Chapter 48: A Flawless First Impression

The number of candidates entering the exam room grew steadily. Those who emerged displayed a range of emotions—some could hardly contain their joy, others hung their heads in despair, and a few even broke down in tears on the spot. The crowd of waiting candidates thinned, and the atmosphere grew increasingly tense.

Jiang Yiyan tightly grasped Liu Yifei’s hand. “It’s going to be fine. We can definitely make it.”

Despite being much younger, Liu Yifei comforted Jiang Yiyan with quiet confidence. “Yes, there’s absolutely no problem.”

Jiang Yiyan clenched her fist with determination.

Finally, it was their group’s turn to enter the examination room. There were six candidates in total—three men and three women. Inside, Liu Yifei immediately spotted Wang Jinsong, the examiner seated in the center. Wang nodded slightly upon seeing her.

The first segment of the preliminary test was self-introduction. Though seemingly simple, the examiners listened not just to the content but also to the candidates’ demeanor, quickness of thought, eloquence, and cultural depth.

Having prepared extensively, Liu Yifei was not about to falter here. As an overseas student, she delivered a rare bilingual self-introduction. Her confident and fluent presentation left the other five members of her group utterly stunned—not only because she was just fifteen years old and already testing for the Beijing Film Academy, but also due to the sheer excellence of her ability. Her flawless bilingual introduction overshadowed the others’ efforts.

Despite this, Jiang Yiyan and the rest, having interacted with Liu Yifei beforehand, remained unfazed in their own performances. Wang Jinsong and the two other examiners nodded approvingly, satisfied with the entire group’s presentation.

“Next is the optional piece recitation. You may go in order of your numbers or choose your own sequence,” Wang offered kindly.

Within this group, Liu Yifei’s talents clearly stood out. The others exchanged glances, then Jiang Yiyan voiced their shared wish, “Teacher, let Liu Yifei go last. We’ll follow the number order.”

“Alright, let’s begin,” Wang agreed without hesitation.

One by one, the candidates stepped forward to recite their chosen texts, surprisingly surpassing expectations under the pressure.

Among all the groups that had completed this segment, Liu Yifei’s group stood out as the best.

Now it was Liu Yifei’s turn.

“Good day, esteemed teachers. I will be reciting ‘Saying Goodbye to Cambridge Again,’” she announced softly.

She closed her eyes briefly, inhaled deeply, and when she opened them again, they seemed to hold the gentle ripples of Cambridge itself. Her ruby lips parted, and her clear, melodious voice sang out like a nightingale.

“Softly I am leaving, just as softly as I came; softly I wave my hand, bidding farewell to the clouds in the western sky.”

Her voice was tender and soothing, carrying everyone present into the dreamlike world described by Xu Zhimo’s poetry.

Even the opening lines captivated Wang Jinsong and the others.

Her tone was bright, her emotion rich. Such a voice and feeling, when applied to film and theater dialogue, could easily move an audience.

Many candidates faltered during poetry recitations—some nervous to the point of voice cracks, others monotonous without any emotional investment—and these were often immediately disqualified.

Liu Yifei, however, not only outshone her group but was the best performer among all preliminary candidates so far.

Her recitation flowed through moods—joyful, melancholic, wistful. Near the end, her voice trembled slightly, as if bidding a final farewell to the Cambridge of her heart.

“Quietly I leave, just as quietly as I came; I wave my sleeve, taking not a single cloud away.”

When she finished, tears glimmered in her eyes.

The room fell silent, then erupted into warm applause.

Liu Yifei’s heartfelt recitation conquered her fellow candidates and deeply moved the three Beijing Film Academy examiners.

“Thank you, Liu Yifei. That was truly wonderful. Now, let’s take a moment to compose ourselves before the third segment—the group skit. Please send someone up to draw lots,” Wang said with a friendly smile. He was pleased with this group; their looks were decent, and their on-the-spot performances were commendable—especially with someone as outstanding as Liu Yifei among them.

“Qianqian, you go draw,” Jiang Yiyan nudged Liu Yifei forward.

The others quickly agreed.

Liu Yifei blinked, saw no objections, and confidently stepped up to draw their skit assignment.

She was lucky.

Their chosen piece was “Farewell at the Train Station”—a fairly common skit topic, often practiced in many training institutions.

Grateful eyes turned to Liu Yifei.

This topic had no fixed lead or supporting roles; everyone had room to shine.

Once they received their assignment, the six candidates anxiously conferred, mindful that the preparation time was limited.

They agreed on their roles: Liu Yifei would play the young woman about to embark on a journey; Jiang Yiyan would be the mother seeing her off at the station; a mature young man would portray the father; the others would take on passengers and staff.

With no chance to rehearse, they settled on a rough plan and relied on their improvisation.

“We’re ready!”

“Then let’s begin!”

A boy with a knack for sound effects started by mimicking the train whistle, instantly heightening the tension.

Liu Yifei tugged her hand backward as if gripping the handle of a rolling suitcase, her grip tight, showing nervousness.

Jiang Yiyan stood beside her, repeating safety reminders one might give to someone traveling alone.

The young man playing the father silently took the “suitcase” from Liu Yifei, saying nothing.

Others entered the scene.

“Make way! Make way, please!”

“Comrade, which carriage is my ticket for? Which way should I go?”

“Oh no, where’s my ticket? Hurry, help me find it, don’t lose it!”

“Don’t push! Don’t push! Everyone will get on!”

Suddenly the station bustled with noise: anxious passengers, helpful staff.

Within the small examination room, they portrayed a vivid slice of life.

Wang Jinsong’s eyes brightened in surprise; this group was exceeding his expectations.

Each person brought their character to life.

Liu Yifei, meanwhile, was somewhat silent.

Yet it was precisely this silence that made her role stand out.

Sometimes, it’s not the loudest voice that leaves the deepest impression.

A single glance, a subtle expression—these can be the true highlights.