When will I be the queen

Chapter 482 Worldly Experience
Those foreign devils are truly incorrigible.

You're the foreign devil!

Enemy troops have infiltrated.

You are not the only ones who know Chinese.

【Cai Cai belongs to everyone】

【Cai Cai belongs to all the people of the world】

[The foreign internet is really annoying. Whenever there are good-looking domestic celebrities, they all claim they're from their country and that they're doing better there.]

【Cai Cai is unhappy】

[Cai Cai is clearly happier back in China]

【Gentlemen, we've got work to do】

Mei Zhang and the others were paying close attention to online public opinion. Unexpectedly, because the marketing accounts were stirring up trouble so intensely, no one believed that the three of them were actually fighting. In addition, the interference from foreign websites, and the fact that the beautiful scene of them eating ice cream together at the end was so jarring compared to the previous fighting scene, made it even more unbelievable.

A completely unexpected outcome.
Cao Xin didn't leave after finishing her meal; she scrolled through her phone with Si Chen, while Cai Cai was kept on by the Immortal Lord's script-discussion conversation.

The performance continued, but Cai Cai, who was talking to the Immortal Lord, was suddenly startled by a loud and shrill shout. The Immortal Lord interrupted her and looked at the stage, and Cai Cai followed suit. A group of boys stood on the stage, huddled together, all dressed in black suits and platform shoes, fair-skinned and tall and thin. Under the lights, their faces were blurred, making them seem different, yet also seemingly the same.

Cao Xin told Cai Cai, "They're all boy groups cultivated by major companies. Some are the eleventh generation, and the newest is the third. They're typical merchandise artists, following the traffic-driven route. At first, they create a huge buzz, forcefully piggybacking on others' popularity. Then they see who stands out and give them resources, finding projects to squeeze in their members."

By the way, "I heard there are several of these that are going to be included in your project."

Cai Cai was stunned. "Really?" she exclaimed. She immediately stared intently at the boys on stage, hoping to spot someone she recognized. But she couldn't.
Cao Xin laughed as she watched, "They all wear heavy makeup, looking like twins, you can't tell the difference." How so? "In the early stages, artists' faces are all blurry, and then one day, suddenly you can see them clearly, that's when they become famous. If someone's face is clearly visible from the start, then that person will definitely become a big star." Everyone present was an example.

To be seen clearly, to be remembered, to be liked. And also, to be disliked.

Cao Xin knows this process all too well.

"Don't be fooled by their current indistinct appearances and lack of outstanding features. They were all selected from tens of millions of people. They all started their artist training when they were just over ten years old."

Cao Xin explained the selection process for these boy bands to Cai Cai: "Some are scouts, some are child models, and some have their resumes submitted by their parents or relatives. If the company is interested, they'll have the child audition for a preliminary selection. It's a genuine preliminary selection. They look at the child's overall physical attributes, such as body proportions, facial features, hands and feet, speech, and even ear size. After this round, about 80% of the children are eliminated. The remaining children enter the preliminary audition. This preliminary audition involves collecting the child's physical information, statistically analyzing the data, and then performing calculations and simulations to create a mimicry of their adult appearance. Looks, limbs, body shape, etc."

"This round will eliminate 80% to 90% of the children, and the remaining children will enter the second round. The second round is also simulated through data statistics. Here, we need to collect data on the appearance, height, etc. of the parents, grandparents, and even six relatives. Combined, we further refine the results to make the appearance that is closest to the child's adult appearance. Those who can stay here will be the trainees. As long as there are no accidents, 80% of the children will be able to debut and form a group."

Cao Xin compared himself to others, saying, "When I was a child, my adult appearance was also calculated, and it was similar to what I look like now, but the feeling is quite different." As a child, he was a somewhat melancholic kid, appearing lazy and gloomy off-camera. The calculated adult appearance he had back then showed similar facial features, but a significantly different aura. In fact, Cao Xin believes that image might be the real him. Because the current him is someone who has undergone self-reflection and professional refinement.

Si Chen was also dragged to take this test by his own mother during his adolescence. It's safe to say that most kids in the entertainment industry have probably taken this test.

After listening, Cai Cai looked at the boy band members singing and dancing on stage and sighed with admiration.

"So, people who are good-looking and have acting talent are probably the most relaxed people in this industry," Cai Cai said, expressing her gratitude for the first time to the person who discovered her acting talent. Oh, it seems to be the Immortal Lord.
Cao Xin smiled faintly, "That's why people say that those who are both talented and beautiful are blessed by God and the ancestors." God bestows beauty, and the ancestors bestow talent, which together make up an exceptionally fortunate life.

At that moment, a commotion broke out on stage, accompanied by shouts. Cai Cai looked over and saw a stage cameraman, carrying equipment, being pushed and tripped, falling off the stage. Fortunately, several people below caught him, otherwise... However, three people were still injured, and two had blood on their heads.

The Immortal Lord immediately protected Cai Cai, and Si Chen and Cao Xin also stood in front of Cai Cai and the Immortal Lord, as they were too close to the stage. It seemed that Mei Zhang and the others were trapped about a meter away from the stage. Security then surrounded the stage.

The camera has switched to Zhou Haoran's small stage, where he begins improvising his lines and giving a broadcast.

Cai Cai clung to Xian Jun's shoulder and looked back at the stage, only to see two long-haired girls being restrained by security personnel. There was also a man in work clothes who had been subdued.

The boy band members dispersed, one with a clear look of fear on his face, some with disgust, and others with amusement at the spectacle.
The people on stage were quickly dispersed; the chaos was resolved in less than eight minutes. Only then did Zhou Haoran invite the artists back onto the stage to perform.

Those who go on stage at this time are definitely not as good as the boy band artists from before.

The immortals sat down again, and Mei Zhang came over and said something before going to inquire what had happened. The surrounding performers were also whispering among themselves.

Cai Cai continued to look at the stage, wondering who the artist who would be brought up as cannon fodder to save the day would be, and whether she would recognize him.

What a coincidence. She actually knows her. Or rather, she's seen her before. She's seen her resume.

Another boy band came up, but their style was clearly different from the previous ones; you could tell just by looking at their clothes. Those previous boy bands all aimed for a youthful look, using just as much hair gel as Cao Xin to create perpetually clean hairstyles. This boy band, on the other hand, definitely didn't use any hair gel; their hair practically flew around as they walked. As for their outfits, well, this was the first time Cai Cai had ever seen men's trousers with a cutout effect at the seam of the black tulle. The jackets also looked like suits, very formal from the front, but the back was also black tulle with sequins.

Cai Cai stared, her eyes wide with amazement. Then, the man made a big leap, and what appeared to be a neat, formal suit turned out to be a series of overlapping layers. The large movement revealed a wide opening, showcasing his chest and abdominal muscles.

Wow
Then, this person must have been watching her the whole time, and knowing she was looking at him, he gave her a flirtatious wink at a moment when the dance paused.
oh.
The immortal reached out and closed Cai Cai's open mouth. The big screen was filled with your lecherous, wide-eyed, and mouth-flapping expressions!! Where's your facial expression control?!
Cai Cai pushed Xianjun's hand away. "What are you doing?" She turned her head and saw herself on the big screen, looking impatient after being interrupted from watching the stage.

"With so many celebrities and famous people here, why are you taking pictures of me?!"
Cai Cai didn't feel ashamed, just a little embarrassed. She felt she had been too engrossed in watching and staring at the person's body, which was rather impolite. If the genders were reversed, she should probably retire from the entertainment industry and apologize by now.
Cao Xin sneered angrily, "You're not exactly uncultured, are you? You're already so easily swayed by this little bit of skin?" She then glared at the stage, "Such a vulgar performance, all they care about is seducing women and nothing else, they're just a nuisance to the industry. If they want to be seductive so badly, they should go to a nightclub!" Si Chen spoke up for Cai Cai, "My girl is just uncultured. What's so great about seeing this kind of thing? Besides, you've shown quite a bit of skin on stage, and you're pretty good at seducing people."

Cao Xin glared at Cai Cai and then at him, "Dance needs and pure dew are completely different things!" After saying that, she glared at Cai Cai again, "If you haven't seen the world, then go and see it properly, so you won't be unable to move or close your mouth when you see a little bit of trash!"

Cai Cai got angry and yelled, "You're so annoying!!"

"I hit the nail on the head and you still won't admit it. I'm so annoying. But who told me I have no one to flatter me?" Cao Xin continued sarcastically.

If Si Chen hadn't held her hand, Cao Xin would have turned Cai Cai's head away. What female celebrity is so bad at managing her expressions?! What female celebrity is so easily charmed?!
"It's one thing to look at men, but you can also stare at women with your eyes wide open. You're quite the romantic." Don't think he didn't film it; he saw it in the video. Cai Cai also watched female artists' performances with rapt attention. "There's really not much to see in the world, but if you haven't seen much of the world, you're easily attracted to small flowers and grasses. In the future, when you see the king of flowers and the king of grasses, you won't just follow them after they wave to you!"

Cai Cai stomped on Cao Xin's foot hard, "You're so annoying!!! It's clearly the other person who danced better, why didn't you look at me with wide eyes? Don't even mention waving your hand, even if you jumped high and waved, I wouldn't go with you!!"

Cao Xin opened her mouth, subconsciously continuing her sarcastic remarks about Cai Cai, then realized that Cai Cai thought he was a top-tier entertainer. Her anger instantly dissipated by half. Reflecting on whether she had gone too far, she softened her tone when she spoke again, "You can't just follow anyone who beckons you. That's what I'm saying. You have to be reserved, understand? As an artist, you can't be too unrestrained."

Si Chen rolled his eyes. You're too easy to fool.
Actually, no. Si Chen looked at the boy band who had finished their performance and were bowing as they left the stage. "Do you know them?"

Cai Cai hummed in agreement. "For example, the photo on the resume submitted for the 'Ninth Princess' project looks the same as the person, but the person's demeanor is much better in person. The photo gives off a plastic-like feeling." Not fake, but plastic, lacking the texture of a living person. Whether it's due to the photo or the retouching, the person in the photo has no presence whatsoever; it's the kind of look you can dismiss at a glance.

Cao Xin finally understood, but she only regretted that Si Chen had noticed it earlier. "With this kind of quality, we definitely can't accept him." She paused, then added, "You don't mean you want him to participate in the audition, do you?"

Cai Cai did indeed have this idea, so she turned to the Immortal Lord and said, "You saw that person just now, right? His name is Yue Hong, isn't it? How about letting him try out the young hero?"

The immortal knew that Cai Cai had taken a liking to Yue Hong's flamboyant and dashing temperament. "That's fine."

Cao Xin felt a pang of anxiety. Thinking of the boy band from before, she knew there must have been some members who had been included in the project. "Didn't you see any resumes in that group just now?" Could it be that they were all eliminated in the first round? That seemed unlikely. Some of the members in that boy band were quite popular and were heavily promoted by investors; they definitely wouldn't have been eliminated so easily.

Cai Cai hadn't really noticed. "Are they all adults?" If they weren't, they would definitely have been screened out.

Cao Xin laughed, "Do they all look like they're underage?" Indeed, with years of strict diet control, even with professional nutritionists, it's impossible to provide such precise and detailed services to each individual. In addition, they must be dieting in private. Some are trying to retain their youthful appearance or stay in adolescence longer, some are afraid to eat or develop, and some are simply influenced by others and have no choice but to follow suit. At least until their faces are clear and they become fully famous, they have to maintain that underage-like youthful state.

Cai Cai understood; they had all grown up.

“They’re all older than you.” The youngest is over eighteen, otherwise it would be difficult for them to debut. Cao Xin knew that Cai Cai hadn’t taken a liking to them at all, which was good. “If we really send them to audition, we can just keep filtering them.”

Cai Cai looked at the Immortal Lord and asked, "Is it in there?"

The Immortal Lord nodded. Of course there were. These kinds of popular celebrities are the most abundant and useful commodities in the hands of capital. Capital plays them like cards, scattering them everywhere, stuffing them in everywhere, exchanging them everywhere. If celebrities were cards, some would be the King and Queen, others would be the Queen and the Third. That's why they form groups—four Queens and four Fourths—to make a winning hand. The sad thing is, only those celebrities who are used as cards are already at the table. Underneath, there are thousands upon thousands of newcomers waiting to be played, waiting to be discarded as cards.
In reality, even capital plays a role in this industry. Capital can wield the power of artists, and artists can wield the power of capital. It's fair to say that everyone is striving to wield their power and to be the one playing the role.

Just like life, just like fate.
Perhaps it was Cai Cai's gaze that gave the boy band a strange sense of encouragement, because their manager brought them over to say hello. Of course, they didn't come directly; the manager first asked someone from Chengming to call Mei Zhang to sound them out. Mei Zhang glanced at Cai Cai and nodded in agreement. Mei Zhang also remembered this boy band; they were one Chengming was promoting. Because their positioning was somewhat audacious, and two members left last year, their popularity never really took off. Chengming hadn't given them many resources this year, intending to let them grow up independently.

The so-called "free-range" approach in the industry means letting artists find their own ways to promote themselves. If they achieve success, everyone benefits; if problems arise, the artist bears the consequences.

So this boy band's popularity has declined drastically this year, otherwise they wouldn't have been dragged in to save the day and become a scapegoat.

Oh, the boy band is called Black Coat, abbreviated as BC, and commonly known as Black Skin.

Just from the name, you can tell how individualistic and flamboyant this boy band's image is.

While Cai Cai and Xianjun were still talking, Cao Xin and Si Chen saw Mei Zhang bring them over. All three had changed their clothes, but their makeup was still on. Cao Xin secretly cursed them for being scheming, but didn't show any annoyance, just looking at them indifferently. It was also Si Chen's first time meeting them up close. All three were pursuing a pure singing and dancing career and hadn't started acting yet, so they really had no connection.

"Cai Cai," Mei Zhang called out to Cai Cai.

The Immortal Lord had actually noticed it long ago, but when Mei Zhang approached, he didn't remind Cai Cai.

Cai Cai turned her head and immediately saw the person who had been dancing on stage.

"This is the boy band in black trench coats. This is their leader, Lan Hua; this is Yue Hong; this is Tan Bo," Mei Zhang introduced their manager, "This is one of our company's top agents."

The agent's name was Xiao Mingxing. He looked quite serious, but he was very good at maintaining a proper demeanor and spoke softly. When Mei Zhang introduced Cai Cai and she stood up, he even took a step back and didn't shake hands. He had the air of someone asking for a favor, but he wasn't obsequious or servile. He spoke to Cai Cai with a slight bow.

"I am He Kai's apprentice." Back then, he was determined to leave Wanqian and He Kai to start his own business. He Kai also found him a place on Chengming and put a lot of good talents on his plate. In the end, the only thing he could be proud of was this boy band.

Everyone knows that domestic idol boy groups have short lifespans, like mosquitoes in summer, but they have high popularity and make money quickly.

Xiao Mingxing's original plan was to make a quick buck with Hei Pi, then decide whether to continue, retire, or change careers. However, after five years of working together day and night, he developed genuine feelings for Lan Hua and the other two. It's said that when an agent falls in love with their artist, it's destiny, because without love and affection, it's difficult to stay together. Xiao Mingxing didn't believe it at first, because he hadn't seen He Kai fall in love with any of his artists, yet he still managed to create big stars and was still clung to by them.

But no matter how much he scoffed, liking is liking, and true feelings are true feelings; they can't be faked, and he genuinely couldn't bear to part with them. Xiao Mingxing felt incredibly foolish and knew he would definitely regret it in the future. Being betrayed by an artist would be the least of his worries; he could potentially lose both his money and his reputation. Because this year he had already been personally funding the management of artists.
While inwardly despising himself, Xiao Mingxing recklessly took on Hei Pi. He couldn't sleep at night because of his worries, but that didn't stop him from running around during the day trying to find work for Hei Pi.

The news that Wan Qian was going to do a project for Cai Cai, with Xian Jun as the producer, was something he almost froze to death to get. He was running a high fever and on an IV drip, yet he kept making phone calls begging for red envelopes (bribes). Before the IV drip was even finished, with his mouth full of medicine, he quickly stuffed the resumes of the three men, including Hei Pi, into the bag.

At the time, he felt he had accomplished something major, and despite being sick, Xiao Mingxing was very happy. Who knew...
He Kai called him in the middle of the night, asking if he had offended anyone, because the resumes and photos of the three people he had sent in had been edited so badly they were unreadable.