CHAPTER 106: CHAPTER 103: NEW MISSION

The trainees from Class C and Class D also found their practice rooms.

Both classes have the same number of members: 27, while Class B has 22 and Class F has 13.

Their attitudes were relatively positive; the majority thought: "At least we’re not in last place. Even if we can’t debut from this show, spending over a month in such a privileged environment isn’t bad."

However, there were others who refused to give up and wanted to fight their way upward, and some who were overcome by fear, unsure of what they’d do after leaving here.

At this moment, Teacher Zhang Wei arrived. He didn’t say much but gave a few words of encouragement, and then began to let everyone audition.

He mainly teaches vocals, so he needed to assess the trainees’ basic skills and innate abilities.

When it was Lv Fangxin’s turn, she walked over nervously and followed the teacher’s instructions, testing her voice from low to high notes. Unfortunately, the result was terrible.

Zhang Wei consoled her with a couple of words before dismissing her. After the session, she went to ask Chen Yinghan and found out she was actually "tone-deaf."

Compared to the somber atmosphere in Class F, the mood in Classes C and D was relatively easygoing.

In Class B, however, there was an unmistakable sense of gravity and stubborn dissatisfaction.

Several of them were people who had been PK-ed down from Class A, like Wu Zixuan and Qiang Yueting. They were eager to prove themselves again and return to the apex of dominance.

Others thought, "Since I made it to Class B, why shouldn’t I fight my way into the debut slots? What makes those 11 people better than me?"

Thus, when Tian Jiaxuan entered the practice room, she felt an overwhelming power emanating from the group.

"Girls, are you indignant? What’s on your mind right now?"

"Indignant, upset!"

"We’re indignant, we’re burning inside!"

The girls’ fighting spirit was instantly ignited, and they shouted excitedly.

"If you’re indignant, then you must fight. You have the ability—trust yourselves! You can definitely defeat them. This is only temporary. Next time, you’ll wear that pink outfit." Much like Luo Junxiang, Tian Jiaxuan began to stir them up like a motivational speaker.

As a former member of a girl group, she understood better than anyone how to push these trainees forward.

Why do girl groups have pep rallies? Why do girl groups emphasize striving upward and never admitting defeat?

Because they are a collective, and the power of the collective is greater than the sum of its parts. Only by igniting collective passion can every individual push themselves to their limits.

"Shihan, why haven’t you said anything this whole time? Why are you hiding at the back of the group? I remember how confident you were on stage." Tian Jiaxuan’s keen observations led her to notice the timid Li Shihan.

This girl, lanky and slim, stood there like a helpless blade of grass.

Everyone spread apart, leaving her alone in front of Tian Jiaxuan.

At that moment, Li Shihan, who was naturally reticent and borderline socially withdrawn, almost burst into tears.

"Shihan, are you afraid?"

Li Shihan nodded emphatically: "I don’t know why, but whenever I get nervous, I just want to cry. Yet I hate being seen crying by others."

She truly was nervous. She couldn’t stand competing with others, nor did she know how to integrate into this group of strangers to learn and live together.

"I understand that feeling. You’re scared of making mistakes and being seen by others," Tian Jiaxuan approached her. "Here, wear these sunglasses. That way, no one will see your tears."

Li Shihan looked through a world now shaded in different colors, and somehow, she felt a bit better.

"Shihan, sing us a song. You’re so confident when you dance; I hope you can be just as confident when you sing." Tian Jiaxuan gazed at her with encouragement.

Li Shihan sensed the supportive eyes of the girls around her. She even seemed to hear Lai Ruoxuan quietly cheering her on.

Standing in the corner of Class B, Lu Bingbing felt conflicted.

Her variety-show instincts were still underwhelming, leaving her lacking competitiveness among the group of girls.

"I have to play to my strengths and establish my persona from Hanoi here. Li Shihan might just be my breakthrough point."

Meanwhile, as Tian Jiaxuan was fostering a "mentor-student bond" in Class B, Long Zitao was leading his teaching efforts in Class A.

He noticed how vibrant and full of energy each girl before him appeared.

Whenever his gaze landed on Ye Yuwei, his heart raced, and he couldn’t bring himself to meet her eyes directly.

He truly hadn’t expected to experience this; ordinarily, if he liked someone, he acted on it, and if he disliked them, he didn’t hesitate to show it. Yet now, he was utterly thrown off balance.

"What you’re enjoying now, you’ve earned. Winners deserve it all."

Long Zitao’s words sent their faces aglow with excitement.

They felt no sympathy or compassion for the "losers," because they understood those women were like wolves lurking in the shadows, ready to spring out and replace them.

Such was the merciless competition of the entertainment industry. Everyone yearned for the privileges afforded to those at the top—standing amidst countless flowers and cheers.

"Are you afraid now?" Long Zitao shouted.

Not one person answered him; many even showed signs of unease.

Deep down, they were brimming with anxiety, fearful that all this was fleeting and fragile.

They knew competitors were relentlessly chasing them. No one could guarantee their spot in the debut lineup.

The likes of Wu Zixuan, Qiang Yueting, Fu Xiaoyu, Li Zimeng, and Li Shihan were names that instilled fear in them.

Driven by such fear, they could only push themselves harder. Falling in rank and leaving the spacious dormitory would be a fate worse than death.

"I understand your fear. It’s not just you—even the most successful celebrities out there fear this. No matter how famous you become, someone will eventually replace you, and everything will disappear like smoke," Long Zitao remarked with a deep sorrow that moved hearts.

"But as long as we’re still at the summit, we must protect our honor. Give it your all—I believe, in the future, you will become the brightest stars."

Long Zitao’s speech stirred the girls profoundly. Having reached this point, having come this far, should they simply give it up? No way!

Just then, a broadcast sounded: "The theme song assessment will take place in three days. Each trainee will have only one opportunity to be evaluated. Based on everyone’s performance, the instructors will rearrange the class rankings."

Everyone froze in shock. Three days to master the theme song?

"Is it just singing?" one timid voice asked.

"What are you even here for?" another girl snapped at her.

"If it’s singing and dancing, how could anyone possibly finish it? We’ve all seen Wang Junhe perform it on stage—the choreography isn’t particularly hard, but it involves too many shifts and transitions!"

Regardless of their concerns, the task wouldn’t change. The only option left was to focus all their energy on grueling practice with the dance instructor.

The program didn’t rely solely on the five mentors to teach singing and dancing—not with the trainees divided into five classes. That would be impossible.

Additional instructors had been hired by the show, but their sole purpose was to teach group choreography with strict time limits.

Failing to learn the routines would be a personal problem; once their scheduled hours were over, the instructors would leave.

This arrangement was reasonable—the production team couldn’t afford to hire individual tutors for everyone.

But this left those who struggled to memorize moves or lacked a dance foundation on the verge of collapse.

Past midnight, Lv Fangxin felt herself nearing a breakdown; no matter how she tried to dance, she couldn’t keep up and failed to catch the rhythm.

"Fangxin, don’t rush. Since you’ve never learned dance before, it’s natural to take your time. Let’s practice together." Chen Yinghan approached her gently, handing her a water bottle with a soft look.

"Thank you, Yinghan. You’ve been helping me so much—I feel like I’ve been keeping you from your own practice," Lv Fangxin said gratefully, teary-eyed as she stared at her newfound friend.

"When I guide your movements, I’m re-learning them myself!" Chen Yinghan’s radiant smile dazzled, momentarily leaving Lv Fangxin in a trance. She felt weight in her hand, as the other girl had already pulled her to her feet.

The two stood nearly face-to-face, the air around them intertwining.

"Yinghan, could you help me with the movements too?" Originally in Class D, Lu Xiaoman suddenly appeared behind them.

Lv Fangxin looked at the slender, wave-haired girl with sharp poise and couldn’t help but feel nervous. Her eyes seemed to hold a certain hostility toward her.