4 First Stage (Part Three)

“Which Shao Fei? The film emperor I know?”

“Who else could it be besides that Shao Fei? Otherwise, why would the mentors be asking?”

Shao Heling tightened her lips, speaking reluctantly, “Yes.”

The other mentors were equally stunned.

“This batch of contestants is truly full of hidden talents!”

“No wonder you and Teacher Shao Fei share some resemblance.”

Shao Heling’s performance in the group stage hadn’t been remarkable, so the contestants hadn’t paid her much attention. But once they learned she was the daughter of the film emperor Shao Fei, she was immediately added to their watchlist.

This was no ordinary celebrity offspring! The production team would definitely market this angle!

Next, they announced the grading results for Star Origin Entertainment.

Grade A: Wen Yali, Mo Hanmeng.

Grade B: Shao Heling, Tan Ling, Dai Fu.

“They’re the lowest at B, and we’re highest at B,” Fu Huanhuan said resentfully.

“Wasn’t this predictable from the start?”

“Predictable or not, it still hurts when faced with reality! Qingbao, do you think we’ll be eliminated after just one round?”

Fu Huanhuan buried her head in her hands, resembling a silent scream. She was genuinely worried.

Qiao Yiqing knew Fu Huanhuan just needed some encouragement, so she gently rubbed her head. “Then work hard to stay.”

“Ahwoo!” Fu Huanhuan immediately revived with full energy.

Several more groups of trainees performed, many talented, but Grade A was still sparingly given; so far, only seven had earned the top grade.

After a few more dull performances, the last of the three major entertainment companies, Lefan Entertainment, finally took the stage.

After watching Lefan’s performance, Fu Huanhuan frowned sharply. “They’re really pushing that girl, Fa Shuxuan, huh? She was front and center the whole time, with the other two just backing her up!”

Qiao Yiqing kept silent but agreed inwardly.

Not only was the stage allocation uneven, but the costumes were distinct as well. Fa Shuxuan stood in the middle wearing a white dress, while the other two wore black dresses on either side, looking more like backup dancers.

“I really don’t understand what standard these companies use to promote someone. Her teammates clearly danced much better.”

Fu Huanhuan covered her mouth, whispering to Qiao Yiqing, “I admire her teammates for still smiling. This blatant discrimination right on their faces—I can’t stand it.”

Dance mentor Zhao Man flipped through some files, then suddenly paused, as if discovering something interesting. “Trainee Ren Qianqian, it says your training period is twelve years?”

“That long?!”

“So she must have started training at around eleven or twelve years old?!”

“No wonder she’s so skilled!”

Ren Qianqian lifted the microphone, her voice timid and gentle, completely different from her earlier performance.

“Yes.”

“After such a long training period, why haven’t you debuted yet?”

Hearing this, Ren Qianqian held the microphone silently for a long moment, seemingly hurt by the question.

In truth, she had asked herself this countless times, watching peers who joined the company later debut one by one.

She opened her mouth several times but stopped herself; her eyes reddened uncontrollably. When she spoke again, her voice was hoarse, “Maybe because... I still have many shortcomings.”

Zhao Man sighed, noticing Ren Qianqian’s nervous, precarious demeanor, her expression complex. “Actually, you can be a little more confident.”

“Grade A, Ren Qianqian.”

Ren Qianqian’s knees buckled; after days of tension, she finally relaxed, collapsing silently into a crouch, burying her face in crossed arms to vent her emotions. After a while, a teammate helped her up, and she whispered her thanks to the mentors with a choked voice.

“And that’s all.”

“Grade B: Fa Shuxuan, Luo Yujin.”

Fa Shuxuan, originally confident, widened her eyes upon hearing her B grade.

“Thank you, mentors,” she quickly replaced her failed expression management with a gentle, harmless smile, hiding the stubborn dissatisfaction deep in her eyes. She bowed in thanks alongside Luo Yujin.

“Alright, next trainee, please come on stage.”

The screen displayed “Huayue Media.”

Producer representative Zhai Xingwen straightened in his seat. This was a well-known film and television company with whom he had collaborated before.

“Oh my god! Even people from Huayue Media are here! That’s a big company!”

“I’ve watched so many of their dramas, but this is the first time seeing their artists in this show!”

“The competition is fierce; even actors are coming to compete for our spots!”

The trainees had clearly heard of this company and immediately felt the pressure.

A trainee in a yellow dress stepped onto the stage, dressed in modern attire but quickly recognized by some.

“She’s Xiaoyu from ‘Fairy Fate’!”

“She’s actually participating in the show? I really like her!”

“Isn’t she pretty popular recently? Why would she join a talent show?”

Vocal mentor Wei Wei smiled at the girl. “I’ve been following ‘Fairy Fate’ closely. Didn’t expect to see Xiaoyu here.”

Dance mentor Zhao Man grinned, teasing, “Feels like seeing a celebrity!”

‘Fairy Fate’ was a recently popular fantasy idol drama. Xiaoyu was the younger sister of the female lead, playing a key role in the romantic development between the main characters. She had her own love storyline: an innocent princess from the heavens encountering a mortal scholar on earth. From antagonistic acquaintances to budding romance, they were ultimately separated by the divide between mortal and divine. Though the role had limited screen time, it was charming and memorable. The actress Fu Yunmeng, who played Xiaoyu, had attracted considerable attention.

Such a promising actress joining a talent show to become an idol shocked everyone.

“Fu Yunmeng trainee, why are you participating in ‘Starlight Shine’?”

Fu Yunmeng solemnly raised the microphone.

“I’ve loved the stage since I was a child. I was a trainee before but, due to various reasons, didn’t debut. I’m grateful that ‘Fairy Fate’ introduced me to everyone and gave me the chance to participate in this show to chase my old dream.”

“Alright, start your performance.”

Fu Yunmeng performed a sweet, simple song. It was clear she had training and genuinely enjoyed being on stage.

But the final result surprised everyone.

“Fu Yunmeng trainee, F.”

Fu Yunmeng bit her lip, said nothing, collected her evaluation, and left the stage.

“Only an F for that level? Isn’t that too low?”

“Yeah, I think she deserved at least a C!”

“Maybe the standards are stricter because she’s a celebrity!”

As time passed and most performances ended, the tension of performing faded. Fatigue and drowsiness crept in. After all, the recording had lasted over ten hours. Anyone would be exhausted. Many trainees began nodding off, some even dozing off in their chairs.

The mentors were equally weary but still had trainees left to perform. They sighed heavily and rubbed their temples, trying to stay alert.

“Next, Yaoyi Culture.”

Many trainees showed little reaction, as it was a lesser-known company, but their expressions changed when the contestants appeared.

Three girls stepped onto the stage wearing retro disco outfits: sequin tight tops paired with loose bell-bottom pants, their hair styled in tight woolly curls. The overly saturated bright purple almost blinded the mentors.

They clearly didn’t follow the conventional path.

Sure enough, they performed a wildly popular disco dance hit.

This catchy tune, with its simple, addictive melody and infectious head-shaking dance, had taken the country by storm. Though tacky, it was undeniably energetic.

The moment the music started, it jolted some drowsy trainees awake, and the mentors burst into laughter.

At the climax, the head-shaking dance had everyone hyped. The audience gave enthusiastic cheers, and the three girls threw themselves into the performance with abandon, not caring about their image.

After the show, the room erupted with applause and cheers, and the mentors laughed heartily, holding their stomachs.

“I absolutely loved their performance!”

“The expressions and energy were top-notch, truly talented!”

“Yeah, look around—everyone’s awake now.”

The final grading: one A, one B, one C.

The trainees murmured complaints. Though the performance was lively, it didn’t match the level of previous Grade A stages. Still, this dissatisfaction remained unspoken.

“Such luck! So this is what picking the right song gets you,” Fu Huanhuan said with envy, poking Qiao Yiqing. “Do you think we should have prepared something like this?”

“Can you do that?”

Qiao Yiqing asked calmly.

Thinking about making such exaggerated, quirky expressions, Fu Huanhuan shook her head reluctantly. She wanted to be a traditional idol, not some alternative act.

“They can do it because it’s their strength. The results are final; let’s focus on working hard from now on.”

Fu Huanhuan nodded.

The surprise success of the debut stage strategy had indeed left a deep impression and gained camera time. The production team surely wouldn’t cut such a funny performance.

Several more groups performed, leaving only one person remaining.

“Who hasn’t performed yet?” a trainee asked a companion with confusion.

“Teacher Hang Jing!” the companion exclaimed, shocked. “How could you forget such a veteran?”

Hang Jing had been a singer for over ten years, known for a classic hit song, though she never became widely famous. Mentioning her name might draw blank stares, but mentioning “When I Miss You” would spark recognition, with some even humming a few notes.

Producer Zhai Xingwen watched Hang Jing, standing center stage as a trainee, unsure how to comment. Zhai had debuted as an actor at twenty and had only ten years in the industry, so Hang Jing was his senior.

“Hang Jing trainee, why did you decide to participate in this show?”

Having weathered many ups and downs in the entertainment industry, Hang Jing was prepared for criticism when joining the contest.

“I’m actually a loyal viewer of the program. I even voted last season.”

Zhai Xingwen couldn’t help but ask out of curiosity, “Who was your pick?”

Hang Jing smiled, “That’s a secret.”

“Watching the show reminds me of my trainee days, and I cherish those hardworking, innocent times. That’s why I decided to join. After all these years, I want to step out of my comfort zone and challenge myself again.”

Instead of performing her signature hit “When I Miss You,” Hang Jing chose a challenging English song.

True to her skills, her voice, technique, and emotional expression surpassed the trainees by far.

“I get it. Teacher Hang Jing is here to dominate!” a trainee realized bitterly, sharing with a friend.

The mentors were also captivated and thoroughly enjoyed the performance. But since this was a girl group competition, singing alone wasn’t enough—they also needed to test dance skills.

When they saw Hang Jing’s stiff and uncoordinated dancing, worse than a primary school exercise routine, they reluctantly gave her a C.

With that, all initial stage evaluations for the trainees concluded.

Zhai Xingwen announced the tallied results: only eight trainees earned Grade A, nearly half fewer than last season.

This huge gap gave many trainees a bad premonition; this season was much tougher, and such strict standards would likely persist throughout.

“In three days, there will be the theme song evaluation. Grades will be reassessed based on the theme song performance, and these grades will directly affect each trainee’s stage time.

Grade A trainees will appear on stage throughout; stage time decreases progressively from B to D grades; trainees graded F will not be allowed on stage.”

“Three days? That’s too soon!”

“This is terrible; I learn dance slowly!”

“What does ‘not allowed on stage’ mean? No screen time?”

“Next, we’ll reveal the theme song for this season of ‘Starlight Shine,’ titled ‘Set Out Toward the Future.’ Please look at the big screen.”

The noisy trainees quieted instantly, eyes fixed on the screen.

The words “Set Out Toward the Future” appeared briefly, then faded. Seven girls in practice outfits formed a triangular formation, the point at the front.

The intro began. The girls, heads bowed, slowly lifted them with the music. Their hands, placed behind their backs, rose to their chests, crossing elegantly like swans spreading their wings.

“One, two, three, let’s go!”

A burst of youthful energy as they pointed upwards, and the song began.