CHAPTER 531: 209 THE SECRET ABOUT RONG XIANNING_3

Including him, everyone else was just there to serve as a backdrop for Rong Xianning. The debut position had long been predetermined; it was all people from the Eternal Century group.

It was only because Wen Yan did something stupid, tried to set a trap for Rong Xianning, and got exposed, that he was forced to withdraw from the competition, leaving an open spot. Knowing the inside story, He Qian decided to capitalize on this vacancy.

The director had no real say; the investors were the ones who made the decisions. As long as Mr. Huang was taken care of, Ding Meng wouldn’t be able to say a word. That’s why Mr. He brought him out tonight.

Xu Si never would’ve expected that, during nothing more than a meal at Zirui Pavilion, He Qian would manage to get himself dragged into trouble with the police.

He carefully recalled the woman in black and the key figure, Feng Yueyang.

The last time they were at the clubhouse, when Rong Xianning was being bullied by Liang Cai, the mysterious girl who suddenly appeared to save him was this same ruthless individual who beat up He Qian tonight.

Xu Si frowned. With Feng Yueyang backing her, no wonder she was so brazen. Even someone like He Qian had to swallow his humiliation now.

Rong Xianning wasn’t just connected to President Ding; it seemed like his ties with this woman were also far from simple. Could the Feng Group be another one of his safety nets?

Thinking of this, Xu Si felt an inexplicable discomfort creeping through him.

In what ways was he inferior to Rong Xianning? Why was it that Rong Xianning always encountered people willing to help him? Was it purely because of that face?

As the finals approached, Rong Xianning, instead of working harder, seemed to be growing increasingly complacent. Now, he wasn’t even showing up at the dance studio anymore. Was it because he knew he had already secured the C-rank debut position and could act so arrogantly?

Xu Si stood outside Rong Xianning’s dorm room. He lived diagonally across from him.

The corridor’s dim light made the strong glow seeping through the cracks in the door stand out even more on the carpet.

Just then, the dorm room door suddenly opened from inside.

Xu Si was startled and took a sharp step back.

The young man was wearing a long-sleeved sweatshirt. He had probably just taken a shower; his hair was still damp, and a refreshing fragrance mixed with the scent of shampoo wafted in his direction.

In that instant, Xu Si found himself wondering what brand of shampoo he used. The scent was quite unique...

It was slightly reminiscent of orchids mixed with a hint of lemon, elegant and refreshing.

The young man glanced at him but quickly averted his gaze, walking past him without another look.

Xu Si’s hand, hanging by his side, clenched tightly in an instant.

He was always like this—his eyes never seeing anyone else’s existence.

Not far from the door stood a vending machine stocked with all sorts of drinks and water.

The young man reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, fed them into the coin slot, and followed the instructions to select a can of coffee.

The coffee rolled down into the retrieval slot.

Rong Xianning crouched down and bent forward to reach into the compartment to retrieve it.

Xu Si’s gaze remained fixated on Rong Xianning’s every move. When Rong Xianning crouched down, perhaps because his sweatshirt was a bit ill-fitting, a sliver of his waist was exposed.

Xu Si’s pupils contracted suddenly, and he rubbed his eyes.

The young man straightened up with the can of coffee in hand.

The fleeting scene felt like a flash of lightning.

Rong Xianning turned back towards his room, not sparing the frozen Xu Si another look. He stepped into his dorm and closed the door.

The sound of the door closing snapped Xu Si back to his senses.

He could hardly believe what he had just seen.

Rong Xianning’s skin was incredibly fair. Among all the contestants in the show, there were boys of all different types, and some of them could be described as "naturally exquisite." But someone like Rong Xianning, with skin so fair it almost resembled a girl’s, was truly rare.

His fairness had a healthy pinkish glow. If you ignored his sharp brow bones and the slightly firm line of his jaw, he really could pass for a little girl.

His face, neck, and hands all had this smooth, pinkish-white quality that made one wonder—was the rest of his body like that too?

Rong Xianning was strange. He never wore clothing that revealed his arms or legs. No matter how hot it got, no matter how much sweat he poured out in the practice room, he always kept himself covered up tightly, more conservatively than someone from the feudal era. Before, there were even contestants who secretly joked that he was celibate for someone.

It was fascinating. The more someone hid themselves, the more others wanted to uncover them...

And just a moment ago, in that fleeting glimpse, Xu Si had seen the secret on Rong Xianning’s waist.

Perhaps that was why he never wore short sleeves.

On the surface, Rong Xianning seemed flawless and invincible. But it turned out, he harbored so many secrets.

Xu Si let out a cold laugh, his eyes fixed on the tightly shut dorm room door in front of him.

Sooner or later, I’ll strip away your facade and show your adoring fans what truly lies beneath that pretty exterior of yours—what kind of monstrous truth is hidden there.

Feeling like he had discovered Rong Xianning’s weakness, Xu Si smugly returned to his own dorm.

Rong Xianning finished drinking the can of coffee, feeling slightly refreshed. He took a set of math exam papers from his desk drawer, opened the timer app on his phone, picked up his pen, and started solving the problems with full concentration.

Three days before the competition finals, while everyone else was feverishly rehearsing, Rong Xianning was busy working on a set of mock middle school examinations.