The Shiny Group – Wang Yijin, Qian Zhe, Nine

Huan Xi hosts a music competition every five years, but it prohibits women from participating. Wan Yu, determined to learn music, disguises herself as a man. She refuses to accept the inferior status of women and aspires to become a leader, even meeting the LandLord. She signs up for the competition and finds a gathering of talented musicians. Liu Zeyan, known as a jack-of-all-trades, introduces Wan Yu to some top musicians. Among them is Mu Bai, a skilled player of the guqin, who is handsome but reserved. Another participant is Qi Shuo, a striking figure who catches Liu Zeyan's attention. Tu Qianzhou, carrying a sword, appears at the selection competition, and nobody recognizes him.

Shu Chen, standing above, announces the rules of the music competition. Someone with a hidden weapon intends to assassinate him, but Tu Qianzhou intervenes, exposing the would-be assassin. However, the culprit throws down a bag of money, falsely accusing Tu Qianzhou of being a thief. Everyone turns their gaze towards him, but to prevent the assassin from escaping, he goes after them. At that moment, Wan Yu stops Tu Qianzhou from leaving. Just as she's about to stumble, he accidentally touches her chest and discovers she's a woman. Wan Yu unintentionally reveals the insignia of a secret guard when she tugs on his collar. Once they come to their senses, Wan Yu promptly slaps him.

Spies from the Nanqi Kingdom infiltrate the music competition. At night, the leader of the spies is attacked, and to lure them out, Tu Qianzhou decides to participate in the competition as well. Princess Jia Yue personally attends the event, and Jin Xinxin stands out during the competition. Tu Qianzhou suggests to Shu Chen that he compete against Wan Yu, suspecting her to be a spy from the Nanqi Kingdom.

Tu Qianzhou suspects that Wan Yu might be a spy from the Nanqi Kingdom, so he intentionally gives her the same competition number as his. They compete against each other, with Princess Jia Yue being a devoted fan of Wan Yu, watching her with admiration. Tu Qianzhou insists that Wan Yu must keep his identity secret, or neither of them will be able to participate in the competition. They reach an agreement and collaborate on a performance that impresses the audience and allows them both to advance.

Jin Xinxin, a wealthy heir, takes a liking to Wan Yu and enthusiastically showers her with compliments, which irritates Tu Qianzhou. During the competition, Tu Qianzhou's secret about his height is exposed when his elevator shoes fall off.

As the advancing contestants prepare to change clothes and have their portraits taken, Wan Yu hesitates to change in front of others. Tu Qianzhou, with a disdainful expression, encourages her to leave the room to help her. Jin Xinxin invites Wan Yu to join him for a bath that evening, but she declines his offer.

The participants in the competition are assigned dormitories, and Wan Yu ends up living with nine men. She deliberately chooses a corner spot, while Tu Qianzhou selects a place next to her to protect her and conceal her true gender.

When the contestants take a break, Tu Qianzhou secretly meets with Shu Chen, who urges him to accelerate his music practice since their performance is approaching. In preparation for the competition, the participants engage in skincare routines, including face masks and even suggest a milk bath. Wan Yu starts to adapt to the bathing idea and suddenly realizes she can use Tu Qianzhou to assist her while pretending to save his music.

During the lunch break, Jin Xinxin's study partner secretly tells him that Tu Qianzhou and the others are doing skincare, and they can't afford to lose to them. Wan Yu has specially prepared a skincare mask and even plucked all the hair from Tu Qianzhou's body, realizing that participating in the competition is so troublesome. Since Wan Yu has been taking care of his skincare all day, she asks him for help, but Tu Qianzhou disagrees. So Wan Yu threatens him with his identity. Just as she shouts loudly, Tu Qianzhou covers her mouth to silence her. At that moment, both of them become embarrassed and blush.

Tu Qianzhou waits outside while Wan Yu goes into the bathhouse to take a bath alone. Since entering the competition, Wan Yu hasn't had a chance to bathe properly, so she takes this opportunity to clean herself thoroughly. At this moment, Jin Xinxin also comes to the bathhouse and insists on entering but is stopped by Tu Qianzhou. Jin Xinxin's strength is no match for Tu Qianzhou, so he has no choice but to give up. He mutters about Tu Qianzhou's jealousy and returns to his room in frustration.

Cao Xia deliberately hands the competition lyrics to Jin Xinxin, who wonders how Cao Xia managed to obtain them, even though he has money. Cao Xia says he has his own connections. Jin Xinxin takes the lyrics book without hesitation and teams up with Cao Xia for the competition. To successfully advance in the competition, Jin Xinxin needs to memorize the lyrics in advance. When he opens the book, he realizes he can't read the characters.

After taking a bath, Wan Yu comes out with wet hair, which makes Tu Qianzhou's heart flutter with desire.

Before the competition, they had a day off, and Wan Yu suggested going to practice. However, the others were tempted by the street-side roast chicken and stinky tofu. Another student knew of a secret wall exit. Wan Yu had a weight loss plan and didn't want to go out, so the others rushed off to the food stalls. Before leaving, Tu Qianzhou warned Wan Yu to lock the doors and windows because the courtyard had experienced ghostly incidents before.

After the failed assassination attempt on the Grand Musician, he had become more cautious. To complete the assassination mission, the Nanqi Kingdom sent Old Cao to infiltrate this group of students and ordered him to eliminate the Grand Musician, Shu Chen, at all costs. When Old Cao received the instructions, he noticed a group of people slipping away secretly, and Wan Yu followed them, crawling through a doghole to reach Zui Xian Ju. Tu Qianzhou made a special effort to prepare food for Wan Yu and showed great concern for her. News of Wan Yu's presence at Zui Xian Ju was spotted by her fans, and upon seeing this, Tu Qianzhou immediately picked up an umbrella and left the building with her by jumping out of a window.

Tu Qianzhou held Wan Yu's hand as they ran through the streets. Their hands were tightly clasped, and at times, they awkwardly pushed each other away. Wan Yu thought the night was exceptionally beautiful, and the candied hawthorns up ahead caught her attention. Tu Qianzhou immediately bought a string and gave it to her as a gift. She took a bite and found it delicious, inviting him to try some. Tu Qianzhou took a bite, leaving only a mouthful, which he finished. They both blushed and looked at each other shyly.

The news of everyone going to Zui Xian Ju in the evening was discovered by the Grand Musician because they had gone out without permission. Some had even concealed their marital history. Those who concealed their marital history were disqualified, while the others were punished and had to copy the rules of the academy. While they were sitting down for their punishment, during the sit-ups, Grand Musician Shu Chen took advantage of Wan Yu's improper posture and asked Tu Qianzhou to help her with her leg stretches. Being so close during the sit-ups made them both blush again. Later, when everyone discussed finding the informer, they turned to see that Wan Yu and Tu Qianzhou had flushed faces, which seemed a bit strange.

This time, Jin Xinxin secretly gloated in the background, while the other students were punished. Whenever Shu Chen thought about what had happened during the day, he couldn't help but smile foolishly. He hadn't expected Tu Qianzhou to blush.

Everyone was awakened by the sound of drums, only to see Wan Yu teaching Tu Qianzhou dance. As they looked at their meals, they missed the food from Zui Xian Ju and felt like they were turning into rabbits eating vegetables every day. Wan Yu's sachet had gone missing, and no one had seen it. She had a vague sense that she had been losing things inexplicably recently.

This time, Shu Chen had the students learn a new song, and Jin Xinxin excelled in this learning opportunity because he had obtained the lines beforehand. He quietly thanked Cao Xia and secretly felt proud, thinking that he was exceptionally talented and could become the Grand Musician in the future. When the dance choreography began, only Wan Yu practiced it perfectly, while Tu Qianzhou seemed stiff, as if he were practicing martial arts. Wan Yu took advantage of mealtime to practice her dance diligently. She refused to accept the idea that music had gender distinctions and was determined to stand up for women.

In the evening, Wan Yu was still in the dance studio practicing when a strange man approached her with ill intentions.

In the evening, Wan Yu was practicing dancing alone in the dance studio when a stranger with ill intentions approached her. Fortunately, Tu Qianzhou arrived in time to rescue her. The assailant was subdued, and they found Wan Yu's lost sachet and folding fan from a few days ago on him. It turned out that this person was a fan of Wan Yu, deeply infatuated with her. Tu Qianzhou later stated that if Wan Yu continued to practice dance so late in the future, she must call him for help.

Princess Jia Yue deliberately found a position that allowed her to see Wan Yu from various angles. It was the day for the contestants to compete again, and she arrived early to secure a good spot. When Wan Yu took the stage, Princess Jia Yue cheered, making Shu Chen, who was sitting in the front row, jealous. After all, seeing his fiancée infatuated with another man was somewhat difficult for him to bear. He remembered how Princess Jia Yue had initially made snacks for him with the purpose of gathering information about Wan Yu. A few words couldn't describe the concern he had for Wan Yu.

The students began to perform the dance they had been rehearsing for a long time. Tu Qianzhou was a bit nervous, more so than he had ever been in battle, while Wan Yu seemed to effortlessly blend with the dance, mesmerizing the women in the audience. The Grand Musician announced the end of the performance, and the audience below started throwing eggs to vote for the contestants, with the one receiving the most eggs winning. Before revealing the results, Shu Chen announced that there were students who had violated the rules, making Wan Yu nervous, fearing that her secret of disguising herself as a man might be exposed.

Before Shu Chen announced the results of the advancement round, he declared that someone had violated the rules, causing Wan Yu to panic, fearing that her disguise as a man might be exposed. People looked at each other in astonishment, only to discover that Di Zhao Da'an had bribed the artist to change his portrait into that of a handsome man and had Song Xiao Yu lip-syncing. Both of them were disqualified. Shu Chen then instructed everyone to check the results, and it was no surprise that Wan Yu came in first. At this moment, Jia Yue took the opportunity to ask Wan Yu for an autograph, and in her excitement, she hugged Wan Yu, noticing her well-developed chest muscles, which aroused envy among the others.

The third test changed the rules, this time focusing on archery. The winner would receive a private room and bathroom, prompting Wan Yu to eagerly sign up for the prize. However, she struggled to draw the bowstring and couldn't hit the target. Tu Qianzhou then demonstrated for her, leaving Wan Yu deeply impressed and eager to learn from him. Tu Qianzhou personally taught her how to draw the bow and shoot arrows. As Wan Yu watched him, her attention was divided.

Tu Qianzhou noticed her weak arm and decided to exercise it, making her pick up beans to practice concentration. After a long and tiring day, Wan Yu dozed off, and Tu Qianzhou offered his shoulder for her to lean on as she slept.

The next day, Wan Yu practiced archery alone, finally managing to draw the bow and hit the bullseye. Tu Qianzhou happened to notice her swollen arm and went to find medicine for her. Shu Chen mocked Tu Qianzhou for treating the investigation like a game this time, and he had never seen him so dedicated in catching spies. At that moment, the spy was eavesdropping outside the window. Just as he was about to break in, Tu Qianzhou appeared behind him, and they began to fight. Seizing the opportunity, the spy managed to escape just as Shu Chen walked out of the room.

Tu Qianzhou had a hard time luring out the spy but unfortunately, the spy managed to escape. Shu Chen decided to change the competition to archery, using it as an opportunity to expose the spy. The other participants applied a soothing ointment to Wan Yu's back, admiring his smooth and delicate skin. They wanted to stay and take care of him. At that moment, Princess Jia Yue arrived with the royal physician to treat his injuries. She insisted that the physician examine him personally and noticed some issues. Later, she discreetly informed the princess, who instructed the physician not to let anyone else know about it.

Wan Yu played the flute, and Princess Jia Yue gazed at him affectionately, dismissing her maids. She looked at Wan Yu's injured arm with concern, and he felt that his current status made it inappropriate for him to have physical contact with the princess. The princess had only seen their glamorous side before and had never imagined the hardships they endured. She admired Wan Yu's determination and said that even women deserved respect. She encouraged Wan Yu to work even harder to pursue her dreams. The princess held Wan Yu's hand, expressing her desire to support her and women's dreams. Wan Yu covered the princess's hand, expressing her happiness at having a friend like her.

To test Wan Yu's archery skills, Tu Qianzhou stood by the target to supervise. When the news of Wan Yu hitting the bullseye reached Jin Xinxin's ears, he came to taunt her, making fun of her before leaving. Tu Qianzhou, seeing the heartbroken Wan Yu, wiped away the tears on her hand. In the evening, Shu Chen looked at the letter the princess had written to him, recalling their first meeting, and his heart fluttered once again.

In this competition, the format was changed to archery. In the first round, Tu Qianzhou competed against Old Cao and won decisively, defeating Old Cao. In the second round, Wan Yu competed against Jin Xinxin. She was already not well-liked by Jin Xinxin, and during this match, it was a close contest. They were separated by only five points, and Princess Jia Yue prayed that Wan Yu would regain some points in the final few arrows. However, when Jin Xinxin was about to release his arrow with full concentration, Old Cao used a concealed weapon to hit his arm, causing the arrow to veer towards Shu Chen. Luckily, Shu Chen was bending down to pick something up, or he would have been hit.

Jin Xinxin was startled by the incident, and Tu Qianzhou noticed that Old Cao was behind this sabotage. When the situation was exposed, Old Cao took the opportunity to escape, and a fierce battle ensued between him and Tu Qianzhou. Old Cao was eventually defeated. However, Wan Yu was taken hostage by Old Cao, who used her as leverage to threaten Tu Qianzhou. Wan Yu communicated with Tu Qianzhou through eye contact and used her skills to bend over swiftly. Taking advantage of the moment, Tu Qianzhou thrust his knife into Old Cao's neck, instantly ending his life.

In the next competition, the participants formed teams of five. Jin Xinxin directly recruited five members and aimed to reach the finals. Tu Qianzhou also composed a team list, carefully considering his choices and reluctantly including a few names. The spy from Nanqi Kingdom had completed his mission and was planning to leave the band, feeling deeply attached to Wan Yu. Wan Yu sensed that he had something on his mind and came to comfort him.

After completing his mission, Tu Qianzhou had to return to his team, and he felt reluctant to leave Wan Yu. Wan Yu didn't understand why he had come out alone. Tu Qianzhou told her that there was a possibility he couldn't stay with her until the end; he had to return to his team. He wanted to give her a single room before leaving, but Wan Yu thought their feelings were fake and sadly left, turning her back on him as they said their goodbyes.

The other students admired Tu Qianzhou's archery skills greatly, as he effortlessly achieved a perfect score. Team members criticized him for leaving just as they were forming a team, leaving them in a difficult position for the upcoming group stage. Tu Qianzhou had no choice but to leave, carrying his luggage. Jin Xinxin, feeling disgusted with Cao Xia for almost injuring Shu Chen, had briefly considered using Cao Xia to eliminate the Grand Musician. However, he ultimately decided against it, considering Cao Xia's indirect lesson to Tu Qianzhou, feeling somewhat satisfied. Cao Xia instructed Xiao Gui Zi not to engage in any treasonous activities.

In recognition of Tu Qianzhou's successful mission completion, the Grand Musician granted him leave for rest and congratulated him for finally escaping the days of dancing and singing. Tu Qianzhou was relieved that Cao Xia seemed to have been dealt with smoothly, but he still had concerns about Shu Chen's safety, especially during the initial auditions when the mysterious figures failed to locate him. Shu Chen assured him not to worry about anything else and to enjoy his vacation. Shu Chen could see that Tu Qianzhou was intentionally finding various reasons to stay, allowing him to continue his undercover mission at the academy to uncover the mastermind. The next day, Wan Yu woke up to find herself sleeping in the same bed as Tu Qianzhou, vaguely recalling the embarrassing scene from the previous night.