“Welcome to ‘Debut, Trainee!’ I am the mentor, representative and host, Yu Xiaoyang.” On the stage, Yu Xiaoyang stood as usual, delivering the opening statement.
“Let’s welcome our mentors, Wu Tiao and Song Getao…”
Applause erupted.
“Now, coming down, we have 108 trainees selected through rigorous evaluations from various companies.”
The camera shifted to the position of the trainees, capturing the crowd on screen. After lingering briefly on Chu Qianze and Rong Jinghe, members of Class A, the camera moved away.
“After the conclusion of the first performance, how is everyone feeling?” Yu Xiaoyang raised his voice, addressing the trainees.
“Awesome!”
“Extremely excited!”
“I want to do it again a few more times!”
…
“Alright, I see that everyone’s responses are different, but excitement and enthusiasm are definitely present.”
Yu Xiaoyang sighed, “Watching all of you like this can’t help but remind me of my time as a trainee. The stage is vast and wonderful, and I hope you all enjoy it and cherish it. Every performance on stage is a precious opportunity for you. Now that the performance has concluded, and the results are all determined, do you all know what this signifies?”
Originally, the crowd, which was full of excitement and cheers, gradually quieted down.
“Just like exams in our childhood, every performance is an assessment of everyone’s efforts in the past period. And now, as it’s time to announce the results, in this round, the final 28 trainees will be eliminated.”
Upon hearing this, Rong Jinghe’s expression became somewhat distant.
The last time, Chu Qianze was among the eliminated, although it was because the program had not yet aired, and no one knew each other. Now, with approximately two episodes aired and the performance completed, Chu Qianze’s popularity is undoubtedly much higher than before. However, until the results are announced, no one knows what the outcome will be.
He must be quite nervous too.
Thinking this, he unintentionally glanced at Chu Qianze. After understanding the other’s state, he found it difficult to put into words.
Chu Qianze is actually…daydreaming?
At this moment, Chu Qianze looked towards the central screen, observing the five songs displayed on it, each with a distinct style.
Sensing Rong Jinghe’s gaze, Chu Qianze looked back,
“I’ll wait for you to remember,” he silently uttered.
Still dwelling on the morning’s incident, even though it had been over three hours.
Rong Jinghe withdrew his gaze.
The rankings are about to be announced, yet this person is still thinking about an interview from over ten days ago. His entire reaction is slow.
He’s not in a hurry at all. Why am I worrying about this…
For some reason, Rong Jinghe felt an urge to sigh.
“According to what was mentioned earlier, starting today, we will rank everyone based on a combination of public votes and mentor scores. In other words, your rankings will represent different levels. The top eight are Class A, the ninth to twentieth are Class B, and so on.”
Yu Xiaoyang picked up the cue card and glanced at it. “Without further ado, let’s invite Wu Tiao to reveal the rankings for you.”
Wu Tiao stepped onto the stage, holding relevant documents in hand. “On these cards in my hand, your rankings are written. Next, the person whose name I call should come to me to collect their score card and then stand in the corresponding class. The order is random.”
“First, Rong Jinghe.”
Rong Jinghe stood up and walked over, taking the card. After glancing at it, he bowed to the mentors and then returned to his place.
Chu Qianze leaned over and asked, “How did it go?”
“Same as usual.” Rong Jinghe showed him the card.
First place.
“Impressive!” Chu Qianze congratulated him with applause.
Wu Tiao continued, “Chu Qianze.”
Chu Qianze walked up, picked up his own card, and flipped it over to take a look.
He smiled at the mentors, “Thank you, teachers.”
“Keep up the good work,” Wu Tiao smiled even more, genuinely fond of this young man.
“I will,” Chu Qianze said. With that, he walked off the stage toward the trainee area.
“Where will Chu Qianze be?” Definitely not in Class A.
“This time, the classes are divided based on rankings, as mentioned by the mentors, combining public votes and teacher scores.” Even if the mentors give high scores, it doesn’t matter without public votes.
“He should still stay in Class A, Chu Qianze is so talented.” Talented or not, the ranking will surely drop.
When Leng Jing saw Chu Qianze coming down, his whole demeanor lifted, his eyes fixed firmly on him.
He figured it out. Dou Xi would perform so well because Chu Qianze was scheming behind the scenes. And now, he’s in such an embarrassing situation, which is also related to the other party. What does it matter if the strength is strong? This time it’s mainly based on public voting. Even if the other party got more votes during the performance, but last time he was at the bottom. How much can he rise in such a short time?
Chu Qianze arrived at the first row and smiled at the Class A members.
Feeling Rong Jinghe’s gaze, understanding the inquiry, he didn’t say anything, just shrugged with an outstretched hand.
This is…
Rong Jinghe had a bad premonition in his heart.
Walking past the front row of Class A, Chu Qianze continued to the back.
Not Class A.
Although it was expected, seeing the situation firsthand, Rong Jinghe furrowed his brows slightly.
Watching Chu Qianze walk past the B area, Leng Jing’s lips curled upwards, not even Class B? Class F is waiting for you.
Seeing this person approaching his area, he silently lowered his head, trying to conceal his delight at the misfortune.
Haha, this is so satisfying.
“Hey buddy, make some room.”
A voice sounded nearby, and Leng Jing looked up to see Chu Qianze’s face right next to him.
Seeing Leng Jing’s expression clearly, Chu Qianze blinked.
Is his face twitching?
Because Chu Qianze’s ranking was a significant point of interest, the camera followed him all the way, coincidentally capturing Leng Jing in the frame.
By the time Leng Jing reacted, it was too late. He shifted aside and dryly uttered, “Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” Chu Qianze expressed his gratitude.
“Brother Chu, you actually came to Class B? What’s your rank?” Hong eagerly approached, inquiring about the situation.
Meanwhile, Rong Jinghe also turned around, wanting to know the answer.
With a wry smile, Chu Qianze handed over the card.
“Ninth, rose more than seventy places? Brother Chu, are you even human?!” Hong’s loud voice echoed within a radius of several tens of meters. Rounded off, all the trainees now knew that Chu Qianze was ninth.
“More than eighty places,” Chu Qianze corrected.
Ninth, only one position away from Class A.
“I want to see too!” Ye Lunguo squeezed out from the back. Upon seeing the number, he exclaimed, “Wow! Brother Chu, you’re truly amazing.”
“Your Brother Jinghe got first place for the second time, but I don’t see you guys praising him,” Chu Qianze suspected these people were exaggerating.
“Come on, it’s not the same. Going up is just a matter of time. I bet you’ll be back up there in the next round,” Hong said.
“Congratulations,” Rong Jinghe returned the sentiment.
“Of course,” Chu Qianze raised an eyebrow. “But you have to be careful. We’re all eyeing that first place.”
Rong Jinghe chuckled softly, looking back, “I’m looking forward to it.”
Seeing the lively conversation, Leng Jing stood awkwardly on the side. He really wanted to walk away from these people as far as possible, but the camera was consistently focused on them, so he resisted the urge to move.
Seeing that the situation was settling, Wu Tiao continued, “Let’s proceed. The next one—”
With all the rankings announced and the eliminated trainees leaving, nearly a quarter of the people in the venue departed, immediately freeing up seats.
Facing the remaining 80 trainees, Wu Tiao’s tone became slightly more serious. “First of all, congratulations to all the trainees who successfully made it through. Through the first performance, you have proven your abilities and earned the opportunity for the second performance.”
“Next, we will explain the rules for the second performance. Eight people per group, a total of 10 groups, still with two groups competing against each other. Simple, isn’t it?” Wu Tiao’s tone had a hint of playfulness.
“Oh, I forgot to mention, this round will eliminate 20 trainees. Everyone needs to work hard.”
Leng Jing glanced at his ranking, 72nd, within the elimination range.
“Next, we have our first-place reaper, Rong Jinghe, come up on stage.”
Rong Jinghe jogged up from the first row and stood facing the audience.
“Please choose your seven team members,” Wu Tiao said.
Hearing this, Rong Jinghe paused, “For this round’s first place, I can choose my own team members?”
“Yes, isn’t it a pleasant surprise?”
Wu Tiao chuckled, “But there’s a limitation: in each group, there can only be one Class A trainee. Since you are Class A yourself, you cannot select other Class A trainees. Has anyone been chosen yet?”
“Well,” Rong Jinghe’s gaze swept the audience, landing on someone in the second row, “Chu Qianze.”
Hearing his name, Chu Qianze raised an eyebrow, stepping out from the group to stand behind Rong Jinghe.
“Why did you choose Chu Qianze as your team member?” Wu Tiao, known for being outspoken, didn’t hide her surprise this time either.
“Yesterday, during dinner with everyone, Hong said that if the two of us performed together, it would definitely have a great effect, so I want to give it a try.” After explaining, Rong Jinghe locked eyes with Chu Qianze and called out two more names, “Hong, Ye Lunguo.”
Hearing their names, the two of them jogged up on stage, embraced briefly with others, and lined up behind.
In front of Chu Qianze, the screen lit up.
[New Plot: As the first-place winner, Rong Jinghe has the authority to choose his team members. Due to the deep impression Dou Xi left on him during the previous performance, he selects Dou Xi as his teammate. After further understanding Dou Xi’s personality, he believes that he is a person with potential and starts taking a keen interest.]
[Mission: Make Dou Xi one of the team members.]
Seeing this mission, Chu Qianze felt a bit awkward.
But Dou Xi does have potential. His high notes were quite impressive back then. Although his current strength is weaker, he’s willing to put in the effort, which is commendable.
Rong Jinghe had now named two more people, those who had performed well in the previous team.
With two spots left, he hesitated for a moment and turned to ask his teammates, “Do you have any recommended candidates?”
Hong suggested a name.
Nodding, Rong Jinghe brought that person into his team.
Now there’s one final spot.
Sighing softly, Chu Qianze asked, “What do you think of Dou Xi?”
Rong Jinghe was aware of this person. They were in the same group during the performance, and the high notes were quite impressive, but that was with Chu Qianze’s assistance. Weak stamina, basic dance skills were lacking, unclear articulation in singing, and noticeable inhaling sounds—Dou Xi relied entirely on his tone and talent. However, he was hardworking and had made significant progress.
“I’m just making a suggestion; the decision is still up to you,” Chu Qianze added.
[Host… If you continue like this, the mission will fail!]
‘It doesn’t matter.’
Rong Jinghe nodded and looked towards Class C, “And Dou Xi.”
Dou Xi’s eyes widened slightly, visible surprise, and after realizing it, he jogged up on stage.
“Hello, everyone,” a bit shy.
The team of eight was complete.
[Mission Complete]
“This is fine.”
“Now, let’s draw the group song.” Wu Tiao held out five small pieces of paper for them to choose from.
Rong Jinghe hesitated for a moment and said, “My luck might not be great. Chu Qianze, why don’t you do it?”
“Me? Hehe, when it comes to luck, I’ve never been at a disadvantage!” Chu Qianze was unfazed. He casually picked one and unfolded it for everyone to see.
“Pretend Gentleman”
At the same second, the song title enlarged on the big screen, and the music resonated throughout the hall.
“Not bad,” Chu Qianze commented.
Today was indeed a day when he was satisfied with his luck.
“Alright, there are nine more teams behind us. We’ll use the draw method. Rong Jinghe, pick a bamboo stick from the box, and that person can choose their teammates,” Wu Tiao announced, and the staff brought the box over.
Rong Jinghe didn’t refuse this time. He casually picked the one at the bottom and showed it to Wu Tiao.
Wu Tiao picked up the bamboo stick, “The leader of the second group is, Mike.”
Once the personnel and songs were all matched, everyone returned to the practice room to prepare for the second performance.
A gentleman always dresses elegantly, speaks politely, and is impeccable in every way. The protagonist of this song, however, is a disguised gentleman. He selects his target, sets traps step by step, all while maintaining the most restrained image and expressing the most passionate emotions.
The accompaniment, complementing the magnetic and hoarse voice, was full of enchantment. The melody carried a sense of restraint, sometimes elusive, sometimes hidden, distant yet exuding a tempting meaning that made it irresistible.
“Brother Chu… You really know how to pick a song,” Hong nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood.
Meanwhile, Ye Lunguo and Dou Xi, having watched the entire dance, had their ears reddened halfway through.
Chu Qianze squatted on the side, and upon hearing Hong’s question, he lifted his head proudly, “Of course, have you considered who picked it?”
“Am I implying that? Didn’t you hear the subtle sarcasm?” Hong’s expression was complicated. “What kind of song is this? After this dance, I feel like I’ve lost all my principles.”
Ye Lunguo rubbed his ears to calm himself, “Brother Chu, this dance is so difficult.”
“Dance moves are indeed a bit more, Ye Lunguo and Dou Xi, you might have a harder time later,” Rong Jinghe sat on the ground, watching the video end and clicking to replay.
“The song has a particularly good part—the special tie. Other shows probably don’t have that. We can all wear suits at that time; it will feel better. Also… I just thought of something, but suddenly forgot,” Chu Qianze stared at the video, trying to recall.
“We can also wear framed glasses; it will add more feeling,” Rong Jinghe added.
“That’s good! That’s exactly what I wanted to say!” Chu Qianze agreed.
“Do you guys really not see any problems?” Hong scratched his head, “This song is one where a refined scoundrel flirts with a girl. There’s a part in the middle where a man and a woman have a confrontational duet, which means we’ll have to pair up and flirt with each other!”
“Yeah, what’s the problem?” Chu Qianze looked up, puzzled.
“Why are you guys so calm about this?” Hong was at a loss for words.
“I feel… there’s nothing wrong?” Rong Jinghe asked back, “Why are you so flustered?”
“It’s just that, it’s like—” Hong gestured up and down with his hands, making several indescribable gestures. Finally, he sighed and gave up struggling. “After this performance, we might all end up with fanfiction, or some kind of ‘color.'”
“Fanfiction?” Rong Jinghe asked.
“Some ‘color’?” Chu Qianze questioned.
Both of them spoke simultaneously. After exchanging a glance, Chu Qianze chuckled. “Have you ever read fanfiction about yourself in some ‘color’?”
“I-I-I have, of course not!” Hong’s face turned red from his neck, rising up until it reached the top of his head.
Oops! What did I just say?!
“Let’s pretend I didn’t say anything!”
Got it.
Chu Qianze couldn’t contain himself and burst into laughter. The others also understood the situation and entered suppressed laughter mode.
“Um, I accidentally stumbled upon it. At first, I thought it was some novel, and I even thought it had the same name as me, which would have been quite a coincidence. But as I read the beginning, it felt a bit off, and then I read a few more chapters, and…”
“Then you found yourself lying flat at the bottom of the pit, gradually becoming addicted?” Chu Qianze continued.
“What are you talking about? What nonsense!” Hong retorted. “And then I never read novels again; it helped me quit my addiction to novels.”
Chu Qianze: “Well, that’s great! It means you have more time for practice.”
Hong rolled his eyes and muttered the word “gun.”
“Alright, if you delve deeper, you’ll discover not only fanfiction but also fan videos. You might find yourself having a ‘couple’ feeling not just with people but maybe even with a flower,” Chu Qianze coughed lightly, realizing that the topic had veered off track and deciding to bring it back to the dance.
Rong Jinghe suddenly asked, “How do you know so much?”
“Huh?” Chu Qianze was caught off guard by this question and turned his head towards him.
“Yeah, Brother Chu, how do you know so much? Haha, do you also—”, Hong also realized and seized the opportunity to turn the tables.
“Because I’ve seen it, although it’s not my own.”
Chu Qianze admitted without changing his expression, “If I’ve seen it, I’ll admit it. Be straightforward and upright as a person, do things openly and honestly.”
After saying that, he proudly raised his eyebrows.
Hong exclaimed, “Damn!”
“What about you, Jinghe? Have you seen it?” Chu Qianze asked.
“No,” Jinghe shook his head. “I know I have fans who ship me with others, but I haven’t seen any of their works.”
“Some fans are really talented. They create stories about past lives, present lives, three lives and three worlds, full of deep and heartbreaking love. They even have stories about overbearing CEOs, and it’s surprisingly realistic,” Chu Qianze explained, then turned to Hong and said, “You should take a look when you have the time. You might discover a whole new world and get hooked.”
“Don’t underestimate me. I won’t watch that stuff,” Hong rolled his eyes.
“Well, then you’re missing out on a whole world,” Chu Qianze teased.
“Speaking of CP fans, we can’t ignore our Mr. Rong Jinghe. May I ask Mr. Rong Jinghe, what are your thoughts on CP fans?” Chu Qianze clenched his fist, pretending to conduct an interview.
After the dance video ended, this time Rong Jinghe didn’t click to replay it. “I don’t really have any specific thoughts. If someone is a CP fan, it probably means they like me. I’m grateful for everyone’s support, but I still hope that people appreciate my performances and stage presence more.”
Hong looked at Rong Jinghe, then at Chu Qianze, scratching his head. “Why do I feel like I’m being interviewed? Weren’t we watching a dance video? How did we suddenly get into the topic of CP fans? Isn’t this going off-topic?”
Yelun Guan nodded in agreement.
“So why is it like this?” Hong pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized he was being stared at by everyone.
Oh, it’s because of me.
Helplessly shaking his head, Chu Qianze redirected the conversation, “Now that we’ve watched the video, let’s start assigning tasks. There’s a duet part in the middle that requires pairs. How do you want to organize the teams?”
“How about we decide by drawing lots, and organize teams based on the order we go out? What do you think?” Ye Lunguo suggested.
After ensuring everyone was okay with it, they began drawing lots.
Chu Qianze was the first to be selected. He looked at Ye Lunguo, who was also selected, and chuckled, “What a coincidence.”
In the dance class, Chu Qianze leaned against the wall, observing everyone after they finished their moves. Then, Wu Tiao asked, “How do you feel about your performance?”
“What kind of song is this? It’s about seduction, sexiness, and a gentlemanly vibe. You need to convey those feelings. Just now, it was too serious, you know? Your eyes need to have some playfulness, it’s a must. Chu Qianze did it quite well, and Ye Lunguo got all the moves right, but it’s not liberated enough. You still have reservations.”
Ye Lunguo responded with a nod. This was an aspect where he had been relatively weak recently. Although his movements were quite good, there was still something lacking.
Facing everyone, Wu Tiao stood in front of the mirror and said, “Let me demonstrate. You need to have that kind of expression, like this.”
At that moment, her entire aura changed.
“Dada, dada, dada, dada—” she shouted the beats while performing the dance moves. After finishing a segment, Wu Tiao returned to her usual state. “Did you understand? It’s like this.”
Looking in the mirror, she saw Ye Lunguo standing straight, staring at himself with a serious expression. Seeing this student studying so earnestly made Wu Tiao burst into laughter, unable to hold back her amusement. “Relax a bit, everyone, don’t be too nervous. This student here, you can try it on your own, no need to treat it like a class.”
“Hong, are you taking a bath like an old man?”
“I’m a woman, and it might not be very intuitive for everyone. It’s also a bit challenging to learn. If Teacher Yu were here, showing you an example might be better.”
Wu Tiao thought for a moment. “How about this? Let’s find a real-life example, and you can compare yourselves.”
“There’s a part in the middle with a duet, right? Let’s take that as an example. Chu Qianze, who’s your partner? Rong Jinghe? You two as partners in this dance? It will definitely be interesting. You both, come out and perform the part where you have eye contact.”
“Are you ready? 3, 2, 1, start.”
Chu Qianze adjusted his collar, lifted his chin slightly.
“I slowly set traps, enticing the prey to fall into the net.”
He took a step forward, emotions brewing in his eyes while maintaining an indifferent expression to his surroundings, exuding an arrogant demeanor.
Rong Jinghe responded with a teasing smile, taking a step forward in sync.
Getting closer.
Chu Qianze rested his hand on the other’s shoulder, fingers sliding over the shoulder, while Rong Jinghe grabbed his collar, pulling up the vertically hanging tie.
They locked eyes, an electric tension building.
Chu Qianze lightly caressed the other’s cheek, while Rong Jinghe turned around and stood behind him.
Rong Jinghe turned his head to flirt with this person, wanting to go further, but was playfully pushed away by Chu Qianze.
In the tug of the tie, a confrontation and entanglement ensued. A game of push and pull, a dance of proximity and withdrawal, testing each other’s limits.
As the movements unfolded, the heat between the two gradually intensified, and the atmosphere became fiery.
Click, the movements came to a halt.
Rong Jinghe loosened his tie and took a step back. “It’s over.”
Applause echoed in the practice room.
“So amazing.”
“Absolutely stunning.”
“I want to dance like that too qwq.”
Chu Qianze adjusted his tie, making it neat and orderly once again.
Wu Tiao stood on the side, hands covering her cheeks, “Great job, Rong Jinghe just performed very well, the atmosphere between you two was amazing. Keep that feeling for the performance.”
“The rest of you, continue your training. Be sexy, yes, sexy. Come on, boys!”
The group responded, “Oh!”
“Hong, your movements are too rough, be more delicate.”
“Ye Lunguo and Dou Xi, let loose! Fly freely, don’t think about anything else, just follow the atmosphere of the music.”
“The two of you just now, you were too close.”
After the class, when Wu Tiao left, Hong directly collapsed on the ground, looking lifeless.
“This is too difficult, I really can’t do it! Brother Chu, how do you and Rong Jinghe show that kind of feeling?”
Chu Qianze took a sip of water. He felt it was quite simple, but he wasn’t sure how to explain it. After some thought, he tried to express it in a way that the other person could understand: “This song is actually very aggressive. If it doesn’t work, just treat the other person as your opponent and think about taking them down.”
“Brother Jinghe, how did you manage to do it?”
Hoping for a convenient double answer for comparison, Hong asked the other person involved in the dance.
“I’m not really sure…” Rong Jinghe replied.
Rong Jinghe wiped his sweat and said, “But there’s one move that should work.”
“What is it?” they both asked simultaneously.
“Cheers.” The man held up his glass and clinked it with the gorgeous woman across from him.
Watching the movie on the screen, Hong suddenly realized, “So this is the legendary art of flirting invisibly.”
Learned something new.
“The female lead is so beautiful, she’s my type.”
“I asked you to analyze the male lead’s psychological activities, to mimic him. Who told you to look at the female lead?” Rong Jinghe couldn’t help rolling his eyes.
“Well, I couldn’t resist.” Hong grinned.
Chu Qianze supported his chin while watching the plot until he pressed the pause button at a certain scene. “Can’t say about the others, but this expression, everyone can try to mimic. It suits our song very well.”
Dou Xi tried to move his facial muscles, and after a while, his cheeks felt sore. “It’s quite difficult.”
“How about we skip this part for now? Let’s focus on perfecting the overall movements first, and then we can work on adding the stylistic feel later. During the song, everyone can try to intuitively grasp it themselves,” Chu Qianze suggested, not expecting quick mastery.
Hong agreed, “I second that!”
In the following time, Chu Qianze mainly took charge of the dance, while Rong Jinghe focused on the music. The group endured the challenges and pleasures of their intense training.
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