Offstage.
A rising director stood up excitedly, “Your face is perfect for the big screen! Would you be interested in starring in my movie?”
A fashion magazine editor-in-chief exclaimed, “I love the story in your eyes! You’ll be on our next cover!”
One luxury brand manager was even more direct, stepping onto the stage and presenting a brand ambassador contract.
He was eager to sign Qin Mu on the spot, afraid that competitors might snatch him away.
Someone in the audience couldn’t hold back either, “Qin Mu, would you consider signing with my talent agency?”
The audience gasped in amazement.
The speaker was no nobody—he was a top-tier agent who had groomed numerous superstars!
The place went wild!
Qin Mu’s fans were crying tears of joy.
“Wah, our baby is finally being seen!”
“The production team is awful! Not only do they usually only give screen time to the ‘chosen ones,’ but they also always put dark, yellowish foundation on Qin Mu. Now he’s finally restored to his top-tier beauty!”
“On the show, everyone usually wears heavy makeup that looks tacky and garish! But this makeup and styling are so clean and high-end! Thank you, makeup artist! May you strike it rich!”
Backstage, Qin Yiyang listened to the cheers filling the venue, her cheeks flushed with excitement.
For the first time, she truly felt she was changing her family’s fate.
It seemed she had really done it!
Online, the hashtag #BoyBandHoneyTrap# trended.
Someone had screen-recorded Han Shuai’s earlier livestream, pointing out that Han Shuai had set up Qin Mu in a honey trap.
Although Han Shuai’s team immediately denied the rumors, claiming the woman was an obsessive fan with no connection to him, the issue resurfaced as Qin Mu’s popularity soared.
Some viewers turned into detectives, following the clues and discovering that several negative hashtags about Qin Mu had originated from a marketing company.
And this company was owned by the Shen family.
—【No wonder Qin Mu withdrew from the competition! Based on the current rankings, he was a sure bet to debut. And Shen Zhaonan just happened to be in eighth place—if someone dropped out, he could debut!】
—【Isn’t this just bullying with power?】
—【I suspect Shen Zhaonan masterminded the honey trap. Han Shuai is just a lackey at best!】
—【You’ve hit the nail on the head, sis!】
While netizens expressed outrage on Qin Mu’s behalf, they also related it to their own lives.
They work hard every day for meager wages, only to see promotions and raises go to those with connections.
Even when shopping online and finding prices too high, they get criticized by livestream hosts for “not working hard enough.”
And now, when they try to support an idol, they encounter a capitalist’s son trying to break into the entertainment industry, scheming against their favorite and forcing him to quit!
How vicious!
Empathizing deeply, everyone turned their criticism toward the Shen family.
Soon, the Shen family’s stock plummeted, wiping billions from their market value in an instant.
Shen Zhaonan finally panicked.
He hadn’t been particularly interested in the entertainment industry to begin with—his main motivation was his frustration with his grandfather’s constant targeting of An Rou and Shen Yan.
After their mother passed away, both he and his brother hoped their father would find a suitable partner.
He thought Aunt An Rou was a great match.
But his grandfather was stubborn, refusing to let the mother and daughter enter the Shen family and even referring to Shen Yan as a “mere entertainer.”
So, Shen Zhaonan made a bet with his grandfather.
If he could debut in the talent show on his own merit, his grandfather would no longer hold any prejudice against Shen Yan.
Now, forget about changing Grandpa’s opinion of Shen Yan or letting her and her mother into the family—he himself might get his legs broken and be thrown out of the Shen household!
He panicked.
All traces of composure vanished as he anxiously stared at his agent. “What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and think of something!”
The agent stammered, “I—I’ve already hired trolls to clarify things, but there are too many netizens joining in. We can’t control the narrative.”
“The only way now is to divert the audience’s attention with another scandal… but we haven’t found a suitable one yet.”
“Useless!”
In a fit of rage, Shen Zhaonan smashed the mirror in the dressing room.
Looking at the mess on the floor, Han Shuai was terrified, fearing the Shen family might throw him under the bus to take the blame.
It seemed he had no choice but to play his trump card.
Han Shuai leaned in closer. “Second Young Master, I have a way to divert the audience’s attention.”
Qin Mu was still being fought over by investors when the giant LED screen behind him suddenly changed, playing a video.
The audience thought it was a bonus clip and watched with interest.
But soon, they realized something was off.
At the bottom of the video, a line of white text appeared: “A high-end private cocktail party.”
In the video, Qin Mu was wearing a white suit, holding a wine glass, and surrounded by several wealthy women dressed in lavish attire.
He appeared somewhat shy, and the wealthy women laughed, taking turns hugging him before presenting gifts and stuffing them into his arms.
The screen abruptly went black.
The atmosphere in the venue grew tense.
The video had no additional text, but the visuals alone were enough to spark wild speculation.
In the audience’s minds, these trainees all came from well-off families, wearing limited-edition sneakers worth thousands every day.
Only Qin Mu rarely wore any designer clothes.
As a result, many assumed he came from a poor background.
A poor young man appearing at a luxurious banquet, surrounded by older wealthy women who not only hugged him but also gave him gifts—what did that imply?
—【Who can tell if he’s an idol or a male escort from the White Horse Club?】
—【So Qin Mu really became a male escort for money?】
—【No way, I just became a fan, and he’s already involved in a scandal?】
The hashtag #QinMu male escort# trended on social media.
The talent show knew how to create drama. Knowing Qin Mu’s family was present, they specifically sent a cameraman backstage to capture close-ups of the Qin family’s reactions.
They wanted to see the family’s panicked and flustered expressions.
Instead, the Qin family burst into laughter, as if they had just seen something hilarious.
Qin Yiyang even laughed until tears streamed down her face.
“What on earth is this supposed to be?”
On the big screen, Qin Yiyang’s smiling face appeared.
Her oval face had smooth lines, her eyes were bright and curved with laughter, looking exquisite and beautiful.
The audience erupted in surprised discussions.
“Who is that? She’s so pretty!”
“She seems to be Qin Mu’s sister, and those behind her are his parents.”
“This whole family is so good-looking, no wonder Qin Mu is so handsome.”
Of course, some were displeased.
“He’s handsome, no wonder he can make money as a male escort.”
“Why are they laughing? Are they proud that their son is a male escort?”
“So I misunderstood Shen Zhaonan. We all owe him an apology!”
Opinions among the audience varied.
Meanwhile, the cameraman received instructions and asked Qin Yiyang, “As Qin Mu’s family, did you know he was involved in such activities in private?”
Qin Yiyang blinked, “What kind of thing?”
The photographer choked up—how was he supposed to answer that?
Qin Yiyang wasn’t intimidated either. She pointed at the “rich lady” on the screen.
“The one on the left is my eldest aunt, and the one on the right is my second aunt.”
“As for the one in the middle, you might not know her well. She is the renowned guqin master of our country, Teacher Fan Jing, and also my second brother’s teacher.”
“Impossible,” Shen Zhaonan retorted.
He had grown up abroad and wasn’t very familiar with the upper-class circles of Haicheng, but he knew that the national music master Fan Jing had only one closed-door disciple.
“Master Fan herself has said that she has only one closed-door disciple—the second son of the Qin family in Haicheng.”
Qin Yiyang sighed, looking at Shen Zhaonan with an expression that said, “You fool.”
“Is it possible that my second brother is the second son of the Qin family?”