After Bai Yan died, he transmigrated into a book with a System, becoming the vicious cannon-fodder character who shared his name in a romance novel about an idol group survival show.
In the original story, he was the very definition of vicious. After constantly bringing disaster upon himself, he ended up infamous and dying far from home.
Now, Bai Yan, the hot favorite to debut and a powerhouse contestant, stared at the cannon-fodder script and fell into thought...
System 009: Yan Yan, as long as you maintain the original character's core personality, you can do anything you like. So go shine, and debut, debut! [Throws confetti]
Bai Yan: No. I want to go home. Dad doesn't love me, I'm not inheriting the family fortune, and I came all the way here to compete on a talent show... What am I hoping to get out of this, the audience's spit?
His father happened to oppose him, all his fans were antis, and the other contestants would be glad to have one less rival.
Bai Yan: The timing, the location, and the people are all perfect. But even though my image is already terrible, what if something goes wrong?
Anti-hype plan: check.
Step 1 of self-sabotage: an idol's body management.
[Eat. I'll eat. I'll eat and eat.]
[System prompt: Character trait one: Works out daily.]
A full routine of weight machines, barbells, and crunches.
Bai Yan: You call this working out daily?! (゜ロ゜)
Forced to eat meat at every meal under the intense training, he somehow not only avoided gaining weight, but also healed his seriously malnourished body...
Looking at the boy who seemed to have it all, his fans said: We're lusting after our brother's body, I mean, we're devoted to his character!
Step 2 of self-sabotage: an idol's professionalism.
[Tired. I'm lazy. I'm at peace. I'll just phone it in.]
[System prompt: Character trait two: Loves the stage.]
Onstage, every move, every note, and every emotion had to be perfect...
Bai Yan, whose water-treading skills were MAX: Are you messing with me?
The other contestants, questioning their lives: Are you messing with us?!
A lovesick lament, red robes fluttering, enough to break one's heart...
A slow-burning love song, an ethereal voice cleansing the soul...
Silence spoke louder than words, lonely and desolate enough to bring tears...
Ordinary behind-the-scenes footage became a "stunning masterpiece" and exploded on the trending charts.
Everyone said Bai Yan had nothing but a pretty face, with no beauty within.
Everyone knew Bai Yan had a limited range and couldn't learn the boy-group style, so the title of "hot favorite to debut" was undeserved.
Later, everyone covered their faces as they voted for Bai Yan and spammed the comments... swearing to make sure he debuted!
Popular actresses and actors posted online, openly fangirling over him...
A visionary director invited him to join a hit production...
The top singers told everyone he was their precious boy...
His teammates, rivals, mentors, directors, and staff, who had once found him cold and unpleasant, practically shoved the doted-on-by-everyone script into his hands...
Bai Yan, forcing a smile: At the start, I was just a trainee idol!
The System read the fans' confessions with feeling: Onstage, he shines brilliantly, with all the frills washed away... You are the only light in my heart.
#ALookBackAtThoseDaysIPlayedAlongWhilePlanningMyEscape
#ItTurnsOutMyCharacterWasTheBiggestObstacleKeepingMeFromGoingHome
#EveryoneThoughtIHadTheRoyalTreatmentScriptButIWasSecretlyTryingToEscapeWithTheSacrificeScriptSoWhyDidThePlotKeepGoingOffCourse
Note:
1. No real-life inspirations! No real-life inspirations! No real-life inspirations! Do not associate this with real people!
Content warnings:
2. The whole group dotes on him.
3. Chasing-love-to-the-crematorium trope, face-slapping, and falling for him after all.
This blurb's final revision was completed on April 30, 2021. Screenshot saved.
Theme: Everyone shines in their own way.
