CHAPTER 193: CHAPTER 188: THE NEW CLASS A

"Now, I will reveal the trainees of Class A, starting from the 11th and 12th positions."

"So who will stand in the debut positions? And who will lead Class B?"

"One of them has been bouncing in and out of Class A, while the other upgraded all the way from Class F to Class D."

Long Zitao began speaking according to the script. This time, she didn’t refer to the cue card.

Lin Jiayi, who had been utterly despairing, suddenly felt a surge of hope injected into her.

She had once entered Class A, then shifted to Class B later.

Fu Xiaoyu and Li Zimeng also lifted their heads—like Jiayi, they had experienced similar journeys.

However, there were more people who transitioned from Class F to Class D. Yet all eyes focused on Zhao Juke, who was visibly nervous as she kept taking deep breaths.

"These two people are Li Zimeng and Zhao Juke." Long Zitao’s words completely shattered Lin Jiayi’s hopes and pushed her into the abyss of despair.

Fu Xiaoyu, on the other hand, grew extremely tense. Although she knew her ranking wouldn’t be low, the truth remained: until her name was actually announced, anything was possible.

She got up and hugged Li Zimeng beside her, and Zimeng let out a relieved sigh.

Meanwhile, Yang Ni watched her hometown friend with a face full of envy; she felt proud for Zimeng.

Zhao Juke’s body trembled sharply, almost losing her balance on the seat. The psychological pressure she was enduring was immense.

Fortunately, her teammates beside her supported her, helping her stand steadily.

The two walked to the stage together; this time, the program team had placed microphones directly in front of them.

Clearly, the treatment for Class A members was distinctively special.

Long Zitao didn’t tease this time but loudly announced the rankings: "Ranked 12th is Zhao Juke, and 11th is Li Zimeng."

Both of them were able to accept the result well since they had a clear understanding of their standings.

The two stood there, showing an adorable contrast in their physiques.

Zhao Juke was approximately 175cm tall, with a somewhat robust build, while Li Zimeng was around 170cm, petite and delicate like a southern lady.

Zhao Juke spoke first: "Thank you to the program team, the mentors, and all the creators! I’d like to officially introduce myself: I am Zhao Juke. I hope you will pay attention to me in the future. I’ll work twice as hard."

Clearly, she also realized she shared the same issue as Chen Yinghan.

However, following her predecessor’s excellent impression, Juke’s speech didn’t leave much of a lasting impression on the audience.

Li Zimeng stood there gracefully and elegantly, her aristocratic upbringing ensuring she always maintained a sense of poise.

It could be said that in terms of demeanor and elegance alone, she was the best in the entire base.

She possessed an old-fashioned, refined aristocratic aura that seemed innate.

Li Zimeng’s speech was somewhat humorous; her Mandarin wasn’t fluent, so she merely expressed gratitude to the program team, mentors, and creators.

Hand-in-hand, the two walked toward the pyramid.

The girls who had already ascended there all showed expressions of envy for their high positions.

Humans are like this: once they obtain something, they immediately desire something better.

"Now, I will announce the 10th-ranked trainee." Long Zitao’s voice carried a hint of joy; he felt like he was accomplishing something monumental.

"She once sat on the throne..."

Upon hearing these words, Fu Xiaoyu, who had been anxious about her fate, stood up with relief.

Those around her crowded in to congratulate her.

Everyone knew Fu Xiaoyu had earned her "first pot of gold" only because of this.

Over on the other side, Jiang Xijie and Wu Youxuan cast complex gazes toward Xiaoyu.

Back then, if they’d been braver and truly sat on that throne, would their path have turned out differently?

"Why are you all so happy? I haven’t announced the result yet!" Long Zitao teased.

Everyone froze for a moment before realizing he was joking—other than Fu Xiaoyu, it simply couldn’t be anyone else.

"You’re tricking us again!"

"Exactly, stop doing this, alright?"

"Ugh, you’re so annoying!"

Amid a chorus of playful complaints, Long Zitao had to admit that he was just joking.

Fu Xiaoyu walked toward the stage. On her way, she leapt onto Wu Zixuan in celebration, the two acting like the best of friends.

Xiaoyu worked to even out her breathing: "Thank you all—thank you, everyone, including my teammates. I will continue working hard."

Fu Xiaoyu was deeply emotional. Her speech was brief, and after bowing, she turned and headed toward the pyramid.

"Next, I will announce the 9th-ranked trainee. She’s the little crybaby who’s incredibly adorable."

As soon as Long Zitao finished the sentence, everyone shouted out two names: Lv Fangxin and Li Shihan.

However, the chants for Li Shihan were the loudest.

Lv Fangxin sat seemingly expressionless, while her nervousness had already reached its peak internally.

Long Zitao couldn’t help but chuckle looking at Li Shihan’s face.

Li Shihan was sitting upright, lips pursed, her eyes fixed straight ahead as if staring into space.

The truth was, everyone hoped Li Shihan would advance. Her skills and character were admired by all.

Of course, this didn’t mean people didn’t like Lv Fangxin—they just knew Shihan had greater popularity.

In previous rankings, Shihan had even been terrifyingly placed second.

"Congratulations to the 9th-ranked trainee, Li Shihan."

With Long Zitao’s announcement, Shihan’s face finally broke into a long-absent smile.

She cheerfully walked up to the microphone, feeling her muscles tense and stiff from excitement.

"First off, I want to tell everyone: Taurus never admits defeat," she said, pumping her fist and boosting her own spirits while clapping back at the critics.

During this time, Shihan had come to terms with the fact that the only reason she faced backlash was because she had become famous.

She knew her pathway forward would involve proving herself with pure talent, showing she was rightfully the initial center of this show.

"Originally, I was just a little blade of grass without strength; all my energy comes from those who love me, as well as Jiayi and Chunshu," Shihan said, her voice beginning to choke with emotion.

Lin Jiayi could no longer hold back the tears she’d been suppressing and cried openly, while Ni Chunshu’s reddened eyes mirrored their shared feelings of friendship and reluctance.

Shihan continued tearfully: "They’re both truly remarkable; I hope everyone pays more attention to them!"

This must be the genuine camaraderie between girls—a bond forged through years of companionship, hard work, and shared dreams.

"To me, what matters most is sincerity and happiness. Everyone here has a heavy weight to carry, but you don’t have to force yourself to achieve something extraordinary. You just need to grow toward the light," Shihan said.

She followed her words with the first move of the theme song’s choreography, resembling a vibrant sunflower facing the rising sun.

The fear and anxiety of the past had completely faded, replaced by confidence and optimism.

Her positive emotions quickly spread to everyone present. While the ultimate lineup remained unpredictable, one thing was for certain: putting in one’s best effort and giving it your all in every task at the base was something each trainee could control, a responsibility owed to oneself.

Equally important was maintaining a calm mindset and striving to approach each day joyfully. Bringing sunshine and happiness to viewers was the true mission of an idol.

Everyone cheered loudly, motivating themselves, their teammates, and praising Li Zixuan for her inspiring speech.

Even Long Zitao felt her eyes grow misty. She was reminded of her younger days in the group, her innocent enthusiasm mirroring Shihan’s passion.

Yang Xiaoyue felt similarly nostalgic. At Shihan’s age, she had been the same way too, but time and reality had shaped her into something she once loathed.

These days, Xiao Yue carried nothing but selfish ambitions, orchestrating these girls’ youthful dreams for her and her patrons’ maximum benefit.

"Li Zixuan, happy birthday," Long Zitao suddenly said as Zixuan walked toward the pyramid.

Li Zixuan immediately felt warmth in her heart—yesterday had been her birthday, and Long Zitao had specifically sent her a gift. Now, she was congratulating her personally.

In truth, every girl at the base received a birthday gift from Long Zitao, a gesture that made everyone feel cozy and deeply appreciated.