Jing Yang's popularity skyrocketed after the first round ended. His video from the competition had a very high view count as well.
Therefore, some netizens began searching for his past and discovered that there was very little to be found. They could only learn that he had signed a contract with the previous agency for quite some time, but he had just recently made his debut and left soon after.
It could be said that when Jing Yang terminated the contract, he received no attention at all. However, because he had suddenly become a hot topic figure, netizens were starting to wonder why he left his previous agency.
Netizens were puzzled, he was obviously attractive and possessed not only a superb beautiful voice but also a strong singing talent, but why did his former agency wait so long to arrange his debut? And no good projects were made after that either.
Some netizens felt that some agencies are actually scamming people. They signed a contract but did not make any plans for the artist's development. If the artist had previously had an opportunity but lacked talent and luck, it's fine if the company does not favor them for the sake of profit, after all, entertainment agencies still prioritize profit first and not charity. This agency, on the other hand, had been suppressing a brilliant talent for so long to make his debut, which is confusing.
Although the most dispensable thing in the entertainment industry was handsome men and beautiful women, to such an artist who looks so exquisite and had such a unique temperament as Jing Yang, why are they still hesitant to properly promote him? Even though he was only used as a vase in an idol drama, he could still draw a significant number of 'face powder fans'.
Although netizens were unaware of Jing Yang's contract termination process with the previous agency, they've somehow guessed the reason. Regardless of who the artist was, they would want to develop successfully with the agency's assistance. No one would stay if they were kept in the dark by the agency and would seek out other opportunities for advancement.
The netizens were quite amazing; they could guess things in general with only a few clues available.
The second round's content was announced the day after the first round on the official website. The participants would sing in collaboration in the second round. Jing Yang, first place, and Ji Xiao, second place, will both sing the same song. Third, fourth, and fifth place would all perform a song together.
This round did not exist in the previous competitions. This was a new round that Gu Mang and the production team considered to make it clearer who sings better among the contestants, especially when they're singing the same song.
The contestants had a week to prepare after the production team divided the parts that everyone will sing and emailed them to them.
The phone rang just as Jing Yang was about to get up. He didn't want to answer the phone, so he put his hands over his ears and tried to sleep again, but the ringtone continued to ring and no one helped him hang it up, suggesting that Gu Mang had already awakened and was out of the room. Jing Yang could only grudgingly open his eyes, crawl to the bedside table, and pick up the phone on the bedside table to answer the call.
Jing Yang squinted his eyes and didn't see who was calling, so he answered "Hello."
"...Did you just wake up?" The other party said after hearing Jing Yang's voice.
"Who are you?" Jing Yang, who was very angry when he woke up, asked impatiently.
"It's me, Liu Hang."
"Liu Hang?" When Jing Yang heard the name, he became even more irritated. "What is it? Is there something wrong?"
"Are you free?" Liu Hang asked "Can I meet you? I'd like to talk to you about something."
"I don't have time, I won't be able to see you, and I have nothing to say to you." Jing Yang flatly declined.
"I..., I'd like to speak with you about something extremely important. I know you don't want to see me, but please, for the time being, set aside your grudges against me and allow me to tell you what I want to say, okay?" In a sincere tone, Liu Hang said.
"Just say what you're going to say right now. Please keep it simple and straightforward. I'm not in the mood for your nonsense. It is even more impossible to meet." Jing Yang said.
"...Okay, just give me some time and patiently listen to me." In his head, Liu Hang arranged the wording a little, attempting to avoid the words he knew Jingyang didn't want to hear.
"Ji Xiao had a heart attack last night and was taken to the hospital. He places a high value on this competition, thus he has been practicing nonstop for the past few days. He doesn't have a lot of time left, and he won't have much time left in the future. There is no longer any chance for him to achieve his dream and become successful. So, I'm here begging you, to help him, and to allow him to win this competition, okay?"
"Heart attack? Are you sure?" Jing Yang was well aware that Ji Xiao had undergone a heart transplant. Now that Liu Hang has claimed that he had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital, he doesn't need to think about it to know that this is not the truth.
"Yes, according to the doctor, he may not live for another two years. Let him accomplish whatever he wants, and let us do whatever we can to help him in fulfilling his dream." Liu Hang said somberly. "Just remember your past relationship and help him one last time. I'll make amends for him in the future. You can ask me anything, okay?"
"Do I have a so-called relationship with him? He knows it better than anyone else. Besides, I don't care if you do anything for me at all. It's impossible for me to 'release water' during the competition, and it's extremely impossible for me to help him to win the competition." Jing Yang's tone was firm, and there was no room for negotiation.
(T/N : deliberately going easy on someone)
"Couldn't you be a little kinder?" Liu Hang said, "Even if there was no relationship before, even if he and you are just an unfamiliar passerby, can you help him fulfill his last wish for the sake of his short life, and just treat it as a good deed?"
"I'm sorry, but I'm not that kind, therefore I won't be able to do the kind things you suggested." Jing Yang said coldly.
"you..., how will I be able to keep my promise to help him?" Liu Hang squeezed his lips together and asked.
"I don't want to do anything for him, stop talking nonsense, hanging up." Jing Yang said.
"Don't hang up!" Liu Hang shouted loudly, "I'm begging you, please help him, okay?"
"Who are you calling?" As soon as Gu Mang went into the room, he noticed Jing Yang holding his cell phone that was making a loud noise.
"Liu Hang." Jing Yang said.
Gu Mang's voice was also heard by Liu Hang on the phone. He recognized the voice, but couldn't put his finger on who it was. After some time of being astonished, he asked Jing Yang, "Whose voice is it?"
"My boyfriend." Jing Yang wanted to hang up the phone right away, but he was irritated after being awakened from his sleep and listening to nonsense for so long, so he purposefully angered him.
"Boy-..., when did you have a boyfriend?" Liu Hang was still unable to process it, but he subconsciously asked the question.
"You can't handle it?" Jing Yang hung up the phone, tossed it away, and turned back over on the pillow, ready to sleep again.
"Why did Liu Hang call you?" Gu Mang went to bed with him and lay next to him.
"Ji Xiao was claimed to have suffered a heart attack and was taken to the hospital. The doctor informed them that he would only live for two years and requested them to assist him in fulfilling his wish to the greatest extent feasible. So Liu Hang contacted me and begged me to help Ji Xiao in winning the competition." Jing Yang scoffed as he closed his eyes. "Is this doctor really doing his job?"
"I discovered that he had undergone heart replacement surgery before returning to China. Is he feigning illness in order to get Liu Hang to come and beg you?" Gu Mang said.
"That's right." Jing Yang said, "Ji Xiao is dead set on winning this time. I rejected Liu Hang. They'll try other approaches. You'll take care of it the next time. I don't want to be bothered with it."
"Of course I'll take care of it." Gu Mang patted Jing Yang's butt. "Since you're awake, get up and eat breakfast before going back to sleep."
Jing Yang stated, "I'm not hungry, and I'm not eating."
"Eat and then sleep." Gu Mang picked Jing Yang up.
"Ah..., I'm not eating, I'm not eating," Jing Yang said while lying on Gu Mang's shoulder.
Gu Mang brushed aside Jing Yang's protests, hugged him, and exited the room.
For a long time, Liu Hang held the phone and couldn't return to his senses. He even thought he was hallucinating just now. Maybe he hadn't made a phone call and the previous conversation was only hallucination.
As he opened the phone's screen, Liu Hang's fingers trembled slightly, and as he looked at the time on the call log, his hands trembled even more. He slammed the phone down, pulled his hair, and walked around the room.
Liu Hang could no longer control his anger. He wanted to hurry over to Jing Yang and reprimand him for not being able to wait for two years. How horny was he to have a boyfriend in such a short amount of time!
Liu Hang had entirely forgotten about Ji Xiao's heart attack at this point, and his thoughts kept replaying Jing Yang's words "boyfriend". He couldn't accept what was happening, and he couldn't let it go on like this.
Liu Hang suppressed his rage and put up with it for a long time, but eventually he couldn't take it any longer and hurried out the door, deciding to find Jing Yang and ask him directly in front of him.
Outside Chu Yang's original residence, Liu Hang kept hammering on the door. Because Jing Yang had not been home in a long time, no one would open the door.
Jing Yang directly blocked him when he called him again. He was adamant, and he changed his phone number to keep calling Jing Yang like crazy.
Jing Yang simply threw the phone away and requested a new phone and card from Gu Mang.
Ji Xiao learned Liu Hang had gone to beg Jing Yang, but Jing Yang refused to help him win the competition. He was irritated, thinking that since this road would not work, he would have to take a different route.
Ji Xiao's heart was already churning from Jing Yang's disagreement, but Liu Hang's unexpected restlessness infuriated him even more. Although he didn't know the exact cause of Liu Hang's sudden restlessness , he guessed it had something to do with Chu Yang.
Tomorrow comes the second round, and Ji Xiao has no choice but to endure his anger and plan his next course of action. This time, the songs arranged by the production team are what he is best at. He was confident in his ability to sing successfully this time. It didn't matter if he came in second place before, as long as the scores from the all rounds add up to the first.
So the third round was his biggest concern right now. He made every effort to discover the content of the final round, and that round was not as simple as pulling out a song that you claim you wrote yourself and performing it on stage.
So, he must take measures to ensure that he receives a high score in the third round.