<blockquote>"This is my year," Shen Yuan tells his sister when he heads off to X Factor bootcamp. He knows he's good, and he's got his story in the bag. He's watched enough talent shows and read enough insider scoops and blind items to know the story is what puts the skill over the edge. He's spent years perfecting the Shen Yuan package. It's time to deploy it.
"Sure," she says, laughing.
She's laughing again when he video-calls her from bootcamp. "So, bro, did you get in?" she asks.
"Yeah," Shen Yuan says. His voice, he's surprised to find, is steady. "But... they put me in a group."</blockquote>
