Esports world champion, debuted as the center of a talent show

He clicked into the post, quickly scrolled through it, and his eyes swept over the comments about Jingcheng Entertainment and the Jing family, his fingertips unconsciously tightening.

But he showed no sign of anything amiss, and after less than half a minute, he turned off the screen and handed the phone back to the person: "Thank you."

"You're welcome, you're welcome!" The man quickly took it, stuffed it into his pocket, and the two said goodbye to Jiang Zhiyu, pulling and tugging at each other, before disappearing in a flash.

The bathroom door closed, and the last few hurried footsteps disappeared at the end of the corridor, leaving only the dripping sound of a faucet that wasn't turned off completely.

Jiang Zhiyu stood there, feeling as if something was blocking his chest, making his breathing heavy.

He turned off the tap, his fingertips curled slightly, and he lowered his head to breathe heavily.

Jingcheng Entertainment, the Jing family, the unexpected death of the Jing family's only son, the suppressed news...

Those fragments he had deliberately sealed away in the deepest recesses of his memory were brutally pried open by these words, piercing sharply into his mind.

He raised his hand to wipe the water droplets from his face, pressing his fingertips firmly against his eye sockets to suppress the turmoil surging in his eyes.

"Zhiyu, are you ready? Let's go to the cafeteria together."

He heard Lin Sen calling him from not far away, his lively voice breaking the oppressive atmosphere.

He took a deep breath, slowly raised his head, his face regaining its usual calm, showing no sign of anything amiss: "Alright, let's go."

After saying that, he straightened his disheveled collar in front of the mirror to make sure he looked normal before pushing open the door.

Lin Sen was leaning against the wall outside the door. When he saw him come out, he stretched out a big yawn, dragged his feet lazily, and his face showed obvious signs of sleepiness.

"I didn't sleep well last night, and I'm exhausted now." Lin Sen said with some annoyance, "I should have known better than to ask them about the outcome of the RXG incident yesterday before going to bed. I had insomnia last night, and it really affected my performance today."

The two walked side by side toward the cafeteria, occasionally encountering a few trainees passing by in a hurry.

Lin Sen yawned, turned to look at Jiang Zhiyu, and casually asked, "How's your lyrics coming along?"

For Jiang Zhiyu, writing lyrics was indeed a completely new field, but this unfamiliar challenge quietly stirred up his competitive spirit.

He reached into his pocket, pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper, and handed it to Lin Sen, saying frankly, "This is my current progress; it's just a bit slow."

Lin Sen took the note, unfolded it, and looked at it. His eyes gradually brightened, and his drowsiness dissipated.

He read it twice and couldn't help but praise, "Wow, Jiang Jiang, you're really talented! It doesn't seem like you're a first-time lyricist!"

He nodded in satisfaction, smacked his lips, and continued, "Actually, the progress is a little faster than I expected. I knew we could rest assured leaving it to you. Once you finish writing the lyrics and music, I'll start preparing the choreography."

There was a long open-air corridor on the way to the cafeteria. The two kept walking and when they passed a corner, they happened to see a group of people gathered together, chattering and making a lot of noise.

This spot is perfect for fans who regularly pick up and drop off their commute from the camp, and right now those fans are curiously peeking over.

"What's going on?" Lin Sen's curiosity was piqued. He stopped in his tracks and subconsciously moved forward to peek through the gaps in the crowd.

Jiang Zhiyu stood still, not approaching, remaining detached from the bustling crowd, his gaze sweeping lightly over the center of the crowd.

In the middle of the crowd, a boy in training clothes squatted on the ground, his arms tightly hugging his knees, his head buried in his arms, and his shoulders shaking incessantly.

Several boys, also dressed in training uniforms, surrounded him, all looking somewhat at a loss.

Hearing Lin Sen's question, the person next to him turned around in confusion, and was surprised to see a familiar face: "Brother Sen!"

Lin Sen nodded, pointed to the boy squatting on the ground, and then lowered his voice to ask softly, "What's wrong?"

The boy being questioned was named Wang Qin, and he was the teammate of the boy squatting on the ground in this round. He sighed with a complicated expression and explained in a low voice, "It's Xu Xiaoyu. He's been under too much pressure lately, and he's on the verge of a mental breakdown."

Upon hearing this, Lin Sen's curiosity gradually faded, replaced by a greater sense of understanding.

The original stage performance for the second public performance was a significant challenge for all the trainees. They had to write lyrics, compose music, choreograph dances, and coordinate with their teammates. It was normal to feel a lot of pressure.

Although only a morning had passed, Xu Xiaoyu's breakdown did come somewhat suddenly. However, Lin Sen knew that everyone's ability to withstand pressure was different. Perhaps Xu Xiaoyu was inherently sensitive and fragile, and could not withstand this high level of pressure.

The fans and fans outside the fence gradually realized that something was wrong, and they all raised their telephoto cameras and started snapping pictures of the center of the crowd, with the shutter clicking incessantly.

Many people were whispering and speculating about what had happened inside.

"Who's that in the very middle? Why are Jiang Zhiyu and Lin Sen stopped there too?"

"Wait a minute! Isn't that Xu Xiaoyu? Why is he squatting on the ground? Is he crying?"

"Is it because of too much pressure?"

"I've heard that Xu Xiaoyu's mental state hasn't been very good."

Jiang Zhiyu remained standing to the side, not approaching, but simply watching quietly.

He was wearing a pink training uniform, his posture was upright, his face was calm, and his calm demeanor was out of place among the somewhat panicked crowd around him.

Although he was a short distance away from the crowd surrounding Xu Xiaoyu, his outstanding physique caused fans' cameras to involuntarily capture him as well.

Lin Sen, who was in the crowd, didn't say anything more. He turned around and walked back to Jiang Zhiyu's side, and took the initiative to explain, "It's nothing serious. It's just that Xu Xiaoyu and the Second Master are under too much pressure and are a bit on the verge of a breakdown."

Jiang Zhiyu frowned, his gaze sweeping over the figure crouching in the crowd: "Let's go. When I'm not feeling well, I don't want too many people around me."

Lin Sen nodded, agreeing with Jiang Zhiyu's point, and followed him as they turned and continued walking towards the cafeteria.

A commotion gradually arose in the crowd behind her, and Xu Xiaoyu's sobs became clearer, mixed with her teammates' helpless attempts to comfort her.

"It's okay, Xiaoyu. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. We'll all help you. Just practice slowly."

"Yes, let's work together and we can definitely do it."

Xu Xiaoyu's voice came through intermittently, thick with nasal tone, and tinged with self-blame: "It's my own problem... Ever since I got sick, I haven't been able to control my emotions. I easily break down over the smallest things. Am I holding everyone back...?"

Jiang Zhiyu and Lin Sen gradually walked away, and the sound of their conversation behind them gradually faded away.

At this moment, Jiang Zhiyu was unaware that a media storm, manipulated by someone else, was quietly brewing.