On Monday, the program's filming resumed.
After the third round of eliminations, the battles between contestants began. The new competition rules were sent to their phones.
First, contestants with different specialties could choose their own teams. Those skilled in singing would focus on singing, those in dancing on dancing, those playing instruments on instruments, and those who wanted to pursue acting could choose acting...
For fairness, the fourth round of the competition was divided by specialty. Singers would compete against singers, dancers against dancers. The mentors would each lead a team of a different specialty, with Zhu Nian naturally becoming the mentor for the acting group.
Chong Yan chose dancing. His mentor was a star who debuted in a talent show years ago. She was very popular then, but her fame had gradually diminished over the years. It was rumored that she secured her position as a "Chosen One" mentor through connections. Su Dan Xiao Shuo Wang.
However, there were many competitors for mentor positions, and most had their own areas of expertise, making it difficult to assess who was truly superior. Therefore, it all came down to behind-the-scenes influence.
As long as the selection and judging process wasn't obviously biased towards any individual, or appear to be a blatant fix, there would be no issues.
Zhu Nian's group only had about ten people, and many were there out of necessity. Because they weren't skilled in singing or dancing, they had no chance of competing against others, so they chose acting, the least popular category.
The first day featured an opening ceremony. The singing and dancing mentors performed some acts. Zhu Nian sat there like a mascot, calmly watching others perform.
After the performances, the host, with a mischievous tone, said, "Teacher Yao, all the other teachers have showcased their talents. Would you like to come up and set an example for the students?"
As he spoke, he aimed the microphone at the audience, which immediately erupted in enthusiastic cheers.
Under everyone's gaze, Zhu Nian stepped onto the stage. She took the fan that a mentor had used for dancing, opened it, and tossed it upwards. Before the fan fell, she leaped into the air, caught the fan, and twirled, making her not-so-graceful costume appear to float and soar with her fluid movements.
She somersaulted and spun in the air, her movements sharp and seamless, like a peerless master from a Wuxia drama who could conquer the world with a single fan. But everyone knew that actors in filming were usually suspended by wires and often repeated scenes countless times. She, however, moved as if she truly possessed martial arts skills, each move filled with power.
In less than two minutes, she stopped. The fan was back in her hand, and she stood in the center of the stage, bowing to the crowd.
The host was overjoyed. "I never expected Teacher Yao to have such a skill! This is amazing! Isn't Teacher Yao amazing?"
Thunderous applause erupted from the audience and the contestants.
"Teacher Yao, did you specifically learn fan dancing? Can you reveal if you'll be playing a martial arts heroine in your next drama? The audience will be in for a treat!"
"I practice it for fun in my spare time. As for acting, I have no such plans for now."
She spoke while glancing at where the contestants were seated.
Though quite distant, she still noticed his subtle action.
"That's truly a pity. But I believe everyone is already very satisfied to have witnessed Teacher Yao's brilliant performance. Thank you again, Teacher Yao, thank you!"
Zhu Nian returned to her seat. The host reiterated the upcoming competition rules, telling the contestants to prepare themselves. From now on, they would not only face the cameras on stage, but filming would also take place in the practice rooms, to be edited as "easter eggs" for the show.
Even though there were still 70 contestants remaining, some had already begun to stand out.
Among them was Chong Yan, who had gained attention for his good looks.
The people in Zhu Nian's group planned to create a musical drama. They had no intention of competing with the singing and dancing contestants, as the ones who would debut were inevitably skilled in singing and dancing. If they wanted to go further on their own path, they should seize this opportunity to be remembered by more people.
They would create their own script and prepare their own costumes and props. Zhu Nian could provide financial support and acting guidance. However, the program would offer some financial assistance, and her agent could also help. He had even specially found a musical drama teacher for them.
Zhu Nian, on the other hand, was relatively idle.
When she had free time, she would wander around, often finding herself in Chong Yan's practice room by chance.
What she had said that day had already spread among the trainees. Although many people secretly cursed Chong Yan, no one dared to say it to his face, nor did they dare to openly express their dissatisfaction.
After all, so far, Zhu Nian had not done anything to help Chong Yan, and they were not even in the same group, so they couldn't do much.
While others were practicing, Chong Yan was squatting in a corner looking at his phone. Zhu Nian walked over and tapped him.
He looked up at Zhu Nian with a dazed expression, which gradually turned into surprise, then calm.
"Why aren't you practicing?"
Chong Yan shook his head. "I don't want to practice."
"Don't you want to debut?" she crouched down beside him.
Chong Yan didn't answer, slowly lowering his head again.
Of course, he did.
Even if it wasn't for fame or money, even if it was just to be able to stand openly... to pursue her, he wanted to.
But he couldn't.
He still owed the company millions. He was placed in this program by the company to be a foil. Even if he performed well, he couldn't debut, let alone escape the company's control.
He had borrowed that money from the company to escape his family. With a twenty-year contract, it was no longer a matter of just repaying a few million.
"Hm? Why aren't you speaking?"
Chong Yan whispered, "I don't want to."
"Why?"
He replied in a muffled voice, "No reason."
Due to the change in the mission format, Zhu Nian received very little plot information about him. She only knew from the main storyline that Chong Yan had a tragic childhood, irresponsible parents, a boss who exploited his employees, and people with ill intentions towards him.
All these factors eventually led him to darken, and in order to save the heroine who had helped him once, he poisoned several people and then committed suicide.
The heroine...
Zhu Nian suddenly felt a bit displeased.
Even though she knew that person wasn't Chong Yan, and she knew that person killed more out of despair and a desire for revenge, she was still unhappy.
However, the heroine of this world was by no means a bad person. If she didn't cross her, she wouldn't bother her.
"If you don't want to debut, do you want to act?"
Chong Yan wanted to do everything, but he couldn't.
He buried his head into his body, turning himself into a large mushroom, and stopped speaking.
Zhu Nian was quite helpless.
"Stop acting like a mushroom. I'll take you out to eat."
Chong • Foodie • Yan finally perked up a bit, got up, and followed her out.
They walked out of the practice room one after another. Everyone in the practice room was watching them, their gazes following them everywhere. Because of this, neither of them noticed that malicious stare.