Chapter 63: 《063》

Chapter 63

By the end of April, the temperature had risen significantly compared to the previous month. People no longer needed to wear heavy, cumbersome clothing when going out, and outdoor activities had increased.

Jiang Juyou glanced at the bright sun outside the car window, then looked down at her phone displaying a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius.

Despite the pleasant temperature, Jiang Juyou felt as if she were shivering in minus 25 degrees.

Previously, she had always worked behind the scenes, mostly involved in internal company projects, rarely interacting with people outside the company.

But today was different—

Jiang Juyou had been invited to attend the platform's annual gala, making her the first person from Random Entertainment to participate in such a large-scale event this year.

The car drove along the road towards the venue, with fans holding banners or fans lining both sides of the sidewalk.

Whenever a black van passed by, everyone would crane their necks to look, shouting out artists' names as if placing bets.

Inside the car, Jiang Juyou couldn't stop trembling, her hands and feet feeling weak.

Given Jiang Juyou's personality, she would never normally attend such an event. However, due to the platform's large scale and the company's lack of available artists—some were filming, others were in training—she, as an employee, had no choice but to attend on behalf of the company to maintain their presence.

On the way there, she quietly comforted herself, "It's okay, just get a feel for it first. If I can't handle it, I can still negotiate the terms."

Jiang Juyou, who was about to graduate, had reached the stage of negotiating contract terms with the system. While joining the company was certain, she could propose any conditions within reasonable limits.

She hadn't decided exactly what to propose yet. The system had told her to first experience what the entertainment industry was like, and the next second, her assistant informed her that they had received an invitation from the platform for her to attend the gala.

So Jiang Juyou found herself thrust into this situation unprepared.

Due to the sudden invitation, there wasn't time to prepare an outfit. Chen Xi helped by contacting a styling team.

That morning, while getting styled at the hotel, she heard the comings and goings of artists and staff outside, and her inner anxiety and regret began to grow. Now, as they approached the venue, her desire to escape the car intensified.

She feared not knowing anyone there and being unable to make conversation if someone approached her. So before coming, she had done extensive research, quickly reviewing last year's hit dramas, currently popular shows, upcoming blockbusters, and even catching up on gossip she had missed.

For instance, "21 Heartbeats of Youth" had reignited the idol selection show trend, with several platforms launching such programs during the winter holiday season.

Previously, these shows followed foreign formats, but now they were copying "21 Heartbeats of Youth," adopting a no-elimination system, selling merchandise, and creating rankings.

This had led to conflicts between the "train conductor sisters" (fans of the original show) and these new programs.

She specifically reviewed this gossip because one of these shows offered the reward of an opening performance at this very gala. The group that received the most on-site votes in the second public performance would become the opening act.

As soon as the platform announced Jiang Juyou's attendance at the gala, the show's production team released this preview, clearly trying to ride on Jiang Juyou's popularity.

This incident led to another round of criticism from the "train conductor sisters" towards the show, with those who liked Jiang Juyou being particularly sarcastic.

Little did they know that this was exactly the effect the production team wanted. The more criticism, the more excited they became, as it meant higher popularity and better data for the show.

This was also why these shows were desperately trying to associate themselves with "21 Heartbeats of Youth."

Due to the high level of friction, bystanders were waiting to see the drama unfold, and there would be many entertainment reporters at the event. She feared being asked related questions.

Jiang Juyou had been anxious all the way, worried about making mistakes or becoming a laughingstock at the event.

On the live streaming interface, fans were on standby, while casual viewers scrolled through Weibo, waiting for marketing accounts to push news to their feeds.

Artists' topics were climbing the trending list one by one, with marketing accounts posting various comparisons and put-downs on Weibo. Today, the most frequently appearing word on the internet was probably "uniquely beautiful."

Jiang Juyou hadn't made it to the trending list, but she appeared in discussions on various platforms and forums.

"Title: Gossip Theory Discussion / In an unnoticed corner, the hangover cure quietly outshone some people."

"Her suit looks good, it's from an independent designer brand. I thought the hangover cure would be nervous attending this kind of event for the first time, but she seems quite calm and has a strong presence."

Yang RPing is also a well-known figure in the industry, even considered the previous Jiang Juyou. He's half-Korean and half-Chinese, grew up abroad, and has experience with foreign entertainment industries.

His rise to fame was similar to Jiang Juyou's—he appeared as a company representative at a talent show finale and trended due to his looks rivaling those of the trainees.

Yang RPing even has a fan base similar to Jiang Juyou's.

Jiang Juyou's fans seeing the trending topics:

"Speechless, the organizers did this on purpose, right? Can that nasty man stay away from women?"

"Where's he putting his hand?"

"[eye roll]"

"So many trending topics in such high positions, and you're telling me that stingy Random Entertainment would pay for this?"

"Feels like the platform is messing with Random Entertainment..."

"No wonder the hangover cure looked so grumpy."

Backstage, Jiang Juyou didn't dwell on this matter for too long. Her family had significant influence, so it would be far too easy for them to target her if they wanted. There was no need for a direct confrontation.

Rather than wasting emotions on such matters, Jiang Juyou preferred to pick up her phone and handle affairs related to the trainees.

Tomorrow would be the first monthly evaluation for the trainees since they went abroad for further training. After receiving her award on stage shortly, Jiang Juyou would need to quickly depart for the airport to catch her flight.

Jiang Juyou was messaging the new group in Korea:

"Jiang Juyou: Have you all bought your plane tickets?"

"Guan Xiaoxiao: Yes, but the flight takes off after 11 pm."

"Jiang Juyou: That's fine, as long as you can make it in time."

"Guan Xiaoxiao: No problem then. The accommodation and itinerary in the US have all been arranged."

"Jiang Juyou: Good."

After sending the messages, Jiang Juyou looked up and told her assistant, "Once you've dropped me off at the airport, you can go home and rest. The staff over there will send you my return schedule, just come to pick me up at the airport then."

"Alright!" The young woman's tone was noticeably excited.

Jiang Juyou, putting away her phone, smiled and said, "Happy about the week-long vacation?"

"Hehe..."

Meanwhile, the trainees who had just been informed were now doubting their ears, asking for confirmation.

"We're going to Coachella?"

Guan Xiaoxiao quickly raised her hand to explain, "It's for learning, not for fun!"

But they barely heard the point, their minds filled with thoughts of going to America. The anxiety they had been feeling about the upcoming monthly evaluation dissipated.

Pei Luming shouted excitedly, "Ahhh! Coachella!"

Overexcited, Pei Luming threw away his towel and ran a lap around the practice room, "Ahhhhh!"

Yao Shuo, however, asked, "Is everyone going or just the first-place winner?"

Pei Luming: "...?"

Pei Luming: Celebrated too soon :)