How can you ascend to heaven when you are a star?

Chapter 335 Respecting Individual Choices
As night slowly faded and a gentle blue light gradually appeared on the horizon, the stinky tofu incident also turned a new page with the arrival of a new day.

Because the incident occurred at night and no students were present, Xingxiang was not affected. In addition, the stinky tofu was cleaned up in time, so it was as if nothing had happened and the news did not spread.

In the following days, Zhang Wen would go to the training center after finishing his work on the film set, and the incident of splashing stinky tofu never happened again.

Clearly, Zhou Maoquan behaved himself this time and didn't cause any more trouble.

Even if someone resorts to underhanded tactics, Zhang Wen isn't afraid. He will bring disaster upon them again, letting them continue to experience the power of retribution.

He's the master of underhanded tactics.

The talismans for bad luck inside the Wenqu Pagoda are not just for show.

Before we knew it, it was the end of July.

A heavy rain swept through Beijing, bringing a touch of coolness to the persistently high temperatures.

Large raindrops pelted down from the sky, splashing up tiny droplets on the asphalt road.

The film crew suspended filming for a day due to the heavy rain, giving the actors and staff a rare day off.

Instead of resting at home, Zhang Wen took advantage of the film crew's holiday to come to the company to evaluate the trainees for the month.

morning.

As soon as Zhang Wen arrived at the training department, he smelled a faint scent of sandalwood.

He was very familiar with this smell; it was the scent of incense.

As he walked through the office area toward the practice room, he could see from afar that the room outside practice room number 9 was packed with people, who were queuing up in the corridor, one after another, for more than ten meters.

As soon as someone comes out of the practice room, the person at the front of the line rushes in, looking impatient, like they're in a buying frenzy.

However, Zhang Wen knew that everyone wasn't rushing to buy anything, but rather lining up to burn incense and pray for good results in today's monthly exam.

Actually, people usually burn incense and pray, but they don't usually do it for as long. Today is the day of the monthly exam, so naturally we should pray sincerely so that the gods can feel our sincerity.

Zhang Wen walked past the trainees in line, many of whom had already begun to pray, their hands clenched and their mouths uttering incantations.

"May the God of Literature bless me so that I can perform exceptionally well in today's exam and obtain resources for next month."

"Lord Wenqu, if you can bless me to pass today's exam, I will bring you fruit every day from now on."

"..."

Looking at the trainees' tense yet devout expressions, Zhang Wen couldn't help but nod in approval.

As the old saying goes: Habits become second nature.

It is believed that after these trainees debut, they will also offer incense and prayers to the God of Literature.

Zhang Wen pushed open the door, and although he was mentally prepared, he was still startled by what he saw.

The room was packed with people, and below the portrait, there was a mountain of offerings: fruit, fried chicken, liquor, cigarettes, and all sorts of snacks. It was big enough to open a convenience store.

After a brief moment of surprise, he quickly returned to normal, even feeling a little smug.

'Ancestor, did you see that? Believe me, you will become more and more popular in the future.'

Time passed by second by second, and the start of work time was getting closer and closer.

Zhang Wen had to urge the trainees who came to offer incense to speed up their prayers so as not to affect their later exams.

Soon, all the trainees had finished making their offerings.

The group moved to the largest rehearsal room and began today's monthly exam.

Zhang Wen sat down and glanced at the crowd, where everyone's skill panel appeared.

He could see clearly who was making progress and who was regressing.

"let's start."

Zhang Wen's voice wasn't loud, but it carried throughout the entire classroom, instantly creating a tense atmosphere.

Even the trainees who had passed the monthly exams in the previous months dared not slack off at this moment, for fear that if they did not perform well, they would lose the resources for the next month.

As a newcomer, resources are already scarce. If you don't even have the chance to show your face, how can you become famous?

The first trainee to appear was named Wang Jiaoran. She passed all the previous two monthly exams and not only got the opportunity to dance and sing as a backup dancer for celebrities, but also took promotional photos for some brands and participated in a talent show. She has passed the preliminary round and entered the top 36 in the Beijing division.

Perhaps due to her practical experience, Wang Jiaoran appeared poised and confident, and her singing was excellent in both facial expression and emotional delivery.

However, Zhang Wen did not show any approval on his face; on the contrary, his brows even looked somewhat serious.

If he remembered correctly, Wang Jiaoran's vocal skill points were 53 during the exam last month, but today they only showed 51.

In just one month, my vocal skills not only failed to improve, but actually decreased by two points.

The reason for this is very simple: the other person has not practiced, or the practice intensity is not enough, resulting in a decline in singing skills.

Simply put, the other party has become complacent.

Learning is like rowing against the current; if you don't move forward, you fall behind.

The entertainment industry is highly competitive. If you can't maintain a drive to improve, even a famous artist can be quickly eliminated.

Moreover, Wang Jiaoran is just a trainee.

He couldn't help but look at the other trainees who had passed the exam last month. Most of them remained unchanged, only one person's skill points increased, and three others' skill points decreased.

Although his skill level remained at a professional level, he was very displeased with this attitude, which had completely disappointed him.

Could it be that he felt he could easily pass the training department's exam, and that's why he's so arrogant?

No!

This unhealthy trend must be eradicated.

Zhang Wen looked at Wang Jiaoran, who was still singing, and directly reached out to interrupt her.

After Wang Jiaoran stopped, she thought she had answered the call, so she smiled.

"You've been very busy this month, haven't you?" Zhang Wen asked casually.

"Yes, Teacher Zhang, at the beginning of the month I participated in a talent show and also did two cover shoots..." Wang Jiaoran briefly mentioned all the activities she participated in in July.

“Not bad, you’ve taken on so much work, but no matter how busy you are, you can’t forget about training, don’t you think?” Zhang Wen looked at Wang Jiaoran with sharp eyes.

what?
Wang Jiaoran trembled, and her smile froze on her face.

She had thought that Teacher Zhang was concerned about her, but now it seemed that he was clearly giving her a warning.

Looking back on July, I had to participate in various activities, so my practice time was greatly reduced. After the activities, I was in a state of high excitement and was unable to make up for the missed practice.

"Teacher Zhang is right." Wang Jiaoran lowered her head guiltily, her smile disappeared from her face, and her tightly clenched palms were wet with sweat from nervousness.

"Do you think that once you get a job, you don't need to train as hard as before?" Zhang Wen continued to ask, his tone calm, but every word was piercing.

"No, no." Wang Jiaoran quickly shook her head. If she was just nervous before, she was starting to panic now.

"As a newcomer, opportunities are extremely rare. After getting an opportunity, you should cherish it even more and work harder to improve yourself. Seize every opportunity instead of just being immersed in the joy of getting an opportunity. Besides, the opportunities you have are not enough to make you a big star, don't you think?"

"Yes, that's how it is." Wang Jiaoran blushed, staring at her toes, wishing she could disappear into the ground.

Every word Teacher Zhang said struck a chord with her, making her feel deeply ashamed.

“Since you’re too busy to train, I won’t be arranging any activities for you next month,” Zhang Wen said calmly, effectively sealing Wang Jiaoran’s fate.

I failed the exam.

"..."

Wang Jiaoran's heart tightened. Although she had vaguely guessed the outcome, she still couldn't help feeling sad and disappointed after hearing it from Teacher Zhang's own mouth.

However, it was all her own fault.

Who told her to change her mindset after getting the opportunity?

They spend all their time fantasizing about being noticed by a singer or director after appearing on screen, and rising to fame overnight, but they forget to improve themselves.

“You can continue to participate in previous activities. It’s not too late to work hard now, after all, you still have opportunities,” Zhang Wen said.

"I understand." Wang Jiaoran mustered her courage, raised her head, bowed deeply, and said earnestly, "Teacher Zhang, I will work even harder and live up to the opportunities provided by the company."

After saying that, he turned around and went back to the group.

The classroom was unusually quiet; the trainees were so nervous they didn't even dare to breathe.

No one expected that the first person to take the exam today, who was also an excellent trainee who passed all the monthly exams in May and June, would fail.

Wasn't Wang Jiaoran's performance just now quite good?
I used to know that you would fail if you didn't have professional skills, but I never thought that you would fail if you didn't work hard.

However, what puzzled everyone the most was, wasn't Teacher Zhang always on set? How did he know that Wang Jiaoran wasn't working hard?
Could it be that Teacher Zhang has someone in the training department who is spying on him?
I wonder if Teacher Zhang's informants noticed when I was slacking off.

Some people were apprehensive, but others were very excited. They didn't see how strict Teacher Zhang was, but rather they saw more opportunities.

Resources are fixed; there's only so much. The more people pass the exam, the less resources each person receives on average. Conversely, if fewer people pass the exam, the more resources each person receives.

As the old saying goes: "One monk carries water, two monks carry water together."

As a top-performing trainee, Wang Jiaoran had passed the exams for two consecutive months, gaining access to a wealth of resources. Now, she has failed the exam and lost access to resources for next month, which will become opportunities for others.

To take it to an extreme, if only one person passes Teacher Zhang's exam today, that person will enjoy all the resources for August.

Isn't this a good thing?

We are classmates, colleagues, and friends, but more importantly, we are competitors.

When your opponent digs their own grave, who wouldn't be happy?
Zhang Wen looked at each trainee in the classroom and said coldly, "Those words I just said were not only to Wang Jiaoran, but to all of you. I hope you can take them as a warning and never lose your drive to improve. Only in this way can you continue to progress. Opportunities are only for those who are prepared. Next one."

The second trainee stepped out of the group; he was also an excellent trainee who had passed the exams for two consecutive months.

She didn't seem to be greatly affected, announced the songs she would be singing, and began her performance.

But in her heart she was thinking: Wang Jiaoran, I'll take your resources.

The exam continued until noon.

Ultimately, eight trainees passed the exam, two fewer than last month.

Four trainees who passed the exam last month failed today's exam, while two trainees who had failed the exam in the previous months passed this month's exam.

Zhang Wen wasn't disappointed by the result; he was just a training instructor, not the trainees' parents.

Whether or not a trainee works hard is their own business; he respects everyone's choice.

Of course, these people will bear the consequences themselves.

Zhang Wen left the classroom and headed to the company cafeteria.

I haven't eaten at the company cafeteria in a long time, and I really miss the braised pork knuckle here.

Just as he had ordered two portions and was about to have a big meal, his phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket.

"Buzz!"

"Buzz!"

He took out his phone and looked at the caller ID; it was Qiao Shuxin calling.

Speaking of which, Gao Yue is Qiao Shuxin's aunt, and for the time being, he can also be considered Qiao Shuxin's uncle.

"Hey?"

"Teacher, this is Qiao Shuxin. I received my admission letter from the Beijing Film Academy!" A very excited voice came from the microphone.

Oh?
Zhang Wen calculated the days and confirmed that it was indeed time for university admission notices to be issued.

Moreover, Qiao Shuxin's home is in Beijing, so she will definitely receive her admission notice from the Beijing Film Academy faster than other trainees in the special training class.

"Shuxin, congratulations," Zhang Wen said sincerely.

"Thank you, teacher. By the way, didn't you say we'd get together after we receive our university acceptance letters? When exactly?" Qiao Shuxin asked anxiously.

"Don't worry, you're the only one who received the acceptance letter right now. It will take them at least two or three more days to receive theirs. Don't worry, I won't break my promise," Zhang Wen reassured him.

These eight people had no choice but to come, because he planned to take them to the training center to share their experience with the new batch of trainees.

There's no better advertisement than having those who have already succeeded share their experiences.

Qiao Shuxin then realized that her home was in Beijing, while her classmates' homes were in other places, so they would definitely arrive later.

"Okay, teacher. I'll wait for your message. Goodbye, teacher."

He hung up the phone in a hurry after saying that.

"..."

Zhang Wen looked at his phone. This girl's hanging up was too sudden, wasn't it?
Just as he was about to put his phone away, the WeChat notification sound suddenly rang again.

Someone spoke in the art exam training group 1; it was Qiao Shuxin.

She didn't say anything, but simply posted a picture of her admission letter from the Beijing Film Academy.

In an instant, the previously quiet group chat exploded.

Zhou Lingyi: You've already received it? Why haven't I received it yet?
Sun Meng: Shuxin is from Beijing, so she must have received it before us.

Zhou An: I envy you.

Wang Jiayi: I don't know when the admission notice from Huaxi Drama will arrive.

He Xingyi: If possible, I would like to go to the school to pick it up; I don't want to wait at home.

Jiang Guanlin: Agreed, I've been so anxious these past few days.

Qiao Shuxin felt a surge of pride as she looked at everyone's responses.

This time, she finally won first place.

……

(End of this chapter)