INHA Chapter 90

When the song ended, the judges immediately awarded Xu Dongyou a direct pass. With this pass, Xu Dongyou could skip the remaining preliminary rounds and go directly to the final stage of the program.

When Xu Dongyou came out, Li Ge quickly approached to ask about the result. Xu Dongyou told him that he had passed but did not mention receiving the direct pass. He had put his hat back on when he came out, so his appearance did not attract much attention.

After exchanging contact details with Li Ge, Xu Dongyou spent a few days exploring the city before returning to Fengnian City. There, he finally informed his parents about his participation in the talent show. This news excited them greatly, and they promised to mobilize all their friends to vote for Xu Dongyou once the show aired.

Xu Dongyou naturally declined their offer.

His parents did not press the issue further but remained quite anxious, frequently asking Xu Dongyou when the show would start.

Xu Dongyou, feeling helpless, responded, “I haven’t even gone yet.”

His parents were momentarily taken aback and then burst into laughter. However, when Xu Dongyou went to bed that night, his parents continued their quiet conversation about him.

“Although I have a lot of confidence in Dongyou, he’s always been smart, good-looking, and has a great singing voice. I’m sure he’ll win first place.”

Xu Dongyou was not eavesdropping intentionally, but with his increasing strength and the boost from his pact with Zhulong, he felt confident that he could easily defeat a monster that had once nearly destroyed a city.

He could overhear his parents’ conversation, and especially the part where they praised him made him a bit embarrassed. When he tried to shift his focus, he heard Mother Xu say, “When Dongyou really becomes a big star, will his biological parents recognize him?”

Xu Dongyou was startled and instinctively continued listening.

After a long silence, Father Xu spoke softly, “Maybe they will. Dongyou’s appearance is so outstanding; his parents must look good too. Regardless of what happens in the future, we just hope our child can be happy. Let’s not worry too much about the future. If his biological parents really come looking for him, we will tell him about it. If they don’t, we’ll keep this matter hidden.”

“But what if back then there was a reason why Dongyou was abandoned? Perhaps his parents are still looking for him. If we keep hiding this, won’t it…”

At this point, Mother Xu was already choked up and unable to continue speaking. Just the thought of Xu Dongyou eventually leaving them made her so sad she could hardly contain herself.

Father Xu was somewhat irritated but didn’t want to wake Xu Dongyou next door, so he lowered his voice and said, “How could that be? When I first saw Dongyou, he was so small with no clothes or swaddling. In the middle of winter, it was clear they wanted him to die. Besides, we left our contact information with the local police and haven’t changed our number for years. If anyone was looking for him, they would have found us by now.”

If someone really wanted to find them, especially with all the clues they had left, it was unlikely that no one would have come in all these years.

It was more likely that his biological parents simply didn’t want to find him.

Mother Xu, fighting back her tears, said, “But there’s always a chance. We can’t let the child be completely unaware of all this.”

“And besides, we hid it from him before because we were afraid it would upset him. Now that he’s grown up, it’s time to tell him.”

Mother Xu was the least willing to let Xu Dongyou know all of this, but she knew there was no real reason to keep it hidden.

Father Xu fell silent again, and after a long time, said, “Let’s keep it a secret for now. We can’t let this affect Dongyou’s competition.”

Mother Xu nodded. Both of them, weighed down by their thoughts, lay down but couldn’t sleep.

Xu Dongyou, too, was affected. The night concealed his reddened eyes. He hadn’t expected his parents to think so much about it. Maybe in a few days, he should really talk to them about it.

He needed to sort this out properly.

The next morning, the three of them looked somewhat listless. Mother Xu noticed and hurriedly urged Father Xu to make breakfast, then sat down and asked with concern, “Dongyou, what’s wrong? Do you have something on your mind?”

Mother Xu was quite perceptive.

Xu Dongyou naturally couldn’t reveal the truth. He just made up an excuse, saying, “I’ve been thinking about the upcoming reality show competition.”

Mother Xu took this to heart, patting Xu Dongyou and offering encouragement, “Don’t be nervous. You’ll definitely do well. My son is certainly the best.”

Every parent thinks their child is outstanding.

Mother Xu was no exception.

Xu Dongyou smiled and said, “I’ll make sure to give it my best.”

“That’s my son!” Mother Xu’s praise grew even more enthusiastic, making Xu Dongyou blush. He quickly found an excuse to return to his room and focused on practicing the song he prepared for the first round of the competition.

During this time, he didn’t forget to visit Zhulong, but he didn’t learn any new demon arts. For now, the water evasion, wood manipulation, and earth manipulation techniques were sufficient.

Additionally, he had a dagger embedded with sealing stones, which greatly improved his safety and attack capabilities.

Time flew by, and a few days later, the program’s director called Xu Dongyou, asking him to come to a certain address for a brief training session.

He was no longer in Fengnian City but had already arrived in Lin City. He had even taken some time to buy a few decent outfits.

Tian Haomiao, knowing Xu Dongyou was joining the program, was stunned, exclaiming, “No way, really? Why?”

Xu Dongyou briefly explained that before becoming a handler, he was in a music academy and intended to pursue a singing career if all went well.

Moreover, being a handler and a singer were not mutually exclusive, especially since this was approved by the headquarters.

From another perspective, this was also part of his mission.

Upon arriving at the variety show’s studio, Xu Dongyou began basic training, learning some fundamental skills. When they requested him to record a personal introduction video, he opted to do a straightforward self-introduction since he didn’t know how to dance. He finished by performing one of his original songs.

Xu Dongyou’s attractive appearance, originality as a singer, and distinctive, outstanding voice made the program director realize that this boy named Xu Dongyou was bound to become famous.

The program director decided to prioritize Xu Dongyou when the formal recording of the show began, putting him ahead of other contestants who were backed by companies and had collaborations with the show.

Xu Dongyou’s appearance stood out so much that even among the carefully selected contestants, he was in a league of his own.

His face alone could rank among the top three in the entertainment industry, though saying “top three” was a modest understatement. What truly caught attention was his indescribable aura, which gave him an ethereal quality that felt almost otherworldly. His gaze was so clear and pure that it seemed to look straight through to the depths, full of spiritual charm.

As a result, all the companies received the news. The program director initially planned to keep it a secret, but after checking on Xu Dongyou, he found that he had not signed with any company. Since he had already informed the companies, he shared Xu Dongyou’s information.

Companies that received the information were astounded. A bare-faced photo typically highlights a person’s attractiveness, and Xu Dongyou’s looks were indeed exceptional, even surpassing the most attractive stars in their companies. They quickly began inquiring about him and discovered that Xu Dongyou was still a student and had not yet signed with any company. This made them eager to act.

Many companies initially wanted to wait and see how Xu Dongyou performed, planning to sign him if his performance was satisfactory. However, they quickly realized that other companies would also be interested in such a promising talent and feared he might be signed by someone else first.

With this in mind, they could no longer stay idle and immediately sent representatives to negotiate with Xu Dongyou. It turned out that other companies had similar thoughts.

As Xu Dongyou was about to return to his hotel, he received phone calls from several companies, all extending offers to sign him.

The contracts varied in terms and offers.

Xu Dongyou decided to reject those with a condescending attitude, who seemed to think signing him was a privilege for him. For those offering more favorable terms, he replied that he needed some time to consider.

Xu Dongyou then called his manager to discuss the matter. After listening, the manager gave their opinion: “I personally suggest not signing with any company at the moment. Although the contracts from these companies are good, they are quite exploitative. It would be better to wait until after the talent show to make a decision. This way, you’ll have more options.”

Xu Dongyou naturally valued the advice of the professional. He called the agents of the companies he had a good impression of, informing them that he would decide after the show. They were all courteous and indicated they hoped he would consider their companies.

Xu Dongyou assured them he would think about it. After hanging up, he returned to practicing his songs intensively to avoid making mistakes due to nervousness when performing on stage.

The next day, Xu Dongyou dressed neatly and went to the show. Following the staff’s arrangements, he changed into the uniform outfit, had the label affixed, and underwent makeup and styling.

Xu Dongyou’s appearance put a significant amount of pressure on the other contestants, who had been meticulously selected.

His looks were exceptionally outstanding and his aura was unique, something no star in the entertainment industry had.

The once confident contestants, who had been groomed as the company’s top picks, suddenly felt their pride shattered. They had expected to outshine all other contestants but found themselves overshadowed by Xu Dongyou’s mere appearance.

After his makeup was done, Xu Dongyou sat obediently, behaving well, which led several female staff members to give him some snacks.

Xu Dongyou thanked them politely.

The other contestants became even more envious.

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