The Most Popular Comedian

Being woken up by laughter in the middle of the night had become a psychological shadow for Wen Zhecheng for some time. As a result, he had bought a pair of earplugs.

After the second episode, Ke Ting had to leave for two days, and the program team brought Wen Zhecheng back again.

These few days, Wen Zhecheng had gone through a lot… Standing in front of the training building once again, he felt a strange sense of disconnection as if he had traveled to a different world.

The trainees had classes in the morning, and Wen Zhecheng arrived early. As he entered the building, he happened to encounter the trainees coming downstairs for breakfast.

Walking past them, Wen Zhecheng keenly noticed that the trainees’ attitude towards him had changed. Previously, their eyes were filled with restraint and awe, but now there were two words shining brightly in their eyes like watching excitement.

He was very familiar with this kind of gaze. He had seen it in Wen Zhongyun’s eyes a couple of days ago!

However, he didn’t dislike this change, and he even felt a faint sense of joy. Wen Zhongyun’s remark, “The trainees don’t like you,” had indeed hit a sore spot.

Just as he was thinking about it, the instigator appeared in front of him.

Rong Yuheng belonged to the type of young people who were full of energy in the early morning. His eyes were bright and lively, with a fair complexion, and his lips looked rosy and tender as they moved constantly.

He said something, and immediately the several boys beside him burst into uncontrollable laughter. One tall boy even hooked his arm around Rong Yuheng’s neck and pulled him closer.

Wen Zhecheng’s steps paused, and he stopped in his tracks.

As the group approached, they finally noticed Wen Zhecheng.

Zou Yi’s playful action froze, and he quickly let go of his hand, obediently calling out, “Teacher Wen.”

Rong Yuheng’s eyes lit up instantly, overflowing with affection. “Teacher Wen, are you teaching today?”

Wen Zhecheng casually glanced at his neck and replied, “Teacher Ke has a performance, so I’ll be teaching today and tomorrow.”

“Oh,” Rong Yuheng nodded. Then suddenly, he leaned closer, placing both hands under his delicate chin, and said with a mischievous smile, “That’s great, I miss you so much!”

Wen Zhecheng was stunned for two seconds, his breath caught in his chest, unsure how to respond.

It wasn’t until Pu Zaixi, who was standing beside them, quickly followed up, “Teacher Wen, we all miss you.” Then he finally reacted, nodding and saying, “Thank you.”

Zhou Shubai’s tsundere nature had become a habit. After greeting everyone, his face turned red, and he finally blurted out, “Plus one.”

Everyone: “…”

Rong Yuheng and the others were still in a hurry to have breakfast, so they quickly said their goodbyes.

After the second episode aired, Zhou Shubai’s popularity skyrocketed. Some of the viewers who had previously criticized him for showing off his wealth even became fans and exclaimed, “He’s so adorable with his contrasting image!”

Zhou Shubai knew that this was all thanks to Rong Yuheng, so he was quite close to him.

His closeness was evident in the fact that he wouldn’t eat eggs unless they were peeled by Rong Yuheng.

Rong Yuheng felt deeply moved by this “closeness” and found a way out for himself—if his debut failed, he could become an egg-peeler at Zhou’s house.

In just one more round, it would be the first elimination round, and the atmosphere among the trainees became tense. Only Rong Yuheng continued his playful antics, bringing a bit of liveliness to everyone’s lives.

“Yuheng, I really admire you. Aren’t you nervous at all?” Pu Zaixi exclaimed while massaging his legs.

Rong Yuheng shook his head. “Actually, I’m not confident either.”

“But your popularity is high, and both the audience and the program team seem to want you to stay in the competition.”

“High expectations come with high pressure. Once I can’t meet the audience’s expectations, I will be eliminated.” Rong Yuheng was well aware of his situation, and he rarely showed a hint of fatigue.

“After the first episode aired, I’ve been thinking about what kind of performance to do in the elimination round. These past few days, I’ve started to have some ideas,” he said.

Pu Zaixi asked, “Can’t you do tango? It’s what you’re best at, and everyone loves watching it.”

Rong Yuheng pursed his lips and fixed his gaze on the high handlebar. His tone sounded a bit resentful, like a forsaken woman.

“The audience is like a bunch of fickle pigs. They get tired of the same thing after a couple of times.”

“…”

Once he had a preliminary idea, Rong Yuheng wasted no time and immediately went to find Song Tang.

Song Tang’s studio was empty, with only him inside. When he saw Rong Yuheng, he was slightly surprised and gestured for him to sit in front of him.

After Rong Yuheng sat down, he got straight to the point. “Teacher Song, I want to talk to you about the performance for the elimination round.”

Song Tang took a sip of his goji berry tea from a thermos cup, showing interest. “Why did you think of coming to me? In terms of closeness, I thought you would go to Qiao or Wen.”

Rong Yuheng said, “I am equally close to each teacher.”

Song Tang burst into laughter and said, “Then you shouldn’t have come to me for advice. Your weaknesses are singing and dancing. Jin and Ke are much more professional in these areas. I focus on stage presence and emotional impact…”

Song Tang paused here and sighed with mixed emotions, “But I believe there’s nothing more I can teach you.”

“…”

Rong Yuheng understood the implied meaning and shyly lowered his head. “Are you saying that I am already excellent in this aspect?”

Song Tang chuckled. “You could say that.”

“That’s why I came.” Rong Yuheng changed the subject. “Isn’t performance about showcasing one’s strengths?”

After speaking, he slumped tiredly in his seat. “I’ve done my best to make up for my weaknesses…”

Song Tang resisted the urge to pinch his pouting mouth and couldn’t help but appreciate Rong Yuheng’s pitiful appearance. 

“You have a clear understanding,” he said.

Now he understood why Qiao Tan and the program team loved Rong Yuheng. This child had high emotional and intellectual intelligence.

In the muddy waters of the entertainment industry, Rong Yuheng knew when to be oblivious and when to be clear-minded.

Song Tang couldn’t resist reaching out and grabbing Rong Yuheng’s lower lip. “Come on, tell me about your ideas.”

Rong Yuheng made a slight sound through his lips.

“… Let go first.”

After getting Song Tang’s approval, Rong Yuheng worked day and night on rehearsals. However, before the elimination round began, he unexpectedly received a contact from an entertainment company.

The company that contacted him was Ji Chu Media. They were attracted to Rong Yuheng’s inherent hot topic and wanted to sign him first.

Rong Yuheng had never been in contact with the entertainment industry before and was unfamiliar with these matters. After thinking about it, he decided to ask Lu Mingxuan for help by leveraging his personal connections to investigate.

Lu Mingxuan, perhaps not busy at all, replied with great efficiency:

“Ji Chu Media is a medium-sized entertainment company with several artists under its management. However, only one singer named Fu Qian is particularly famous. The company’s best resources are mostly given to him. A few contestants from talent shows signed with their company before, but they haven’t been doing well recently.”

“But those few contestants were mediocre in terms of talent. If you have confidence, you can still sign with them. It’s better than having no one to guide you.”

Rong Yuheng pondered while holding his phone but couldn’t make up his mind.

He was a cautious decision-maker, and even if the other party offered tempting promises, he would calmly weigh the pros and cons behind them.

As Rong Yuheng pondered, he thought of Wen Zhecheng for some reason.

Wen Zhecheng had been in the entertainment industry for many years and might have knowledge of many insider details, so he could give good advice.

Coincidentally, today was the day Wen Zhecheng was substituting as a teacher. Rong Yuheng held his phone and quickly rushed to Wen Zhecheng’s resting room.

Knocking on the door and entering, Rong Yuheng saw Wen Zhecheng sitting on the sofa, reading a magazine. Wen Zhecheng glanced up and visibly paused for a second, then put down the magazine and sat up straight.

“What’s the matter?” Wen Zhecheng asked.

Rong Yuheng sat next to Wen Zhecheng in an extremely obedient manner, placing his hands on his thighs, appearing humble and seeking advice.

Wen Zhecheng found it quite amusing to see him acting so obediently.

“Wen Laoshi,” Rong Yuheng took out his phone and presented it to Wen Zhecheng as if making an offering. “Ji Chu Media wants to sign me. What do you think?”

Wen Zhecheng felt somewhat uncomfortable with Rong Yuheng’s submissive behavior and ingratiating manner. His throat tightened, and he said, “Just speak to me like you usually do. I’m not refusing to give you advice.”

As soon as the words fell, Wen Zhecheng felt a sudden twist in his heart. He felt like he had spoken strangely intimate words.

But Rong Yuheng was completely oblivious and continued without hesitation. He plopped down on the sofa like a blob of soft jelly.

“Oh… Can you help me take a look then?”

Wen Zhecheng’s heart twisted again. Why did Rong Yuheng sound so cutesy and coquettish?

He collected his thoughts and began to go through the information.

After carefully reviewing it, Wen Zhecheng said, “I think you shouldn’t rush to sign with them.”

Rong Yuheng sat up. “Why?”

“Ji Chu Media is not a company with particularly good resources. The first round of eliminations hasn’t even started yet, and they’re trying to sign you now, taking advantage of the pressure you’re under before the competition. If you perform well in the elimination round, there will naturally be other companies contacting you.”

Rong Yuheng rubbed his hands together. “Will other companies really contact me?”

Wen Zhecheng looked at him deeply. “…I believe they will.”

Don’t underestimate yourself. You’re the one who made Wen Zhongyun laugh out loud in the middle of the night like an air raid siren.

“Oh…” Rong Yuheng nodded, and the worry that had gathered in his heart dissipated in an instant. Even his eyebrows sparkled with a triumphant air. “You’re the most reliable. The information I just inquired about is completely useless.”

Wen Zhecheng raised an eyebrow. He glanced at the time the message was received while looking at the information. If he remembered correctly, it should have been about twenty minutes ago.

Rong Yuheng had quietly and quickly inquired about the information.

Wen Zhecheng gave him a meaningful look. “You seem to have well-informed sources.”

Rong Yuheng choked and shyly lowered his head, fidgeting with his hands.

“It’s the information my friends in the industry gave me…”

He said it in a somewhat spoiled manner, and for a moment, Wen Zhecheng felt a ticklish sensation in his heart.

He was actually a little charmed!

Wen Zhecheng was silent for two seconds and then casually said, seemingly unintentionally, “If another entertainment company contacts you later, are you also planning to ask your ‘friends in the industry’?”

Rong Yuheng shook his head vigorously, as if sifting through bran. “No, no. I have Wen Laoshi. Why would I ask anyone else?”

Wen Zhecheng thought Rong Yuheng was really good at speaking.

He managed to step on his bottom line when misbehaving, and when flattering, he could scratch his itch.

In any case, every sentence made him feel comfortable all over.

Wen Zhecheng suppressed the urge to smile, took out his phone, and spoke in a cold tone with casual movements.

“Oh, then let’s exchange WeChat.”

After saying that, he added with a hint of exaggeration,

“So you won’t have to run around next time.”

Author’s note: Rong Yuheng: Wen Zhecheng, such a good person.

– Xiao Rong: Unconsciously embarked on the path of blind flirting.

– Wen Zhecheng: It’s a heart-pounding feeling…

 

Enjoy~