APCF – Chapter 67 Stingy

The members of Class F acted quickly, and in less than twenty minutes, everyone had gathered.

Qi Xingchen said, “You all know what tomorrow’s recording will involve, right?”

“Got it!”

Qi Xingchen continued, “Any thoughts?”

Wu Qian pondered for a moment and replied, “Maybe start mentally preparing ourselves for leaving early so the elimination doesn’t feel so sudden?”

“…” Qi Xingchen wanted to send him home right then and there.

“Tomorrow, after you’ve been divided into teams and finished practicing with your teammates, everyone will gather here in this practice room,” Qi Xingchen instructed. “We’ll study together and help each other out—it’ll be more efficient.”

“But…” Wu Qian said hesitantly, “This time, team divisions are decided by the top 12 trainees in the overall rankings, and they’ll choose their teammates themselves. It’ll be hard for us in Class F to end up in the same group. Plus, we don’t know what kind of leader we’ll get. If the team leader is especially diligent and makes us practice until late at night…”

“Then you’ll practice later than they do.”

Although it wasn’t pleasant to say, Qi Xingchen had to be blunt: “No matter which team you’re assigned to, you’ll likely be the ones slowing down the progress. When it comes time for the live performance, the audience will notice—very clearly. So, for the sake of your team and yourselves, those of us starting at a lower point have to work harder than those who are starting higher.”

“Starting tomorrow night, I’ll oversee your practice sessions the entire time. Whether you practice until 1 a.m. or 5 a.m., whenever the last person leaves, I’ll leave.”

“Alright, go home and get a good night’s sleep today,” Qi Xingchen took a deep breath and said sternly, “Are you ready to give it your all?”

“Ready!”

“Louder,” he repeated. “Are you ready to give it your all?!”

“Rea—dy!”

“Okay.” Qi Xingchen, somewhat satisfied, dismissed this poor group of kids.

Truthfully, the “all-out” mode was even harsher on Qi Xingchen himself. The trainees only needed to master one song, while he had to learn all six songs in order to guide the students when they didn’t understand something.

With only two days left, including today and tomorrow, he quickly sought out Lei Zi, the assistant director, to get copies of all the video and audio files for the six songs and rushed back to his hotel.

Fortunately, his intense training prior to joining My Era had left him with a solid foundation. His learning ability remained at its peak. He could learn an entire dance routine in about three hours, and he could sing the vocal parts as long as he had the sheet music. After seven hours, he had mastered two of the songs.

Covered in sweat, he glanced at the clock. It was already 10 p.m.

Why was it so late… and Bo Ye still hadn’t come by with his milk?

Could he have stayed in Class D?

But he was sure he’d heard the sound of a door opening across the hall earlier that afternoon.

Qi Xingchen stepped into the bathroom, washed off the sweat, and emerged feeling a little thirsty.

He was especially craving… milk.

The kind of milk Bo Ye would bring.

After hesitating for a while, Qi Xingchen decided to head over and ask about it. He tossed aside his towel and opened the door.

As luck would have it, the door across the hall also opened at the same moment—but it wasn’t the room’s owner who came out.

Wei Qin stopped in his tracks and said flatly, “You’re still up.”

Qi Xingchen replied with a hum, “I was… heading downstairs to discuss something with my manager. Can’t chat with you. I’ll be on my way.”

With that, he headed straight toward the elevator. Once inside, his tense shoulders relaxed.

… Why was Wei Qin coming out of Bo Ye’s room so late at night?

What had they been doing? Chatting? Having a midnight snack? Or… something more intimate?

No!

As soon as these thoughts surfaced, Qi Xingchen immediately pushed them down and scolded himself for being petty.

Wei Qin was also a fan of Bo Ye. If Qi Xingchen could visit Bo Ye’s room, why couldn’t Wei Qin?

Besides, judging by their interaction, they seemed like old acquaintances. It was perfectly normal for them to catch up. Why was he feeling so sour about it?

While chastising himself, Qi Xingchen got off the elevator, wandered aimlessly on the ground floor for a while, and then went back upstairs to his room.

That night, he didn’t end up receiving Bo Ye’s milk.

Perhaps because he didn’t have milk to help him sleep, it turned out to be one of the worst nights of rest he’d had in a while.

The next morning, after filming the segment where the trainees were divided into teams, Qi Xingchen scheduled lunch with the manager of the diamond mine to save time.

The manager, surnamed Wu, was in his forties, married with children, and highly unlikely to be mistaken by entertainment reporters. Thus, Qi Xingchen casually picked a Chinese restaurant next to the studio.

Manager Wu had returned to the country yesterday and taken a high-speed train to S City this morning. His dedication to his work had left him with only a few sparse strands of hair on his head. Out of humanitarian concern, Qi Xingchen ordered several dishes reputed to help with hair growth and asked, “How’s life in Africa treating you?”

“It was tough at first, but I’ve gradually gotten used to it. Thank you for your concern, Young Master Qi,” Manager Wu paused before continuing, “Let me report on the operating conditions for the second quarter.”

Since the Qi family had only taken over the diamond mine in the second quarter, Manager Wu’s report mainly compared extraction volumes and production capacity between the first and second quarters. The conclusion was that the mine had run more efficiently in the second quarter than the first, but it still hadn’t turned a profit.

That was because all the diamonds extracted—aside from the tiniest fragments—had been used to custom-make a handheld microphone for Young Master Qi.

Qi Xingchen: “…”

After completing his report, Manager Wu produced a box and presented it with both hands. “This contains the output from our mine for the first half of the year.”

Qi Xingchen could already imagine how gaudy and flashy the contents would be. He opened the box with a hint of disdain.

To his surprise, the microphone was actually stunning!

The microphone was crafted entirely from silver zinc alloy and embedded with precisely cut, uniformly sized, high-clarity diamonds. The diamonds were arranged in an irregular, flowing pattern that resembled a shimmering, clear stream, giving it a vibrant and dynamic beauty.

The mic’s diaphragm and wiring used the best materials available globally. Its internal components included an advanced smart circuit board, offering world-class sound capture and noise reduction.

The microphone’s power switch was fashioned from a star-shaped blue diamond. Without needing to ask, anyone could tell at a glance who this microphone belonged to.

Manager Wu couldn’t help but marvel. While others might not fully grasp the microphone’s value, he was well aware.

Putting aside everything else, that star-shaped blue diamond alone could easily fetch millions at auction.

Although Qi Xingchen didn’t know much about diamonds, he was delighted and repeatedly fiddled with the microphone. Seeing this, Manager Wu smiled and said, “The microphone’s casing was designed by my wife. I was worried you wouldn’t like it, but now I’m relieved.”

“Your wife?”

“Yes, she’s a jewelry designer. She’s designed many pieces of jewelry, but this was her first time sketching a design for a microphone. The main reason I went home was to accompany her to a party hosted by a French lady.”

At the mention of a “French lady,” Qi Xingchen blurted out, “Could it be Camille, the operations manager for Après?”

Manager Wu was briefly taken aback. “Yes, that’s her.”

Then they would soon have another chance to meet. Qi Xingchen had also received an invitation from Camille not long ago. However, wanting to tease Manager Wu a bit, he didn’t mention it.

After finishing lunch, Qi Xingchen and Manager Wu walked out together. As they turned the corner by the staircase, they unexpectedly ran into someone familiar.

Wei Qin was eating lunch at the same restaurant!

Last night at the doorway, Wei Qin had rushed off after saying a quick word, and upon reflection, Qi Xingchen thought it had been somewhat rude. Just as he was about to strike up a proper conversation, Manager Wu spoke first.

“Young Master Wei, what a coincidence to run into you here!”

“Yes, Uncle Wu,” Wei Qin replied with a reserved smile. “I heard from my father that you’ve returned to the country. I was planning to host a welcome dinner for you. When are you free?”

“I’m afraid I’ll be busy for the foreseeable future…”

Manager Wu wiped the sweat from his forehead. With his boss right there, how could he dare get too close to another company?

“Alright, I’ll have my assistant schedule another time,” Wei Qin said, glancing briefly at Qi Xingchen. “Since you’re busy, I won’t hold you up any longer.”

“Sure, sure. Goodbye!”

Manager Wu bid Wei Qin farewell. From start to finish, neither of them mentioned Qi Xingchen, who stood there like a human-shaped pillar, quietly listening with great interest.

After Wei Qin walked away, Qi Xingchen asked curiously, “Uncle Wu, you know each other?”

“…Why are you calling me ‘Uncle Wu’? Just call me Old Wu!”

Manager Wu quickly waved his hand and explained, “He’s the young master of Xiangyue Jewelry. My wife has designed a few pieces for their family. In recent years, Xiangyue has been actively seeking high-end diamond raw materials. When they heard that the Qi family acquired a diamond mine, Chairman Wei approached Chairman Qi for a collaboration but was declined. Later, through my wife, they tried to reach me, hoping I could say a few good words to Chairman Qi… I haven’t agreed to anything, I swear, Young Master Qi!”

Due to overexploitation of mineral resources, diamond prices had been steadily rising year after year. Securing high-quality raw diamonds had become increasingly difficult. Most diamond mines had long-term contracts with corporate clients, so when a new mine owner appeared, it was perfectly reasonable for Wei Qin’s father to seek a partnership with the Qi family.

Unfortunately, Chairman Qi had no intention of running a traditional business. Instead, he used the entire output of the diamond mine—dreamed of by countless young women—to create a custom handheld microphone for his son.

Qi Xingchen felt a bit sorry for his father’s money. After having Old Qin, the driver, take Manager Wu to the train station, he clutched his chest and walked back to the studio on foot.

Before the afternoon recording session started, he debated whether or not to use the custom microphone.

Then he thought about it—this was a gift from his elder brother. If his brother found out he had accepted the gift but wasn’t using it, he might misunderstand and think Qi Xingchen didn’t like it.

How sad would that make his brother?

Qi Xingchen sighed, clenched his teeth, and took out the custom microphone, heading off to discuss with the audio technician about switching to a personal mic.

The audio technician was adjusting the wiring under a bright incandescent light when a sudden glare hit his eyes, causing him to exclaim, “Who turned on a flashlight? Turn it off!”

Qi Xingchen quickly covered the microphone and apologized repeatedly.

The technician rubbed his eyes and realized it wasn’t a flashlight but rather the dazzling reflection of the shiny object in Qi Xingchen’s hands. Smacking his lips, he said, “No problem switching to a personal mic. Just connect it to Bluetooth yourself; the password is six eights… By the way, what’s on your mic? Why is it so sparkly?”

“…Uh, crystals. Artificial crystals,” Qi Xingchen fibbed.

Unfortunately, he could fool a rough-and-tumble technician, but women were another matter. When Chen Jiayi saw his microphone, her eyes widened in shock.

“Oh my god! Xingxing, what on earth is this? It’s way too extravagant!”

Qi Xingchen blinked in confusion. “Huh?”

“Tsk tsk tsk, just look at this clarity, and look at the cutting craftsmanship…” Chen Jiayi pointed at the three-carat diamonds on the microphone. “To think you’d actually use these on a mic! Each one of these is worth around 200,000 yuan on the market. Such a waste!”

Qi Xingchen let out a sigh of relief. Luckily, her attention was drawn to the large diamonds, and she didn’t notice the blue diamond or the smaller ones.

Otherwise, she’d scold him to death.

In the afternoon, they recorded a short interactive segment, followed by the trainees practicing their competition songs.

The trainees had been mixed up during group assignments, so the mentors no longer had to stick to specific classes. The five mentors inspected each practice room in turn before wandering into the activity room.

To their surprise, there was an automatic mahjong table in the activity room! It was probably prepared to showcase the trainees’ leisure activities for filming, complete with mahjong tiles, chips, and dice.

Chen Jiayi, being from Sichuan, was immediately drawn to the mahjong table as if her feet were nailed to the floor. Rubbing her hands together eagerly, she said, “We’ve got time to kill anyway—how about we play a few rounds?”

The trailing assistant cameraman, spotting a great filming opportunity, helped persuade Chen Jiayi to go for it.

With nothing better to do, the others had no choice but to agree.

As the founder of the show, Bo Ye had to periodically check on the trainees’ practice progress, so he couldn’t join the game. Thus, Zheng Yuyang, Qi Xingchen, Wei Qin, and Chen Jiayi took their seats, with the stakes set as letting the winner draw on the losers’ faces.

Qi Xingchen immediately chickened out. He had only played mahjong a few times at classmates’ gatherings and was completely inexperienced beyond that—he didn’t even know how to count a winning hand properly.

… He was doomed to be drawn into a ghost!

Qi Xingchen hesitated and said, “How about you take my place, Brother Ye? I’m worried the audience will have nightmares after seeing my face on the show—it might ruin the program’s image.”

“…” Bo Ye was amused by his nervous tone and couldn’t help laughing. “Don’t worry. Play your best. If you lose, I’ll take the punishment for you. If you win, it’s all yours.”

“Hey, could we play fair here?” Zheng Yuyang said in a mock-jealous tone. “You two might as well form a team—it’s like you’re ganging up on us.”

Admittedly, their arrangement wasn’t entirely fair, so Bo Ye suggested, “How about this: I’ll only take the punishment for him but won’t give any advice. Does that work?”

“That works, that works!” Chen Jiayi said eagerly. “Let’s go! Start playing!”

As it turned out, Little Brother Qi was indeed utterly terrible at playing mahjong.

In the first round, he set up Chen Jiayi for a winning hand, and Bo Ye ended up with three cat whiskers drawn on his left cheek.

In the second round, he set up Zheng Yuyang, and Bo Ye’s right cheek was instantly made symmetrical.

In the third round…

Bo Ye’s nose bridge was decorated with a pair of virtual glasses.

Watching Bo Ye’s face get increasingly ridiculous, Qi Xingchen felt heartache mixed with a bit of guilty pleasure.

Despite taking the punishments on his behalf, Bo Ye showed no complaints at all. Instead, he reassured Qi Xingchen to relax and enjoy the game.

Bo Ye was so kind to him.

But continuing to lose wasn’t an option, so Qi Xingchen decided to change his tactics. He stopped aiming for a winning hand and focused entirely on matching the player before him, avoiding risks and ensuring he didn’t lose.

Finally, in the fourth round, Wei Qin became the one to set up someone else for a win. Qi Xingchen grinned, turned to Bo Ye, and held out his fist for a celebratory bump.

However, Wei Qin’s voice interrupted from the side. “Brother Ye, I have a skin allergy. Could you take the punishment for me as well?”

Everyone turned to Bo Ye. He paused for a moment before saying, “…Alright, draw on my face.”

Qi Xingchen retracted his hand, the smile on his face gradually fading.