Preparing to Take on the Whole World

The recording of the third season of Talent Show was in full swing.

But the show's chief director was rather troubled. The ratings for the first two seasons had been excellent, but so far in the third season, no contestant had appeared who made his eyes light up.

There was no fixed style for such contestants. You could play the piano with your feet, perform stunts, or even dance on a pole in a nightclub.

What mattered wasn't what you performed, but whether you could attract the audience and spark discussion.

Whether you made his eyes light up or go black, either would do.

Unfortunately, the contestants on this season's show had all been far too conventional so far.

But today, half of his troubles had been solved.

Because someone who made his eyes go black had appeared.

At the same time, however, a new dilemma had arisen.

In the office, the show's director looked hesitantly at Bai Youlou, seemingly caught between two choices.

Only after smoking two cigarettes in a row did he frown and ask, "You're just going onstage to sing? You won't mind even if you're eliminated?"

"Right. Arrange things however you like," Bai Youlou said firmly.

"Can you handle sharp criticism? Our judges might be a little..."

"Please make sure they're as sharp as possible. But if I get into an argument with them, can you guarantee me some screen time?"

"As long as you don't swear too much, we won't cut a single second!"

Cut it? How could they possibly cut it? This was a guaranteed ratings boost!

The director understood perfectly.

He didn't care what Bai Youlou and the bald, ugly man beside him were going to sing.

They could sing whatever they wanted. As long as they boosted the show's buzz, that was enough.

A universally hated fallen idol had tried to make a comeback on Talent Show, only to leave in disgrace after receiving a brutal critique from the judges. Just thinking about the topic gave it plenty of discussion value.

After realizing this, the director's attitude toward Bai Youlou improved considerably. He was afraid Bai Youlou might change his mind and decide not to go onstage.

Young man, you're a good person!

Sacrificing yourself to illuminate others—if the floor weren't a little cold, I'd absolutely kowtow to you!

After leaving the director's office, Long Ziqiang summed up a key question. "Director, how are we going to promote the movie? Do we just mention it directly during our introductions?"

Bai Youlou shook his head. "If we say it directly, there's a good chance they'll cut it. Don't overestimate these people's integrity. Old Zhou should have the props ready by now."

Props?

The word sounded both familiar and strange.

He had been very familiar with props when filming on set, but Long Ziqiang couldn't imagine what props they would need for singing.

That was, until he saw the white T-shirt printed with the words: "Whiplash, in theaters October 1."

This advertisement was way too damn blatant!

"Do you think they'll censor it?" Long Ziqiang asked foolishly.

"Don't underestimate netizens' curiosity."

Censor it?

If the program team really censored the writing on his shirt, the topic "What exactly is written on Bai Youlou's shirt?" would most likely trend.

This was also one of the marketing tactics he had played to death in his previous life.

A girl wearing very little, with her important parts faintly visible, was far more attractive than one who took everything off.

"Still clutching the pipa while half-concealing her face"—they had all learned that in school.

Human beings were simply this kind of creature.

Talent Show, The Voice, Singer, Tomorrow's Star Show.

Over the course of several days, Bai Youlou took Long Ziqiang and ran through the entire list of programs Old Zhou had given him, as though he had gone three days and three nights without food.

The main strategy was to take whatever was available. He wanted them all.

As a result, ninety percent of the shows were willing to let him make an appearance.

It wasn't that they couldn't afford idol Bai Youlou. Fallen-from-grace Bai Youlou simply offered better value for money.

He didn't even want an appearance fee. He was willing to come for free and play the "clown" to attract attention. Anyone who passed up such a bargain was an idiot.

During this process, Long Ziqiang also stepped up his practice of the songs Bai Youlou had given him.

This was something he had dreamed of ever since before filming began.

Bai Youlou hadn't disappointed him. The songs he had given him were enough to make up two whole albums.

There were far too many to practice—completely impossible to get through. He could only pick a few to start with. After all, Bai Youlou was loaded and could have him sing a different song on every show.

Every one of them was an original! He was practically opening the music world's eyes!

But then Long Ziqiang quickly realized that something was off.

Before filming began, the songs Bai Youlou had performed were all the kind that made people want to sling a pack over their shoulders and set off to see the world.

They were themed around freedom and dreams, and Long Ziqiang had absolutely loved them.

But the songs he had been given were, to put it nicely, energetic, fast-paced, and somewhat addictive.

To put it less nicely, most of them had a touch of cheesy pop, and several of the backing tracks even featured a DJ.

They were the sort of songs Long Ziqiang hadn't even liked singing when he performed in bars.

Long Ziqiang bravely raised his doubts about the matter. He had guts in this area—and plenty of them.

But Bai Youlou's answer hit him like a critical strike.

"You can become famous singing this stuff."

"Huh?"

Long Ziqiang looked utterly bewildered, because this was genuinely outside his area of knowledge.

That was until Bai Youlou handed him a mirror.

He understood.

Bai Youlou's meaning was simple: With a face that looked so streetwise, it would be a waste not to sing songs that got people shaking.

Besides, if Long Ziqiang didn't sing them, Bai Youlou couldn't exactly sing this kind of music himself, could he? He didn't like it much either~

It was all because he had watched too many short videos in his previous life. Somehow, he had ended up learning a whole pile of "weird" stuff.

Yet he remembered it all with absurd clarity. Where was the justice in that?

Seeing that Long Ziqiang still seemed to covet his Three Hundred Children's Songs, Bai Youlou refused to give him what he wanted.

Want a glimpse of the "peerless secret manual"? First master the "Basic Swordsmanship."

Then he turned around and handed Three Hundred Children's Songs to Zhang Xiaorong. "Pick a few. I've marked the ones I've already prepared backing tracks for."

Zhang Xiaorong reached out and took it directly, apparently not intending to be polite with Bai Youlou at all.

But before flipping through it, she said, "I have to go back to school and ask for leave first. Only then can I go on the shows with you."

"Director, are you making Teacher Zhang come with us to get roasted too?" Long Ziqiang couldn't resist saying before Bai Youlou had a chance to speak.

"Get your ass back to practicing!"

After cursing the annoying fellow away, Bai Youlou finally looked back at Zhang Xiaorong.

Then, before he could speak again, Zhang Xiaorong considerately said, "It's fine. I don't go online much, so I'm not afraid of being criticized."

"You don't have to be criticized. Who said you'd be criticized? You're the insurance I bought."

"Hm?" Zhang Xiaorong blinked, not quite understanding what he meant. She asked tentatively, "Should I go on after you finish the show?"

"No. You can appear on the same episode as us, but don't say I wrote the songs, and don't walk together with us."

"That won't do!"

Zhang Xiaorong, who had always been elegant and composed, suddenly became unusually resolute, even a little too forceful.

Perhaps because her skin was so fair, Bai Youlou clearly saw the area from her neck to her ears turning slightly red.

It wasn't from embarrassment. She had simply put a little too much force into it.

What a constitution. She was practically translucent.

"You didn't understand what I meant." Bai Youlou had wanted to tease the girl a little more and see just how worked up she could get, and what sort of "beautiful sight" she would become once completely agitated. But in the end, he gave up under Zhang Xiaorong's serious, determined gaze.

In the end, he only said, "When I take on the whole world, I have to have some insurance, don't I?"

"...Me?"

"Are you willing?"