I Became an All-round Artist

The editor-in-chief of Dingsheng Publishing was feeling tormented, and this feeling would accompany him throughout June. He sincerely hoped it was just a false alarm. If his concerns became reality, the stress would only grow more intense.

Meanwhile, Lin Yuan’s life remained as usual. He was already working on the second volume of Zhuxian. Missing deadlines wasn't a good habit, and it would affect his income. At least in terms of earning money, Lin Yuan was diligent.

But money wasn't something one could chase forever. For example, recently, Tribe Literature reached out, asking if he could contribute another short story. Lin Yuan declined because he only had two short stories left, and he wanted to save them for later. He wasn’t worried they’d lose value over time. His reasoning was simple: "I don’t have any inspiration for short stories right now."

The Silver Blue magazine department had also approached him, and he gave them the same reason. His only dilemma was that both offers were pretty close in price, so he wasn't sure which platform would maximize his profits when the time came.

Both sides believed his excuse. After all, it was only natural to assume that even a genius couldn’t constantly have inspiration. Especially since every short story Chu Kuang released was a classic, and creating something that great takes time. Classics don't just pop up like cabbages.

That’s another reason Lin Yuan turned down both offers. There’s a limit to how much a genius should do. If he released dozens of classic songs all at once, people would no longer be amazed—they’d be frightened. So Lin Yuan wasn’t in any rush.

Yes, he desperately needed reputation points, but being anxious wouldn’t help.

Xia Fan, on the other hand, was still busy with her competition. The June schedule for Flourish was tight, and she had already taken several days off. While the university didn’t fully support students entering the entertainment industry this early, they didn’t outright block her either.

In mid-June, Lin Yuan and Jian Yi accompanied Xia Fan once again to the Flourish set. This was the second time since the auditions that the two had come to support her. Today’s competition was crucial—it would determine whether Xia Fan could break into the Top 100 nationwide.

Xia Fan was a bit nervous. In her last two attempts, she had fallen just short of reaching the Top 100, always losing by a hair. Lin Yuan and Jian Yi were there to cheer her on, hoping she could break through this time. After all, only by making it into the Top 100 would she get a chance to shine in front of audiences across Qin Province.

Just like during the auditions, the venue was buzzing with excitement.

The battle for the Top 100 was happening simultaneously in cities across the country. Although there were a hundred slots, only five people from Su City could make the final cut. With other cities needing their share of spots, Xia Fan faced stiff competition.

“I’m going to... the backstage... bathroom.”

As soon as Lin Yuan and Jian Yi arrived with Xia Fan, she hurried off. Last time, they didn’t catch on, but this time they knew better. She was heading to the bathroom!

It was one of Xia Fan’s quirks. Whenever she got nervous, she’d have to use the restroom. If she was very nervous, she’d need to go number two. If it was mild, she could manage with just a quick trip. And if she was only a little anxious, she might just sit there for a bit. Not that Xia Fan ever told them directly—being a girl, it would be too embarrassing. Lin Yuan and Jian Yi figured it out purely through observation and never dared mention it to her.

Otherwise, who knows what might happen.

She was probably just going for a quick one this time, right? Meaning her nerves were at a moderate level. A bit of nervousness was good for the competition. Even though Xia Fan’s turn came later, when she finally took the stage, Lin Yuan and Jian Yi could tell she was in good shape. At least she wasn’t standing there with her legs crossed like she needed the bathroom.

“Hope for me to be cold and indifferent, but hope for me…”

Xia Fan had chosen the song Easily Combustible for the Top 100 round. Lin Yuan had personally picked it for her. It suited her voice perfectly. With her bold, somewhat masculine personality—she even charged into a basketball brawl faster than Lin Yuan last time—this song let her perform freely.

She seemed at ease while singing.

When she finished, the crowd erupted in applause. After a brief discussion, the four judges awarded Xia Fan a spot in the Qin Province Top 100. The applause grew even louder.

“She’s on her way to becoming a star,” Jian Yi said with a hint of emotion.

As a student in the drama department, Jian Yi also aspired to enter the entertainment industry. Seeing Xia Fan succeed stirred something within him, though he knew that acting took longer to achieve fame than singing.

Lin Yuan nodded.

Now that Xia Fan was in the Top 100, the media in Su City would likely give her some coverage. Next time, she would probably appear on TV, bringing honor to the city.

“Lin Yuan.”

Jian Yi suddenly looked at Lin Yuan, his expression serious. “No matter how far Xia Fan goes, in the end, she’ll have to rely on herself. She can’t depend on you forever. Help her when she really needs it, but don’t overdo it.”

“I’ll do my best,” Lin Yuan replied calmly.

Jian Yi seemed to want to say more but held back. Deep down, he wanted Lin Yuan to keep helping Xia Fan, but he didn’t want Lin Yuan to delay his own career because of it. So he mumbled, “Actually, I…”

“I know.”

“You know what?”

“I just know.”

Lin Yuan smiled naturally.

Jian Yi rolled his eyes. “Honestly, I think neither you nor Xia Fan are really cut out for the entertainment industry. You’re thriving because you’re behind the scenes, but Xia Fan will eventually be in the spotlight, and that’s what worries me.”

“I know you’re concerned.”

“Aren’t you?”

Lin Yuan didn’t answer. By this time, Xia Fan had finished her interview with a few reporters, and Lin Yuan and Jian Yi joined her in celebrating. Jian Yi joked, “So, how does it feel to make the Top 100?”

“I need to use the restroom.”

Xia Fan dashed off again.

Lin Yuan and Jian Yi just exchanged looks.

For now, Xia Fan’s competition schedule had eased up, but she was practicing harder than ever. There were still rounds to eliminate contestants from 100 to 80, 80 to 50, and so on. While the pace had slowed, the pressure was only intensifying.

The music composition department was feeling the heat as well. With June drawing to a close, the deadline for submitting pieces for the year-end assessment was looming. This assessment was more important than ever, and everyone was giving it their all, leaving no room for relaxation.

Lin Yuan had already made up his mind to submit his work. The First Dream was recorded and ready. He didn’t need to polish it any further. According to his professor, as long as he submitted it before the end of the month, it would be reviewed by professionals in July.

Meanwhile, there was movement on the Silver Blue front. Yang Feng sent Lin Yuan a message saying that Zhuxian’s initial print run would be two million copies. That figure was several times higher than his first novel, filling Lin Yuan with excitement for the potential sales!

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