——【That kick was absolutely epic!】
——【Is this a hidden gem in the entertainment industry? What dramas has she been in before?】
——【I’m going to clip this part and watch it over and over again!】
——【Wait? Why is there no video? Did the livestream cut off?】
Han Shuai crashed into the wall, and his phone fell to the floor with a clatter, cutting off the livestream.
At that moment, Qin Mu woke up.
He looked around the room in confusion. “Mom, Dad, Yiyang, why are you all here? And Han Shuai, why are you sitting on the floor?”
Han Shuai: “…” Was that by choice?
Father Qin and Qin’s Mom were trying to figure out how to explain when the voice of the program director echoed from outside the door.
“All contestants, please take your positions immediately! The show is about to start recording!”
“Recording already?” Qin Mu muttered, glancing at his watch before scrambling to his feet in a panic.
He had only dozed off for a moment—how had two hours passed?
Seeing his reflection in the mirror, still without any styling, Qin Mu couldn’t help but feel anxious. “Mom, Dad, Yiyang, please rest for a bit. I need to find the stylist.”
“No one will do your hair and makeup,” Han Shuai’s voice cut in. “Qin Mu, you should withdraw from the competition.”
Qin Mu turned around, puzzled.
Han Shuai struggled to his feet and pulled out a document. “This is a termination contract. If you sign it, the program will pay you thirty thousand yuan.”
As he spoke, he glanced at Qin Mu’s outfit, his tone tinged with mockery. “That should be just enough for you to buy a few decent pieces of clothing.”
Qin Mu was completely baffled.
His clothes might not be international luxury brands, but they were custom-made by brand designers, tailored specifically for him. They were far more comfortable than off-the-rack items, and they certainly weren’t cheap—thirty thousand yuan wouldn’t even cover the designer’s fee.
For example, the outfit he had specially tailored for the debut night cost six figures.
He shook his head. “No need. Thirty thousand yuan isn’t even enough to buy one sleeve of my outfit.”
【Pfft! I know Second Brother doesn’t mean to show off, but that’s such a humblebrag!】
Qin Yiyang’s voice rang out, and Qin Mu wanted to ask what “humblebrag” meant, only to realize she hadn’t actually spoken.
So what had he just heard?
Was he hallucinating?
When he noticed Qin Yiyang’s outfit, he couldn’t help but ask, “Yiyang, why are you wearing a security guard uniform?”
“Ah, well…” Qin Yiyang hesitated.
【It’s a long story… I can’t exactly say, ‘Second Brother, you’re in such a tough spot. You’re Shen Zhaonan’s control group. To steal your debut spot, he drugged you and set you up. I disguised myself as a security guard to sneak in because I was afraid you’d be framed and end up depressed and suicidal like in the book.’】
【Come to think of it, it’s good for Second Brother to terminate the contract. Shen Zhaonan is no good—who knows what other tricks he might pull in the future?】
Qin Mu’s eyes flickered.
He had heard his sister’s thoughts.
Meanwhile, Qin Yiyang frowned, worrying about how to persuade her second brother to terminate the contract.
The next moment, a clear, melodious voice sounded from above. “Alright, I’ll withdraw from the show.”
Qin Yiyang was surprised. Was Second Brother agreeing to terminate the contract just like that?
“But—” Qin Mu paused, looking at Han Shuai, whose face was lit up with delight. His light-colored pupils, glowing in the evening sun, were as clear and pure as glass. “Thirty thousand yuan isn’t enough for compensation. I want 10 million.”
Han Shuai: “How much?”
Qin Mu: “20 million.”
Han Shuai: “Why did the price go up? Wasn’t it 10 million?”
Qin Mu: “30 million.”
Wow, talk about jacking up the price on the spot!
Han Shuai, ignoring the pain in his backside, immediately contacted Shen Zhaonan’s manager.
The manager promptly responded, “30 million it is, then.”
Qin Yiyang chimed in, “That’s 30 million after taxes, you know!”
The manager gritted his teeth, “Fine.”
If it weren’t for the recent national crackdown on the authenticity of fan voting in idol survival shows, they would have tampered with the votes long ago. Why would they be in such a mess now?
This drove Han Shuai crazy with envy!
If he had known that a debut spot was this valuable, he would have just given his own spot to Young Master Shen!
“Oh, and I have one more small request,” Qin Yiyang said with a smile.
The manager was instantly alarmed and quickly replied, “No more price hikes!”
“No, no, we’re not bandits! I was just wondering if you could spare three to five minutes for my brother to perform a short act. It would be a way to give his fans some closure and also avoid unnecessary controversy for Young Master Shen. Don’t worry, we won’t say anything out of line.”
The manager narrowed his eyes, “Fine, but you only have five minutes to prepare.”
Qin Yiyang: “Great, it’s settled then!”
The manager left with Han Shuai.
On the way, Han Shuai felt uneasy, “Bro, what about the live broadcast incident earlier?”
The manager smiled, “Don’t worry, Young Master Shen knows it was your doing. He won’t treat you unfairly.”
Han Shuai breathed a sigh of relief, “But why did you agree to let Qin Mu perform on stage? Won’t that steal Young Master Shen’s spotlight?”
The manager sneered, “I’ve already pulled the makeup artists and stylists. Do you think Qin Mu has any chance of stealing the show? Just sit back and enjoy the show!”
Han Shuai’s eyes lit up, filled with anticipation.
In the dressing room, only the four members of the Qin family remained.
Qin Mu took out a bank card, “Mom, this card is for your birthday. I know the company has been having issues lately, so please take this money.”
Mother Qin’s eyes welled up, “Thank you, Xiao Mu.”
Qin Mu hugged his mother, “I should be thanking you and Dad.”
His eyes held a trace of regret. What he felt most sorry for were the fans who had supported him.
They were young, working hard to boost his data and cheer him on so he could debut.
Now that he was dropping out, they must be so disappointed…
He glanced at the mirror. Time was running out, and he still didn’t have his makeup or styling done.
Qin Mu tried contacting the styling team, but no one answered.
Mother Qin noticed the problem, “Xiao Mu, don’t bother calling. The production team must have already talked to the stylists. But don’t worry, I’ll contact a makeup artist friend right away.”
Qin Mu shook his head, “There are only five minutes left. It’s too late.”
“I can do it!” Qin Yiyang proudly raised her hand!
Back when she was trying to earn tuition, she didn’t just assist with pig births, perform stand-up comedy, tutor middle schoolers, and work as an extra on film sets.
To land gigs, she outworked her peers by bringing her own makeup and hairstyling.
On her 66th time playing a corpse, a director with a keen eye finally recognized her potential and invited her to join the crew!
She became an indispensable… makeup artist.
System: Impressive.
Meanwhile, the concert had already begun.
The phone signal inside the venue was poor, so most of the audience still didn’t know what had happened during the live broadcast.
After the artists came out, some people were still wondering where Qin Mu had gone.
Han Shuai, as the spokesperson for the trainees, addressed the confusion:
“Thank you all for traveling thousands of miles to be here at our debut night!”
“However, due to personal reasons, Qin Mu has decided to withdraw from the show’s recording.”
“This decision was made rather abruptly and disrupted the original stage rehearsals, but please don’t worry—today’s performance will still be amazing!”
The next second, all the lights lit up.
Amidst the atmosphere created by dry ice, a row of trainees dressed in matching black and red deep-V suits walked out.
The explosive theme song began to play, and fans in the audience screamed nonstop.
On the entertainment trending charts, related topics kept popping up.
#This Is Truly the Top Boy Group in Domestic Entertainment#
#Han Shuai’s Wink Is Super Sweet#
#Shen Zhaonan The Face of a Wealthy Young Master from Novels#
Meanwhile, Qin Mu was being criticized on the trending list.
#Qin Mu So Selfish for Quitting# Hot!
#Refund# Hot!
Faced with such a spectacle, casual onlookers clicked on the first few trending topics and then made the “subway old man looking at phone” expression.
“…”
This weak, breathy singing.
This messy choreography.
This off-beat, awkward rap.
—[Domestic entertainment is doomed.]
—[Although I don’t know who Qin Mu from the trending topics is, just for his wise decision to quit, I respect him as a real man!]