Chapter 19

Uncle Jiang was in his fifties.

He was wearing a brown and gray suit and didn’t look back even when he heard the door.

Huoren walked half way up to him. When he was close to him, he felt numb and oppressed.

This man was a heavy smoker. When he opened the door, he could smell the smoke. Huoren made it more obvious as he approached him.

Uncle Jiang didn’t wear sunglasses when he appeared in the meeting, but the distance between them was too far, so Huoren didn’t see it clearly.

The second time he saw him it was just the silhouette.

Now the scene is limited to a small square room. He and this person would talk face to face. The psychological pressure caused by this fact alone made Huoren breathe roughly. He knew that he was entering a world that he had never imagined before. Almost every day, it felt real and then extremely fake.

Before sitting down, he remembered to bow and greet Uncle Jiang.

The middle-aged man wore blue and gray sunglasses, so his eyes and emotions were completely covered, making Huoren unable to judge his thoughts.

“It’ll be a quick chat.”

Huoren nodded.

Uncle Jiang opened the information page and pressed the pen again and again.

The room had sound insulation, which made the irregular sound particularly clear.

Huoren instinctively began to guess what the problem was.

My identity, future plans, achievements, or the mess on my father’s side?

“What are you thinking recently?”

“… How can I get into Corona.”

“Be more specific.”

Huoren looked up at him and his mind was out of control.

Even if the superior wore sunglasses, his vision felt as sharp as thorns while he was examining Huoren, whose thoughts seemed to be clear with just a glance.

“I know there’s only one place left.” The boy quickly said, “I’m looking for a way in.”

“Did you find it?”

“I’m not sure.” When Huoren talked to him, his mind was both careful and blank: “In theory, I can’t overlap with those five people, because it will weaken the competitiveness of the team.”

Bo Jue was good at a variety of musical instruments and composition. Xie Lianyun at lyrics, composition and arrangement. Longjia was very strong at rap and hip-hop dance. Chi Ji had been practicing singing and dancing since childhood.

He had no idea about the son of the goddess, but he could hardly find his place in front of the four people.

— If I want to stay, what role should I play and where should I stand?

Uncle Jiang was still pressing the pen irregularly, as if thinking about what he said, or just dealing with the meeting.

After nearly half a minute, he asked the next question: “What do you think idols are?”

Huoren had felt that this was a philosophical problem.

He didn’t sit very steady. He moved before he spoke.

“I don’t have a definite answer. I’m still looking for it.”

Uncle Jiang sneered: “The final result will be out in two months. Do you have time to find it?”

When he spoke, his voice had the rough texture left by smoking for a long time, mixed with the hissing sound.

Huoren settled his mind, maybe to stop beating around the bush, but he told the truth.

“When I first came here for an interview, it was because my family was in debt. After dropping out of school, I didn’t have much choice. I just wanted to live.”

He raised his head, looked at Uncle Jiang and said straightly, “Now I want to join Corona. 90% of the reason is still money, though. If I don’t make money, I may live on the street or be kidnapped by those debt collectors. I want to stay and live well. So even if it’s only two months, I must try my best to find the answer.”

This wasn’t the explanation of an ideal dream, but his life and death.

At the age of 16, he was helpless in society, and it was difficult to find opportunities to work.

If he is eliminated, he may be swallowed up in an instant, and his soul and body will be destroyed silently.

Uncle Jiang was still watching him. His sitting posture hadn’t changed since Huoren entered the door.

“What’s the other reason?”

Huoren lowered his eyes and smiled, “I like it here.”

He originally thought he would belong to the high school physics league, belong to the junior class of the University of science and technology, and live a school life like other peers.

But after coming there for a few months, all the unexpected things he learned gave him the same sense of joy and security.

He began to enjoy singing in the bar, dancing with his friends in the mirror, and jumping 8000 times in the corridor late at night.

His body and brain were being developed to the limit, which allowed him to confirm that he was alive.

A very real life.

Uncle Jiang raised his hand and turned his pen.

This child is very interesting.

Switching between tenacity and softness, just a few words exposed several aspects of his character.

He is also very malleable, but also takes the initiative to expose his weakness, which is undoubtedly showing loyalty.

I don’t know whether he was born so smart or instructed by some bastard.

“Go out.” There was no emotion in his voice: “Same time next week.”

Huoren got up, pushed the chair back to its place and bowed quietly.

He still had eight weeks to submit his answer.

After Huoren came out, Longjia, who wasn’t far away, also went in and after ten minutes he went out. He looked very relaxed.

He took Huoren to breakfast and walked briskly.

“What did Uncle Jiang ask you?”

“What have I been thinking about recently and what I think idols are.”

It was only early six o’clock. The hot and humid fog was steaming in the cafeteria. A waiter was bringing a pot of porridge, soup and noodles to a table.

Longjia had been reducing fat recently. He chose two pieces of purple potatoes and thought it wasn’t enough. He wanted to take a bowl of Caesar salad.

He looked at the hot fried noodles in the distance for a long time and continued to talk.

“I have the same problem.”

“I told him that I’ve been having a good time recently. There was nothing to think about.” Longjia conveniently sandwiched a fish sausage for Huoren and motioned him to eat more: “And, idol is a glowing career.”

“It’s enough that fans are always concerned about you.”

Huoren found a seat with him and sat down. He bowed his head and stirred the oatmeal for a while. Suddenly he said, “I’m going to go to the bar again sometime.”

“Teacher Lu will form a team on Friday.” Longjia said idly

“No, as a single person practice.” Huoren thought: “Deep in my heart, I always seem to feel that I’m far from the stage.”

“Sometimes I wonder if I will go back to high school sooner or later if I’m not a trainee.”

But if I sing as an individual rather than a group, I may have a different feeling about the stage.

Longjia looked at him sideways and rubbed the boy’s head.

Bo Jue came back that afternoon. He was panting while carrying a box and his hair band was almost loose.

“Belgium recently had a carnival”. He said, kicking his boots in his dormitory and throwing his windbreaker directly onto Longjia’s arm. “Huohuo, I brought you dark chocolate – I didn’t have enough space, so I only brought you a small one.”

Then, a small box was thrown out and caught by Huoren.

“Teacher Bo isn’t interesting enough.” Longjia helped him hang the windbreaker smoothly, and said coquettishly without shame: “I want chocolate too.”

“Get up.” Bo Jue tied his long hair in a knot and motioned him to take another small iron box at the opposite corner: “Alright but stop whining”

Longjia kissed the small iron box: “Yes, this will be the sealing fee.”

Bo Jue didn’t bother to unpack and took Huoren’s wrist out: “First, let’s check the piano. Have you practiced on time recently?”

“I have done everything.” Huoren knew that he was afraid of trouble and quickly reported the completion of his homework: “I practiced the arpeggios every day. I checked the Bach video you left me, and I didn’t procrastinate.”

Bo Jue raised his hand and took his arm. He turned his head and motioned for Longjia to follow up. The three went to the piano room together.

Xie Lianyun picked up the piano score there and greeted them: “Hey, dummies.”

“Not as much as you.” Bo Jue said coolly, “I heard that someone has sent milk tea to SPF every day these last two months. You’re not afraid of Uncle Jiang taking a ruler to smoke you out.”

“I’m very restrained.” Xie Lianyun said positively, “Who spread that? I’m not finished with him.”

Bo Jue smiled and said, “The girls at the front desk are beginning to bet. Don’t you know?”

“They all know, then. What about uncle Jiang?”

“This week I’ve been talking around him.” Xie Lianyun was very calm: “I annoyed him. You are the tail of the typhoon.”

Bo Jue scolded and pulled Huoren into the piano room.

“Play the piano, don’t talk to that bastard.”

Longjia was still chewing chocolate and handed Xie Lianyun a piece: “Wanna try it? It’s Belgian.”

Xie Lianyun took out two piano scores and looked at them. He was a little disgusted: “Dark chocolate, forget it.”

“Don’t give it to him!” A voice came from the piano room: “Don’t give it to dogs!”

Huoren played his homework in a regular way. The flexibility of his fingers was better than that of two months ago.

For some time before, after he finished jumping rope, his legs were too sore to walk, so he came here to practice until he could walk.

He played back and forth like a magician’s spell hundreds of times. The ten finger knuckles were obedient.

He played back the part of the thin ring that he wasn’t taught, and was inadvertently fed two pieces of chocolate.

It’s bitter. It’s not delicious at all.

Longjia licked his fingertips and said, “It’s a blessing he shared. Thank your teacher Bo.”

Huoren ate the chocolate with a bitter face. He didn’t have time to disguise his expression. He frowned and was still thinking about how to turn the next passage.

Bo Jue turned the score for him with one hand and pinched his face with the other: “Dark chocolate is like an adult romance. If you can’t enjoy it, you’re stupid.”

Huoren didn’t swallow the chocolate in his mouth. He answered ambiguously twice and almost played the wrong sound.

“Well, it’s very romantic.” Longjia held a small box and fed a piece to Bo Jue: “After eating, I’m sure I can sing aria. Teacher Bo must try it.”

“Fuck, why is this brand is so bad!”