Chapter 132: The Opening Challenge

Zhao Lijing feared Zhang Qiyang, not because of the man himself, but because his negative reputation made her wary. She was afraid that getting too close to him would invite scolding from her agent and criticism from her fans. Her career had only just begun, and she could not afford such turmoil.

However, Zhang Qiyang made a very positive impression on her, and his tendency to initiate conversation left her feeling flattered. There seemed to be a magnetic pull about him that made Zhao Lijing want to draw closer, her gaze often involuntarily drifting toward him. During the recording, whenever the group laughed, she would always tilt her head to sneak a peek at Zhang Qiyang’s reaction. On one occasion, their eyes met, leaving her mortified! She quickly averted her gaze, her face nearly turning beet red. In her heart, she cursed herself for being a total fangirl and felt utterly embarrassed.

Zhang Qiyang, noticing Zhao Lijing’s reaction, found the bright-eyed, round-faced girl quite endearing. It had to be said that the talent scouts at Dongyu Entertainment were exceptional; by casting a wide net across China to discover ordinary people, they truly managed to find quite a few hidden gems with outstanding potential. Li Xuan went without saying—she was the agency's crowning achievement, a success story they could boast about for a lifetime. Zhao Lijing, it was said, was another ordinary person discovered and cultivated by them, having been scouted as a student at a nursing school in the south. Had she not entered the entertainment industry, she likely would have become an ordinary nurse. After deciding to pursue acting, she spent two years in Dongyu’s training program and only debuted last year. Last year, thanks to a standout performance as the third lead in an original Dongyu hit drama, she began to make a name for herself as one of the rising stars the agency intended to focus on.

The girl’s greatest trait was the sense of pure, natural innocence she exuded. Her appearance was genuinely wholesome—not the typical, artificial V-shaped chin common in the industry, but a cute, round face with delicate features that made her instantly approachable. Such a look might not lead to blockbuster movie success, but in television, it was the quintessential look for a beloved female lead.

Zhang Qiyang had seen clips of Zhao Lijing’s performances. Although she wasn't a professionally trained actor, she had a fantastic instinct for acting. She belonged to that rare breed of performers who possessed a natural gift. To put it simply, if she were cast as Shancai in *Meteor Garden*, she would undoubtedly be far more compelling than the version played by Big S. She was perfectly suited for the "underdog rising to the top" type of heroine. As a director, whenever Zhang Qiyang encountered unique actors while filming, he couldn't help but imagine them interpreting classic roles from his previous world. Today, he wanted to get to know Zhao Lijing better to see if her personality matched the resilient, stubborn nature of Shancai. If it did, he would certainly recruit her for this world’s production of *Meteor Garden*.

For young actors, even if they had the talent to portray various roles, they lacked the seasoned, effortless skill of veteran performers. They only reached their maximum potential and created truly memorable characters when they were allowed to play to their own natural strengths. Zhang Qiyang was the same; if he were to play the role of Dao Ming Si, he would certainly be more convincing than any other actor in this world—at least in the eyes of the audience. After all, his own identity and parts of his personality were a natural fit for Dao Ming Si. If he could find the right Shancai, he could effectively move forward with the project. From his current interactions, he felt very good about Zhao Lijing; she was authentic, unpretentious, and possessed the shy, adorable quality of a young girl.

During the recording, Luo Zhikang introduced her: "Our team's little Jing—don't let her size fool you, she's actually quite strong! She can carry a 100-pound sack of rice! I ask you, are you scared?"

Wang Dawei disbelieved, "Is that for real? I can't even carry a 100-pound sack, and she can?"

Feeling a bit awkward at Luo Zhikang’s introduction, Zhao Lijing stepped forward with a sheepish smile and bowed to the applause. "Hello everyone, I’m little Jing. I can't carry 100 pounds, but 80 is no problem." Her adorable self-introduction made everyone laugh. Knowing she wasn't the main guest, she wisely retreated back into the line to let Luo Zhikang introduce the headliner.

"Finally, we have our most formidable member, the man they call 'Master Cannon,' Zhang Qiyang!"

"Oooooh!" The three variety show regulars on the guest team, along with several sycophantic staff members, cheered for him.

Luo Zhikang continued, "When it comes to strength or speed, Master Cannon might not beat you, but when it comes to volume, he’s not targeting anyone in particular—everyone here is trash! If there were a competition for who has the loudest voice, Master Cannon would definitely take the championship!" The introduction drew a roar of laughter from the set. Zhang Qiyang himself laughed, stepped forward, and waved to the crowd, accepting the applause.

He was the one who had asked Luo Zhikang to introduce him that way; it was a bit of self-deprecating humor, but it was aggressive enough to command attention.

Once the introductions were finished, the rhythmic drum beats of a rap battle erupted. As they say, courtesy first, then the fight. With the formalities over, it was time for the two sides to clash.

To the beat of the intense music, the scholarly team captain Luo Zhikang kicked off the challenge against the Infinity Team with a weak, nursery-rhyme-style rap. Gesturing awkwardly, he taunted Wang Dawei, "Heard you guys are strong, but we’re here to kick your field! Your Lu Kai runs fast, Feng Sheng is a beast, Lu Cheng plays it cool, and Mosquito loves to cheat. But that’s nothing, because your team has you, Wang Dawei—you’re just a head of cabbage! Today I’m here to beat you!"

Luo Zhikang’s lyrics were harsh, but his delivery was far too effeminate, drawing a chorus of jeers from the Infinity Team. The members of the guest team couldn't help but laugh; for an intellectual like Luo Zhikang, rapping was just too ridiculous—it had absolutely no edge.

Wang Dawei fired back with a much cooler flow, "Teacher Luo, you love to joke! Everyone the Infinity Team has beaten talks just as much as you do! Let’s see what you’re really made of! We’ll show you with victory after victory what it really means to be a beast!" As a former hip-hop artist, even while joking around, Wang Dawei’s stage presence was hundreds of times stronger than someone like Luo Zhikang, who rarely sang.

"Oooooh!" The Infinity Team members cheered for Wang Dawei, their momentum surging. Wang Dawei pressed the advantage, calling out Pan Ziwen, the team’s best rapper, to take the stage.

"Mosquito! Mosquito! Mosquito!" The hosts of the Infinity Team chanted, hyping him up. Pan Ziwen flipped his baseball cap backward, adjusted his large sunglasses, and walked forward with a swagger. To everyone’s surprise, he stepped to the beat, stopped right in front of Zhang Qiyang, and boldly challenged him!