Who are Li Mengjiao and Yun Chen performing with?
Seeing Wang Shuang’s excitement, Wen Ying’s first thought was some big-shot celebrity. Xie Qian had a guess but didn’t voice it, urging Wang Shuang to spill the beans.
Wang Shuang clicked his tongue twice, “It’s that idol boy band Yuan-laoshi groomed back in Taiwan!”
He emphasised “idol boy band” heavily.
Among their friends, Wang Shuang was the master of sarcasm. His past jabs at Wen Ying paled compared to the hundredfold shade he now threw at the ungrateful boy band. Before, he mocked Wen Ying for clinging to Qin Jiao’s coattails; now, he was certain Yuan Fenghui was betrayed by the band, so his tone dripped with disdain.
Shuang-shao was a true sarcasm king… But even Wen Ying felt uneasy.
Relationships are built on time spent together. Everyone knew Yuan Fenghui’s character by now. As long as you worked hard, Yuan-laoshi would lend a hand, lifting everyone up!
For someone like Yuan Fenghui, saying she didn’t chase profits was nonsense, but while pursuing them, she respected her artists’ wishes. She fiercely protected Li Mengjiao and supported Zhang Yangning’s path as a singer-songwriter.
Details reveal character, and in Wen Ying’s eyes, Yuan Fenghui’s was solid. Wen Ying admired her decisive, strong-woman vibe.
A manager who supported Zhang Yangning’s slow journey as a singer-songwriter, not rushing to exploit him, would never act as a pimp pushing boy band members to curry favour with rich women.
One side was lying.
Wen Ying and her friends trusted Yuan Fenghui, so the liars had to be the idol boy band she’d groomed!
Being betrayed by those she trusted must have hurt Yuan-laoshi deeply.
If not forced, why would Yuan-laoshi leave Taiwan to start over in the mainland?
And now in Hunan, she’d have to deal with those traitors again!
That’s what angered Wang Shuang.
Wen Ying was initially mad too but soon laughed, “With Mengjiao and Yun Chen’s current popularity, when Yuan-laoshi faces the traitor band, who do you think will be angrier?”
If Wen Ying were Yuan Fenghui, she wouldn’t be mad.
It’s like wearing the same outfit: the uglier one feels awkward.
If Yuan Fenghui had flopped after leaving Taiwan, she’d avoid her former band, hiding her failure.
But Yuan Fenghui was thriving!
*The Princess’s New Clothes* had high ratings, solidifying half of Li Mengjiao’s fleeting popularity.
Li Mengjiao, last year’s talent show runner-up, had skyrocketing popularity during the competition but was suppressed by Mr. Guan for not signing with his company.
After Yuan Fenghui took over her contract, Li Mengjiao landed a dairy group endorsement, became the talent show’s image ambassador, had a hit debut album, and starred in a drama with both ratings and acclaim—Yuan Fenghui’s first mainland success.
This success proved Yuan Fenghui’s star-making ability, showing she could rise anywhere, slapping those hoping to see her fail.
But Yuan Fenghui wasn’t just any “top student”; one success wasn’t enough.
Yun Chen, an obscure Taiwanese model before *The Princess’s New Clothes*, shot to fame after the drama, becoming a rising star!
Though Wen Ying recommended Yun Chen to Yuan Fenghui with foresight, outsiders didn’t know. They thought Yuan picked a random Taiwanese model to pair with Li Mengjiao, and he easily became a hit—Yuan Fenghui was throwing down a gauntlet to the band she’d once groomed and who betrayed her.
Yun Chen’s rise owed to Wen Ying’s recommendation and Yuan Fenghui’s keen eye and boldness, signing his mainland contract with Tianjiao early.
Wen Ying’s explanation made Wang Shuang imagine himself as the traitor band, smacking his lips and laughing, “They’d be livid!”
Li Mengjiao and Yun Chen debuted later and were less famous across Asia than the traitor band, but their drama was airing hot on Hunan TV. Tonight’s gala was on Hunan TV too—their and Yuan Fenghui’s home turf.
Wen Ying and Wang Shuang were thrilled, eager to see the traitor band get schooled by Yuan Fenghui.
Xie Qian mostly agreed with Wen Ying’s analysis but had his own thoughts: Yuan Fenghui’s recent moves must be known in Taiwan. The traitor band, not all fools, wouldn’t willingly show up to be humiliated.
A gala invitation was optional for an established band.
Their trip to Hunan likely wasn’t just for the gala!
Xie Qian watched the two underachievers giggle, not dampening their mood, and urged them to head home, “Confirm with your families about the Hunan trip for the ratings celebration.”
Wang Shuang’s family would likely agree; Wen Ying’s might be trickier.
Xie Qian was now invested in the Hunan trip.
Someone out to trip Yuan Fenghui was, rounding up, tripping Wen Ying.
Without Yuan Fenghui, Wen Ying’s independently written script, handled by Tianjiao’s amateurs, would likely flop, even with Li Mengjiao and Yun Chen starring.
Wen Ying was investing 2 million.
Not much to him, but it was all Wen Ying had.
He couldn’t let her savings be squandered by an unreliable team.
…
Hunan.
Rehearsal before the gala.
Li Mengjiao gawked like a bumpkin at the Taiwanese four-member boy band’s grand entrance.
What a show-off, with assistants and bodyguards, a entourage of dozens!
Li Mengjiao hesitated to speak.
Yun Chen did too.
Both glanced at Yuan Fenghui.
Zhang Yangning looked concerned.
All three knew the band rehearsing was Yuan Fenghui’s “Miracle Boys,” whom she’d made stars in record time, creating one miracle after another.
They even had a shot at becoming Asia’s top boy band!
Halfway up the peak, they ditched their mentor Yuan Fenghui, kicking her down to ensure her fall.
In newspaper and TV interviews, they slammed Yuan Fenghui’s controlling nature, accusing her of forcing band members to “please” wealthy, connected women. During that time, Yuan Fenghui was vilified in Taiwan, with fans pitying the band’s “inhumane” treatment and even issuing personal threats against her.
Feeling their gazes, Yuan Fenghui crossed her arms, snapping, “What are you looking at me for? Are you all ready for tonight’s performance?”
