hope you can show me your skills."

Shi Ning smiled happily and quickly said, "Thank you, senior, and thank you to all the judges. I will definitely do my best."