IDEI Ch27

The next morning, Qi Yanning saw Ling Cangzhou’s messages and merely chuckled softly, replying with a meaningless smile emoji.

Seeing that Ling Cangzhou didn’t respond, he put his phone away and strolled leisurely towards the recording site.

Today’s task was to select songs for the third public performance. The trainees only needed to apply a simple daily makeup, which the makeup assistants could handle, so Qi Yanning didn’t have to wake up early. However, he wasn’t exactly late either. After finishing breakfast and arriving at the studio, the song selection process had just begun.

The third public performance would feature original songs, and the trainees were finally getting their own songs instead of just covering others. Their faces were filled with excitement.

Chenxing Entertainment was quite generous, offering five high-quality songs from the company’s music library for Your Star’s use.

These five songs covered a wide range of styles, from sweet and cute pop songs, melodious love ballads, to explosive dance tracks, and even dark, sensual jazz numbers.

As each demo played, gasps of amazement could be heard.

“The quality of these songs!”

“Songs like these could be the title track of other groups’ albums—do we really deserve this?”

“This is so good, I’m in love with the song ‘With U’!”

The trainees couldn’t help but discuss in excitement as the songs played.

Qi Yanning stood in a corner with the staff, lowering his head and immersing himself in the music, thinking about the styling that would suit each song.

Following the usual format of variety shows, the song selection would typically be determined by fan votes, with fans choosing which song their favorite idols would perform. However, Your Star, being a somewhat unconventional show, didn’t push excessive spending.

For this third public performance, the song selection would be based on a combination of fan votes and the trainees’ own choices.

The fans’ votes for each song served as a stepping stone, but the final decision lay with the idols themselves.

This setup didn’t give fans the usual satisfaction of “controlling” their idols, but it tested the bond and mutual understanding between idols and fans more deeply.

It replaced the controlling sentiment of “I know what’s best for you” with the mutual respect of “we are in sync.” Though some hardcore fans from other shows mocked Your Star for lacking the usual fan experience, Your Star’s fans accepted the system with ease and joy.

Your Star didn’t push for spending, and it visibly respected the trainees more. As fans, what more could they ask for?

Now, the trainees were about to formally “declare their preferences.”

Each trainee was given a piece of paper neatly divided into first, second, and third choices. The blank spaces next to each allowed them to write down the song titles.

Once they had filled out their forms and handed them in, the final selection would be announced collectively.

For these trainees, many of whom had little experience with a typical school environment, this felt like taking a major exam, filled with anticipation and anxiety.

Gong Jiayu was no exception. He sat in his seat, looking conflicted.

“Hey, Xiao Yu, what songs did you choose?” Wei Mingzhe suddenly appeared next to him.

He sat down beside Gong Jiayu, concern written all over his face.

“Wei-ge, what songs did you choose?” Gong Jiayu didn’t answer but instead asked in return.

“My first choice is ‘Hate,’ then ‘Shadow,’ and my last choice is ‘Dance to Death,’” Wei Mingzhe replied. “I figure my fans probably picked between those three. ‘Hate’ is a safe bet, but if they want to see me push my limits, they’d go for the other two.”

Wei Mingzhe’s analysis was confident and clear.

However, after hearing him, Gong Jiayu lowered his head.

“I… I chose the same three,” he whispered.

A flash of surprise crossed Wei Mingzhe’s eyes. All three songs had a mature, edgy vibe, which didn’t seem to suit Gong Jiayu’s baby-faced appearance.

“I know I didn’t perform well during the first public stage, so I want to try again…” Gong Jiayu’s voice was small, and his bright, cheerful demeanor from when he first joined Your Star was nowhere to be seen.

In the first public performance, Gong Jiayu’s group was led by Lin He. His appearance and styling were completely mismatched, and combined with his overly forced facial expressions, the performance was a disaster.

After the live broadcast, he was mocked all over the internet, and in the subsequent elimination round, he dropped from Class A to over thirtieth place.

If it weren’t for his rare talent as a big vocalist, and his standout performances during the second public stage and mentor collaboration stage, which helped him recover, he would’ve already been eliminated!

But the poor showing during the first public performance still had a huge impact on him. At the start of the show, he ranked in the top three, but now, even with two consecutive impressive performances, he had only managed to climb back up to ninth place.

“Xiao Yu…” Wei Mingzhe hesitated. He understood that this barely eighteen-year-old wanted to redeem himself with the same style of music, but…

The fans probably wouldn’t see it that way. They’d likely prefer he play to his strengths.

For example, choosing the love ballad ‘Belonging to Me’ or the sweet pop song With U,’ both of which better suited Gong Jiayu’s looks.

Before Wei Mingzhe could say more, the program’s PD, Chu Zhao, had already begun announcing the final results at the front of the room.

A large red sheet listed the names next to each song. However, there were still a few blank spaces, leaving some mystery.

“Most of you have already been assigned to your songs,” PD Chu Zhao said slowly, his meaningful gaze sweeping over each trainee.

“But—”

“Some of you may not have found your name on the list due to various reasons, such as a complete conflict between your choices and your fans’ votes, or because the competition for your chosen songs was too fierce. These trainees… have failed to make the cut.”

Gong Jiayu’s mind went blank. He checked the red list several times but couldn’t find his name.

Did he… fail?

Beside him, Wei Mingzhe wrapped an arm around his shoulders, giving him a comforting pat, while in the front, Xiao Yingyi and Yan Zihao glanced back at him with concern.

They were all members of the initial Class A and had formed a strong bond after living and training together for so long.

“However, these trainees still have one more chance,” Chu Zhao said.

“You will now have to choose from the remaining slots. If the song you choose is ranked first in the fan vote, then congratulations, you’ve secured a spot.”

“But, if you fail again, you’ll be left with no choice but to be randomly assigned to one of the remaining spots.”

Chu Zhao flashed his signature sly grin, “Understood?”

Several trainees, their faces showing frustration or anxiety, nodded.

“Now, we’ll begin with the trainee ranked highest among those who didn’t make it—Gong Jiayu.” The PD called out his name.

Gong Jiayu was trembling all over, and from that moment, his memories became a blur. He had no recollection of how he walked to the stage or how he came back down. All he remembered were his trembling hands and the look in his friends’ eyes, all of them signaling the same suggestion—

“With U.”

＊

In the “With U” practice room.

“Gong Jiayu!” Their team captain called out to him, “Your facial expressions!”

“This is a sweet song, but your expressions aren’t matching the vibe,” the captain softened his voice a little when he saw Gong Jiayu look over.

After all, Gong Jiayu was a top-ranking trainee, and the captain, who ranked only in the twenties, didn’t feel comfortable directly criticizing him.

In reality, Gong Jiayu had a major issue with his facial expressions.

It seemed like he had developed his own habitual routine: after singing a line, he would squint his eyes, pout his lips, and cast a dreamy gaze. Or, while dancing, he would force his expressions towards a cool and sexy demeanor.

But this was supposed to be a sweet song!

During the second public performance, Gong Jiayu had sung a melancholic love ballad, and his expression management had been passable, although a bit overdone.

During the mentor collaboration stage, he was only responsible for hitting high notes, and his three high-pitched segments had stunned the audience.

But this time, the song completely exposed his weaknesses.

The captain watched him cautiously, afraid that Gong Jiayu might get angry.

To his surprise, Gong Jiayu only lowered his head and, with a quivering voice, said, “I’m sorry for wasting your time. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be back soon.”

He turned to leave and, before exiting, even bowed ninety degrees to his teammates!

Any frustration his teammates had vanished in that moment. They let out a soft sigh and continued their practice.

Meanwhile, Gong Jiayu wandered aimlessly around the filming base.

His expression management techniques were something he had learned during his time as a trainee at the company. He had been training since he was young, and his expression management coach had taught them this way. Over the years, it had become a deeply ingrained habit.

He felt like he couldn’t change anymore.

The more he thought about it, the sadder he became, until he didn’t even realize where he had wandered, until a teasing voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

“Where did this stray kid come from?”

Gong Jiayu looked up and saw Qi Yanning standing under a tree.

He couldn’t hold back any longer and threw himself forward with a wail.

“Qi-ge!!!”

Back when Qi Yanning had done their stage makeup, Gong Jiayu had already admired this makeup artist with magical hands. And after Qi Yanning had swooped in like a savior to rescue them from an evil makeup artist and created stunning looks for their photoshoot, Gong Jiayu had felt even closer to him.

And so, here they were.

Qi Yanning, pushing Gong Jiayu’s head away, exuded an icy aura.

The tears and snot on Gong Jiayu’s face utterly disgusted him.

“Don’t come near me,” Qi Yanning said mercilessly, but he still pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to Gong Jiayu.

“Wipe your face. Stop crying and tell me what happened.” His voice wasn’t gentle at all, but it was surprisingly comforting.

Gong Jiayu wiped his face and recounted everything that had happened.

“Can’t change?” Qi Yanning let out a mocking laugh. “There’s nothing that can’t be changed.”

“Follow me.”

With eyes swollen like peaches, Gong Jiayu followed Qi Yanning into the makeup room and, as instructed, sat down in front of the mirror.

“Sing.”

“What?” Gong Jiayu turned to look at Qi Yanning in confusion.

“Look at yourself in the mirror and sing.” Qi Yanning stood with his arms crossed, watching the bewildered Gong Jiayu in the mirror.

Gong Jiayu began to sing his part.

“Don’t squint. Start over.”

“Biting your lip? Start over!”

“You’re squinting again. Do you think that looks good?”

…

Over and over again, Qi Yanning made him restart, forcing him to watch himself in the mirror. Gong Jiayu felt like he no longer recognized the person in the reflection.

Finally, when he was so disoriented he could barely focus, Qi Yanning didn’t stop him but instead held his head still, his voice cold, “Doesn’t the person in the mirror seem like a stranger? Take a good look at your own face.”

For the first time, Gong Jiayu seriously examined himself.

A baby face, round eyes, round lips—delicate and completely harmless.

He pursed his lips, hesitated for a long time, and finally, with a stammer, revealed a thought he had never shared before in front of Qi Yanning. “Qi-ge, do you think… that I’m not good-looking at all?”

He wasn’t sure why, but despite Qi Yanning’s cold and proud demeanor, Gong Jiayu always felt that this was someone he could truly trust… a good person.

Qi Yanning raised an eyebrow, finally understanding the crux of the issue. This kid didn’t like his own appearance.

With a hint of amused laughter in his voice, Qi Yanning asked, “What do you think looks good?”

“At the very least, like Wei-ge or Hai-ge, right? They’re so handsome! Unlike me, people only ever say I’m cute,” Gong Jiayu said, his voice tinged with envy.

“So, your expression management is based on trying to imitate their kind of look, without considering your own features?”

Qi Yanning knocked him hard on the head. “Idiot.”

Gong Jiayu lowered his head, not saying a word.

“Only knowing how to appreciate one kind of beauty—your sense of aesthetics is pretty limited…” Qi Yanning shook his head.

He pressed Gong Jiayu’s head down and grabbed a makeup brush, using the handle to point at different parts of his face.

“Let’s go from top to bottom. First, you’ve got a perfectly shaped skull, which gives your face a naturally smooth contour. Your cheeks are full.”

His gaze, sharp as a blade, fell on Gong Jiayu’s face, making him shudder involuntarily.

“Your eyes are classic almond-shaped—upturned at the outer corners and curved at the inner ones, large and alluring. So, squinting your eyes doesn’t look better than when they’re fully open.”

“Your nose is a perfectly shaped straight nose, and your lips are thin on top and full on the bottom, naturally rosy, with a slight cupid’s bow on your upper lip. Your eyebrows are delicate, and your skin is fair and translucent.”

Qi Yanning, speaking in a tone that bordered on disbelief, asked, “With a face like this, why do you think you’re not good-looking?”

Is that really true?

Gong Jiayu stared blankly at himself in the mirror.

It had been a long time since he’d heard anyone compliment his appearance like that. Ever since he became a trainee at his agency, all he’d ever heard were criticisms about his looks.

From teachers to company executives to fellow trainees, everyone always put him down to praise someone else.

“No matter how good your skills are, looking like Gong Jiayu, no girls will like you, and you won’t have any chance to debut.”

“Yeah, unlike Kang-ge, who’s so handsome—that’s what good looks are!”

…

Words like these had surrounded him ever since he entered the company, even the teachers instructing them on expression management would lament, “With your looks, you need to work extra hard on managing your expressions.”

Being immersed in these remarks for so long had unconsciously eroded his self-confidence. He hadn’t truly looked at himself in the mirror for ages, and even on stage, he instinctively pushed himself, trying to use “expression management” to make up for what he thought were his shortcomings in appearance.

Seeing that he was still in a daze, Qi Yanning continued, “Do you think Lou Yuxing is good-looking? Or Chu Zhao?”

Gong Jiayu nodded vigorously. How could they not be good-looking? One had stunned everyone with a half-face makeup look during the mentor collaboration stage, and the other was a top-tier celebrity!

“If I told you that, in my eyes, you’re on the same level as them, what would you think?”

Gong Jiayu’s eyes widened in shock.

Him, on the same level as Lou Yuxing and Chu Zhao?

Impossible…

“Think about it carefully.”

“And also, think about why, despite your expression management being so off, your fans never abandoned you. Do they have some weird love for ugliness? Or are they masochists?”

After delivering this final comment, Qi Yanning simply walked away.

Left alone, Gong Jiayu stared at the mirror for a long time, and finally, he couldn’t help but break into an unguarded, wide smile.

＊

After Qi Yanning whimsically gave a pep talk to the “little stray” he’d picked up that day, the next time he saw Gong Jiayu was in the makeup room during the rehearsal for the third public performance.

In the days since, Gong Jiayu seemed to have had a breakthrough. The once restless energy he exuded had subtly settled, leaving him with an aura that was both clear and bright.

“Qi-ge!” Gong Jiayu rushed up to him, eyes shining.

His cheeks were flushed. “After that day, I went and asked a bunch of people, and they all said I’m good-looking!”

That day, like a fool, Gong Jiayu had asked everyone, from fellow trainees to the production staff—even the cashier auntie at the snack shop got asked the question.

“How could Xiao Yu not be good-looking?” the auntie had replied with a kind smile, her eyes full of affection. “Out of the whole show, auntie likes your looks the best!”

The auntie’s words wiped away the last shred of disbelief Gong Jiayu had.

It felt as though he was floating on clouds, as years of self-perception came crashing down in a single moment. But he didn’t find it hard to accept—instead, it was like a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders, leaving him feeling lighter and freer.

“Qi-ge, let me sing my part for you! You’ll see how much I’ve changed!” Before Qi Yanning could respond, Gong Jiayu had already started singing, even striking an ending pose at the end.

But, in his excitement, he overdid it, and it ended in an embarrassing mishap…

Qi Yanning sneered coldly, “What was with that crooked smile just now?”

He mimicked Gong Jiayu’s earlier expression, which looked ridiculously mocking.

“You don’t look too smart doing that,” Qi Yanning returned to his usual expression, offering a ruthless critique.

Gong Jiayu let out a wail, looking at Qi Yanning with pitiful eyes, his whole demeanor deflated.

Qi Yanning ignored him and focused on finishing the makeup for the group.

Their group was performing a catchy, sweet song, reminiscent of a first love set in a school setting. Gong Jiayu’s outfit consisted of a pink overall and a light blue hoodie, with a small pink hair clip adorning his slightly curled hair.

Qi Yanning, breaking from his usual restraint, used extra shiny glitter on Gong Jiayu’s face, making him sparkle all over. He looked like a peach-flavored candy wrapped in colorful foil.

“Wow, so cute! Let mommy give her baby a kiss!” Upon seeing Gong Jiayu’s makeup, An Zai instantly burst into laughter, teasing loudly from the side.

Embarrassed and furious, Gong Jiayu stood up, pretending to go after An Zai, but with this makeup on him…

There wasn’t the slightest hint of ferocity—he looked more like a little kitten playfully baring its claws.

The other trainees and makeup artists present couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

Too cute!

＊

In no time, it was time for the third public performance of Your Star. More than half the stages had already been completed. Since the first public performance, Your Star’s popularity had skyrocketed, and now the live comments were flooding in thick and fast.

[Wei Mingzhe is so handsome!]

[His waist, whew…]

[Why is Wei-ge on stage and not in my bed?! I refuse to believe this!]

[The comment section is full of thirst, oh my…]

[Who’s up next?]

[Gong Jiayu? Ehhhhh]

[Wait, what’s wrong with our Xiao Yu? Are you just jealous because his triple high notes went viral?]

[Your Xiao Yu? He’s oozing oil, lol. Such a greasy guy!]

[Gong Jiayu? The one whose singing is heavenly when you close your eyes, but when you open them, it’s greasy as heck?]

[Warning: High-calorie content ahead! Dieters, exit quickly!]

…

The comments were overwhelmingly negative toward Gong Jiayu.

But that only lasted until the moment the performance began.

In a close-up shot, Gong Jiayu opened his eyes, his gaze filled with nothing but sincere warmth. Then, he smiled softly, his sparkling eyes flashing briefly before disappearing from the screen.

All that was left was the sight of a pink figure, as if carrying the sweet scent of peaches.