We Agreed It Was a Talent Show, So Why Am I Taming My Teammates?

[A domineering, unhinged gong who starts cold and grows warm x a cool, stubborn, beautiful genius shou]

The full book costs 4.2 yuan.

–

After his parents die, genius artist Li Nian is sold by his adoptive parents to a small company and becomes a low-ranking trainee.

Just as he's about to finish out his contract, the company sends him to compete on a talent show.

Everyone on the show is scheming about how to get more screen time and advance to the next round.

Li Nian is the only one thinking about how to get eliminated.

But before he can get eliminated, he manages to offend someone he should never have crossed.

The crown prince of Yu Ze Entertainment, the darling of the industry.

The undisputed winner chosen in advance.

On his first day on set, Li Nian faints from low blood sugar and accidentally breaks a keepsake left by Chen Zui's mother.

The moment he wakes up, he gets punched in the face.

--

From that day on, Li Nian becomes Chen Zui's main target.

Chen Zui expects him to cry and beg for mercy, but Li Nian's gaze is cool and he remains neither servile nor overbearing.

Chen Zui had meant to get revenge, but somehow ends up drawn to him instead.

In the rehearsal room, Chen Zui presses up against his back and takes his hand. “You're doing that move wrong.”

Li Nian raises a hand and slaps him. “Are you done yet? You hit me already. We're even.”

Chen Zui catches his hand and smiles. “I'm seriously teaching you the move.”

Chen Zui finds new ways to mess with Li Nian every day.

On the show, Li Nian has nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.

--

At last, he tries everything he can think of and successfully gets eliminated.

He thinks it's all over, but Chen Zui uses his popularity-vote revival slot and announces on the spot, “I choose to bring Li Nian back.”

Li Nian: “...?”

The person at the center of it all is dumbfounded, the CP fans go wild, and the livestream comments explode overnight.

[ZuiNian is real!!!!]

[Help, I ship a real couple!!]

–

When Li Nian is trapped in the training building during a power outage and faints from heatstroke,

Chen Zui rushes in without a second thought, climbs over a wall, and carries him out. He's soaked through and a complete mess.

Chen Zui: “This was my fault. I apologize.”

Li Nian scoffs. “Which thing are you apologizing for? Hitting me, or insulting me?”

Chen Zui is racking his brains over how to make it up to him.

But a fan-site photographer captures the scene. It becomes the number one trending topic, and the whole internet goes crazy shipping them.

[ZuiNian is real!!!!]

[Help, I ship a real couple!!]

After the show ends, Chen Zui pays to get Li Nian out of his restrictive contract and personally sees him off the stage.

Chen Zui pats his head. “You're truly free now.”

“Wherever you go and whatever you do, you don't need anyone else's permission anymore, including mine.”

Li Nian falls silent for a moment.

“I might need a long time to pay you back.”

Chen Zui grins.

“That's fine. You can sell yourself to me.”

Li Nian: ...

Do you remember what you just said?

Chen Zui puts his hands in his pockets and looks at the sky.

“Don't know. That wasn't me, anyway.”

Reading guide:

1. Old-school melodramatic tropes, both are virgins, happy ending.

2. Not recommended for readers who are very particular about relationship dynamics. Includes coercive situations.

3. The competition format is loosely based on Produce Camp. I don't follow celebrities or watch talent shows, so I randomly picked one to watch for this story. The characters aren't based on real people. Not based on real people. Not based on real people!!! Important enough to say three times.

Theme: If you have a dream, go after it.