TL: Hua
Twenty minutes later, the voice of the host finally echoed through the broadcast room, which had been silent for three hours.
“All trainees have made their choices. We will now enter the mentor counter-selection phase. Mentors, please write down the names of the trainees who will be staying on your team. Any trainees whose names are not written down will become unassigned.”
A few staff members then delivered the cards to the four rooms.
The atmosphere in Rooms 1, 2, and 3, which had been full of laughter and chatter, instantly solidified and became tense.
After all, in these three rooms, every mentor had more trainees than they could keep. It was a foregone conclusion that some people would be cut.
Upon hearing the bad news, some trainees clasped their hands together and silently prayed for good luck, while others huddled in a corner, comforting each other.
The trainees who were not very skilled were especially worried.
But what was to come eventually did. Half an hour later, each mentor announced their top selections.
In a brutal twist, every mentor filled their 15 spots completely, giving no hope to the eliminated trainees of being chosen again.
As a result, the 14 eliminated trainees were directly assigned to Lin Yanran’s team.
Suddenly thrust into the “death team,” most of the 14 trainees felt a sense of despair, with only a few seeming indifferent. Even with cameras filming, they looked completely defeated.
After a long, drawn-out process, the door to Lin Yanran’s room was finally knocked upon.
Sitting on the sofa, Xia Xingxing heard the knock, jumped up, and quickly opened the door, a wide smile on his face as he welcomed his new teammates.
“Welcome, everyone!!!”
Many people looked as if they had seen a ghost when they saw Xia Xingxing in Yanran’s room. They were baffled by his thought process, as they never expected someone would willingly choose Yanran.
However, they were more concerned about their own bad luck than they were about Xia Xingxing.
As some trainees stepped into the room, they were already thinking about their elimination speech for the next episode.
Having spent so much time together, everyone knew each other pretty well.
They knew that the trainees assigned to Lin Yanran’s team were mostly from Class D or F.
Their skills were naturally no match for the teams with trainees from Class A and B.
Not only skills, but their popularity was also far behind.
The most terrifying part was that their mentor was so weak…
Adding these three factors together, their future looked incredibly bleak, with no hope in sight.
The competition was brutal, and everyone was under immense pressure. After being cooped up for so long in this closed-off training environment, many were starting to break down mentally.
So, when it was time to greet the mentor, the dejected trainees couldn’t even manage a smile, despite the cameras filming them.
They bowed their heads mournfully to Lin Yanran, their voices low. “Hello, Teacher.”
When Lin Yanran’s students said these three words, a shocking shout came from Room 3 next door, where Pei Luo was.
“Come on, come on, come on!”
The trainees’ anemic “Hello, Teacher” was completely drowned out by a deafening cheer from Pei Luo’s Room 3 next door.
The difference in morale between the two teams was not small at all.
The contrast was truly pitiful…
Lin Yanran, standing at the front, scanned the dejected trainees and asked with a smile, “Everyone looks very down.”
The room instantly fell silent. The trainees, whose thoughts had been exposed, didn’t say a word.
To say yes would be disrespectful to the mentor, but to say no would be impossible to fake.
So they all remained quiet, lowering their heads.
Seeing that no one was speaking, Lin Yanran didn’t get angry. Instead, he honestly spoke their minds.
“I know you’re not all happy about being on my team. I’m sure you’re feeling pretty awful right now.”
He slowly looked at each trainee and gave them a sincere bow. “I’m sorry. My previous performance didn’t give you the confidence you needed.”
If he were in their shoes, Lin Yanran could completely understand how these trainees felt.
He had looked through their profiles and understood the training history and family situations of each trainee.
Some of these trainees had been training for years and were waiting for a chance to debut.
Some were a bit too old to be an idol but refused to give up the dream they had held since childhood.
Others weren’t understood by their parents; if they didn’t debut this time, they would have to go back home, find a job, get married, have children, and live an ordinary life.
This might be their only chance to show themselves to the audience.
So they didn’t want to be eliminated so easily.
Suddenly receiving an apology from their mentor, the trainees were a mix of disbelief and panic.
After all, admitting your own shortcomings on camera is a very difficult thing to do.
Many trainees quickly waved their hands. “No, no, please don’t say that, Teacher…”
The previously tense atmosphere in the room instantly eased.
Seeing that the trainees were no longer solely immersed in their disappointment, Lin Yanran seized the moment to say what he wanted to say.
“While our team’s situation looks a bit grim right now,” Lin Yanran paused, “I believe that where there’s a will, there’s a way.”
The trainees looked up, staring at Lin Yanran.
They were full of doubt, confusion, bewilderment, and mistrust.
Lin Yanran took in all their reactions but didn’t continue on the topic. Instead, he asked them, “Do you remember what the director told you after your first stage performance?”
The topic change was sudden. No one knew why Lin Yanran was asking.
After a moment of being stunned, a trainee finally reacted and said the Super Idol slogan. “Chase the light and leave no regrets!”
Lin Yanran shook his head. “Leaving no regrets isn’t enough.”
The gentle smile in his eyes vanished, replaced by a look of seriousness.
“On this stage, you have to work hard to stay. Only then will you be remembered and change your fate.”
After pointing out the cruel reality, Lin Yanran met everyone’s gaze, his tone confident and solemn.
“Believe in me just this once.”
“Let’s make a comeback from the brink of disaster.”
The distant camera gave a slight nod, and the director, who had been silently watching the developments in the room, quickly wiped his face.
Why did Yanran’s speech feel so inspiring and touching?
*
After all four teams were formed, the day’s filming officially ended.
However, since they still needed to film behind-the-scenes clips, the cameras continued to follow the trainees and mentors.
Lin Yanran’s speech had clearly had some effect. The trainees who had initially rejected him now voluntarily walked with him out of the studio.
While the atmosphere was still a little awkward, their attitude was no longer as stiff.
A trainee in Lin Yanran’s group named Ji Shuai was a devoted fan of good looks. As he walked with Lin Yanran, seeing his face up close, he couldn’t help but praise him.
“Teacher Yanran, can I request that you make this makeup style ‘semi-permanent’? You’re just breathtakingly handsome.”
Although Lin Yanran was not completely clueless about the entertainment industry, he had spent most of his time on his studies before, so he didn’t really understand some of the newer, more eccentric terms.
Being eager to learn was Lin Yanran’s nature, so he immediately asked for a scholarly explanation. “How can makeup be ‘semi-permanent’?”
He knew about semi-permanent eyebrows, but what was semi-permanent makeup?
Ji Shuai almost burst out laughing when he saw how seriously Yanran was discussing it.
“No, no, it’s just a hyperbole, a figure of speech. I’m just saying you should style yourself in this direction from now on. It’s a great benefit to us who love beautiful faces.”
After saying that, Ji Shuai glanced at the necklace around Lin Yanran’s neck and gave him a flowery compliment. “Wow, Teacher, is this necklace a new design from the K brand? I think I’ve seen it somewhere before. It’s a perfect match for your outfit today.”
As Ji Shuai said this, Xuan Yihan and his roommates happened to turn the corner and walk behind Lin Yanran and his group.
Although the four people in their dormitory were assigned to different groups, they were still waiting for each other to return to the dormitory together because of their good relationship.
Hearing Ji Shuai mention the necklace, Xuan Yihan immediately stopped.
He didn’t say anything at first but waited for his cameraman to catch up before he called out to Lin Yanran, who had already walked a little way off.
“Teacher Yanran.”
Xuan Yihan trotted over to block Lin Yanran’s path.
“Teacher Yanran,” Xuan Yihan said, his eyes on the necklace. “I heard your necklace is a new K Brand design. I really like that brand. Could I please borrow it for a look?”
Xuan Yihan wasn’t foolish; he knew he couldn’t be too direct. He had devised a plan, taking a roundabout route to set a trap for Lin Yanran.
After speaking, he looked at Lin Yanran’s eyes, a hint of vengeful satisfaction in his gaze.
He couldn’t help but remember his own past struggles.
Back then, his good-for-nothing adoptive father owed a huge gambling debt. He would come home every day to beat and curse him, threatening to pull him out of school and often starving him.
Once, he was so hungry he felt like he was dying, so he stole some cookies from a convenience store.
However, his every move was seen by Xuan Yanran, who happened to be buying something there, too.
Xuan Yanran paid for the cookies, then haughtily lectured him, “If you’re short on money, you can tutor me. I’ll have my parents pay you. But don’t ever do something like this again… you have such good grades; if others find out, it’ll ruin your future. This time, I’ll help you keep this a secret…”
Xuan Yanran had spoken so casually, from a high and mighty place, completely ignorant of the hardships of the world.
Even though he had helped him out of kindness, Xuan Yihan felt an intense envy and jealousy toward this useless person.
He was jealous of his wealthy parents and his prosperous family. Even with his poor grades and lack of talent, he could still live as a carefree young master, never having to worry about money or survival.
Six years had passed, and he never expected the tables to turn. The person who had once stood on moral high ground to lecture him was now doing what he had once done.
This time their roles were reversed, and he wanted to experience what it felt like to stand on that moral high ground.
With his path blocked, Lin Yanran stopped.
He knew that anyone who came with ill intent wouldn’t be friendly, especially someone like Xuan Yihan, who specifically mentioned the necklace with so many cameras around. Although Lin Yanran didn’t know what he was up to, he knew something was fishy.
“Just say what you want.”
Lin Yanran wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries.
Seeing that his plan wasn’t working, Xuan Yihan emphasized again, “I just think your necklace is beautiful and want to borrow it for a look…”
Lin Yanran scoffed. “And you think I’ll just lend it to you because you want to see it?”
Who do you think you are?
Xuan Yihan, standing directly in front of Lin Yanran, was almost startled by his gaze.
Ever since the other party was sent to an Internet addiction treatment center by his parents, he has never spoken to him at such a close distance again.
He had expected Xuan Yanran to be self-conscious, given how down and out he had been for the past few years.
However, that look from him just now made him feel as if he were completely exposed, all his little tricks seen through.
Xuan Yihan silently told himself that Xuan Yanran was an idiot and couldn’t possibly have figured it out.
Just as Xuan Yihan was about to speak, the dog licker[mfn]In Chinese internet slang, “Dog Licker” (舔狗, tiǎn gǒu) is someone who debases themselves to excessively fawn over, flatter, and pursue someone else, despite receiving clear disinterest, disrespect, or even humiliation in return.[/mfn], Fang Su, who had hurried over, couldn’t hold back.
“Whether you lend it or not, I just want to ask you where you got that necklace.”
Fang Su was also a young master from a wealthy family. He originally came here just for fun and wanted to record one episode and leave, but he didn’t expect to meet Xuan Yihan, who is as gentle and cute as a little white rabbit.
Unlike the other trainees, he wasn’t afraid of offending a mentor because his family is wealthy, and he didn’t care whether he got to debut or not.
So, seeing Lin Yanran use his status as a mentor to pressure Xuan Yihan, he got angry and didn’t care about the consequences.
Xuan Yihan, who had been trying to use a more subtle approach, was furious and wanted to roll his eyes as Fang Su charged in and ruined his plan.
But then he had a change of heart. Since Fang Su had already taken on the role of the bad guy on camera, he could distance himself from it and tacitly approve of his actions.
Xuan Yihan gently tugged on Fang Su’s sleeve. “Fang Su… don’t, there are cameras here…”
Good heavens, seeing Xuan Yihan acting so timid and worried about the other person’s reputation after the bad guy stole from him, Fang Su couldn’t stand it anymore.
“I don’t care about the cameras. I just know that this necklace looks very familiar to me.”
Fang Su’s words made Lin Yanran understand what Xuan Yihan and his group were after.
They suspected he had stolen their necklace.
Lin Yanran gave Xuan Yihan a calm glance and couldn’t help but sneer.
He knew there were so many cameras following them, yet he chose this moment to confront him. Did he really think people wouldn’t see through his intentions?
He had initially thought that Xuan Yihan, as the protagonist and child of destiny, would at least have a decent level of intelligence and integrity.
He realized he had overestimated the character of the protagonist in this Mary Sue heartthrob novel.
He finally understood why the author had given Xuan Yihan so many dog-licking admirers.
After all, if the protagonist were truly powerful on his own, he wouldn’t need all those devoted admirers to repeatedly give him a free pass and protect him on his journey.
Realizing they were trying to set him up, Lin Yanran decided to set a trap for them instead.
“Familiar? Where did you see it?”
Fang Su: “Hanhan has one, too.”
Lin Yanran wasn’t impressed. “So what?”
“That necklace is a limited edition, and Hanhan is the only one who has it here.”
Fang Su added, “He’s worn it before; a lot of people have seen it.”
Lin Yanran grew impatient, listening to him beat around the bush. “Stop wasting time. Get to the point.”
Fang Su, who was getting ready to build his case, was caught off guard. After a few seconds, he said, “But Hanhan’s necklace is gone. It went missing today. We’ve searched everywhere but couldn’t find it, yet you’re wearing it tonight. We’ve never seen you wear this style of necklace before.”
Lin Yanran smiled, directly pinpointing the other’s intent. “So you’re saying I stole his necklace.”
Lin Yanran didn’t ask it as a question but as a statement.
Fang Su didn’t say anything, which was a silent confirmation.
This sudden turn of events drew all the trainees who were getting ready to return to their dorms.
When they heard Lin Yanran’s words, everyone gasped.
This plot was too wild…
If it were true, wouldn’t that mean that Yanran…
The camera operators filming them were also in a panic, seeing this major incident unfold.
They didn’t know whether to turn off the cameras or not, so they called the head director to get him to come and handle the situation.
Since it was a matter of integrity, very few people dared to speak up.
But Xia Xingxing, seeing how aggressive Xuan Yihan’s group was, couldn’t help but defend Lin Yanran. “Limited edition doesn’t mean there’s only one of them.”
Ji Shuai also nodded. “Exactly. It’s just a limited edition. It’s normal for Teacher Yanran to buy one, too… Maybe there’s a misunderstanding.”
Before Ji Shuai could finish his attempt to smooth things over, Fang Su sneered and cut him off. “Buy it? Do you know how much that necklace costs? Seven figures.”
He then glanced at Lin Yanran, his implication clear: this poor guy could never afford it.
Lin Yanran, who was being slandered and looked down on for his poverty, curled his lips into a smile. “What evidence do you have to prove that this necklace is yours?”
Xuan Yihan, who had been silent all this time, finally took the offensive. “This is a custom-made piece from my mother. It’s very precious.”
He made sure to emphasize the words “mother” and “precious” in front of Lin Yanran, trying to hit a nerve.
He knew that when Xuan Yanran was living at home, his parents looked down on him for being useless and never gave him valuable gifts.
But Lin Yanran just smiled, ignoring Xuan Yihan’s intent and getting straight to the point. “K Brand custom pieces have special markings on them. Are you sure?”
Xuan Yihan knew there was no special marking on his necklace, but he assumed this was just an excuse from Lin Yanran and didn’t pay it much mind.
He had laid the groundwork and spoken directly, so Xuan Yihan decided to drop the pretense. He pointed at Lin Yanran’s necklace and declared loudly, “I’m sure. This is the one my mother gave me. It’s a limited edition from the new autumn collection.”
Fang Su, the dog-licker, immediately chimed in. “I can prove it, too.”
He then nudged Fu Bohao and Han Zixuan, who were next to him.
The two instantly agreed.
“Yeah, I’ve definitely seen Hanhan wear this necklace before.”
“Yes, me too… It’s the same one.”
With three people backing up his claim, and with Xuan Yihan’s certainty, coupled with his roommates’ confirmation, many people started to waver…
After all, a reasonable person would think that Xuan Yihan wouldn’t dare confront Lin Yanran on camera without proof…
So… everyone’s eyes turned to Lin Yanran.
Under their gaze of suspicion, Lin Yanran calmly touched the necklace with his fingers.
Under the bright lights, the edges of the necklace reflected a cold sheen.
No one there knew that the necklace had the letters “SY” engraved on the back.
But Lin Yanran had seen it when Ming helped him put on the necklace.
Lin Yanran smirked and unhurriedly raised his hand to take it off.
Suddenly, a warmth enveloped his neck from behind, and a pair of warm hands gently touched his skin.
“Is that so?”
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