Yao Chong was well-known in the circle and had an extensive network. After some maneuvering, Zhuo Nian successfully secured a mentor position on the current biggest talent show, "Son of Heaven's Chosen."
"Son of Heaven's Chosen" didn't solely select individuals with strong singing and dancing abilities; expertise in various instruments, dance styles, or acting could also serve as bonus points.
For a time, idol survival shows of this nature were widely loathed as capitalistic schemes riddled with corruption. However, with 002 now present to monitor and expose any underhanded dealings, a tentative revival began. When operated legitimately, the show faced no repercussions and gradually regained its standing.
On occasion, attempts were made to introduce corruption. However, as soon as any such move was detected, 002 would expose it to the public, leading to widespread ridicule and significant financial losses for those involved. After a few such incidents, no one dared to misbehave.
Zhuo Nian's sudden appearance on the show could technically be considered a form of corruption. However, she hadn't yet acted unfairly towards the program. Furthermore, she was a renowned actress, had achieved fame at a young age, and was an insider of the entertainment industry. Securing a mentor spot wasn't an unreasonable request.
Originally, there were four mentor positions. The production team, eager to stir up drama, had planned to recruit an additional mentor. Someone like the original host, with connections, would be ideal for generating buzz.
By the time she joined the show, the second round of eliminations had already concluded. The first two rounds primarily focused on contestants' physical appearance and overall demeanor, with limited opportunities to showcase actual talent. The real competition began from the third round onwards.
As she took her seat on the mentor's bench, Zhuo Nian anticipated feeling some unease. To her surprise, she remained calm and was able to focus on watching each contestant's performance.
The performances of the current contestants varied significantly. Some clearly possessed considerable experience and had likely performed on stage before, while others appeared extremely nervous, frequently missing beats or steps.
There were currently 140 contestants. The production team's goal was to ultimately select seven individuals to form a debut group, choosing one from every twenty contestants. This was not a process that could be rushed.
The battle rounds hadn't commenced yet. The current selection method involved the five mentors scoring the contestants based on their performances. After all contestants had performed, the bottom 50% would be eliminated, and the advancement probability for the remaining contestants would increase from 20% to 10%.
To prevent any foul play, the mentors could not see the contestants' names. Scores were recorded on a scoreboard in front of them. The stage was quite distant, making it difficult to discern faces, and the large screen was for the audience, requiring them to turn around to see it.
Each contestant's performance and the mentors' scoring time were limited to five minutes. However, after six hours of filming, only about half of the contestants had performed. Among those, Zhuo Nian hadn't spotted the person she was looking for.
Despite this, she knew that person was present.
After filming concluded, the mentors were the first to leave. For the convenience of filming, all mentors and contestants were housed in a hotel prepared by the production team. This hotel had been temporarily converted into dormitories for mentors and contestants, with a shared cafeteria. However, there were separate windows for mentors and contestants.
The production team didn't prohibit contestants from eating heartily. Instead, they posted numerous posters in the cafeteria emphasizing the importance of physique for artists and reminding them they were there to chase dreams, not to eat.
Zhuo Nian went to the mentor's window, where only a few people were queuing, and collected a generous dinner. As she carried her meal over, she felt a gaze upon her.
Following the line of sight, she met the eyes of a young man in his early twenties wearing a hat, standing in a line of dozens of people.
Zhuo Nian winked at him.
The young man seemed flustered and annoyed. He shot her a glare before returning to the queue.
Zhuo Nian chuckled and sat down, ready to eat.
As soon as she had cut her steak, someone sat down opposite her.
Zhuo Nian put down her steak knife, tilted her head slightly, and smiled at him.
The young man appeared somewhat angry, or perhaps shy. His tone was a little sharp as he said, "Teacher Yao, hello."
"Hello, contestant," Zhuo Nian replied, finding his choice of address delightful. Perhaps she could use it elsewhere in the future.
"Can mentors eat this much?"
Zhuo Nian had taken a steak and a portion of pasta. Her body and soul had not yet completely merged, and she was influenced by the original host.
"Is it a lot?" Zhuo Nian smiled. "I'm a little hungry. How about you? Aren't you getting food?"
"There are too many people."
"Oh."
She picked up her steak knife, about to eat, when Chong Yan suddenly reached out, took her knife, and scooped a piece of beef from it directly into his mouth.
Zhuo Nian feigned surprise, watching him.
Chong Yan's expression remained unchanged, but the tips of his ears turned red. He then attempted a casual tone: "Teacher Yao, I'm hungry too. The queue over there is quite long. Could you get me another plate?"
Zhuo Nian let out a laugh. "You haven't even told me your name, and you're already eating my food. Are you trying to imply something?"
A blush crept onto Chong Yan's face. He glared at her with a pair of glistening eyes that, in Zhuo Nian's opinion, seemed full of affection.
It was incredibly alluring.
"My name is Chong Yan. The 'Chong' is 'repeated,' and the 'Yan' is 'derived.' Teacher Yao, I'm truly hungry. I haven't eaten all day."
"Oh," Zhuo Nian said, standing up. "Alright then. I'll get more. You eat slowly."
With that, she returned to the mentor's window and ordered another dish.
When she returned to her seat, Chong Yan had already finished the steak and was slurping the pasta as if it were noodles, truly appearing famished.
Upon seeing the omelet rice she had brought back, his gaze fixated on it, as if he intended to devour it with his eyes.
"Still not enough?"
His appetite was considerable.
"Enough, enough,"
Chong Yan felt his face burning. He lowered his head to eat and stopped talking to her.
He soon finished the noodles and, after bidding Zhuo Nian farewell, hastily left with his tray.
Watching his retreating back, Zhuo Nian wore a subtle smile.
Chong Yan regretted his actions as he headed back to his dormitory.
Sitting opposite her had been a rash impulse, and taking her steak knife and beef had been pure recklessness. How could he have done such a thing?
He was utterly mortified.
He also blamed that woman for being too captivating.
He had initially disliked her for her backdoor entry and had intended to glare at her. He hadn't expected her to notice, which had severely flustered him, making his mind feel anything but normal.
It was infuriating!
He pushed open the door to his room. The others ate sparingly, with some not even having dinner. Four of his six roommates were in the room.
Seeing him return, two of his closer roommates greeted him. The other two, however, showed no reaction.
Chong Yan sat down at his desk, his face still burning with embarrassment. Feeling agitated, he stood up and went to the restroom to splash water on his face.
When he emerged, the last roommate had also returned.
As soon as the roommate saw him, he exclaimed in surprise, "Chong Yan, why were you sitting with Teacher Yao in the cafeteria just now? And eating her food? Do you two know each other?"