There is a saying in the newspaper that if you want to seize the era, the first priority is to capture the hearts of young women. China’s infamous Asia Star Entertainment Company clearly understands this well. The company has been established for over a decade and has hundreds of artists under its banner. When counting entertainment companies in China, apart from the leading Wanbang Entertainment Group, Asia Star Entertainment is always mentioned among the top contenders.
Wanbang Entertainment and Asia Star Entertainment are different. Wanbang focuses on veteran artists, and even when signing new talents, they require a certain artistic sentiment. Unlike Asia Star, which has been solely focused on the idol business over a decade. Every July, in the scorching summer heat, countless young enthusiasts flock to Asia Star Entertainment, breaking down the doors, showing off their charms, and competing for the best opportunity to secure a spot among Asia Star’s new trainees. They hope to find a chance to debut, become popular, and reach the pinnacle of their lives as big stars. The chairman of Asia Star Entertainment, Mao Chengrui, has a famous saying that anyone can become an idol. Singing and dancing skills are secondary; the most important thing is to align with the company’s packaging.
“Everything you need to become an idol, the company can provide for you. As an idol, remember to maintain a smile in front of the camera and breathe smoothly.”
When Mao Chengrui, the “toxic tumor” of the industry, said these words, he was only forty-six years old. In the magazine cover, his eyes were hidden behind the lenses, and on the desk in front of him, there were group photos of every debut group the company had formed. Among these artists, there were outstanding ones and mediocre ones, but each of them could captivate countless young girls and become a memory of their youthful years. Countless medals and trophies were displayed on the exhibition wall in the reception area of Asia Star Entertainment, as if each smiling face was a constant portrayal of the idol’s timeless performance, entertaining audiences for years without getting tired. When the old ones faded away, Asia Star Entertainment could immediately adapt to the times and produce new idols—the hottest and most popular idols of the moment. In the face of fans who were extremely tolerant, even the golden rule of “smile” could be dispensed with.
In their third year since debut, KAIser was riding high on their popularity.
During the Asian Music Awards being held in Singapore, KAIser swept four major awards: Best Group, Song of the Year, Album of the Year, and Production of the Year. When receiving the awards as a group, it was inevitable for the captain to be the one to express gratitude and give thanks on the stage. However, Zhou Zike, the captain of KAIser, was famously silent. He received the trophy with his left hand and immediately handed it to a teammate with his right hand. When the camera was on him, he was standing quietly on the stage, without any special expression, as if this award and the awards ceremony had little to do with him.
The one delivering the acceptance speech on behalf of the team was Xiao Yang, a young man who had a handsome appearance and a naturally high popularity. As the official ACE of KAIser for three years, he always stood in the center. Among the nine team members, he was the best singer and received the most resources. However, his popularity always hovered between first and second place, in a constant rivalry with Zhou Zike. Now, on the stage, in countless close-up shots broadcasted live, Xiao Yang, drenched in sweat after just finishing his performance, stood in front of the award podium. His peach blossom eyes were bloodshot, and as he began to speak, the entire stadium erupted in a wave of heart-wrenching cries and screams.
“Thank you to the organizers for giving us this award. I want to express my gratitude to all the music teachers involved in this album… Thank you to our company, China Asia Star Entertainment, and most importantly, thank you to the fans who have been with us throughout these three years…” Xiao Yang gasped for breath, but managed to finish in one breath. “We will always remember this extraordinary night. Thank you, everyone!”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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“Zike! Zike!” A microphone suddenly appeared just five centimeters away from Zhou Zike’s face. Zhou Zike attempted to step back, but the reporters surged forward like a tidal wave.
“Zike, how long was the news about Tang Zhen’s suicide concealed? Were you aware of it in advance?”
“Do you know the current situation with Tang Zhen? Can you give us some information?”
“Do you have anything to say about Tang Zhen’s suicide, Zike? Zike?”
Xiao Yang, who came out holding his trophy, also found himself blocked by the reporters. At first, he seemed to think that they wanted to take some photos of him, imagining a scene of him joyfully laughing while holding all four trophies. Little did he know that the reporters swarmed around him, their microphones almost knocking down the precious trophies in his arms.
“Xiao Yang, how long was the news about Tang Zhen’s suicide concealed? Were you aware of it in advance?”
“Do you know the current situation with Tang Zhen? Can you give us some information?”
“Do you have anything to say about Tang Zhen’s suicide, Xiao Yang? Xiao Yang?”
After listening to the barrage of questions, Xiao Yang’s face wrinkled with worry. He hesitated for a moment and then asked, “Um… are there no questions about our team?” He even gestured towards the trophy in his hand.
There was a brief moment of awkwardness and silence, until one journalist reluctantly spoke up, “Xiao Yang, Tang Zhen collaborated with KAIser for quite some time before and after your debut. Do you have any thoughts or something you’d like to share—”
Instantly, the group of reporters erupted with a flurry of overlapping comments and questions.
Reluctantly, Xiao Yang faced the group of microphones, cleared his throat, and said, “Um… about Tang Zhen’s situation…”
All the journalists widened their eyes, holding their breath in anticipation.
“The company currently doesn’t allow us to disclose anything!” Xiao Yang said with a pained expression.
“Xiao Yang, Xiao Yang! Can’t you at least reveal a little bit? It’s not easy for everyone here. Has Tang Zhen recovered from the life-threatening situation?”
“He has recovered, he has,” Xiao Yang hurriedly replied.
A sigh of relief swept through the group of journalists, and some of them left the crowd to make phone calls.
“But why did he commit suicide, Xiao Yang? Is there any hidden story behind this?”
“Did you have any psychological preparation for Tang Zhen’s suicide? Why did he suddenly choose to end his life? As a junior, don’t you have anything to say?”
“Um… well…” Xiao Yang pondered in distress. He realized that the company must have issued a gag order, but he couldn’t bear to disappoint the reporters. “I believe that people… surely didn’t want to die from the moment they were born, right? There must be reasons behind it—”
Someone pushed through the crowd, came from behind, and swiftly covered Xiao Yang’s mouth with their hand. They guided Xiao Yang, who was stuttering, out of the encirclement. As they reached the door of the lounge, they grabbed the tearful Tao Rui, who was being surrounded by a cunning group of journalists, and pulled them inside. Then, they slammed the door shut from behind with a loud “bang.”
