Inside the rehearsal room.
With Liu Tianchi’s ‘Start’, the official rehearsal began.
… …
Scene One.
The two of them started arguing.
Their argument escalated into a physical struggle.
Chen Feng roared.
Qu Dan shrieked.
After a moment of entanglement, Liu Tianchi called out, “Stop.”
The two separated.
Liu Tianchi frowned, looking at Qu Dan: “Your reaction isn’t right. There’s no sign of fear at all. You don’t even show any expression of pain.”
Qu Dan looked at Chen Feng, feeling wronged: “Didn’t I tell you? Hit me for real. It’s okay, hit me for real. You can pull my hair, pull it hard.”
Chen Feng smiled.
He smiled very gentlemanly.
… …
Scene Two.
Another argument.
Another struggle.
Another roar and shriek.
Not long after, Liu Tianchi called out again, “Stop. Still not right, Qu Dan, your feeling is still off. You need to be more afraid.”
Qu Dan: “Chen Feng, what are you doing? Why are you so hesitant? Hit me, do it? I’ve already agreed, what are you still afraid of?”
Chen Feng continued to smile.
His expression became increasingly cruel and sinister.
It made people’s blood run cold.
… …
Scene Three.
Another argument.
They struggled together again.
This time, Qu Dan’s shriek grew louder.
But it wasn't because Chen Feng actually hit her, but because she deliberately shrieked loudly.
As a result, she was stopped by Liu Tianchi after only two pig-like screams.
Liu Tianchi: “Chen Feng, why don’t you try hitting her for real? You’re always holding back like this, and it’s not achieving the desired effect at all. At this rate, both of you might be eliminated.”
Qu Dan got anxious: “Chen Feng, what’s wrong with you? If I tell you to hit me, just hit me, alright? You wouldn’t even dare to hit a woman, would you?”
Chen Feng chuckled lightly: “Of course I would.”
Qu Dan: “Then hit me.”
Chen Feng smiled: “Alright.”
Qu Dan: “If you don’t do it right this time, I’m really going to swear at you.”
Chen Feng smiled politely and with restraint: “Alright, that’s fine.”
… …
Scene Four.
After only a couple of struggles, Teacher Tianchi directly called for a stop.
Then, she expressionlessly threw out a remark: “You two won’t make it like this. Go find the feeling yourselves, either hit for real, or find a way to cultivate emotional resonance for the conflict.”
She left after speaking.
Leaving the rehearsal room, she was also full of suppressed anger.
She had clearly felt that chilling perversion and sinister look from Chen Feng’s body and face.
But he just couldn't unleash it.
How strange!
Chen Feng couldn't unleash it, and Qu Dan was completely out of character.
Teacher Tianchi could actually see through a newcomer like Qu Dan at a glance.
She was definitely a goner for elimination.
If she didn’t have a partner to complete her, she wouldn’t be able to perform the required state at all.
She had originally planned to use Chen Feng’s outburst to draw out Qu Dan’s emotions.
But what was the result?
Chen Feng always held back.
Even if she explicitly told him he could really hit, really pull hair, really tear clothes, and really punch her in the face and body, it was all useless.
He just wouldn't move his hands.
So Teacher Tianchi was also puzzled.
She had actually watched the video of the sensational ‘Addict’ scene from the audition later.
The feeling after watching it was shock.
If it weren't for the real police reports and drug test results, Teacher Tianchi would have suspected that Chen Feng was definitely an Addict.
At that time, it was just a drug addiction relapse.
But now she knew that it was a performance effect.
This ability to perform was simply astounding.
Therefore, when she saw Chen Feng in the rehearsal room, Teacher Tianchi was actually very excited.
She expected Chen Feng to perform well.
However, looking at it now, the situation wasn’t very clear.
Chen Feng was completely ineffective.
He could find the emotion, and his positioning was very standard, but it was his body language and actions, and his determination to sacrifice for art that were lacking somewhat.
Perhaps he wanted to maintain his persona?
Not hitting women?
How interesting.
To make it big in the entertainment industry, the last thing you need is principles.
What's he pretending for?
Someone else has already told you to hit them, so just hit them.
Anyway, Teacher Tianchi didn’t understand.
The more she watched, the angrier she got, so she simply stopped caring.
Let them act however they want.
If both of them were eliminated, it would only mean that Chen Feng only had those two tricks.
His acting range was too narrow.
That was it.
So, Teacher Tianchi left.
… …
Inside the rehearsal room.
Qu Dan sat sulking in the corner.
She was sending a text message on her phone.
She described Chen Feng’s state.
She even said that Chen Feng had angered Teacher Tianchi and made her leave.
After sending the message, she also felt suspicious.
Why did Chen Feng feel so strange today?
He was always smiling.
Smiling so gently and elegantly.
Like a…
Hypocrite.
Yes, a hypocrite.
Soon, her phone buzzed, and Ma Jun replied to her message.
The gist was one sentence.
Chen Feng must hit her for real.
Otherwise, all the counter-strategies would be hollow.
Without gaining sympathy votes from the audience and judges, with Qu Dan’s somewhat immature acting skills, it would be impossible for her to advance smoothly.
So, make Chen Feng hit her for real.
By any means necessary.
… …
Qu Dan was speechless.
What to do?
This coward simply didn’t dare to hit her.
But thinking about it, she couldn’t blame him.
She was a female lead, right?
She had a director backing her, right?
What was he?
An extra, a mere background actor.
Qu Dan couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride.
Alright!
For her acting career, she would try to negotiate with him.
He must hit her!
He had to hit her hard.
Otherwise, the director’s plan would fall through.
So, Qu Dan slowly walked towards Chen Feng.
“Chen Feng, let’s talk.”
“Alright.”
Chen Feng smiled.
Qu Dan felt uncomfortable all over.
This guy was acting like he was sick today.
Always smiling.
And it was that kind of perverted smile.
Smile my ass!
Qu Dan cursed in her heart.
But she still tried her best to put on a smiling face: “Chen Feng, I’m communicating with you very seriously. Our scene is quite special, you understand that in your heart.”
“To evoke empathy from the audience, to stir the emotions of the judges, you have to hit me for real.”
“It’s okay.”
“I know you’re afraid of hurting me, I know you might also feel sorry for me, and have reservations, but at this point, there’s really no need for reservations.”
“What are you still afraid of?”
“I’ve already agreed for you to hit me.”
“Actually, I really won’t blame you, nor will I cause you trouble afterwards.”
“I just hope you can hit me for real once.”
“Let me also find that feeling of being a victim of domestic violence.”
“Do you understand what I mean?”
“Chen Feng, hit me like a man. The more perverse, the better, the more brutal, the better, really. I can take it.”
“Can you do it?”
Chen Feng blinked, and said with a smile: “Yes.”
“Really?”
Qu Dan was instantly delighted.
“Really.”
“Alright then, let’s quickly do it again. We’ve wasted so much time, it’s almost noon.”
“Alright.”
Chen Feng’s smile was enigmatic.
Inside the room.
The two transparent cameramen couldn’t help but yawn.
Are they going to hit or not?
Filming these two was truly boring.
Just like that, Qu Dan pulled Chen Feng to the center of the stage.
She looked at Chen Feng and said seriously: “Come, hit me.”
“How should I hit you?”
“First, slap me to try it out.”
Chen Feng’s face showed a mysterious smile.
Then, he reached out and slapped her.
He hit very lightly.
It was equivalent to a gentle touch on her cheek.
Qu Dan: “…”
What the hell, what are you touching?
Can you hit me?
You can’t even hit someone?
Are you a wimp?
Qu Dan cursed frantically in her heart.
But she forced herself to suppress her irritation and slowly guided Chen Feng: “It’s okay, I won’t blame you. Come on, hit me, hit me hard.”
Chen Feng swung his hand and slapped her again.
Qu Dan: “No, you still have no strength. Don’t just brush past me, you have to hit me, can’t you hit me?”
Chen Feng hit again.
Qu Dan: “You… Chen Feng, tell me honestly, are you just trying to take advantage and touch me? Can you stop being so perverted first? At worst, after the competition, you… I’ll go out with you for a night, how about that? Come on, hit me first. Just beat me to death.”
Chen Feng smiled, and this time, he swung his arm and slapped her.
*Smack!*
This time, he really hit her.
Qu Dan was dazed from the slap, and she shrieked, touching her stinging face: “Good, that’s it. Just treat me like your enemy, and be as ruthless as possible.”
*Smack!*
Another hard slap.
Qu Dan’s face swelled up.
Her ears were ringing a bit too.
But, as if possessed, she covered her face and shrieked: “Okay. I just want you to beat me like this, slap me. Chen Feng, keep going, I hope you become even more perverted.”
Chen Feng’s smile slowly faded.
His eyes turned cold and sinister.
Looking at Qu Dan’s face, which she offered up, he mustered all his strength and slapped her again.
Qu Dan stumbled from the blow, almost falling to the ground.
Her face instantly turned bruised.
Qu Dan was a little stunned.
After finally steadying herself, she shook her head vigorously and murmured, “Right… right, the emotion is there. Our scene should feel like this.”
After speaking, she managed to look up at Chen Feng and smile: “You… you wait a moment, I need to… recover. Let’s rehearse again after I’ve recovered. Ow, my face hurts. Boo hoo, my face seems swollen.”
As she spoke, she walked to the corner and sat down.
In the distance.
The two cameramen exchanged glances.
Then, one focused the lens on Chen Feng’s sinister and perverse face.
The other focused the lens on Qu Dan’s swollen, bruised, and red face.
This part was brilliant.
Not a single frame of this behind-the-scenes footage could be cut.