"Oh my~ What an utterly satisfying feast for the eyes. The dance our trainees just performed was absolutely spectacular."
"Let's hope they can deliver equally outstanding performances in their upcoming individual solos..."
After the theme song dance ended, the trainees returned to their seats in perfect order.
The host, Lei Linya, walked onto the stage with a smile, working hard to keep her expression under control as she delivered her lines, putting her professionalism to the ultimate test.
Shang Shujue sat in his seat and absently adjusted the gauzy ribbons on his trousers, but his mind was still in the melon field Nuomi had offered him. His beautiful eyes looked absolutely gorgeous.
He couldn't take in a word of the host's unconsciously accelerating introduction of the mentor panel. He simply clapped mechanically along with everyone else, his mouth nearly splitting into a grin.
*[...Oh~ So Shang Shuyu likes men like Jian Yichen? She pursued him first, huh? It took her three years to win him over?!*
Damn! That guy really has no taste. Shang Shuyu's so pretty and has such a great personality, yet he actually...
Huh? You're saying he was disfigured while filming back then? He actually really liked Shang Shuyu, but turned her down because he felt inferior, and she was stubborn and refused to let go...
*Uh... Sorry, I was being shallow... But what happened? How did filming a perfectly ordinary drama end up...]*
The thoughts in Shang Shujue's head became an inner voice transmitted into the minds of everyone present who could hear him.
They were all shaken. In disbelief, they struggled to control their expressions before stealthily glancing toward Jian Yichen.
In the entertainment industry, your face was your livelihood. If it was disfigured, your career was over too.
Encountering something like that back then would probably have dealt Jian Yichen's career a devastating blow, never mind his mental state.
If he still ended up with Shang Shuyu, he must have been moved by how gently she treated him.
Thinking of it that way, they suddenly realized Shang Shujue's sister might be a gentle, kind, and exceptionally persistent girl. She was so brave.
But Jian Yichen probably... wasn't feeling too good right now...
Jian Yichen hadn't expected to be disfigured in the future. His fists clenched, and his face went a little pale. Was I really a lone star of calamity, carrying misfortune wherever I went?
He must have looked hideous then. Otherwise, he would never have rejected Shang Shuyu, because she really was a wonderful girl with an infectious presence.
Anyone who met her would fall for her, and he was no exception... But...
[Heh... I honestly have to laugh. Why does this have something to do with that scumbag Su Youchuan again? Just how big a grudge does the author who created him have against me? Taking revenge on me isn't enough-even my family members can't have a decent death?]
Shang Shujue's furious inner voice exploded in everyone's ears. They involuntarily froze, then frowned despite themselves. Seriously? How was Su Youchuan involved again?
*[ε=(´ο｀*))) Sigh. You're saying Yang Shaoying had a crush on Shang Shuyu? And Shang Shuyu didn't like him and embarrassed him at a banquet, so in a fit of anger, he tried to force himself on her, only for Jian Yichen to crack his head open...*
*Holy crap, Jian Yichen's a real man. Out of all the gossip we've heard, he's the only one who inflicted serious physical damage on someone in the protagonist's group... Hahaha, all I can say is, well done!]*
Shang Shujue sneaked a glance toward the camera. Seeing that it wasn't pointed his way, he openly looked toward Jian Yichen, but he couldn't see anything, so he gave up.
Zhang Zhichen discreetly took a sip of water and narrowed his eyes slightly, mentally giving Jian Yichen a thumbs-up. That guy really did a great job!
But did even I fail to hurt Su Youchuan? Was his protagonist halo that strong? No wonder Shang Shujue wanted to collect luck. That was ridiculously powerful.
Hearing Yang Shaoying's name, Jian Yichen's sluggish brain began working, and many things surfaced in his mind.
He seemed to have some idea why he would be disfigured. Yang Shaoying had probably hired someone to do it, and the people around him were all involved.
Everyone: Our rose-colored glasses for Su Youchuan shattered ages ago. At this point, we wouldn't even be surprised to hear he murdered his father...
*[What happened to Shang Shuyu in the end? Did she and Jian Yichen... Huh? Jian Yichen sent him to the hospital? Woohoo~ So the guy's a gentleman too?*
No wonder Shang Shuyu couldn't forget him. Good values, ambitious, handsome, doesn't fool around, focused entirely on his career, and first-rate at solving problems. That really is hard to resist...
But there's something I don't quite understand. By the time he was filming that, hadn't he already gained some popularity from an outstanding fifth male lead role and transitioned into acting?
As an idol, he couldn't date and had to uphold idol ethics, but as an actor...
Oh, he had no money or power and was afraid he couldn't give Shang Shuyu the best life, so he wanted to wait until he'd earned enough money.
But he never expected Yang Shaoying to have someone swap a prop bomb for a real one along the way. If he hadn't reacted quickly when it exploded, he wouldn't just have been disfigured-he'd have been dead...
*And Su Youchuan supplied the real thing... Fuck, the root of all evil. I'm tired of saying it!]*
Jian Yichen clenched his fists. So that really was it! Hmph! But why call it a transition? Did I successfully debut?
Shang Shujue's inner voice contained a great deal of information. As everyone listened, who knew how many thoughts ran through their minds. Onstage, Lei Linya had already begun calling people up to perform.
After hearing all of Shang Shujue's praise for Jian Yichen, Song Yanqing grew a little anxious. Wait, I have all those qualities too. Can't you see them?
Shang Shujue: Oh (¬_¬")
Song Yanqing: ...˚‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅ )‧º·˚
Hearing Bai Zhiyi's voice, Shang Shujue unconsciously glanced at him as he stood up, mechanically clapping along with everyone while his mind stayed on the gossip.
*[So what happened in the end? Didn't they get married later? How did it turn out? Huh? You're saying his childhood friend who had a crush on him woke up?! No, wait. Childhood friend? Crush? Hiss...*
I think I understand why his childhood friend killed him, then held his corpse and committed suicide. That's love turning into hate~
*Poor Jian Yichen probably still thinks his childhood friend treats him well because he sees him as a brother, never realizing... I really don't know what to say... Huh? There's more?]*
Jian Yichen: *???*
Bai Zhiyi nearly tripped over his own feet and fell onstage again. Damn it, I should've waited a little longer before coming up. Brother Jue, can't you wait until I'm onstage before dropping revelations? Suddenly dropping such explosive gossip is seriously terrifying!
Everyone: Holy crap, that's intense! How cursed!
*[Oh~ Before his childhood friend started helping him financially, he was already a ruthless character who really got around in their circle? Since Jian Yichen was an innocent airhead, he wouldn't understand even if he told him outright...*
*Pfft, hahaha... So he pursued him indirectly, only to fall deeper himself... What happened with that car accident, then? Huh? Hahaha, it was his childhood friend's own romantic baggage?]*
Jian Yichen: "..." I'm not, I didn't. I had no idea. I'm just as shocked!
Everyone: Was something wrong with that childhood friend's head? This really was... hard to judge!
Seeing Bai Zhiyi nearly fall again, Shang Shujue unconsciously raised his eyebrows and muttered, "Seriously, does this little stand-in have some kind of muscle weakness?"
Zhang Zhichen and Xu Zhichen heard him speak but couldn't make out the words. All they caught was something that sounded like "dick," and they reflexively turned to him, eyes widening.
What? What dick? What weakness? Wouldn't it be a problem if it were strong? Was this something he could say in public?
Shang Shujue took a sip of water and looked at the two of them in confusion, his strawberry face seeming to ask what the problem was.
At that, the two withdrew their gazes with indescribable expressions, then looked sympathetically at Bai Zhiyi. Poor kid. You're going to be stuck with the name Ball-Tugging Brother forever.
Bai Zhiyi: ...
Shang Shujue looked away. Though puzzled, he didn't ask anything. After all, his thoughts were entirely occupied with gossiping with Nuomi, and he was having a thoroughly lively chat.
*[His whole family really is bizarre. They actually had the nerve to blame Jian Yichen for their son getting hit by a car. The guy was just walking a little farther ahead at the time...*
He really thought the car was deliberately aiming for him, never realizing its target was someone else. He was just a total sucker (ಡ᎔ಡ). He's probably already transferred quite a lot of money to their family bit by bit by now, right?
*Ew~ How can there be an idiot even dumber than Yu Zeqi? At least Yu Zeqi wouldn't become a colossal sucker, hahaha...]*
Yu Zeqi, who had been struggling to suppress his laughter, no longer needed to. He couldn't laugh anymore. Seriously, Brother Jue, talk about him all you want, but why drag me into it at the end?
Jian Yichen: Cruel words wound the heart ˚‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅ )‧º·˚
Everyone: Hahahahaha... That's too funny!