The Top-Tier Star's Childhood Friend Joined a Survival Show!

[The upcoming novel The Love Triangle is already lying flat in the author’s collection!] Novel blurb: 1. The official announcement came: Produce 202 was starting production. The news was perfectly ordinary. What wasn’t ordinary was that before the show even aired, some unknown newcomer was all over the internet with blurry photos and a constant stream of trending topics. Everyone was sick of seeing him. A marketing account took the opportunity to break the news: This nobody was Zhuang Xiang, a terrible singer and dancer who was trying to debut on his looks! Netizens were like: “???” “Debut on his looks? With those blurry photos??” “? If you’re useless, at least know your place. Don’t come on an idol survival show and steal our boys’ spots, okay??” Until the show aired. The nineteen-year-old lifted his eyes, and his handsome gaze shot straight into everyone’s heart. The netizens softened immediately. “He’s so handsome, what is happening! _( °-° _)⌒)_” “...Fine, even if he can’t sing or dance, at least his face is nice to look at?” But just as Zhuang Xiang had won over a new wave of fans with his looks, he stepped onto the stage and said, “I can get an A just by dancing.” Arrogant! Conceited! He needed a serious reality check!! But before the netizens could mock him, Zhuang Xiang hit the beat and launched into an insanely cool aerial backflip. The audience: “!!” ∑(°Д°) Holy crap! “This doesn’t make sense! Weren’t you supposed to be terrible at singing and dancing??” 2. Everyone knew that top-tier star and award-winning actor Xiang Ran was either breaking character because of his childhood friend Zhuang Xiang, or on his way to doing so. But! Only when his secret identity was cruelly exposed did fans realize just how badly he’d been breaking character!!! Xiang Ran on his official account: [My new drama is airing. Thank you for your support, everyone [rose]] [My film premieres today. Thank you for your support, everyone [rose]] ...And so on. But his private account was another story: [@Xu Ziyi, why are you standing so close to my little brother??? [alert.jpg]] This sort of thing: [@Sheng Jun, you’re way too close to my little brother. Please. Keep. Your. Distance!] And this: [@Zhuang Xiang, sharing a link → [One Hundred Ways to Wear Long Johns] [thumbs-up]] And this: [@Love Guru, help! What should I do if my little brother has too many good big brothers? [lemon]] The marketing accounts had this to say: #Shocking! Is He Having a Scandal?!# And the fans: :P You might not believe it, but I’m absolutely delighted, hahaha!!! #IfHeHadn’tMadeAPrivateAccountIWouldveThoughtHeWasAsexual# #BigBrotherWorriesSoMuch# Reader’s guide: ● This is a fictional setting, ovo. The career storyline is the main focus, with romance on the side. ● Bratty bottom × mother-hen top (not really) To put it properly: a master at acting pitiful, cool and obedient little rascal of a bottom × an old-fashioned, goofy, handsome, straightforward top ● The competition format is inspired by the Produce 101 series, with some original elements. ● None of the characters are based on real people!! Please don’t associate them with anyone! Respect everyone, thank you! Mwah!! [This novel will be released as a paid chapter on January 22, a Friday. There’ll be 10,000 words that day. I hope you’ll support it! Love you all, mwah!!] Song Jingyu is Yi Jing’s boyfriend, and a substitute for the unattainable love of Yi Jing’s life. But Song Jingyu is an awful guy, with none of the meekness you’d expect from a substitute. Apart from his face, he has no redeeming qualities. He’s shallow and vain, greedy and stingy, and has a terrible temper. When Yi Jing’s first love returned from abroad, all of Yi Jing’s friends assumed Song Jingyu would be the one getting dumped, and began consoling him. “Don’t be sad. Yi Jing is a jerk with a bad temper anyway. You’re better off without him!” “None of us are stopping him from finding a substitute. That first love of his isn’t any good, either.” “Xiao Yu, you could give me a chance. I’m handsome, built well, and rich. As long as you love money, we’ll never break up.” Yi Jing: ? Is something not quite right here? * Everyone knew Gu Zhiyuan’s homecoming banquet would be rife with undercurrents. It was a love triangle, after all. It would be strange if nothing went wrong. But no one expected the utterly drunk Song Jingyu to let go of Yi Jing and tuck a champagne rose he’d stolen into the pocket of Yi Jing’s first love. Then he said, “You’re really handsome.” Yi Jing’s expression twisted for a moment before he forced himself to sound casual. “So what if he complimented him? Do I seem like a petty person?” The pretty drunk narrowed his eyes at Gu Zhiyuan and smiled. “You’re the 108th person I’ve fallen in love with at first sight.” Yi Jing’s face turned livid, but he pretended to be calm. “So what if it’s love at first sight? He’s obviously joking. Haha, hilarious.” Song Jingyu, barely conscious, slumped into the hollow of Yi Jing’s neck. “Baby...” Yi Jing: “See? He’s a hotel. I’m home.” Song Jingyu mumbled, “...Go get his contact information for me.” He didn’t even think to lower his voice, so the moment he finished speaking, the whole room fell silent. Gu Zhiyuan laughed. The veins on the back of Yi Jing’s hand stood out. He turned around, his irritation impossible to hide. The young man stood straight as a bamboo stalk. His white shirt was buttoned neatly to the collar, with a champagne rose incongruously tucked over his chest. He raised his glass and toasted Yi Jing from across the room, a restrained smile playing on his lips. “Ah Jing. Your boyfriend is quite interesting.” Yi Jing’s head spun. The man standing before him was his first love, returned after years abroad: his childhood friend, his old pal, his confidant. But only one thought echoed in his mind Why hadn’t he died abroad?! * Gu Zhiyuan came from a family of scholars and had been taught self-discipline and propriety from childhood. But everyone has a dark side. He was simply exceptionally good at keeping his in check. It wasn’t that there were things he wouldn’t do. He just hadn’t found a respectable-sounding excuse yet. Since Yi Jing kept such a tight leash on Song Jingyu, Gu Zhiyuan decided to treat Song Jingyu as his little brother. From then on, cooking for Song Jingyu was perfectly normal. Doing Song Jingyu’s laundry was perfectly normal. Being unable to accept Song Jingyu leaving was perfectly normal. All perfectly normal ^^ Watching Yi Jing turn red-eyed with anger, Gu Zhiyuan maintained his dignified composure. “Don’t take it the wrong way.” “This is just how brothers are.” Theme: Courage and resolve are the strength of youth. March forward and never retreat.