Chapter 41: Stay or withdraw (1)
“Where did you hear this?”
The news that Jiang Fengchi was quitting <Pick Eleven> was undoubtedly a bomb that exploded among all the girls on the scene. Even the players who weren’t interested in gossip drew closer and listened, anxiously urging the others to speak quickly.
The one who had told them was a petite girl and she had not expected her words would attract so many people. She took a breath, calmed her mood, and slowly started explaining.
She was a player from Class C and because her ranking was not very high, she had not returned to her company for this holiday and had chosen to remain in the dormitory to practice instead. She had also taken the opportunity to help around and seize some camera time for herself.
She had been staying with the team these past few days and when she had gone to help the staff to clean up yesterday afternoon, she had happened to run into Jiang Fengchi heading to the director’s office. She had accidentally heard him when she had brought tea to the two of them; he had said he wanted to quit the show but the director had tried his hardest to persuade him to reconsider.
Because she had just been bringing tea, she hadn’t heard the specific. But when she had gone into the room, she had noticed Jiang Fengchi’s expression; his brows had been furrowed and he had looked anxious.
“But the program team had not notified anyone yet, doesn’t that mean Teacher Jiang may still be thinking about it?”
After hearing the girl’s words, there was a slight gasp in the room and no one dared to speak for a moment. It took a while before another player finally answered in an uncertain tone: “Perhaps.”
The rest of the girls nodded but felt very confused about this matter. Nobody understood why Jiang Fengchi suddenly wanted to withdraw.
Was it because they were too bad and he was too disappointed with them?
Everyone still remembered what Jiang Fengchi had told them at the beginning of the show, that he was eager to witness their growth, and the mood instantly became a little depressed. They weren’t worried whether his withdrawal would affect the show’s ratings, but they had gotten along well these days. They all really liked their stern yet gentle Teacher Jiang and, no matter the result, they all hoped to finish the competition under his guidance.
Him quitting was really regrettable.
The atmosphere in the dormitory was stiff and the players looked unhappy. Nobody spoke for a long time and everybody looked at each other thoughtfully.
“How about going to see him?”
In the silence, Shi Qing suddenly talked. She looked at the other girls with her beautiful eyes and hesitated for a moment before continuing: “At least, we have to do something. If Teacher Jiang withdraws just like that, I personally will have a lot of regrets in the future.”
Some girls might one day have the opportunity to work with him after the draft but for most of them, the competition was the only time they would be able to spend with him. If they missed it, there would never be another opportunity.
Shi Qing’s words touched some of the players around her but when the others were still hesitating, another girl added: “Teacher Jiang is really good to us. I am from Class F but he still patiently taught us. Without him, I would already have been eliminated.”
One person spoke, then a second, then a third… The players all thought of everything Teacher Jiang had done for them in the past month and felt that Shi Qing was right; they had to do something.
“But is it alright for us to go see him just like this? Maybe he has things to do, won’t we bother him?”
Some people expressed their concerns; they all wanted Jiang Fengchi to stay but the adult word was too complicated and they needed to be careful. Such behavior could always backfire.
After all, Jiang Fengchi was a mentor and they were just students. A student being too close to a mentor would inevitably cause controversy.
The mood became anxious again and when everyone was still conflicted about what to do, a soft voice sounded in the room. Qiao Dai, who had been quietly listening to everyone, suddenly stood up.
“I will go.”
She walked out of the crowd and said with passionate eyes: “I don’t believe Teacher Jiang will be angry with us because he obviously likes this stage.”
Her words first stunned everyone. Then they all let out a sigh of relief and couldn’t help but nod. Yes, it was unbelievable Teacher Jiang would leave them halfway, he had been the one to tell them to never give up on any stage.
“I want to go too.”
“Me too.”
***
At the same time, Jiang Fengchi was sitting in the program group’s office and was talking with the director.
“Fengchi, are these kids too noisy and give you a headache? I will talk to them and not have them pester you all the time.”
The director was a middle-aged man and he had known Jiang Fengchi for a while now. According to his understanding of the younger man and his professionalism, he would never do something as troublesome as quitting halfway unless he had a very good reason.
Jiang Fengchi lowered his head. His complexion was bad, deep exhaustion was visible in his eyes and his whole person looked rather haggard.
“No, they are good kids and they work very hard. It’s personal.”
No matter how tired he was, Jiang Fengchi would always sit up straight and look other people in the eyes when talking to them. But today, he was holding his forehead with his hand and looked like he was in a really bad place. The director couldn’t bear to say more.
“Anyway, the players haven’t come back yet. Just think about it a little more but if you are really tired, take a good rest. I will find a way.”
The director sighed deeply and a sense of powerless helplessness spread in his heart. He was not angry at Jiang Fengchi; they had known each other for too long to not have any kindness toward each other. But between Ruan Tao and Jiang Fengchi’s withdrawal in such a short time, the matter was particularly complicated and was bad news for the program.
The director sighed again and shook his head.
“Ruan Tao also said she was quitting but I don’t know why. Now you want to withdraw too and I don’t know how to explain it.”
When he heard the girl’s name, Jiang Fengchi’s eyelid twitched slightly but he stayed silent. After a long time, he spoke again and his voice sounded dejected: “I am very sorry, Director. I am causing you trouble.”
All of this was his fault.
The director didn’t know what had happened between Ruan Tao and Jiang Fengchi. One was a contestant and the other was a mentor, so the director didn’t make too many associations. He only thought that Jiang Fengchi was quitting for his own personal reasons and he comforted: “It’s alright, just reconsider.”
The director’s gaze paused slightly on the younger man’s body and he added in a somewhat complicated tone: “Fenchi, as a director, I really don’t want you to quit. But as your friend, I only want you to think about it carefully. If you had really made up your mind, you wouldn’t have such a look on your face.”
Jiang Fengchi didn’t answer but he knew why the director was saying that. He had doubts and knew it was obvious to himself and others; his heart was in chaos and the anxiety made him lose the ability to calmly analyze the current situation. He only knew that if he couldn’t get out of this chaotic mood and stayed, it would only make it worse.
***
After finishing talking with the director, Jiang Fengchi slowly walked out of the building. The light outside was a little dazzling and as he stood under the sun, he fell in a dizzy trance.
“Teacher Jiang.”
As Jiang Fengchi started to feel shaky, a clear voice pulled him out of the chaos of his mind and his ears and eyes suddenly became clearer. He raised his head and saw Qiao Dai standing not far from him, looking at him.
“Qiao Dai?”
He knew she had received a North Island video advertisement and he had also heard Meng Lingsi had recommended her to participate in “Thorns of the flower.” He guessed she had been particularly busy during this holiday and had not expected she would already be back.
Qiao Dai nodded and walked a few steps forward, her clear eyes gazing at him but hesitant to speak.
What should she say?
She was a little bit worried and as she was trying to form words, Jiang Fengchi spoke: “You came to find me because you heard I was quitting the show, didn’t you?”
She had already been seen through!
The girl’s expression of surprise and regret made Jiang Fengchi shake his head. He looked at her worried eyes and guessed his actions were causing all these young girls to feel anxious.
“Teacher Jiang, everybody is worried about you.”
After discovering Jiang Fengchi already knew why she was here, Qiao Dai honestly spoke. As she talked, she looked at the man’s expression.
She couldn’t figure out why both Ruan Tao and he would leave the show. According to all the memories that had appeared in her mind, in the novel, they both had stayed until the end instead of leaving after the first public performance.
Hearing her words, Jiang Fengchi frowned slightly. His eyes fell on Qiao Dai for a moment, as if he was thinking of something, and after a long time he said: “I am fine, I am just… a bit at a loss.”
Jiang Fengchi looked at the girl and suddenly wondered if it was her, wouldn’t she be able to solve his confusion?
Qiao Dai had this wonderful magical power. He wasn’t sure whether his feeling was accurate but sometimes, it seemed as if Qiao Dai was a creature who had strayed into the human world from a remote place. She was ignorant of everything, but she also made people lower their defenses inexplicably.
But he couldn’t tell others about his troubles. He was a mentor and he should not pass his negative emotions to his students.
Chapter 41: Stay or withdraw (1)
“Where did you hear this?”
The news that Jiang Fengchi was quitting <Pick Eleven> was undoubtedly a bomb that exploded among all the girls on the scene. Even the players who weren’t interested in gossip drew closer and listened, anxiously urging the others to speak quickly.
The one who had told them was a petite girl and she had not expected her words would attract so many people. She took a breath, calmed her mood, and slowly started explaining.
She was a player from Class C and because her ranking was not very high, she had not returned to her company for this holiday and had chosen to remain in the dormitory to practice instead. She had also taken the opportunity to help around and seize some camera time for herself.
She had been staying with the team these past few days and when she had gone to help the staff to clean up yesterday afternoon, she had happened to run into Jiang Fengchi heading to the director’s office. She had accidentally heard him when she had brought tea to the two of them; he had said he wanted to quit the show but the director had tried his hardest to persuade him to reconsider.
Because she had just been bringing tea, she hadn’t heard the specific. But when she had gone into the room, she had noticed Jiang Fengchi’s expression; his brows had been furrowed and he had looked anxious.
“But the program team had not notified anyone yet, doesn’t that mean Teacher Jiang may still be thinking about it?”
After hearing the girl’s words, there was a slight gasp in the room and no one dared to speak for a moment. It took a while before another player finally answered in an uncertain tone: “Perhaps.”
The rest of the girls nodded but felt very confused about this matter. Nobody understood why Jiang Fengchi suddenly wanted to withdraw.
Was it because they were too bad and he was too disappointed with them?
Everyone still remembered what Jiang Fengchi had told them at the beginning of the show, that he was eager to witness their growth, and the mood instantly became a little depressed. They weren’t worried whether his withdrawal would affect the show’s ratings, but they had gotten along well these days. They all really liked their stern yet gentle Teacher Jiang and, no matter the result, they all hoped to finish the competition under his guidance.
Him quitting was really regrettable.
The atmosphere in the dormitory was stiff and the players looked unhappy. Nobody spoke for a long time and everybody looked at each other thoughtfully.
“How about going to see him?”
In the silence, Shi Qing suddenly talked. She looked at the other girls with her beautiful eyes and hesitated for a moment before continuing: “At least, we have to do something. If Teacher Jiang withdraws just like that, I personally will have a lot of regrets in the future.”
Some girls might one day have the opportunity to work with him after the draft but for most of them, the competition was the only time they would be able to spend with him. If they missed it, there would never be another opportunity.
Shi Qing’s words touched some of the players around her but when the others were still hesitating, another girl added: “Teacher Jiang is really good to us. I am from Class F but he still patiently taught us. Without him, I would already have been eliminated.”
One person spoke, then a second, then a third… The players all thought of everything Teacher Jiang had done for them in the past month and felt that Shi Qing was right; they had to do something.
“But is it alright for us to go see him just like this? Maybe he has things to do, won’t we bother him?”
Some people expressed their concerns; they all wanted Jiang Fengchi to stay but the adult word was too complicated and they needed to be careful. Such behavior could always backfire.
After all, Jiang Fengchi was a mentor and they were just students. A student being too close to a mentor would inevitably cause controversy.
The mood became anxious again and when everyone was still conflicted about what to do, a soft voice sounded in the room. Qiao Dai, who had been quietly listening to everyone, suddenly stood up.
“I will go.”
She walked out of the crowd and said with passionate eyes: “I don’t believe Teacher Jiang will be angry with us because he obviously likes this stage.”
Her words first stunned everyone. Then they all let out a sigh of relief and couldn’t help but nod. Yes, it was unbelievable Teacher Jiang would leave them halfway, he had been the one to tell them to never give up on any stage.
“I want to go too.”
“Me too.”
***
At the same time, Jiang Fengchi was sitting in the program group’s office and was talking with the director.
“Fengchi, are these kids too noisy and give you a headache? I will talk to them and not have them pester you all the time.”
The director was a middle-aged man and he had known Jiang Fengchi for a while now. According to his understanding of the younger man and his professionalism, he would never do something as troublesome as quitting halfway unless he had a very good reason.
Jiang Fengchi lowered his head. His complexion was bad, deep exhaustion was visible in his eyes and his whole person looked rather haggard.
“No, they are good kids and they work very hard. It’s personal.”
No matter how tired he was, Jiang Fengchi would always sit up straight and look other people in the eyes when talking to them. But today, he was holding his forehead with his hand and looked like he was in a really bad place. The director couldn’t bear to say more.
“Anyway, the players haven’t come back yet. Just think about it a little more but if you are really tired, take a good rest. I will find a way.”
The director sighed deeply and a sense of powerless helplessness spread in his heart. He was not angry at Jiang Fengchi; they had known each other for too long to not have any kindness toward each other. But between Ruan Tao and Jiang Fengchi’s withdrawal in such a short time, the matter was particularly complicated and was bad news for the program.
The director sighed again and shook his head.
“Ruan Tao also said she was quitting but I don’t know why. Now you want to withdraw too and I don’t know how to explain it.”
When he heard the girl’s name, Jiang Fengchi’s eyelid twitched slightly but he stayed silent. After a long time, he spoke again and his voice sounded dejected: “I am very sorry, Director. I am causing you trouble.”
All of this was his fault.
The director didn’t know what had happened between Ruan Tao and Jiang Fengchi. One was a contestant and the other was a mentor, so the director didn’t make too many associations. He only thought that Jiang Fengchi was quitting for his own personal reasons and he comforted: “It’s alright, just reconsider.”
The director’s gaze paused slightly on the younger man’s body and he added in a somewhat complicated tone: “Fenchi, as a director, I really don’t want you to quit. But as your friend, I only want you to think about it carefully. If you had really made up your mind, you wouldn’t have such a look on your face.”
Jiang Fengchi didn’t answer but he knew why the director was saying that. He had doubts and knew it was obvious to himself and others; his heart was in chaos and the anxiety made him lose the ability to calmly analyze the current situation. He only knew that if he couldn’t get out of this chaotic mood and stayed, it would only make it worse.
***
After finishing talking with the director, Jiang Fengchi slowly walked out of the building. The light outside was a little dazzling and as he stood under the sun, he fell in a dizzy trance.
“Teacher Jiang.”
As Jiang Fengchi started to feel shaky, a clear voice pulled him out of the chaos of his mind and his ears and eyes suddenly became clearer. He raised his head and saw Qiao Dai standing not far from him, looking at him.
“Qiao Dai?”
He knew she had received a North Island video advertisement and he had also heard Meng Lingsi had recommended her to participate in “Thorns of the flower.” He guessed she had been particularly busy during this holiday and had not expected she would already be back.
Qiao Dai nodded and walked a few steps forward, her clear eyes gazing at him but hesitant to speak.
What should she say?
She was a little bit worried and as she was trying to form words, Jiang Fengchi spoke: “You came to find me because you heard I was quitting the show, didn’t you?”
She had already been seen through!
The girl’s expression of surprise and regret made Jiang Fengchi shake his head. He looked at her worried eyes and guessed his actions were causing all these young girls to feel anxious.
“Teacher Jiang, everybody is worried about you.”
After discovering Jiang Fengchi already knew why she was here, Qiao Dai honestly spoke. As she talked, she looked at the man’s expression.
She couldn’t figure out why both Ruan Tao and he would leave the show. According to all the memories that had appeared in her mind, in the novel, they both had stayed until the end instead of leaving after the first public performance.
Hearing her words, Jiang Fengchi frowned slightly. His eyes fell on Qiao Dai for a moment, as if he was thinking of something, and after a long time he said: “I am fine, I am just… a bit at a loss.”
Jiang Fengchi looked at the girl and suddenly wondered if it was her, wouldn’t she be able to solve his confusion?
Qiao Dai had this wonderful magical power. He wasn’t sure whether his feeling was accurate but sometimes, it seemed as if Qiao Dai was a creature who had strayed into the human world from a remote place. She was ignorant of everything, but she also made people lower their defenses inexplicably.
But he couldn’t tell others about his troubles. He was a mentor and he should not pass his negative emotions to his students.
