If I Can’t Be a Fanboy, I Can Only Debut

Luo Xin lifted his heavy eyelids and pursed his lips tightly under his mask.

The noisy environment, ubiquitous cameras, and well-dressed crowds around him reminded him of where he was.

He was at the audition for "Super Idol 001".

Not far away, a host was interviewing one of the contestants.

The contestant was a boy dressed in hip-hop style clothing with small braids in his hair. He looked a little shy as he said, "I came here to prove my strength. Of course, I also hope to show a good stage stage."

Then he smiled with a cute tiger tooth and said to the camera, "Please pick me, I am number 57, Xie Yao!"

Luo Xin's gaze was calm and he immediately understood the boy's plan and his image. The main focus is on contrast. He guessed that the performance style will be domineering and bursting on the stage.

Thinking of this, his brain, which was resting due to lack of sleep, slowly woke up.

After scanning the scene again, Luo Xin couldn't help but exclaim a plant's name in his heart: "Grass!"1

He was just a noble bystander in the fan circle.

He should have been lying in bed at home, holding his phone or keyboard, and 'objectively' evaluating celebrities and various variety shows from a high position.

Instead, he was wasting his time in a factory building somewhere he didn't know.

However, he woke up too late, and it was already too late to turn back.

With his head down, looking at the player badge attached to his jacket which read "No. 77, Luo Xin", he felt very complex emotions. Just as Luo Xin was lost in thought, the diligent host noticed him as a bit out of place and with a bright eye, walked over with the cameraman and began to interview him professionally. "Hello, participant. Can you introduce yourself to the camera?"

To be honest, Luo Xin was still wearing a mask, so it was hard to tell whether he was good-looking or not. Moreover, in the entertainment industry, there are very few who are not good-looking, and over time, good looks have become less noteworthy.

What attracted others to Luo Xin was his overall temperament. Although he was looking down, the sense of detachment that lingered around him was like a lamp, drawing even more attention. Upon closer inspection, it was even more impressive.

His hair was fluffy yet adhered, with an enviable amount, and a refreshing natural feel. His eyes were not big, but had a narrow and upward shape, with an air of arrogance. Although the lower half of his face was unclear, those eyes alone were enough to be attractive.

Luo Xin stared at the camera lens for two seconds before quickly shifting his gaze. Although he was not used to speaking in front of the camera, he was not impolite, so he spoke into the microphone, "My name is Luo Xin." After looking at his badge, he added, "No. 77."

After speaking, he continued to space out and contemplate life.

Is that all?

The host was a bit confused. After all, although the pre-match interview was not very important, it was still a chance to brush up his presence. Many people cherished this opportunity and would even prepare a small essay to recite on the spot, or at least put on a couple of smiles.

In a talent show, the camera is everything. However, the host took another look at Luo Xin and realized he was clearly a novice with no experience and unaware of the program's rules.

So, she had a rare maternal instinct and guided Luo Xin to say, "What do you want to say? How do you feel about participating in our 'Super Good Idol 001'?"

Hearing this question, Luo Xin had a rare emotional response. He remembered his purpose for coming here and faced the camera with even more noble and glamorous aura. He said, "I came here to prove one thing."

Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at a tall figure not far away and continued with a strong and impassioned tone, "Some people simply don't deserve to be idols." His momentum matched his appearance.

Any experienced production team would not miss this shot and would include it in the final cut, even buying a bunch of hot searches to promote the program and increase its popularity.

As for what the original meaning of the participant was? Sorry, that was not their concern.

It's a pity.

From the name of the show, it can be seen that "Super Good Idol 001" is a program that likes to mess around and looks like a program that is going to fail.

Therefore, when selecting and editing segments of the program, for some reason, they perfectly missed this shot, naturally avoiding a bloody scene.

But that's all hindsight now, let's go back in time.

When Luo Xin finished this interview, he didn't attract much attention.

After all, the factory used by the program group for the audition was so large that even a slightly louder voice could echo, and everywhere there were people singing and practicing to get the camera's attention.

The chaotic scene made Luo Xin, who had watched countless programs, quickly conclude: this is a crappy program.

But anyway, he didn't come to debut, so it didn't matter if it was crappy, and he didn't feel too bad.

It's just that he looked at a figure in the corner again, hating iron for not becoming steel, and thought, "Shao Xiangchen, Shao Xiangchen, look at your eyes. Even if you fall in love with a plastic face, you should avoid participating in such a crappy program."

Luo Xin was so angry that his eyes turned red, and his heart was full of hatred and sadness.

When he was called to the stage, his eyes still had tears that hadn't completely dried.

Regardless of the purpose, Luo Xin came as a contestant, so when facing the judges, he had to take off his mask.

The lower half of his face, which had never been revealed, was also shown at this moment.

He was a beauty.

Everyone who saw his face was thinking the same thing.

Beauty is a broad concept.

Some people like flamboyant looks, some like gentle and delicate features, some like a graceful and elegant appearance...

But no matter what type of beauty it is, the facial features surely leave no room for criticism.

However, Luo Xin seemed different.

His features were not flawless, his slender eyes were not particularly charming, and his lips seemed a bit too thin.

But even with these imperfections combined, it gave him a unique sense of identity.

And although he looked cold, there was a glimmer of light in his eyes that seemed to reveal something.

The judges exchanged smiles, feeling as though they had discovered a secret, and looked upon Luo Xin with even more kindness.

Although they had previously criticized the name of "Super Good Idol 001," there were many other things the program team couldn't be criticized for.

Despite its name sounding like a knock-off program, the production team had spent a lot of money to purchase the legitimate rights to produce it and it was to be broadcasted on television, not some low-end website's self-made talent show.

Because it was legitimate, even the investors were internationally renowned major brands, not just some trendy online shop owners.

The program is of high quality.

Therefore, in the selection of judges, the program team did not hesitate to invite Lin Jiawen, who is known as the strongest singer and dancer in China, and who last year outshone many European and American singers to win the Grammy.

Having been abroad makes a difference. Compared with the modesty of ordinary female stars, Lin Jiawen picked up the microphone and first praised Luo Xin's appearance, "Luo Xin? What a nice name, and he looks good too. He's my type."

Faced with this very direct praise, Luo Xin was very nervous inside, but his slight poker face held up well in this big scene, and he seemed to accept this teasing very lightly, "Thank you, Teacher Lin."

Lin Jiawen didn't mind his coldness, but her eyes smiled and looked very happy, "So, what performance have you prepared for me, Luo Xin?"

Her lowered voice seemed to be implying something.

Most kids at this moment would not be able to hold back their blushing, and experienced drivers probably would feel they've received some kind of signal.

But Luo Xin, who has been chasing stars in the industry for several years, is well-versed in the interests and hobbies of domestic and foreign stars, and didn't think of anything else. He saw through Lin Jiawen's actions directly: Lin Jiawen, the queen, was just habitually showing off her "low-pitched voice."

We must also mention the news from a few years ago, on a local program of a certain 18th-tier TV station, where Lin, the queen, won the lowest score in the competition with a very low-pitched song, and persisted in choosing similar songs in the subsequent competitions, showing great conviction.

In the interviews during that time, her confidence in her low-pitched voice was evident, even if she really sang very badly.

However, those old materials are probably hard to find now.

After all, Lin Jiawen wasn't famous back then, and that local program was really bad.

A bunch of gossip quickly flashed through Luo Xin's mind, but he didn't show any expression on his face.

Because compared to those old rumors, he had a bigger problem in front of him:

He didn't prepare a performance.

In fact, he didn't even plan to participate in the talent show in the first place.

Standing still, Luo Xin remained silent. He began to recall what had happened since he arrived at the program site. He rarely reflected on himself, so what had he done to end up here having to find a program to perform?

He came to the program site in the first place to settle accounts.

He was looking for a man who had deceived him for a long time, cheated him of his money, his energy, his youth...

When he arrived at the place where the man was supposed to be, he found chaos and a crowd of people pushing forward, unable to distinguish who was who. He could only follow the crowd. When he finally made it to the front, before he could even ask a question, a seemingly impatient staff member registered his name and gave him a badge.

Then, like a worker on an assembly line, he was taken away by another staff member. The staff member pointed to a corner in the adjacent factory building and said, "Wait here, they will call your number when it's your turn."

After a difficult wait in line and enjoying the thin air due to the crowded environment, Luo Xin finally sat down in the corner and immediately felt his eyelids getting heavy. He almost tilted his neck and passed out, or rather, fainted.

Waking up, he found himself in his current situation.

Looking at the three judges sitting upright in front of him, he really wanted to criticize this outdated format. Isn't this kind of thing out of fashion now?

However, no matter what he thought in his mind, at this moment, he had to perform a talent that he could be proud of.

However, Luo Xin hesitated and thought...

Does controlling comments and getting an idol to top the charts count as a talent?

Author's note:

I'm starting a new story. I'm still the same person who's terrible at naming things. To be honest, I feel ashamed. Since I started my new job, I haven't touched a keyboard in a long time. I can only try to find time to write.

I can't guarantee updates, but I promise it won't be a scam. If you're worried, you can stock up on chapters before reading. Sending heart emojis to all the readers.

Footnotes:

1. 草 (cǎo) is a homophone and euphemism of 肏 (cào)，which means "fuck". Just like people say "heck" as a euphemism of "hell". It's a bit vulgar but frequently-used in daily life.

TN: Hi! It's my first time to ever attempt translating anything. Hope you all love this story as much as I do!