Chapter 4: Exemption from Re-selection

In the testing area, there was an instrument where a person could simply stand on it, and data such as weight, measurements, and height would be automatically scanned into the computer. It couldn't be any simpler.

When Sheng Jiaoyang walked into the testing area, her registration information had already been transmitted to the testing staff's computer. Once Sheng Jiaoyang stood on the testing machine, the data was saved, and the staff only needed to import these body measurements to finish the job.

By the time she reached the interview area, the crowd waiting had grown. About a dozen people were already standing in the hallway outside the interview rooms. Perhaps because the staff had given them instructions, everyone was very quiet.

Sheng Jiaoyang saw the two girls who had been ahead of her in line again. The taller girl looked even more nervous, while Yang Bao stood beside her, holding her hand.

A dozen or so people wasn't a huge number, but nearly half an hour had passed by the time it was Sheng Jiaoyang's turn.

"Xu Jiaojiao," the staff member at the door called out.

Sheng Jiaoyang took a deep breath and walked into the testing room.

When Sheng Jiaoyang entered, two interviewers—a man and a woman—were talking. They only turned their heads to look at her once she approached.

"Xu Jiaojiao?" The young male interviewer looked down at the tablet screen in his hand, his voice carrying a fair amount of surprise. "Wow, quite a big change."

Compared to the male interviewer, the female interviewer was older, but her youthful style of dress made it difficult to accurately gauge her actual age.

Sheng Jiaoyang moved closer inconspicuously before she could clearly see the nameplates on the table.

Zhuo Yiyan, Jiang Yi.

She didn't know who Jiang Yi was, but she had heard of this Zhuo Yiyan; after all, he was a very popular fashion icon in the domestic entertainment industry recently.

Jiang Yi scrutinized Sheng Jiaoyang for a moment and nodded in approval. The person in the ID photo had been wearing a ponytail with heavy bangs and glasses, looking like a total nerd, with not a single redeeming feature in her appearance. But the girl before them had a cool, short haircut, and her facial features were distinct even without makeup. Although she was only wearing a cheap white T-shirt and denim shorts, the small patterns on the clothes clearly showcased her slender figure and youthful aura.

"You don't usually dress like this, do you?" Jiang Yi asked.

"No, my family is poor," Sheng Jiaoyang replied nonchalantly. Her tone was so flat and devoid of any sense of inferiority that both interviewers couldn't help but take notice.

"This outfit is quite good for today. The hairstyle and clothing match quite well. Did you choose them yourself?" Zhuo Yiyan rested his chin on one hand, his gaze scanning Sheng Jiaoyang from head to toe.

Sheng Jiaoyang looked down at her clothes, her fingers brushing against the short tassels at the hem, and replied calmly, "It's my first time using scissors. Please forgive me if it didn't turn out well!"

The clothes in her wardrobe truly left her with nothing to work with, so she could only put on this outfit that she had washed and dried last night. For someone like her, who rarely wore the same thing twice, it took a lot of endurance to wear the same clothes two days in a row.

Since she had come to participate in the competition, she naturally wanted to find any way possible to make it to the finals. She was originally quite tall, but upon arriving, she found that her height wasn't an advantage; in fact, compared to the dozen or so people before her, she was on the shorter side. If she didn't show some other talent, she feared she wouldn't pass this interview.

"You modified the clothes you're wearing yourself?" Jiang Yi appeared very surprised.

"I couldn't find suitable clothes in my wardrobe, and I don't have money to buy new ones, so I had to do it myself." Sheng Jiaoyang was actually quite helpless; she had originally wanted to draw on the clothes to make them more interesting, but she couldn't find any brushes or paints—not even watercolor pens.

The two interviewers exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of pleasant surprise in each other's eyes.

Jiang Yi continued, "Student Xu Jiaojiao, do you know much about modeling?"

"A little. My best friend is a model."

"Then you should know that this industry isn't as glamorous as it looks on the surface. Are you prepared to face the hardships behind it?"

Hearing this, Sheng Jiaoyang raised an eyebrow slightly. "I'm just here to participate in the competition. Whether I enter this industry or not depends on whether I am suitable for it."

Of course, most importantly, it depended on whether she wanted to.

Finding this answer interesting, Zhuo Yiyan asked, "Can you walk?"

"I haven't walked before." She had only watched from below the runway and had never imagined she would one day enter this profession.

"Then try walking a bit. Let us see your physical coordination."

Sheng Jiaoyang stepped back to the door, recalling the process of her friend practicing her runway walk in front of her. Although it was a bit blurry, she still remembered some details. After running through it in her mind, she began to walk.

"A bit unpracticed, and her steps aren't firm enough, but her physical coordination is decent. She seems to understand the basic requirements of the movements." Looking at Sheng Jiaoyang as she walked toward them, Jiang Yi tilted her head and whispered to Zhuo Yiyan, "Yiyan, what do you think of her?"

"Not bad, she's a good prospect," Zhuo Yiyan smiled. "It's normal to be unpracticed. As long as the coordination is good, that can be trained. The key is that she isn't stage-frightened. Did you notice? She hasn't been nervous from the moment she walked in, as if she's just walking into her own backyard."

"People say her family is poor; if she's walking into a garden, it's probably a vegetable patch!" Jiang Yi also cracked a rare joke.

Sheng Jiaoyang came to a halt. Seeing the two interviewers chatting and laughing, she wasn't in a hurry and simply watched them silently.

"I see in your personal specialties that you wrote down drawing. Are you an art student?" Zhuo Yiyan suppressed his smile and tapped the tablet screen with his finger.

"No, I just like to draw."

"Then do you know that I have a pass that exempts you from the selection round?"

"I know. I read the competition rules."

"The other contestants listed many specialties, and a significant portion of them are skilled in singing and dancing. Where do you think your advantage lies compared to the other contestants in securing this pass?" Zhuo Yiyan brandished the card in his hand.

Sheng Jiaoyang blinked her large eyes, unintentionally acting a bit cute, and tilted her head to ask back, "You're selecting for supermodels, not singers. Is being good at singing and dancing really an advantage?"

Zhuo Yiyan let out a laugh, thinking the girl in front of him looked quite a bit like his precious concubine when she blinked—uh, "Concubine" was the name of his Persian cat.

"Then compared to singing and dancing, your drawing doesn't seem like much of an advantage either. At least people who can sing and dance have a better grasp of rhythm."

Jiang Yi turned to look at Zhuo Yiyan. The interview for this contestant had already gone on for quite a while. Zhuo Yiyan, who was responsible for controlling the interview time, seemed to want to keep chatting, but that wouldn't do—there were many contestants waiting behind!

"Does having potential count as an advantage? Others have written out their strengths, while mine are waiting to be discovered by everyone. Isn't it more surprising to discover something from the unknown?" Sheng Jiaoyang's eyes darted around as she cleverly replied to Zhuo Yiyan.

"Discovering something from the unknown brings surprises," Zhuo Yiyan repeated. "Heh, you win."

Zhuo Yiyan handed the pass to Sheng Jiaoyang.

"Take this pass and go home to wait for notice. The staff will notify you and the other contestants who passed the selection regarding the training time and location."

"Thank you!" Sheng Jiaoyang was quite happy to pass the selection directly. It had been a long time since she had experienced the sense of achievement from accomplishing something through her own ability.

Watching Zhuo Yiyan check Xu Jiaojiao's name into the competition list, Jiang Yi asked curiously, "You only have one pass left in your hand. What exactly about this Xu Jiaojiao caught your eye?"

There were only four passes in total. Zhuo Yiyan had two, and the other two were with the people conducting the video interviews. They were meant to ensure that the contestants they favored were sent to the final stage, in case they were eliminated during the selection round or pushed out by those with connections.

"I have a premonition that she will make it to the finals." Zhuo Yiyan smiled slightly. Although he was young, he had been in this circle for several years and had seen all kinds of people, honing a keen eye; otherwise, he wouldn't have his current reputation.

The finals? Jiang Yi remained noncommittal, but she didn't believe it. She had seen many excellent contestants in this session—some had natural international faces and great physical conditions. As for this Xu Jiaojiao, who looked quite delicate, she hadn't left much of an impression other than the initial contrast. Jiang Yi felt that such a contestant would likely lose her presence once she was in a crowd.

Zhuo Yiyan glanced at Jiang Yi, the corners of his mouth curling up. Not believing it? Then they would just have to wait and see.