Chapter 72: Yan Yan Is a Spirit from the Sea
After seeing the video, An Nanyi’s pupils constricted. He pursed his lips, then looked at An Jing in surprise, his eyebrows slightly raised, his voice rising, and his tone agitated. “Brother, you suspect I intentionally locked the door?”
An Jing observed his every move, and his guess was confirmed. He could see that An Nanyi was clearly nervous and guilty. His brother was lying.
He stared seriously into An Nanyi’s eyes, as if trying to see through his brother’s heart. He said sternly, “Nan Nan, I haven’t said anything yet, why are you so nervous?”
“You showed me the surveillance video, aren’t you suspecting me?” An Nanyi said aggrievedly, his eyes red. “I did lock the door, but I didn’t do it on purpose. I made Yan Yan sick, and I know I’m wrong, and I’ve apologized. Brother, what else do you want from me?”
“Nan Nan, I just want you to tell the truth.”
“I am telling the truth! Brother, why don’t you believe me? You are suspecting your own brother because of a stranger?”
An Jing rubbed his brow helplessly, not knowing what to do for the first time. He felt that the obedient, sensible, and kind brother from the past seemed to have changed, and it all seemed to be because of Lin Qingyan’s appearance.
“Let’s not talk about this.” An Jing looked at An Nanyi, his tone calm. “I want to know why you’re targeting Lin Qingyan.”
Hearing this, An Nanyi shook his head incredulously, his cheeks flushed red, and his tone even more agitated. “I’m not targeting him! I always treated him as my good friend. Lin Qingyan is the one who dislikes me. He made Lu Yuqi target me.”
“Didn’t you see how Lu Yuqi has been making things difficult for me? He wrongfully accuses me, scolds me, and talks sarcastically to me. If it weren’t for Lin Qingyan’s instructions, I have no quarrel with him. Why would he target me like this?”
“Brother, you watched me being bullied, and you didn’t care, and now you’re suspecting me because of Lin Qingyan. Are you still the brother who loves me?”
An Jing looked at An Nanyi, who was about to cry from grievance, and was speechless for a moment. After all, it was the brother he had loved for nearly twenty years. He paused and still said, “Yan Yan isn’t that kind of person.”
“Fine, anyway, you won’t believe anything I say. I have nothing else to say!” After shouting, An Nanyi turned and left. An Jing watched his back without chasing after him.
An Jing frowned slightly, his eyes complex.
No matter what, his suspicion hadn’t disappeared. Thinking back, it seemed his brother had been targeting Lin Qingyan from the beginning.
Before the interview, Nan Nan had unintentionally revealed that Lin Qingyan was a bad student, stealing wallets and fighting. Perhaps he had deliberately said this to leave a bad impression on Lin Qingyan…
An Jing took two deep breaths, rubbed his aching temples, and didn’t want to think about these things anymore. No matter what, he didn’t want to suspect his own brother.
He told himself in his heart, let it be.
“Gu Fei, I apologize on behalf of my brother. I’ll educate him properly in the future. Just pretend it didn’t happen for my sake.”
“Don’t let it happen again.”
After a pause, the man on the other end of the phone added in a deep voice, “If there’s a next time, I’ll educate him for you. The consequences won’t be so simple.”
“I know, don’t worry.”
After hanging up, An Jing sighed silently.
Gu Fei’s words were absolutely serious.
——
The third episode of Tomorrow’s Stars aired at 8 pm on Friday. Many netizens were looking forward to the contestants’ first performance. However, before they could cheer for the contestants’ performance, they were shocked by something else.
The production team included the clip of the “Whale Turned into an Island” team selecting the C position and team leader, including the short segment where Lu Yuqi confronted An Nanyi:
During the team leader election, An Nanyi joked, “Yuqi, you have to think carefully. Don’t just vote for him because you have a good relationship with Yan Yan.”
Lu Yuqi said, “Then I’ll choose Lin Qingyan, because I’m biased.”
An Nanyi’s eyes reddened, and he said aggrievedly, “Yuqi, Yan Yan, I don’t know what I did wrong to make you hate me so much…”
Lu Yuqi said, “So you knew we disliked you? I thought you didn’t know. Otherwise, why are you always following us?”
These few lines of dialogue completely shocked the netizens watching, with the barrage pausing for two seconds, followed by question marks and exclamation points.
【？？？！！！】
【Whoa whoa whoa! Only whoa can express my shock!】
【The production team is so bold! This is stirring up trouble! They actually dared to include this!】
【I have to say, Lu Yuqi is so bold hahaha. His sarcastic manner is so charming hahaha. Well said! I thought An Nanyi was faking it from the start.】
【An Nanyi is so miserable. What did he do wrong? He was so upset he almost cried. Wasn’t Lu Yuqi going too far this time?】
Regarding Lu Yuqi’s actions, some people thought he was right. Since An Nanyi knew others disliked him, he shouldn’t get so close. Wasn’t he asking for it?
Some people found it enjoyable. This was the first time they saw such a powerful and unpretentious contestant. Only the aloof king dared to do this, not showing any mercy even in front of the camera, saying whatever he wanted.
Some people said they shipped them. Lu Yuqi openly said he chose Yan Yan, saying he was biased. Wasn’t this blatant favoritism? Wasn’t this love?
The aloof king and the dumb beauty are the best!!
Others felt Lu Yuqi’s actions were excessive and that An Nanyi was pitiful and miserable, especially his fans, who were already cursing Lu Yuqi’s ancestors on Weibo.
【I’m so angry! What is Lu Yuqi? What right does he have to say that to Nan Nan? Does he have a problem with his character to still be participating? Get out!】
【Wuwuwu Nan Nan’s face was about to cry. How heartbroken he must be! Why did he have to suffer this? Unfair!!】
【Lu Yuqi’s fans are blind! That face isn’t something good! And Lin Qingyan too, they’re birds of a feather!!】
【??? Cursing Lu Yuqi is fine, but why curse our Yan Yan? What did he say? What did he do? Are An’s fans so uncivilized?】
【Lu Yuqi and Lin Qingyan should quit! Stop harming our Nan Nan!】
【An Nanyi should quit! I’ve never seen such a drama queen. Always crying, does he think he’s Lin Daiyu?】
…
For a time, fans from both sides argued fiercely, and the melon-eating netizens enjoyed the show: The heat was there, the production team achieved its goal. This tactic was brilliant.
But no matter how much they argued, the show must go on. “Whale Turned into an Island” instantly became the most anticipated group. They were already openly fighting like this, how could they cooperate in training? Would the stage be a mess too?
“Whale Turned into an Island” was the second to last performance, the finale.
【Here we go! Looking forward to their performance. They won’t fight on stage, will they hahaha】
【Came here to eat melons from Weibo】
【Me too】
This group’s stage design was unique. The overall color scheme was the blue of the ocean, with waves surging and flowing. The most special design was a shallow layer of water on the floor.
The six, wearing light blue clothes, stood in the center of the stage, as if in the blue depths of the sea. The most eye-catching was Lin Qingyan in the center position.
The young man wore a light blue silk long-sleeved shirt and trousers, as light and airy as gauze. His makeup was unique and exquisite, his beautiful peach blossom eyes as deep as the sea, reflecting the light of the stage.
With his clean and delicate features, he looked cold, gentle, and beautiful, like an inviolable spirit from the sea.
【Whoa, Lin Qingyan is amazing! Is he even human?! Isn’t this a spirit from the sea, detached from the mortal world?!】
【Yan Yan is so handsome!!!!】
【Amazing! Even non-fans are amazed!】
【Ahhhhhhh I love him!!! How can there be such a handsome person in this world? Wife!!】
The melodious and ethereal prelude sounded, and the six danced to the music. Everyone’s expressions, eyes, and gentle and graceful movements were unexpectedly well-coordinated.
Lin Qingyan was the first to sing:
“I am a blue whale, turned into a lonely island,
With the most enormous figure,
Fish and shrimp swim around me…”
The young man’s voice was clean and gentle, light and ethereal, with a faint sadness and loneliness, making people feel like they saw a blue whale swimming in the deep sea, lonely and desolate, quietly telling its story.
As soon as he opened his mouth, the audience in front of the screen fell silent, as if discarding all their distracting thoughts, focusing intently on the young man’s graceful movements on the screen and listening attentively to his singing.
“Your clothes are tattered,
But your song is gentle,”
Accompanying me aimlessly, drifting everywhere…”
The six people on stage seemed to have transformed into blue whales in the deep sea. The young man in the center danced with the music, the water on the floor splashing up like pearls, tracing graceful arcs in mid-air, wetting his clothes and face.
The camera zoomed in, slowing down the motion. The young man leaped lightly, turning around. His loose shirt rose with his movements, inadvertently revealing a small section of his white, slender, and supple waist. The slow motion allowed the audience to see it more clearly. The splashed water droplets fell on his waist and slowly rolled down…
The young man’s gaze and expression were cold and sad, revealing a fragile and broken vulnerability.
He was like a spirit dancing in the sea, yet yearning for the sky, the mountains, the earth, and his loved one, ultimately bound by this ocean.
The audience was captivated, their breathing slowing involuntarily, as if unwilling to disturb him.