Jian Xingsui, hearing Shen Xingchen’s words, believed every single one of them.

He had been an ardent fan of Fu Jinxiao for a long time. Initially drawn to his singing, he grew to admire the man's talents and slowly became familiar with the struggles Fu faced in the entertainment industry. His respect began with talent and remained due to character.

Thus, with a light chuckle, he nodded sincerely, “Yes, I know. Fu is a great guy.”

Shen Xingchen hadn’t expected such earnest agreement from the usually subdued young man. The sparkle in Jian's eyes when mentioning Fu Jinxiao, accompanied by that gentle smile, caught Shen off-guard.

Could this kid be a fanboy of Fu Jinxiao?

What an unfortunate twist…

In the brief moment of their conversation, the opening performances by the mentors had concluded. All of them took their seats at the judges' table. Given Fu Jinxiao’s experience and esteemed position within the industry, he naturally sat center stage, flanked by Thai pop star Tuya and, further away, rap artists Liu Shuang and Li Zeming.

Li Zeming, while primarily a comedic actor, had early band experiences. Acting partly as the host, he declared, “Thank you all for joining ‘Starlight’. Your performance today determines your fate. Our mentors will give professional critiques, and audiences will vote based on your showmanship. Seize this moment to shine without regrets!”

The room was buzzing with energy, and the contestants responded with enthusiastic applause.

The first group to perform was an idol band, but their overall performance was mediocre.

It created quite a stir.

The strict evaluations heightened the nerves of the yet-to-perform contestants.

Wensheng Ge, the adorable young boy sitting beside Jian Xingsui, whispered, “The judges this season are so strict.”

Jian Xingsui nodded subtly in agreement.

Only Shen Xingchen, after hearing, scoffed, “That's because these participants are merely cannon fodder.”

“…”

Bold statement.

But, truth be told, the group lacked influential backing and their skills were average at best. Jian Xingsui understood that he might also have a fleeting moment on stage, with Fu Jinxiao possibly forgetting his name soon after. Yet, that was enough. It was more than sufficient.

After several performances, it was finally the turn of a familiar face. The announcer, Teacher Li, loudly proclaimed, “Next up, from Fengxiang Entertainment, we have the 'TH Little Elephants'!”

It's a performance by An Ran.

After the opening acts set the stage, An Ran's team emerged. All displayed impeccable singing and dancing skills. An Ran, in particular, was a standout—with his striking features and melodious voice, he captured the audience's attention immediately.

The audience was clearly amazed:

"This young man has such an adorable face."

"His singing is mesmerizing."

"And those dance moves are absolutely impressive."

The judges seemed equally impressed. As introductions began, Zhou Xun and the other team members took turns presenting themselves. When it was An Ran's turn, he took a deep breath, bowing to the audience, "Hello to all the mentors. My name is An Ran, I'm 20 years old, and I'm currently studying at the Dance Art Academy in City F..."

Li Ze Ming interjected with a question, holding the mic: "Your musical instrument performance was remarkable. How many years have you been learning?"

"Over a decade," An Ran responded, tears brimming in his eyes. "When I was nine, I used to stand outside a music shop, watching others play. We couldn't afford it back then. On my tenth birthday, my mother surprised me by..."

The background music on stage shifted to a more emotional tone, encapsulating the passionate heart of a young dreamer, whose decade-long persistence seemed to radiate an aura of inspiration.

The audience was visibly moved:

"He's had a challenging journey."

"Such a dedicated contestant. I adore him. I'm definitely voting for him."

"Is his name An Ran? Not only is he handsome, but he's also so talented!"

Clearly, the judges were touched. Even the other contestants seemed moved. Jian Xing Sui's gaze landed on Fu Ying Di, the reserved man at the center of the judges' panel. Though he generally leaned back in his chair, twirling a pen absentmindedly, his demeanor towards An Ran seemed appreciative.

Jian Xing Sui knew that Fu Jin Xie had a soft spot for hardworking and genuine individuals. This was one reason why the protagonist in her past life caught his eye. It seems history was repeating itself.

Shen Xing Chen whispered, "That guy, An Ran... someone in their team stopped singing midway. Watch, Brother Fu will definitely point it out."

As everyone watched, Fu Ying Di grabbed the mic. While he bypassed comments for previous teams, choosing to directly score them, this time he spoke up. Everyone anticipated praise for An Ran, but to their surprise, Fu Jin Xie bluntly asked, "Who lip-synced just now?"

The focus shifted to Zhou Xun. Born into wealth, he was not a trainee by profession. Often revolving around An Ran, he had not practiced diligently, leading to the mistake.

Jian Xing Sui recalled that in the story from her past life, Zhou Xun hadn't even participated in the performance, and An Ran had received unanimous praise. But now, Zhou Xun, who should've been eliminated during the auditions, was suddenly included. Could it have been her presence during the auditions that altered this timeline?

Jian Xing Sui wondered where the butterfly had flapped its wings this time.

"It was me," Zhou Xun admitted, stepping forward. He bowed slightly, then awkwardly explained, "I was nervous, and my in-ear monitor went silent, so I stopped singing."

Fu Jin Xie arched an eyebrow, smirking slightly, "You stopped singing because the monitor failed?"

Though his words seemed harmless, they carried an underlying pressure, causing a collective tension in the room.

Ever kind-hearted, An Ran, seeing Zhou Xun flustered, quickly intervened, "I apologize, mentor. As the team leader, I should've ensured our equipment was in working order. It was my oversight."

Zhou Xun immediately responded, "An Ran, this isn't on you."

An Ran shook his head, signaling his intent to take responsibility.

In reality, this matter had nothing to do with him, but his sense of responsibility had caught the attention of many viewers. All except... the few mentors sitting at the judges' panel.

Fu Jinxiao's eyes narrowed slightly, and those familiar with him knew this meant the acclaimed actor was not in the best of moods. He echoed An Ran's words, "You didn't check the in-ear monitor before taking the stage?"

A palpable tension hung in the air, with everyone sensing the gravity in his tone.

Fu Jinxiao said with a deliberate smile, "If your monitor fails, you don't sing? So if your clothes were dirty today, would you have refrained from dancing too?"

That remark from An Ran had touched a raw nerve.

It's widely known in the industry that Fu Jinxiao is a man of principles and integrity, valuing professionalism and character above all else in an artist.

As expected, Zhou Xun's face turned a shade paler as he sheepishly admitted, "I got too nervous due to the monitor issue. I also forgot some lyrics and went off-pitch, which is why I didn't sing."

He finally told the truth.

Fu Jinxiao set down his microphone, saying no more, leaving only with a final thought: "Honesty and openness are basic respects for the audience."

What a twist of irony. A potentially outstanding performance turned awkward. The other mentors unequivocally backed Fu Jinxiao. Whether to sing without the in-ear monitor might seem trivial or significant, but an artist's attitude is paramount. Consequently, the three other performers received an F grade, while An Ran, who was initially pegged for an A, got a B.

Though the production team had designated him for an A, Fu Jinxiao confidently penned a large B on the scorecard, silencing any potential dissent.

...

After two more acts, it was Jian Xingsui's turn.

The stage lights shimmered as the host announced the performers. Jian Xingsui, who had been waiting in the wings, was about to enter. Previous acts had their merits, but none seemed to captivate the mentors. However, as the host began to pronounce Jian Xingsui's name, a peculiar shift occurred among the panel.

Fu Jinxiao, who had been idly fiddling with a pen, suddenly paused, lifting his gaze to the stage. Next to him, the previously uninterested Tu Ya straightened up. The other two mentors had heard about this contestant, who was nearly eliminated at the recommendation of two industry bigwigs, and now they too were all ears.

The audience noticed the change too:

"What's going on?"

"Is there a notable contestant coming up?"

"Who is it?"

As the stage lights danced, a young man in jeans and a white shirt emerged. Unlike the flamboyantly dressed heartthrobs, he looked as if he'd just stopped by the show while running an errand. Notably, his fair skin and chiseled features stood out. Even under direct camera lighting, he didn't look overly glossy but rather refreshingly clear.

Jian Xingsui bowed slightly, a hint of nervousness in his voice, "Greetings, mentors. I am Jian Xingsui."

Silence.

The entire venue went quiet for a moment.

Tu Ya was the first to break the silence, laughing as she asked, "That's it?"

Jian Xingsui looked puzzled at her, then turned his attention to the composed Fu Jinxiao. Meeting the gaze of someone he admired, he hesitated, then affirmed, "That's it."

Tu Ya chuckled, covering her lips with her hand.

While other contestants tend to use their introduction time to sing their own praises, Jian Xingsui ended his after merely mentioning his name, as if uttering another word might kill him.

Hip-hop mentor Liu Shuang turned on his microphone, suggesting, “Perhaps you could talk about your dreams, talents, or why you're here on this stage? What do you aspire to?”

Aspirations?

Dreams?

Cold sweat threatened to bead on Jian Xingsui's back. He had joined merely for a free pass and to earn the twenty thousand yuan he needed to move out of that rice cake shop. Sharing such a reason would surely make him a laughingstock, wouldn’t it?

Perhaps he could fabricate a reason?

Say he's chasing a dream or loves the stage?

But that would be a lie. Recalling how sternly Fu Yingshi had said that honesty and sincerity were the utmost respects to the stage and audience, panic seized Jian Xingsui again. If the production crew exposed him, would his idol remember him as a liar for life?

He couldn't bear that.

He could handle making a fool of himself in front of his idol. He didn't even expect to stand out or to be remembered by Fu Yingshi. But what he couldn't endure was leaving a tarnished impression.