Shanghai Chaoyu Talent Agency, the trainees' dance studio.

"One two three four, two two three four… Watch your hips, put more power into it… Li Xiang, how many times have I told you? Keep your face under control when you dance. You think grimacing like that looks good? …Okay, let's keep going. One two three four, two two three four… Good, that's it. Everyone, take a lesson from Tang Yunshen."

Twenty minutes later.

"Okay, that's it for today. Tomorrow's Sunday, so you get the day off. Monday morning, eight o'clock sharp, be here on time."

"Thank you!"

More than twenty trainees bowed their thanks in unison, and the dance instructor left soon after. The moment the instructor was gone, the whole bunch of sweat-soaked guys in their early twenties collapsed onto the floor as one.

Some of them gulped down bottled water.

Some mopped up their sweat with tissues.

Some sat around in little clusters and griped.

Tang Yunshen took a drink of water. Li Xiang, next to him, struck up a conversation. "Did you train in dance before?"

"Yeah, I took classes."

"No wonder."

Tang Yunshen kept the conversation going. "Did they recruit you straight out of an arts school, or did a talent scout find you?"

"I'm from the Conservatory."

"The Conservatory?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Tang Yunshen: "Oh, I'm at the drama academy. My girlfriend's at the Conservatory."

Li Xiang laughed. "A week at school flies by, but since I got here, every day drags on like a year. I don't think I'll last long. I'll probably just quit."

"Isn't it only the beginning?"

Li Xiang glanced around, then leaned in close to Tang Yunshen and lowered his voice. "Take my advice and don't get your hopes up either. Out of everyone training with us, several are guaranteed spots. I heard, and this is only what I heard, okay, that this time next year the three big video platforms are each going to launch a talent show. They'll give out a set number of slots based on how much clout each agency has. Chaoyu isn't even second-tier among agencies,…