Even if the mentality factor was at play, it was also an extremely important factor in stage performance.
“So, I heard that in the end, they did another round of selection. But the second-string team’s capabilities were real, so even if they chose again, the people in the second-string team still kept their positions and were not replaced,” Han Leilei said.
“Even then, they kept getting talked about by others because of their poor performance at that time. Many people said that they were quite capable in their own school but lost confidence the moment they went out and won’t be able to compare to anyone else. They were like tigers at home but rats outside,” Han Leilei said and laughed.
At the mention of this, she could finally ease a bit of the pressure she felt.
“But it’s also because of this that Howard and those people bear quite a huge grudge against us,” Han Leilei said. “Shana is still okay, actually. She didn’t make things difficult for us like those people. It’s really because our abilities really can’t cut it yet she still lost to us before that she more or less feels indignant, but she never made things difficult for us.”
“It’s just Howard and those other people who keep grabbing every opportunity to put us down,” Han Leilei said.
Lu Man frowned and said, “But you guys weren’t the ones who competed with them previously. Back then, when we competed against them, you guys had already gone here. This has nothing to do with you all.”
“They’re probably taking it out on us, especially on me and Xiaoying. We’re from the National Film Academy, so they bear a grudge against us too,” Han Leilei said. “Speaking of that, it’s also because of us National Film Academy students that our other teammates were implicated.”
If Han Leilei and Zhang Xiaoying had only been implicated in the others’ grudge, it was even more so for Tan Mingxiao and the others.
Previously, they had never interacted with Howard and the others.
Tan Mingxiao quickly said, “Don’t say that. We are a team, there’s no such thing as just being implicated or whatnot. And even though we weren’t around when they were competing in the country, we were also happy when we heard that Lu Man had led the other National Film Academy students to win against them hands down.
“Although we weren’t part of it and did not help in any way, Lu Man did the schools in our country proud. As fellow students, we also feel honored and proud. Since we enjoyed such pride and joy and see ourselves as being a part of that,” Tan Mingxiao said, “then how is it reasonable for us to extricate ourselves when trouble comes?”
“I’m telling you this because for the class this afternoon, Howard and the others will also be attending,” Han Leilei said. “Howard already bears such a huge grudge even towards us. If he sees you, the very subject of his ire, I don’t even know what he will do.”
“It’s fine. I’ll think of how to deal with him when I meet him.” Lu Man was not scared at all.
Lu Man had arrived in the morning.
Zhang Xiaoying checked the time and said, “It’s almost noontime. Let’s go have lunch together, treat it as a welcome meal for Lu Man.”
Lu Man noticed that Zhang Xiaoying was really different now.
It seemed like she really wanted to patch things up with her.
To be honest, although Zhang Xiaoying competed against her before, she never used any underhanded means.
So Lu Man never hated Zhang Xiaoying.
If they were to compete, they could just compete against each other.
After competing, she would not pick on her.
So, now that Zhang Xiaoying wanted to patch up, Lu Man was happy to do so too.
“Then let’s go out to eat,” Han Leilei suggested. “We’ll meet many people in the school canteen, so we might not have a good meal there.”
It was fine for them normally. At most, they would just endure some mockery.
But to be able to enroll in an arts college, especially in a film academy, it meant their family’s financial circumstances were not bad, actually.
