The More Tragic I Act, the Stronger I Get — My Fans Beg Me to Stop Killing Off My Roles-Chapter 48: Do You Have a Cello Hidden in Your Throat?

Jiang Ci was completely stunned.

He never expected that his god-tier performance that harvested Heartbreak Value would be seen by this girl as a problematic performance?

She completely failed to grasp the heart-wrenching depth of emotion, instead analyzing whether he was using his "acting muscles" correctly?

Xia Meng seemed oblivious to his astonishment, continuing her analysis in that emotionless tone.

"And that scene where you lost focus while teaching Su Nian sword techniques - your emotions were very infectious, but they were unstable."

"Your hand trembling was subconscious, it was you being seized by 'feeling' in that moment, losing control of your body. This kind of improvised, uncontrollable 'feeling' is taboo in stage performance."

She finally turned her head, truly looking at Jiang Ci for the first time.

Her gaze was pure, so pure it contained only examination and judgment.

"The character Ma Lu - his obsession and madness are logical. Every outburst is the accumulation of countless previous suppressions and struggles. His love is a clearly structured, pathological geometric form."

"I need a stable partner. An opponent who can precisely replicate emotional logic and physical reactions in every performance."

She paused, delivering her conclusion.

"Not an unprofessional actor who might be carried away by his own 'feelings' at any moment."

Jiang Ci looked at her, and the spark of offense in his heart extinguished the moment it met her pure, almost ignorant eyes.

Not only was he not angry, he actually felt like laughing.

He tugged at the corner of his mouth, revealing a faint smile.

"So," he spoke softly, breaking the silence, "you watch my performance like you're examining the steps to solving a math problem?"

Xia Meng seemed unprepared for this question.

For the first time, tiny ripples appeared in her placid, ancient-well eyes.

She remained silent for a moment.

Then, almost imperceptibly, she nodded.

"You could put it that way."

He withdrew his smile, his expression becoming complex.

There was no disdain at being questioned in his eyes.

Only pity and sorrow.

"That must be terribly boring, right?"

Jiang Ci's voice was soft, yet it pierced her accurately.

"Only able to see the skeleton, but never the soul."

Boom!

Xia Meng felt as if something invisible had violently stabbed her heart.

Instinctively, she retreated half a step in a flustered retreat.

She abruptly avoided Jiang Ci's gaze, turned around, and quickly walked away as if fleeing in defeat.

The sound of high heels striking the floor echoed through the empty hallway, sounding particularly hurried and flustered.

Jiang Ci stood in place, watching her disappear around the hallway corner without moving.

He just stood quietly, the pity on his face lingering for a long time.

Xia Meng rushed around the corner in one breath, only stopping when her back heavily collided with the cold wall.

Her heart was beating wildly in her chest, out of control.

That feeling of being instantly seen through just now... was terrifying.

It made her feel more exposed than any harsh criticism or accusation.

She gasped for air, her fingertips icy cold.

She pulled something from her dress pocket.

It was a small bear pendant, its edges already frayed from constant rubbing.

She clenched the little bear tightly in her palm, the rough fabric pressing into her palm, the slight stinging sensation finally calming her chaotic heartbeat somewhat.

"Only able to see the skeleton, but never the soul..."

Jiang Ci's words, that look in his eyes, echoed in her mind like a curse over and over.

A long-buried panic that she had forcibly forgotten began breaking through from the depths of her memory.

Before her eyes appeared that opulent competition hall from years ago.

Under the spotlight, her younger self perfectly executed every performance.

The judges below whispered among themselves, until finally, the most authoritative judge picked up the microphone and, facing her, pronounced her "death sentence" in a cold, regretful tone.

"Talent without emotion is just advanced acrobatics."

...

Jiang Ci returned to the dormitory, plopping into his chair, still thinking about Xia Meng's words.

This girl...

She was a volcano frozen in ice.

She didn't know how to release it, was even afraid to release it.

Jiang Ci's train of thought suddenly took an unusual turn.

A technically perfect, emotionally closed-off actress.

A soul that had completely locked itself away, yet yearned to be understood.

If he could make her heartbreak just once...

How much Heartbreak Value would that yield?!

Jiang Ci's heartbeat accelerated slightly.

It wasn't that he had developed interest in Xia Meng as a person.

He had developed strong "academic interest" in her potential as a "Heartbreak Value treasure trove."

Stage performance - Teacher Liu Guodong was right, it was a magnifying glass.

His rough methods of relying on system skills to get by on film sets would easily be exposed on stage.

Xia Meng's technique was textbook-level; if he slipped up even slightly, he would appear amateurish next to her.

To harvest Heartbreak Value, he first needed to stand firm himself.

He had to at least not be completely crushed by her technically.

Jiang Ci focused his will, opening the system panel only he could see.

【Host: Jiang Ci】

【Life Countdown: 101 days】

【Current Heartbreak Value: 1258 points】

Facing the upcoming Graduation Play and his technically skilled partner Xia Meng.

He needed to upgrade his skills.

Jiang Ci's gaze went directly to the 【System Store】.

A dazzling array of skill names slowly scrolled across the light screen.

He remembered refreshing a pretty awesome skill before: 【Quick Mastery of Line Delivery (Beginner)】.

After searching briefly, he indeed found it in the performance skills category.

【Quick Mastery of Line Delivery (Beginner)】

【Type: Acting Skill (Permanent)】

【Effect: After exchange, host will immediately possess the line delivery skills of a stage actor. Your voice will be full of magnetism and emotional appeal.】

【Price: 1000 points Heartbreak Value】

On stage, an actor's voice is their weapon.

Only with this could he qualify for technical equality with Xia Meng.

Jiang Ci didn't hesitate in the slightest.

"System, exchange for 【Quick Mastery of Line Delivery (Beginner)】!"

Buzz—

A low hum seemed to resonate in his mind.

The Heartbreak Value on the panel instantly plummeted from 1258 points to 258 points.

Simultaneously, a warm, gentle current appeared out of nowhere in his throat.

His throat felt itchy, tingling.

The entire process lasted about ten seconds.

When the warm current completely integrated into his body and disappeared, Jiang Ci felt his throat had become unprecedentedly clear and relaxed.

He had a strong premonition.

His voice was already different.

He cleared his throat; there was no discomfort, instead a feeling of eager anticipation.

He opened his mouth and tentatively produced the simplest single syllable.

"Ah—"

The moment the sound emerged, Jiang Ci himself was stunned.

This... is my voice?

The voice was deep, full.

The sound reverberated in the small dorm room.

"Holy shit!"

An exclamation suddenly came from the opposite bed.

Chen Mo, who had been buried in his books, abruptly looked up, adjusting his nearly slipping glasses.

He stared wide-eyed at Jiang Ci with a horrified, ghost-seeing expression.

"You... did you hide a cello in your throat?"