AITFYMIBP Chapter 54

TL: Hua

After the second episode of Incredible Journey aired, although the ratings were number one in its time slot, they were clearly incomparable to the first episode.

Not only the ratings, but also the online buzz and discussion were not as explosive as the first episode.

The program format is the same, but whether the guests have “gags” or can create them makes a world of difference in the show’s excitement level.

In the previous episode, Lin Yanran didn’t deliberately try to be funny or create gags, but he himself was a hidden gem, and the show’s effect was explosive, attracting many casual viewers.

However, when this group of people tuned into the second episode, they realized that Lin Yanran was only a temporary guest, not a regular cast member.

Therefore, without him in this episode, the audience felt like something was missing. They left comments on the program’s official Weibo, expressing their wish for the production team to invite Lin Yanran back.

Why do these directors in the entertainment industry make variety shows?

Of course, it’s to create a hit variety show and become the number one variety show director in domestic entertainment!

Now that Lin Yanran was so perfectly suited to their show, he was practically a secret code for guaranteed ratings.

Even if the audience didn’t leave comments, he would find every way possible to dig up Lin Yanran and invite him back for a few more episodes!

After the successful trick, Zhang Shanfeng smugly sent a message to his good friend Song Yingming to boast.

Zhang Shanfeng: Old Song, I’m borrowing Yanran for two days to boost my ratings.

Song Yingming, whose hair was growing increasingly sparse from the stress of wrapping up Super Idol, silently clicked the option to blacklist his friend after seeing the message.

But Zhang Shanfeng was like a parasite in Song Yingming’s stomach, immediately sending a warning.

Zhang Shanfeng: Don’t block me (dog head emoji)

Song Yingming: …

Tsk.

This cunning middle-aged man whose hair was even sparser than his own!!!

“Director Song, please take a look and see if anything needs to be changed.”

Xiao Li from the program planning team handed a copy of tomorrow’s recording schedule to Song Yingming.

Song Yingming scanned the schedule. Picturing Zhang Shanfeng’s smug tone in his mind, a flash of inspiration suddenly struck him.

He pointed to one of the segments. “Change the content of this mentors interaction segment.”

He then told the other person his idea.

Super Idol had entered its final phase, and the competition for votes and debut spots was heating up.

During this final period, the production team had placed almost all the focus on the trainees, so the mentors had relatively few recording sessions and less screen time.

Mentors like Lin Yanran, who became popular by taking an unconventional route in the previous episodes, were a rare occurrence.

After all, in this kind of audition variety show, mentors only serve to enhance the program; the biggest draw is the trainees themselves.

So, in the last two episodes, the production team focused their cameras on the remaining 28 trainees, giving them individual screen time and giving the trainees’ fans time to vote and fight for the final debut opportunity.

The final elimination performance stage would no longer be conducted in the form of mentor group PKs. Instead, the production team would check the trainees’ final results from their intensive training during this period.

Therefore, the third public performance stage would be completed entirely by the trainees themselves, with mentors no longer intervening to help.

However, although the mentors had little to do with the final performance, there would be a collaborative stage between the trainees and the mentors as an opening act on the night of the debut.

With the finals approaching, the production team gathered all the mentors today to finalize the grouping for this mentor collaborative stage.

Lin Yanran arrived quite early but didn’t immediately go to record the show. Instead, he went to see Ultraman first.

He wanted to take Ultraman home after he moved.

However, the staff told him that a local resident had contacted them, saying their missing dog looked very much like Ultraman, and they needed to wait for the owner to return from their trip to personally confirm if it was the same dog. So, he was asked to wait two days.

When Lin Yanran was about twenty meters away from Ultraman’s little house, Ultraman happily ran out to greet him.

The dog’s expression was exceptionally lively and happy.

“I brought you a new toy.”

With that, Lin Yanran circled the chew toy he brought for Ultraman over its head.

Ultraman seemed to particularly love the bone-shaped toy, its little head swaying and turning, following Lin Yanran’s hand for several circles.

“Woof, woof, awoo.”

The excited Ultraman stretched out its little paws, eager to grab and play with it immediately, but the mischievous Lin Yanran wouldn’t give it to him.

“Go fetch it for me.”

Seeing how frantic Ultraman was, Lin Yanran teased it for a while before finally tossing the toy away.

Ultraman’s eyes tracked the toy, and the moment Lin Yanran threw it, it bolted out like an arrow.

A few seconds later, it retrieved the toy, placed it at Lin Yanran’s feet, and wagged its tail, seeking praise and showing off to Lin Yanran.

“You little clever thing.”

Lin Yanran reached out and stroked Ultraman’s head as a reward.

Ultraman particularly enjoyed Lin Yanran stroking it, closing its eyes in pure enjoyment and rubbing its head against Lin Yanran’s palm.

Lin Yanran played with Ultraman for a little longer, but then his phone alarm went off.

“I have to go record the show.”

Seeing Lin Yanran about to leave, Ultraman’s big, black eyes instantly showed a pitiful expression.

It placed its small paw on Lin Yanran’s hand, preventing him from leaving.

“In a few days, after I finish recording the show, if no one claims you, I’ll take you home, okay?”

Lin Yanran turned his hand over and stroked Ultraman’s head again to comfort it. Only then did the dog reluctantly retract its paw.

After watching Lin Yanran leave, as usual, Ultraman returned to its little house to play with the new toy.

It had only played for a short while when someone stopped in front of its house.

Ultraman keenly stopped its movements, then looked out cautiously, quickly backing up a few steps into the deepest part of the house.

However, its movement was a beat too slow.

A hand reached into its little house and quickly and viciously slapped it across the face.

Ultraman yelped in pain, curling up into a ball and letting out a tragic whimper.

Outside its little house, a cold voice was heard.

“A dog is just a dog. Don’t pretend you won’t fawn over people.”

*

Lin Yanran washed his hands and went to the studio hall.

A staff member saw him and immediately walked up to him to brief him on the day’s schedule.

“Right, Teacher Yanran, today’s mentor interaction segment might require you to perform some talent.”

Lin Yanran was accustomed to the mentor interaction segment every time he came to record the show.

“Do I need to prepare the talent myself? Are there any specific requirements?”

“No specific requirements. The director has already prepared the activity in advance. You just follow along when the time comes.”

The staff member quickly explained to reassure Lin Yanran. “It shouldn’t be too difficult. Don’t worry.”

After the staff member explained everything, Lin Yanran went backstage to get his makeup done.

Soon, the production team called all the mentors and trainees to the recording hall.

Unlike the crowded scene during the first recording, when there were 60 trainees, the hall now felt incredibly spacious.

After more than three months of competition, only the final 28 people remained.

The trainees stepped into the studio again, each with a hint of emotion in their eyes.

And in the near future, these 28 people would also part ways, each welcoming a different life.

“Trainees, this will be your last collective recording activity before the final public performance.”

Standing at the edge of the stage, Song Yingming waited for everyone to be seated in their respective positions before turning on his microphone.

The trainees, already feeling a bit sentimental because people were missing, started to feel a surge of reluctance upon hearing Song Yingming mention that this was their last collective activity.

Although they had experienced many conflicts during the competition, and the practice had been exhausting, with the pressure of the competition leading to countless breakdowns—now that they had reached this final stage and realized it was truly the last time, the memories of those past experiences were bittersweet.

After his words stirred up feelings of reluctance and emotion in many trainees, Song Yingming looked down, scanned everyone, and then said seriously, “So, we must cherish this opportunity.”

Everyone listened, assuming that Song Yingming was about to launch into a sentimental speech.

Some trainees with well-developed tear ducts had their tears ready, just waiting for him to finish speaking to start flowing.

However, Song Yingming, who never plays by the rules, suddenly started grinning maliciously. “So, for the last collective activity, we’re going to do something different.”

Hearing Song Yingming’s words, everyone felt suspicious and immediately looked at him curiously.

“What’s different, Director Song?”

A few outgoing and mischievous trainees cupped their hands over their mouths like a megaphone and loudly asked Song Yingming.

Song Yingming directed their attention toward the mentors’ seats, guiding everyone to look at them, then said, “For all the previous episodes, it was the mentors watching the trainees perform and compete.”

“So today…” Song Yingming paused here, deliberately leaving a blank.

If the trainees still couldn’t guess what Song Yingming wanted to say after hearing this, they would be fools.

So, the next second, bursts of screams erupted from the trainees’ seats.

“Wow wow wow~~”

“Are you going to let us watch the teachers perform???”

“Nice job, Director Song!!”

“Teacher Tang, do a live performance!!”

“I want to see Teacher Yanran’s performance!!! Director, please arrange for him to go first!!”

“Director Song, you’re so handsome today!!”

Song Yingming heard the compliment about being handsome, smoothed his sparse hair, and confidently said, “Thank you, no need to praise me so loudly. I know I’m handsome.”

As expected, Song Yingming’s thick skin immediately caused everyone to burst into laughter.

After achieving the desired program effect, Song Yingming dropped the smile on his face and moved to the main topic of today’s recording. “Next, let’s have a mentor talent showdown.”

Before Song Yingming announced it, the mentors actually knew the general process but not the specific content.

Now that Song Yingming mentioned it, Lin Yanran couldn’t help but look up at him, wanting to know what kind of scheme he was cooking up this time.

As soon as Song Yingming finished speaking, ten items immediately popped up on the large screen behind him.

Medley of Catchy Hits

Ten Consecutive Cute Poses

Dance the Super Idol Theme Song

You draw, I guess

Cat Game

Live Creation

Act Cute and Spoil

Cross-dressing

…

Lin Yanran looked through these mini-games one by one and found that while some were less suitable, the overall difficulty was actually lower than he had expected.

After scanning the games, Lin Yanran was more interested in You Draw, I guess and prepared to choose it.

However, who knew that Song Yingming, the random box enthusiast, had once again brought up a lottery box.

Seeing the box, Lin Yanran knew this performance would involve drawing lots again.

Sure enough, Director Song was still Director Song.

Just as Lin Yanran sat up, ready to go draw a lot, Song Yingming hugged his lottery box tightly.

“Did you think I was going to draw lots this time??”

Song Yingming had an expression that seemed to have seen through everyone’s little schemes; his eyes narrowed into slits from smiling.

He shook his head. “Do you think you can guess my tricks so easily?”

Trainees: …

Mentors: …

Lin Yanran felt a sudden premonition of disaster upon hearing this and quickly looked up at Song Yingming again.

He saw the other man look toward the trainees and announce word by word, “What each mentor performs this time will be decided by the trainees’ votes! Each mentor performs two items, and failure to complete them results in punishment!”

After finishing the rules, Song Yingming quickly left a final word, “Pick whatever you want to see!” and swiftly slipped off the stage.

Song Yingming ran incredibly fast. At first, everyone hadn’t registered what was happening.

When they finally understood why, the trainees erupted in excited screams.

If he had stayed for one more second, Director Song, who came up with this awful idea, would probably have been killed by the mentors’ glares!

“So exciting!”

“Director Song, you’re the best!!”

“Director Song, you’ve changed! You’re no longer the Director Song full of predictable tricks.”

“You’ve become Director Song, who has even deeper tricks!!”

“I love it!!”

The trainees were clearly very satisfied with how the performances would be determined, screaming and clapping, and had already begun secretly discussing how to pair up the tasks for the mentors.

However, the happier the trainees were, the more anxious the mentors became.

Upon learning that the performance content would be voted on by the trainees, Lin Yanran, who hadn’t been nervous at all before, felt his scalp prickle for the first time.

This guilt and unease came from the “Ten Consecutive Cute Poses” and “Act Cute and Spoil” options on the screen.

Lin Yanran wasn’t the only one whose back turned cold; the expressions on the faces of Han Zhe and Pei Luo were equally strange after hearing the announcement.

For the first time, the three men exchanged a look of perfect understanding, each seeing an expression of worry and anxiety in the other’s eyes.

“Where is Director Song now?” Han Zhe couldn’t help but ask.

“He must be hiding,” Pei Luo replied, then rolled up his sleeves a bit.

Lin Yanran nodded with a smile and secretly clenched his fist.

The three of them had fierce looks, all wanting to beat up Song Yingming.

After giving the mentors some time for mental preparation, Song Yingming sneakily stood at the edge of the stage again.

Because Gu Siye, who was late, had just arrived at this time.

His schedule clashed today, so he was a bit late.

However, his timing was perfect.

As soon as he sat down, Song Yingming sidled up to him. “Teacher Gu, would you like to participate as well?”

Although Gu Siye was late, he could see the broadcast from backstage and naturally knew what was happening.

Hearing Song Yingming’s words, he didn’t speak, just lifted his eyelids to glance at Song Yingming, a faint smile playing on his lips.

Although Song Yingming had included Gu Siye’s performance in the design hoping to get lucky, it was obvious that this aloof guy wouldn’t agree. Seeing his expression, Song Yingming immediately switched to Plan B and brought up what he had planned all along. “Teacher Gu, if you don’t participate, just be a judge.”

Having said that, he immediately handed Gu Siye rating cards marked with levels A, B, C, D, and F.

Gu Siye took them, picked up the B, C, D, and F cards, and raised an eyebrow slightly. “You need these four? Who do you want me to offend?”

The trainees burst out laughing, seeing Gu Siye so mercilessly expose Song Yingming’s scheme.

Song Yingming, who feared nothing in the pursuit of viral moments and ratings, chuckled and spread his hands. “No choice. The program budget is tight. These are the only usable rating cards left. Teacher Gu, please make do.”

After everything was arranged, Lin Yanran and the other three mentors were called backstage.

The trainees remaining in the studio hall picked up their voting devices and began voting for the performance items for each mentor.

Lin Yanran closed his eyes on the sofa, silently recalling the options he had just seen.

He hoped the trainees wouldn’t be too excessive and would choose some normal performance content for him.