“I’m not really smug about pulling strings, but I did represent the Chinese Dancers Association to perform at the Golden Hall. I have won countless awards, and what about you?” Shen Xi clapped back with hard evidence.
The other contestants would not stand a chance if Shen Xi were to compete for a spot to debut. He Lu should be thankful that Shen Xi was the mentor, not a trainee.
“What’s the big deal about winning an award?” He Lu was not going to back down and give Shen Xi the satisfaction. Sticking to her guns, she scoffed, “Ask anyone here and they will tell you they’d at least won an award or two!”
He Lu was a great dancer and earned her fair share of awards too. The mention of the Chinese Dancers Association did not scare her.
Why would Shen Xi go through the backdoor if she was as awesome as she put it herself? A trainee backed by a sugar daddy had no right to compete with the rest of them.
“That’s brilliant.” Shen Xi let out a bright smile as she fixed her eyes on He Lu. “You better work at it then. You don’t want to be eliminated in the first round.”
“You…” He Lu’s complexion turned grimace, caught between having no comeback and keeping her public image in mind. By the time she came up with a snappy retort, Shen Xi had already exited the lift. Stamping her foot, she muttered under her breath, “We’ll see about that.”
The d*mn b*tch! How could that b*tch jinx her?
He Lu was determined to crush Shen Xi under her feet. Shen Xi must be in over her head to compete with her.
Shen Xi walked into her private accommodation. It was a Deluxe Suite specially booked for her and equipped with a bedroom, study, washroom, changing room, and dressing room.
She started on hair and makeup after putting down her luggage.
With the finished look coming to fruition, the young man in the mirror was rather attractive, carrying a sort of androgynous beauty to him. Compared to the look of Dr. Jiu Zhou, the makeup bore a more mature but less indifferent boyishness.
Following the finishing touches, Shen Xi closely examined herself in the mirror and got a jump.
Dang.
Why did she look a little like Fu Qingxuan!
A striking resemblance if she could say so herself.
Shen Xi smacked her head. She must have unconsciously painted her face like Fu Qingxuan since the guy had been nagging her ear for the past week.
She picked up a brush in position to reframe her face.
There was a knock on the door.
Shen Xi stood up to open the door.
The staff member at the door was a young girl. With her breath taken by the sight of Shen Xi, the girl nervously uttered, “Mr. Yun, the producer, told me to get you. It’s time to say hello to the trainees.”
Mr. Yun was such a hottie!
She caught wind that the mystery mentor must be ugly since he was not one to show his face. It never crossed her mind that he would be Mr. McDreamy in the flesh!
Why was there a need for a mask with good looks like that? The staff member had inside information that the prop team had prepared many different masks.
“Alright.” Shen Xi nodded before heading back to the dressing room to put on a half-face fox mask. The mask covered one eye and the left profile. She looked at the staff and said, “We can go now.”
The girl was the assistant producer. She bemoaned to see the mask covering that gorgeous face. It was a shame that the dreamy face could not be shared with the rest of the world!
Nevertheless, the mask could not hide that poised yet mysterious presence to him. It was a telltale sign that this person was a hottie just by the eyes.
The trainees gathered and all 101 of them were accounted for.
He Lu scanned the crowd but was not able to spot Shen Xi. She asked Su Ruowan who was next to her. “Wanwan, is everyone here?”
Sharing the same accommodation, He Lu and Su Ruowan really hit it off. Their closeness grew by leaps to the point they were inseparable wherever they went.
“Yes.” Su Ruowan gave a nod before softly inquiring, “Is there someone you’re looking for?”
“Who is the substitute?” He Lu followed up with another question instead.
She was puzzled by Shen Xi’s absence despite everyone being here. She did run into Shen Xi in the lift and the latter never denied being the substitute trainee. Why was she not here?
“That one!” Su Ruowan pointed at the adorable girl standing by Song Wenye and her group. Her eyes alighted with disdain.
Who the f*ck did she think she was to make them wait such a long time? Muyan mentioned something about the substitute’s delay to take care of a personal matter.
The substitute was unlikable without the face or body to show for.
He Lu looked towards the direction pointed and saw the substitute. The name displayed was Ye Weiyang.
“She’s cute and plump.” There was no need to watch her language since she and Su Ruowan were close.
So, this girl was the substitute, the one who kept her waiting for days on end. It was no wonder the investor grabbed the spot for her. The fat pig should know better than to join the show.
Noticing their glances, Song Wenye warily turned over and shot them a cocky look.
The two women had been working hand in glove since day one.
He Lu undeterredly participated in the stare-down. She really hated that girl Song Wenye since the day they joined the set. Yet, He Lu was assigned to the same room as her. Since she had a public image to keep, there was nothing more He Lu could do other than putting up with Song Wenye.
She was first worried she would be ostracized as Song Wenye and Wanwan might be close, being from the same school and all.
Surprisingly, Song Wenye gave the gentle and kind Wanwan the cold shoulder. He Lu, on the other hand, cliqued and got along well with Wanwan. Of course, they were not best friends.
Song Wenye arrogantly pulled Ye Weiyang aside and pointed at He Lu and Su Ruowan before whispering, “See that, Yangyang? Those two there are evil, so don’t be like them.”
The fine facial features on Ye Weiyang’s oval face brought out the cuteness in her. Though, the baby fat did make her appear chubby, not fat. Ye Weiyang put on a serious face and nodded. “Got it.”
Like petting a pet, Song Wenye patted her head and happily grinned. “What a good girl.”
This darling here was the last person sent by their company. She was only fifteen and was the youngest among all the trainees here. As the eldest, she had to uphold the duty to shield Yangyang against harm.
The four remaining girls, together with Ji Jingyan as the leader, were from Cosmos Entertainment. Watching as the scene unfolded, the group exchanged glances and broke into smiles.
As a substitute sent by their company, they were told to watch over Yangyang. The latter was young, innocent, and an easy target to be picked on.
“The mystery mentor is here.”
Hearing this, the trainees turned in one direction and watched as a young man in a half-face fox mask strode in with poise.
