An Yi was stunned.
What the hell?!
Although Zhang Qianyu was a bit of a goofball, he was still ranked fifth on the Hidden Dragon List and the top talent among the younger generation of Dragon Elephant Mountain!
How could he have fallen to the point of being kept by a sugar mommy?
Could it be that he was severely injured in the secret realm, leaving his meridians completely ruined? Nonsense!
The guy was full of energy—judging by his appearance and aura, he had probably broken through recently, making him even stronger than during the secret realm incident.
These high-society women in expensive cheongsams looked like ordinary people.
If Zhang Qianyu wanted to resist, he could cut down ten of them with a single swing of his sword.
Was it for money?
Come on, man, even if it’s for money, couldn’t you at least find someone decent-looking?
An Yi couldn’t make sense of it.
"What are you spacing out for?! You don’t know anything. If you want to survive in this circle, you’d better behave."
The Plump Woman slapped Zhang Qianyu’s butt and barked.
Zhang Qianyu’s face darkened.
Then, the Plump Woman grabbed his hand and placed it on her waistline. "I won’t say it again—when we go out, you hold my waist."
A vein pulsed on Zhang Qianyu’s forehead as he swallowed his anger and muttered weakly, "B-but I can’t reach all the way around..."
The Plump Woman: "..."
"Alright, Seventh Sister, this young man is already well-behaved enough. Later, we’ll have to test his skills in bed," a cheongsam-clad woman with immaculate makeup giggled, seeing the Plump Woman about to lose her temper.
At the mention of "skills in bed," Zhang Qianyu’s face turned green.
His fists trembled—he felt like he couldn’t take it anymore.
An Yi, watching from the side, raised an eyebrow.
Damn, this guy was definitely faking it.
Zhang Qianyu noticed An Yi too.
But the two tacitly pretended not to know each other.
The bespectacled girl who had previously pushed An Yi into the audition venue was now carefully introducing Yilan Media to these wealthy women.
She had to be cautious—these women were high-profile socialites and entrepreneurs in Yunzhou City, sponsors of the Youth 404 show. They were the real "money daddies" and had to be treated well.
"Oh, isn’t that the handsome guy who went viral during the auditions? Is he one of your company’s talents too?" a cheongsam-wearing woman asked, eyeing An Yi with interest.
The bespectacled girl glanced at An Yi and reluctantly answered, "Y-yes, I suppose he is."
Truthfully, she wasn’t sure if An Yi had even signed with Yilan Media.
"Not bad. I like this kind of handsome, masculine young man. You must work out—great physique. Seventh Sister, he’s even better-looking than your boy here."
"Let’s take him along for drinks later!"
The group of sugar mommies sized up An Yi like a piece of meat.
An Yi’s eyes turned icy.
He was the big boss of Yilan Media! And they dared to set their sights on him?!
Seeing An Yi’s displeasure, the bespectacled girl quickly pulled him aside and whispered, "An Yi, you’re just starting out. This is a golden opportunity. If you want to stay famous, you’ll have to… entertain these ladies tonight."
"Entertain them?"
An Yi smirked coldly.
Worried by his defiance, the girl added, "Everyone goes through this. If you want to survive in this industry, you have to please the sponsors."
"How rotten. Living without dignity, bending over backward for money—doesn’t it burn your hands?" An Yi scoffed, his tone disdainful.
The girl fell silent, then sighed.
She knew it—this industry was a cesspool, its roots long decayed.
Proud young men like him didn’t belong here.
"Handsome, want to join us for drinks tonight?"
A woman in a luxurious red cheongsam sauntered over, her long, jade-like legs peeking through the slit of her dress. Despite her heavy makeup, her beauty was undeniable, exuding charm with every movement.
"Yes!"
An Yi nodded solemnly, his face dead serious.
The bespectacled girl: "..."
So much for pride!
"Come on, I saw your performance—you sing well," the red-cheongsam woman purred, beckoning him with a flirtatious smile.
An Yi obediently followed.
Another woman remarked to the bespectacled girl, "Your company’s talents are quite… cooperative."
The girl forced a smile. "Y-yes, our artists have no other specialty except obedience. They won’t fight back, no matter what."
"How fun. I like them docile."
The red-cheongsam woman stared at An Yi like a hungry wolf eyeing its prey.
An Yi raised an eyebrow, a sly grin hidden beneath his expression.
Who’s the hunter here?
Zhang Qianyu frowned when he saw An Yi joining them. Using a secret technique, he transmitted his voice directly to An Yi’s ears:
[Kid, what are you doing here?]
An Yi couldn’t replicate the trick, so he simply flashed Zhang Qianyu a Mona Lisa smile.
Figure it out yourself.
He had his reasons for infiltrating this mess.
Zhang Qianyu’s temple throbbed.
Damn it!
He had sold his soul to get in—he couldn’t let this brat ruin his plans!
The stunning red-cheongsam woman claimed An Yi, while the other three women picked the fresh-faced boys from "Fruit Super Sweet."
The group split into luxury cars and drove off, unconcerned about paparazzi.
Then again, no reporter would dare stalk them—unless they had a death wish.
These women weren’t just any socialites in Yunzhou City.
"Who understands a woman’s sorrow? Who sees her bitter tears? The day doesn’t know the night’s darkness—how can it judge right and wrong?"
Inside the extravagant KTV room, An Yi belted out the cheesy ballad A Woman’s Sorrow with full emotion.
The cheongsam-clad women sobbed uncontrollably, their eyes red.
An Yi’s rendition had struck a chord deep in their hearts.
The Plump Woman clung to Zhang Qianyu, bawling, then planted a loud, suction-cup-like kiss on his cheek.
Zhang Qianyu remained expressionless, like a lifeless doll.
"Stupid boy, who are you glaring at?! Look at the others—they know how to play the game! With that attitude, you’ll never make it in showbiz!"
The Plump Woman jabbed his forehead angrily.
The "Fruit Super Sweet" boys were already fawning over their sugar mommies, calling them "big sis" this and "big sis" that. Meanwhile, hers was as lively as a log.
Zhang Qianyu’s fists shook with rage.
After a long internal struggle, he suppressed his fury.
Forcing a grotesque smile, he speared a piece of watermelon with a fork and offered it. "Big sis… have some fruit."
"Eat your damn fruit!"
Meanwhile, An Yi finished his song.
The red-cheongsam woman grabbed his wrist and pulled him close. "Little one, you sing so well."
"I’m not little."
An Yi, starving, grabbed an absurdly long banana from the table and devoured half in three bites.
The woman leaned in, her gaze drifting downward as she smirked. "Oh? Then prove it."
"Here, have a banana first to recharge a bit," An Yi said with a mischievous grin, holding out the half-eaten fruit.
She shot him a coquettish glare. "You’ve already taken a bite."
"I know you don’t mind," An Yi replied, his lips curling into a smirk as he brought the banana to the lips of the woman in the red qipao.
The red-qipao-clad woman gave him a sultry look, then parted her cherry-red lips—only to swallow the remaining half of the banana in one go.
All that remained in An Yi’s hand was the peel.
His expression hardened instantly, and in the next moment, he was poised for action.