The air conditioning inside the building was cranked down very low. Jiang Shiyue’s hand joints were sharply defined as he rigidly maintained his posture of undressing halfway.
His expression remained detached, his head tilted slightly to the side as if expressing puzzlement.
Zhao Yaojin’s face flushed a fiery crimson under that inquiring gaze!
“I, I did not mean to! You go ahead and change.”
He hastily closed the door, leaving the private space entirely to Jiang Shiyue.
Zhao Yaojin covered his pounding heart as the visual he had just witnessed uncontrollably replayed in his mind.
Reality was far more explosive than imagination.
Jiang Shiyue had topped the best-figure rankings for three consecutive years, and a candid video of him changing clothes behind a hotel curtain secretly filmed by paparazzi late at night had once broken the internet, with streets and alleys everywhere discussing the movie star’s sizzling physique.
The hotel glass design was rather fascinating; it looked black from the inside, functioning just like a mirror. Who could have imagined that the indoor scenery could be viewed in crystal-clear panoramic detail from outside the hotel?
Jiang Shiyue evidently had not anticipated this either. At ten o’clock at night in the hotel room, the golden ceiling lights fell upon his waist and abdomen, making his well-defined muscle blocks strikingly clear.
The youth’s muscle definition was not built to an overwhelming, blood-pumping degree of intimidation, but rather possessed just the right amount of lean firmness and relaxed poise.
He had leisurely flipped through a book while appreciating the bustling city and lively streets. Had more and more people not gathered down on the street, he might have needed even longer to discover that he had occupied the number one spot on the trending search rankings.
Unfortunately, once the ranking list was taken down overnight, the entire nation’s population suddenly lost out on a late-night visual treat.
At this very moment, with that high-definition scene replaying right before his eyes, Zhao Yaojin realized the rumors were entirely true.
Before he could banish that fleeting glimpse from his mind, a cool voice sounded from behind him. “The inside is cleared out now, you can go in.”
“Oh, oh.” Zhao Yaojin nodded, looking as obedient as a startled rabbit.
Jiang Shiyue lazily draped his performance outfit over his shoulder. His expression was completely natural, as if the scene from moments before had not disturbed him in the slightest.
“Was it good to watch?” Seeing Zhao Yaojin staring blankly at him, he curved the corners of his lips and teased.
“It was pretty good.” Zhao Yaojin coughed evasively, only to discover that his palms had already broken out in a light sweat.
Seeing Zhao Yaojin answer with such honest sincerity, it was Jiang Shiyue who ended up taken aback.
A faint scent of fresh grass lingered in the air. Subtle and elusive, it smelled as clean and refreshing as the person himself.
Zhao Yaojin bolted into the fitting room as if fleeing for his life and braced his back against the door.
With a sharp click, the door was bolted shut.
This time, taking a lesson from Jiang Shiyue’s oversight, he remembered to lock it.
Embarrassed?
Recalling Zhao Yaojin’s pale pink earlobes, Jiang Shiyue rubbed his fingertips together.
Like a little rabbit, too easily flustered by a bit of teasing.
After finally changing into his outfit, he waited until the other three members of his group emerged one after another.
“Let us go.”
The group of five set off toward the recording studio.
Superstar’s recording studio was exceptionally massive. Entering the building and taking a left led straight into a long hallway lined with floor-to-ceiling mirrors on both sides, with flooring polished to a mirror-like shine.
“This environment is not bad at all!” Yu Xu muttered under his breath, instantly clamping his mouth shut the moment he spotted a camera.
Their microphones were already pinned on. Although it was not a live broadcast, nobody wanted to slip up and say something that could be maliciously edited into the main show and ruin their image.
The preparation room.
The overall color scheme was blue and purple, with five orange-yellow grade placards standing upright along the side:
A, B, C, D, F.
Self-assessed grades.
Glancing around the surroundings, all of them spotted the grade stickers and picked them up with curiosity.
“Self-evaluation grading: please select and attach the sticker representing the grade that matches your own abilities in a conspicuous spot.” An automated mechanical voice startled everyone present.
Fu Yichen hesitated slightly.
Choosing an A might seem insufficiently humble, but what if picking a B caused others to look down on him right from the start?
Turning around, he saw a brightly glowing A sticker plastered right on Zhao Yaojin’s chest.
So arrogant?
Fu Yichen looked on, speechless, and then turned to see Jiang Shiyue, who had already pinned an F onto himself.
He seemed remarkably clear on his own positioning as well.
Goodness, were they all going to such extremes?
Yu Xu curled his lip, peeled off the backing paper from the B-grade sticker, and slapped it boldly across his chest.
Tang Tang, who lacked confidence, also selected an F, yet standing right next to Jiang Shiyue who was also in the F grade, they looked as different as gritty sand and precious jade, their styles worlds apart.
Fu Yichen gritted his teeth. He would take an A as well!
With grades selected, the moment the Starlight group made their appearance, whispers instantly broke out across the studio.
“This batch of guys has seriously impressive face cards.”
“Yeah, they’re from a major agency after all.” Someone said with a face full of envy.
Most people’s gazes landed on Jiang Shiyue, who possessed the tallest and most slender physique.
Jiang Shiyue’s appearance did not carry an overly aggressive vibe. When mild, his brows and eyes were serene, making him resemble an elegant mid-century gentleman.
His versatile temperament and exceptional malleability were also key reasons why he moved so effortlessly across the big screen.
Zhao Yaojin emerged right behind Jiang Shiyue.
His makeup, paired with eyes that smiled with a gentle, affectionate warmth, exuded a natural purity and innocence that left everyone in the room stunned into speechlessness.
The youth stood quietly in place, and the moment he opened his mouth, his clear, resonant voice awakened everyone from their trance.
“Hello everyone, we are the trainees of Starlight Entertainment!” The group lined up and delivered a brief greeting.
Someone muttered, “Why haven’t I seen that trainee in the back before? He looks so translucent! Is that really what he looks like naturally? Surely the styling team didn’t pull strings for him, right?”
The person beside him nudged him with an elbow, causing him to instantly snap his mouth shut.
Natural talent like that was a gift from one’s parents.
Envy and jealousy clearly had to be kept hidden in the heart.
“Are you nervous?”
Yu Xu leaned over, offering a swaggering display of concern: “You had the least amount of practice time with our group, can you keep up?”
“I can.” Zhao Yaojin looked somewhat surprised, then broke into a brilliant smile.
Dazzling as the morning stars.
All the way here, he had been reminiscing. As the very first performance stage of his debut, he had watched students cover this routine countless times during dance classes, so it was naturally ingrained in his muscle memory.
Yu Xu was momentarily dazed by that smile. Had a microphone not been clipped to his collar and cameras pointed right at them, he would have genuinely wanted to curse out loud and rub his ears to check if they had turned red.
The guy really looked like a total heartthrob all dolled up; who knew how many innocent girls he would end up wrecking once the show aired.
Jiang Shiyue glanced sideways at the two of them, maintaining his cold, aloof persona with lowered eyes as he remained silent.
The five mentors filed in one by one. Leading the group was the show’s PD, Chen Yiran.
Superstar inviting Chen Yiran, who rarely ever participated in talent survival shows, to serve as the chief PD fully demonstrated Superstar’s determination to produce a breakout hit variety show.
Yet for this group of young boys, the very instant they laid eyes on Lama, their unplaced male hormones surged straight to their peak, and their cheers erupted with an intensity that surpassed the previous level by more than a notch.
Lama, who served as the main dancer for a mega-popular girl group, swept her gaze across the room and smiled as she bowed to greet everyone.
Cara, who stood beside her, was of Chinese-Thai descent, exuding a natural boss-lady aura with a bright, cheerful smile.
When Zhao Yaojin laid eyes on the two mentors once again, he did not focus on their stunning appearances at the present moment; instead, he recalled the grueling days and nights he had spent enduring their harsh guidance and strict training, causing him to shiver slightly and straighten his spine even further.
Jiang Shiyue, standing nearby, remained as imperturbable as ever, completely unfazed.
“Alright.” Chen PD flicked his wrist, and the powerful aura he naturally carried instantly quieted the boiling atmosphere.
“Welcome, trainees, to Idol Workshop.”
As Chen PD’s clear voice rang out, the recording officially commenced.
His heart tightened from the sudden illumination of the stage lights, and then began beating at a rapid, frantic pace!
The overhead lights flashed on simultaneously, turning the studio as bright as day!
This was the arena!
This was the stage he had been separated from for so long!
Zhao Yaojin leaned his body slightly forward, his heart pounding uncontrollably in sync with the tense, passionate atmosphere.
His eyes shone with extraordinary brilliance, making even the morning stars in the sky pale in comparison.
Reflected within those glowing pupils was PD Chen Yiran.
Jiang Shiyue pulled his gaze away, leaning back slightly against his seat as he listened to the explanation of the rules.
Such a nonchalant posture naturally looked exceptionally eye-catching from the front.
Jiang Shiyue was the existence that gave the show’s PD and writers the biggest headache during background vetting.
He seemed to have gotten into a conflict with his family, insisting stubbornly on participating in Idol Workshop as a trainee trying to debut.
As one knew, given his family’s financial strength and standing in the entertainment industry, all he had to do was flick a finger, and countless film and television resources would be handed over to this young master for him to pick and choose as a casual hobby. Wasn’t that infinitely better than coming here to subject himself to the public’s critique and judgment?
The Jiang family’s attitude was also remarkably ambiguous, refusing to lock in a guaranteed debut spot for Jiang Shiyue, yet who would dare to casually eliminate a young master of the Jiang family? It all depended on how he played out his game of wits with his family.
Fortunately, he was the only one of his kind in this batch.
Chen Yiran withdrew his gaze and stated with a solemn tone:
“This is not just a paradise for building dreams, but also a brutal arena. Next, our six mentors will conduct initial stage grade evaluations for everyone. Please treat this with utmost seriousness and showcase your absolute best capabilities.”
Chen Yiran led the mentors to take their seats at the front grading desk.
Unlike backstage screenings in the past, directly assigning grades live was much more public, transparent, and undeniably more brutal for the contestants.
“The initial stage grade evaluation now begins. First, please have the trainees from Dafeng New Voice perform. Starlight Entertainment, prepare backstage.” The mentors delivered their final verdict, leaving a fifteen-minute preparation window.
“So fast!” Jumping immediately to his feet, Fu Yichen looked incredulous.
“Better to face the music sooner than later. What is there to be scared of?” Yu Xu curled his lip.
The most leisurely of them all was undoubtedly Jiang Shiyue.
“Zhao Yaojin…”
Jiang Shiyue walked over to his side with his hands tucked in his pockets.
Zhao Yaojin turned his ear to listen attentively.
“Can you send me the practice room version of our group’s routine? I haven’t practiced it in a long time, and I’m afraid I forgot some parts,” he said nonchalantly.
“Huh??” Big brother, you are about to go on stage and you still don’t know anything? Cramming at the very last minute shouldn’t look this casual, right?
Zhao Yaojin hastily pulled out his phone, familiarly punched in a string of WeChat numbers, causing Jiang Shiyue to blink in surprise.
“Mmm.” Jiang Shiyue took out his phone, swiped to unlock it, and sure enough, saw a little red dot notification.
Giving Zhao Yaojin a meaningful look, he tapped his finger and accepted the request.
“Just send the video over.” Jiang Shiyue slipped his phone back into his pocket and prepared to sit down on a nearby chair to rest first.
“Hey, hey, hey,” Zhao Yaojin grabbed him by the arm. He simply couldn’t stand Jiang Shiyue’s carefree, devil-may-care attitude. In his past life, it had taken him forever to successfully train him out of slacking off, and now in this lifetime, he had to start all over again from square one!
“It doesn’t need to be that troublesome.” Zhao Yaojin steered Jiang Shiyue behind him, stripped off his jacket, and grabbed a phone stand to prop up his device.
The Dafeng members were still getting ready upfront, and with the staff carrying out equipment checks, they still had some time to spare.
Jiang Shiyue stood behind him, watching Zhao Yaojin bustle about.
The fluid lines of his arm muscles shifted gracefully with his movements, making for a thoroughly pleasing sight.
Unfortunately, before he could admire it for long, Zhao Yaojin urged him to start practicing.
“Stop daydreaming, we’re going on stage in a minute. I’ll take you through a review right now!”
Jiang Shiyue: “?” We still need to practice right now?
Zhao Yaojin fixed his gaze on the video, letting muscle memory flood back through recollection, transitioning from stiff to increasingly fluid. His bodily muscle memory helped him adapt swiftly to the dance rhythm.
He ran through the routine in miniature scale just like that, while Jiang Shiyue leaned against the mirror, watching Zhao Yaojin’s performance with keen interest.
A body in motion looked even more vibrant and striking, making it practically impossible to tear one’s eyes away.
“Alright, now it’s your turn.” Zhao Yaojin turned his head around, his expression dead serious: “Did you catch that clearly just now?”
“Are you demonstrating for me?” Jiang Shiyue straightened his posture as well. Oops, I was too busy watching him perform and completely forgot that several sections of the routine belonged to my own spacing positions.
It wasn’t like Jiang Shiyue hadn’t participated in group rehearsals before, but his dancing actually looked less proficient than Zhao Yaojin’s, who had only just arrived.
He had no choice but to start practicing while accepting Zhao Yaojin’s guidance: “Jiang Shiyue, when you do the wave later, keep your movement range a bit smaller, it will make it much more standard.”
“Mmm.” Jiang Shiyue watched himself in the mirror as Zhao Yaojin gently lifted his arm. Standing right behind him, slightly shorter than him, Zhao Yaojin wore an expression of intense focus, resembling a dance instructor taking teaching very seriously.
“Just like this.” Zhao Yaojin stepped close to his side to demonstrate in person.
Jiang Shiyue followed Zhao Yaojin’s pacing to execute the wave.
“Inhale.” Zhao Yaojin’s intake of breath carried a slight nasal inflection. It sounded babyish and rather cute.
He couldn’t help letting out a soft hum of laughter.
“Huh?” Was he okay? Was he too nervous?
Not noticing Jiang Shiyue’s instant recovery of a serious expression, Zhao Yaojin patted his shoulder, softening his tone to offer reassurance: “It’s fine, don’t be nervous, take it slow.”
“Alright.” Jiang Shiyue turned his head sideways to mask his smile. “Let’s keep practicing.”