Superstars of Tomorrow

The news of Fang Zhao passing the second round of examinations and enrolling in HuangArt’s Twelve Tones created much discussion, but outside of Yanzhou, those topics only lasted temporarily. After all, those areas weren’t Fang Zhao’s home ground and Silver Wing teams had difficulty getting involved. They couldn’t increase publicity further even though they wanted to. However, back in Yanzhou, it seemed like this fervor would continue on for a few more days.

Yanzhou people felt that with such a good example like Fang Zhao, they could be proud. Look at our Yanzhou’s genius!

People who weren’t from professional art industries and didn’t pay much attention to this sort of news only found out through the news that people able to enroll in HuangArt’s Twelve Tones were very impressive. However, nobody could clearly determine exactly how impressive those enrollees were until they downloaded a copy of this year’s HuangArt’s Twelve Tones examination scripts.

Every year, after the entrance examinations for HuangArt’s Twelve Tones concluded, HuangArt would officially release the examination questions for the three preliminary exams and the second round exam.

In the past, the only people that had downloaded these exam questions were those related to the arts. In general, the amount was low, but this year, because of the discussion that came about as a result of Fang Zhao, many people who weren’t from the art industries also joined in the excitement and downloaded the questions. After all, the fee for downloading these questions wasn’t much; it could be considered gaining knowledge and they could see for themselves the fabled super-hard questions for the entrance examinations of this top-notch advanced course.

Afterward, they realized that the preliminary exams were okay. Ignoring those subjective questions, although the objective questions might seem difficult, by spending the time to research some materials, it was still possible to pass the exams. The second stage was where the questions got really difficult to answer.

"I recognize every single word, but when put together, I actually can’t understand it."

"Questions from the first preliminary already left me on the verge of tears. My head was already dizzy just checking through materials for an hour, and I was only able to make some slight progress. I totally can’t even do anything from the second stage examination."

"My mom graduated from a music academy and she also says that these questions are extremely difficult. She says that there are a few composing questions that she is completely unable to answer. It’s like having her favorite food, watermelons, and most hated, coriander, placed in front of her and being asked to create a dish that smells and tastes good with the two. Forget about having three days, even if she was given three years, she still wouldn’t be able to do it."

"Indeed those that are able to pass the examinations are just sick!"

"Us normal people have no way of understanding how the mind of a genius works. From this, it can be seen that Fang Zhao really has the ability. It isn’t something that can just be explained by being lucky. If it were other people, even if they brought a whole trunk of good-luck charms to the examination venue, it wouldn’t be of any use."

But words were just words. Fang Zhao–style good-luck charms still maintained their high desirability. As before, there was no stock available online, so everyone that wished to purchase them had to queue up at Yanzhou’s Qi’an City’s Cemetery for Martyrs.

The matter of Fang Zhao enrolling in HuangArt’s Twelve Tones and his good-luck charms once again created a wave of news. In the entertainment circles, those big names that stood firm were not really worried. It was the people in the circles that weren’t really moving along that were not at ease.

Every time they persisted long enough to make some news, it ended up being battered by Fang Zhao’s news. Now that Fang Zhao was temporarily going to be leaving the entertainment circle to further his studies, they could only heave half a sigh of relief.

Why only half a sigh?

This was not the product of groundless fears and alarmist talk. This Fang Zhao person really played his cards too unconventionally! There was no way they could completely relax!

Back when everyone had been guarded against him producing virtual idols, he’d run off to play games! And he’d been on fire!

When people had been prepared to guard against him entering the e-sports competition scene, he had actually gone to complete his military service! And he had been so d*mn popular again!

And when everyone had thought he was doing very well and would stay in the military, he had returned and held his concert! And he had made a ton!

And when everyone’s attention had been on music, he had snagged an important role and gone to act in the large-scale revolutionary film project! Eyeballs all around the world had popped out!

Now, Fang Zhao had passed the examinations and gotten into what was said to be a god-tier advanced course. Even the good-luck charm he had worn had become an online trend!

Counting all this one by one...

It was horrible just thinking about it!

Only God knew what he would do next!

Back when Fang Zhao had gone to serve in the military, everyone had thought that he would cool down. However, everyone had ultimately found out that Fang Zhao was still able to make waves from far away.

It would be good if Fang Zhao quieted down while furthering his studies. These people would be able to make use of that year to boost their fame, and once they were standing firm, they wouldn’t be afraid of getting battered.

After Fang Zhao received his admission notice, he returned to Qi’an City to handle a few matters, then went to Yanbei City to visit the two old Fangs. He didn’t stay long, though, before once more heading to Huangzhou to handle his admission procedures.

Great-Grandfather Fang gave Fang Zhao a red packet. "After you have settled down there, send us some photographs and videos of Huangzhou Institute of Art so your great-grandmother and I can see what your life is like over there so we can also experience the atmosphere of an art institute.

The truth was that Great-Grandfather Fang had not gloated enough. He still wanted to flaunt a bunch in the group chat with his old comrades and prove he hadn’t been bragging blindly.

"If you two are free, you can come over for a holiday. The dormitories allocated there are bigger than most other students’," Fang Zhao replied.

Great-Grandfather Fang smiled and waved his hands. "Oh, let’s see how it goes. The two of us are old. We won’t be able to help you much if we go over. Furthermore, you will surely be very busy when you start school. We don’t want to go over and disturb you."

However, once Fang Zhao left, Great-Grandfather Fang started browsing through his calendar and set up reminders for large-scale holidays. After that, he placed an order for a new walking stick and pondered whether or not to purchase two sets of artsy clothes so that they wouldn’t make Fang Zhao lose face when they went over to visit him in Huangzhou.

This time, when Fang Zhao traveled from Yanzhou to Huangzhou, he brought Curly Hair with him. He would be studying at HuangArt for a somewhat lengthy period of time, and he couldn’t just leave Curly Hair in Yanzhou. Fang Zhao wouldn’t feel assured leaving him at Muzhou either. The secrets that Curly Hair’s body contained could not be made known to others, so staying beside him was the most appropriate.

After some consideration, Fang Zhao had also brought the "rabbit" along. He wasn’t certain whether this "rabbit" might do anything shocking while he was furthering his studies, so he’d be better off keeping an eye on it.

Fang Zhao had gone through the school and dormitory’s rules and regulations and had not seen any restrictions regarding pets, but people that were going to keep pets needed to produce all sorts of identification and sign an indemnity. He wouldn’t be the only person in the building. Keeping pets was fine as long as it did not affect the other students.

Unlike those during the second round of examinations, the dormitories allocated to students that had been admitted were of high quality, around 100 square meters with two rooms, two halls, and two washrooms. One was a bedroom, while the other was a work studio. The studio alone took up close to half of the area.

For many people here, the work studio was even more important than the bedroom, so much so that eating, drinking, and toilet breaks could be all settled in the studio. The people here could decide on how to furnish the place themselves.

Artists had their ateliers and dancers had their practice rooms. Fang Zhao’s own furnishings here were very simple for the time being. Besides the basics—a desk and a bookshelf—there was a music keyboard he had received as a reward when he had been in Qi’an Academy of Music, a commemorative helmet-style gaming console that Fiery Bird had sent over, and the water tank with the "rabbit."

Curly Hair ran all over the house happily as he patrolled his new territory. Fang Zhao had arranged a place for Zuo Yu and Yan Biao outside the school.

Fang Zhao had just replied to a message from Great-Grandfather Fang when he heard the doorbell ring.

His new neighbors from the dormitory next door were dropping in.

A man and a lady. They seemed to be much older than Fang Zhao.

The man was Will Branch, the genius painter whose results for the examinations were ranked second among students admitted in this year’s intake of Twelve Tones students.

Unlike Will, Will’s wife was much more cheerful and had even brought over some freshly baked cookies. It wasn’t that she couldn’t bear to part with some money to buy a more valuable gift but that the majority of people who enrolled in this advanced course weren’t lacking in money. They wouldn’t lack these sort of things. Since Will and Fang Zhao were both enrolled in this course and they would be neighbors, she had brought along a little token of sincerity. Even if Fang Zhao didn’t eat it, he could also pass it on to his friends.

Printed on the lid of the cookie box was a painting done by Will in the past. It appeared really abstract. People who were not familiar with paintings might just think that it was blind and random strokes. However, back then, someone had offered to buy it for 6 million, but Will had not sold it.

At the corner of the painting, there was an imprint that looked like a "V"—this was Will’s personal symbol.

Will’s wife was a lecturer at some other school in Huangzhou and would not be staying here all the time. In addition, when Will started painting, he would not bother about anything else and would get annoyed if he was disturbed by others. Will’s servants just delivered meals at set times while maintaining cleanliness and hygiene. They wouldn’t dare say anything more. Most of the time, it was Will alone staying in his dormitory.

That was why Will’s wife had come over to build up a relationship with his neighbors; she hoped that Fang Zhao would look out for Will sometimes.

Originally, Will’s wife had not had any hope that Fang Zhao would be able to help out much. A young artistic genius would surely be different from ordinary people in some aspects. Perhaps he might be even less reliable than Will. But looking at things now, Fang Zhao did not seem to have the fickleness of a young person. He didn’t appear to be ill at ease when facing them and instead gave off a steady and reliable vibe. With such a neighbor, she could rest easy.

Will frowned as he gazed at Curly Hair quietly sitting beside Fang Zhao’s feet. "You are going to keep a dog here?"

"Mmhm, he is really quiet normally and is very obedient. He won’t disturb the neighbors, and all the paperwork has already been done," replied Fang Zhao.

Previously, when he’d been setting up his living arrangements, Fang Zhao had filled in the column indicating that he kept pets. Whenever the dormitory admins allocated rooms, they took into account the requests of the students admitted to the advanced courses. If there were people who didn’t like pets or had problems with pets, these people wouldn’t be allocated next door to someone keeping pets. Of course, perhaps the other students might have forgotten to leave a remark.

Will’s wife was worried that Fang Zhao would misunderstand, so she explained, "We don’t have any issues with this. It will be all fine as long as he doesn’t bark inconsiderately. Although the dormitory block has very good soundproofing, many people here like to open their windows rather than rely on the system’s completely sealed environment."

"You don’t have to worry about this. Curly Hair won’t run around wildly and bark uncontrollably," Fang Zhao reassured them.

"That’s good, then. However, a pet dog still needs accompaniment and exercise. When you are busy with your studies and composing, you will still have to bring him out to walk often. Don’t spend all your time cooped up in the dormitory. If you don’t like heading out, you can buy a treadmill and train him to run." Will’s wife even recommended a few versions of treadmills that young people liked to use.

Will didn’t say anything else on this matter, but his tightly constricted brows didn’t loosen.

After sitting and chatting for a bit, Will and his wife took their leave. Just before they left, Fang Zhao asked them to wait. Some specialty products had been just sent over from planet Wai, so Fang Zhao gave Will and his wife some.

When Fang Zhao went over to the storeroom to take the stuff, Will, who was still frowning stared, at Curly Hair and walked over.

Curly Hair raised his head to look at the stranger. A pair of dog eyes, innocent and harmless in appearance.

Will stared at Curly Hair, then extended a hand to stroke him.