Entertainment King:Extracting Skills from the Movies

Wang Yaoyang couldn't help but wonder why his luck seemed so poor.

He wasn't bad-looking, could cook and clean, and at twenty years old, he was still in his prime. He even helped old ladies cross the street!

And this kid, Du Sheng? He had only just finished the college entrance exams, juggling acting and studies sporadically.

What kind of logic was this? Who could he even complain to?

"Alright, when I make it big, I'll have my Eight Heavenly Guardians, and you're guaranteed a spot!" Du Sheng joked, knowing his own circumstances all too well.

After some casual banter, a notification buzzed on Du Sheng's phone.

"Looks like this is something you'll have to miss out on," he teased with a sly grin.

Seeing his smirk, Wang Yaoyang immediately understood the situation.

He couldn't help but grumble. Despite Hengdian being full of beautiful women, he seemed to have zero luck with the opposite sex. Was everyone blind?

Du Sheng glanced at Wang's disheveled appearance—messy hair, a farmer's tan, worn-out shoes with visible toes, and a body odor that could be smelled from meters away.

Shaking his head, Du Sheng decided against saying more and opened the message.

It was from Zheng Ziyan, inviting him and the other actors who had been scammed the previous day to a gathering at 7 PM. She mentioned that the police department's reward money had arrived and that she wanted to treat everyone as a thank-you.

Seeing that he had some time, Du Sheng decided to freshen up before heading out.

At the restaurant, several young actors had already gathered.

The center of attention was, unsurprisingly, Zheng Ziyan.

She looked about eighteen or nineteen, tall and graceful, with delicate and fair features. Her unique charm was mesmerizing.

She wore a puff-sleeve dress paired with sneakers, which accentuated her collarbones and gave her an air of pure, youthful beauty. She was truly eye-catching.

After everyone had eaten, they decided to move the gathering to Encounter Bar.

A young actor trying to curry favor turned to the charming Zheng Ziyan and asked, "Ziyan, aren't you a fresh graduate from the Police Academy? Why are you working as an intern editor at a newspaper?"

Shrugging, Zheng Ziyan replied casually, "I majored in information security. My uncle wanted me to work at customs, but it's too boring there."

Then, turning to Du Sheng with her lively eyes sparkling, she asked, "Didn't you say you've been working in Hengdian for a few years? What projects have you been in?"

"If you're counting minor roles, quite a few," Du Sheng said with a calm expression, neither exaggerating nor downplaying his past.

"Recently, I worked on The Drunken Hero, The Sword of the Third Master, and Wind and Cloud, though only as a stunt double."

Du Sheng neither overinflated his experience for the sake of pride nor belittled his situation. With his lottery cheat, as long as he didn't mess up, he was destined to rise above.

Years later, they might even look back on this meeting with amazement.

The group continued chatting in a relaxed atmosphere. At one point, the young actor who had spoken earlier got up to sing a song, but his off-key performance was painful to endure.

Since there wasn't a house singer at the bar that night, the owner, noticing the awkward silence, beckoned to Du Sheng.

That's right—Du Sheng was the bar's occasional stand-in singer.

Ever since his high school days, whenever he couldn't land acting gigs during breaks, he'd work part-time singing in bars.

It wasn't unusual. Many now-famous singers and actors had once performed in bars and clubs before making it big, including Zhou Shen, Meng Ran, and Rain God.

For every success story, there were countless unknowns, like Du Sheng, who sang just to make ends meet.

Seeing him stand up, Zheng Ziyan and the others looked on with interest.

"The band got pulled to a nearby music festival, and Xiao Liu hasn't shown up yet. Cover for him," the owner said, extending three fingers. "Three songs, ninety bucks!"

While this wasn't his first time, the usual rate was only sixty. Tonight's bump in pay wasn't due to Du Sheng's singing skills but rather his good looks, which appealed to the bar's wealthy female patrons.

Du Sheng accepted without complaint, confidently stepping onto the small stage.

"Good evening, everyone. I'm Xiao Du. Tonight, I'll be performing a new song by A-do, He Must Really Love You. I hope you enjoy it."

As he spoke, Du Sheng silently spent 1,000 reputation points to upgrade his singing skill to Lv2: Proficient.

In an instant, his pitch accuracy, vocal tone, resonance, breath control, diction, range, and musicality all improved significantly.

As a budding actor, he would likely rely on this skill in the future, so the investment was worth it.

Most of the crowd continued chatting, with only a few glancing toward the stage.

In small bars like this, unless you were a big name, no one paid much attention to who was singing.

The only reason anyone cared tonight was because Du Sheng mentioned performing A-do's latest hit, He Must Really Love You, released just a few months ago.

Soft, gentle chords filled the air as Du Sheng closed his eyes and began to sing:

"I hide in the car,

Holding champagne,

Planning to surprise you

On your birthday…"

Although Du Sheng lacked A-do's signature husky voice, he infused the song with genuine sorrow, bringing out its emotional depth.

While older patrons might not have been fans of this style, the younger crowd loved it.

"Not bad, he's got some skill!"

Even Zheng Ziyan and her friends, initially watching out of politeness, were surprised.

Du Sheng's voice had a unique quality—crystal clear with a touch of mellow richness.

From the first note, he conveyed a subtle melancholy that drew listeners in.

Soon, the small audience began shifting their attention to the stage.

When some young women noticed Du Sheng's handsome face, confident posture, and heartfelt performance, their eyes lit up.

"As you walk closer,

Two voices fill the air.

I freeze in shock,

Not knowing what to do.

I should've been under the car,

Not sitting inside…"

On the left side of the bar, a woman suddenly lifted her head.

"Hmm? It's him?"

Her voice was cool and elegant, carrying an air of sophistication.

Seated opposite her was a slightly chubby middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses, exuding a literary charm.

He put down his drink, glanced at the stage, and teased, "Director Zhong, is he an old acquaintance of yours?"

The two had been collaborating on film projects for years, so their conversations were casual.

One of the man's most notable works, The Blade Series, had been funded by this very woman.

The woman, addressed as Director Zhong, fell silent for a moment. A flicker of complexity crossed her gaze.

"You've heard about the incident with one of my productions earlier this year, haven't you? The stuntman who fell and broke his leg was his foster father."

If Du Sheng had looked her way, he would have immediately recognized her: Zhong Zhen, the owner of Zhongyao Film.

After his foster father's accident, the production crew not only refused to compensate him but also denied covering medical expenses, claiming he had been negligent despite adequate safety measures.

Angered, Du Sheng's previous self had blocked the investors' vehicles in

protest, eventually securing partial compensation after much effort.

And one of those investors? Zhong Zhen.

How could he not remember?