Chapter 16
On the day of the Stellar Light preliminaries—
The stage lights were set, staff members were organizing the audience, and the chief director was coordinating everything through a megaphone. Thanks to the show’s heavy promotion, not only were the recruited audience members present, but many others lingered outside, curiously peeking in.
Since many contestants were already established idols, a considerable number of fans had shown up with lightboards, the most common ones being variations of “Xiao Lu!” and “Lu Lu, I love you!” After all, Lu Yu had once been genuinely famous and still had the highest popularity.
There was still an hour before the show started, but many judges and contestants had already arrived.
Compared to the auditions, the judging panel for the preliminaries carried much more weight. There were four judges in total: a veteran singer, last year’s breakout pop star, the lead vocalist of a top domestic band, and a currently trending idol. By the third round, a mystery head judge would join as well.
Three of the four judges had already arrived and were casually chatting.
“I can already guess the top three. First place will definitely be Lu Yu—I’ve listened to his songs before. He’s got talent and natural charm,” the trending idol said with a smile.
“Lu Yu was just unlucky for a while. His career got delayed by a bad contract,” the band’s lead vocalist commented. “He and his manager are clearly betting on Stellar Light to make a comeback. No doubt, he has the skill. Xu Lufeng has a good chance of making top three too, and that rookie signed under Mu Ying has potential.”
Since this was just casual backstage talk, none of them held back. These four judges were experienced and professional—once the actual judging began, they would remain absolutely impartial. Plus, a panel of expert critics would be there to ensure fairness.
Still, that didn’t stop them from gossiping a little.
“Oh yeah, what’s his name again… Fang Huai, the ‘busking boy’? Have you heard of him?”
“Hahaha, yeah, I’ve seen his videos. He’s got a decent voice.”
But that was about it.
The trending idol and lead vocalist exchanged knowing glances.
Good looks and a nice voice were one thing, but true skill was another. Juggling tricks and gimmicks didn’t count as talent. He still had a long way to go. The difference between idols and amateurs might not seem obvious in casual settings, but the moment they stepped on stage, the gap became crystal clear.
Fang Huai had potential but lacked real skill. His singing was average, and once he was up there on stage, there was a high chance he’d embarrass himself.
After all, in talent shows, being mediocre is the ultimate sin.
“I get why he’s here. He probably got a little carried away after his sudden popularity, let his fans inflate his ego,” one judge said.
In fact, many people believed Fang Huai only passed the auditions because the show wanted to milk his hype. After all, plenty of talented contestants had been eliminated in the early rounds—so how could someone at his level have made it? And when the audition judges started raving about him afterward, it only reinforced that suspicion.
Minute by minute, time ticked away.
Most contestants had arrived, the audience was seated, and the judges took their places. The lights dimmed, leaving only the glow of the fan lightboards flickering in the darkness.
Under the stage manager’s direction, the venue fell silent.
The massive screen lit up, playing a promotional clip interwoven with contestant VCRs. Since this was just the preliminaries, not every contestant had a personal intro video—only the ones the producers saw as potential frontrunners, like Lu Yu and Xu Lufeng.
Meanwhile, in the backstage waiting area, contestants were gathered in designated rest spaces.
The stage manager did a headcount—
Thirty-eight.
His heart dropped.
“What’s wrong?”
Lu Yu was a fair-skinned, delicate-looking young man, standing at 1.78 meters tall. He spoke gently, his voice carrying a natural warmth.
He was well-liked, and many people enjoyed being around him. Even though he had his own designated waiting room, he chose to sit outside with the others.
“Two people are missing.” The stage manager wiped the sweat from his forehead and double-checked the list. “It’s Fang Huai and Lu Ren.”
“Oh,” Lu Yu’s face showed a trace of embarrassment and helplessness. “Lu Ren told me yesterday… he didn’t want to come. Maybe you should call him?”
Lu Yu and Lu Ren were from the same company, so it wasn’t unusual for them to talk.
The stage manager called, but it took two tries before the call was finally answered.
“Sorry,” Lu Ren’s voice sounded weak. “I’m not feeling well. I can’t make it.”
It seemed like an odd excuse, but this kind of thing happened sometimes.
That’s why, when talent shows announced their preliminary contestant lists, they sometimes kept the numbers vague. Even though it was just a two- or three-minute performance, some contestants couldn’t handle the pressure, or they had already given up long ago—like Lu Ren.
Even though he had debuted before, his skills were weak, and his popularity was low. Like Fang Huai, he was practically at the bottom of the rankings.
Rather than show up and be ridiculed, it was better to drop out gracefully.
The stage manager sighed and nodded.
“As for Fang Huai…” Lu Yu spread his hands.
His implication was clear to everyone.
Fang Huai was most likely backing out as well.
The performance order was based on registration order, and Fang Huai was scheduled last, with Lu Yu performing right before him. In theory, as long as Fang Huai arrived before his turn, he would be fine—but at this point, still not showing up?
He was probably quitting, just like Lu Ren.
Meanwhile, the internet was already buzzing about it.
*
Xiao Chen was a college junior.
Ever since she had become a fan of that cute busking guy two weeks ago, she had been eagerly looking forward to Stellar Light’s premiere. The preliminaries were being livestreamed, so at 7 PM that evening, she opened her laptop early and entered the official broadcast room.
“What are you watching?” Her roommate peeked over. “Oh, Stellar Light? I like Lu Yu.”
Xiao Chen’s cheeks flushed as she said, “I like Fang Huai. He’s so adorable! Especially after that whole thing with Lin Rui… I really, really like him!”
“Pfft.” Her roommate scoffed. “Fang Huai? He’s got no skills, and his looks are just barely passable. He’s probably going to embarrass himself later.”
“…”
Xiao Chen felt a pang of discomfort.
But as much as she hated to admit it, her roommate’s words weren’t entirely wrong—she couldn’t think of a solid comeback.
The two of them debated for a bit before settling down with their laptops, watching the stream in silence.
Still, Xiao Chen couldn’t shake the uneasiness in her heart.
It’s okay, she reassured herself. As long as I get to see Fang Huai, I’ll be happy. The rankings don’t matter.
But soon, news broke that Fang Huai still hadn’t arrived at the filming location. The internet erupted with speculation.
In the dorm room, Xiao Chen and her roommate exchanged glances.
Her roommate tried to console her. “Don’t worry, maybe he’ll show up later.”
Xiao Chen forced a small smile.
Deep down, she knew the truth—Fang Huai probably wasn’t coming.
“It’s okay,” she murmured. “I’ll still like him anyway.”
*
Back at the Stellar Light venue—
The host delivered the opening speech, and the judges made their grand introductions.
The preliminaries had officially begun. One performance after another, the competition quickly heated up.
Even when the competition had reached its halfway point, Fang Huai still hadn’t arrived.
The stage manager stood at the entrance, glancing outside for a moment before finally sighing. With a pen in hand, he crossed out the name “Fang Huai” from the list.
*
Not far away, in the hallway—
A man dressed in a tailored suit stood in silence, his secretary at his side.
“President Ye,” Wang Qiang hesitated before speaking, “Fang Huai might have withdrawn. The stage manager said he never showed up.”
Ye Yuyuan’s deep, black eyes remained completely unfazed. His thin lips pressed into a straight line, and after a moment, he spoke with absolute certainty:
“He won’t.”
Anyone else might withdraw, but not Fang Huai.
At the mention of Fang Huai’s name, the coldness in Ye Yuyuan’s gaze softened slightly—just for a fleeting moment—before returning to its usual calm.
“Go check.”
Something must have happened.
*
As the fifth-to-last contestant took the stage, a sudden commotion erupted near the entrance.
“He’s here! He’s here!”
“Holy crap, he’s only just arriving now—does he still have time?!”
“I’m gonna cry—I came just for him… As long as he hasn’t quit, that’s all that matters.”
A young man was being ushered inside, surrounded by a small crowd. He wore a baseball cap, a simple t-shirt, and shorts. It looked like he had run all the way there—his nose was slightly red, sweat glistening on his forehead.
But most striking of all were his light amber eyes, crystal clear and shining like they had been washed by water.
Under the guidance of the staff, he quickly disappeared backstage.
It was Fang Huai!
Some fans were so overwhelmed that they stood up in excitement—before realizing they were being too conspicuous and hurriedly sat back down.
But even though he had arrived, the situation was far from ideal.
The fans who had just been celebrating quickly felt their spirits sink again.
By now, several contestants had already received incredibly high scores. For Fang Huai to advance, he would need to surpass at least one of them—and the chances of that happening were slim to none.
There were only ten minutes before it was Fang Huai’s turn.
He had to change outfits, do his makeup, and prepare—all within that time. It was unbelievably tight.
Backstage, the makeup artists were on the verge of losing their minds.
Fang Huai changed outfits at lightning speed—one person helped him slip on a jacket, while others scrambled to do whatever makeup they could. There was no time for foundation; they could only touch up his eyebrows and make quick adjustments.
Fortunately, his skin was already flawless, and under the stage lights, it would still look perfect.
One makeup artist, who finally had a second to breathe, couldn’t help but remark, “Kid, everyone thought you had quit.”
“I wouldn’t.”
Fang Huai was still panting from running all the way there, sweat glistening on his forehead.
Yet those light-colored eyes of his shone brighter than ever—like stars coming to life.
He looked unbelievably stunning.
Outside, the fifth-to-last contestant finished his song.
A wave of cheers and applause erupted from the audience—it was clear his performance had been exceptional, earning him a solid score.
The dazzling lights and the roaring noise from the crowd felt distant, separated by the thick backstage walls.
Fang Huai listened quietly for a moment.
Then, after a brief pause—
He smiled.
The boy’s voice was clear and pure as he spoke softly:
“I won’t.”
“I won’t quit.”
“Someone… someone likes me.”
*
Outside the door, the silent and handsome man took half a step back, his index finger curling slightly.
The corner of his lips tugged upward—so fleeting it almost went unnoticed—before his expression returned to its usual calm.
Yet his deep, dark eyes had already softened completely.
Not far away, the fourth-to-last contestant finished their performance, and the judges were in the middle of scoring.
This was usually the time for a commercial break, so the cameraman casually captured backstage footage, creating a relaxed atmosphere. The big screen in the venue happened to cut to the backstage scene.
The audience waited quietly. Some were playing on their phones, but many others set their phones down, intrigued by the screen—
A young man stood there, a makeup artist filling in his brows. He seemed a little lost in thought, humming a song under his breath.
Then, as if noticing the camera, he glanced up and gave a soft smile.
At that moment, countless viewers saw that smile—And heard that brief, scattered melody.
His light amber eyes were pure and luminous. His berry-colored lips curled slightly, exuding an effortless youthful charm.
In that instant, it was as if even the dust in the air had slowed its descent.
Time came to a halt.
For that single fleeting moment, many people felt their hearts skip a beat.
And as for that voice…
[Holy sht, who was the idiot that said his looks were just ‘above average’?! This is your definition of ‘average’??]
[I can’t breathe—I should never have believed the marketing slander and haters.]
[Those previous two videos were way too blurry. Now that I see him in high quality—I—I—]
[Wait, hold on—his singing…? Bottom-tier?! Why do I feel like…]
*
In the dormitory—
Xiao Chen’s eyes lit up in an instant.
Her roommate, who had just mocked Fang Huai’s ‘average looks’ earlier, instinctively hit pause, zoomed in on the screen, and muttered in disbelief, “Damn… he’s actually gorgeous.”
Author’s Note:
Mini Theater:
Fang Huai: Someone likes me.
Big Shot A: (shy) That’s right, it’s…
Big Shot B: Wait, you figured it out already?!
Big Shot C: Then do you like me?
…
President Ye: …???
Just to clarify, Fang Huai will earn everything through his own efforts and abilities—not through the influence of these big shots.
He could, but he won’t…
Because that’s just the kind of person he is.
Sorry for the late update today! Lying flat under the sun ORZ
Next chapter: Face-slapping time.
thank you so much for translation~ the story got me at 1AM, can’t wait for more ;;. Please take care!!