Chapter 19.2
He recognized the person.
Before the competition, he had also received the profiles of all the contestants.
This time, Chuangxing Entertainment sent over seven trainees. As their partnership with TX was quite close, Xiang Qingwei's team naturally had access to the same internal information.
Ning Yang, from Hua Ying Pictures.
Hua Ying was a giant in the industry, and Chuangxing Entertainment was merely a small workshop in comparison.
Their manager told them that Ning Yang's manager was also Ling Jiayi and Tao Yuner's manager, who had gained fame after launching the careers of the two celebrities last year.
But apart from this, there was no other information available.
They only knew his company and manager; it seemed that before becoming a celebrity, Ning Yang had been a complete nobody, with not even a single piece of background information available.
No one could have expected him to secure the center spot before anyone else.
Yao Yuan's gaze darkened slightly.
At this moment, the importance of the order of appearance became clear.
26 is indeed a lucky number, Xiang Qingwei thought as he saw Yao Yuan take the second spot.
"Looks like your Ning Yang's luck isn't bad at all. If Yao Yuan had performed first, he would have taken the center spot," Miss K said.
Anyone with eyes could tell that Yao Yuan also wanted the center spot.
But it had already been taken, so he had no choice but to settle for second best.
"Luck is also a form of ability," Xiang Qingwei said with a smile.
"I agree," Miss K said.
All 100 contestants had entered the venue, the footage was shot, and it was now time for lunch.
Miss K had been roasting the entire morning.
"This Anxu's nose is still swollen. They were a bit too hasty sending him over."
"This contestant is too short, probably not even 170 centimeters. If they debut, the height differences will be too stark."
"Does this team's makeup artist have a grudge against them? The foundation is way too thick, like it's free."
"This contestant has over a million followers on Weibo, and his online presence is quite high. His profile on Weibo looks quite good, so how come his real face is... so sharp?"
"This contestant is definitely gay. Look at the way he looks at Ning Yang."
Only after all the contestants and staff had gone to eat did Miss K finally stop talking.
To thank her, Xiang Qingwei invited her out for a meal.
As they ate and drank, the two chatted merrily. Miss K was in a good mood, as today was the first day of recording for her new show, and the conversation flowed smoothly.
After their meal, the two got in a car and drove back to the venue.
When they were about to enter the elevator, they noticed the doors were just about to close.
"Wait!" Xiang Qingwei called out.
The elevator doors reopened.
"Thank you," Xiang Qingwei said, then walked into the elevator with Miss K.
"Eh? Teacher Zhou Yuehe, you're here so early?" Miss K suddenly said.
Xiang Qingwei finally looked up and came face-to-face with a pair of deep black eyes.
Zhou Yuehe stood inside the elevator, looking down at her, wordless.
Xiang Qingwei's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't expected to run into him so suddenly; she was caught off guard. Inside the elevator with him was his assistant.
The Zhou Yuehe before her, having crossed the span of three years, was no longer the quiet young man at the dinner table three years ago. His black hair was combed neatly back, showing off his handsome facial features.
Xiang Qingwei's impression of him was still rooted in their encounter three years ago. Recalling it now, she could only remember how clean and fresh he looked back then.
Upon closer inspection today, she discovered he had a strikingly handsome face, with sharp and beautiful eyes and brows, and that he was quite tall, forcing her to tilt her chin up slightly to meet his gaze.
The clean aura enveloping him had weakened significantly, replaced by a calm and composed coldness.
"Let me introduce you—Zhou Yuehe, this is my friend Xiang Qingwei, an excellent talent manager as well." As if she were unaware they knew each other, Miss K smiled as she made the introductions.
Zhou Yuehe simply looked at her, as if waiting for her to greet him first.
Xiang Qingwei couldn't help but recall the young man from three years ago, who had waited for her outside the bathroom, his face flushed, just to thank her.
He certainly has changed a lot after becoming famous.
A hint of nostalgia welled up in Xiang Qingwei's heart, and a courteous, warm smile appeared on her face, as though they were meeting for the first time. "Hello."
"Hello." The man's voice was flat, without any discernible emotion. He coldly withdrew his gaze from her, his raven-black eyelashes lowering heavily to conceal all emotion within his deep-set eyes.
The elevator reached the fifth floor.
Zhou Yuehe nodded slightly to the two women before walking off with his assistant in a different direction.
"What happened? Did he not recognize you?" Miss K watched Zhou Yuehe depart, then turned to Xiang Qingwei. "Last time we met, he seemed quite affable. Why is he so cold today?"
"It's not like we've met more than once; it's normal for him not to remember me. Maybe he's in a bad mood. Let's go." Xiang Qingwei walked off.
The assistant trailing behind Zhou Yuehe felt a strange unease. For some reason, the woman named Xiang, who had been in the elevator earlier, felt familiar. He thought he had seen her somewhere before, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't recall it.
Perhaps he'd seen her at some event before, the assistant thought. He quickly pushed these thoughts aside and sped up to catch Zhou Yuehe, unsure of why the man seemed to have become quite displeased as soon as they exited the elevator.
Though Xiang Qingwei spoke of her encounter with Zhou Yuehe in a light-hearted manner, her mind was still occupied with the reaction Zhou Yuehe had shown in the elevator.
She carefully analyzed his expression and attitude at that moment, realizing that it was exactly as she had expected.
Zhou Yuehe recognized her, but just as she had thought, the humiliation she had caused him many years ago also came back to his mind. That was why his attitude was so icy; he clearly wanted to avoid any association with her.
Fortunately, she hadn't attempted to strike up a conversation or act familiar with him, instead pretending not to remember him at all. Otherwise, it may have backfired.
Xiang Qingwei began to worry about the dinner banquet tonight.
The recording session this afternoon would determine their initial rankings.
The order of performance would still follow the order of the random draw.
In China, only Star Creation Entertainment had substantial experience training idol groups. The other small companies were more like local workshops, producing trainees with varying levels of ability. Even within the same company, the quality of the groups differed greatly.
A total of four mentors would be present, along with an additional host responsible for managing the event.
Aside from Zhou Yuehe, the other three mentors were also well-known figures in the industry, though Xiang Qingwei had never worked with them personally.
Of the four mentors, three were male and one was female.
Zhou Yuehe, the vocal coach, also served as the musical director of the entire program.
The other three mentors included a singing and dancing mentor, a top-tier K-pop group member who had recently been released from his contract with a large entertainment company, and now a popular young celebrity Xue Fan; a dance mentor, once crowned Asia's Dance King, and highly respected by the masses, Lin Yuzhe; and lastly, a member of a true "girl group" that had been popular for over two decades, Luo Wenxuan.
The founder of the program was Wei Cheng, an artist with group experience who had recently become a regular on various variety shows due to his entertaining personality, which garnered him favor among the masses.
After observing the performances of ten teams, Xiang Qingwei took note of the four mentors' styles of providing feedback.
Zhou Yuehe's comments were blunt and straightforward, pointing out the contestants' strengths and weaknesses without hesitation.
Xue Fan, perhaps due to his upbringing in a top-tier group, maintained an exceptionally stern expression and offered particularly strict critiques.
In contrast, the other two senior mentors were much gentler.
Luo Wenxuan, in particular, maintained a wide smile throughout the entire performance.
Wei Cheng was responsible for announcing the final grades of each contestant.
It was worth noting that when Zhou Yuehe and Xue Fan, known for his ethereal beauty, appeared on screen together, the latter did not outshine the former. In fact, Xiang Qingwei found Zhou Yuehe's presence more captivating.
At this time, the twelfth group of competitors stood on stage.
"Tan Yi, your final score is—B."
The competitor clad in a black suit bowed. "Thank you, mentor."
A clamor arose from the contestants on the pyramid.
"Tan Yi got a B?"
"How could Tan Yi get a B?"
"...His performance was a bit shaky..."
Up to this point, not a single A had been awarded. Only two contestants had received Bs, while six received Fs, with the rest scoring in the C and D ranges.
"The mentors are so strict."
"That should have been an A, right?"
"Tan Yi only got a B?"
"My goodness! That's so strict!"
"Sideburn got a C? Good heavens..."
"I'm done for, I'm definitely going to Class F."
Some of the competitors who were expected to perform well hadn't met expectations.
The remaining competitors, still yet to perform, began to grow anxious at the unexpected severity of the mentors' scoring.
By the time the twenty-third group took the stage, it was seven o'clock in the evening.
Still, not a single A had been awarded.
Even the directors felt uneasy, and they began discussing whether they should consult with the mentors about loosening up the scoring.
Meanwhile, staff members notified Ning Yang that it was time for him to prepare to take the stage.
"Almost at your Ning Yang's turn." Miss K started drinking her coffee again. "Hope he can break this stalemate and get us our first A."
The ease on her face had disappeared.
Their plan was to have at least six A-class performers after the first round of auditions, but with the current results, more than half of the performers had already gone on stage without a single A-class score in sight.
If this continued, the worst-case scenario would be that they'd have to reshoot the entire episode.
The result for the twenty-fifth group of contestants was announced.
They bowed and exited the stage, then climbed back onto the pyramid to find their designated spots.
Wei Cheng picked up the microphone. "Next, please welcome the twenty-sixth group of contestants."
Xiang Qingwei unconsciously sat up straight, eyes glued to the monitor.
On the screen, the name "Huaying" appeared on the practice studio's big board.
The contestants on the pyramid immediately buzzed with chatter.
Anyone even slightly familiar with the entertainment industry would know Huaying.
"Huaying! They're a big company!"
"Compared to Huaying, our company is just a little workshop."
"Wow! They're impressive."
"This company must not lack for funds."
Meanwhile, when Zhou Yuehe saw "Huaying" appear on the screen, his eyes flickered imperceptibly.
When Ning Yang stepped onto the stage, the contestants once again stirred.
"So it's him."
"I knew it! He looked so refined, he had to be from Hua Ying."
"I feel like his looks are just right for an actor."
"As expected from a company as big as them, he's certainly different."
These eighteen- and nineteen-year-old youths had yet to develop deep scheming minds and reserved characters; instead, they were almost endearingly naive.
"Hello, mentors and producers. I'm a trainee from Hua Ying, Ning Yang." Ning Yang bowed deeply after he spoke.
"Wow, this contestant is so handsome! His appearance is just perfect," Luo Wenxuan said, her eyes glued on Ning Yang, her gaze sparkling brightly.
Xue Fan flipped through the file placed in front of him, then looked expressionlessly at Ning Yang. "I saw on your profile that you've only practiced for one month?"
"That's correct," Ning Yang replied.
Xue Fan frowned. "You have no prior dance training?"
"None whatsoever," Ning Yang responded, neither haughty nor humble, but calm and collected.
"Quite poised," Miss K commented on Ning Yang's performance thus far.
Xiang Qingwei said nothing, merely watching the surveillance footage intently.
Luo Wenxuan asked, "What song will you be performing?"
"It's a song I wrote myself," Ning Yang said.
"You write your own songs? That's fantastic!" Luo Wenxuan said. "Go ahead, start now."
Ning Yang nodded.
The staff set up the microphone and stool behind the stage.
Ning Yang received a guitar from a staff member, thanked him, then sat down on the stool, adjusted the height of the microphone, and began strumming.
"Ladies and gentlemen, he's so handsome," Luo Wenxuan once again commented, "and his legs are so long."
"That's enough," her close friend Lin Yuzhe joked from beside her.
"Looks like Wenxuan-nee is indeed a fan of pretty faces." Wei Cheng laughed as he teased Luo Wenxuan.
Throughout this entire process, Zhou Yuehe remained silent.
Ning Yang was ready, and the mentors quieted down, putting on their headphones.
Ning Yang lowered his head slightly, his thick eyelashes obscuring his gaze. His lips gently pressed against the microphone. "The name of this song is 'Unrequited Love'."
Luo Wenxuan pressed her right hand to her ear, listening to Ning Yang's voice through the headphones, pleasantly surprised. "His voice is also very nice."
The contestants in the pyramid reacted with a wave of "ohs" and "aahs."
The moment the first strum of the guitar rang out, the crowd hushed.
Ning Yang kept his head bowed. Light shone through the gaps between his thick eyelashes, casting shadows beneath his eyes and hiding all emotion within them.
His slender fingers plucked gently at the strings, singing softly with a voice clear and clean like a stream flowing through the mountains.
"Wow—"
The contestants all gasped, glancing at one another and seeing the surprise in their eyes.
"Speechless."
"This voice is so clean and nice."
"Wow, this is amazing, the lyrics are also very well-written. He's really talented."
"I have a feeling he's going to get an A."
"I don't think he'll get an A just for singing, maybe a B," the contestants discussed amongst themselves.
Yao Yuan, sitting in the second seat, also gradually grew more serious.
As for the mentors, they too were stunned by the voice that came through the earbuds, exchanging glances with one another.
Zhou Yuehe's gaze was fixed on Ning Yang on stage, his expression extremely focused while listening to the headphones.
"This song was really written by Ning Yang? You didn't hire a ghostwriter, did you?" Miss K joked from the surveillance room.
Xiang Qingwei listened to the song attentively.
This "Unrequited Love" was indeed very moving. The lyrics and melody were simple, but upon closer listening, it sounded like the songwriter had casually documented their feelings, capturing the bittersweetness of unrequited love.
The last note floated gently into the air.
The contestants cheered and clapped.
"Thank you," Ning Yang said, standing up after putting his guitar down and bowing slightly.
"You wrote both the lyrics and melody of this song?" Luo Wenxuan asked, eager to know, after removing her headphones.
"Yes, I did," Ning Yang replied.
"Wow, it's great! I really like it!" Luo Wenxuan didn't bother hiding her admiration and fondness for Ning Yang.
"I think this song's going to be popular," Lin Yuzhe said. "Even though the lyrics and melody are simple, they're very moving."
The contestants all expressed their envy.
"Thank you, teachers," Ning Yang said. Despite receiving such high praise, his face showed no sign of joy; he remained composed and cool.
"How calm he is," Luo Wenxuan commented.
"His stage presence is excellent," Lin Yuzhe said.
Xue Fan nodded in agreement, then turned to look at Ning Yang. "You prepared a dance, right?"
"Yes, I did."
Xue Fan nodded. "All right, you may begin."
The staff members had already carried the guitar, chair, and microphone off the stage.
Ning Yang nodded, handed the mic to the staff, and began to prepare.
The music started playing.
Ning Yang abruptly lifted his head, then lowered his chin slightly, perfectly in sync with the beat.
At that moment, even his demeanor changed.
"Wow!" The contestants were stunned by this sudden change and couldn't help but gasp.
"I thought he had only been dancing for a month? How can he be so good?"
"Now I feel like I'm just a noob..."
"This is way too good. There's no way he's only a month into learning."
"The timing is so precise."
"This has to be an A."
Miss K also couldn't help but wonder, "Did he really just start learning to dance a month ago?"
"Strictly speaking, it's only been twenty-eight days," Xiang Qingwei said with a faint smile.
Her previously anxious heart finally settled back into her abdomen.
This first A, Ning Yang had firmly grasped in his hand.
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