Chapter 81: Preparations Before the Talent Show

After a good night's sleep, Lin Yu woke at five the next morning. He did some light aerobic exercise, prepared breakfast, drank a cup of coffee, and left for the company. Tomorrow was the official filming of “Talent Show,” and since he had never participated in a talent competition before, he needed to return to the company to get a general understanding.

Ji Ya was waiting for him in her office, having postponed a meeting. As soon as he walked in, her first question was, “Did you have breakfast?”

“I did.”

Ji Ya was busy with paperwork and didn’t lift her head, but she gestured toward Lin Yu and then set her hand on the table. “Have some more with me.”

Lin Yu turned and looked back. The table was laid out with an exquisite array of breakfast foods—both Chinese and Western, in all kinds and quantities, enough for at least a dozen people.

Even the breakfast of a beautiful CEO was this elaborate?

The joys of the wealthy were indeed unimaginable! Suddenly, the soy milk and bread in his stomach felt… well...

“I’ve already eaten,” Lin Yu reminded her again as he saw her rise and walk over.

Tap, tap, tap.

Her fingers knocked impatiently on the table. She put on her icy expression again and ordered, “Eat with me.”

Under the pressure of the boss’s authority, Lin Yu had no choice but to join her for breakfast. He increasingly felt as if he were being kept.

This situation, he thought, had begun the day he joined the variety show. Was it possible the domineering female CEO had fallen for him?

Where was the promised aloofness? After spending these days together, they’d become quarrelsome companions, but now even breakfast had to be shared?

“Boss, I want to go skating,” Lin Yu said.

Ji Ya almost forgot about it, but when he mentioned it, she recalled their perfect partnership at the rink and the thunderous applause they received. She couldn’t help but smile.

After meeting Lin Yu, she smiled more than she had in years.

“Hm? You lost the bet and still owe me a foot massage—how can you shamelessly ask for a team-building activity?”

Lin Yu scoffed inwardly. Women! She’d just been caring, and now she was teasing again. So they really were quarrelsome companions.

“Why don’t you go home tonight, boss?” he suggested.

“Which home?”

Ji Ya guessed he was about to tease her, so she deliberately provoked him. “I have more than a dozen properties under my name, not even counting my family’s estates.”

“So, which home do you want to go to?” She raised her brows, her gaze five parts cool, three parts mocking, and two parts proud.

Lin Yu conceded, his teasing defeated. He consoled himself: a wise man does not quarrel with a woman!

“By the way, I forgot to mention something,” Ji Ya rubbed her temples and took a sip of coffee for a boost. She hadn’t stopped working since returning to the company, but fortunately, she suddenly remembered this important matter.

She called Xiao Lin in and instructed both, “Lin Yu is gaining some fame now. Many fans are asking for a Weibo account. Xiao Lin, help Lin Yu set it up.”

“Lin Yu, once you’ve registered and filled in the information, let Xiao Lin handle all the management.”

Lin Yu uttered a grateful sound, but his thanks were directed at Xiao Lin, “Thank you, Sister Xiao Lin, for handling these affairs for me!”

It was rare for artists to manage their own Weibo accounts. For example, fan messages were typically responded to by staff, except for automated replies.

Lin Yu felt a bit awkward. He now had two phones—one issued by the production team, which was monitored and couldn’t freely download Weibo. The other was an old Nokia from years ago, embarrassingly out of place in such a high-end office.

Unexpectedly, Ji Ya produced a brand-new iPhone from behind her like a magician.

“That Nokia is no longer waterproof and has been damaged. Even if repaired, it’s just a junk phone. I’ve prepared a new one for you; use this from now on.”

A junk phone?

Lin Yu disagreed. That phone held many memories of his romance with his ex-girlfriend Xu Shanshan. Not for nostalgia or any ulterior motive—he simply liked to revisit those moments during his lowest times, recalling the injustices of his previous life to keep himself clear-headed.

“This isn’t cheap, is it? I’ll transfer you the money. Didn’t you just give me part of the royalties from ‘Decency’ recently?” Lin Yu pretended to be generous. “I appreciate your kindness, but I can’t accept it without reason.”

“You know how much ‘Decency’ earned after being released on OO Music? Over ten thousand is just the tip of the iceberg.” Ji Ya mainly didn’t want their artist to pull out an old phone on the show.

If Lin Yu took out a cheap Nokia, someone would definitely suspect Ji Fei Media was having financial troubles.

It wasn’t just about appearances—Ji Ya simply wanted to give Lin Yu the best. This exclusive pampering was something only he could enjoy.

Since it was free, Lin Yu accepted the phone without guilt.

Xiao Lin helped set up the Weibo account, saying she’d handle the color scheme and only needed Lin Yu to fill in the key details. He didn’t give it much thought.

After registration, Lin Yu sent the username and password to Xiao Lin, who responded with a question mark.

Lin Yu: ?

[Xiao Lin: Dude, post something.]

[Lin Yu: …Haha (awkward laugh)]

He quickly followed his assistant’s advice and posted his first blog: a handsome profile shot from the dating reality show, with the caption:

[@Singer Lin Yu: I’ve opened Weibo, here’s my first post!]

The comment section flooded with spectators.

“Oh my god, am I hallucinating? Lin Yu posted?”

“What? He’s still alive?”

“I’m grabbing the first post—do you have to be so perfunctory? If not for this good-looking photo, I’d roast you to death.”

“Slurp slurp, licking Lin Yu’s godly face!”

“He’s too handsome!”

…

[@Talent Show: @Singer Lin Yu, welcome our twelfth singing-dancing guest! Talent Show will officially air tonight at eight! Let’s look forward to the frequent performances of our singing-dancing producer!]

Soon, Lin Yu and the show were trending. He’d already dominated various Weibo sections in recent days. While he wasn’t famous in the singer circle, the topic “Lu Bu, unrivaled, defeating multiple opponents, broom-wielding Lu Bu resurrected” broke out of its niche for the first time.

“Talent Show” was already in its sixth season and growing in popularity. With Lin Yu, the hottest topic on the trending board recently, joining forces, they instantly soared to the top three of the search rankings.

“What? Shocking! Lu Bu is joining a talent show?”

“Awesome, we get to see Dog Yu and the love-hate drama with the dating show guests again, hahaha!”

“Wait, this episode’s contestants are all from the dating show’s original cast—this is going to be good!”

“Talent Show really is the best talent competition ever; every contestant is incredible.”