Chapter Nineteen: Shifting Focus—Opportunity or Trouble?

The show was more than halfway through. With six members in each group and more than a dozen groups in total, including both live performances and VCRs, an hour and a half had already passed.

Bai Ling felt almost drowsy. The only moments that brought her a sliver of joy were when it was time for the judges to comment—seeing those seasoned veterans, unable to speak their minds, twisting uncomfortably in their seats.

But now, she had to pull herself together, because Wen Yan was finally about to perform. She had waited so long for this, for the protagonist of this world to appear. Bai Ling was extremely cautious, terrified of saying or doing the wrong thing and being remembered by this little troublemaker. Ideally, she hoped she would never, in any lifetime, have any entanglements with him.

Of course, Lin Yubai as well!

Just as this thought crossed her mind, she caught Lin Yubai seemingly glancing in her direction. Startled, she looked more closely, intent on figuring out what was going on. But it seemed Lin Yubai hadn’t looked at her at all from the beginning.

“Hm, what’s going on? Am I just being paranoid?” She refocused on the stage.

“Wen Yan, right? Out of all the groups in recent episodes, yours has performed the best. According to the rules, last episode your group earned the right to choose a guest mentor to collaborate with. Presumably, you’ve already rehearsed and gotten used to each other. So, are you ready for your performance?”

Among the contestants, the judges had the best impression of Wen Yan. In a crowd of underachievers, her performance stood out. As for the rule allowing the previous episode’s winner to perform with a guest mentor, it had always been part of the show. Only Bai Ling seemed confused.

On stage, Wen Yan, youthful and radiant, smiled at the judges. “Thank you for your appreciation.”

Then, she turned her gaze to Lin Yubai. Clearly, they had chosen none other than Lin Yubai, who was currently enjoying his moment in the spotlight.

“A smart choice,” Bai Ling muttered to herself. Lin Yubai was famous; it was said that not only did he shine in film and television, but he also dabbled in other art forms—a true jack-of-all-trades.

Of course, Bai Ling wasn’t entirely convinced. A person’s time and energy were limited, and mastering multiple skills to a high level was nearly impossible, even if it wore someone out. Still, singing a song on stage shouldn’t be a problem for him. With Lin Yubai’s popularity paving the way, Wen Yan’s future was sure to be smooth.

Now she understood why Lin Yubai had appeared on this girl group show. Either because of Wen Yan’s background, or perhaps Lin Yubai was already entangled with Wen Yan.

But just as everyone was waiting for Lin Yubai to take the stage, he smiled and said, “Although we’re prepared, having girl group members dance as backup for a guy like me might seem off. Why not invite Teacher Shen Wenjun and Teacher Bai Ling up instead? From what I know, Teacher Shen is exceptionally talented and should have no trouble with this. As for Teacher Bai Ling, her previous song left a deep impression. If she could showcase it again on this stage, I’m sure the response would be fantastic.”

With just a few words, Lin Yubai cleanly shrugged off any responsibility. All eyes instantly fell on Shen Wenjun and Bai Ling.

Seeing this, Bai Ling’s heart skipped a beat. Was that what his earlier look meant? Was he pushing her to the front? Could this be some kind of plot? Was he setting her up for humiliation?

Shen Wenjun smiled and said, “You must be joking, Teacher Lin. This is so sudden—I’m not prepared.” With her deflecting, all the pressure shifted to Bai Ling. Regardless of whether Bai Ling agreed, Wen Yan’s expression had already turned sour. She had specifically chosen Lin Yubai, and hadn’t expected such a twist.

On set, the staff began to bustle, especially around the director, with people coming and going, apparently discussing what to do next since this was a recorded show and not a live broadcast. There was still room to negotiate and adapt.

Soon, the director seemed to reach a decision. A staff member approached Bai Ling. “Sister Bai, the director’s team thinks that if you perform your recent hit song, it would be a great choice both for the show and for you.”

“What do you think?”

Bai Ling shook her head. “I don’t think it’s appropriate. Wouldn’t that be stealing the spotlight? It’d be better for Teacher Lin to go on.” She felt as if she were about to be swept into a whirlpool. More importantly, her previous performance had relied on a boost card to cover up her mediocre singing skills. If she was forced on stage now, she’d surely make a fool of herself.

Bai Ling didn’t think anyone was deliberately trying to set her up—after all, they knew nothing about her system—but the problem was, she simply couldn’t handle this opportunity for exposure handed to her on a platter.

At her response, the staff member went back to consult with the director’s team. Wen Yan, on her end, was visibly unhappy. As expected, she would insist on Lin Yubai going on stage, though she wouldn’t say it outright. “Stealing the spotlight”—that was a solid reason.

With this in mind, the director’s team started to hesitate. About four or five minutes later, the same staff member returned. “The director’s team still insists you should go on stage, Sister Bai. However, you can decide the form your performance will take.”

At that, Bai Ling realized they were determined to capitalize on her popularity. “So much for making easy money,” she thought.

Just then, the other judges chimed in, smiling. “No need to hesitate, Xiao Bai.” Liang Zhen said, “I’ve followed your work and I really admire that song of yours. This is a great opportunity.”

Liang Zhen was actually an artist under Spring and Autumn Entertainment, one of its mainstays. Bai Ling was his junior at the company, so naturally he would support her.

Leng Yan gave a long sigh. “I really don’t get you young people. An opportunity like this would have been impossible to come by in our day. Who would have given it up so easily?” He wasn’t Bai Ling’s senior at the company, so he didn’t bother to mince words. Though his remarks weren’t pleasant, everyone knew he meant no harm—he was just venting. Leng Shao had always been this way; even when judging, he rarely had anything nice to say.