Chapter 34: Born for This—Are You Sure?

On the film set, when the director allows a scene to pass in a single take, it is undoubtedly the highest affirmation an actor can receive. Especially given the importance and difficulty of this particular scene, most of the crew were aware of its weight. Everyone had expected at least a dozen takes. Yet, it passed in one go, earning Zhang Huaimou’s approval. The voices questioning Su Mu vanished.

The storyline was not as they had imagined. In this scene, Zhang Jianlin’s presence was completely overshadowed; once the cameraman switched angles, he never left the frame.

“Su Mu’s acting isn’t nearly as bad as people say online, is it?”
“Director Zhang’s vision is as sharp as ever.”
“In this scene, Zhang Jianlin was completely suppressed. I bet the upcoming scenes between them will be fierce.”
“If Su Mu can maintain this state, he shouldn’t have any problems. But Gao Qiqiang is such a complex character. Whether he can truly portray him well depends on his ability to adapt in the following scenes.”

The day’s shoot ended amidst the crew’s astonishment at Su Mu’s performance. The schedule for the first day was not packed, mainly to give the actors time to settle in and adapt. The hotel arranged by the crew was nearby; the lead actors from the first and second tiers stayed there, while the rest of the crew lodged in a nearby inn costing two hundred a night.

As dusk fell, the Beijing Film Base was illuminated with brilliant lights, and the sounds of other crews filming night scenes drifted through the air. Inside the studio, the producers, management, and Zhang Huaimou gathered. After reviewing the upcoming filming schedule and promotional plans, someone chuckled and spoke up:

“Old Zhang, it has to be you! How could you tell that Su Mu had potential? Choosing him was inspired. At first, I thought he lacked acting skills, but today I see it clearly—he must have been hiding his abilities all along. Now, half of our show’s buzz is coming from him; there’s a lot of chatter online.”

The producers were clearly delighted. They hadn’t spent much, but the buzz was already through the roof. Who would refuse an actor who brings his own spotlight? If leveraged well, they might even save on publicity expenses.

A hint of pride flickered in Zhang Huaimou’s eyes. In truth, before filming began, he had felt uncertain—after all, Zhang Jianlin was the one playing opposite. Yet Su Mu’s performance surprised even him. Compared to a month ago, the young man’s acting had improved noticeably—something truly tangible. Zhang Huaimou believed Su Mu was born for this profession. Most importantly, he had preserved his flawless record of casting, never once making a mistake.

Zhang Huaimou was in excellent spirits. “Hmph, you’re not doubting me now, are you? Didn’t you say I might have chosen the wrong person before?”

“Heh, Director Zhang, we wouldn’t dare question you! We just provide the funding and trust you one hundred percent!”

“All right, enough flattery. Let’s call it a day. We have to shoot the opening scenes early tomorrow.”

With that, everyone dispersed from the studio. Zhang Huaimou stepped into his business vehicle, a smile gradually spreading across his face. He recalled Su Mu’s precise expressions during the scene and suddenly felt he might have struck gold. As a professor at the Beijing Film Academy, he considered Su Mu’s acting potential and character flexibility among the best he had ever seen.

He took out his phone and composed a message for Su Mu:

[Zhang Huaimou: Su Mu, you performed very well today. Keep it up—the role of Gao Qiqiang requires even more depth from those at the bottom of society. You may find it a bit challenging right now. While makeup can make your appearance more weathered, what matters most is emotion and inner feeling. Study it carefully…]

He had intended only to offer a compliment, but in the end, Zhang Huaimou generously provided guidance.

…

At that moment, Su Mu was dining on a snack street near the hotel with Qian Jida and Fan Little Tangerine. He listened distractedly to Zhang Huaimou’s advice on his phone, eating without much focus. He had no idea of the high praise Zhang Huaimou had for him; if he knew, he would certainly feel a bit anxious. Born for this profession? Impossible. But with the Male Talent Panel, his progress was much faster than others.

Qian Jida said, “Look at that, Su Mu! Director Zhang sent you a private message—he values you. Seize this opportunity. If you can connect with Zhang Huaimou, maybe he’ll bring you onto the big screen someday.”

Su Mu replied, “I haven’t thought that far ahead. I just want to play this role well first.”

Qian Jida said, “You can do it!”

Little Tangerine echoed, “You can do it!”

Su Mu rolled his eyes, ignoring their duet of encouragement. Chewing on a skewer, he glanced at the updated panel parameters for the day.

[Male Talent Panel]
Skill Points: 33.5
[Expression Control Proficiency Lv4: 1/10000 (Hall of Mastery)]
[Behavioral Mimicry Proficiency LV0: 1/10 (Novice)]
[Fish-Killing Proficiency LV0: 0/10 (Novice)]
[Emotion…]
[Speech…]
[…]

He analyzed the panel in his mind. At present, his acting skills were somewhat specialized; expression control ranked among the best.

He was already at the threshold of Lv4, Hall of Mastery, but it required ten thousand repetitions to reach completion—who knew when he could achieve that? At this stage, he could clearly feel his physical limitations. Every time he finished training several proficiency subjects, he felt a bit strained.

He knew his basic attributes were holding him back. Currently, he had four attributes: strength, speed, endurance, and brain computational power. To Su Mu, brain computational power meant creative thinking and mental capacity. When the capacity was insufficient, even increasing proficiency would lead to mismatches.

For example, during filming, he performed more than seven or eight kinds of expression control, but many were wasted efforts and didn’t increase proficiency. So Su Mu realized that the issue was probably with his basic attributes.

“Add points.”

[Prompt: Please select an attribute. You may add up to 5 points per attribute each time. To continue adding to brain computational power, three proficiencies must reach LV3.]

Su Mu said, “Brain computational power, add 5 points.”

[Points added successfully!]
[Current brain computational power: 6.1]
[Remaining skill points: 28.5]

After increasing his basic attribute, Su Mu felt a wave of clarity and refreshment in his mind. He then turned his gaze toward the distant street vendor. At that moment, several city inspectors approached, scolding the vendor who hadn’t paid for his spot.

“They’re here again! Move, move, move!” The city inspector’s tone was harsh.

The vendor, anxious and fearful, hurriedly packed his things while bowing and apologizing to the inspectors. Every movement radiated helplessness and resignation. The hardships of those at the bottom of society were written all over his face.

It was just like Gao Qiqiang, bullied while selling fish in the beginning.

Su Mu watched intently. This was the best case study—a genuine reflection of a person at society’s lowest rung, bullied and powerless, and his most authentic actions.

Su Mu observed every detail.

[Behavioral Mimicry Proficiency +1]
[Behavioral Mimicry Proficiency +1]
[Behavioral Mimicry Proficiency +1…]
[Skill Points +0.01]