Chapter 150: The Demon Coach

When the song "Nunchucks" echoed across the land, and the rising superstar Poison shone brightly, Cheng Xiaoyu seemed utterly unaware, burying his head in the company as he rigorously trained the members of the Idol Project.

Because Bai Yang, the dance instructor for the Idol Project, had grown so frustrated with Cheng Xiaoyu that she stopped managing them, Cheng Xiaoyu found himself with ample time to drill the six members mercilessly. Bai Yang had even gone to complain to Cao Danian, the head of the planning department, who, upon inquiring about Cheng Xiaoyu’s dance skills, received a lukewarm response from Yang Mulin. Cao Danian neither confirmed nor denied anything but assured her he would handle it.

At this point, Cao Danian still hadn’t imagined that Cheng Xiaoyu would use pressure tactics to compel the company to accept his music album; he assumed Cheng Xiaoyu was merely re-choreographing the Idol Project members' dances and teaching them to sing. Since his skills were adequate, there was no deliberate attempt to stop him.

Thus, with tacit approval, Cheng Xiaoyu practically spent every day in the Idol Project’s practice room, overseeing Su Yuxi and the others as they practiced dance and singing, even demanding extra voluntary training sessions. The girls bitterly complained, dubbing Cheng Xiaoyu a “devil coach.” Yet he remained unrelenting, exacting perfection in every movement and every glance. Though they suffered and toiled, compared to the rigorous Korean trainee system of their previous lives, this was practically paradise.

In their past lives, Korean trainees underwent training periods of two to three years, starting at around fourteen or fifteen and debuting at sixteen or seventeen. Some trainees remained for years before debuting, like Jung Soo-yeon and Kwon Ji-yong. In contrast, the Idol Project was a crude, half-finished product.

Typically, trainees entered companies around the age of ten and, by fifteen, underwent grueling exams to be selected as artists. This process was exceedingly strict, encompassing voice, stage presence, physical fitness, acting, and even makeup and styling, with rigid assessments divided into A, B, and C groups. Those who failed were eliminated at any time. The competition was fierce, like fierce Tibetan mastiffs trapped in a pit, where only the strongest could emerge.

Their lives were even harsher—more akin to a military camp under centralized control. Even the order of using the dormitory bathroom was regulated. Daily food intake was limited to no more than 1,000 calories—equivalent to two bowls of noodles.

Thus, appearance and talent mattered less than endurance. The grueling training weeded out all but the most patient. The trainee selection criteria emphasized diligence and perseverance over mere skill and looks. Much of the Korean wave’s success owed to the artists’ relentless effort, enduring long training hours without complaint, often sacrificing sleep for practice.

Many artists recalled training up to 20 hours a day. The devilish practice was so intense that some didn’t realize they had been injured for two months. Trainees lived and ate at the company, with their private outings fully controlled by managers, leaving almost no freedom.

Cheng Xiaoyu’s approach was both an experiment and a proof of concept. Once he entered Shanghe, he intended to bring the Korean entertainment company model there. After a month of observation, he believed that with the right system, Shanghe’s existing foundation could be transformed into a dominant entertainment company in Asia without much difficulty.

Therefore, Cheng Xiaoyu dismissed the girls’ complaints and instead intensified his strictness. He began demanding they wake at six in the morning for jogging, asserting that for singer-dancers, breath control was paramount, requiring strong lung capacity and abundant stamina. Every morning, he dragged Xu Qinning and Su Yuxi from their dormitories, waking them for their runs. Su Yuxi adjusted easily, having a habit of running, but Xu Qinning was the queen of lingering in bed, always dragged forcefully into the car only to fall asleep again during the ride.

He also controlled their diets, banning snacks, excessive eating, and high-calorie foods. This was especially unbearable for Xu Qinning and Pei Xiuzi. Xu Qinning used to love bringing snacks—chips, chocolates, onion rings—to the practice room. If she didn’t bring a big bag, it felt incomplete. But once Cheng Xiaoyu caught on, any snack she brought was immediately confiscated and distributed to the planning department staff. Once, when she hid a piece of chocolate in her bag, he found it and ate it in front of her. Xu Qinning was utterly helpless, recalling that when she agreed to Cheng Xiaoyu’s training, she had signed a guarantee to fully obey his instructions and had no choice but to endure.

As the monthly evaluation approached, Cheng Xiaoyu planned to teach the six girls makeup. Technically, they had a stylist assigned, but Cheng Xiaoyu found that person’s skills lacking and decided to take charge himself. The girls were a bit taken aback—having a chubby boy design their looks? Cheng Xiujing and the others swore never to comply. After lunch, under Cheng Xiaoyu’s watchful eye, they sat silently protesting in the practice room.

When Cheng Xiaoyu entered, he saw only Su Yuxi practicing dance; the others sat cross-legged on the floor, pouting silently.

He first went to drag Xu Qinning up. She was slumped against the wall, clutching the handrail, weakly crying, “I’m hungry! I didn’t eat enough! I want fried chicken! I want cola! Cheng Xiaoyu, you’re a devil!”

Cheng Xiaoyu couldn’t lift her, while the others burst into laughter. Cheng Xiujing even curled up on the floor clutching her stomach. Seeing Xu Qinning’s childish antics, Cheng Xiaoyu felt a mix of amusement and exasperation. On impulse, he lightly tapped her bottom. Xu Qinning froze, then blushed furiously, standing up. Luckily, the others were too busy laughing to notice this small detail.

Cheng Xiaoyu felt a bit awkward, mumbling apologetically, “Sorry, I didn’t mean it. You reminded me of my naughty niece. When she misbehaves, I like to spank her.” Of course, he never had such a niece; it was a fictional story from this or a past life.

Xu Qinning simply said “Oh,” her blush deepening. Having never been spanked before, especially in such a sensitive spot, she comforted herself by thinking Cheng Xiaoyu was gay, so it didn’t matter much. She completely ignored the strange thrill quietly stirring within her.

Trying to forget the pleasant sensation on his right hand, Cheng Xiaoyu suppressed his panic, straightened his face, and pulled the laughing girls to their feet, ordering them to start practicing. After standing, Cheng Xiujing smiled and said, “Brother Xiaoyu, we’re fine with your training, but please let Teacher Li handle styling and makeup. We know your talent in music and dance, but as a man, you probably don’t understand makeup, right?”

Hearing “as a man,” Xu Qinning inexplicably blushed and her heart raced. She avoided looking at Cheng Xiaoyu, nervously fiddling with the edge of her shorts.

Quan Youli glanced at Xu Qinning, who had been the loudest in protest but now was silent—this wasn’t like her. Shrugging, she said, “Brother Xiaoyu, professional matters should be left to professionals. We appreciate your efforts, but these little details we can handle ourselves.”

The other three girls nodded in agreement. Cheng Xiaoyu chuckled and said, “Alright then, Xiuzi, do you trust Brother Xiaoyu?”

Pei Xiuzi, simple and trusting, nodded without hesitation.

Cheng Xiaoyu, looking like a crafty wolf grandmother coaxing little girls, grinned slyly. “Since you don’t trust me, I’ll do your makeup as a demonstration. Xiuzi, come with me to the makeup room.”

Pei Xiuzi hadn’t yet processed the situation; her instinct was to obey. Besides, getting makeup done was no big deal, and refusing seemed unreasonable.

The other girls, thinking “It’s not me,” giggled as they watched Pei Xiuzi being led away by Cheng Xiaoyu, eagerly anticipating her eventual, surely hilarious, appearance.