As time passed, Long Aotian became increasingly busy, mostly keeping up with Wan Ning's schedule.
Even talent shows had their scripts.
He also had to pretend to be close with people he'd only just met.
Just watching it all unfold exhausted him.
During this time, Long Aotian was busy yet happy, as if everything had returned to normal.
Soon, May 1st arrived—the official start of the "Happy Girls" talent show.
The elimination format remained: contestants would go through multiple rounds of competition, gradually narrowing down to the top three.
Judges' scores still played a crucial role, though this time, a public voting segment was introduced.
The elimination system was touted as ensuring fairness and impartiality while giving audiences a thrilling viewing experience.
Starting with 300 contestants, the battles raged on—top 20, top 10, finals—until only the top three remained. It was a clash of perseverance and musical skill.
Every contestant on that stage was undeniably talented.
"I'm so nervous! Wan Ning will be fine, right?" Li Qingxue couldn’t stop chattering anxiously.
"Wan Ning will definitely be fine," Hu Yuying said firmly, her trust in her dear sister unwavering.
"It's starting, it's starting," Long Aotian whispered as a reminder.
Every contestant on that stage had their own strengths.
The very first performer set the tone, electrifying both the stage and the audience with their opening song.
"I think this one might be Wan Ning's biggest rival," Li Qingxue analyzed.
Hu Yuying couldn’t pinpoint flaws in the singing, but she felt Wan Ning's voice was more beautiful—though the first contestant had stronger stage presence.
"Long Aotian, why are you so quiet today?"
Long Aotian raised a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture, putting on a professional air. "Music is meant to be felt with the heart and heard with the ears. Don’t you get it, you amateur?"
"Oho, look at you, acting all high and mighty! Me, an amateur? I sing better than you!"
Watching the two bicker again, Hu Yuying covered her lips with a light laugh.
Her gaze lingered on Long Aotian. How wonderful.
After each round, ample time was given for live and TV audiences to vote via text.
Soon, it was Contestant No. 8—Lin Wanning’s turn.
Long Aotian had already pre-written his voting text, ready to send the moment the voting opened.
As expected, the highest rankings were held by Contestant No. 1, No. 8, and No. 5. Many others performed, but none surpassed the top three scores...
Advancing was practically guaranteed.
The 300-contestant elimination rounds consisted of eight knockout matches.
Each match had two rounds, with six performances per round, eventually narrowing down to the national top 60.
From May to June,
Lin Wanning’s scores consistently hovered in the top three, earning her a growing fanbase and even her own support squad.
Her reputation at school skyrocketed—maybe not overnight, but close enough.
Meanwhile, Hu Yuying wasn’t idle either.
She managed her social media accounts and, after discussions with Long Aotian, launched a webpage and group chats, planning to showcase her outfits in person.
No matter what she did, Long Aotian quietly supported her from behind the scenes.
Everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction.
By July,
Lin Wanning’s fanbase had expanded further. She even appeared on a variety show—though her screen time was limited, it still gave her a small taste of fame.
After all, only a select few from her season were invited, a clear acknowledgment of their talent.
Hu Yuying’s account flourished too, flooded with praise.
But with success came criticism.
"Alright, stop looking," Long Aotian said, covering Hu Yuying’s eyes from behind.
That’s how people were—countless compliments brought joy, but a single negative comment could ruin an entire day.
Sometimes, when the criticism piled up, she didn’t even dare to look.
Still, to show gratitude for the support, Hu Yuying forced herself to read through the feedback.
The result? The more she read, the more upset she became...
Even with discounts, coupons, and cashback incentives for positive reviews, it was impossible to please everyone.
"You should learn from Qingxue—carefree and cheerful," Long Aotian remarked, glancing at Li Qingxue sprawled on the couch with a watermelon.
Suddenly called out, Li Qingxue set the watermelon aside and scampered over barefoot.
"Yuying just takes things too seriously. I don’t even read them—why bother if it’ll just ruin my mood?"
Summer break arrived.
None of them went home.
No one knew how Li Qingxue convinced her parents, but she ended up staying in the capital.
Everyone stayed busy, even during the holidays.
Wan Ning often returned, shuttling back and forth, while Long Aotian took on chauffeur duties.
Hu Yuying and Li Qingxue kept up their daily livestreams, their follower count surpassing a million.
The money they earned was beyond anything they’d ever imagined.
Oh, and during this time, Li Qingxue grew increasingly interested in investing.
After trying it out a few times with Long Aotian, she was completely hooked.
Everything seemed different, yet somehow unchanged.
Except for one thing—Long Aotian started sleeping in later every day.
The girls just assumed he was slacking off during the break.
Aside from his newfound love for naps, he’d even lost his appetite.
But he was happy. Occasionally, he’d snap into action—though those moments were rare.
By August,
Long Aotian stopped oversleeping. He woke up early—sometimes so early Hu Yuying wondered if he’d slept at all.
But seeing him head out with his fishing gear, cheerful as ever, she didn’t know what to say.
After all, by 10 a.m., the heat outside was unbearable.
An early fishing trip didn’t seem unreasonable.
By late August, Lin Wanning had advanced to the top eight.
Every elimination round now felt harder than the last.
Months of competition had brought the contestants closer, and viewers had grown attached to these hardworking girls.
Every text vote became an emotional battle!
When the new semester began in late August, they’d all be upperclassmen.
Time had flown by in the blink of an eye.
"Long Aotian, don’t go out today," Hu Yuying insisted, stopping him from another fishing trip.
Lately, he’d been obsessed—leaving before dawn and returning after dark.
Today, she clung to him, refusing to let him go.
"You’ve gotten darker and thinner. I’m going to fatten you back up."
Long Aotian curled his lips into a stiff smile. "It's too hot to eat. Might as well treat it as a diet. Besides, don’t you think a tan makes me look healthier?"
That might be true, but Hu Yuying didn’t let go.
Long Aotian gave up on getting out of bed and sank back down. "Fine, I’m not going anywhere today. Staying in."
"So, what would you like to eat, Long-ge?"
"Something cold. Otherwise, I really won’t be able to stomach it."
"How about some cold skin noodles and iced beer? I’ll grab some grilled skewers too. Sound good?"
"With you spoiling me like this, I’ll probably gain all the weight back in no time..."
ng to die together with you." Lin Xuan is dead, his body thrown into the river by his scumbag lover and her accomplice. She, the president of the Su Group, is decisive, ruthless, and ice-cold. For three days and three nights, she had his body fished out of the river, and without hesitation, she kissed the bloated corpse of Lin Xuan. She laid down beside him in a cold coffin, their fingers intertwined, a smile lingering on her lips as she closed her eyes. The noble and cold-hearted woman, only bending for one man—Lin Xuan. Lin Xuan, with his golden finger, is reborn and returns to the day of his wedding to the treacherous woman. Su Qiang comes to steal the bride. Lin Xuan's eyes light up, eager to pledge his loyalty on the spot, but instead, her kiss transfers a glass of drugged wine into his mouth, causing him to pass out... 【Male Protagonist with Single Female Lead】【Yandere Tycoon】【Action-Packed】【True vs. Fake Heir】
g Yu was preparing for retirement when her organization decided to eliminate her. She transmigrated to a zombie apocalypse world. However, a tiny unexpected situation occurred: She somehow transformed into an adorable little girl?!
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
