Volume One, Chapter Thirty-Eight: Broadcast of the First Episode

After finishing the meal, Su Muyu quickly pulled her parents away from this apartment, heading off to stay at another place. Meanwhile, Jiang Yu lay on his bed, drenched in sweat—the pressure tonight had been overwhelming.

He picked up his phone and sent a message.
Xiao Yu: Why did your parents suddenly show up today?
After a long while, the notification sounded.
Xiao Yu: I only found out two minutes before you did.
Xiao Yu: I didn’t mess anything up, did I?
A long pause followed, with no reply from Su Muyu. Just as Jiang Yu started to grow anxious, his phone buzzed again.
Xiao Yu: They’re plotting how to trick you into coming back to cook for them. Your job is to handle my parents.
Xiao Yu: …

For the next couple of days, Jiang Yu kept Su Muyu’s parents company. It wasn’t until he promised to visit them in the capital that they finally boarded their flight. Jiang Yu was left sweating profusely.

Su Muyu just remarked, “Not bad!”

After that, Jiang Yu went home to sleep, while Su Muyu hurried back to the office—today was the broadcast of the first episode of “Two and a Half Years of Idols.”

The first recording had a large cast and ran long, so the show released two episodes at once. The production team had done a stellar job with promotion; as soon as the show aired, many people tuned in.

“It’s finally started! I’ve been waiting so long!”

“I know, right? When is my husband Xu Kun coming on?”

“I’m here for Xu Kun too—cola with ice, and love for Kun from the heart!”

“Ah, Goddess Xiaoyu, how can there be such a beautiful woman?”

“Wife, I love you, wife.”

“Hey, you upstairs, is that your wife too? Someone pour cold water on him to wake him up.”

“…”

Su Ling and Su Muyu were also watching in the office.

Su Ling, visibly nervous, paced back and forth. “Xiaoyu, you’re a judge on the show. Can’t you tell me how Jiang Yu did?”

“No spoilers,” Su Muyu replied coolly.

“You’re not even a little nervous?”

“I’m a mentor. I know what to expect.”

“Well, I don’t!” Su Ling fumed. “If you’re so relaxed, maybe I should go put on a face mask to calm down.”

“A face mask won’t help with this.”

What Su Ling didn’t see was that Su Muyu’s delicate hand had also clenched into a trembling fist.

The show finally began.

Contestants walked onto the stage one by one.

“Hello, everyone, we’re Hard Candy, Super Sweet!” They performed a series of exaggerated moves. “Hope you’re not overwhelmed by our energy!”

Su Ling stared in disbelief at the flamboyant contestants. “Maybe I will go put on a face mask after all.” How could people so young already be so oily?

In truth, girls’ fantasies about the opposite sex are far more intricate than boys’. For men, aside from beauty, all that matters is a good figure. For women, it’s not just about being handsome and tall; a man must also be capable, ambitious, wealthy. Besides this, he should have a good personality—dominant when needed, soft when needed, offer a sense of security, a touch of playfulness, never wooden or dull. In short, they want a husky that can also bring home the bacon.

But looking at these bizarre contestants, performing aimless moves, all overly effeminate—who could possibly like them? With so many candidates, Su Ling couldn’t find a single newcomer she’d sign.

“Let’s welcome the next contestant, Jiang Yu.”

Jiang Yu was finally about to go on stage.

At the host’s announcement, Su Ling tore off her face mask and hurried to Su Muyu’s side to watch intently.

A white shirt, jeans, white sneakers—fresh, clean, his hair simple and unstyled. Even more astonishing, he appeared bare-faced, without a trace of makeup. Under the lights, with the music swelling, he radiated an almost dazzling sense of sunshine.

The comments started flying.

“Wow, what a clean-cut heartthrob!”

“He’s good-looking! Such a pure campus vibe.”

When the judges began to converse with him, the comment section exploded.

“He’s the one who sings ‘Bare Face’ and ‘At the Crossroads of Blooming Phoenix Flowers,’ right? No wonder he’s so fresh—he just graduated!”

“I admit it, I’m starting to like this campus style!”

Backstage, the staff were excited as they checked the numbers.

“Director Yan, this Jiang Yu is something else. The volume and quality of comments during his stage time blow everyone else out of the water.”

Yan Ming nodded, smiling to himself. He thought, I really did pick the right guy. Maybe it’s time to start favoring him with more resources. And this wasn’t even the show’s climax—he couldn’t imagine how the audience would react to Jiang Yu’s next song.

“What’s Wrong With That”—the entire song lasted just over three minutes. Compared to the others’ affectations, Jiang Yu’s singing was pure and unembellished—a quiet, heartfelt performance. And it was precisely this clarity that made him stand out.

His voice was as refreshing as a spring breeze, as soothing as a mountain stream, inviting the listener to lose themselves in it. Though the lyrics were simple, they awakened the purest feelings in people’s hearts, bringing a rare sense of peace.

Especially this line:

“I sing this song for you, it has no particular style—it only means I want you to be happy.”

Other songs reach only the ears; this one went straight to the heart.

The comments section erupted again.

“What a warm song. It’s been so long since I felt this way.”

“I don’t know what to do—suddenly, I want to fall in love!”

“Bro, you’re done for this life. Next life, you have to get into a relationship!”

“Is he confessing to someone? Otherwise, how could he write something so tender?”

“Guys, this is my senior—he sings ‘Bare Face’ and ‘At the Crossroads of Blooming Phoenix Flowers.’ Go check them out!”

Seeing the flood of positive comments, Su Muyu’s lips curled in a faint smile. Hearing others praise Jiang Yu, she couldn’t help but feel a strange happiness mingled with worry—how would everyone react when they heard the next song?

Just then, a young man walked in. “President Su.”

“Li Hao, what brings you here?” Su Ling turned, curiosity in her voice.

Li Hao looked at the two of them. “I wanted to ask about my upcoming schedule and discuss it with President Su.”

“No rush, don’t worry. I’ve already planned everything for you—just be patient.”

Su Ling kept her eyes glued to the screen. “Wow, Jiang Yu is really something! This song is amazing!”

At the mention of that name, Li Hao glanced at the screen, his fist instantly clenching, his face twisting with resentment. That was the Jiang Yu who’d taken his spot on the show—the stage he should have been standing on!

“I understand, President Su. I won’t disturb you further.”

“Mm, go ahead.”

Neither Su Muyu nor Su Ling noticed Li Hao’s expression.

At last, the song ended.

What was bound to happen, happened.

The atmosphere had been so warm. Song Changying and Chen Tong both gave Jiang Yu glowing reviews, and although Su Muyu didn’t comment, she cast her vote without hesitation, which satisfied the audience.

But among the judges, there was one who utterly tore Jiang Yu apart—Xu Kun.

Jiang Yu advanced to the elimination round. Some spoke up for him, while others disagreed. To most, Jiang Yu was just a minor figure—a small diversion in the show.

But no one expected what happened next: Jiang Yu’s song in the elimination round catapulted the first episode to its climax.

A masterful rendition of “For Both the Refined and the Common.”

Every lyric was a direct response to Xu Kun’s criticism.

The comment section exploded.

“Damn, he’s incredible! To write and perform a comeback song like that on such short notice—amazing!”

“Every line hits back at Xu Kun’s critique. This kid’s got guts.”

“I like a guy with backbone.”

Though there were a few scattered voices of agreement for Xu Kun, even more people began to unleash their fury.

For a while, the online world was roiling with controversy.