Big Shot Ch.6

Chapter 6: Initial Stage Evaluation (6)

Shen Xiu stood holding the microphone, hesitating, looking at the mentors.

He wasn’t the same Shen Xiu anymore. The old Shen Xiu used to feel confused because he couldn’t figure out what the trainees were thinking. But now, it was worse—he couldn’t make sense of what the mentors were thinking either.

If he wasn’t worried that he might accidentally say something wrong and embarrass himself in front of tens of thousands of people, he would’ve definitely asked, ‘Are you serious, teachers? Did you forget about how my first song made everyone go silent?’

Getting into Class A through the retest was a big deal, especially since he had only sung half a song during the retest. Shen Xiu felt guilty.

At this point, Shen Xiu stubbornly believed that the reason the entire audience went silent during his first performance was because he sang poorly—it was his fault.

He Ting glanced at Shen Xiu, who hadn’t spoken a word even after the results came out. He thought to himself that this trainee’s personality really matched his appearance—he was truly calm.

After all the trainees went through their initial evaluations, even the calm and collected number one trainee, Shang Yu, couldn’t hide his joy when the mentors announced he made it into Class A.

Then there was Shen Xiu, who only showed emotion when singing, but otherwise, wore the same expression all the time. It was as if he had already predicted the result and it was all under his control. It was arrogance, pure arrogance—he didn’t even seem to care about the initial evaluation.

He Ting quickly thought of Shen Xiu’s singing skills and raised an eyebrow, realizing that anyone with that kind of talent would probably remain just as calm. After all, the result was never in doubt. He understood now why Shen Xiu was so confidently arrogant.

“Trainee No.66, Shen Xiu, do you have anything you’d like to say?”

Like perhaps he had already expected this result, or something about the other trainees?

[With how cool, arrogant, and rebellious trainee #66 is, he’s definitely going to say something like, “This trivial evaluation? I’ve never cared about it,” right? Oh, imagining that on the audition stage would definitely make things heated. Haha, I love it!]

[If he actually says something, then he’s not as cool. Being silent and saying little is the signature of a big shot. For a two-dollar ice cream, Shen Xiu definitely wouldn’t say much!]

As the audience eagerly awaited, Shen Xiu picked up the microphone and barely managed to squeeze out two words: “…Thank you.”

The results of the initial evaluation weren’t even close to what Shen Xiu had expected—they were completely off the mark.

Other than thanking the mentors for their leniency and the audience for their mercy, Shen Xiu couldn’t think of anything else to say.

After finishing, Shen Xiu followed the procedure, turned around, and walked offstage, heading toward his designated spot, number 66.

On a stage that felt like public execution, he didn’t want to stay a second longer for fear of embarrassing himself and becoming the subject of ridicule.

To everyone else, Trainee No.66 Shen Xiu was cool and composed, saying a simple “thank you” and walking off without a second glance. He exuded confidence and elegance, calm and decisive, with no hesitation.

He was rebellious, but surprisingly, he didn’t provoke or challenge the other trainees as everyone had expected. He simply expressed his gratitude and left the stage quietly.

The audience couldn’t help but respect him.

[See? I told you, a true big shot doesn’t talk much. If they did, that cool and aloof attitude would be ruined. Shen Xiu has the cold expression, the cool and rebellious personality, and the arrogance, but most importantly, his personal ability is off the charts. He’s the perfect example of a big shot!]

[Cough, cough. Isn’t it true that the real big shot always ends up returning to the “simple is best” approach?]

Naturally, some admired Shen Xiu, while others disliked him.

[Speechless. What’s so great about acting all cool? He just sang one song in the initial evaluation. What’s the big deal? I don’t get why you all like him. This group of trash, none of them can fight. ]

[LOL, you’re acting so cool too! If you’ve got the guts, sing one yourself. Come on, come on, sing and let’s see what you got. If you can beat Shen Xiu, we’ll apologize to you.]

The comments were buzzing, and Shen Xiu walked back to the trainee area.

The other trainees in the area were equally shocked by Shen Xiu’s composed performance.

“He’s so calm. He must have predicted this result already. Whether before or after the performance, he was completely unbothered. Not a single change in his expression.”

“He didn’t even get excited about making it into Class A. When will I ever have that kind of confidence and results?”

Xiang Yueting, who had already been deeply impressed by Shen Xiu’s singing after hearing him practice in the bathroom, said, “It’s impossible to be that calm unless you’re truly strong. Shen Xiu is so good that he probably predicted his score even before the initial evaluation started.”

Xiang Yueting then asked, “If you already know the result in advance, and you’re in a competition where the outcome is already certain, would you even be excited when the results are announced?”

The other trainees had an epiphany.

“That’s actually true.”

“I get it now. No wonder he was so calm from start to finish.”

Number 67, Lu Qian, stood up and walked to the stage. As he passed by Shen Xiu, Shen Xiu heard Lu Qian’s voice.

“I will work hard to catch up to you, and eventually surpass you!”

Lu Qian’s expression was so determined, he almost looked like he was about to fist-pump himself in encouragement.

Shen Xiu: ?

Catch up to him? Someone who couldn’t even dance, and only knew how to sing two and a half songs?

Better not, he didn’t want to mislead anyone.

As for surpassing him… that idea was great. Definitely keep that up!

“Hello to the four mentors and all the audience! I’m Trainee No.67, Lu Qian. Please take care of me!”

As Shen Xiu sat back down, he heard Lu Qian’s enthusiastic voice from the stage.

Shen Xiu couldn’t help but show an envious expression.

No matter how many times he saw it, Shen Xiu envied Lu Qian’s ability to smile and handle any situation with ease. His social skills were strong—he could face anyone, no matter the circumstances, with a confident smile.

Unlike Shen Xiu, who had grown up with a difficult family situation, and who carried an underlying sense of insecurity that he could never shake off. In crowds, he hated being the center of attention—it made his mouth dry and his whole body feel uncomfortable.

He rarely spoke up in groups, afraid of saying the wrong thing or offending someone. He preferred silence and being ignored.

Shen Xiu knew this wasn’t a good thing—it made him less likable at work, and he had lost many part-time opportunities because of it. Most of the jobs he managed to get were ones like being a masked waiter or a silent delivery worker, just moving packages around.

Now, standing on a stage where millions of viewers would judge him, Shen Xiu had been trying to relax.

So far, his efforts had yielded little success.

Shen Xiu: Exhausted.jpg

Meanwhile, Lu Qian, who had drawn the song category, struggled since it wasn’t his strength. His performance didn’t go well, and he ended up in Class E.

When he came offstage, unlike Trainee No.18, Zhou Tong, who had cried onstage, Lu Qian didn’t break down in tears, but it wasn’t much better.

Thinking about the words he’d said to Shen Xiu before the performance, Lu Qian felt embarrassed and defeated. He sat down, head lowered, biting his lip and saying nothing. Once a lively little sapling soaking up the sun, now he was wilted and silent.

Lu Qian was sitting right next to Shen Xiu, making it hard not to notice him. But since Shen Xiu wasn’t good at comforting people, he struggled with what to do. After thinking it over in his mind for a while, he gathered the courage to pull out a neatly folded clean handkerchief from his pocket and offer it to him, managing to choke out the words, “You still have a chance.”

Lu Qian was stunned when he saw the light blue handkerchief in front of him. He turned his head, looking up at Shen Xiu in disbelief. “Is this… for me?”

Shen Xiu nodded slightly, though inside, he was nervous. Did he think this was strange?

Lu Qian took the handkerchief and said, “Thank you!”

He had expected Shen Xiu to look down on him after his disastrous performance, especially after his bold words. But instead, Shen Xiu had made the effort to comfort him. He couldn’t believe it. Shen Xiu was such a good person!

Lu Qian gripped the handkerchief tightly, his eyes lighting up with renewed hope.

This was just the beginning—he still had a chance!

Meanwhile, Lu Qian’s performance on stage had been off-key, and the mentors’ harsh words had him on the verge of tears, giving the audience a strong impression of his near breakdown.

Some viewers were curious to see if Lu Qian would follow in the footsteps of Trainee No.18, Zhou Tong, and cry on his way offstage.

But instead, they were surprised to see the usually cold and aloof Shen Xiu—Trainee No.66—take the initiative to comfort someone.

[LOL, the cool guy hiding a handkerchief folded like a tofu block in his pocket? The contrast is too funny!]

[What is this? Cold on the outside, warm on the inside? Is this the tenderness of a true strong person? I will always love this!]

[Shen Xiu: Here’s the thing, don’t let my cool, aloof vibe fool you—I may be cool from head to toe, but my pocket’s not, because I’ve got a handkerchief in there.]

[Shen Xiu: My pocket may not be cool, but don’t mess with a cool boy like Lao Tzu!]

[LMAOOO “my uncool pocket” got me crying 😂]

—

On stage.

Xiang Yueting looked at the slip in his hand, and his eyes lit up—he’d drawn dance!

In that moment, he had only one thought: Lady Luck was finally smiling at him. She gave him the perfect draw. And now, he couldn’t let Shen Xiu’s encouragement—and the precious time Shen Xiu gave up during practice to comfort him—go to waste.

Shen Xiu was amazing, making it straight into Class A. He couldn’t fall too far behind—at the very least, he had to get a C!

Mentor He Ting announced, “Trainee No.69, Xiang Yueting, please begin your performance!”

As the host’s voice fell, all the lights in the venue focused on him. The intense beat dropped—and with his heart pounding with energy, Xiang Yueting launched into his dance.

It was as if he had a precision-timed machine inside him. Every move landed exactly on beat, every motion flowed with the rhythm. As the music grew more intense, so did his dancing—it felt like his body wasn’t even his anymore, but part of the music itself, charged up and high on rhythm. Not a single misstep, not a second of hesitation.

His passionate, high-energy performance ignited the stage. Alone, he danced with the power of a full group, lights flashing and spinning around him. The atmosphere went absolutely wild.

When the music ended, his body instinctively struck the final pose. He hadn’t danced with this kind of fire and emotion in ages. The moment the beat dropped, he stopped being “Xiang Yueting”—he became the dance.

Who says getting older means you can’t dance? Who says you can’t compete in a show anymore?

He would prove them wrong.

Just like Shen Xiu told him:

‘Winning or losing isn’t the most important thing—it’s about how hard you try.’

‘You won’t know the outcome unless you actually try.’

‘If you can’t handle setbacks now, how are you going to deal with the tougher competition ahead?’

Every word, every phrase Shen Xiu had said—about hope, frustration, unwillingness to give up—all of it exploded in Xiang Yueting’s heart during the dance.

All the emotions he’d been holding back were set free on that stage.

And in that moment, he felt… reborn.

Of course, dancing that hard came with a price—when the music stopped, his head buzzed and his breathing was ragged.

But the very next second, the roar of applause and cheers from the audience hit him like a tidal wave.

Xiang Yueting stood tall, instinctively looking toward Shen Xiu.

He saw Shen Xiu watching him, just like everyone else in the room. That calm gaze settled something in him. Xiang Yueting’s lips curled into a relaxed smile.

Zhao Jinning couldn’t wait to grab the mic and shout, “That was fire! Absolute cool-boy energy!”

There was no suspense at all—Xiang Yueting was placed straight into Class A.

Shen Xiu in the audience: “!”

‘Holy crap. That was amazing. I really want him as a dance teacher… but… how do I even ask that?’

‘Would it be too awkward? What if he said no?’ Shen Xiu spiraled quietly in hesitation.

Xiang Yueting returned to his seat, surrounded by congratulatory voices. Instinctively, his eyes sought out Shen Xiu.

But Shen Xiu was just staring straight ahead, not reacting to any of the chatter around him, like none of it had anything to do with him.

Xiang Yueting’s buzz began to cool. He felt a little sheepish.

Right… this is just the initial evaluation. Getting into Class A isn’t the end. I shouldn’t be getting cocky so soon. I need to stay grounded… like Shen Xiu.

Once again, he found himself silently thankful to Shen Xiu—for pulling him back down to earth right when he was about to float away.

The competition rolled on.

When it was Trainee No.99 Song Chengwang’s turn to go up, he could’ve just walked straight ahead from his row to the stage. But instead, he made a detour—taking the long way right past Shen Xiu’s row.

Audience:

“Huh? Why’s Trainee No.99 going that way?”

“Wait a sec, is he walking by because he thinks the sixth row’s lucky? Like, two people from this row just got into Class A—maybe he’s here to absorb the good vibes?”

“Hold up, hold up—look at his eyes. Y’all see that? Song Chengwang’s been staring at Shen Xiu the whole time!”

“Bro’s not here for luck, he’s here for drama. That’s a full-on provocation right there!”

Sure enough, when Song Chengwang reached Shen Xiu, he suddenly stopped and turned his head toward him.

In his mind, it was a classic scene: Shen Xiu would sense his presence, lift his head, they’d lock eyes—and then he’d drop his dramatic one-liner.

But reality had other plans.

Shen Xiu didn’t even flinch. Kept his eyes forward like Song Chengwang didn’t exist.

Didn’t. Even. Blink.

Song Chengwang: “…”

‘Is he straight up ignoring me??’

‘Is this his way of saying my challenge isn’t even worth noticing??’

Staring at Shen Xiu’s cold, unreadable face, Song Chengwang clenched his jaw and spat out, “Shen Xiu, I accept your challenge!”

One second.

Two seconds.

Five seconds…

Crickets.

Not a single reaction.

From the side, Lu Qian quietly tugged on Shen Xiu’s sleeve. ‘Bro. Big bro. Please. Say something. Anything.’

Shen Xiu, who had been 100% zoned out and mentally off in another universe, blinked back to reality from his accidental power-nap-with-eyes-open. He looked up—only to find some guy standing way too close, glaring at him like he owed him money.

Shen Xiu: “…Huh?”

Did something happen? What did I miss?

Meanwhile, trainees who’d already finished their evaluations were all turned around watching the drama unfold, whispering like gossiping uncles.

Trainee A: “Ooh, tension’s thick. There’s definitely beef.”

Trainee B: “That’s Song Chengwang, the ‘king of the auditions.’ He’s good at everything—singing, dancing, all of it. This is about to get spicy.”

Trainee C: “Wait… how did Shen Xiu even make the top 100 again? I swear I don’t remember seeing him at all during auditions.”

Trainee A: “Because during the auditions, Shen Xiu was reciting poetry the whole time.”

Trainee C: “…6.”

That simple “6” perfectly captured how every trainee felt upon hearing that.

Although the auditions didn’t require singing or dancing—just something eye-catching enough to impress the judges and make it into the top 100—Shen Xiu’s approach was undeniably bold.

In the end, they could only sigh in admiration: a true big shot is a true big shot. Only someone strong enough could have the confidence to rely solely on poetry recitation to secure a spot in the top 100.

Sixth row, current location:

Song Chengwang still hadn’t moved. The spotlight of the entire room was now fixed on Shen Xiu.

Left with no choice, Shen Xiu finally opened his mouth and asked a bit guiltily, “Um… sorry, did you say something just now?”

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**TN

“6” — internet slang in Chinese meaning “awesome” or “smooth move”