Because Jiang Chenxing already had a certain fan base to begin with, and they were all rabid mom fans, grandma fans, and older-sister fans, the trending ranking actually leaped straight past #Star-Making Camp# and rushed to number one.
And this happened without any marketing accounts stepping in, and without a single cent spent buying trending spots.
Very quickly, it attracted a wave of passing viewers:
【Where did this fairy-like little brother come from? He’s way too handsome!】
【This Popping performance is straight-up god-tier】
【You can tell at a glance the moves are super professional】
【Why is everyone only looking at the dancing? This face, these legs, aren’t they amazing too?】
【Little brother’s eyes are insanely beautiful, like they’re hiding green mountains and clear waters, with spring streams tinkling inside, so clean】
【When Su Mo praised him at the start, was little brother shy? His ears were totally red】
【After the performance, seeing everyone still frozen in shock, he looked so confused and cute, absolutely adorable】
【New idol in the entertainment industry? Which agency is he from? Has he debuted? Why was there zero news before this?】
【One minute. I want all the information on this little brother】
【Been retired from stanning for three years, finally got a new bias! Help me up, I’m charging for little brother!】
【……】
The dance proved his strength; his looks and physique were the strongest buffs.
As the heat climbed higher and higher, more and more passerby fans accumulated, and through word-of-mouth “tell ten from one” recommendations, a large number of organic fans poured in.
When the production team saw this trend, they were stunned.
“What’s going on?”
“Who bought this trending spot?”
“Didn’t we already agree with those agencies that there’d be no private maneuvering, and that they’d consult us before taking action? What, backing out now? Buying trending spots so hard they climbed above us, d*mn impressive!” The director cursed on the spot.
The staff all lowered their heads, not daring to breathe too loudly.
“Check it! Which company sent this Jiang Chenxing?”
Two minutes later.
“Director Yu, we found it! He was recommended by Xingyue Entertainment.”
“Xingyue Entertainment? What kind of tiny workshop is that? How have I never heard of it? Could it be…” some capital’s alt account? Or a new shell with a fresh label?
“This company is registered in Linhuai. It used to be an internet influencer incubation studio, then later transitioned into artist management.”
The director frowned, rubbing his chin as he fell into thought.
They made a move and smashed straight into number one on the trending list, rich and aggressive. To say there’s no backing doesn’t really make sense…
“Go check the background of this Xingyue Entertainment, especially the equity structure.”
“Got it. Then should we do anything about the trending topic?”
The director waved his hand. “Before we figure out their background, don’t act rashly.”
If there really is a big-money backer behind them, wouldn’t that be offending someone?
The assistant director spoke up at the right moment: “I actually think things are pretty good right now. It’s all positive news anyway, free hype for us. Why not take it?”
The director glanced at him and snorted lightly. “You’re thinking too beautifully. If it were really that simple, it’d be fine.”
“Otherwise?”
Lowering his voice, the director said, “Right now Jiang Chenxing has taken all the attention. What about those pretty boys the station and investors want to push? Debut contracts are already signed. Not as skilled but still want the center position, do they think the audience are idiots?”
The assistant director’s expression instantly turned serious. “Then what can we do now?”
“No rush. First, get a clear picture of their background.”
If he’s backed by a big tree, with strong capital, then the production team would naturally be willing to go with the flow and give Jiang Chenxing some preferential treatment.
But if not…
The director narrowed his eyes slightly and lifted his head, looking at the screen where the handsome, upright youth stood.
What a pity…
……
Blueberry TV, as the nationally recognized “traffic powerhouse,” had maintained its popularity over the years, enjoying endless glory.
Setting other things aside, just its geographical location was already uniquely advantageous.
In the extremely valuable Third Ring, nearly 900 mu of land had been allocated entirely to the station.
Aside from studios, office buildings, and residential areas for staff families, there were also rows of villas built across a beautiful artificial lake.
The dormitories for Star-Making Training Camp were arranged right here.
Although only the first episode had aired publicly, filming had actually already reached the third episode.
The second episode’s content was: forming new temporary groups, starting preparations for the first public performance under mentor guidance, interspersed with the trainees’ daily training routines.
The third episode was: the first public performance, followed by ranking announcements and a major reshuffle of the A, B, C, and F classes.
Yesterday, the public performance was just recorded and the rankings announced. Some trainees had already been confirmed eliminated, packed their things early this morning, and left one after another.
Jiang Chenxing’s group, as the top-ranked public performance team, was safe across the board.
He himself, with an overwhelming vote advantage, won the title of “Popularity King.” Not only did he remain in A Class, he also jumped straight into the C position for the theme song.
Originally, all of this was worth celebrating, but Jiang Chenxing gradually realized that he seemed to be getting isolated.
“Yo, isn’t this our Popularity King? Where you going?” one roommate suddenly spoke up.
Seeing the obvious malice in the other’s smile, Jiang Chenxing swallowed back the invitation he was about to say and replied calmly, “To eat.”
“I heard you eat a lot, like a rice bucket. Is that true?”
Jiang Chenxing ignored him and prepared to leave.
“Hey, leaving already?” The roommate sprang up, wide shoulders and long legs blocking his path. “I asked you a question, why aren’t you answering?”
Jiang Chenxing was half a head taller than him, his eyelids lowering slightly as he looked down. “I have the right not to answer.”
“Too embarrassed to answer, right? Calling you a rice bucket is already polite, I haven’t even called you a pig!”
“Please mind your wording.” As he spoke, he glanced toward the camera mounted diagonally above.
The roommate sneered. “Stop looking. You think I don’t know there are cameras? Need you to remind me? And so what? Believe it or not, even if I beat you up right here today, when it airs, not a single shot of it will show up?”
The other roommates stayed silent. Not one stepped forward to help Jiang Chenxing. They all busied themselves with their own things, pretending they hadn’t heard anything.
Jiang Chenxing was pitiful, sure, but Xia Qingfan had backing. They couldn’t afford to offend him, and didn’t want to be targeted, so they could only play dead.
“Still trying to threaten me with the cameras? Heh, overestimating yourself!”
Jiang Chenxing’s lips tightened slightly, but there was no fear in his eyes.
Before coming, Uncle Wu had already given him a warning, among these 101 people, there were likely “royal picks.” They were the new traffic idols the station and investors wanted to push: lots of screen time, good scripts, explosive resources, guaranteed debut. If he ran into them, avoid them if possible.
Jiang Chenxing thought it couldn’t be that unlucky. Over a hundred people, what were the chances it’d fall on him?
Turns out his luck was incredible. He really did run into one.
But Uncle Wu also said: if avoidance isn’t possible, don’t be afraid. If he’s wronged, someone will definitely back him up.
So Jiang Chenxing merely swept Xia Qingfan with a flat glance. “Suit yourself. Can you move now?”
Xia Qingfan froze, then sudden rage exploded. He shoved Jiang Chenxing’s shoulder directly. “Who the h*ll do you think you are? What kind of thing are you? Think you’re amazing because you dance well? Got first place and now you’re all full of yourself, idiot!”
Jiang Chenxing took a step back, brushed the spot on his left shoulder where he’d been touched, like sweeping away dirt. “If the one who got first is an idiot, then what are you, who didn’t get first? Worse than an idiot?”
Xia Qingfan froze. “You f*cking…”
“Didn’t you say you were going to hit me?” Jiang Chenxing stepped forward, deliberately moving closer. “Hurry up. I’m busy going to eat.”
Xia Qingfan: “?”
“Not hitting me? Fine, then I’ll go.”
With that, he walked straight past him, left the dorm, and strode away.
Xia Qingfan stood there like a stunned chicken, anger still frozen on his face, lingering for a long while, looking rather ridiculous.
Only after a moment did he react, humiliation-fueled rage surging up. He kicked over Jiang Chenxing’s chair.
With a loud crash, accompanied by his furious curses, the sound echoed through the entire corridor.
Yet not a single person dared to step out and stop him. The roommates stayed silent, instantly turning mute. Those from other dorms only dared to whisper behind closed doors.
“It’s started again. Jiang Chenxing is really miserable.”
“Xia Qingfan is way too much. Does he really need to be this nasty?”
“Shh! Keep your voice down. If he hears us, we’ll suffer too.”
“Honestly, Jiang Chenxing is a pretty good person. Haven’t I always been bad at dancing? During the public performance grouping, they all looked down on me because I was F class, usually they wouldn’t even talk to me, and during practice they barely helped me, so afterward I had to pick apart the moves myself.”
“And then? Then what?”
“Then I suck. Even with teachers teaching me hand-in-hand, I still mess up, how could I possibly figure out those complex moves? Another public performance was coming up and I was so anxious I was about to cry. It was Jiang Chenxing who took the initiative and stepped in to help, taking time every day to practice with me.”
“He’s really amazing. He can break down movements after watching a video once, his talent is high, and his personality is good too… Xia Qingfan is just jealous, that’s why he keeps picking on him!”
“Anyone with eyes can tell who’s right and who’s wrong, but no one dares to interfere. Xia Qingfan has backing, we can’t afford to offend him.”
“Can’t we think of some way?”
“Unless Jiang Chenxing also has backing, otherwise he’s destined to be cannon fodder.”
But Jiang Chenxing’s gentle, mild-mannered look, like he had no temper at all, didn’t resemble someone with connections in the slightest.
“As the old saying goes, a man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime. Without external forces to escort him, the more outstanding Jiang Chenxing is, the more he’ll be targeted.”
Deal with one Xia Qingfan, and another will be waiting.
“Isn’t he a big internet celebrity? With over ten million followers, couldn’t he…”
“Fan power is limited. It can’t compete with capital.”
“Then… is there really no way at all?”
“Sigh…”
A long sigh.
……
After venting his anger, Xia Qingfan cursed under his breath and flopped onto the bed, his shoeless feet resting directly on the chair of the roommate opposite him.
That roommate had originally been sitting with his back turned, fixing his hair. Sensing something, he turned his head and saw the soles of a pair of big shoes in front of his eyes, but he said nothing, even forcing a flattering smile.
“What? Got a problem?”
“No, no, no… Brother Fan, do as you please.”
“Heh!”
Xia Qingfan let out a cold laugh. This person gave way to him everywhere, flattered him constantly, yet he didn’t appreciate it at all.
But if it were Jiang Chenxing instead…
He thought he would definitely be very pleased.
As early as the recording of the first episode, Xia Qingfan had already felt that this Jiang would be a formidable opponent.
He hadn’t expected that in the second and third episodes, Jiang Chenxing would directly lead his group to take off, and even snatch away the theme song C position that Xia Qingfan had considered a sure thing.
Before this, he had already had a falling-out with the director once.
“Why choose him? Who exactly is this show trying to promote? Have you people figured it out?” The young master flew into a rage.
The director explained with cold sweat pouring down his face: “The show has only just begun, we can’t make it too obvious. If the audience notices, they’ll definitely label you as ‘royalty,’ and that will only attract backlash.”
The words were phrased very tactfully.
Put bluntly, Xia Qingfan’s current ability simply didn’t match the theme song C position. Forcing him into it would only invite criticism.
If talent doesn’t match position, forcibly pushing him would drag the entire show’s fairness and integrity into question.
The director definitely wouldn’t dare to do that.
So he earnestly tried to persuade him: “It’s only the beginning, don’t rush. There are so many episodes coming up, we’ve already given you the best script. Follow the storyline and your persona will be rock solid. Gaining fans will be a matter of minutes.”
In the end, Xia Qingfan was appeased, but there was still a lump of resentment stuck in his chest, so he began targeting Jiang Chenxing at every turn.
At first, that kid stayed silent and low-key. He’d thought he was a pushover, like dough, never expected him to suddenly grow a backbone today…
The image of those clear, clean, yet cold and distant eyes flashed through his mind, and Xia Qingfan couldn’t suppress his irritability.
Bang!
He kicked the chair, venting his anger.
The roommate, chair and all, was kicked over. Pain twisted his face; a flash of anger crossed his eyes, but he dared not speak.
“What are you lying on the ground for? Who are you acting for? Get up already!”
“B-Brother Fan… my waist hurts, let me catch my breath…”
Xia Qingfan cursed “trash” and looked ready to kick again. The roommate was so frightened he ignored the pain, forcing himself to crawl up and stand straight.
“Brother Fan, I… I’m fine.”
Xia Qingfan curled his lips, finally withdrawing his foot.
He figured the first episode had already aired, who knew what the online comments were like now?
After all, he’d also gotten an A in the initial selection. He felt his performance had been pretty good. As for looks and physique, both were top-tier. He was sure to attract plenty of fans, maybe even a fan support club had already been set up.
The more he thought about it, the more curious he became. But phones weren’t allowed during training. Xia Qingfan’s eyes rolled, and he stood up, straightened his clothes, fixed his hair in the mirror, hadn’t even debuted yet, but the idol baggage was already heavy.
But among the boys who could live here, how many were actually ugly?
Each had his own distinctive looks.
After tidying himself up, Xia Qingfan went out.
The roommate who’d been kicked couldn’t help letting out a long breath. “Finally gone…”
Another roommate looked at him with concern. “You okay?”
“Like h*ll! My waist hurts like crazy… I’m suddenly a bit impressed with Jiang Chenxing, daring to confront him head-on.”
At the mention of Jiang Chenxing, everyone fell silent.
They wanted to keep themselves safe, that was true, but their sympathy was real as well.
In the end, they still didn’t have the courage to step forward.
……
Xia Qingfan walked to the end of the corridor, kicked open the door to the program team’s temporary office, and swaggered inside.
A staff member was editing footage. Hearing the noise, she whipped her head around.
Seeing that the newcomer was wearing trainee uniform, she frowned. “You’re a trainee? This area isn’t open for casual entry.”
Xia Qingfan looked her up and down. Tch, old woman.
“New here?” She didn’t even recognize him.
The woman pushed up the framed glasses on her nose bridge and frowned. “If you don’t leave, I’ll call the discipline team. If you don’t want to get scolded, leave now.”
“Ha!” Xia Qingfan sneered.
“You…”
Just then, another staff member walked in. It was as if the woman instantly found confidence. “Editor Lin, this trainee…”
Before she could finish speaking, she saw the usually high-and-mighty, aloof Editor Lin greet this trainee with a smiling face, calling him “Young Master Fan” over and over.
The woman’s expression changed slightly. Having worked behind the scenes for so many years, she could guess that the other party likely had a powerful background, not someone she could afford to offend.
Xia Qingfan cut off the editor’s rambling flattery and pointed at the woman. “So, are you still telling me to leave?”
The woman’s expression stiffened.
“Hand over your phone.”
“But according to regulations, during closed recording, trainees aren’t allowed to use phones, ”
“Why so much nonsense? I told you to bring it, so bring it!”
Xia Qingfan snatched it from her hand. “No awareness at all.”
Then he opened Weibo and refreshed the trending list. The next second, his expression darkened sharply, his gaze turning extremely frightening.
Jiang Chenxing was actually number one on the trending list?!
And with the “explosive” tag?!
He clicked in and saw nothing but comments like “followed, followed,” “little brother is so handsome,” and the like.
Jiang Chenxing’s initial selection clip had been reposted hundreds of thousands of times.
Someone had even made a mashup of his dance with MJ’s, captioned: Not inferior to the classic, this little brother has a promising future!
Meanwhile, discussion about himself was sparse. And when there was any, it was basically all negative,
Some said his face looked stiff, like he’d had work done; others said his upper body was too long and his proportions were weird; some even bluntly complained that his skills were mediocre and questioned why he could get an A.
Xia Qingfan clenched his teeth and sneered. After exiting Weibo, he skillfully dialed a number on the phone.
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