USF Chapter 1: The Wrong Room

Lin Ye was only seventeen when he caught the attention of a talent scout while grilling squid  on the side of the street. The man had bought fifty yuan worth of skewers and while Lin Ye was reaching for the chili powder, he placed a hand on his shoulder. Lin Ye, thinking he had encountered a lunatic who had escaped from a psychiatric ward, nearly threw an entire bottle of chili powder in his face.

The man dodged left and right, his pristine suit dusted with spice, yet he showed no trace of anger. Instead, he smiled and asked “Have you learned how to dance before?”

Lin Ye admitted that he had.

Back when his parents were still alive, his family wasn’t lacking in food or clothing. Under the high expectations of his elders, Lin Ye had learned everything, from piano, guitar, painting to dance, each for several years. It wasn’t until a few years ago, after his parents passed away in a car accident, that his lessons came to an end.

The talent scout lingered on the roadside, eating the 50 yuan worth of squid skewers until nightfall when Lin Ye closed up his stall. Only then did he approach again and ask, “You’re in need of money, aren’t you?”

Lin Ye lived with his elderly grandmother. Though they weren’t destitute, there wasn’t enough for him to continue his education. The man had taken a liking to his face and dance background, painting a grand vision of stardom, promising that becoming a trainee and debuting as an idol would lead to riches beyond imagination. Naive to the ways of the world, Lin Ye lacked the discernment to see through the facade, and followed the man, not fully understanding the situation.

Thus began two years of training.

Lin Ye received only minimum wage, carefully scrimping and budgeting to send money home to his grandmother. He was only allowed to return home on Chinese New Year. Gradually, he came to understand, rather than spending his time struggling in the industry, he would’ve been better off running a street stall, at least then, he could have dinner with his grandmother every night after closing up the stall.

His contract was going to expire by the end of the year. Three months before that time, his grandmother was hospitalized. When Lin Ye requested leave, the company, sensing his wavering loyalty, ignored the matter of his contract and instead presented him with a new one. “Sign this, and we’ll give you a three-month break right now.”

Lin Ye said nothing.

The manager added, “Your grandmother is in the hospital, isn’t she? If you need money, the company can lend you some.”

At those words, Lin Ye signed without a second thought.

When he arrived at the hospital, dragging his suitcase behind him, he greeted his grandmother cheerfully. “Next year, once I finish the show, I can come home to be with you.”

But who knew she couldn’t make it to the next year. She didn’t even make it through the winter.

After the funeral, Lin Ye draped dust covers over the furniture, picked up his suitcase, and returned to the company.

When New Year’s Day had passed, the company sent him and three others to a idol survival show on a remote island.

The dormitories were assigned by company affiliation. Lin Ye shared his room with fellow trainees from his agency and two others from a different company.

The program was a survival show, where out of a hundred contestants, only eleven would debut. Their fates rested in the hands of the fans. Talent and screen presence were equally vital. On the first day, his roommates and the neighboring trainees excitedly ran to the cafeteria, hoping to encounter the celebrity mentors. Lin Ye, however, laid on his top bunk and pulled the covers over his head.

He had no desire to advance, no ambition to debut. He only wanted to return home. He had promised his grandmother he would be there.

His longtime roommate, Xia Dongchan, packed him a meal from the cafeteria, but the five of them got dragged into a game of Mafia in another room. Unable to leave, he called Lin Ye instead, so he could come fetch his food himself.

Lin Ye scrolled on his phone for a while before getting up and heading out. Relying on his memory, he walked down the hallway and stopped in front of what he believed was the correct door. He knocked and stepped inside.

He was met with an unexpected scene. A man lounged on the sofa, propping his head up with one hand. Another knelt between his legs, arms draped over his shoulders, tilting his head as he leaned in, only to be halted mid-motion, chin caught between the seated man’s fingers.

Such displays were commonplace in the company dormitories.

Lin Ye, unperturbed, calmly apologized and turned to leave. Just as he was about to close the door, the man on the sofa pushed the kneeling one aside and lifted his gaze to Lin Ye. With a sharp tilt of his jaw and a cool sweep of his eyes, he remarked, “Someone like you isn’t worth my attention, the one at the door is barely worth considering”

The kneeling man turned at his words, his earlier allure stripped away, replaced by open hostility.

Lin Ye paused for a moment, an inexplicable discomfort surfacing within him. But he had no intention of stirring up trouble. He took a step back, preparing to leave, only to step onto someone’s foot behind him.

Turning around, he saw another young man leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching the scene unfold with an amused expression.

Lin Ye sidestepped the spectator and continued on his way. As he walked, his mind replayed the many striking faces he had seen since arriving on the island, before settling on the angular jaw and piercing gaze of the man on the sofa.

Just then, his phone rang.

He answered the call. Hearing Xia Dongchan’s impatient, “Are you coming or not?” he quickened his pace, brushing aside the strange encounter and the man in the room from his thoughts.