Chapter 40: Fame Through a Dance

Chapter 40: One Dance to Fame

Third row of the audience seats.

Jin Bo was still dutifully holding his selfie stick, aiming the camera at the stage.

He could tell his buddy was totally spacing out. After the third performance ended, not only did Qiu Yuelun seem a bit off, but even he felt kinda out of it.

Afraid his voice might carry into the livestream, he covered his mouth with one hand and whispered, "Yuelun, this is your shot—now or never. We’re already here, so asking for his WeChat’s no big deal."

"If you won’t do it, there’s a whole crowd of fans waiting—heck, I’d take it myself."

At that, Qiu Yuelun finally reacted. "What would a straight guy like you want it for?!"

Jin Bo was taken aback by the scolding, then smirked suggestively. "Pfft, finally admitting you’re not straight? Yuelun, you’re into that pretty boy, aren’t you?"

"..." Qiu Yuelun stayed silent.

"Never thought I’d see you crave something normal. As your bro, I’m your wingman—no question."

"What are you planning?" Qiu Yuelun frowned; he was genuinely worried this guy might do something reckless.

"Nothing much. I’m just gonna run to the bathroom—hold this for me." Jin Bo shrugged nonchalantly, shoving the selfie stick into his friend’s hands before slipping away quietly.

Qiu Yuelun’s ears turned red, the heat spreading down to his neck.

He felt totally owned. Not long ago, he had dismissed all dancers as cheesy and lame—something he’d never be into.

But that boy was different. His eyes were striking, so much so that even a glance felt like a jolt.

Qiu Yuelun had originally been zoned out, but the sound of warhorses in the background music snapped him out of it. He opened his eyes impatiently, only for his gaze to lock onto the scene of the red-clad boy spinning in place, his red sleeves swirling before he collapsed dramatically at the climax.

In that moment, his heart pounded as fiercely as the war drums.

The rest of the performance left him increasingly hooked.

Even the hip-swaying moves—something that would’ve made him cringe at bars—felt sharp and natural when the boy did them. Even the sensual leg touches and hip rolls didn’t come off as vulgar.

Qiu Yuelun realized he might just be a sucker for looks—because that face was impossible to ignore. His standards for looks were high; they had to at least match his own. And this boy was one of the few he’d seen who outshone him.

Maybe it wasn’t fair to compare. They weren’t the same type. The boy looked more otherworldly, delicate—like a fragile piece of art best displayed behind glass.

For the first time, Qiu Yuelun felt the urge to get closer to someone so beautiful.

When Jin Bo bluntly called him out, a strange sense of shame surged inside him—one he didn’t even recognize.

Turns out, he was just another ordinary person after all. His previous disinterest wasn’t real disinterest—he just hadn’t met the one who’d pull him down to earth.

...

Backstage rest area.

Jian Ye blinked in confusion at the young man holding out a pen to him.

Judging by his outfit, the guy definitely wasn’t a student here, and no one knew how he’d snuck backstage.

No small talk—straight up, the stranger asked Jian Ye if he could get an autograph.

The surrounding classmates started giving him shit with grins and teasing laughter.

"Oh my, Xiao Ye blew up after just one dance? Fans are already tracking him down!"

"And a male fan too! I told you his type is a total heartthrob for guys."

"Should we get a bodyguard for our campus heartthrob now? Passionate fans chasing him backstage—haha!"

"And a manager too. For any business stuff, don’t contact the artist directly—go through the manager."

Li Xiangchi chimed in, "Am I not the obvious choice as A Ye’s manager? Who else could do it besides me?"

"Don’t get ahead of yourself! Your only claim to fame is sharing a dorm with our campus heartthrob—that's it!"

As everyone joked around, Jian Ye ignored them all and smiled politely at the young man before him. "I’ve never signed anything before—it might not look great."

Jin Bo had been caught off guard by the group’s youthful energy and felt oddly envious.

He had expected this good-looking guy to be aloof—after all, people with striking looks often come off as high-maintenance. But this boy was just as gentle and pleasant as he seemed, his voice soft like a kitten’s purr, something that really gets to you.

"Actually... this is for my buddy. He loved your performance so much, but he’s too shy to come himself. He’s a great guy—he always looks out for me, so I wanted to do something nice for him..."

Jin Bo was socially savvy enough to know how to win someone over.

And the boy in front of him looked kind enough—getting him to agree wouldn’t be hard.

Jian Ye thought signing was no big deal and readily said, "Where should I sign?"

Jin Bo came prepared. While Qiu Yuelun wasn’t looking earlier, Jin had grabbed the racing gloves Qiu had taken off and left on the armrest—the room was pretty warm.

"Right here! My buddy races cars, and he’s insanely good!" Jin Bo handed over the gloves.

Jian Ye picked up the pen, thinking about where to start, still chatting politely. "Wow, that’s impressive."

"Why don’t I introduce you two sometime? He could take you for a ride in his car—it’s a total rush!"

Jian Ye thought to himself that this guy was pretty bold. They’d just met, and he was already trying to set up an introduction. Interesting.

He didn’t respond to that, simply handing back the signed gloves with a smile. "Here you go. If our paths cross again someday, that’ll be nice."

The rejection was clear, but Jin Bo just rubbed his nose, not pushing further. Getting a signature was already a win—he’d figured he might strike out completely.

Anyway, they weren’t in a rush to head back to Z City. There would be plenty of chances to meet again.

Watching Jin Bo leave, Jian Ye exhaled slowly.

"Jian Ye: This sudden popularity from my 'green tea' act is throwing me off."

"System 748: It’s related to unlocking the second-stage achievement. Each level-up also boosts your vibe."

"Jian Ye: Pfft, so it’s the system messing with things again. I thought my charm had actually improved."

"System 748: No, mostly because you’ve got the charm and talent! The system is just support. Since you’re naturally awesome, the vibe we gave you can work better."

"Jian Ye: So it’s like a power-up, huh?"

"System 748: Pretty much, heh. Once you experience the rewards from this upgrade, you’ll understand even more."

Jian Ye often found the system’s explanations confusing and couldn’t be bothered to overthink it. He got up and headed to the restroom to wash off the leftover stage makeup from his performance.

After a long wait, the event outside had reached its finale. The host delivered the closing remarks, and the audience applauded and stood up. Some left immediately, while others stayed behind, hoping to see them take a group picture.

All the students who participated in the talent show were now standing on stage. The photographer below positioned them, and with a unison "cheese!" the moment was captured.

Jian Ye had long noticed a man standing in the audience, along with Mo Huan behind him, and the young man who had asked for his autograph backstage. Beside him now stood another person—a flashy-looking young man with fiery red hair.

They were all staring intently at him. In his original world, Jian Ye was used to facing cameras and the gazes of others, but for some reason, being watched by these few people made him want to duck for cover.

Weird...

When everything was over, Jian Ye was just going to say hi to Yi Siyu when Mo Huan, Jin Bo, and the others swarmed him.

"Jian, buddy, you said you were going home for dinner. Need a lift?" Mo Huan offered.

"Hop in my buddy's car! Dude’s rolling in cars!" Jin Bo pointed at the person beside him. "This is the good brother I told you about—his name is Qiu—mff!"

Before he could finish, Jin Bo’s mouth was firmly covered by the other.

Looking at Qiu Yuelun, his ears were now red as a lobster.

This dumbass actually went for the direct approach! He wasn’t prepared at all!

Did his car smell weird? He should’ve washed it before coming. If Jian Ye actually agreed to ride with him, what should he say during the drive?

Qiu Yuelun blushed furiously while his mind raced, working himself into a fever pitch.

Meanwhile, Jian Ye caught a glimpse of his husband (the CEO) through the gaps between the group—his expression instantly stormy...

Jian Ye: "..." For some reason, he felt guilty.

Logically, these people were just acquaintances—some even first-time encounters. He hadn’t done anything wrong, so why the guilt?

Despite his thoughts, Jian Ye took a step back, swallowed, and declined, "No need. Someone’s already picking me up. I won’t chat anymore—I need to change in the back."

Without waiting for a response, he slipped away like a startled rabbit.

As he ran toward the dressing room, Jian Ye texted Yi Siyu.

"NotDraggin": You drove here, right? Go back to the car first. I’ll change and meet you there.

"Yu": Is there anyone else in the dressing room?

Jian Ye stared at the message, puzzled by the sudden question, but answered honestly.

"NotDraggin": I was delayed a bit. Looks like everyone’s already changed and left, so it should be empty now.

"Yu": If there’s anyone, don’t change yet.

Jian Ye chuckled, finally understanding.

"NotDraggin": The dressing rooms here have cubicles, not the kind you’re imagining.

Pff, married folks got so fussy. It was said that alpha CEO types had territorial instincts. Even without love, they were legally bound—it kinda made sense now.

It was like animals pissing on their turf. The why didn’t matter—they just didn’t want other beasts snooping around their zone.

Jian Ye entered one of the cubicles and went to shut the door.

In a flash, a large hand shot out and stopped the door from closing. Jian Ye's heart gave a violent thump. Just as he was thinking there might be some creep inside the changing room, a tall and familiar figure slipped in.

Closing and locking the door in one smooth motion.

*Author's Note*

Jian Xiaogou: Er Tong, save me! They look like they want to eat the puppy! (scared.jpg)

Er Tong: Hehehe.

CEO Yi: I'm that creep. (feverishly marking territory.jpg)