Chapter 16 Preparations Before the First Exhibition Match

Lin Yu no longer cared about the barrage of comments in the livestream chat. All his attention was now focused on his new room, where every necessity for daily life was provided—and not just any items, but ones that appeared to be quite high-end.

Lying on the soft bed, Lin Yu began planning his next steps with the production team. Although he was a newcomer with no fame to speak of, and the cameras naturally wouldn’t linger on him for long, he was very clear: if he wanted to ride the show's momentum, he had to work hard to close the distance between himself and the top stars. Only then could he appear in more shots and leave a strong impression on the audience.

As a reborn soul, he knew all too well which content would go viral on the show in the future. As long as he made good use of the music library in his hands…

Within the repertoire he possessed, there were a few songs that, once performed, would secure him a lifetime of success. The prerequisite, however, was that he be given a chance to showcase himself.

And as for the original singers—he silently apologized. Offending them was unavoidable.

If he wanted a better life in this new existence, he had to use every means at his disposal.

As he pondered these things, Lin Yu drifted off to sleep without realizing it.

Downstairs in the main hall, two women had just finished cleaning up in the kitchen when Lin Jia called out to them.

“Ladies, there’s something I need to remind you of. Tonight will be the first talent showcase of the program. Are you both prepared?”

At this question, the two women responded differently.

Bai Yichu was already a top-tier celebrity, skilled in nearly all aspects of performance. Singing, dancing, and rapping were all second nature to her.

But Ji Ya was the president of an agency—a woman holding all the cards from the very beginning, someone who had never needed to master any of the skills required of artists. Fortunately, having attended elite institutions from a young age, she had acquired some of the social talents valued in upper-class circles, such as piano and dance.

Still, being a Grade 8 pianist was not something she would casually flaunt as a young lady of standing. After all, she didn’t rely on such skills to make a living.

Moreover, it didn’t look like the production team had prepared a piano or any similar props for tonight’s performances. Even if she wanted to showcase her abilities, she couldn’t do so with just her hands.

At this moment, Ji Ya’s thoughts shifted to Lin Yu. Since this was a dating show, tonight’s performance was likely to be in teams. She might not have any particular talent to contribute, but Lin Yu did—and, besides, his song “Farewell with Dignity” had yet to be performed before a professional camera. If he was given a solo stage tonight, with herself as a supportive partner, perhaps he could make a name for himself in one fell swoop.

The only concern was that this young man had only signed his contract a month ago. Without a fanbase to support him, it was uncertain whether he could perform smoothly for an entire show. Added to that, he had never taken the stage in a formal setting. She worried he might get nervous…

Ji Ya thought of a solution: rehearse in advance and let him get familiar with the process. No one is born a performer; every artist receives training at the start. Though Ji Ya was confident in Lin Yu’s voice and original compositions, the entertainment industry was brimming with talented singer-songwriters. This wasn’t an especially rare skill.

So, they would rehearse. Even if their chances weren’t great, they would at least try not to finish last.

Ji Ya headed upstairs to knock on his door, but there was no answer. Checking the time, she guessed Lin Yu was napping. She shook her head and sighed in resignation.

He really had a laid-back attitude!

Though she felt a bit uncomfortable, Ji Ya quickly adjusted her mindset. She still held out hope—when she’d first signed Lin Yu, she’d seen a spark of determination in his eyes. If he really did come in last in this first round, perhaps it would spur him to work harder.

Besides, even if he lost, so what? With her, the beautiful CEO, by his side, his exposure on the variety show would already bring in plenty of attention.

From here on, she would focus on guiding his career within the agency, helping him step onto the right path, one step at a time.

Ji Ya was confident in this. After all, Bai Yichu, who had risen to the top after graduating, was someone she had personally nurtured. Moreover, she was certain Lin Yu’s talent was not much less than Bai Yichu’s.

“You go ahead and rehearse. I’ll handle everything else.”

“Understood.”

…

With no one to disturb him, Lin Yu enjoyed a rare, restful sleep on the comfortable bed.

Thinking back to his previous life, where Xu Xiaoqian had stepped on him to enjoy such comfort, he felt all the more foolish.

Lin Yu swore that this time, he would live even better than Xu Xiaoqian!

After changing into a set of comfortable clothes, he descended the stairs and immediately spotted two new guests in the main hall.

Even before he reached the bottom, Lin Yu greeted them.

Both men looked up at the same time, only to see Lin Yu with a head of messy “bed hair,” dressed in what looked like bargain-bin clothes.

What kind of artist shows up like this?

Honestly, presenting himself so casually and drowsy before the audience—wasn’t he afraid of criticism?

Everyone knows the most important thing for an artist isn’t just talent, but image in front of fans! Who would become a fan of someone who dressed so plainly for a show? He looked just like any ordinary person—who would idolize him?

The very distinction between celebrities and regular people lay in their unique aura, their air of being above the crowd—that’s what provoked admiration and adoration, wasn’t it?

Still, whatever their thoughts, the two men did not let it show. They rose with polite smiles as Lin Yu approached.

One of them stepped forward and offered his hand.

“Hello, my name is Wang Fei.”

Lin Yu shook his hand; he knew who this was. In his previous life, Wang Fei was a force to be reckoned with—well-known in the music world, called the King of Songs. He’d been through four marriages, and whenever he became a trending topic, his news was always overshadowed by some unexpected event. Because of this, he’d earned the title of “Prophet of Entertainment”—whenever Wang Fei trended, something big was sure to happen in the industry. In the end, his divorce from a top female celebrity finally fulfilled his wish to trend on social media for once.

Reviews of Wang Fei online were mixed; some spoke well of him, others not. But that was always the case for stars—if you want to stand at the peak, you have to be prepared to bear all sorts of pressure.

“I’m Lin Yu. It’s an honor to meet you, senior.”

Wang Fei had little impression of Lin Yu; he seemed like a new face in the industry. Even so, he showed no condescension, and instead gestured toward the other man, introducing him.

“This is Si Shaozhe.”

Lin Yu looked at the man beside him—someone he was even more familiar with. A rising star in the entertainment industry, handsome, standing at one meter eighty-five, the quintessential “fresh face.” When Lin Yu had seen his name on the guest list before the show, he’d thought it must be someone with the same name.