Michael Bolton glanced sideways at the main camera that hadn’t turned for a long time, feeling complicated. Originally, this was supposed to be his chance to be in the spotlight, but his girlfriend had suggested keeping a low profile, so he chose the second row.

“He’s just being petty with you, right? He saw you sitting in the second row, so he deliberately picked the first row?” Michael Bolton looked at the triumphant Brian Clark in the front row, pursed his lips, and turned to ask.

Emily Thompson’s eyes were blazing with anger. “I just don’t get it. How does he even dare?”

Chapter 6: Negative Emotions

“Do you know your ex-boyfriend’s partner? Could it be that his partner is really amazing, so he felt confident enough to choose the first row?”

“I know her, she’s from our school too. The two of them grew up together. I’ve never heard her sing, so I don’t know how good she is.”

“Well, we’ll find out soon enough.”

Sitting in the second row, Emily Thompson and Michael Bolton lowered their voices, chatting and analyzing. As each group of contestants took the stage, the number of remaining seats dwindled.

In the first row, aside from Brian Clark and Grace Carter, no one else had chosen a seat.

In the blink of an eye, it was time for the last group to appear. Contestant information appeared on the stage screen.

【No. 63】

【Sunshine Youth Group】

【Contestant’s Declaration: To shine on you and warm you like the sun.】

The contestants hadn’t even come out yet, but just the appearance of their info sent the female audience into a frenzy.

Eight boys in sharp suits waved as they took the stage. Although they were a group, each of the eight had a different style—some were wolfish, some puppy-like, some cool and handsome, some sunny and boyish... Their movements were perfectly synchronized, each one winking and blowing kisses, making the audience scream nonstop.

“Wow, babies, I love you all so much!”

“Hubbies, look over here!”

Before even joining the competition, they already had a fan base on Weibo. Their agency, the powerful “Haisen Records,” had invested heavily in their training and promotion, confident they’d make them stars on this show.

In this looks-driven era, with eight members, there’s always one that will catch your eye. Honestly, an eight-member group is a bit of a cheat—they’re bound to attract a huge female following, and women make up a significant portion of variety show viewers.

The only group that can rival the female audience is the middle-aged and elderly, who don’t go online and watch TV for entertainment.

“Man, this is a tough nut to crack.”

Brian Clark crossed his arms, eyeing the eight boys. He had a feeling they’d be a huge obstacle on the road to the championship.

He wasn’t the only one who felt this way. The other contestants, seeing their popularity, also felt a pang of anxiety.

Amidst thunderous applause, the eight boys lined up and walked toward the contestant seats. As they approached, the blond-haired captain at the front suddenly raised his fist high, and the group stopped.

“What are they doing? Why did they suddenly stop?”

Just as everyone was puzzled, the blond captain raised his index finger on that hand.

“One! Their goal is to be number one!”

“Wow, you guys are awesome! I believe you can do it!”

Amidst the enthusiastic applause, the eight boys sat down in the first row in an orderly fashion, becoming the second group tonight to rate themselves as the strongest.

“Damn, they really know how to steal the spotlight!”

“With that kind of entrance, I thought they’d already won the championship. They haven’t even sung yet, and they’re already putting on a show.”

Just their entrance alone drew a lot of discontent from the other contestants in the audience.

The camera cut from the contestant seats back to the main stage.

Under the spotlight, the host announced, “Alright, all contestants are in place. Next, the assessment officially begins. The first group to take the stage is... please look at the big screen!”

All the group names scrolled across the stage screen. After a ten-second countdown, the screen froze.

“Now, let’s welcome the first group, ‘Talented Man and Beautiful Woman,’ to the stage!”

With the host’s loud announcement, the first group to be assessed stood up from the audience and walked straight to the stage.

“Alright, good luck!”

Applause rang out from the audience.

Talented Man and Beautiful Woman?

Let me see if this group lives up to their name.

Brian Clark curiously glanced at the stage, took a few looks, then turned around to look behind him. Turns out, “Talented Man and Beautiful Woman” was the name of his ex-girlfriend and her new flame’s group.

Looks like this top student from the composition department sees himself as the “talented man,” and his ex-girlfriend is very confident in her looks.

Brian Clark’s assessment was—pah, never seen anyone so shameless!

...

The stage lights dimmed, and a sentimental piece of music began to play.

They gazed at each other lovingly and started singing a popular male-female duet love song.

After their performance, mentor Olivia Harris was the first to comment.

“Your vocal quality is good, your singing technique is very skilled, and your emotions are deeply invested. People in love can really relate to it. The two of you worked together very well. Not bad, I give you a second-class rating for this song!”

Mentor Ashley Sullivan also agreed, “I agree with mentor Olivia. I also give you a second-class rating!”

In the end, Talented Man and Beautiful Woman received a “second-class” rating and retained the right to sit in the second row.

“Sitting in the second row means staying in the second row. That was a pretty accurate estimate.”