Chu Yao turned to stare at the brothers. Shen Xingshuo and Shen Yu lowered their heads in unison, even beginning to study the growth rings in the wooden table.
"I think it's at least ten years old. Look..."
"It's probably fake. What bubble tea shop uses real wood?"
Feeling aggrieved, Chu Yao sucked angrily at his bubble tea, but Qiao Luo ignored him completely, discussing the performance with Shen Xingshuo with his mind firmly on his career.
Ignored from beginning to end, Chu Yao could only stare helplessly. Though Shen Yu was just as unoccupied, the two took attentive care of him, while Chu Yao stood there as if he were invisible.
"Time to go. We're on a tight schedule." Shen Xingshuo stretched, packed up two desserts for Shen Yu, and prepared to leave.
Their performance needed to combine dancing and singing, and the standout moves required even more practice. They had no time to waste.
Watching Shen Yu follow along cheerfully, Chu Yao trailed behind them, feeling aggrieved. To show his displeasure, he deliberately kept his distance from the three.
To passersby, however, it looked like three affectionate brothers with a furtive figure trailing behind them. Some kind souls even warned Shen Xingshuo and the others that they were being followed.
"Hahahahaha." Shen Yu really could not hold it in. He even kept looking back every few steps to imitate Chu Yao's furtive movements, provoking indignant cries from him.
Only after taking Shen Yu back to the hotel did Shen Xingshuo and Qiao Luo turn to leave, nearly running into Chu Yao, who had followed close behind.
"Now you remember I exist?" Chu Yao felt terribly wronged. Though he knew his former friends had not been much good, they had at least kept up appearances and paid him some attention. These two simply ignored him.
"We're heading back." Shen Xingshuo looked at Chu Yao, who seemed both smug and aggrieved, with an indescribable expression, and mercilessly pointed out the reality. "This is the only way out."
Chu Yao: ...You'll regret this.
With the performance agreed upon, all that remained was to rehearse and finalize it.
When it came to stage positioning, no one wanted to speak up and discuss it, afraid the others would think they had ulterior motives.
Looking at everyone with their desires written all over their faces, yet dithering and not daring to step forward, Shen Xingshuo pursed his lips and said casually, "It's a group competition. Just take turns."
No one objected to this, and their expressions even improved considerably. After all, given their abilities, competing for the center position would be difficult.
Yang Yi also knew this was not the time to fight over billing. Instead, he had something more important to do, since he had already missed one opportunity to get on good terms with Chu Yao and Shen Yu.
His biggest rival had originally been Qiao Luo, but for some unfathomable reason, Shen Xingshuo insisted on protecting Qiao Luo. Yang Yi had no choice but to attack them both, without considering the more important targets.
The two who had already become highly desirable prospects in Yang Yi's eyes lounged in the hotel. Without anyone else around, the place had practically become their private courtyard.
The emotionally wounded Chu Yao remained in his gloomy slump, while Shen Yu, who firmly believed Qiao Luo had dodged a bullet, cupped his face in his hands and eagerly watched his older brother return to the cameras.
Shen Yu had also been busy these past few days. Not only did he have to make time to eat with his older brother, he also had to keep dealing with Yang Yi's attempts to build a rapport. As a result, he came back every night pouting in disgust.
With life utterly dull, Chu Yao lay around doing nothing for two days before finally giving in and joining Shen Yu to meet Yang Yi.
It had to be said that watching someone curry favor was genuinely funny, especially when Yang Yi also subtly revealed his dislike of Shen Xingshuo and Qiao Luo.
Shen Yu & Chu Yao: It's pretty exasperating, but still entertaining. Like a ridiculous virtual pet.
Seven days passed in grueling training. Even Shen Xingshuo, with his excellent stamina, had aching arms and legs, but fortunately, he made it to the day of the competition.
Voting opened when the competition officially began. Shen Yu and Chu Yao were assigned seats near the front, alongside the heads of the corporate groups.
The two childish boys looked as though they had come to cause trouble, but their seats near the front meant no one dared underestimate their status. The others could only greet them politely.
"This is torture. If only we could skip ahead." Unable to sit still, Chu Yao complained, pretending to drag a progress bar with his finger.
Shen Yu pouted and held his phone high. On the other end, his whole family sat together.
"My second brother's about to go onstage. Remember to vote." Shen Yu reminded them earnestly, afraid his second brother might not advance.
The members of the Shen Family, forced to take time off from school and work, nodded. The little fellow had been reminding them since yesterday, and had even called at six that morning, dragging them all out of bed.
The crucial point was that this livestream started at six in the evening!
Noticing the faintly resentful looks in his two younger brothers' eyes, Shen Yu lowered his head in embarrassment, only to raise it proudly again a moment later.
They were all family. Getting up early to vote for his second brother made him proud!
The performances had not yet begun, but many contestants' vote counts were already shooting up. It was clear that the livestreams over the preceding period had built up considerable popularity.
Teamwork required not only individual excellence, but, more importantly, coordination. If everyone only looked out for themselves, the performance as a whole could easily become disjointed or even a complete mess, directly lowering the marks for overall impression.
When Shen Xingshuo finally took the stage, Shen Yu excitedly raised his phone to record, his eyes wide as he prepared to capture his second brother's youthful days.
Their brief period of training had still given them a certain rapport. Whether it was Lin Yan's opening vocals or Mo Zeyao's dancing, both left the audience thoroughly awestruck and full of anticipation.
[More than ten years of foundational training really weren't for nothing. Our Yao was simply born for this.]
[Lin Yan sings so well too. How come I never noticed him before?]
[They seem to work really well together. They're more in sync than the previous groups.]
Once they realized the team members were taking turns, the fans tacitly waited for their own favorites to appear. They had not expected a problem to arise with Shen Xingshuo, who came next.
A shrill squeal instantly shattered the atmosphere they had built. The microphone had still malfunctioned despite being checked repeatedly.
Qiao Luo reacted swiftly, immediately picking up the lines that had originally belonged to Shen Xingyi. At the same time, the two slowly moved closer together, ultimately getting through that awkward gap in the song.
Yang Yi followed right after. His gentle voice contrasted with the preceding pair's rushed delivery, gradually bringing the performance back to its original tone.
During a performance lasting less than five minutes, every member of the team broke out in a cold sweat. Shen Xingshuo nearly let his expression turn cold onstage, but relied on his sound professionalism to suppress his anger.
Everyone regretted the stage mishap, but was also relieved by the group's quick thinking. Below the stage, however, Shen Yu's face was taut. Even Chu Yao, who was not particularly clever, could tell something was wrong.
The moment the microphone squealed, Yang Yi had paused too, but there had unmistakably been a faint smile at the corners of his mouth.
If Qiao Luo had not saved the situation in time, given Yang Yi's personality, he would certainly have let Shen Xingshuo's part be ruined, then made his own rescue the team's sole highlight.