After Being Reborn, He Became An Ace In A Boy Band Chapter 13

The remaining few music show performances marked the end of the promotional period for this single. With the accumulation of stage experience, Li Xun’s performance improved with each show. The final performance even included a little bonus: the arrangement and choreography of the entire song were slightly modified, enhancing the rhythm and interaction with the fans. The dance break was also made more difficult, adding a backflip by Tang Ruining at the end of their duo dance. This move carried a certain risk, and he had only performed it a few times when they first debuted and needed a big impact. He hadn’t attempted it since. This time, Jiang Yilan was required to support him to help him complete the backflip. Rong Xiao was a little worried and suggested they skip it, but the two involved parties were very confident in each other and believed they could complete it smoothly.

The final performance was pre-recorded, removing the pressure of a live broadcast. The dance break was recorded separately, and the most successful take was edited directly into the main video. They had practiced it several times beforehand. Through numerous duo dance rehearsals, the two had already achieved a tacit understanding. With a brief explanation, Li Xun knew exactly what to do, providing stable support for Tang Ruining.

They recorded three takes, and Tang Ruining felt the middle one was the best. After completing the move, he saw the smile on Jiang Yilan’s face. He was panting, his heart pounding from the backflip he had just landed, each beat so clear it felt transmitted through his blood vessels to his eardrums.

In addition to the stage performance, behind-the-scenes footage, dance challenges, and other content were released. The sheer volume of information confirmed that Jiang Yilan’s significant improvement in skill was not fabricated. The voices of doubt weakened, but the fan wars did not subside. Instead, they became even more intense because his current status threatened the positions of other members in the group. Those who hated him hated him more, the large wave of newly attracted fans were highly energized, and the old fans, having long held grudges, engaged in another massive round of fighting.

Jiang Yilan’s fans had already started trending the hashtag [Jiang Yilan To5 Only ACE]. Since they were constantly being insulted anyway, they weren’t afraid of offending people, and they spammed the official account’s replies and comments. The Entertainment Agency and the members were aware of these skirmishes—a small one every three days, a big one every two months—and couldn’t say anything, only get used to it. Private messages and @ mentions were definitely kept closed normally, and Li Xun knew this, but since he was still a rookie who had just debuted, he was inevitably curious. One time, he searched Jiang Yilan’s name right when the fighting was heated, and he saw a large amount of unbearable insults. He quickly closed the Weibo app.

The CP super-topic remained harmonious and gained countless followers, but many people naturally objected to Jiang Yilan’s drastic change in attitude this time, thinking he was faking it.

[Before, even though JYL was useless, he at least knew not to rely on fan service to hype a CP. Now he has no bottom line, selling a CP with the person he has the worst relationship with in the group. What nerve.]

[Right, right. Before, you said he was isolating his teammates single-handedly. Now that he’s getting along with his teammates, you say he’s doing fan service. You get to say whatever you want, huh? I wonder who has the nerve.]

[Rational discussion: Does Tang Ruining have some kind of dirt on him? Why the sudden change?]

[?? Why do you insist on saying TRN is being forced? He’s clearly enjoying it, okay? Have you even watched the content, or are you just talking nonsense? Speechless!]

[CP hype works, obviously. Didn’t it attract a bunch of CP fans? Two or three fan sites have popped up. Selling fan service is work, understood?]

[He needs someone to cooperate if he wants to sell it. Didn’t you see that during the fan meeting, when Jiang Yilan was exhausted, Tang Ruining deliberately talked more to stall for time so he could recover?]

[You’re digging for non-existent crumbs again. I feel so pathetic watching this (crying-laughing emoji)]

[Is there a possibility that no one cares about JYL, and TRN just wanted to talk to the fans more? The wall peeling I do is sweeter than the crumbs you’re forcing. Seriously effing speechless.]

…

After all the recording was finished, the members gathered for a meal in a private room at their usual restaurant. The managers and assistants were also there. Everyone was happy because the comeback had received a good response, and they drank a few extra glasses of wine. Song Cheng, the manager who previously disliked Jiang Yilan, drank until his face was red. He sought out Jiang Yilan to toast him, saying he really had to thank him this time, and spoke emotionally about how difficult it was for the group to reach this point.

Jiang Yilan drank a few glasses with him. Song Cheng kept refilling his glass when Tang Ruining, who was sitting next to him, suddenly spoke up: “Don’t drink anymore.”

Truthfully, Li Xun didn’t know how well Jiang Yilan could hold his liquor, but he was already starting to feel his face warm up.

He leaned over and quietly asked Tang Ruining, “Am I bad at drinking?”

Tang Ruining was momentarily speechless by the face that suddenly moved close to his, but he didn’t pull away. He cleared his throat: “Yes.”

As expected.

Li Xun smiled. “Alright, then I won’t drink.”

He said this softly, with a smile, and Tang Ruining felt a strange, sinking feeling in his heart. It was very odd. Perhaps it was the alcohol, but his ears suddenly felt a little hot too.

Jiang Yilan had already returned to his seat, but the scent of alcohol that wafted over when he spoke close to him seemed to linger. It wasn’t unpleasant, accompanied by the faint fragrance Tang Ruining had become familiar with recently.

As if to compensate, Tang Ruining said after a moment, “If you get drunk, we’ll have to carry you back.”

Song Cheng heard this and laughed heartily. “Okay, okay, no more drinking! Hey, I really didn’t expect you two to get along so well now.”

Tang Ruining looked like he wanted to speak but stopped. He felt he should respond to that statement but couldn’t find the words. Jiang Yilan had already chimed in with Song Cheng: “Ruining is truly great. Not only is his professional ability strong, but as a teammate, he’s serious and reliable. All of us are taken care of by him.”

That sounds quite official, Tang Ruining thought inexplicably.

“Yes, your pairing this time, genius! Who would have thought before that you two could team up, and team up so well? I’m telling you, I’ve secretly watched the compilation videos of you two dancing that the fans edited several times.” Saying this, Song Cheng pulled out his phone and showed Jiang Yilan the video he had saved.

Tang Ruining couldn’t see the screen from his angle, and he didn’t lean over to look. But after watching for a while, Jiang Yilan took Song Cheng’s phone and moved closer, dragging the progress bar back to the beginning. He said to Tang Ruining, “Look, this fan edited it so well. Her BGM is perfectly timed.”

The two people on the screen repeated familiar movements over and over. The two people outside the screen leaned together. One watched very seriously, while the other was lost in thought, and didn’t remember the name of the familiar BGM even after the video finished playing.

Song Cheng drank a little more with others, his speech slurring slightly as he rambled about past events. Li Xun didn’t drink anymore but listened attentively. Song Cheng said, “When you guys first formed the group, Old Du and I were worried. We sat outside smoking late at night, you didn’t know that, did you? Sigh, one disobedient, two disobedient, both wanted to go against me! Each one was more difficult than the last!”

Li Xun quietly asked Tang Ruining, “Does he mean us two?”

Tang Ruining thought, who else could he mean, but said, “Not necessarily.”

Li Xun gave him a suspicious glance. Tang Ruining raised an eyebrow, looking quite innocent.

“Ruining, ah, Ruining is very good, very self-aware, completely, completely worry-free…” Song Cheng tapped his wine glass and said, “But! Yilan, you know, Ruining, *hiccup*, he just follows the path he believes is correct. He doesn’t listen to the company; he only listens to himself… You tell me, how scary is a person like that? Fortunately, fortunately, he’s a sensible kid, very clear-headed! Except for the fact that he used to be openly at odds with you, which worried me to death. Who can control him, you tell me…”

Tang Ruining crossed his arms, watching him like a performance.

“Yilan, you too, you’re even more unruly! So unruly, you had no one in your eyes, no one else, not even me! If it weren’t for the fact that you are Wei…”

Someone next to him quickly kicked him. “You’re drunk, say less.”

“Oh, right, Yilan, did you forget?” Song Cheng grabbed his hand, his flushed face smiling foolishly. “It’s good that you forgot, it’s good, hahahaha…”

Li Xun, whose hand was being held, turned back to Tang Ruining and gave a wry smile. “You were right, I really shouldn’t drink too much.”

When the gathering broke up, Song Cheng was still clinging to Li Xun. Tang Ruining pulled him away and whispered a few words in Song Cheng’s ear. Song Cheng’s silly smile instantly changed, and he obediently allowed others to help him away.

Li Xun asked him, “What did you say to Manager Song?”

“I said your wife warned you not to drink too much last time, and asked if you forgot that she’s waiting for you at home,” Tang Ruining said quietly, smiling. “He’s afraid of his wife.”

Neither of them had drunk much, but Yuan Zhiyan was a little tipsy. In the car ride back, he clung to Jiang Yilan, asking if he could sleep with him tonight.

Li Xun didn’t object and said, “Sure.” Tang Ruining interjected, “How old are you?”

Yuan Zhiyan giggled and winked at him. “Brother Ruining, I know, you’re jealous, aren’t you?”

“Jealous of what?” Tang Ruining immediately retorted, sounding like he’d had his tail stepped on. His voice rose a few octaves, and the body leaning against the seat back straightened up.

Yuan Zhiyan’s smile became more provocative, and he squirmed in his seat. “Hehe, I hit the nail on the head, didn’t I? You’re angry from embarrassment! Oh, when I used to cling to you, you found me annoying, and now I cling to Brother Lan, you’re jealous. You’re hard to please!”

“…”

Tang Ruining slowly leaned back against the seat back, letting out a silent sigh.

“Idiot,” he said.

“Brother Lan, look at him! He’s personally attacking me!”

“Be sensible, let him off, okay?” Li Xun gently coaxed the drunkard.

“Fine! I’ll be the bigger person and not argue with him.” The drunkard was instantly placated.

“Good boy.”

Back at the Company Dormitory, Tang Ruining uncharacteristically didn’t go straight back to his room. He sat in the living room for a while, watching Yuan Zhiyan go to take a shower, only to forget his pajamas and shout “Brother Lan!” from the bathroom.

Jiang Yilan brought him pajamas, still sounding worried. “Can you shower by yourself? Are you dizzy?”

“I can!” Yuan Zhiyan shouted back.

After Yuan Zhiyan finished showering, he didn’t even dry his hair before happily trotting off to Jiang Yilan’s room.

…How childish, acting like a real kid.

Tang Ruining returned to his own room, closing the door with a bang.