After a Contractual Romance with the Scumbag Movie Queen - Chapter 9

“Stellar Journey” was filmed, edited, and released simultaneously. By the time the first audience was gathered for the initial performance, the first episode had already aired.

After a three-year hiatus, talent show fans couldn’t wait any longer. The long-hyped “Stellar Journey” soared to the top of the trending charts the moment it premiered, marked with a blazing “explosive” tag.

The cover of the first episode featured images of the mentors, who naturally drew massive attention. Currently, “Stellar Journey” ranked first in search indices across all video platforms.

This initial surge was driven by the show itself and the star power of the mentors. Whether the momentum would sustain depended on the content.

As view counts skyrocketed across platforms, the barrage of comments surged alongside them.

At first glance, the comments were dominated by the names of the mentors, previously debuted contestants, or internet personalities who had already built a following before joining the show.

[“Puxing Entertainment’s lone seedling He Jing, mommy’s rooting for you!”]
[“The return of a legendary girl group ACE—xxx is destined for center stage!”]

A successful talent show needed both manufactured drama and genuine displays of skill. “Stellar Journey” leaned toward giving contestants as much screen time as their talent warranted.

Thus, Jiang Tian’s performance was edited in full for the first episode.

When Jiang Tian appeared, the comments erupted.

[“Holy shit, who is this ethereal beauty?”]
[“How can someone this stunning be an independent trainee? Is this what they mean by celestial beings walking among us?”]
[“I’m speechless that face, that figure, absolutely unreal.”]
[“Sorry xxx, I’m just gonna fangirl over this face for three minutes.”]

Most fans were drawn to visuals first, and Jiang Tian’s face and physique catered perfectly to that craving.

If her looks alone were breathtaking, the moment her street dance performance began, the comments shifted to.

[“Damn (not the plant, but the ‘get on me’ kind of damn).”]
[“AHHHHH I’m losing it, she’s so damn cool!”]
[“So fierce, so stylish, so gorgeous, how does this season already have someone on this level? I’m officially stanning.”]
[“How does someone so poised make my blood race like this when she dances…”]
[“Some wannabe idols should take notes, this is what real Bking energy looks like.”]

Then came her original song performance.

[“I give up. People like her exist just to make the rest of us feel inadequate in the least bitter way possible.”]
[“All-round ACE material.”]
[“I’m calling her ‘daddy’ now… My seasoned gaydar says there’s no way she’s straight.”]
[“Is there a full audio release for this song? I need it on loop.”]

By this point, her overwhelming talent had eclipsed mere admiration. On the trending charts, where entertainment companies fiercely competed for spots, an unfamiliar name began climbing past hashtags dedicated to mentors and popular contestants, until it reached the very top.

After wrapping up filming for the day, Qi Puzhi returned to her hotel. Exhausted, she washed up and sank into bed, only to find her company’s group chat buzzing about “Stellar Journey’s” reception.

Skimming through the messages, she allowed herself a faint smile.

Opening the trending list, Jiang Tian’s name sat firmly at number one.

She clicked in and found a cut of Jiang Tian’s performance. Even at 3 a.m., the video had already surpassed a million views.

Unable to resist, Qi Puzhi propped herself up with a pillow and watched attentively.

Despite her lack of experience, Jiang Tian had a natural instinct for the camera. Every glance, every emotion was flawlessly captured, creating the illusion that she was dancing just for you.

She was sharp, unapologetically brilliant, fully aware of her allure and unafraid to wield it.

But Qi Puzhi could tell her eyes held something different from the audition.

Both were alluring, but she could discern the subtle differences, if the previous gaze was that of a wolf eyeing its prey, coveting a swift devour, then this time it was more like casting a wide net, exuding charm without commitment, letting the crowd drown in infatuation while remaining indifferent.

Realizing this distinction, her ears inexplicably grew warm.

Qi Puzhi bit her lower lip.

She had to wake up at six the next morning for makeup, leaving little time for sleep. So after watching the dance, Qi Puzhi turned off her phone, planning to save the rest for later.

In a hazy dream, she saw Jiang Tian standing before her, as docile and gentle as ever, calling out, “Sister.”

Qi Puzhi softly stroked her dark hair.

After a while, inexplicably, two furry ears sprouted from Jiang Tian’s head, and when she opened her mouth, sharp fangs appeared. Suddenly, she pounced, biting down on Qi Puzhi’s neck.

But it didn’t hurt. It was just an itch, maddeningly teasing.

Gasping, Qi Puzhi pushed her away. “Jiang Tian, how did you turn into a wolf.?”

“Sister, I’ve always been one,” Jiang Tian murmured, her eyes gleaming eerily, as if glowing green, her fangs pressing harder.

Qi Puzhi jolted awake.

Staring at the dark ceiling, it took her a long while to steady her breathing.

Before the first episode aired, all the trainees of Star Path had updated their Weibo usernames and posted official profile photos.

Jiang Tian’s Weibo account was newly registered, a blank slate with no prior public presence and as an independent trainee, she had almost no followers.

But after the first episode aired, her name lingered at the top of the trending list for hours. Her Weibo followers skyrocketed, and her first official photo post became a hot topic with countless likes, comments, and reposts.

As netizens dug deeper, Jiang Tian’s battle video from the On That Stage finals began circulating online, sparking another wave of hype.

[Help, she’s so handsome I’m crying from below.]

[Sorry, I always thought street dance battles had an underground vibe, but she manages to be both wild and free while maintaining this inexplicably elegant and polite aura what kind of goddess is this.]

When someone is merely good-looking, fans might pause, glance around, and consider adding them to their list of favorites.

But when someone isn’t just good-looking but breathtakingly stunning and extraordinarily talented, especially under Puxing Entertainment’s fair editing.

Jiang Tian’s yellow-verified Weibo account swiftly turned red, and fan clubs sprang up overnight.

One netizen commented: [This isn’t just a dark horse, this is a celestial phenomenon… It seems like she must have backing to hype her up, but once you actually watch her performances, you realize even if it’s marketing, her talent makes it impossible to dislike.]

Gradually, those curious about her couldn’t resist digging deeper.

Her only Weibo follow: Qi Puzhi. Understandable, since Star Path was produced by Puxing Entertainment.

Attended a prestigious international music academy with exorbitant tuition her family must be well-off.

Yet despite netizens’ relentless efforts, no concrete details about her background surfaced.

The online frenzy ebbed and flowed, but nothing new could be uncovered.

He Jing from Puxing Entertainment also garnered significant attention. Her rap skills were impeccable cool and fierce on stage, but offstage, she was a cheerful and warm girl, her contrasting charm winning over many fans.

Apart from these, there were also some contestants who had debuted before and brought their own fanbase, as well as a few visually appealing but vocally challenged performers whose off-key live performances provided comic relief.

The grading performances were divided into two episodes for broadcast. After the second episode aired, the first round of voting was opened.

Due to previous issues with vote manipulation or bulk buying, this season of Star Journey implemented a strict voting system: each ID number was limited to seven votes per round, and voters had to pass facial recognition before casting their votes.

Under this mechanism, the vote counts would be fairer, eliminating the need for fans to frantically grind for votes, they could simply relax and enjoy the thrill of following the competition.

Currently, Jiang Tian’s real-time votes ranked third.

Although her popularity was soaring and her traffic growth explosive, this was only the first episode, and the fanbases of other well-known contestants were not to be underestimated.

Especially the top-ranked contestant, Xu Qinye, who had previously been part of a famous overseas girl group and already had immense pre-show popularity.

However, some netizens had created mini-programs to track voting trends, and Jiang Tian’s vote growth rate was currently leading. If this continued, it was hard to say who would ultimately take first place.

While the internet buzzed with excitement over the broadcast of the grading performances, the contestants at the Star Journey filming site remained unaware, engrossed in the competition for the center position in the first full-group theme song recording.

Only the seven contestants from the A-grade class were eligible to compete, while the remaining contestants and mentors would vote to decide the final center.

The top idol glanced at the voting results in hand and announced, “Interestingly, Jiang Tian and Xu Qinye have tied.”

The audience erupted in murmurs.

Many present had previously been fans of Xu Qinye’s group, while Jiang Tian was a dark horse who had emerged suddenly as a trainee. Surprisingly, their popularity in this competition was now evenly matched.

“Then, how about another round of battle?” one mentor suggested.

The crowd immediately cheered in agreement.

As they discussed the format for the battle, Xu Qinye proposed her idea: “We’ve already showcased our individual performances earlier. This time, why not dance together?”

She suggested performing the well-known K-pop duo dance Trouble Maker.

The moment the suggestion was made, the contestants in the room erupted in excitement, eagerly anticipating the performance.

Dance mentor A-He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Xu Qinye, having debuted in a K-pop group, was well-versed in the style, while Jiang Tian had a background in street dance and might not even have seen this choreography before. Though the suggestion catered to audience expectations, it actually put Jiang Tian at a disadvantage.

But with the entire room already clapping in anticipation, it seemed Jiang Tian had little room to refuse.

They were given ten minutes to prepare. As the two discussed roles and details one cool and poised like jade, the other sultry and alluring, they appeared oddly well-matched on stage.

The filming director narrowed his eyes, recalling the main interviewer’s earlier remark during a production meeting that Jiang Tian had great potential for shipping dynamics. He immediately leaned over and whispered a few words to the head of the filming crew.

Two weeks later, the broadcast of this segment would spark an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response, but that’s a story for another time.

After the theme song recording, the first offline live performance was scheduled, with fans from all over invited to attend and vote in person.

Qi Puzhi had already been on set for some time, moving from City C to City B, then to City about an hour or two’s drive from the Star Journey filming location.

The Star Journey group chat was abuzz with discussions about the first live performance, scheduled for six o’clock the next evening.

Though the crew had coincidentally given her a day off, Qi Puzhi initially had no intention of attending.

But this afternoon, she finally had some free time and could watch Jiang Tian’s video from last time.

The young woman sat gracefully at the piano, her delicate profile breathtaking as she sang a heartfelt, self-composed love song.

Coincidentally, tonight was the day when the contestants could use the show’s phone to make calls and for the first time, Jiang Tian took the initiative to dial her number.

When the call came through, there was a hint of hesitation in her voice, as if worried about breaking the rules of their agreement. She asked softly, “Jiejie, am I disturbing you?”

“No.” The moment Qi Puzhi heard her voice, she inexplicably realized, she actually wanted to talk to this kid.

So she took the initiative to ask, “Are you settling in okay?”

“It’s alright.” Jiang Tian’s voice was soft, her usually cool tone now overflowing with tenderness. “I just miss you a little.”

It just so happened that Qi Puzhi suddenly remembered what Jiang Tian had said the night before leaving for the show, that there might be a surprise during filming.

At the time, Jiang Tian had curved her lips slightly, her faint dimples sweet as she murmured, “For me, only Jiejie coming would count as a surprise.”

In any case, when Qi Puzhi “abused her power” to request a seat at the live performance from the production team, she stared at their reply “Sure, Teacher Qi, are you planning to attend in person?”and momentarily fell into confusion.

After some thought, she replied, “Just checking out the live performance. No need to make it public.”

The next evening, Qi Puzhi slipped in through the staff entrance and blended into the crowd of fans.