Chapter 20.1
"I'm going outside for a bit of fresh air," Xiang Qingwei announced as she stood up.
Aside from the two of them, male staff members were scattered inside the control room. Some were even smoking, so the door had been shut tight. Despite the air conditioning, the air was still thick and heavy.
"But the results aren't out yet!" Miss K looked at her in surprise, disbelieving that Xiang Qingwei would miss such an important moment. The results for Ning Yang's evaluation were about to be announced!
"The results are already out." Xiang Qingwei lifted the corner of her lips, then opened the door and walked out.
The cold air from the air conditioning in the corridor outside lifted Xiang Qingwei's spirits. Only then did she realize that she had been tense the whole time; she hadn't been as calm as she had appeared.
She exhaled, allowing a smile to form on her face, and walked out of the building. At the coffee shop downstairs, she ordered a dozen iced coffees and desserts to be delivered upstairs to the control room.
While Xiang Qingwei was buying coffee, the recording studio began announcing the results of Ning Yang's evaluation.
"This is definitely an A!"
"Wow, that's incredible."
"If this isn't an A, then there's no A today."
The contestants buzzed with discussion.
Though the speakers didn't mean anything by their words, Yao Yuan frowned as he heard them.
While the contestants discussed, so did the mentors.
"I think this is the standard for an A," Luo Wenxuan said, not bothering to hide her fondness for Ning Yang. "If he can't get an A, I don't think anyone today will."
"He's not actually that good of a dancer," Xue Fan explained, leaning slightly toward Luo Wenxuan. "There aren't any particularly difficult moves."
Zhan Lun was an expert at working the system. He knew no matter how hard Ning Yang practiced, it was impossible for him to surpass competitors with years of dance experience in just one month. Therefore, though the choreography looked impressive and flashy, it contained no exceptionally difficult moves that Ning Yang couldn't handle.
This was the result of discussions between Zhan Lun and Xiang Qingwei. Rather than attempting risky and advanced moves, they focused on maximizing Ning Yang's capabilities within the scope of what he could control.
Ning Yang's singing ability was already outstanding, but relying solely on vocals wouldn't guarantee an A rating, nor would it be eye-catching enough. Dance, on the other hand, could earn him extra points, so there was no need to take risks; playing it safe would yield better results. The reactions of the other contestants in the pyramid were already clear indicators.
The contrast between Ning Yang's two styles shone through, exactly as Xiang Qingwei had predicted.
"He only practiced for one month."
At this time, Zhou Yuehe, who had been silent all this while, finally spoke up. The other three mentors and Wei Cheng all turned to him.
Zhou Yuehe's handsome face was calm as he stated in an even tone, "His voice is clear and has a strong presence, his breathing is steady, and both the lyrics and melody are commendable.
His singing ability is, by far, the strongest we've seen among all contestants; he also writes his own songs, which, by itself, meets my standard for an A grade. Dancing is just an additional bonus."
"I agree with Zhou Yuehe," Wei Cheng said. "Moreover, he only learned dancing for a month and was already able to perform at this level, so his potential is clear."
Luo Wenxuan and Lin Yuzhe nodded in agreement.
Zhou Yuehe's grading standards have always been extremely high, and up until now, he hadn't given out a single A grade. Since even he said Ning Yang deserved an A, there would be little opposition.
Xue Fan nodded as well. "Since everyone's opinion is the same, let's announce it."
Wei Cheng nodded, then picked up the microphone and looked toward Ning Yang. "Now, I will announce your grade."
The contestants couldn't hear the discussions among the mentors earlier, so they all anxiously looked toward the stage when they heard the word "announce."
"I'm sure it's an A,"
"If A wasn't given here, it would be a crime against the heavens."
Ning Yang stood on the stage, calmly waiting for the result.
"Congratulations, your grade is—"
Wei Cheng dragged out the announcement, eliciting an uproar of "displeasure" from the other contestants.
"Congratulations! You are the first to receive an A rating today!"
The group of young men in the Pyramids area were all cheering and clapping as if they themselves had received an A.
Cheering for one's competitors, showing true sportsmanship.
"Wow! The first A!"
"He's really amazing!"
"After the competition, I'm going to ask him how he improved his dancing so much in a month."
Ning Yang didn't show much reaction upon receiving his rating, as if it had been within his expectations. He bowed deeply and said, "Thank you, teacher."
Luo Wenxuan picked up the mic and said to him, "Ning Yang, I have high hopes for you. I hope you can continue to work hard and bring us even better stages and performances."
Not even a hint of pride or joy showed on Ning Yang's cool and handsome face. He bowed once again, calm and collected, and said, "Okay, thank you, teacher."
"How is he so composed?"
"So aloof... I can tell he's going to be popular. Girls these days love that kind of reserved and mysterious type."
"If I were a girl, I'd fall for him too."
When teenage boys of this age gathered, their mouths never stopped moving.
By the time Xiang Qingwei returned, two delivery staff followed behind her, carrying coffee and sweets.
"Everyone, please have a cup of coffee and some snacks on me," Xiang Qingwei greeted.
It was the dinner rush, so everyone was hungry. Their eyes glistened at the sight of the dessert table.
The staff thanked her profusely as they took the coffee and pastries from the table.
"Are these all iced? Aiya, I can't drink any during my period, guess I'll have some cake," a young female staffer said.
"There are two cups of non-iced coffee here," Xiang Qingwei said, then handed one over. "Oh! Really? You're the best, Xiang-jie. Thank you!"
Xiang Qingwei smiled.
"You're too kind," Miss K said as she took the iced coffee from Xiang Qingwei. This was her third cup of coffee today; everyone knew about her habit of chugging coffee nonstop while working.
Xiang Qingwei was meticulous and considerate, often anticipating needs that others wouldn't notice. She also remembered people's small habits without saying anything.
Smiling, Xiang Qingwei sat down beside her with a cup of coffee. "How many more groups are there?"
It was already past seven; not only were the contestants not fed, but the staff hadn't had time to eat either.
Miss K glanced at the clock and realized it was almost 8 P.M.
"Let's do two more groups before we call it a day."
Xiang Qingwei noticed that Ning Yang, who still sat by the pyramid with an A label, lifted the corner of his lips slightly.
The last group to perform today was Chuanxing Entertainment, a group everyone was looking forward to.
When the words "Chuanxing Entertainment" appeared on the big screen, the competitors inside the studio cheered in excitement.
Chuanxing Entertainment specialized in creating idol groups, and Yao Yuan, who had already debuted, had even achieved some fame with his former group. Among the one hundred competitors present, almost all of them had seen Yao Yuan's performances before.
Ning Yang was no exception.
He recognized almost every one of the competitors present, as Xiang Qingwei had already given him detailed information on all of them before the recording. Among them, Yao Yuan was the one she had placed particular emphasis on.
When Yao Yuan and his six group members, all dressed in matching black shirts and suits with the A label, stepped onto the stage, the competitors grew excited; some even stood up from their seats.
"Are they models or something? They're all so good-looking!"
"This is definitely going to be a bombshell performance!"
"Their aura is so powerful!"
"Yao Yuan is killing it with his looks! His stage presence is insane!"
"Oh my god! I can't believe I'm going to compete against Yao Yuan one day—I must have done something right in my life!"
"I want to drop out of the competition, I'm serious."
On the stage, the seven trainees from Creation Star Entertainment stood in a neat row.
Luo Wenxuan covered her face, her smile both embarrassed and delighted. "They're all so handsome!"
Yao Yuan raised his microphone. "Good afternoon, everyone, we are—"
"Creation Star Entertainment!"
The seven trainees shouted in unison, simultaneously performing a ninety-degree bow.
"Look how synchronized they are!"
"This is what professionalism looks like."
"It feels like they're ready to debut right now."
The competitors were once again stunned by their aura.
Xiang Qingwei's gaze landed on Yao Yuan.
Even though the average level of talent among the seven trainees from Creation Star Entertainment was already high, Yao Yuan stood out the most amongst them. Whether it was his appearance or presence, he drew a great deal of attention.
Yao Yuan introduced himself first, "Hello, I'm a trainee from Creation Star Entertainment. Within the team, I'm the captain, lead dancer, and rapper."
The other six trainees also introduced themselves one by one.
"Are you all ready?" Wei Cheng asked.
"Yes, we are!"
"If you're ready, please begin your performance," Wei Cheng said.
As they adjusted their headsets and positions, they displayed their well-trained discipline and the invisible chemistry amongst the members.
The music started, and so did their movements!
The contestants in the waiting area were stunned.
"Oh my god! That was amazing!"
"Amazing!"
"Their dance is so synchronized—"
"I feel like I'm not here for the competition, but to watch a performance..."
"Amazing!"
"Wow, their footwork, it's incredible!"
Yao Yuan then rapped another verse, eliciting more cries of admiration from the contestants.
"Yao Yuan is so strong!"
"He can dance so well and he's also a rapper. Is it even fair?"
backstage:
Miss K slurped on her iced coffee. "Createx Entertainment is really making a bold move."
Xiang Qingwei held her iced coffee without drinking, her gaze heavy as she watched the monitor.
As expected, Createx Entertainment's training in grooming their idols was top-notch. Putting aside Yao Yuan, who had already debuted, the other six members followed Yao Yuan's lead seamlessly.
Their synchronized dance moves were precise and impressive, their complex footwork executed with no hint of chaos or confusion; not a single member held the group back.
"I've heard that Createx Entertainment sends their trainees to Korea for a period of training. Judging by this, it certainly seems to be more effective than training within our country." Miss K paused before adding, "It's just that they're too Korean, from their looks to their demeanor, even down to the way they sing."
Xiang Qingwei lifted an eyebrow, intrigued by this perspective.
Her slender fingers rested beneath her chin, contemplating further.
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