In June 2016, during the summer season, Mainland internet platform 271 hosted a talent show called "Idol Producer."
The format of the show was a Chinese version of the idol group talent show "PRODUCE101," which became popular in South Korea in January of that year.
Now, 101 trainees, after being selected, have arrived at the Dachang Film and Television Town in Langcheng, Jizhou Province.
“I'm so nervous! Oh my god! I'm so nervous!”
“It hasn't even started yet, and you're already nervous?!”
“Of course, there are so many competitors coming tonight, how can I not be nervous?”
“You haven't seen the world.”
Some trainees came in groups, while others came alone.
Among them, a handsome young man with a tall physique quietly walked into the backstage.
As soon as this young man entered, he immediately attracted the attention of many.
As fellow men, everyone thought he was quite handsome, but his handsomeness was different.
His features were very three-dimensional and distinct, with thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a whole body that exuded male hormones. His temperament gave off a sense of a noble young master, but he had a faint smile on his face, giving off a slightly mischievous vibe.
The young man's name was Cao Gong, born on May 20, 1996, 185 cm tall, and weighing 150 kg.
After entering, Cao Gong looked at the several level nameplates placed on the table.
They were A, B, C, D, and F, five levels.
The purpose was for them to self-assess and see their scores.
“Wow, this young guy is handsome.” In the conference room, several mentors watched this scene.
“Yeah, this young man is handsome, the aura he exudes is very unique.”
“Are you smitten with him, sis?” A female mentor jokingly teased the beautiful woman next to her.
“Hehe~” Several male mentors just chuckled and remained silent.
“This young man is quite handsome, but we don't know how good his skills are.”
“But I feel like, this young man is not simple, I just feel like he’s very strong.”
The female mentor sitting in the middle, with great confidence, pointed at Cao Gong in the image with her pen.
“Yes, yes, I think so too, just look at that confident gaze, it makes you feel like he’s got something.”
What the two female mentors said made the male mentors chuckle: “You guys wouldn't be saying that just because you find him handsome, would you?”
“No, no, that's really how we feel.” The female mentors were a little shy.
However, on the other side, after choosing his self-assessment level, Cao Gong went inside.
In the assembly area inside, Cao Gong’s basic information was also displayed on the big screen.
“Individual trainee, Cao Zei!”
“What? Cao Zei?” Seeing the name, the trainees inside all froze.
“Haha~ Sorry, I know I shouldn't laugh, it’s so rude, but this name haha~”
Some trainees couldn't hold back, and they burst into laughter.
There was no way around it, mainly because the name was just, just too unique.
Cao Zei? Can you believe someone would use a name like that?
“This can't be his real name, right? It must be his stage name, haha~” The trainees present all laughed.
“I think so too, it must be his stage name, it can't be his real name.”
“But the stage name is too, too unique, Cao Zei?”
“Cao Zei, you dare to be arrogant!”
“Cao Zei, you're going to die a bad death, haha~ It has a feeling of Romance of the Three Kingdoms.”
“But no matter what, just for this name, I remember him.”
The situation here also happened in the conference room with the mentors.
A few minutes earlier, when the mentors received the materials, they also couldn't help but laugh.
Mainly because, this name was just too unique.
Who would have thought that someone would use the character "zei" (贼) in their name?
Perhaps it's also because Cao Gong’s name was just too domineering.
When he came out of the self-assessment room and walked through the passage to the assembly hall.
As Cao Gong walked leisurely through the passage, the aura he exuded was very domineering.
The show's post-production team, when editing, even used the classic BGM from "Pacific Rim" as his background music to highlight Cao Gong's domineering aura.
The aura that Cao Gong exuded did indeed match his stage name, Cao Zei.
“Wow!!!” When Cao Gong came out of the passage, the trainees who were already there were all stunned.
“This aura, it’s even stronger than Cai Xukun’s.”
“Right, Cai Xukun was the strongest individual trainee, but this Cao Zei haha~ Why do I want to laugh every time I say Cao Zei?”
Not only them, but also the viewers watching the show, couldn’t help but burst into laughter when they heard the name Cao Zei.
There was no way around it, this name, whether it was his real name or his stage name, was too unique, it was hard to forget it.
“This name is awesome! No matter what your skills are, sister will definitely cast a vote for you today!”
“Where is Cao Zei? He’s just too handsome, why not call him Cao Shuai? Cao Shuai? Cao Suai? Not good either.”
“Never mind anything else, just for this name, sister will definitely give you a vote today.”
Viewers watching the show were all spamming the bullet comments, saying they must spam the bullet comments for Cao Zei.
However, Cao Zei, upon arriving at the scene, looked at all the seats present.
He simply gave a self-introduction to the trainees on the scene, then went to sit down.
Not in seat No. 1, but in the most marginal position.
Mainly because, seat No. 1 was just too damn high, he would have to walk up, and then when he performed he would have to walk down again, it’s too much trouble going up and down, and it was also very eye-catching, he didn’t like it.
He’d rather sit in the most marginal position.
The first row, far right position, it’s not eye-catching, pretty good.
After he sat down, the other trainees came one after another.
When all the trainees were present, the mentors in the conference room came out.
Cao Zei, who had been waiting for a long time, was really tired, so he went to sleep in his seat.
You have to know what time it is, right?
It's already past 9 pm, isn’t it, how can you not be tired.
“Uuuh oh oh~” At this time, the 100 trainees looked at the information displayed on the big screen.
Already debuted, with over 100 million fans.
“Over 100 million fans worldwide? That’s too exaggerated.”
“He’s also held 100 concerts? This, do we need to compare? Just debut him directly.”
These trainees didn’t know whether the person being introduced now was a trainee or a mentor.
After the introduction, under the expectant gazes of all the trainees, the six mentors made their grand entrance.
“Ah ah ah ah~”
When they saw the six mentors enter, the trainees present were all ecstatic.
The six mentors walked out of the passageway, there were handsome guys and beautiful women.
The first one to walk out was a beautiful woman, and she immediately attracted the attention of all the trainees as soon as she appeared.
“Dilraba! Dilraba!!”
“Yes, yes, Dilraba! It really is Dilraba!”
“Wow! Is Dilraba our PD?”
“This is so lucky, Dilraba! A beautiful woman, a super goddess!”
All the trainees, except for Cao Zei, who was napping with his eyes half-closed because it was too late, too tired, and too sleepy.
Everyone had already completely erupted, just because of Dilraba's appearance.
Dilraba’s outfit today was especially beautiful.
Her outfit was very fresh and bright, a mint green V-neck crop top with long sleeves, refreshing yet sexy, paired with a bright denim skirt, highlighting her perfect body proportions.
Wearing bright clothes made her more youthful and energetic, her long legs were very eye-catching.
Especially when she was wearing high heels, her two legs were straight and slender, Dilraba, who looked like a young girl, suddenly became a mature woman.
The exaggerated earrings gave her a very fashionable look, high-class and outstanding.
Dilraba's outfit, coupled with her stunning face and perfect proportions, how could it not make the hormones of the young men present go crazy?
“Cheng Xiao! Cheng Xiao! Lehua’s Cheng Xiao!”
“Yes, yes, Lehua’s Cheng Xiao! So beautiful, wow~”
“A goddess, she’s a goddess!”
“Worth it! Even if I get eliminated in the first round, it’s worth it.”
“I feel like I’ve seen Dilraba and Cheng Xiao? They’re so beautiful, my goddesses!”
“Isn’t your goddess Yang Mi? How come it’s Dilraba and Cheng Xiao?”
“You have a mouth!”
“Hehe~ But they are really pretty, prettier than my sister.”
“Fan Chengcheng, are you blind? Your sister isn’t beautiful?”
“My sister’s pretty? She’s almost ugly to the point of heaven.” Fan Chengcheng mercilessly criticized his own sister.
But all this, Cao Zei was completely unaware of.
He was too tired and sleepy, so he was sleeping in his seat, not because he was being rude, he was just really tired.
You have to know, this show started recording at night, not during the day, it’s really tiring.
All the trainees, seeing the mentors appear, all stood up and applauded, cheered, and praised the mentors.
But Cao Zei? He was the only one sitting in his chair, fast asleep.
This made the trainees sitting next to him helpless, but they were also embarrassed to call him.
After all, they didn't know Cao Zei, they didn’t feel comfortable waking him up.
The six mentors stood on the stage, carefully observing the trainees in front of them.
Finally, a very incongruous figure caught the attention of the six mentors.
The first to discover it was Dilraba, her gaze subconsciously went to the position where Cao Zei was sitting.
“Damn it, this little guy, as soon as sister appears, all the trainees focus their gaze on me, they’re either surprised or amazed, they either gasp or exclaim.”
“Just you, Cao Zei, you don’t even look at me, you’re still fast asleep?”
Dilraba’s gaze at Cao Zei also made countless trainees envious.
They all wanted Dilraba to look at them, but they didn’t have the ability.
When everyone followed Dilraba’s gaze, they realized.
So, this famous Cao Zei was actually sleeping?
Isn’t he nervous? It’s going to be stage performance time soon, but he’s still sleeping with such a carefree attitude?
“Hahaha~ This is hilarious, this Cao Zei is so arrogant.”
“My Fat Di is stunning everyone, but you’re sleeping? Too much haha~”