Seeing Jian Xingsui wiping his face with the back of his hand while his head was down, Xu Enzhen quickly took out a clean handkerchief from her bag and handed it to him: "Here, use this to wipe your face?"

The clean handkerchief seemed to carry a faint, pleasant fragrance. It was embroidered with delicate patterns and looked very beautiful; it was clearly not meant for wiping away tears.

Jian Xingsui gently shook his head, his voice slightly choked and hoarse: "No need, it's too wasteful..."

"How could it be a waste?" Xu Enzhen saw that he was clearly in great pain but was still holding back his tears. Even in this situation, he was still thinking of her. Her heart ached as if it had been pricked by a needle. She couldn't help but squat down and gently wipe away the tear stains on Jian Xingsui's cheeks with a handkerchief, not caring at all that the clean handkerchief would get dirty.

As she drew closer, a light, warm fragrance wafted to Jian Xingsui's nose.

It wasn't the pungent smell of perfume, but rather a faint, delicate body fragrance. Actually, this lady was very beautiful, but at this moment, Jian Xingsui had nothing to do with romance. He only felt that she was so gentle, and the scent of her body inexplicably made him feel at ease. Like a tense little hedgehog, he inexplicably relaxed his guard, and in an instant, his heart slowly became very calm.

Xu Enzhen put the handkerchief back and said softly, "You're one of the kids participating in this talent show, right? Did your parents or friends buy tickets to come see you?"

Jian Xingsui hesitated for a moment. He thought of Jian Zhi, but that was no longer his brother. So he gently shook his head and answered in a low voice, "No."

Seeing him squatting there all alone, Xu Enzhen felt an overwhelming pity for him. She said, "What's your name? I should actually remember you, because of my son..."

Suddenly, the door was opened from the outside, and someone came in.

Shen Xingchen, dressed in her performance costume, strode over and said, "Mom, what are you doing here?"

Upon closer inspection, she discovered that not only her mother but also her friends were there. Jian Xingsui had wiped away her tears, but her eyes were still red, clearly showing that she had been crying.

Shen Xingchen asked suspiciously, "Why are you crying?"

Jian Xingsui subconsciously said, "I didn't cry..."

"You still say you didn't cry? Do you think I'm blind?" Shen Xingchen, with her fiery temper, retorted, "Who, who bullied you? Mom, did you see who? This is my newly adopted little brother! How dare they bully my little brother? I'm going to teach them a lesson today..."

Jian Xingsui quickly stopped him and said, "No, no, I just had a contact lens fall out and my eyes feel uncomfortable. It's really nothing, bro. Aren't we supposed to go on stage and record soon? What are you doing here?"

Shen Xingchen asked suspiciously, "Really?"

Jian Xingsui nodded quickly.

"You're so useless." Shen Xingchen immediately put on a disgusted expression.

Xu Enzhen watched the two bickering from the side and suddenly became lost in thought. There were only two children in their family. The eldest son was busy with work at the company all year round, so he rarely came home. Perhaps he also had heavy responsibilities for the family, so he was always rigid and strict. The younger son, on the other hand, was a bit willful and would not respond to being coerced. Sometimes he was so stubborn that even nine oxen could not pull him back. He was actually simple-minded and could be easily taken advantage of by people with ulterior motives.

However, Jian Xingsui has a really good temper. His best quality is not that he can tolerate his son's bad temper, but that he can see through the concern hidden in his son's harsh words. When he comforts Shen Xingchen, his eyes are full of tolerance and gentleness, not perfunctory or impatient.

Xu Enzhen smiled gently.

If that's the case, then it's definitely worthwhile to make this friend.

...

performance stage

The work on stage was in full swing. Several groups had already performed, and soon it would be Jian Xingsui's group's turn. It was a PK between two groups. The group before them had performed a hot song and dance routine. By the time it was their turn, the audience had already been hyped up by the previous group's explosive performance, so their expectations for the soothing traditional Chinese dance that followed were naturally much lower.

Viewers also commented:

"I think this group is a sure win."

"They are really amazing, and it will be hard for other groups to surpass them."

"The next group seems to be songs with a more traditional Chinese style; it's hard to find songs that are neither too popular nor too lukewarm..."

In the bustling audience, the judges sat on the judging panel. The most eye-catching one was Fu Jinxiao, who sat in the very center. Today, the movie star Fu was wearing a white shirt and a brown jacket in the British style, with gold-rimmed glasses, looking like a refined and elegant young nobleman. However, he sat there lazily, looking at the stage somewhat casually. That lazy appearance added a touch of roguishness to his nobleman image, making him very eye-catching.

A portion of the audience consisted of Fu Yingdi's fans, and some tickets were even resold at exorbitant prices.

Several resident mentors were seated in the other seats on the mentor's platform. The only difference was that there was an additional judge, Jian Zhi.

He also has the right to vote, but the mentors don't vote for the team, but rather select the most popular member of each team and give them their support and votes.

Before going on stage, Shen Xingchen said, "Don't be nervous, just do what we've rehearsed."

The others nodded in agreement.

As the stage lights dimmed completely and melodious piano music began, the entire stage slowly lit up. Several young men stood in the center, dressed in dark blue traditional Chinese qipaos. Their cheerful singing echoed across the stage, creating a relaxed atmosphere.

"Fireflies, their light for stealing moments of play; only by shaking their heads can they memorize the text..."

...

"When I dozed off, the teacher slapped my palm. A willow leaf, its sound echoing on my lips. A drop of ink, a plum blossom blooming. Holding hands, leaving behind a wisp of fragrance."

Several teenagers were on stage, holding fans. When they sang these two lines, they swayed their heads and, when they sang about the teacher, they even playfully tapped the heads of those who weren't paying attention. The stage was smooth and the interaction was full of fun. Many audience members were so engrossed that they even forgot about the dance skills. So even though Jian Xingsui's skills weren't solid, she didn't seem out of place among them.

Just when everyone thought the melody would continue to be so melodious and cheerful, it reached its climax and then soared up again, creating a truly breathtaking effect.

"If the youth are strong, then China must be great too. Having absorbed the magnetic field of five thousand years, it possesses the legendary power of humility and magic, an unyielding spirit that cannot be hidden, and the power of wisdom shining through."

The boys changed their carefree attitude from the first half; all their dance steps became neat, crisp, and clean. Every turn and gesture looked powerful, like real Chinese youths striving and rising up. Everyone saw the power in them, and when the spotlight shone down, they seemed to be bathed in light.

As the music soared, the students' synchronized singing on stage sent chills down everyone's spines; the passion and faith they conveyed stirred the heart.

"If the youth are strong, then China will surely be great too. Accustomed to winning by striking back later, they even say 'thank you' when they win. Carrying boundless hope and dreams, they soar like a dragon..."

This song is actually an old song, but its style and melody have been slightly adjusted in the middle. This adjustment makes the whole song more passionate, more full of hope and vitality. It is like the finishing touch, allowing all the audience to see not only handsome and cool, but also tears in their eyes and a new generation of young people full of hope.

When a song came to an end, the audience fell silent for a moment, then erupted in enthusiastic applause.

The live stream chat exploded!

"I'd like to see who doesn't vote for 'Young China'!"

"Who adapted this song?! I'm begging you to release it soon, I'll play it on repeat!"

"It's amazing! I can't focus my gaze on anyone because they all seem to be shining!"

When the dance ended, everyone was sweating and cheering.

Mentor Tuya was the first to pick up the microphone and say, "Very good, your performance was very good."

Jianzhi also picked up the microphone, but instead of praising the team, he called out An Ran by name: "An Ran, you danced very well. How many years have you studied dance?"

An Ran, panting, said, "I've been studying for over ten years, probably since I was a child."

“This kind of traditional Chinese dance must be very difficult to learn,” Jianzhi sighed. “It takes a lot of effort.”

An Ran was very tired, but she still answered her mentor's question with the best demeanor: "Yes, it is very hard. When we practiced dancing before, my feet were injured a lot. I was young at that time, and I would cry while practicing. But I still love dancing. Fortunately, I have been able to persevere, which is the thing I am most grateful for."

His strong demeanor also touched the hearts of many viewers.

"Ranran is such a wonderful little angel."

"He is truly inspiring."

"She's good-looking too!"

Jian Zhi kept giving An Ran screen time, which earned An Ran a lot of goodwill. Originally, all the audience's attention had been drawn in, but unexpectedly, Fu Jinxiao slowly picked up the microphone next to him and said only one sentence, which brought everyone's attention back: "Who adapted this song?"

Everyone looked at Jian Xingsui.

Jian Xingsui stepped forward gently and replied, "It is I, Teacher Fu."

"Hmm." Fu Jinxiao lifted her eyelids to look at him, not holding back her praise: "Very good."

The more fiercely they scold in the training room, the more readily they can express praise here.

Actor Fu praised the adaptation, saying, "The adaptation was very successful."

Receiving recognition from his idol was the most exciting and joyful thing. Jian Xingsui couldn't help but smile. He bowed deeply, but instead of taking credit, he said, "It's not just my achievement. My teammates gave me a lot of help when I was arranging the dance. I'm not very good at dancing, and my teammates really helped me a lot, especially Xingchen. The captain often stayed up all night with me to practice."

When he has a camera and is called upon by his mentor, he doesn't just think about himself; he also pulls his teammates into the shot and to speak with him. Even such a small detail instantly moves all his teammates.

They used to dislike Jian Xingsui and even thought of him as a burden. They had also heard some rumors that Jian Xingsui was a bad person, but after getting to know him, they benefited a lot from it.

Jianzhi's expression was not good. He said softly, "I think adaptation is one aspect, but individual strength is also very important. If the basics of dance are weak, it will still affect the team."

No one expected him to make comments targeting the contestants.

What was even more unexpected was that Fu Jinxiao, who had never spoken up to interfere with other mentors' evaluations, suddenly smiled coldly after Jian Zhi finished speaking. He said, "A complete group has its strengths and weaknesses. It is precisely because of mutual progress and compensation that a team can be formed. If you focus on the impact instead of looking at the contribution to the team, you will not go very far."

Jianzhi was surprised that Fu Jinxiao could speak. He was very successful in the industry, but there were also people he respected, and Fu Jinxiao was one of them.

Tuya also said, "I think you all did a great job, especially Jian Xingsui. Your dancing has improved very quickly. You're amazing."

An Ran was the best at traditional Chinese dance, but because Jian Zhi picked him at the beginning, other mentors talked about other contestants, and the audience gradually forgot about An Ran. After the comments, the whole team was quite happy, but An Ran, who originally wanted to stand out, was not happy. He looked at the group of people in front of him with a harmonious atmosphere and clenched his fists in anger.

...

During halftime, Xu Enzhen found Fu Jinxiao backstage to ask about her son: "Jinxiao, did Xingchen cause you any trouble?"

Fu Jinxiao leaned casually against the corridor railing: "Auntie, you're too kind. There's no trouble at all."

Xu Enzhen particularly admired Fu Jinxiao. He was a promising young man, and most importantly, of noble character. He was very capable and also very caring. He had always been a son-in-law she valued highly. It was just a pity that he didn't seem to be interested in her son. So, she sighed, repeating her usual refrain, "We spoiled Xingchen a bit when he was young, and he's become a little willful as he's grown up. Actually, I was thinking that since our Shen family and your Fu family have such a good relationship, if we could arrange a marriage between us, wouldn't that be..."

"Tsk."

Fu Jinxiao smiled helplessly: "Auntie, please stop joking. That little brat Shen Xingchen is really not my type. Please don't play matchmaker."

Just then, a group of students walked by in the distance; it was Shen Xingchen's group.

Fu Jinxiao narrowed his eyes slightly, watching Shen Xingchen put his arm around Jian Xingsui's shoulder. The slightly shorter person was surrounded by his teammates. He said something and smiled slightly. His short haircut made him look cute.

Xu Enzhen said helplessly, "It seems that Xingchen is not lucky. But you are too. Actually, you should be settling down and starting a family at this age. In fact, your aunt is quite curious about what kind of child can catch your eye?"

Fu Jinxiao clicked his tongue lightly. His elegant and handsome face was slightly raised, and a smile flashed in his eyes. He seemed to be a very mature and steady person, but at this moment, his mind was seriously wandering with random thoughts.

I think that kid is pretty good.

Fu, the great movie star, thought to himself.