Volume One, Chapter 14: You Can Always Trust the Vision of Capital

Soon after, the handsome male and beautiful female hosts took the stage.

They introduced the leaders, listened to their speeches, went through various formalities—just as the students were about to fall asleep, the gala finally began.

Poetry recitations, short plays, skits, singing and dancing—an array of performances unfolded one after another.

It must be said, Jiangxia Film and Television University, as one of the top art schools, delivered impeccable shows, rivaling those of grand televised galas.

But truthfully, in this era of information overload, with computers, phones, endless short video platforms and livestreams saturating daily life, and big data targeting users so precisely, audiences are used to receiving a rush of dopamine from their entertainment.

Compared to all that, these student-rehearsed acts seemed bland and uninspiring, unable to stir the emotions of those sitting below the stage.

This dull atmosphere was shattered by a single performance.

The instant seven or eight girls, dressed in strikingly skimpy attire, stepped onto the stage, screams and cheers flooded the auditorium.

“Look, it’s the Train Girls!”

“It’s them—this is their first public appearance since debut, and there are students from our school in the group!”

The thumping music, seductive glances, and suggestive moves—chest thrusts, hip swings, swaying thighs—every gesture teased the audience’s hormones.

The crowd responded in kind: shrieks, whistles, cheers—all louder than anything heard before.

Li Jiang looked up at the stage with pride. “President Su, did you see that? This is the market.”

Su Ling rolled her eyes and ignored him.

Yang He’s face betrayed no emotion, only a polite smile.

Ning Anbang’s expression was grim; he never imagined that the previously excellent acts he admired would be so thoroughly eclipsed. Meanwhile, those performances he had dismissed as mere flirtations were wildly popular.

“President Li, this is our school’s graduation gala. Isn’t it inappropriate for your company’s members to perform here?”

“Principal Ning, some of your students are part of this group. We invested our own money so your students could shine on this stage,” Li Gang replied calmly.

Ning Anbang opened his mouth, unable to find any words.

Zhao Yiyi, having dissolved her partnership with Jiang Yu, had joined another act. Now, she danced energetically on stage, basking in the cheers of the crowd, her self-esteem soaring.

“Jiang Yu, do you see? This is something you’ll never experience in your life!”

At that moment, Jiang Yu was backstage, watching the show.

He watched and clicked his tongue in appreciation.

It was undeniable—the performance offered a feast for the senses.

These young girls, vibrant and alluring, really knew how to captivate! One could always trust the vision of a capitalist. Each smile and frown, combined with attire so revealing it seemed designed to be seen by the rich and hidden from the poor, exuded a beauty that was both alluring and coy.

The dance was marvelous! Pale, shapely, and full of youthful energy.

As the audience erupted with even more enthusiastic cheers, the performance finally came to an end.

Jiang Yu sighed, a mixture of satisfaction and reluctance.

Returning to the backstage van, he couldn’t help but marvel at the comfort afforded to celebrities. In Su Muyu’s van, the air conditioning hummed, chilled fruit awaited—it was far more pleasant than being outside.

“Where did you go?” Su Muyu asked as she saw Jiang Yu return.

“I went to watch the show. The students’ performances are so good, I had to support them.”

Su Muyu picked up the program list and glanced at it.

“Was it the girl group dance?”

“Yeah!” Jiang Yu nodded.

“Was it good?”

“Mmm, very round... no, very good!” Jiang Yu replied, munching on cold fruit while recalling the girls’ sultry moves and their long, pale legs, oblivious to the chill in Su Muyu’s tone.

But after answering, Jiang Yu sensed something was off.

He turned his head.

Su Muyu was staring at him, expressionless, her gaze unwavering.

It felt as if the air conditioning had dropped a few more degrees. Jiang Yu instinctively reached for the hot tea and took a sip.

“Uh... what I mean is, as expected from a debuting girl group—they looked so professional.”

“Is that so?”

...

Jiang Yu stood outside the van, one hand holding a cup of tea, the other a box of fruit, chuckling wryly to himself.

He glanced back at the few backstage staffers and forced a smile. “Well, Su Muyu needs to change. It’s not appropriate for me to stay inside.”

The actors echoed his sentiment. “Ah, yes, yes.”

Finally, the gala drew near its end.

The running order reached Jiang Yu.

He appeared in a crisp white shirt and black casual trousers—a true campus heartthrob.

He strode toward the piano, adjusted the seat, and sat down, revealing his long, elegant fingers.

Compared to the other acts, his stage setup was the simplest, yet the most captivating.

If the previous girl group had the boys screaming, now it was Jiang Yu’s turn to make the girls shriek.

What girl doesn’t like a clean-cut, sunny, handsome young man?

As soon as Jiang Yu took the stage, the girls erupted in screams.

So handsome!

Tall, bright, and strikingly good-looking.

The three members of Dorm 250 immediately got excited when they saw him!

“Woohoo! Fourth, go for it!”

“Fourth, don’t embarrass 250!”

“Jiang Yu, charge!”

Their shouts startled nearby classmates, but as the name Jiang Yu spread, whispers began.

After all, his name had been quite popular at the school lately.

“That’s Jiang Yu? He’s performing solo?”

“I know the inside story—originally, he was supposed to do a duet, but his girlfriend left him for someone else, so now it’s just him.”

“The school kept him in the program, so he must be talented. Who’s his ex?”

“How do you not know? Zhao Yiyi—she’s one of the Train Girls. She signed with Stardust Entertainment. See that guy in the VIP section? That’s Li Gang, the head of Stardust. Her ex ran off with his son or nephew.”

“Wow, poor guy—so handsome, and still got dumped.”

“Well, what can you say? Honestly, being handsome only helps you find a rich lady; it doesn’t really help you make money.”

The murmurs below the stage did not faze Jiang Yu.

He sat there, smiled confidently into the microphone.

“Hello, everyone. My name is Jiang Yu. Next, I’ll perform an original song for you.”

“‘At the Entrance Where Flame Trees Bloom.’”