Chapter 141: Don't antagonize the other contestants

His mind reeling, Xi Zirui calls forth for Ni Ni to explain the details of this world, as little as he actually wants to speak with her, he needs to understand just what he has gotten himself into.

"Answering Host: the original is a contestant in a popular idol survival show. This means that several contestants will showcase their abilities over a period of three months, while cohabiting in a secluded location, for the privilege of becoming one of 7 members of a boyband."

Xi Zirui listens to Ni Ni speak, while keeping an eye on Ji Limei's movements. She's going through each contestant and asking them to introduce themselves to the public watching at home.

Since this show is recorded in advance, Xi Zirui assumes only the most interesting introductions will be broadcast with everyone else getting a brief overview. There's no other way to do it, with the sheer number of contestants, which look to be between seventy and eighty. 

He tries to look surreptitiously at the people around him in the hope of finding Han Yu among the crowd, but the bright lights and the sea of fresh faces glowing with product make it hard for him to distinguish anyone.

"The original was a minor internet celebrity signed to an agency which employed 'influencers' to sell products via marketing livestreams. He has as much online fans as he has haters, and he was brought onto the show in the hopes of generating controversy and online engagement," Ni Ni says, at the same time as the holo screen above his wrist displays a series of selected weibo posts and gossip site articles about the original.

Xi Zirui wants to sink into his chair and disappear. 

This is all so...childish. 

He was a parent in the previous world. He worried about his children well-being, and enjoyed his free time in the company of the husband he loved, taking leisurely trips around Coiled Dragon clan territory and surrounding areas. His previous life was bucolic and carefree -- ideal in every way.

How is he supposed to care about a stupid talent survival show to find idols for a manufactured boyband?

"I'm sorry Host, I understand it's not ideal, but Host can't leave the competition, or it will trigger his death in this world due to too much deviation from the established role. The only way for Host to leave the competition safely, without ruining his chances of learning more about how to return to the heavenly realm in this world, is to be voted out," Ni Ni says, sounding apprehensive.

Xi Zirui is naturally suspicious of everything Ni Ni says, and his attitude towards her is frosty and distant, but he's inclined to believe her in this regard. No matter how much he changed things in the other worlds he never rejected the original's set "path". 

He fumes in silence. How is he going to make it through the damn show, when he doesn't know how to sing or dance?

"Acting ability is also tested, while the final prize for the winners will be to join the boyband, it's expected that an idol will be skilled in different performance arts."

Oh, because Xi Zirui was such a great actor in the first world?

Ji Limei continues to interview the other contestants until finally reaching Xi Zirui, who clings to his chair, stiff as a board.

The smile never leaves her pretty face as she says, "Here we have Xi Zirui, 23 years old, and a well-known internet personality." According to what Ni Ni told him, this is a bit of an exaggeration, but it's not like Ji Limei can introduce him as an online attention seeker. 

A cameraman points a heavy shoulder camera straight at Xi Zirui's face, who looks sideways away from the lenses.

"Can you tell us what inspired you to apply to NNI?" Ji Limei asks, thrusting the microphone in Xi Zirui's face.

"Uuuh, temporary brain malfunction," he blurts out, now looking into the camera as if he expects it to bite him.

This is a surreal experience, and not at all like being an actor. Being hounded like this by a camera, while dressed in the same way as dozens of other people feels like a bizarre social experiment.

Ji Limei looks confused for a moment, before letting out a tinkling, and completely fake laugh. "Then, does that mean you're having second thoughts?"

Xi Zirui nods. "Full blown regret," he says, hoping that if he is especially awkward, the public will see his introduction and vote him out quickly.

That's a convenient loophole. That way he won't be going against the original's "role" in the world, he will merely be letting it play out according to the public's wishes.

He'll find a way to meet Han Yu after leaving. He's probably a cameraman, or staff, or heavens forbid, a fan of this stupid show.

"Actually...," Ni Ni starts, but doesn't get to finish as a voice from the other end of the row Xi Zirui is seated on interrupts her.

"How presumptuous," an achingly familiar voice says, and Xi Zirui's heart climbs up to his throat.

Han Yu.

He's leaning forward in the row of seats, staring straight at Xi Zirui.

Not an ounce of recognition in his bright eyes.

Xi Zirui immediately deflates. He's getting tired of having to seduce Han Yu all over again in every world, just once, he would love for him to remember him right away too.

He looks young and handsome as always, but Xi Zirui wants to shake him by the shoulders and hear from his lips what happened to their children, ask him if they lived well after Xi Zirui died. He wants to know what kind of people they grew up into.

It's unfair, that he has multiple lives, and a family with Han Yu, and he's still looking at Xi Zirui as if he's a stranger.

He slumps his shoulders in utter defeat, but the cameras don't catch any of that, they're busy following Ji Limei as she rushes to Han Yu's side.

"Can you tell us why you think your fellow contestant's words are presumptuous?" she asks, her eyes shining with genuine glee. She does have an unfortunate penchant for gossip.

Han Yu flashes the cameras a rakish smile and runs his hand through his silky hair. "If he applied due to a 'temporary brain malfunction', and now feels 'full blown regret', does that mean that those of us who don't, are experiencing a permanent malfunction?" 

He tries to catch Xi Zirui's eye across the distance. "It sounds arrogant if you ask me. Like he's looking down on all of us."

That's because he is.

Xi Zirui can't see a more useless waste of someone's time than entering reality show to join a boyband. 

Just what is Han Yu doing here? 

While Xi Zirui's own original character is extremely skewed in each world, Han Yu is always Han Yu. A bit of an asshole, stubborn, impossibly horny, funny, kind, sweet, and while he can be somewhat of a loveable fool, he is never an idiot.

Joining an idol survival show seems like idiot behaviour.

Ji Limei and the cameramen rush towards Xi Zirui. 

"What do you have to say to your colleagues accusations?" she asks, her smile wide.

Xi Zirui lifts his neck, and finally meets Han Yu's challenging gaze. To the cameras he says only, "No comment."

---

After an exhausting round of introductions, where everyone tries to one up each other, and Xi Zirui finds out that Han Yu isn't the only familiar face here. They're also joined by Shen Yun, Jin Ranyu and Cao Fei who are also trying their luck at being one of the members of the nation's next top boyband.

Su Xueyi being the only notable absence. 

Xi Zirui is sure he'll meet him sooner or later.

After the introductions there is a segment of self-evaluation, where they have to sit themselves on a sort of tiered stage across from where they are now. The stage is pyramid shaped, with more room at the bottom than at the top. Each tier is labelled with a letter from A to D, and finally F at the bottom.

They have to sit themselves according to their personal evaluation of their own skills and talents.

Ji Limei turns to Xi Zirui first. Which makes him rethink his original plan of being awkward in order to be kicked out first.

With Han Yu's snarky quip, he has put himself in the unwanted position of being part of an unfolding storyline. Something the audience will surely want to watch more of.

He would much prefer to approach Han Yu randomly after both of them leave the show and ask him out on a date. 

How are they supposed to grow close while sharing a living space with seventy other people?

When Ji Limei asks him to think hard about his strengths and weaknesses and choose a seat for himself, Xi Zirui takes barely a second to make up his mind and cut a straight path towards the F-rank seats.

There's a chorus of confused whispers from the other contestants, which falls silent when Ji Limei asks Han Yu where he's going to seat.

Xi Zirui is surprised when Han Yu takes a seat next to him on the large empty bench of F-rank, grinning widely.