Reborn as a Substitute

After the first filming and recording, the audience left the studio and opened up social media to send repos of the recording.

This kind of personal “spoilers” were not frowned upon by the official program team, but on the contrary, gave the show a good publicity boost.

The biggest highlight of “Music First 2” was undoubtedly that Xie Xuanming, who had been having trouble with KUZI for many years, actually appeared on the show as a mentor and also responded to Ji Sheng’s scandal. This point was indeed deeply remembered by the audience, and almost all Weibo posts more or less mentioned this aspect. Xie Xuanming led “Music First 2” straight to the hot search and soon it occupied a high position. This was the result that KUZI enjoyed very much. The official blog of the program also took advantage of this wave of popularity and announced that Xie Xuanming participated in the recording of “Music First 2” as a mysterious mentor.

The official confirmation made the program’s popularity soar to a new level. “Music First 2” became a hit before it even aired and was on track to replicate the glory of its predecessor.

While the public was excitedly gnawing on the fragrant melons, not everyone was happy with Xie Xuanming’s sudden joining.

“Why did Xie Xuanming appear on ‘Music First’!?” Still in a dim room, the lips of the girl who had taken off some bandages were trembling and the scars on her face were writhing.

The tablet that had fallen to the floor was still lit up, the crack-strewn screen stuck on the page where the official blog of “Music First 2” officially announced Xie Xuanming’s participation as the mysterious mentor.

After exchanging a few words on the phone, the scarred girl screamed: “You didn’t know?! How dare you say you didn’t know! You promised me that the bitch would be discredited and never appear in front of me again! Now he’s on the show in full view, and even Xie Xuanming is such a big surprise! You didn’t even know!”

“…Isn’t it our arrangement for him to attend the show …don’t worry, we will definitely do the job once the money is in place, just wait and see…” The caller tried his best to calm her down.

The scarred girl gasped violently, barely able to cope with her anger.

She finally said fiercely: “You better do what you say.”

With the popularity of “Music First 2”, investments and endorsements naturally flocked to the show, and the enriched crew managed to grab some magazine shoots after the opening stage. Unlike in the first season where only the first place was eligible to have a photo session, all the bands that made it to the final round were given the opportunity to be photographed as a group, and the members of the top three bands in the online voting were even given the opportunity to have an individual  promotional photo shoot.

Although Niepan’s popularity was not overwhelming, there were a lot of old fans accumulated from many commercial gigs and the face-con fans attracted by the trailer pictures. So, Niepan’s fans all worked together to bring it into the top three without much effort, and it finally ranked second behind some old band.

On the day of the magazine shoot, after the group photos of the other bands were taken, the top three bands were asked to stay for individual photo sessions.

Niepan waited in the dressing room for the first band to shoot, while modifying the makeup according to the concept of the photo session.

Before the makeup artist came, Ji Sheng, who was huddling in the chair idly, picked up the concept book on the table.

He turned two pages, and by coincidence opened his own shooting concept.

Ji Sheng glanced twice and then his gaze froze. He stared at the page for a while, his eyebrows gradually drawing together in a frown.

The makeup artist arrived late and was about to modify his makeup with a few brushstrokes. As soon as he raised his hand, he was blocked by Ji Sheng.

“Excuse me please, but who is this shooting plan from?” Ji Sheng asked, looking at the brochure.

“I don’t know.” The makeup artist said, “I am only responsible for makeup.”

Ji Sheng raised his eyes, looked at him for a while, then sat up straight and said, “I’m sorry, I don’t accept this shooting plan. I refuse to make any shooting preparations before negotiating and adjusting it with the author of the plan.”

“It’s useless for you to tell me, I’m just a makeup artist, and your wishes are not within my scope.” The makeup artist shrugged.

“Do you know what concept they gave?”

“Of course, how else can I implement it?”

“Then what do you think of this plan?” Ji Sheng raised the booklet, showed the inner page and asked calmly, “Is it okay?”

His dispute with the makeup artist attracted the attention of the other members of Niepan, and Huang Sizhe and Lu Haoren came closer.

“What’s the matter?” As soon as Lu Haoren said that, his gaze fell on the opened page and his expression suddenly changed.

The split-screen scheme showed the subject lying scantily clad on a flesh-coloured cushion, his hair loose and the sponsor’s milk dripping from the corner of his mouth.

Huang Sizhe also saw the concept plan and was furious: “What kind of bullshit plan is this! Who is this meant to insult?”

Lu Haoren’s expression was also very ugly.

With this kind of obvious sexual innuendo, any adult could see how nasty the person who came up with this plan was.

Ji Sheng turned another page to the make-up scheme, and Lu Huaren and Huang Sizhe both fixed their eyes on it, tasting a bit more malice.

Overly thick blush, deliberately aggravated crying makeup, fluffy hairstyle…

Together with the shooting concept, it was so uncompromisingly trashy that you couldn’t help but feel sick.

The two of them looked at the makeup artist anxiously, and the makeup artist was a little impatient: “Listen, no matter who proposed this plan, there are the requirements of the sponsor behind it and they cannot be changed. You are just ordinary contestants. Do you want to fight the uncle who spends money on you?”

Huang Sizhe said angrily: “Ordinary contestants also have human rights. Can they be so fucking insulting if they have money?!”

“Otherwise?” The makeup artist sneered, mocking his innocence.

“You! Call your person in charge over! Or we won’t shoot!” Huang Sizhe slapped the table, completely irate.

Xie Xuanming sat in a chair with his eyes closed, resting, when he suddenly heard the noise.

“…If you don’t shoot, then don’t shoot. You really think you’re big bosses when you have a few hits, ah!”

“What are you, a makeup dog, ah!”

With the dispute reaching him across the wall, Xie Xuanming opened his eyes and asked, “What’s the matter?”

“There is a quarrel next door.” His hair stylist replied, “It seems to be the band with a lot of buzz, the one with the super pretty drummer.”

Xie Xuanming’s hands holding the program froze. He closed the booklet and got up.

“Teacher Xie, the hairstyle hasn’t been finished yet!” The stylist reminded.

“I’ll come back and do it.” Xie Xuanming put the file on the table, “I’ll go over and take a look.”

When Xie Xuanming pushed the door to Niepan’s dressing room, he was met with Huang Sizhe swinging his fists in anger as Lu Haoren and Ji Sheng tried to stop him from the violence he was about to display.

Ji Sheng, who was holding Huang Sizhe around the waist, caught a glimpse of Xie Xuanming coming in, was taken aback for a moment and stood still: “Senior Xie.”

In front of outsiders, Xie Xuanming didn’t bother to correct the way he addressed him, raised his chin and asked, “What happened?”

“The photo session.” Ji Sheng said, “There is a little contradiction.”

“Little contradiction!” Huang Sizhe broke away from Lu Haoren and spat, “If the program team wants to make a porno movie, we won’t accompany it.”

“It’s not a porno movie…” Ji Sheng was helpless about Huang Sizhe’s words.

Before he finished speaking, Xie Xuanming frowned: “Give me the plan.”

Ji Sheng sighed and handed over the plan book.

Xie Xuanming turned a few pages until he reached the picture of milk; his eyes darkened and his face turned grim.

Seeing Xie Xuanming’s expression getting more and more uneasy, the makeup artist sneaked out and called the person in charge.

Whoever messed up is responsible. A little minion like him didn’t want to be cannon fodder for the movie star taking care of his little lover.

“What the hell, the contestant shooting even recruited Xie Xuanming…”

Not a minute later, a low roar came through the door.

The person in charge angrily entered the room, met Xie Xuanming and changed his expression as quickly as an actor in Peking Opera changed his masks.

“Emperor Xie, why are you here?”

“I’m also taking promotional photos today.” Xie Xuanming said casually. He held up the plan book, “Is this your shooting concept for the contestants?”

“Ah, yes, it’s the sponsor…”

“Change it.” Xie Xuanming threw the concept booklet on the table beside him.

“Emperor Xie.” The person in charge smiled flatteringly, “This is a request from the investor and cannot be changed.”

“The investors ask you to do whatever they want and you do it?” Xie Xuanming sneered, “I am also an investor, I tell you to change the plan now, won’t you change it?”

“This…”

“Think I didn’t give enough?”

“How can it be—” The person in charge scolded the investors in his mind eight hundred times, but he still didn’t want to give up on making money, “It’s just…”

“Just what? It’s just that you want the public to know that you shoot this kind of thing with the contestants?” Xie Xuanming took a step forward, pressing the person in charge to step back again and again, “There are underage contestants in this band. Your official propaganda photos engage in pedophilia?”

Huang Sizhe’s lips twitched. Very unhappy that Xie Xuanming had pulled himself out as a gun, he was still able to distinguish the priorities and remained indignantly silent.

“No, no, we definitely didn’t mean that!” With Xie Xuanming using such a big card, the person in charge was frightened into a cold sweat, smiling stiffly.

Xie Xuanming sneered: “Then are you going to change the plan? Or do you want me to post a blog to help promote your avant-garde concepts?”

Person in charge: ……

He finally succumbed.

“Go, ask the concept department to reformulate the plan. You must get the new plan out for me before two o’clock in the afternoon…”

The man in charge yelled at the arriving staff, and several of the social animals bowed their heads, pathetically serving as the leader’s punching bags.

Ji Sheng moved a few steps quietly, walked to Xie Xuanming and said, “Thank you.”

“It’s okay.” Xie Xuanming glanced at him, “I remember saying that if you had a problem…”

“…” Ji Sheng said, “You also said that you have someone you like and that I should stop having fancy ideas.”

“So if you ask me to solve a problem, it means you have fancy ideas.” Xie Xuanming confirmed logically.

“I didn’t mean that…” Ji Sheng’s fingers twitched.

He wanted to hold his forehead again.

But before he had time to raise his hand, Ji Sheng heard the keyboardist exclaim, “My God! The program team has announced the visiting mentor!”

Ji Sheng looked over; the keyboardist held up the tablet given by the program group, the screen flipped, and the latest notification of the program was playing.

“Attention to all contestants, the visiting mentor for this competition will be announced below!” The plane glided across the screen, bringing out a mysterious shadow (the visiting mentor is literally ‘the flying mentor’, that’s why the plane).

Xie Xuanming looked at the screen with Ji Sheng.

“This mentor, who came from a band, was a big hit during his debut and became the absolute top star in the circle, the idol and the dream of all band members.”

Came from a band, a big hit…

Ji Sheng pondered over these key words and suddenly felt a chill in his heart.

Could it be—

“He is—” The screen flashed twice, the black shadow revealed its true form, and a gentle smiling face appeared on the screen.

“How did he get here?” The keyboardist held up his tablet and murmured, “This show is awesome, a meeting of two top stars…”

Huang Sizhe turned to look at Ji Sheng, but found that he raised his head with a complicated expression and looked to his side.

Under his gaze…

Xie Xuanming stared at the screen gloomily.

He didn’t know Sheng Kongzhi was coming.