The training room inside Aurora Entertainment was quiet that afternoon.
Large windows stretched across one side of the room, allowing pale sunlight to spill across the polished wooden floor. Mirrors covered the opposite wall, reflecting every movement made inside the space.
Jin Taoran stood in the center of the room, holding the script for Ashes of the Fallen Dynasty.
Even though the audition had already ended, he continued practicing.
He repeated the same scene again and again.
The soldier.
The battlefield.
The final moment before death.
Every repetition revealed something new.
Something deeper.
Lu Cheng sat in a chair near the window, watching silently.
He had been observing Jin Taoran for nearly an hour.
Not once had he interrupted.
Not once had he offered another correction.
Instead, he simply watched.
Actors revealed their true nature during practice.
Some grew tired quickly.
Some became impatient.
Some repeated mistakes without realizing it.
But Jin Taoran was different.
Each time he repeated the scene, his performance improved slightly.
Small adjustments.
Subtle improvements.
It was the behavior of someone who genuinely loved acting.
Finally, Jin Taoran stopped and exhaled slowly.
His breathing was heavier now.
He wiped a thin layer of sweat from his forehead.
"You're pushing too hard," Lu Cheng said calmly.
Jin Taoran turned toward him.
"I still feel like something is missing."
Lu Cheng tilted his head slightly.
"What part?"
Jin Taoran looked down at the script.
"The last line."
"Restore our home."
He frowned slightly.
"It feels… incomplete."
Lu Cheng studied him for a moment.
Then he stood up and walked closer.
"Why do you think it's incomplete?"
Jin Taoran hesitated.
"Because Liang Wei dies believing the prince will succeed."
Lu Cheng nodded.
"Yes."
"But the audience doesn't know if the prince will succeed."
Lu Cheng's lips curved faintly.
"So the line isn't just encouragement."
He tapped the script once.
"It's faith."
Jin Taoran blinked.
Faith.
The word settled slowly in his mind.
Lu Cheng continued.
"Liang Wei isn't telling the prince to rebuild the kingdom."
His voice softened slightly.
"He's telling him that the kingdom still exists."
Jin Taoran's eyes widened slightly.
Because that interpretation changed everything.
The line wasn't desperate.
It was hopeful.
Even in death.
Lu Cheng stepped back.
"Try it again."
Jin Taoran nodded slowly.
He returned to the center of the room.
Closed his eyes.
The battlefield appeared once more.
The dust.
The smoke.
The exhaustion.
But this time, when he imagined the prince behind him…
He didn't imagine a frightened boy.
He imagined a future king.
The arrow struck.
The pain came.
But when Liang Wei looked up…
His smile carried belief.
"Restore… our home."
This time, the words sounded different.
Not like a dying wish.
Like a promise.
When Jin Taoran finished the scene, the room felt strangely quiet.
Lu Cheng watched him for several seconds.
Then he nodded.
"Better."
Jin Taoran laughed softly.
"I see what you meant now."
Lu Cheng returned to his chair.
"Good."
Before Jin Taoran could speak again, his phone vibrated on the nearby table.
He glanced at the screen.
Unknown number.
Jin Taoran answered.
"Hello?"
A familiar voice spoke from the other end.
"Mr. Jin?"
It was the casting manager from the audition.
Jin Taoran straightened slightly.
"Yes."
The man chuckled lightly.
"I suppose congratulations are in order."
Jin Taoran froze.
"You mean—"
"You got the role."
For a moment, Jin Taoran couldn't speak.
Even though he had believed in his performance…
Hearing the confirmation still felt surreal.
The casting manager continued.
"The director insisted."
He laughed quietly.
"Some of the producers wanted a famous actor."
Jin Taoran glanced at Lu Cheng.
Lu Cheng raised an eyebrow.
"What happened?" he asked silently.
Jin Taoran covered the phone slightly.
"I got the role."
Lu Cheng nodded calmly.
As if he had expected that result all along.
The casting manager continued speaking on the phone.
"Filming starts in two weeks."
Jin Taoran blinked.
"So soon?"
"It's a tight schedule."
The man paused slightly.
"But the director believes your performance will make the scene memorable."
Jin Taoran smiled faintly.
"I won't disappoint him."
After ending the call, he leaned back against the wall.
For a moment, he simply stood there quietly.
Five days ago, he had been a disgraced extra actor with a ruined career.
Now he had just secured his first real role in a major production.
The difference felt enormous.
Lu Cheng spoke from across the room.
"How do you feel?"
Jin Taoran thought about the question carefully.
Then he answered honestly.
"Like I'm finally standing on the starting line."
Lu Cheng's eyes glinted faintly.
"Good."
Because many actors became complacent after getting their first role.
But Jin Taoran still understood something important.
This was only the beginning.
Lu Cheng picked up his coat.
"Let's leave."
Jin Taoran blinked.
"Where are we going?"
Lu Cheng walked toward the door.
"To celebrate."
Jin Taoran laughed.
"You celebrate?"
Lu Cheng paused slightly.
Then he said dryly,
"Occasionally."
---
That evening, they arrived at a quiet restaurant not far from Aurora's headquarters.
The place was elegant but private.
Soft lighting.
Muted conversations.
No photographers or fans.
Clearly a location where celebrities could relax without attention.
They sat at a table near the window.
The assistant joined them a few minutes later, carrying a tablet.
"Congratulations, Mr. Jin," he said with a warm smile.
"You've caused quite a debate today."
Jin Taoran raised an eyebrow.
"A debate?"
The assistant chuckled.
"The producers didn't want to choose an unknown actor."
Lu Cheng poured himself a glass of tea.
"What changed their minds?"
The assistant tapped the tablet.
A video began playing.
It was the recording of Jin Taoran's audition.
The camera zoomed in on his performance.
Even through the screen, the emotion felt intense.
The assistant said quietly,
"The director played this three times."
He looked at Jin Taoran.
"And every time he said the same thing."
Jin Taoran leaned forward slightly.
"What did he say?"
The assistant smiled.
"He said the audience would remember this soldier."
Lu Cheng watched the video silently.
Then he turned off the tablet.
"Don't let it get to your head."
Jin Taoran nodded.
"I won't."
Because he understood something else.
The scene was only five minutes long.
Even if it was memorable, it wouldn't make him famous overnight.
But it would introduce him to the industry.
And that was enough.
Dinner arrived a few minutes later.
They ate quietly for a while.
Then the assistant suddenly said something interesting.
"Your former agency contacted Aurora today."
Jin Taoran looked up.
"What did they want?"
The assistant smiled faintly.
"They wanted to 'clarify misunderstandings.'"
Lu Cheng laughed quietly.
"Too late."
Jin Taoran understood immediately.
Now that Aurora had signed him…
His former agency realized they had made a mistake.
The assistant continued.
"They also released a statement withdrawing the assault accusation."
Jin Taoran wasn't surprised.
Aurora's legal team probably forced them to do it.
His reputation was already recovering.
Lu Cheng finished his tea.
Then he looked at Jin Taoran carefully.
"One more question."
Jin Taoran raised an eyebrow.
"Yes?"
Lu Cheng's gaze sharpened slightly.
"When you act…"
He paused.
"How do you create that emotional resonance?"
The question hung quietly in the air.
Because Lu Cheng wasn't asking casually.
He was genuinely curious.
Jin Taoran thought carefully before answering.
"I imagine the character's life."
Lu Cheng nodded slowly.
"Most actors do."
"But you go deeper."
Jin Taoran hesitated.
Because the real answer involved the system.
Instead, he said something simpler.
"I try to believe the character is real."
Lu Cheng studied him for a long moment.
Then he leaned back slightly.
"Good."
He didn't ask further questions.
But inside his mind, curiosity remained.
Because the emotional resonance he sensed from Jin Taoran…
Was stronger than it should be.
Much stronger.
Across the restaurant window, the city lights shimmered across the dark streets.
The entertainment industry continued moving as always.
Producers negotiated deals.
Actors competed for roles.
Directors searched for new talent.
And somewhere within that vast industry…
A young actor had just taken his first step onto the stage.
His name wasn't famous yet.
But soon—
It would become impossible to ignore.
Jin Taoran.