I keep getting dragged into fierce competition while struggling in survival show

Chapter 4

To stand out from the crowd, you need more than just an opportunity to be seen.

*

The trainees from Jinghuang Entertainment had a middle-of-the-road performance order, meaning they would have to continue watching the initial evaluations after returning to their seats.

As Gu Ye Ning returned to his seat, trainees from all directions reached out to high-five and shake hands with him. Some offered congratulations, while others joked about "rubbing off some good luck"—it was a harmonious scene.

A hand reached out from the row in front, a silver ring on the pinky finger gleaming.

That ring?

Gu Ye Ning quickly looked up and met a pair of smiling eyes.

"You did great just now. You deserved it," said the owner of those eyes.

"You weren't sitting here before, right?" Gu Ye Ning was a bit surprised as he reached up to high-five him.

"I wanted to tell you that, so I switched seats with a trainee from another company," Wei Nanxing replied. His expression was gentle, but his features had a cold sharpness, like the clear sky after a snowstorm in the mountains—crisp and tranquil, the sunlight cold, and even his gentleness seemed remote and lonely.

Because many trainees wanted to leave a deep impression on the judges and audience during the initial stage, their hair was dyed in various colors, and their makeup was as elaborate as that of a girl group. Wei Nanxing, however, was different—his black hair fell over his forehead, and his makeup was so light it was barely there, probably just some foundation and nothing more.

"You haven't gone on stage yet?" Gu Ye Ning asked.

"Not yet, but it'll probably be my turn soon."

Gu Ye Ning noticed that Wei Nanxing was also wearing a single microphone on his chest.

There were some things he hadn't paid much attention to in his previous life that were now hard to ignore. For example, he was also aware that Wei Nanxing's experiences hadn't been much better than his own. His company, Apex Star Entertainment, was indeed a big company, but they had their own trainees they wanted to promote. Wei Nanxing was, at best, an "extra."

Unfortunately, the "crown prince" of Apex Star Entertainment, Feng Zhiwen, had a decent appearance but mediocre talent. He couldn't handle the "scripts" and personas the company forced on him, nor did he have any stage presence to back it up. Although he barely made it to the finals, his popularity and metrics were far below the standards required for the final round, unlike Wei Nanxing, who had no storyline, no friendship lines, and no struggle narrative—a "three-nothing" trainee.

Appearance, styling, camera presence, editing, scripts, capital, personas, CP dynamics... all these elements combined to make each trainee look vibrant and glamorous. In a sense, a talent show was like a movie where most of the plot had already been written. To stand out on your own required more than just a chance to be noticed.

Gu Ye Ning's expression turned somewhat complicated, evoking a fleeting sense of empathy—a moment of "misery loves company," but it was gone in an instant.

Taking advantage of the break as the trainees on stage prepared for a re-evaluation, Sheng Fan leaned over and asked, "Do you know Wei Nanxing?"

"We went to the same university," Gu Ye Ning replied.

Sheng Fan didn't think it was a big deal. "West City University?"

Gu Ye Ning nodded.

"Another top student... Don't tell me he's a math major like you?"