Chapter 29 An Unremarkable Special Admittee

Chapter 29 An Unremarkable Special Admittee

Perhaps because both of them were genuinely sincere, the anticipated awkwardness passed surprisingly quickly.

Knowing that he was "Autumn Mackerel," Ning Song felt more at ease around him.

Pu Yu's depressed mood of the past two days suddenly lifted.

They arrived at the Shandong Province Radio and Television Building. Qiao Qiao couldn't make it because a few IJ fans he met online had contacted him, and he organized a fan gathering, so he was busy hosting.

Ning Song took the opportunity to ask if there were any extra tickets; he wanted to take Pu Yu to the concert.

After what happened, he felt it was inappropriate to go anywhere without Pu Yu, fearing the sensitive young master might overthink things.

"There are plenty of tickets!" Qiao Qiao was thrilled to hear that Pu Yu also wanted to see his idol.

Ning Song hung up the phone, wondering if there really were that many unsold tickets.

It seemed he needed to show more enthusiasm tonight to cheer Qiao Qiao up.

The entertainment channel in Shandong Province was very popular, with many shows being recorded daily. As they queued up, Ning Song spotted the audience for "All the Way Through."

But he didn't see Shen Lingsi.

He took out his phone and snapped a photo, sending it to Shen Lingsi: "Your audience!"

Shen Lingsi replied quickly: "Where are you?"

Ning Song patted Pu Yu.

"Lower down a bit."

Pu Yu, carrying both their backpacks, immediately squatted down a little and smiled at the camera when he saw Ning Song taking a selfie.

Looking at the two of them in the frame, Ning Song said, "We look so good together, it makes me look ugly."

Pu Yu said, "Not ugly."

"True, it's not that I'm ugly; it's that you're too handsome," Ning Song said.

Pu Yu pursed his lips and asked, "Handsome?"

Ning Song sent the selfie to Shen Lingsi, saying, "Queuing up to enter."

Then he replied to the handsome guy asking if he was handsome: "Not handsome, ugly."

Pu Yu laughed even more happily.

Ning Song thought Pu Yu really couldn't hide his emotions.

Previously so gloomy, now he smiled easily after talking things through.

And when he did smile, it was so gentle.

Moreover, this guy was so tall that he naturally drew attention wherever he went, especially with such a face.

The probability of gay fans among the audience seemed unusually high; within ten minutes, four guys approached Pu Yu for his contact information.

Of course, there were even more girls—seven or eight.

But Pu Yu declined all of them.

Ning Song said, "Actually, you could have added one or two."

"I don't want to," Pu Yu said.

Ning Song thought that a protagonist like Pu Yu really needed an extremely proactive partner to start dating.

He was really passive.

Elope's live performance was incredible. This kind of band should be experienced live; their energy and charisma were unmatched, completely different from listening on a phone. Unfortunately, since it was a variety show, they only performed one song, leaving Ning Song feeling unsatisfied.

However, he did make a few new friends, all fans of Elope: two girls and one guy. They were even more passionate than he was, having flown in from other cities specifically to support the band. From these seasoned fans, he learned that Elope would be holding a concert in July.

Previously, due to a smaller fan base, Elope mostly participated in music festivals, commercial performances, or played gigs at bars. Now that their fan base had grown significantly, they were planning their first tour.

Ning Song also joined their fan group.

While he wasn't a crazed fan, he wasn't one to get overly emotional either, but he still planned to attend Elope's concert.

After the recording ended, he went to the restroom. When he came out, he saw Pu Yu surrounded by several guys who were overly enthusiastic, making Pu Yu almost blush like a little red flower.

No wonder it's a BL world; the protagonist attracts admirers everywhere he goes.

Seeing Ning Song emerge, Pu Yu immediately approached him.

Ning Song said, "You're quite popular."

Pu Yu said, "I didn't say anything."

Then Ning Song faintly heard someone say, "He's not mute."

Ning Song suddenly remembered how he initially suspected Pu Yu was mute when they first met, and couldn't help but chuckle softly, glancing at Pu Yu: "You didn't say a word?"

Pu Yu said, "Didn't feel like it."

Very cool.

"Keep this unique trait of yours," Ning Song said.

Pu Yu looked down at him. Because there were many people coming and going, the two of them were almost touching.

"You might not know, but some people prefer your type." The silent and reserved male lead is considered a super popular character type; the aloof aura is also a kind of hormone, "Some find quiet guys very sexy."

After saying this, Ning Song smiled and turned his head back.

They followed the crowd out to eat the lunch provided by the show for the audience.

Ning Song had never tried it before and wanted to give it a go.

As they were finding a place to eat after getting their boxed meals, Pu Yu suddenly asked, "Do I have anything to do with being sexy?"

Ning Song was looking down at his boxed meal and responded with an "ah" as he turned back.

"Some people used to say I look like someone with sexual indifference."

Ning Song didn't expect the young master's reaction time to be so long.

"Looking like you have sexual indifference is a kind of sexiness. It's that desire to conquer, wanting to see what you're like in different situations, making one feel special. Look, when you ignore someone, don't they become even more enthusiastic?"

Pu Yu hummed in response and spread out his boxed meal, "I'm not sexually indifferent."

Ning Song laughed, "I believe you."

Otherwise, having such a big body would be for nothing!

The crew's boxed meals were pretty good and smelled great, but Pu Yu wasn't used to them. The young master was really picky about food, and Ning Song thought if he wasn't watching, Pu Yu would probably rather go hungry. Ning Song, fearing waste, said, "Give me the dishes you don't want."

"I've already eaten," Pu Yu said.

He had never eaten leftovers from others or given his own leftovers to anyone else.

Ning Song said, "It's fine, I don't mind."

Saying this, he used Pu Yu's chopsticks to transfer all the dishes Pu Yu didn't eat into his own box.

Pu Yu barely touched his food.

Pu Yu watched Ning Song eat all the transferred dishes, feeling inexplicably excited.

He really wasn't sexually indifferent; sometimes he felt a bit perverted. For example, right now, he had an urge. He felt these dishes became more palatable after Ning Song ate them.

Just after finishing their meal, Ning Song received a call from Shen Lingsi.

Shen Lingsi asked, "Are you done recording?"

"We finished a while ago, just finished eating the crew's boxed meal."

"Do you want to come over here and take a look?"

"Aren't you still recording?"

"We'll be recording until evening."

Ning Song asked Pu Yu, "Brother Shen wants us to go over and take a look. Should we go? He's recording some kind of quiz show."

"Is there enough time?" Pu Yu said, "We're supposed to go watch a concert tonight, right?"

"Just a quick glance and then leave," Ning Song said.

Shen Lingsi had invited him!

And he was indeed curious about everything happening at the TV station.

Pu Yu nodded, "Then let's go."

Shen Lingsi personally came out to greet them. As soon as he saw Shen Lingsi, Ning Song's eyes lit up.

Because today, Shen Lingsi dressed particularly youthful, wearing a white shirt and jeans. He had replaced the round glasses that made him look mature at school with gold-rimmed glasses. Tall, slim, and fair, he seemed to exude an aroma as he moved.

He was also very friendly, smiling and asking, "Was the crew's boxed meal okay?"

Ning Song smiled, "It was pretty good, they added a chicken leg. Brother Yu didn't eat much."

Shen Lingsi said, "It's normal that he's not used to boxed meals."

Unexpectedly, Pu Yu actually responded, asking, "How about you, senior? How did you find it?"

"I haven't eaten yet today. I was too nervous and lost my appetite."

He had taken a break to come out and greet them, arranging for them to sit in the audience area before leaving. "One Step to Fame" used a large studio, and the audience hadn't filled all the seats, concentrating in the front middle rows. Just as Ning Song and Pu Yu sat down, the assistant director came out to stir up the audience's emotions.

Having participated in the recording earlier, Ning Song knew this was to record the audience's reactions separately.

He had always thought the audience's reactions were real-time.

Turned out they could be recorded separately and edited in later.

No wonder, when he watched a comedy show before, the jokes on stage were old, but when the camera switched to the audience, everyone was laughing heartily.

The assistant director, hands on hips, said, "Same as usual, everyone try to be more enthusiastic! The more engaged you are, the more likely you are to appear on TV! Ready, three, two, one, clap! Show surprise! Cheer!"

Pu Yu remained expressionless, only clapping along when prompted.

On the other hand, Ning Song cheered and acted shocked, performing quite exaggeratedly.

Shen Lingsi, standing by on stage, saw Pu Yu smiling and turning to look at Ning Song.

Then he saw the crane camera swinging towards them, and the assistant director pointed at Pu Yu, shouting, "This guy is so handsome! Be more enthusiastic, more enthusiastic."

Pu Yu wasn't quite used to the camera focusing on him like this. He just looked at the lens without following the assistant director's instructions, and the camera continued to film him for a while.

Ning Song, standing beside him, clapped his hands until they hurt, thinking to himself, ordinary people really can't compare to the main character; otherwise, their psyche would twist. Their efforts were nothing compared to Young Master Pu sitting there quietly!

Nowadays, even the audience shots seem to favor good-looking people.

Shen Lingsi thought Pu Yu was really eye-catching.

Sitting in the crowded audience, when the program's lights swept over, Shen Lingsi immediately spotted him.

He was well-groomed and handsome, looking like an exemplary rich young master.

Shen Lingsi admitted he wasn't a paragon of virtue. His affection for Ning Song had a touch of obsession and distortion, which made him feel a surge of that phrase when he saw Pu Yu so striking.

"Treat your enemies like fallen leaves in autumn—mercilessly."

Thus, during the second recording session, he was fully charged.

"One Step to Fame" was a competitive knowledge quiz show that encompassed a wide range of subjects such as astronomy, geography, ancient poetry, pop music, and general trivia. The questions were varied, and Shen Lingsi had already progressed to the second round. Today, he was facing off against ten challengers in a match, and he had even opted for the high-stakes four-on-one mode. Despite his nervousness, which was evident in his sweaty palms, he maintained an air of composure and poise, earning applause for his elegant and assertive display in the fierce contest.

Ning Song almost clapped his hands raw.

Such a versatile and flawless protagonist must be set as a benchmark!

But Pu Yu felt rather calm today.

Perhaps he had anticipated it. Since Shen Lingsi had invited Ning Song to watch, he must have been confident. Today's display was indeed impressive. However, seeing Ning Song praise Shen Lingsi with "Brother Shen, you're amazing!" didn't sting as much as it did when he saw him riding the electric scooter with Sheng Yan two nights ago.

So he politely congratulated Shen Lingsi, "Congratulations on defending your position, Senior."

Shen Lingsi's gaze behind his glasses swept over Pu Yu's delicate yet fierce face, smiling, "Thank you."

Pu Yu's cordial demeanor and apparent joy made Shen Lingsi somewhat uneasy.

He preferred the tension between them.

Tension arises when everyone is on the same level.

Only those who are sure of victory remain calm!

Shen Lingsi felt that Pu Yu had too many advantages—time, place, and people. He seemed to stick to Ning Song like glue.

It was truly annoying.

Initially planning to watch for a bit and leave, they ended up staying due to the thrilling competition. When they exited the TV station, Ning Song received numerous calls from Qiao Qiao.

He called Qiao Qiao back, "I was at the recording, my phone was off."

Qiao Qiao said, "We're already at the café outside the Workers' Gymnasium. Let us know when you get here."

The background noise was loud, and Ning Song heard a flamboyant male voice shout, "Sisters, this new drink is amazing, you have to try it!"

Ning Song: "..."

He could sense the evening would be lively.

He glanced at Pu Yu, who looked serious, and said, "Be prepared tonight; it might get very noisy."

Pu Yu nodded.

He didn't care about the noise.

His attention wouldn't be on others.

However, this thought wavered when he met Qiao Qiao and his fans.

These were people he had never encountered before—a group of teenagers, each more outgoing than the last. Some dressed like Barbie dolls, some wore red wigs, and some guys wore leather skirts. Almost everyone had put on matching red cat ear headbands, making Zheng Xiaobo and Li You, who had tattoos, look like model students.

When they saw Pu Yu and Ning Song, they seemed relieved.

Zheng Xiaobo said, "You finally made it."

Fan Duoduo and Feng Xiang sat among the unfamiliar fans, while Qiao Qiao was filming a support video.

The concert hadn't started yet, but Qiao Qiao's voice was already hoarse. He greeted them, "Sit down, sit down. Order whatever drinks you want."

Ning Song was very accepting. At a fan concert, eccentric outfits only made him admire their confidence. But he worried Pu Yu might not be comfortable, so he led him quietly to sit next to Li You, saying, "Brother You is here too."

Zheng Xiaobo said, "I dragged him along. He didn't want to come at first, but I told him you'd be here."

Ning Song laughed, "Brother You is giving me face!"

Li You kicked him, but missed, saying, "Your face is big enough to bring Young Master Pu along."

"It was me who asked him to bring me," Pu Yu said.

Zheng Xiaobo nudged Li You's leg, and Li You pulled his leg back.

A few of them immediately noticed Pu Yu, "Qiao, your friends are all so high-quality!"

Li You glanced at Zheng Xiaobo, suppressing a mischievous smile, sipping through his straw while watching Pu Yu.

He finally felt relieved.

Looking at Pu Yu became more pleasant.

Qiao Qiao quickly said, "Stay away from him. He's a top student; don't joke around."

The boy in the leather skirt looked at Pu Yu and said, "Brother, you're so handsome!"

Without looking at him, Pu Yu leaned over to Ning Song, who was looking at the drinks menu, and asked, "Which one do you want?"

Ning Song ordered a lemon juice and an orange C Americano for Pu Yu. "You didn't eat much at lunch. They have desserts here. Is there anything you want? The cranberry brûlée and the chocolate mille-feuille are quite good."

Pu Yu felt that confessing was the best thing he had ever done, as he sensed their relationship had grown closer since then.

He believed he held a special place in Ning Song's heart. He enjoyed the intimacy in public, feeling superior to others.

"I'll take the chocolate mille-feuille," he knew Ning Song loved chocolate.

Ning Song asked Li You and the others, "Anyone want something to eat?"

"We just ate," Zheng Xiaobo asked, "Didn't you guys eat?"

"We had lunch at the TV station, haven't eaten dinner yet."

"The concert ends around ten-thirty, right?" Zheng Xiaobo said, "Eat something now."

"I'm not very hungry yet. Let's have a late-night snack after it's over," Ning Song said, turning to ask Li You, "How did the competition go yesterday?"

Li You replied, "Don't bring up what doesn't need to be brought up."

Ning Song laughed, "How about the poetry recital, then?"

Li You almost spat out his milk tea.

Ning Song was delighted, laughing out loud. Li You reached out to pinch his neck, but Pu Yu stopped him with a surprisingly gentle smile, "Let him off this time."

This startled Li You.

When did Pu Yu ever smile when talking to him?

Ning Song said, "The Spring Festival should be participated in anyway. Free points, why not take them? It's not embarrassing."

Li You: "Are you never going to stop?"

Pu Yu: "Say less."

Zheng Xiaobo: "You actually participated in the poetry recital too?"

Li You stood up, "Is it time to go in?"

Qiao Qiao checked his watch from across the group, "It's almost time."

They all stood up, and Zheng Xiaobo asked Ning Song, "He really participated in the poetry recital?"

Ning Song said, "I wouldn't dare say."

Pu Yu went to get their drinks, and Li You walked behind Ning Song, finally reaching out to pinch his neck lightly.

Ning Song shivered, "Your hands are so cold."

Li You immediately withdrew his hand, saying, "Got chilled by the milk tea."

Taking advantage of Zheng Xiaobo and the others going to the restroom, Ning Song suddenly said, "Seeing you participate in the program made me so happy."

Li You was taken aback, looking at Ning Song.

Ning Song's face, pale and small in the twilight, seemed to touch him in a way that even Lin Li's deliberate seductions never had.

The wind felt like it was gently blowing into his heart rather than brushing against his cheek.

But he knew Ning Song wasn't trying to seduce him. Zheng Xiaobo had told him that they were from the same place.

He wasn't angry; instead, he understood why Ning Song had been acting so differently these past few days.

It was as if they could understand each other instantly.

They shared a unique bond in this elite school, where only they truly cared for and affirmed each other, making their support more meaningful and powerful because they were looking out for "their own."

He also understood why he had participated in the poetry recital.

Looking at Ning Song, he didn't say a word, just smiled at him.

Pu Yu returned with their food and drinks. Li You saw him carrying both their bags, one a luxury brand bag and the other an old backpack, clearly Ning Song's.

He reached out, "Give me the bags, you guys eat."

Li You took the bags.

Pu Yu slipped his arm out of the strap, "Thanks."

Li You slung Ning Song's backpack over his shoulder and carried Pu Yu's bag in his hand, walking ahead.

Qiao Qiao and the others stared at Pu Yu and Li You, almost boring holes into them.

Someone asked Qiao Qiao, "Who is he dating?"

Qiao Qiao asked, "Who?"

The person pointed at Ning Song ahead.

Pu Yu held the food in one hand and a napkin in the other, unable to use a fork while walking. Ning Song pressed his arm to stop him. Pu Yu, taller and broader-shouldered than Ning Song, looked down at him with a gaze filled with quiet affection.

Ahead, Li You carried Ning Song's backpack, towering and tough-looking with tattoos on his wrist and neck, contrasting sharply with Ning Song's student-style backpack.