How to become an ACE of a top boy group

"An unexpected live performance by ILitter was spotted at the Woni Toy Store in Jingzhou, leaving passersby feeling incredibly lucky..."

"Have you heard 'The Answer Sheet,' the graduation anthem that's been the hottest song of the summer...?"

"Iletter's 'Answer Sheet' music video is just a campus comedy? Millions of likes reveal the truth..."

Using Chen Zui's gaming device, Mai Lai projected his phone onto the TV screen to watch short videos.

Unable to keep up with his own group's news lately, Mai numbly started browsing updates from his "arch-rivals." He didn't even need to consciously search for them; they're very popular right now, and every video involving his idols mentions ILitter.

The room lights were off; everyone except Mai Lai had gone out to play, leaving him alone. The pale white light from the television shone on his face.

He had mixed feelings in his heart.

Their comeback was very short, lasting less than a week, with only two music show appearances and two or three variety shows before it ended.

What kind of comeback is this? His self-composed song was rejected. The company chose a summer concept and a graduation season college style, and rejected the members' lyrics. They changed their flamboyant style from when they debuted and suddenly started to go for a gloomy and depressive style. They were rushing to finish the song for some unknown reason, and the result was so out of place that even the singer himself couldn't bear to look at it.

How could they not be criticized? It's a fact that their music video was shoddy and plagiarized. As someone who's frequently copied, he can tell at a glance whether someone's been copied or not.

Or perhaps he had a vague feeling that something was wrong when he saw the trailer for ILeTer's return, but at the time he just couldn't believe it.

How did someone who opposes plagiarism become a plagiarized product?

Mai Lai picked up the small glass of orange-yellow liquid on the table and drank it all in one gulp. He had never drunk such strong liquor before, which was a bad habit he had developed since arriving here.

Giving up on thinking, I collapsed onto the sofa, my eyes blurry as I stared at the high ceiling, the exquisite craftsmanship of the ceiling, the unique art pieces...

The artist apartments of Shengshi Entertainment are located in the most prosperous area of ​​Haicheng. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the dazzling lights of modern high-rise buildings at night are both beautiful and illusory.

He had an especially comfortable year during Shengshi Entertainment. Shengshi Entertainment truly embodied the ideals of a wealthy and powerful company.

The resources are top-notch, the events you attend are the grandest, there are many stages and variety shows, and you're led by a group of top-tier seniors. You don't have to worry about anything; you can easily get applause and praise.

It was precisely because the company offered him excellent treatment and resources, and he received awards that he could never have had before, that he became a staunch supporter and firmly believed in their claims of insider dealings.

The leader said he was underappreciated, and he felt that was indeed the case, so he resented it for a while. But now, all the trust has completely collapsed with this comeback. They are the discarded pawns of Shengshi in its competition with Mexico and Japan, and Shengshi is already preparing for its next boy band.

The alcohol made him dizzy and disoriented. He rolled over and accidentally pressed down on the phone screen, which then slid into a live stream.

"Welcome back, listeners! This is Bai Xia Yin Tan, and I'm Bai Ke, a music lover who loves listening to music even more. Bai Xia has sound, music, and you. Bai Xia Yin Tan will continue to broadcast for you~"

"I'm Gu Minxing, a new broadcasting enthusiast who loves telling stories and listening to yours even more. Let me introduce today's guests, who are listed in the mysterious idol dictionary. They are synonymous with wonderful concepts, known for their unique visual image and perfect talent. Can Baiyin's listeners guess who they are?"

"The members of ILitterer, who will always follow the guidance of the candles and communicate with them, arrive with their new album, 'Answer Sheet'."

[Playing song: "Answer Sheet" - ILetter]

"Following my candle! Hello everyone, we are ILitterer!"

"The music video surpassed 1000 million views two days after its release. That's pretty good, considering it's a newcomer's achievement."

"I'm still very lucky to be liked by everyone, and it just so happens to coincide with everyone's graduation season. Many people say that the songs on this album resonated with them a lot..."

Just as Mai was about to fall asleep while listening, he vaguely heard the sound of the door lock being opened, which jolted him awake.

The phone was still connected to the TV for screen mirroring, so the TV had to be turned off. Chen Zui and the others usually didn't come home at night, so why were they back at this hour? Where was his phone? He couldn't find it on the sofa; maybe it fell into a crack?

Just as I was getting anxious, Yin Wenhe pushed open the door and poked his head in: "It's me, only me, they haven't come back."

Mai Lai was immediately relieved and lay back down on the sofa, half-dead.

Yin Wenhe walked in carrying a large pile of things. His weight made the sofa sag slightly as he sat down. His voice always sounded so carefree: "Still looking at this? You're still thinking about this? Haven't figured it out yet?"

With his eyes closed, Mai Lai said irritably, "How come you've figured it out?"

Mai Lai heard the sound of unwrapping paper and bags, and Yin Wenhe said nonchalantly, "Listen to me, run away when the contract ends."

"Where did you run off to?"

"Start a company, join me."

"You're dreaming."

Sometimes I really wish this friend could have fewer daydreams.

Just as Mai Lai was about to speak, Yin Wenhe exclaimed, "Holy crap!"

"Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap!!"

After saying it several times, Mai opened her eyes and saw Yin Wenhe holding a small pigeon doll—a blue pigeon wearing a sunflower hat, with big, pale gold eyes, rosy cheeks, a simple mint green shirt, and a small heart held in its little wings.

Mai Lai immediately recognized it as the new Woni model endorsed by ILitter, and asked, "You went to Jingzhou? Is this the only one? What other models are there?"

Yin Wenhe shrugged off Mai Lai's hand, which had been casually touching him, and exclaimed excitedly, "This is a hidden gem! One is all it takes to break even! Do you know how much it sells for online right now?"

“I don’t know, and I don’t want to know.” Mai Lai lay back down.

"Hey, don't be such a spoilsport." Yin Wenhe pushed the pile of unopened blind boxes to Mai Lai's feet with his foot, and held the hidden items in his hands, saying, "Help me open these first, I'll find something to put this up for safekeeping, and then sell it when the price goes up a bit more."

As Yin Wenhe walked back to his room, he said, "You should seriously consider what I said about starting a company. I'm serious!"

What are you thinking? Really going to start your own company? You're more like joking.

Mai Lai felt a headache coming on again.

The company's leaders had actually hinted to him that even if the group disbanded, he could stay and continue writing songs for the company. Apart from not necessarily having a stage, his treatment would definitely be the same as before.

In prosperous times, at least you can still make money; elsewhere, you might not even have a source of income. Mo Ri Entertainment is in the news for owing a lot of money to music producers and arrangers, and Fang Jing's idol industry has also collapsed; recently, even her label has changed hands. If big companies are like this, small companies are even worse off.

However, on the other hand, in a prosperous era, he would never have been able to create what he wanted to create.

...Do you really want to leave?