The Canary and Little Cannon Fodder [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 5

The acting teacher Luo Lei had hired for Bo Shuyi was Professor Zhang Chuiming from the Beijing Film Academy. Now in his fifties, Zhang Chuiming was a national first-class actor who had appeared in over a hundred films and television series. He possessed a wealth of both theoretical knowledge and practical experience.

Upon receiving her schedule, Bo Shuyi discovered that she was required to attend classes every Saturday and Sunday.

Fortunately, she had already completed the script for this year, “The Order of Chaoyang.” With her writing duties finished for now, she felt that spending the next six months as an actor was a fine alternative.

Summer rain often arrives without warning. One moment the sky was clear for thousands of miles, and the next, heavy dark clouds gathered overhead, blocking the sun as a torrential downpour began.

Hearing the rumbling thunder outside, Auntie Wang said to Bo Shuyi with concern, “Miss, perhaps you should cancel your lesson. It is too dangerous to go out in this weather.”

Bo Shuyi finished changing her shoes and took an umbrella from the storage cabinet in the foyer. “Auntie Wang, the neighborhood where Professor Zhang lives is not far from here. It is only a twenty-minute drive; nothing will happen.”

Auntie Wang held Bo Shuyi’s hand and would not let go. “Why are you as stubborn as your father? Even if you must go, wait until the rain lets up. Being half an hour late does not matter.”

Bo Shuyi thought for a moment and said, “Then I will let Professor Zhang know that I will head over once the rain stops.”

Auntie Wang nodded in satisfaction, only releasing Bo Shuyi’s wrist after witnessing her make the call to Zhang Chuiming.

Just as Bo Shuyi hung up, her phone rang urgently. The name “Lin Nanyun” appeared on the screen. Bo Shuyi answered the call as she walked toward the living room.

“Shuyi, you have not left the house, have you?” Lin Nanyun’s voice sounded very anxious.

Bo Shuyi replied, “I have not. What is wrong?”

Lin Nanyun sighed in relief. “I tried calling you just now and it showed you were on another call. I was so worried. It is a good thing you did not go out; the rain is so heavy, it is far too dangerous.”

Bo Shuyi’s thumb gently rubbed her phone case. “I was just calling Professor Zhang to ask for a delay. However, he did not seem very happy. I wonder if he will have a bad impression of me,” Bo Shuyi said worriedly.

Lin Nanyun was always there to comfort her unconditionally. “He will not. You do not realize how likable you are. No matter how angry someone is, they will forget everything the moment they see your face.”

Bo Shuyi could not help but laugh. “I think you are the only one who thinks that way.”

Lin Nanyun blushed, thinking that it was fortunate Bo Shuyi could not see her through the phone.

Half an hour later, the storm subsided and the dark clouds slowly dispersed. Auntie Wang finally agreed to let Bo Shuyi leave. Bo Shuyi had the driver drop her off in front of Zhang Chuiming’s apartment building.

As she stepped out of the car, she received a WeChat message.

Lin Nanyun: Shuyi, the rain has stopped. Have you reached Professor Zhang’s house yet?

Bo Shuyi’s slender fingers typed quickly.

Bo Shuyi: I am already downstairs. I am not very used to meeting strangers; I am a little worried.

Lin Nanyun: Do not be afraid.

Bo Shuyi waited for a moment. Seeing that Lin Nanyun only replied with those few words and had no intention of continuing the conversation, she put her phone away.

Bo Shuyi took the elevator to Zhang Chuiming’s floor, walked to the dark red security door, and pressed the doorbell. The person inside must have seen her through the peephole, as the door opened immediately without a request for identification.

With a click, Lin Nanyun’s slender figure appeared behind the door.

“Shuyi! Are you surprised to see me?” Lin Nanyun asked with a smile.

Bo Shuyi was astonished, and a faint sense of joy blossomed in her heart. “Nanyun, why are you here?”

Lin Nanyun went over to hug her arm and whispered, “Did you not say you were afraid? So, I came to accompany you to class.”

Bo Shuyi looked at her with emotion, her dark eyes shimmering. “You are always so good to me.”

Lin Nanyun pursed her lips and smiled shyly. Looking at Bo Shuyi’s face so close to her own, her ears turned hot. She said, “My father and Professor Zhang are old friends. Every year during the Lunar New Year, I follow my father to visit him, so I know his home.”

“Come in quickly,” Lin Nanyun said, pulling Bo Shuyi into the house.

The interior of Zhang Chuiming’s home was decorated in an antique style; stepping inside felt like stepping back a hundred years in time. The two went into the living room, where Zhang Chuiming was sitting on a rosewood bench brewing tea. His expression was serious, his posture fluid, and his movements possessed an indescribable beauty.

“Professor Zhang, hello. I am Bo Shuyi.”

Zhang Chuiming gave a faint “Mhm.” “Sit down.”

Bo Shuyi sat gracefully on a nearby official’s hat chair, and Lin Nanyun sat on the chair beside her.

“Uncle Zhang, why did you suddenly start teaching classes?” Lin Nanyun asked curiously.

Zhang Chuiming finished brewing the tea and poured three cups. “Drink some tea first.”

Lin Nanyun pressed down on Bo Shuyi’s hand and proactively went to bring back two cups, one for Bo Shuyi and one for herself.

Bo Shuyi felt like she was being treated as a fairy who did not have to lift a finger. The feeling was quite pleasant.

After drinking the tea, Lin Nanyun asked, “Uncle Zhang, are you going to teach Shuyi in the living room or the study?”

Zhang Chuiming replied, “What does it matter where we are?”

Lin Nanyun was not intimidated by his coldness. She continued, “If you are in the living room, I might be able to secretly learn something. If you go to the study, I cannot follow.”

Zhang Chuiming glanced at her and smiled. “If you secretly learned how to be an actor from me, your father would have a fallout with me. Play in the living room by yourself, or go home. We are going to the study for the lesson.”

Lin Nanyun stuck out her tongue. “Fine, Uncle Zhang. I will not go home; I will wait for you in the living room.”

Before Zhang Chuiming and Bo Shuyi entered the study, Lin Nanyun said to him worriedly, “Uncle Zhang, Shuyi is quite timid. Please be a bit more gentle and do not frighten her.”

Zhang Chuiming said nothing. He glanced at Lin Nanyun, then at Bo Shuyi, and entered the study.

Bo Shuyi squeezed Lin Nanyun’s fingers and said, “Do not worry about me. I have a two-hour lesson. If you have things to do, you may leave first.”

Lin Nanyun blurted out, “My most important matter is you.”

Bo Shuyi was silent.

Lin Nanyun suddenly realized what she had said and blushed. “No, I did not mean it that way.”

Bo Shuyi’s gaze was deep. In a low, slightly raspy voice, she whispered, “I know.”

Lin Nanyun’s scalp tingled, her face flushed, and her eyes grew moist. She whispered, “Go in quickly, do not keep Professor Zhang waiting.”

Bo Shuyi almost did not want to leave. She suddenly wanted to take Lin Nanyun in her arms and kiss her. Unfortunately, that did not fit her current delicate persona. With a sense of regret, Bo Shuyi entered the study.

As the door closed, Lin Nanyun breathed a sigh of relief and sat on the official’s hat chair, covering her burning cheeks.

Lin Nanyun: 199, I felt so strange just now. My heart started racing just hearing Shuyi speak.

[Normal. You are in heat.]

Lin Nanyun was shocked.

Inside the study, once Bo Shuyi entered, Zhang Chuiming said directly, “I do not care what your relationship with Nanyun is. Here, there is no such thing as slacking off. If you do not meet my requirements in the first lesson, I am sorry, but you do not need to come back.”

Zhang Chuiming expected to see a reaction on Bo Shuyi’s face, but she simply nodded with a smile, not at all frightened by him.

Among the more than one hundred films Zhang Chuiming had acted in, he had played a mob boss in over twenty of them. When he spoke just now, he had deliberately infused his words with a hint of the aura of a mob boss, but Bo Shuyi had seemingly not received his threat at all.

Zhang Chuiming had heard of Bo Shuyi’s reputation as a “Vase Beauty.” He thought to himself that it was no wonder people called her a vase; she was the same in person as she was in her acting. He suspected she only knew how to make one expression: a smile.

During the first hour, Zhang Chuiming discussed practical theoretical knowledge. Bo Shuyi nodded in agreement as she listened. Zhang Chuiming assumed she was just putting on an act. Even if she understood the theory, could she actually perform it?

When the theoretical portion ended, Zhang Chuiming called for a ten-minute break.

As he opened the study door and saw Lin Nanyun, he was surprised. “Nanyun, you managed to stay seated for an entire hour?”

Lin Nanyun had been dazed and flustered by the system’s comment until now. Zhang Chuiming’s voice gave her a start. She stood up, clutching her chest. Seeing Bo Shuyi behind him, her heart tightened, and she stammered, “I… I said I would wait… wait for Shuyi.”

Zhang Chuiming gave an “Oh” and went to drink tea. Bo Shuyi sat in the chair next to Lin Nanyun and gently pulled her arm. “Sit with me for a bit.”

“Mhm.” Lin Nanyun kept her head down, not daring to look at Bo Shuyi, revealing only a pair of bright red ears.

Bo Shuyi looked at Lin Nanyun, her gaze deepening.

Lin Nanyun could not stand the silence. She could not help but look up at Bo Shuyi before quickly looking down again. She asked, “How is your learning going? Is what Uncle Zhang is teaching very difficult?”

Zhang Chuiming, having sharp ears, listened for her answer.

“It is quite good. Professor Zhang explains things very well; it is not difficult at all,” Bo Shuyi said.

“Hah!” Zhang Chuiming snorted inwardly. He thought to himself that she found it “not difficult at all,” but that the next half of the lesson would make her doubt her life.

As it turned out, the one doubting his life was Zhang Chuiming.

“Who on earth spread the rumor that you have no acting skills and are just a Vase Beauty?” Zhang Chuiming asked in shock.

Bo Shuyi retracted the fierce expression and the aura surrounding her. Only a trace of madness remained in her eyes. She smiled and said, “I truly did not perform well in my first work.”

“Your first work? Let me see.” Zhang Chuiming stood at the desk, opened his laptop, and asked, “What is the name of your first work?”

Bo Shuyi provided the name. Zhang Chuiming slowly typed it out, searched for it, and clicked play.

Five minutes later, Zhang Chuiming silently closed the laptop. “Are you really Bo Shuyi?” The first work was painful to watch; every frame was incredibly awkward. How could it have been performed by the girl standing before him?

Bo Shuyi pinched her nose and said, “According to my memory, my name is indeed Bo Shuyi, and I should not have had any plastic surgery.”

Zhang Chuiming was silent. He thought she was quite humorous.

Zhang Chuiming was someone who cherished talent, especially among young people with good acting skills. He looked at Bo Shuyi with affection and said, “Shuyi, I heard your adoptive father was Wei Chunze. Speaking of which, I have even acted in Director Wei’s films. From now on, you can just call me Uncle Zhang.”

Bo Shuyi was speechless.

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