[Host, why are you only ranked 93rd?]
‘I also want to know why so many people are competing with me for the last place.’ Chu Qianze felt very uncomfortable.
He had already been criticized so much, almost matching the color code with charcoal, yet he didn’t end up as the last, not even second to the last. He couldn’t even make it to the last ten.
‘I didn’t do any promotion, and I didn’t do anything else. How did my ranking still go up? It’s absurd.’
[Wait, wait, wait, I’m a bit confused. Isn’t a higher ranking better?]
‘We’re not in the elimination round yet. What’s the point of rankings now? I’ll take advantage of the opportunity to feel the warmth of the bottom. After the show airs for a while, I’ll be done with these irrelevant rankings.’
[…]
‘Moreover, rising from the bottom feels even more satisfying. The current situation, neither up nor down, is quite awkward.’
[Host, I’d like to leave the group chat.]
Although knowing the other person spoke the truth, the system felt an itch to retaliate with some data, wanting to hit back.
‘Before you go, do me a favor.’
[What is it?]
‘Just wait a moment.’
Seeing the three roommates sneak glances at him after checking their rankings, Chu Qianze felt a bit helpless as they seemed hesitant to speak. “After you’ve finished looking, hand me the cards.”
Taking the cards, he offered a reassuring smile to the others. It’s really something when their reactions are more dramatic than mine.
Just as Rong Jinghe was about to speak, they heard a staff member calling from outside the door.
He hesitated for a moment before directly walking out.
After a while, Rong Jinghe returned, and Ye Lungan asked curiously, “What are you going to do?”
Rong Jinghe replied, “Answering some questions, probably as additional information for the follow-up.”
“Ye Lunguo, can you come out for a moment?” a staff member called.
Seeing that he didn’t have anything to attend to at the moment, Chu Qianze walked to a corner, took a sip of his water, and thought, ‘There should be comments on the votes; pull them up for me to see.’
[Loading…]
[Below are the voting comments:]
[I am the legendary supporter of the impoverished, and the little brother looks good. I’ll vote for you!]
[Paw print.]
This is the first type, the legendary supporter of the impoverished, specifically targeting votes for those at the bottom, with a nature similar to expressing compassion.
[Your looks are outstanding! Why isn’t anyone voting for you?]
[Wow, little brother looks so handsome! Keep it up!]
[Feels like he’s the most handsome here. Why is there only one picture? Can we see more of you later?]
[Voting for you, sponsoring you~]
This part is based on Chu Qianze’s good looks.
And then there’s another type, which is a bit more peculiar.
[The one who’s shipping with Rong Jinghe and getting criticized? I’m a Rong Jinghe anti-fan. You must persist!]
[Oh, you’re in the same group as Rong Jinghe? Hehe, go for it, create more CP with him.]
[Friend, good luck in the competition.]
They are anti-fans of Rong Jinghe.
Rong Jinghe openly dislikes shipping, and recently, Chu Qianze has been making more noise with him. Holding the perspective that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, they voted for Chu Qianze.
[Shameless attention seeker!]
This part is from Rong Jinghe’s fans. Upon seeing someone riding on his popularity, they would rather use up a vote to leave a comment.
And so, his ranking mysteriously went up.
Smiling throughout the entire process of reading the comments, Chu Qianze silently took a sip of water.
‘It’s alright, you can go ahead and play.’
[I’ll take my leave.]
“Chu Qianze, please come out.”
Hearing the staff calling him, Chu Qianze walked out. Following them to a nearby room, it was a place specifically for recording activities similar to confessions.
“Please have a seat here,” the cameraman said.
Seating himself, Chu Qianze propped one leg up on the footrest, adjusted the angle, and waited for the questions.
“What are your thoughts on this assessment?”
Chu Qianze clasped his hands together and said, “I feel pretty good about it.”
The staff waited for a while and, seeing no further elaboration, confirmed that Chu Qianze had already given his prepared response. “Do you want to add anything else?”
Understanding, Chu Qianze said, “The assessment first had us learn the theme song to allow for a horizontal comparison, so that everyone could have a better understanding of each other’s abilities…”
He supplemented his answer with a few more sentences.
“Is there anything you’d like to say about your roommates?”
After a moment of thought, Chu Qianze briefly described the images of the other three. When it came to Rong Jinghe, the staff member suddenly interjected.
“I heard that you’ve encountered each other in the cockpit before.”
This is… about creating a buzz.
“Yes, it was the first time I encountered a real star. I was so excited; I even asked for an autograph,” Chu Qianze laughed.
“So, how did you feel about meeting each other this time?”
After chatting for a while, as per the routine, the interviewer set traps, and Chu Qianze skillfully navigated around them, circulating and looping. But these were all routine for Chu Qianze; deflecting was undoubtedly one of his strengths.
As the session concluded, the staff stopped questioning, realizing they hadn’t extracted much information and had been led on a tangential conversation. Despite feeling a bit unsatisfied, they maintained politeness and escorted Chu Qianze out.
Back in the practice room, before he could catch his breath, he heard a voice coming from the speakers.
“All trainees, please proceed to the common practice room within ten minutes.”
After repeating the announcement three times, it stopped momentarily, only to repeat three times again after a while.
Members from different classes exchanged glances, unsure of what was about to happen. They proceeded to the common practice room without a clear understanding.
Arriving at the practice room, Yu Xiaoyang was already standing on the stage, holding a microphone.
Next to him, Song Getao had removed his earpiece, indicating that the previous announcement was made by him.
Once all the members were gathered, Yu Xiaoyang began speaking.
“First of all, congratulations to everyone for passing the first round of assessments. I believe you have gained a lot from this experience. The results of this assessment have been handed to you, including your ratings for the theme song and your rankings based on the public votes.”
“There have been significant changes in personnel this time—some have moved up from F class to B class, while others have moved down. Those who have moved up, don’t be complacent. We hope you can reach even higher. For those who unintentionally dropped down, readjust your mindset and strive to climb back up. Fluctuations in performance are normal; don’t take it too much to heart. What’s in front of you now are past achievements; they represent the past and cannot fully reflect the present.”
“The life of a trainee is intense, and the schedule is tight. Now, we will assign the tasks for the second stage of the assessment. Everyone, please look at the big screen.”
“Now, there are four songs here, and you need to learn them within the next week.”
Learn four songs in a week? Isn’t that a bit too much?
Upon hearing Yu Xiaoyang’s words, there was an immediate uproar among the trainees.
“It’s not learning the entire song; it’s only the first half of each song. So, when you really think about it, you’re learning four and a half songs,” Yu Xiaoyang explained.
“The first song, ‘Little Cutie,’ you can tell by the music that it’s a very cute and soothing song.”
“The second song, ‘Breeze.'”
A fresh and invigorating style of song, overall giving a refreshing feeling as if a breeze is brushing against your face.
“The third song, ‘Fallen.'”
Tending towards a darker tone, the song is permeated with a faint sense of ambiguity and morbidity.
“The fourth song, ‘Arena of Beasts.'”
The song, as its name suggests, resembles a beastly struggle, with a combination of drum beats and electronic elements, reaching an explosive climax.
“The above four songs have completely different styles and feelings. Your task is to learn the singing and dancing for these four songs within the next week. Next week, we will randomly check your progress.”
Seeing that the atmosphere in the room was somewhat tense, Yu Xiaoyang waved his hand. “It’s not as serious as you think. Four and a half songs combined are just like learning two songs, right? In the previous assessment, you had less than three days to learn one song, and now you have seven days to learn two. In fact, you have more time.”
“Can it be the same…” someone murmured softly.
The four songs have completely different styles, and dancers need to adjust their performance according to each song. This adaptation requires time.
For example, if the first song has a cute style, then the movements should be gentle with a touch of innocence, and facial expressions and body language shouldn’t be too forceful. If you use the intensity of the fourth song, the entire performance might fall apart, giving a strong sense of discoordination.
“This is too scary. Do they want us to sleep in the practice room?”
“I guess we’ll be living in the practice room this week.”
“After learning these songs, I feel like I’m going to have an identity crisis qwq.”
Feeling that the timing was about right, Yu Xiaoyang said, “So, that’s the content of the second assessment. Due to time constraints, we won’t play the video, but you can watch it in the practice room. If you still have doubts, ask a classmate who understands. If you still have questions, then ask the instructor during the class.”
“Without further ado, everyone, good luck.”
“Alright, you can now disperse.”
The crowd immediately scattered. The room that was once lively became lonely once everyone left.
Just finished one thing, and now immediately onto another.
Inside Class A’s practice room.
Chu Qianze was sitting cross-legged in front of the player, contemplating and analyzing the movements.
Actually, the last three songs were manageable, but the first one…
“I am little cutie, little, little cutie.” The cute voice echoed through the speakers, carrying a soft and lingering tail sound.
Watching the people in the video, Chu Qianze raised his hands, propping his chin while making flower-like gestures.
His lips pressed together, and his gaze focused.
Observing the person in the video placing their hands on their cheeks, moving their wrist joints up and down, imitating a beckoning cat.
Chu Qianze’s eyes flickered slightly, and the corners of his mouth pressed down.
Watching the person in the video placing their arms above their head, outlining a big heart.
Chu Qianze supported his chin with one hand, feeling a bit overwhelmed.
He could accept girl group dances or anime dances, but this song had clearly transcended both categories. Some even believed it was a children’s song! Following the indicated movements felt like a live performance of a large-scale cute act.
“I’m cracking up.”
At times like these, it’s necessary to chat with other companions to share the joy.
“What do you think of the first song?” Chu Qianze nudged Hong, who was beside him.
“It’s great! Especially cute, and it sounds so good. It’s really adorable.” Hong’s cheeks carried a visible blush.
Huh?
Chu Qianze tilted his head to the side, feeling that this reaction wasn’t quite right.
“I’ve always wanted to dance a cute dance like this, but there was never a suitable opportunity, you know?” Hong covered his mouth with one hand, excitement evident on his face. “Finally, I have the chance now!”
Chu Qianze patted his shoulder, a wry smile on his face. “Congratulations.”
Even if happiness isn’t shared, it still multiplies.
Feels heavy.
Chu Qianze felt like he was having a bad day. Not only did he unexpectedly lose the confidence of being the bottom-ranked, but now he even lacked someone to share joy with.
Suddenly, he felt a cool sensation on his face. Turning to the side, it was Rong Jinghe.
“Water,” Rong Jinghe said concisely.
“Thanks.” Chu Qianze took the bottle handed to him.
“Want to practice dancing together?”
Rong Jinghe sensed that something was off with Chu Qianze today, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. It was likely related to the assessment results. He wasn’t much of a talker, but there was one thing that he knew could help in situations like this—dancing with someone. Physical activity could accelerate blood circulation and metabolism, and when necessary, it could effectively alleviate frustration.
“Now?” Chu Qianze unscrewed the bottle cap and took a sip.
“Yes,” Rong Jinghe said, glancing over at the two roommates nearby. “Which song do you want to practice first?”
“Any is fine,” Chu Qianze replied casually.
“Let’s start from the first one. We can practice together from the beginning. How about that?” Hong had already rolled up his sleeves, struck a pose, and was ready to be cute as soon as the music started.
Rong Jinghe paused and said, “Hmm, let’s start from the second one.”
“Huh? What about the first one?” Hong showed visible disappointment.
“The movements aren’t too difficult. As long as it looks cute, we can tackle it later,” Rong Jinghe calmly analyzed.
Heart shapes? Learning the beckoning cat moves? Pouting and puffing cheeks? What kind of joke is this! It’s impossible to practice, absolutely impossible!
Seeing Rong Jinghe’s resistance, Chu Qianze felt relieved. As long as he wasn’t alone, half of the happiness could be shared.
“Brother Jinghe, do you have a bias against the first song? What if we get chosen to perform it?” Hong asked.
“Then we’ll perform it. So, after we’ve learned the others, we’ll come back and practice the first dance,” Rong Jinghe said calmly.
“I think this cute style of dance suits me perfectly.” Ye Lunguo, following the remembered movements, made a big heart shape. “How about this?”
“Not bad, not bad.” Chu Qianze’s words sounded sincere.
Ye Lunguo himself had the youthful charm, and now, doing these cute movements, he didn’t look awkward at all. Instead, he appeared very adorable.
While the trainees were busy familiarizing themselves with the songs, the first episode of “Debut, Trainee!” was uploaded on the platform as scheduled.
Many viewers did the same thing—searching for “Debut Trainee!” and clicking to watch.
[Finally, it’s here. Sob sob, I’ve been waiting for so long!]
The barrage of comments echoed the sentiments of many. Fans flooded in, showing their support for their idols with overwhelming enthusiasm.
Once the video finished loading, it began to play.
Dian Xuan was a dedicated fan of talent shows. Where there was a talent show, she was likely to be found.
For “Debut, Trainee!” she had already bookmarked the show during the promotional period, eagerly anticipating its start. As the broadcast time approached, she was already seated in front of her computer, waiting for the program to begin.
From the previous information, it’s understood that the main focus of the program is the story of 108 trainees striving hard and competing to secure a spot among the top eight for debut.
The video started with the massive logo of “Debut, Trainee!”
The first episode was particularly long, with various versions released to cater to different preferences. There was a performance-only version, where viewers could focus solely on the trainees’ performances, with designated timestamps for different segments. There was an interactive version, featuring a small window showing the reactions of trainees and mentors. Additionally, there was a complete version, where editors seamlessly connected all content according to appropriate standards, generally providing a more relaxed viewing experience.
Because she currently only wanted to watch the male contestants, she chose to watch the performance-only version. As for scenes showing the reactions of others, she planned to catch up on those later.
At the beginning of the video, the trainees walked through the entrance, came to the center of the stage, introduced themselves to the audience, and showcased their talents.
The first few contestants were quite impressive. They had good looks, although their professional abilities were not outstanding. Since she chose the performance-only version, the camera work was simple—just adjusting color tones without special effects, keeping the camera mostly stationary. This approach made the performances more straightforward—either good or not so good.
Dian Xuan remained calm throughout the talent show, as she had watched enough of these shows to recognize certain patterns. By just seeing the beginning, she could often anticipate what would happen next, which diminished some of the excitement of the program.
It wasn’t until a man in a white shirt and jeans appeared. He spoke a few words to the camera and confidently chose the A rank without hesitation. This stood out among the modest choices of the other contestants.
Dancing, singing, personality, and eloquence…
As time passed, she found herself increasingly drawn to this individual. She couldn’t help but acknowledge his charm.
Until the person disappeared from the camera, Dian Xuan realized she was a bit slow to react, and all the relevant shots and scenes had already been shown.
What was his name again? Chu Qianze?
In any case, the name Chu Qianze became widely known and recognized by many at the same time.
At night, inside the A-class dormitory, everyone was lying in their beds. The surroundings were pitch-black and silent, just like any other night.
“Is the program airing now?” Hong broke the silence.
“According to the time, it’s been airing for more than half, probably about to end,” Chu Qianze slid his finger on the touch screen, clicked on the progress bar of the program, checked the time, and said.
“Hmm? How come I remember that it should have started not long ago? Did I remember it wrong? I don’t know how the results will be, suddenly feeling a bit nervous,” Hong said.
Manipulating the panel to pull up the list of members, Chu Qianze entered Hong’s name, instantly calculating how much screen time the latter had in this episode.
“Don’t worry, you have a strong presence. Many people are praising you and expressing their feelings for you. No need to be nervous at all,” Chu Qianze stretched lazily, his tone carrying a hint of languor.
“Haha, Brother Chu, you’re talking as if you’ve already seen it,” Hong leaned on the pillow, treating Chu Qianze’s words as comforting and not taking the matter to heart.
Raising an eyebrow, Chu Qianze didn’t elaborate.
He couldn’t exactly tell Hong, “I have a network-connected system, so I can monitor real-time data. Right now, I’m watching this show at double speed.”
“Frankly, when we had to turn in all our electronic devices initially, I felt very uncomfortable. It seemed like something was missing. I even felt quite upset at the time because my cute gaming console was taken away,” Ye Lunguo said.
“But as time went on, I gradually got used to it. Going to classes every day, practicing dance, it feels kind of nice to have days without a phone.”
“Same here, same here. Though if the phone could come back, I’d still prefer to have it. Life without a phone is really inconvenient,” Hong added.
“Is Brother Jinghe there? At least say something.”
“I’m here. As for saying something… Where are you guys at in your dance progress now?” This question was very much in line with Rong Jinghe’s style.
“Do you have to bring that up? It hurts in my heart when you mention it. We’ve given up on love,” Hong replied, his tone filled with pain.
The conversation among them went on somewhat aimlessly, but it was evident that they were all thinking about the broadcast of the show.
“Suddenly, I want to eat fried chicken.”
Hong blurted out, “I’ve been controlling my diet for a long time, and it happens to be the time for a cheat meal.”
“Can you not talk about this in the middle of the night?” Yè Lunguo said.
“I know, but I can’t help it.”
Scratching his head, Hong also knew it was unethical to talk about food late at night, but he just wanted to find a reason to distract himself. Whenever he had a moment to spare, he wanted to check how the show was going, whether he had gained any fans, and how everyone perceived him.
Rong Jinghe replied, “Tomorrow, we can go to the cafeteria.”
“Brother Jinghe, you didn’t say anything just now. I thought you were already asleep,” Ye Lunguo said.
“I’m not asleep. I’m listening to you guys chat,” replied Rong Jinghe in a calm tone. He shifted the topic to Chu Qianze, “What about you, Brother Chu? What are you doing?”
Hearing his name, Chu Qianze responded, “I’m also listening to your conversation.”
“We’re planning to go eat fried chicken together tomorrow. Brother Chu, what do you think?” asked Hong.
“Sure, their fried chicken is pretty good, crispy on the outside. By the way, the desserts in the cafeteria are also quite tasty,” Chu Qianze enthusiastically shared his experience.
“Oh, really? I’ll definitely try it tomorrow then,” Hong responded.
After scrolling through some reviews, it was getting late. Chu Qianze lost interest in watching TV, so he turned off the screen and said, “I’m going to bed. You guys should rest early too.”
“Okay, good night, Brother Chu.”
“Let’s get up early and practice dancing together tomorrow.”
Soon, it was time to verify the results.
Inside the training room, everyone stood according to their respective classes, waiting for the instructor to speak.
Following the assessment procedure, there were a total of 12 groups, each consisting of 9 people. There were four selected assessment songs, meaning they would each appear roughly three times.
“Now, for the first round, how about anyone eager to volunteer?” Yu Xiaoyang turned to the crowd and asked.
“No one wants to? Alright then, I’ll just randomly select someone. When the light above your position comes on, you can come up on your own.” Without further ado, he pressed the button next to him.
Ye Lunguo was selected. He swallowed nervously, not expecting to be chosen for the first group. Taking a deep breath to encourage himself, he stood up and walked to the stage.
“Now, let’s invite Wu Tian to randomly select a song as the group’s theme,” Yu Xiaoyang gestured to the side.
Wu Tian smiled gently, “What kind of song do you all want? Something cute or cool?”
The answers varied, and after hearing a few suggestions, she pressed the button, freezing the big screen.
“Breeze.”
Seeing this, Ye Lunguo breathed a sigh of relief. He was most confident in the first two songs because they matched his temperament. However, the latter two songs not only had more complex movements but also required a strong presence that he wasn’t very adept at handling.
Chu Qianze watched the performers on stage, silently rehearsing in his mind. At this moment, in his memory, there was a discrepancy with Ye Lunguo.
The other person made a mistake in the dance steps.
Although sitting at the back and unable to see the expressions of the instructors, one could anticipate that Ye Lunguo’s performance this time wouldn’t be ideal.
With only a week of practice, it was indeed quite rushed. This was evident not only for the students in Class A but even more so for the trainees in other classes. Most of them stumbled through their routines, and only a few managed to complete the dance smoothly while maintaining grace.
Chu Qianze sat in his chair, idly gazing into space, and a light lit up at the armrest.
This turn, he was selected.
He got up and walked onto the stage, standing obediently on the side.
Seeing Chu Qianze, Yu Xiaoyang perked up, “Chu Qianze, right? Looking forward to your performance.”
“Thank you, PD Yu,” Chu Qianze replied.
“Now, let’s draw your theme.”
The large screen scrolled, and after the names of the four songs rapidly spun, the stage transformed into a light, pastel pink, exuding a childlike innocence.
There was a somewhat ominous feeling.
“Your assessment song is ‘Little Cutie.'”
Chu Qianze maintained an unchanged expression as the soothing and light accompaniment began. His lips curled into a bright, exceptionally radiant smile, resembling a little sun.
With clenched fists, raised hands, stomping feet, hands on hips, imitating a lion’s roar, a little lumberjack, there’s a folded-ear cat here, a little bunny there, and even a zebra, an owl, and a giraffe…
“Oh, I’m a little cutie, a cute little cutie.”
There were 47 seconds left until the performance ended.
36 seconds.
21 seconds.
As the music concluded, Chu Qianze maintained the final pose, tilting his head slightly and giving a cute expression.
Wu Tian couldn’t help but chuckle; the performance was just too adorable, eliciting a surge of maternal affection from her.
With the accompaniment ending, the controlled expression vanished. Chu Qianze wanted to lift his hand to cover his face, but since he was still on stage, he had to forcefully suppress the urge and instead forced a stiff, numb smile.
There goes his reputation.
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