Now, a new scene unfolded before everyone's eyes. Shuying was six years and twelve months old, and another cold season had arrived.
At the beginning of the footage, Shuying was secretly buying books again. Reading had become one of the few things she genuinely loved. To keep the man from discovering them, she carefully buried the books beneath the tree in the community courtyard.
Wrapped in a thick padded jacket, she stood on tiptoe, clutching a small shovel in her tiny hands as she cautiously dug through the frozen soil. After digging for a while, she finally uncovered a stack of exercise books. On top of them was a familiar note, and it read: [After finishing your homework, continue being your eighteenth-tier female supporting actress.]
The moment she saw it, anger surged through her chest. Hugging the exercise books tightly, she stormed back to her bedroom and began practicing her lines. However, she ignored the lines written in the script for those shallow, one-dimensional supporting roles. Under this man's constant criticism and stimulation, what she truly practiced were words that embodied authority and dominance.
From the living room, sarcastic remarks drifted in from time to time. "That's all you've got? Do you even understand who Ying Zheng was? Is that supposed to be his voice? His presence?"
Every word from the man in the living room irritated Shuying to no end. Finally, she could no longer endure it.
"Then you do it yourself!" she shouted.
"I can't." A voice answered from the living room.
Shuying gritted her teeth, preparing to ignore him completely.
But then, the old radio crackled. "But the radio can."
Then... It was as though time itself had frozen. At that moment, Shuying heard the most hoarse and lonely voice of her life. It was like a sword leaving its scabbard, sharp enough to sever everything before it, including the person wielding it.
"He was a man who crawled out from darkness itself. As a hostage prince in Zhao, he suffered humiliation beyond reason, but he never surrendered. He climbed out of that abyss with his own hands. He never allowed that proud spine to bend. His convictions were unwavering. His spirit remained unbroken. His ambitions towered above the heavens."
Inside Shuying's bedroom, her young mind was completely captivated. To the little girl she was then, this was the most textured and compelling voice she had ever heard. Hoarse and cold, like a hawk that had endured years of wind and frost. Every word was articulated with absolute clarity, and every sentence was delivered with calm restraint.
Gradually, the image of a young emperor formed in her imagination. She closed her eyes, desperately trying to memorize the scene created by that voice. The voice rose again. It was no longer merely restrained, and it had become overbearing. Thus, he faced all things without fear.
His will was as steadfast as light itself, as though stepping across the galaxy. Until, eventually, he stood as the ruler of the entire world. His hands were stained with blood, all to forge an era of greatness. For him, whether there was a path ahead or not, he would carve one out with his own hands because he was the true king.
Boom! It was like the ringing of an ancient bell. Like the final sealing of a coffin. Within her mind, the image of a youthful emperor emerged completely. Fierce as a falcon, majestic as a tiger, and proud beyond compare.
At that moment, she instinctively began to imitate him. Then she spoke. "You are arrogant... and unworthy of being my enemy."
It appeared. Within that humble environment, a young girl dressed in ordinary clothes uttered those words. Yet the aura she radiated was elegant and overwhelmingly domineering. Her presence was breathtaking.
At that moment, everyone watching the program became enthusiastic.
"It's this scene! Because of this moment, the perfect template for the young emperor was born!" Xuejian spoke excitedly. It felt as though he had returned to those unforgettable years. This young girl's portrayal of imperial dominance had completely captivated the audience.
However, Xuejian frowned slightly.
"Which radio station did that broadcaster belong to back then?" he asked curiously. "That performance was incredible."
The others were equally curious.
On the screen, the old radio remained beside the bed, its static crackling softly. Nearby stood a slightly overweight man outside Shuying's bedroom door, and his tone changed. Gone was the awkward dialect. Gone was the weak and timid voice. What remained... Was genuine dominance.
Especially when he said: "Whether there is a road ahead or not, he will carve out a path to survival."
The moment those words left his mouth, everything changed. The hidden hostility and overwhelming aura within him erupted instantly. Sharp eyebrows like unsheathed swords. Grease stains from repairing cars earlier that morning still lingered on his face. His pupils were slightly swollen from the medication he had been taking. Yet within those eyes burned a savage pride that gave form to a cold and imposing emperor.
After finishing the performance, he casually switched off the radio and reverted to his usual dialect.
"What a lousy radio," he said indifferently.
"Can that really be Ying Zheng? Doesn't seem like it. Too weak. Not nearly enough." His tone remained casual.
But inside the bedroom, Shuying nearly bared her teeth in frustration. Too weak? That wasn't enough to be Ying Zheng? She was furious.
However, determined to prove him wrong, she forcibly suppressed her emotions. Carefully controlling her breathing, adjusting her tone, and refining every detail of her performance, she tried with all her might to surpass the "radio broadcaster" she had heard only moments before.