Chapter 147: Co-ed Group Debut

The vote-soliciting segment concluded.

The host wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and stepped onto the stage, standing beside Li Gang and Ji An. To ease the awkward atmosphere, she smiled and said, "President Li’s method of soliciting votes was both adorable and novel; everyone loved it... Now, please welcome President Mu and Yi Yang to the stage. The live voting channel is open; viewers in the livestream, you may begin voting."

The voting channel was open for only five minutes.

The netizens watching the livestream were indecisive. Yi Yang’s performance was powerful and stunning, but the way Ji An and Li Gang had campaigned was simply explosive! Who to vote for? It was a real dilemma.

Two minutes later, the voting channel closed. The results were highly transparent and displayed directly at the top of the livestream page.

Host: "The winner of the first round—the singing and dancing PK—is... Yi Yang!"

Thunderous applause erupted in the studio.

"Little one, I have to admit, your talent is strong, but don’t get cocky," Ji An said after stepping off-stage. His hands were tucked into his pockets, a simple white T-shirt concealing his "alluring" abdominal muscles, and blue jeans hugging his straight, powerful legs. He stood before Yi Yang, looking down at her slightly stunned, pretty face. "I apologize to you."

Before the PK, Ji An hadn't taken this "clown girl" seriously at all. But he hadn't expected her to have such charisma; her confident demeanor on stage was now deeply etched in his mind.

"No need to apologize, no need..." Yi Yang was back to her shy and timid self. She took a step back, not daring to meet the man's eyes. It wasn't just because he was her senior; it was because Ji An was her idol. "I'm sorry, Ji... I won..."

Yi Yang never expected to defeat her own idol. She knew better than anyone how difficult Ji An’s journey had been since entering the industry.

"Just call me Brother Ji. What do you have to be sorry for? Your talent is just that strong. I couldn't tell, but for someone so small, your explosive power is incredible! Keep it up!"

Yi Yang kept her head bowed, staring at the tips of her shoes. Suddenly, she felt a warmth on the top of her head.

*!*

It was Ji An’s hand! He was actually ruffling her hair! But she had just finished dancing and was drenched in sweat; would he be disgusted by her?

Yi Yang’s heart trembled. Just as she gathered the courage to look up at her idol, he walked away, leaving behind only a carefree silhouette.

Ji An, having left, accepted his defeat gracefully. Furthermore, after his boss, Li Gang, had gone on stage and engaged in that bizarre campaign, he had lost all desire to win. Ji An hadn't expected this livestream of over a hundred thousand people to turn into a social death trap. He needed to find a corner to calm down.

***

The man didn't notice the worshipful gaze following his back.

"Yi Yang, how are you? Happy?" An Lan walked over to the artist lounge, draping an arm over the girl's small shoulder. She followed the girl's gaze, and upon seeing the man’s figure, her lips curled upward, her eyes filled with playfulness and gossip. "What’s this? Yi Yang, do you like Ji An? Insider tip: the kid doesn't have a girlfriend."

"What nonsense are you spouting? She’s only seventeen." Mu Ran gently pulled An Lan’s arm away and dragged the "weak and helpless" Yi Yang behind her. "Lanlan, be serious."

An Lan was an easy person to get along with, and her image within the company was approachable. Both the leadership and the artists enjoyed her company.

"President Mu, I... I don't like Brother Ji, I only..." Yi Yang was timid. Furthermore, the company strictly forbade artists from dating before reaching third-tier status. She was afraid President Mu would misunderstand and stop giving her opportunities; she still needed to earn money to support her grandparents.

"Yes, I know. Ji An is your idol." Mu Ran turned and smiled faintly at Yi Yang. That smile successfully calmed the girl’s anxious, fearful heart.

"Oh, so the little girl’s idol is our studio’s Ji An? Good taste. Ji An is single, and my Just Studio doesn’t have so many rigid rules; dating is allowed," Li Gang said, having appeared from nowhere while still in a state of high excitement. She reached out and pinched Yi Yang’s cheek, clicking her tongue in amazement. "You little girl, you really can't judge a book by its cover. Your voice—it almost made me swing the other way right then and there."

Yi Yang fluttered her large, innocent eyes and took a small step back. Li Gang chuckled, unfazed by the girl’s evasive movement. She curled her lips in approval and pulled a business card from her handbag. "Yi Yang, SY’s temple is too big. If you can't stay there anymore, you can come to my Just Studio."

Was she poaching an SY artist right in front of SY’s two bosses? Yi Yang looked at the business card in the woman’s hand. She raised her hand slightly, then lowered it, unsure whether to accept it or not.

"Stop teasing her. You’re really something. Both Mu and I are right here, and you’re poaching so brazenly—and you’re an SY shareholder yourself..." An Lan snatched the card from Li Gang’s hand and held it. "You two chat; I’m going to check the content for the next round."

After An Lan left, Mu Ran stood lazily in front of Yi Yang, radiating a cold aura. She stared at Li Gang with emotionless eyes for a long moment. Finally, her red lips parted, and she spoke slowly, her tone lingering. "I have an idea."

"What idea?" Li Gang asked, puzzled. She had just been joking; she wasn't truly interested in Yi Yang. After all, her own studio lacked the capability to nurture such a talented contestant. She couldn't hold the young girl back.

Mu Ran curled her lips, sensing Li Gang’s wariness, and said languidly, "Make Yi Yang and Ji An a duo."

"What?" Li Gang’s voice rose. A duo? A male-female duo? That was really unconventional. Looking at talent shows in China right now, it was either boy bands or girl groups; there was no precedent for co-ed idol groups. Besides, male-female groups were difficult for a company to manage.

If the two fell in love, it might be harmless and could even generate some buzz. But once they broke up and became estranged, the group would be effectively ruined. The company couldn't take that risk to create a singing and dancing co-ed idol group.

"I said, create a co-ed duo—just Yi Yang and Ji An." Mu Ran’s words struck the hearts of the two people beside her. Li Gang opposed it, while Yi Yang was excited.

"No way! Ji An is the only strong artist in my studio; I cannot take that risk."

Mu Ran insisted, "If I say it can be done, it can. If I say they will be stars, they certainly won't disappoint."

"Mu Ran, I don't know why you're so certain, but I intend for Ji An to debut as a soloist!" Li Gang’s emotions ran high, the veins on her forehead bulging as she gripped her handbag. She moved to block Mu Ran’s view of Ji An.

Suddenly, she heard Mu Ran say with breezy indifference, "Ji An won't be a hit as a soloist."

"You really think you're a prophet! If these two form a group and start dating, what then? What if they break up? Have you thought about the consequences?" If these two formed a group and something uncontrollable happened, the group’s collapse would affect not just SY, but Just Studio as well!

To Li Gang’s sharp questioning, Mu Ran remained unbothered. She raised her hand and rubbed the peach blossom tattoo on her brow, her voice remaining calm: "If they want to date, no matter what, no matter where they are, they will be together. Also, Li Gang, are you so sure that you are the winner of this PK?"

Li Gang was left speechless. In a daze, she recalled the bet they had made. If she lost, she would not only have to transfer her SY shares to Mu Ran for free, but even the artists at Just Studio would be at Mu Ran’s disposal. Li Gang smacked her forehead in regret, cursing herself for being an idiot. She had been so confident because she had investigated the newcomers signed by SY and found most of them unremarkable. Being so sure of herself, she had added that stake to the bet.

Li Gang felt uneasy. If SY won the PK, Just Studio would be at Mu Ran’s beck and call.

"Let’s finish the competition first, and then decide on the matter of Yi Yang and Ji An." Mu Ran took Yi Yang and left the lounge, heading toward the live production area.

"Yi Yang, no dating. I will put you and Ji An in a group. Before you turn nineteen, focus on your career for me." Mu Ran’s tone was cold, carrying a warning.

But Yi Yang felt a warmth in her heart. Being on the same stage as Ji An was already a gift from heaven for her; she hadn't expected to be in a group with her idol.

"Thank you, President Mu." Yi Yang’s eyes filled with tears. She sniffled and reached out to grab Mu Ran’s fair, slender, and cool-to-the-touch hand, though she pulled back an instant later. "I will work hard."

Mu Ran curled her lips faintly, her expression cool and detached, showing no emotion. She glanced at Yi Yang, arranged for her to stay put, and then turned to find Gu Beicheng.

Just a moment ago, when Mu Ran had looked down into the girl’s watery deer eyes, a flash of memory had crossed her mind—a vision of Ji An and Yi Yang’s future. In that future, Yi Yang was lonely and Ji An’s solo career was lukewarm, but they supported each other, becoming a quiet and loving couple. Eventually, they formed a singing and dancing duo and rose to become top stars in the domestic entertainment industry.