An Yi was utterly bewildered as he was pushed backstage.
At that moment, a group of pretty boys were getting their makeup done, and An Yi’s entrance went completely unnoticed.
What the hell is all this?
An Yi shook his head slightly. Before he could leave, a young female makeup artist grabbed his wrist.
"The show’s about to start. Don’t be nervous. You’re all trainees Yilan Media spent a fortune to recruit. This audition is just child’s play—just perform your best," the sexy makeup artist reassured him, batting her eyelashes. "And guess what? The judges include the gorgeous Xue Yuanyuan!"
"Holy crap, Xue Yuanyuan!"
"No way, that ‘Milk Yuanyuan’ from the coconut milk ad?"
The trainees erupted in excitement.
Though Xue Yuanyuan had only debuted a few months ago, she had already gone viral through short videos.
Her latest coconut milk commercial had completely overshadowed the previous spokesperson.
With her stunning figure, Xue Yuanyuan had become the new goddess for countless otaku.
"Uh, I need to hit the restroom first," An Yi blurted out upon hearing the news.
No way!
He had planned to keep a low profile, but now the judge was that "big-boobed girl"? What kind of joke was this?
And since when was she working for his company?
An Yi recalled how Xue Yuanyuan had once betrayed the Five Poisons Sect for him, standing up against her own senior brother.
He sighed inwardly.
Alas, while the flower had feelings, the stream flowed on without care.
His heart already belonged to Shen Muxuan, Lan Ruoxi, and Qin Yao.
There was no future for them.
"Tch, scared before even stepping on stage? Don’t tell me you actually think looks alone can make you an idol," a man putting in colored contacts sneered.
An Yi raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Oh? And without this face, do you think you’d even be here?"
Damn it!
He was the real boss here!
The man’s face darkened, but before he could retort, the makeup artist shot him a look. "Enough, Wang Qian. Keep it down."
An Yi scoffed.
Trainees?
What a joke!
If they couldn’t even recognize him, this audition wasn’t worth his time.
Just as An Yi was about to leave, the makeup artist pressed her hands on his shoulders.
"Oh my god, your bone structure is amazing!" she gasped, running her fingers over his face. "And your skin is flawless!"
"Uh, hey—"
An Yi could feel her soft curves pressing against his back and wanted to remind her to keep her distance.
But, well… he only thought about it.
"Sign, sign, invisible~"
"Never needed to believe~"
"Why fight when you can see~ Just look at this sign~"
Wang Qian strutted around the stage with a microphone.
His fangirls outside the venue went wild, screaming "Qianqian!" at the top of their lungs.
The three judges exchanged glances, shaking their heads in disappointment.
What the hell was this singing?
Two years as a trainee, and this was all he had?
"Hello, judges. I’m Wang Qian."
Wang Qian tossed his hair, flashing a confident, charming smile.
The arrogant attitude from backstage was nowhere to be seen.
The guy had mastered the art of wearing two faces—one for the crowd, one behind the scenes.
Xue Yuanyuan’s expression darkened.
Was their company really about to sign this trash?
But what choice did they have? This was exactly what teenage girls loved these days.
Pretty-boy idols were their weakness.
"I think… I think…"
Xue Yuanyuan forced a smile, swallowing her disgust. "I think it was great! You pass!"
The other two judges followed suit, gritting their teeth as they gave their approval.
This so-called audition was just for show.
The winners had already been decided behind the scenes.
Especially Wang Qian—he was Yilan Media’s next big signing, just one marketing push away from stardom.
"Wow, unanimous pass! Qianqian is amazing!"
"Qianqian, we love you!"
"Be your toothpick, taste your flavor!"
Xue Yuanyuan massaged her temples.
Now she understood why Xie Yan had refused to judge and pushed the job onto her.
This was torture. But since Wang Qian was joining their company, she couldn’t exactly reject him.
Wang Qian bowed, his gaze lingering on Xue Yuanyuan with undisguised greed.
Once they were under the same company, he’d find a way to get a taste.
"Hello, we are… Fruit Super Sweet!"
Three cutesy boys struck exaggerated poses on stage.
Xue Yuanyuan clenched her teeth. "Pass!"
She barely stopped herself from cursing out loud.
"Yay!"
The trio hugged each other, bursting into tears of joy.
Xue Yuanyuan felt her sanity slipping.
As she watched the screaming fangirls below, the eighteen-year-old suddenly felt ancient.
"Ugh…"
The plump middle-aged judge beside her also looked exhausted.
Not a single decent contestant in the entire audition.
Then, a young man carrying a guitar stepped onto the stage.
The spotlight hit him—and the entire venue fell silent.
He was breathtakingly handsome.
Sharp brows, starry eyes, a chiseled face with a faint smirk. His tall, lean frame carried the same stage outfit with an effortless charm.
The guitar slung over his shoulder added a touch of coolness.
The girls in the audience were mesmerized.
Xue Yuanyuan’s eyes widened in shock.
That was An Yi!
What was he doing here?
It didn’t take her long to figure it out.
He must be broke, trying to strike it rich through this audition.
Hah! Did he really think looks alone could get him anywhere?
In this industry, connections were everything.
Most slots were already reserved—there was no room for him.
Before An Yi even began, Xue Yuanyuan was already planning to reject him.
"Who… who is he?"
"No idea."
The fangirls, who usually only cared about looks, were already wavering.
There was no helping it—this guy was even hotter than Wang Qian!
"Alright, I’ll sing a song for everyone," An Yi said, adjusting his guitar strings.
He knows how to play?
Xue Yuanyuan doubted it.
The other judges frowned, unimpressed by his lack of preparation.
An Yi searched his memories.
The system had given him three songs—he’d only used one so far.
Which of the remaining two should he pick?
The wait dragged on.
Wang Qian smirked.
No preparation? This amateur thought he could compete?
Then his face twisted in fury.
The girls holding "Qianqian" signs were now cheering for An Yi instead.
"Don’t be nervous, handsome! We’ll always support you!"
"Even if you can’t do anything, we’ll still love you!"
"Go, hot stuff!"
Those shallow little idiots!
Wang Qian’s fists clenched, his eyes burning with hatred.
The judges exchanged glances, ready to dismiss An Yi.
Then—
A gentle guitar melody filled the air.
Simple chords, yet hauntingly beautiful.
An Yi began to sing, his voice clear and warm, weaving through the melody.
"A little yellow flower from the story~"
"Floating since the year I was born~"
"The childhood swing~"
"Still sways in my memories now~"
On that windy day, I tried holding your hand, but then the rain grew heavier, until I could no longer see you.