All the Cubs I Raised Became Big Shots – CH19

Chapter 19

The preliminary round of Starlight had officially come to an end.

But this was only the beginning. The second round was a talent showcase—though it wasn’t as strict as the first round. The contestants would be scored but not eliminated, making it a warm-up for the third round’s public voting.

Even though the rules weren’t harsh, this round was still important.

…And Shi Feiran was very worried that Fang Huai had no talents.

After all, growing up in a different environment than city kids, he hadn’t started learning piano or calligraphy at the age of three or five like others. What could Fang Huai even do? He had only passed the auditions with his singing, and apart from listening to music, he didn’t seem to have any other hobbies.

Meanwhile, Lu Yu seemed determined to dominate the talent round. It made sense—he was a piano and cello prodigy and had even performed with a maestro on national television three years ago.

After losing the spotlight in the preliminaries, Lu Yu’s team quickly shifted gears, pushing out his achievements—awards he had won, his Spring Festival Gala performance, and more.

As for Fang Huai… no matter how hard Shi Feiran wanted to hype him up, there was nothing to work with.

What was he supposed to do? Get some PR accounts to write: “Fang Huai, a master of playing music with leaves, unparalleled in skill”?!

Every time he thought about it, Shi Feiran felt like he was going bald from stress.

But then he looked at the Weibo account he had created for Fang Huai and felt better again.

—Right after the preliminary round, Shi Feiran efficiently set up a Weibo account for Fang Huai. In just a few hours, it had already surpassed one million followers.

Online discussions about Fang Huai were overwhelmingly positive, and the haters who tried to stir drama had been shut down.

Forget it, Shi Feiran thought. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

*

On Weibo, many fans were talking about the talent round:

[Baby, don’t feel pressured! No matter what happens, we’ll always love you!]

[This round might be tough… Lu Yu has performed on the Spring Festival Gala.]

[He doesn’t need to stand out, just don’t make any big mistakes. But… if Huaihuai is aiming for the championship, he should still try his best.]

In domestic talent shows, only the winner was truly remembered. Since Fang Huai had received such a high score in the preliminaries, he was undoubtedly a top contender for the championship. That meant the pressure was on, and while he didn’t necessarily need to outshine everyone, he at least couldn’t let Lu Yu leave him in the dust.

But… whatever.

The talent round could wait until tomorrow.

Fang Huai had worked hard all day—it was time to let him rest properly.

On the car ride home, Fang Huai had already fallen asleep—he must have been exhausted from everything that had happened today.

Seeing Fang Huai asleep, with his curled eyelashes, slightly upturned hair ends, and cheeks flushed with a faint pink hue, Shi Feiran inexplicably felt a surge of fatherly affection. He had the sudden urge to smile kindly… and quickly rubbed his arms to shake off the feeling.

Oh, right.

Shi Feiran suddenly recalled something—this morning, when Fang Huai was heading to the preliminary audition, he had arranged for a driver to pick him up. But somehow, the driver took the wrong route and got stuck in traffic, forcing Fang Huai to get out of the car and run all the way there, which was why he was late.

The whole thing was strange.

The driver was trustworthy—he wouldn’t sabotage Fang Huai, nor would he make such a basic mistake. Shi Feiran himself had been in the car at the time, and the experience felt like being trapped in a maze—every road they took turned out to be the wrong one.

Something was off.

*

The Next Day

The twenty contestants who passed the preliminary round of Starlight had to film personal VCRs and take promotional posters. Some had already prepared in advance, but Fang Huai had to film his on the spot.

At 8 AM, Fang Huai was practically dragged into the recording team, yawning as he changed clothes, obediently letting the stylists do whatever they wanted.

While doing his makeup, a few makeup artists started chatting and somehow ended up gossiping:

“Movie King Feng has an event nearby.”

“Oh, I heard about that! He’s doing a campaign for that Italian luxury brand, right?”

“He’s such a homebody… Is his next project Frostbite? I’m really looking forward to it.”

Fang Huai: “…?”

In the morning, they finished filming the VCR, and in the afternoon, they moved on to the promotional photoshoot.

At 3 PM, the photography set was transformed into a high school classroom. The afternoon sunlight streamed in through the windows, casting warm golden hues over the desks.

“Sit over there,” the photographer instructed, then added, “No need to be too tense.”

Fang Huai thought for a moment and then nodded.

Looking through the viewfinder, the photographer took a few shots but felt like something was missing.

Hmm.

The concept for this promotional shot matched Fang Huai’s image—he was positioned as a handsome, rebellious, and cheerful high school student. The key elements were youthfulness, attractiveness, and a hint of playful mischief.

Of course, Fang Huai could also pull off a clean, pure, and innocent look—but that would clash with Lu Yu, who had already established himself with that persona.

Luckily, Fang Huai’s face and physique were a godsend—he had a wide range of styles he could pull off effortlessly. Lu Yu, on the other hand, had delicate but unremarkable features, limiting him to the clean and innocent schoolboy aesthetic.

Through the camera lens, Fang Huai sat casually on a chair. His desk was scattered with manga and a pencil case.

The afternoon sunlight painted the desk in warm golden tones, creating a contrast of light and shadow.

He wore a single-sided earphone, his slightly messy hair tips curling up. With his gaze lowered at the manga in his hands, his light amber eyes looked half-lidded, like a lazy cat basking in the sun. The corners of his lips curved into a subtle smirk.

“So handsome!”

“From innocent baby boy to playful younger-boyfriend type?!”

“I thought he’d be all about the soft and pure look… but this versatility is insane.”

The photographer had briefly explained the concept and poses before the shoot, but Fang Huai had immediately nailed the vibe. His instincts and adaptability were remarkable.

But still…

Hmm. Something was still missing.

The photographer stroked his chin. Fang Huai had captured the surface-level feeling, but he hadn’t fully blended it with his own personality, making the pose still seem a bit stiff.

Just then, the door creaked open, and someone walked in.

The scene girls—crew members, assistants, and makeup artists—who had been whispering among themselves just moments ago suddenly fell silent.

They turned to look at the newcomer, eyes widening slightly—

“Shh.”

The man raised a finger to his lips, smiling playfully as he winked at them.

The girls squeezed each other’s hands, nodding vigorously.

The person who had just entered was tall, dressed in a perfectly tailored suit. The bespoke design was subtle yet refined—light gray, single-button, shawl lapel, exuding elegance without appearing overly casual, carrying an air of mature sophistication.

His physique was nothing short of flawless—broad shoulders, a sculpted back, and long, straight legs. His lips held a faint smile, and his light golden eyes shimmered like flowing liquor.

…It was Feng Lang!

The photographer was momentarily stunned.

He had met Feng Lang before and instinctively nodded politely.

But—what was Feng Lang doing here?

On the other side, Fang Huai was dozing off, still holding the manga in his hands.

After an exhausting day at the preliminary audition yesterday, he had woken up again at six or seven in the morning for work. It wasn’t surprising that he felt tired.

Plus, he hadn’t eaten much for lunch, so now he was both hungry and sleepy. Even though he was still trying his best to maintain the pose the photographer had instructed, his eyelids were already drooping bit by bit.

Suddenly, his nose twitched.

He smelled something sweet—a scent reminiscent of oranges, lingering very close to him, almost… right at his lips.

Dazed and starving, Fang Huai instinctively parted his lips, and without thinking, he softly bit down on the orange-flavored lollipop that had been placed near his mouth.

Photographer: “……!!!”

His eyes went wide, and his hands trembled as he began snapping photos like crazy.

Yes! This was it—this was the feeling!

In the camera frame, the young man looked as if he had been reading until he got drowsy. His handsome, slightly rebellious demeanor, paired with the hazy summer afternoon light, cast delicate shadows over his lowered lashes.

His light amber eyes were dazed, lingering in a state between dreaming and waking, as he absentmindedly bit into the candy near his lips.

That mix of unruliness, laziness, and just a hint of boyish innocence—it fit perfectly with Fang Huai’s natural temperament!

Behind Fang Huai, Feng Lang stood with one hand in his pocket and the other holding the lollipop, an easygoing smile on his lips as he leaned down slightly.

He never appeared fully in the shot—only his hand holding the lollipop was captured in the frame.

That long, elegant hand, with its well-defined knuckles, contrasted sharply with the carefree, slightly messy classroom setting, adding a layer of tension to the composition.

The atmosphere, the pose, the color balance—everything was perfectly in sync.

Absolutely brilliant.

The photographer kept adjusting angles, snapping away furiously, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

Meanwhile…

The handsome man standing behind the chair lowered his gaze, his eyes trailing slowly over the corners of the young man’s eyes and lips, studying his every expression.

After a long moment, a low, magnetic chuckle escaped his throat.

“Huaihuai, long time no see.”

He murmured.

Author’s Note:
Bringing out our long-lost Movie King Feng for a little appearance~

Mini-Theater:
At this very moment, a certain CEO in a meeting:
……
Wants to throw hands.

(President Ye will be online in the next chapter~)