Chapter 52 The Road of Starlight
Girl group audition?
tutor?
Familiar words jumped into her ears, making Yu Shuling, who was dipping the dried vegetable balls in the sauce, prick up her ears. Mu Yubing, unaware that Yu Shuling's attention had been drawn to him, continued to explain dutifully:
"It's 'Road to Stardom'. There have been all sorts of rumors circulating before. This time, he's going to be a music mentor, or even an assistant PD. His schedule must be pretty busy."
Although she had already unfollowed Jiang Wenxi, Mu Yubing didn't retaliate against him. Fearing people would think Jiang Wenxi was being arrogant, she even offered a special explanation for him. And as if to confirm her words, shortly after the event ended, Jiang Wenxi sent a message in the previous guest group, apologizing for leaving early and asking for everyone's addresses so he could send them some gifts.
"Jiang Wenxi isn't a bad person."
On the way back, Kawana, unusually, took the initiative to talk to Yu Shuling. Everyone was posting their addresses in the group chat, and they followed suit, posting their company's mailing address. The girl's soft hair shone with a beautiful dark gold under the light, like a delicate doll, though her drooping eyelashes hinted at a slightly tired expression. She wasn't used to looking at her phone in the car, so she glanced at it a few times before putting it away, squinting as she adjusted to the difference in light.
Yu Shuling's tone of disdain was undisguised:
"Yes, at most they can be considered not particularly bad in character."
When she said "particularly depraved," she meant the kind that lands someone in jail. Jiang Wenxi, as the male protagonist of the original story, certainly wouldn't be involved in any legal matters. But as for morality… hmph.
As expected, the system sent another reminder to let her cause trouble. Yu Shuling recalled the following plot. It seemed that the male lead, Jiang Wenxi, met the destined female lead, Qi Xiuxiu, on a girl group audition program and developed feelings for her. At that time, the female lead was naive and innocent, but she had the courage to break into the entertainment industry to realize her dreams and prove herself. She was like a breath of fresh air in the deep waters of the entertainment industry. Although her strength was not top-notch, she still debuted with the male lead's overt and covert support.
After her debut, Qi Xiuxiu was the youngest member of the group. From being ostracized to conquering the whole group with her personality, she became the beloved daughter of the older members. Countless talented singers, actors, directors, and producers admire her, paving a bright future for Qi Xiuxiu.
The female lead is somewhat hated online, but she repeatedly turns the tables and becomes a lucky charm. Her relationship with the male lead in the early stages is the subject of speculation; his fans accuse her of being clingy, while the two secretly date. Qi Xiuxiu even creates a side account to subtly show off items she owns with Jiang Wenxi. Later, at a concert, the male lead confesses his love to Qi Xiuxiu, who is sitting in the front row, walking down from the stage under the spotlight to lead her onto the stage, bravely going public with their relationship.
Isn't it sweet!?
Isn't that exciting!?
But Yu Shuling, who had been in the entertainment industry for some time, could sense that something was amiss.
Putting Qi Xiuxiu aside, Jiang Wenxi, who relies on his female fans for a living, is committing the biggest taboo in the idol circle by doing this: using fans' money to support his sister-in-law.
After her debut, Qi Xiuxiu received many opportunities through Jiang Wenxi's connections, but Jiang Wenxi always did things behind the scenes for her. Qi Xiuxiu naively thought she was just incredibly lucky.
But was Jiang Wenxi able to reach the pinnacle of his career because his talent surpassed that of major singers and he gained a large following on stage? The answer is clearly no. His popularity was also built by fans spending real money and working day and night to boost his charts. If he felt there was nothing wrong with doing so, why didn't he dare to openly express that he had taken a liking to Qi Xiuxiu and wanted to pursue her?
Anything that can't be made public is bound to have some problem. This is a lesson Yu Shuling learned from the corrupt emperor.
Yu Shuling showed great interest in the two people who were likely to have problems.
Back at the company, Yu Shuling saw her manager, Jiang Zhou, again. Having been confronted by her before, Jiang Zhou had toned it down considerably; at least he wasn't yelling or saying anything offensive in front of her anymore. However, the words she'd heard from the man when she first transmigrated—"The whole group is made up of kept women"—still lingered in Yu Shuling's mind.
Considering her teammates' appearance, she didn't think it was just a simple insult. Moreover, the way Jiang Zhou looked at them seemed to contain a hint of contempt and a touch of covetousness.
"You're back?" Looking at Yu Shuling's current appearance, he immediately felt a surge of anger. He felt that this woman must have some powerful backer to dare to go against him. He couldn't help but want to be sarcastic, but he remembered that his superiors had just warned him not to offend Yu Shuling recently, so he forced himself to hold back. "You did a great job. The production team contacted me and I'd like to work with you again next time."
"Well, we're available for the next month, aren't we?"
Yu Shuling glanced at him, her gaze seemingly open and honest, yet it made Jiang Zhou feel uneasy, as if he were being watched by a mother wolf lurking on the grassland, a feeling of unease emanating from her.
He still felt more comfortable with the original wooden beauty.
Next, Yu Shuling got two days off. Lyer's schedule wasn't as tight, but as a limited-time group with six months left on their contracts, they still needed to continue contributing. Fan meetings and graduation concerts needed to be prepared in advance, so days off from work were dedicated to stage practice.
Two days later, "Road to Stardom" officially premiered. With internet celebrity contestants generating buzz and others who had already won international awards, plus Jiang Wenxi as a major source of traffic, the show's popularity quickly surpassed one million, achieving the top spot in viewership ratings on its exclusive streaming platform on the first day. Yu Shuling also received a new schedule notification, to be a guest on the show for two episodes. However, unlike the challenger in the original storyline, this time she would be a star judge.
Without a second thought, it must have been Jiang Zhou's doing.
“Shuling’s popularity has risen now, and she’s generating a lot of discussion. It’s not really appropriate for her to go as a guest challenger. She might steal the spotlight from the contestants. There are several contestants there who were trained by big companies and are eyeing the debut positions. It’s not worth offending Xingyao and Tianshan.” When communicating with his superiors, Jiang Zhou explained in a very logical and reasonable manner, as if he really cared about Yu Shuling. “It just so happens that Teacher Lin has an emergency for the next two episodes and has already asked the production team for leave. They are looking for someone else. She is originally from a girl group, so it would be similar for Shuling to go.”
"Most importantly, I get to share the stage with Jiang Wenxi."
Lin Yao started as an idol in a girl group and has recently transitioned to acting, achieving success in both fields. She has good skills and a positive public image, making her a respected junior. The show "Super Idol" didn't choose many veteran judges to mentor the contestants, partly to give fresh blood opportunities and partly to reduce their nervousness, making it easier for them to generate buzz.
In contrast, Lyer was originally a struggling, relatively unknown group. However, with Yu Shuling's successful breakup of a couple on a dating reality show, coupled with the popularity of "The Wilderness Secret," they have returned to the public eye. Yu Shuling's Weibo followers have steadily increased by over a million, and Chuan Nai's have gained over two hundred thousand. This wave of popularity is genuine; it remains to be seen whether they can capitalize on it.
Although female artists associated with Jiang Wenxi are bound to be criticized or embroiled in controversy, the company's biggest fear right now is fading into obscurity and losing popularity. This "Star Judge" position grants two votes for advancement, allowing selected individuals to directly advance to the next round. It's a powerful position with little need to provide guidance to trainees, and it also provides a two-minute performance opportunity. Furthermore, it allows for interaction with the PD mentors, making it a win-win situation.
The judges on "Road to Stardom" are required to have about two minutes of stage time to showcase themselves and serve as role models for the trainees. As for whether Yu Shuling can take on this role and whether she can command respect, Jiang Zhou, who has been with her since before her debut, certainly knows.
Jiang Zhou still vividly remembered being rebuked by Yu Shuling on the dating reality show last time, and he couldn't swallow his anger. Yu Shuling's professional skills had always been at best average, and he didn't believe that he could still see through her true colors when all the contestants were gathered together.
If the whole internet mocks her then, it's because Yu Shuling brought it on herself.
He's just an agent who wants to bring value to the artists.
**
Lyer had decent popularity during their initial audition, but subsequent resources didn't keep up, and their company offended a major corporation, leading to a period of suppression. When they reappeared in the public eye, everyone had almost forgotten about them. In the internet age, the pace of change is rapid.
When Yu Shuling officially announced her participation in "Road to Stardom" as a replacement for Lin Yao, although her public image had improved recently, she still didn't receive much recognition for her professional skills. Her previous performance singing with Chen Qiyang on a dating reality show wasn't particularly successful, and many people felt it was just for show, which was unfriendly to this relatively unknown idol who suddenly emerged from variety shows.
The comments under the official Weibo account were mainly controlled by Jiang Wenxi's fans, with other contestants following in a scattered manner. In the repost section, there were many people mocking the company for its forced marketing and warning them to be careful of backlash.
Yu Shuling wasn't interested in the comments online. Even if she happened to see some vulgar language, she would just laugh it off. These past few days, she hadn't been idle. She subtly questioned Lin Yujie, the most outspoken person in the team, and finally managed to pry a little secret out of her.
Kawana wasn't always so aloof. Lee Song was a gentle and kind person, and it was only half a year ago that she developed psychological problems.
She didn't have the original owner's memories, so she could only slowly recall them through questioning and the plot summary provided by the system. After Lin Yujie started talking, she couldn't help but complain to her a lot, including problems at home. She rambled on and on, and Yu Shuling listened carefully and wrote it all down in her mind.
Regarding the stage design for the "Starlight" program, Jiang Zhou unusually gave Yu Shuling a lot of freedom. Solo stages often have backup dancers, and the dance teacher initially thought Yu Shuling would perform her debut song or cover a sweet song from another girl group. However, the girl only watched a dozen or so of the dance videos Jiang Zhou had selected before scrolling past them without interest, asking:
Can I choose the dance style myself?
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Author's Note: Let's revive it.
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