next day

After the second round of performances, it was usually time for the trainees to rest. However, just after 1 a.m., when everyone was still fast asleep, the alarm clock suddenly went off throughout the building.

Wailing cries echoed from many dorm rooms, and some people even came out wearing only their shorts:

"How could that be?"

"Is it on fire?"

"What time is it? Help!"

People were still trying to stay asleep, huddled under the covers in bed. But the next second, an announcement came over the loudspeaker in the hallway: "Attention all members, please finish washing up and arrive at the lobby within half an hour. Everyone must be present."

The broadcast's voice, repeated over and over, sounded like a death knell.

At first, no one paid attention and everyone wanted to continue sleeping. But five minutes later, the announcement came again: "Attention all members, please finish washing up and arrive at the lobby within 25 minutes. Latecomers will not be waited for and will be responsible for the consequences."

The countdown has begun.

Jian Xingsui suddenly sat up in bed, and Ning Ze next to her had also gotten up.

As Ning Ze put on his clothes, he said, "Pull Xingchen up, let's assemble."

Although Jian Xingsui was very sleepy, he instantly perked up as the countdown began. He nodded, quickly got up and dressed, stood up, glanced at Shen Xingchen, and sighed, "Xingchen, get up."

The young master ignored him, turned over, and continued sleeping.

Having no other choice, Jian Xingsui went to the bathroom, got a wet towel, and slapped it directly onto Shen Xingchen's face.

Shen Xingchen cursed under her breath, picked up a wet towel, and sat up: "Are you guys crazy?"

Jian Xingsui sighed. Just as he was about to speak, the countdown on the loudspeaker sounded again: "Attention all personnel, please finish washing up and arrive at the lobby within the next 20 minutes."

Jian Xingsui shook the old man: "Did you hear that? Hurry up, it's time to assemble."

Shen Xingchen was in a terrible mood when she woke up. When she heard the announcement, she was furious: "It's only one in the morning! What are we doing gathering here? Go to hell!"

The noise was so loud it almost flipped the door over.

Jian Xingsui was so close that his eardrums felt like they were going to burst. He said, "Something must have happened. Don't delay, get up quickly, or you'll be late."

Shen Xingchen still didn't get up.

Just as they were struggling with their decision, the loudspeaker in the corridor blared again. This time, it wasn't a staff member's voice, but Fu Yingdi's. His voice was slow and deliberate, yet it gave the impression of issuing an ultimatum: "Attention everyone, everyone must be in the lobby in the last five minutes. Latecomers will not be waited for."

As soon as Fu Yingdi finished speaking, footsteps could be heard in the corridor.

Jian Xingsui was completely desperate this time. He made up his mind and said to Ning Ze beside him, "Come and help me!"

Ning Ze hesitated: "You don't mean to?"

Jian Xingsui nodded firmly: "Let's go!"

So, when almost everyone in the hall had arrived and the cameramen from the production crew had started filming as usual, many people watched as Ning Ze carried the still-sleeping Shen Xingchen on his back, while Jian Xingsui carried their belongings over.

"..."

The people in the hall were silent for a few seconds.

quite a while

Someone started laughing out loud.

Even the viewers in the live stream were amused:

"The stars look so real at night!"

"Ning Ze really looks like a father, while Sui Sui next to him looks like a mother."

"Hahaha, aren't you afraid that Xingchen will jump up and beat you up for saying that?"

The live stream saw a surge in comments and a significant increase in popularity due to the humorous scene.

After everyone arrived at the hall, they were asked to board the bus prepared by the production team. Once everyone was on the bus, the mentor said from the front, "Take a nap, we'll wake you up when we get there."

It was past 1 a.m., and many people were still exhausted.

Some people asked where they were going, but the mentors just smiled and didn't give a direct answer.

Shen Xingchen was also one of those who were fast asleep. When the car stopped again, the young master finally woke up, and he was even a little surprised: "How did I end up in the car?"

Jian Xingsui, who was resting nearby, said helplessly, "We carried it for you."

Before Shen Xingchen could figure it out, someone outside the car shouted for her to get out.

It was past 2 a.m., and everything was pitch black. There were streetlights where the car had stopped. A group of people and the photographer gathered and finally saw the place clearly.

Teacher Li said, "Hello everyone, this is Mount Tai, one of the Five Great Mountains that everyone knows. Today, our task is to climb Mount Tai before sunrise and enjoy a panoramic view of our beautiful motherland!"

"..."

There was a moment of silence at the scene.

No one could have imagined being suddenly pulled out of bed in the middle of the night to go hiking; it was truly unexpected.

Teacher Li smiled and said, "I knew everyone would be pleasantly surprised. Our rule today is that whoever is the first to reach the top of Mount Tai will have the right to choose their own songs and form their own team for the final performance."

It's a huge temptation.

Tuya, who was standing next to her, was also wearing hiking gear. She said, "Furthermore, we have prepared a small cabin at each short rest stop. The first team to reach the cabin will receive a surprise. Please keep climbing!"

The contestants seemed to perk up a bit.

Shen Xingchen asked, "What surprise is it, teacher?"

Tuya shook her head and said, "If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise."

Since the teacher had said so, the other contestants naturally had no choice but to explore on their own. However, many people were also looking forward to this surprise, and everyone immediately became interested.

Seeing everyone's eagerness, Fu Jinxiao said calmly, "For this mountain climbing trip, there is no limit to the number of people in each team; you can form your own teams."

Everyone was even happier to hear that!

Jian Xingsui mustered her courage and asked, "Does 'no limit on the number of people' mean that two or three people can also form a small team?"

Fu Jinxiao nodded: "Okay."

This news is great for many people. Since the second round of eliminations, half of the participants were eliminated, leaving only 56 people in the audience. After a few days of rest, it means the time to announce the rankings for the second round should be coming soon. This time, half of the participants will be eliminated again, leaving the final 16 to enter the finals. Many people have developed strong bonds with their friends and brothers, and today's mountain climbing may mark the end of their separation, so everyone cherishes the present moment even more.

When it came time to divide into groups, Shen Xingchen said to Jian Xingsui almost without hesitation, "No need to say anything, let's form a group of three!"

No one had any objections.

The group of boys were all half asleep before, but now they were all awake and energetic.

Shen Xingchen said, "Charge! Take first place!"

Seeing him running so fast, Jian Xingsui couldn't help but remind him, "You need to conserve your energy. This isn't a climb that can be finished quickly. Don't let yourself be unable to walk at the end."

Shen Xingchen scoffed at his words: "You think I can't walk? Who do you think you are?"

"..."

Ten minutes later

Uncle Zhai sat on a stone bench by the roadside and let out a long sigh: "So tired! How come we haven't reached the first rest stop yet?"

Along the way, groups kept catching up with them, while others lagged behind because they were too slow.

Ning Ze looked through the binoculars and said, "There's a red flag over there; the rest stop is probably there."

Jian Xingsui had wanted to complain for a long time: "Brother Ze, where did you get your telescope from?"

Ning Ze said, "I brought it from home myself."

Why would you bring binoculars to record a talent show? Is that reasonable?

Jian Xingsui's dumbfounded expression was captured perfectly by the production team, becoming a source of laughter for the audience:

"Hahaha, I have the same expression right now."

"Ning Ze, what other surprises do you have that we don't know about?"

"Shen Xingchen, a man of unwavering integrity."

Jian Xingsui glanced at the people below the mountain and said, "Let's hurry up and run, otherwise if someone overtakes us, we won't be able to get the surprise at the rest stop. I heard from Teacher Tuya that only the first team to arrive can get the surprise."

Shen Xingchen said, "But I really can't walk anymore. I feel like my legs don't even belong to me anymore!"

Jian Xingsui thought to herself, "That's utter nonsense."

Who's as reckless as you? You just rush forward without thinking twice, not caring whether you have the stamina to keep up, you just keep charging forward.

Ning Ze asked, "Do you want me to carry you?"

Shen Xingchen shook his head and said, "I'm a man, what kind of man lets others carry him? Who are you looking down on?"

His words almost made Jian Xingsui laugh.

Jian Xingsui rolled up her sleeves and walked forward, then squatted down in front of Shen Xingchen: "Let me give you a massage."

Shen Xingchen asked warily, "What are you doing?"

Jian Xingsui simply turned Shen Xingchen's legs around, and then, after pressing some acupoints, Shen Xingchen started to scream in agony. The scream seemed to startle all the birds in the forest.

Shen Xingchen muttered, "Be gentle!"

Jian Xingsui then stopped what he was doing and asked from the side, "How are you? Are you feeling better?"

After resting for a while, Shen Xingchen was surprised to find: "Hey, you know what, I'm really not that tired anymore!"

Jian Xingsui smiled and said, "That's good."

The group quickly set off again towards the middle stop. As they walked, Shen Xingchen said, "What kind of massage method is this? How come it's so effective? Teach me!"

Jian Xingsui replied, "I learned this on my own when I was at home. My father and brother were both very busy with work."

Shen Xingchen clicked his tongue: "I didn't know you had this ability."

Jian Xingsui said proudly, "This is my own unique formula that I developed myself. Others might not even have the same effect."

"You're such a cheapskate." Shen Xingchen lightly punched him, not too annoyed. "If you don't teach me, I don't even care!"

Jian Xingsui smiled happily, her lips pursed.

Finally, they reached the halfway point of the mountain.

The program crew members who had been waiting there said, "Congratulations on arriving here. You are the first group to arrive, so you will receive a reward. Now, all three of you can go to the cabin to check your ranking in this competition. You can also choose to interact with your fans for three minutes in a live stream. We have already set up the live stream room."

The three people were overjoyed.

I never expected such a pleasant surprise.

Shen Xingchen said, "You two go first. I'm exhausted and don't have the energy to talk right now."

Ning Ze wasn't in a hurry. He said to Jian Xingsui, "You go first. I'm going to eat something; I'm hungry."

Jian Xingsui had no choice but to nod and enter the small house, having no other option but to do so.

The production crew placed an envelope on the table: "This is your final ranking for this competition. After watching, please turn on your phone and interact with your fans for three minutes."

Jian Xingsui said, "Thank you."

There was an envelope on the table. Jian Xingsui reached out, picked it up, and opened it. He had come in third place in the first round of the previous competition. In this round, he used his original song to show his strength to many viewers and won the support king of the whole audience. It can be said that he did his best to perform. The audience's feedback was also good, so his ranking should rise.

When Jian Xingsui opened the envelope, he saw a line of text on the page: "Congratulations, Jian Xingsui. In this stage, your final ranking is 15th. Congratulations on entering the final stage. Please keep up the good work."

The boy sitting there stared at the paper for a long time.

All the effort he put in, every night he stayed up, every hardship he endured while practicing dance, and every drop of sweat he shed seemed to become a joke on this piece of paper at this moment. This was his reward.

The staff member hesitated and said, "Sui Sui?"

Jian Xingsui quickly came to her senses and smiled, "Okay, I've finished watching. I'll start my live stream now."

The staff could roughly guess what was going on when they saw his expression.

They probably understand some of the unspoken rules of the show. Trainees who aren't in the debut positions can't succeed just by working hard. Often, reality and dreams are very far apart.

The staff member hesitated and said, "Sui Sui, you can tell your fans what you want to say, campaign for yourself, and then you also need to let the audience see your ranking in this stage."

Jian Xingsui nodded and clicked the button to open the live stream. This was the first time he could see the comments.

Many viewers were very excited to see that it was Jian Xingsui:

"It's Sui Sui!"

"Waaaaah, I've been staying up all night until almost 3 a.m., and I'm finally seeing you, baby."

"Although he's not my idol, hello Sui Sui!"

Jian Xingsui smiled and bowed politely to everyone, then said, "Hello everyone, I am Jian Xingsui, it's a pleasure to meet you all."

The live stream chat was filled with a dense barrage of comments.

Jian Xingsui handed out the card in his hand for everyone to see: "This is my ranking for this stage of the race. I am very grateful for everyone's support. I will work harder in the future."

The clear handwriting appeared on the screen, leaving many people stunned.

"Am I seeing things?"

Is it the fifth or the fifteenth?

Why did his ranking drop so drastically?

The fact that Jian Xingsui dropped from third to fifteenth shocked the audience, including many people who were not fans of Jian Xingsui. Just a short time ago, Jian Xingsui's ranking was hovering in the top six debut positions, so why did she suddenly drop to 15th today?

Many fans also started flooding the screen with comments:

"Is it really the fifteenth? Could there be a mistake?"

"How is that possible? The fan club spent several million yuan on milk tickets."

"Why is it the 15th? My God! I used all my friends' and relatives' accounts to vote for you!"

Jian Xingsui quietly watched the comments for a while.

A staff member next to him reminded him, "There are still two and a half minutes left. You should say something to your fans."

This is a very valuable opportunity. His ranking has dropped so much that if he's smart, he should know how to garner votes and how to motivate his fans.

However, the young man sitting in the chair remained calm throughout. Jian Xingsui took a deep breath and smiled, "I am very grateful to everyone for voting for me. Thank you all."

“If possible, I would like to ask everyone not to waste money buying milk tickets for me. If your funds allow, please spend them on yourselves, such as going to see a movie or having a meal.” Jian Xingsui’s words surprised everyone, but he continued, “Keep this money for more meaningful things. Thank you for liking me, but I will be very happy if you are doing well.”

He knew he wouldn't make it into the entertainment industry.

Although Brother Wang always threatened to pay a million to withdraw from the competition, Jian Xingsui knew that the debut positions had already been decided internally, and it was absolutely impossible for him to debut. The money and love that the fans had invested were like throwing money down the drain, and he felt sorry for them.

The audience was in an uproar:

"Sui Sui, what are you saying!"

"Are you crazy?!"

"It wasn't a waste of money, I did it all willingly!"

The more the fans acted this way, the sadder Jian Xingsui felt. He took a deep breath, not wanting to show his emotions in front of the fans, and continued softly, "If you have any extra votes, please cast them for Xingchen and Ningze. They are both very hardworking and excellent people. My dancing and singing are not very good, but they are excellent in every aspect. I hope you can support them."

He knew he would soon be leaving Starlight.

Along the way, he received a lot of love and care from his friends. When it was time to part, there was nothing he could do, and this was the only thing he could do for his friends.

As Shen Xingchen emerged from the cabin, Ning Ze approached her and asked, "How's your ranking?"

Jian Xingsui smiled but didn't say anything, afraid of affecting his friends' mood.

Shen Xingchen was extremely anxious: "Say something!"

"It's nothing, don't worry, I've made it to the final stage." Jian Xingsui said, "It doesn't matter what place you get, you two hurry up and go in, there's time to interact with the fans."

Shen Xingchen and Ning Ze exchanged a glance, and Ning Ze went first.

After he went inside, Jian Xingsui and Shen Xingchen sat outside. Neither of them spoke for a while. Jian Xingsui had something on his mind, but he didn't understand why Shen Xingchen wasn't speaking.

The atmosphere inexplicably became somewhat heavy.

Jian Xingsui had always known that Shen Xingchen was a carefree person, but at this moment, he was unusually silent. Although Shen Xingchen was usually oblivious, at this moment, he seemed to have guessed something.

Even after seeing you off for a thousand miles, we must eventually part ways.

Perhaps soon they will have to part ways, and from then on, they will be on two different paths.

Jian Xingsui tried to ease the tension: "Do you still want to learn that acupoint? I'll teach you."

Shen Xingchen snapped out of her daze, glared at Jian Xingsui with a fierce look.

Jian Xingsui asked innocently, "What's wrong?"

"I'm not learning anymore!" Shen Xingchen shouted fiercely. His shout stunned Jian Xingsui, and the two stared at each other in a brief silence. It was because of this that Jian Xingsui saw the vulnerable look in Shen Xingchen's eyes and the slightly red corners of his eyes.

He guessed it as expected.

That's why I haven't said anything just now.

Jian Xingsui sighed softly in her heart: "Then let's not learn it."

Shen Xingchen snorted and lowered her head: "Teach me when you get back."

Jian Xingsui said, "Okay."

"Forget it, I have to practice dancing when I get back, I don't have time." Shen Xingchen seemed to be deceiving himself, forcing Jian Xingsui to give him a promise: "You'll teach me after we form a group."

"..."

He was met with a brief silence.

Shen Xingchen cursed, "Say something!"

Jian Xingsui looked up at him. In fact, there was no need for words; they both understood that Shen Minglang had sent this younger brother to participate in the talent show to temper his arrogance and character. Perhaps after experiencing some separations and the harsh realities of life, the young master who always did bad things would really grow up and not be so naive anymore.

But……

Jian Xingsui looked at Shen Xingchen's glaring eyes and suddenly felt a little soft-hearted. He gently smiled and nodded, "Okay, I'll teach you."

Soon, Ning Ze also came out.

His expression wasn't good either. Ning Ze was getting old, and this was his last gamble. If the result wasn't good, he might have to say goodbye to the stage forever.

Shen Xingchen stood up: "I'm going in."

Jian Xingsui instructed him: "You should campaign hard for votes from your fans. Your ranking isn't low, so you should compete for the center position."

From the day Shen Xingchen entered Starlight, she regarded Li Xu'an as her number one rival and was committed to competing with him for the center position. The two were ranked very close, and the competition was really fierce.

Shen Xingchen scoffed lightly: "Do you even need to tell me?"

After entering the cabin, the staff handed him his stage ranking.

Shen Xingchen did not answer.

The staff looked at him with suspicion, but then heard Shen Xingchen say, "I want to know the rankings of Jian Xingsui and Ning Ze."

The staff member, who had never encountered anything like this before, hesitated for a moment and said, "I can't tell you; each person can only see their own."

"Okay." Shen Xingchen revealed his ranking. He was in second place this time. It was almost certain that the first place was either An Ran or Li Xu'an. Logically speaking, he disliked both of them. Normally, he would definitely try his best to garner votes and push them out of the rankings. However, when the live broadcast started and he was faced with rows of fan comments, Shen Xingchen remained silent for a moment.

After adjusting his mindset, he began, "Hello everyone, I'm Shen Xingchen."

The audience was in a frenzy:

"Xingzai! Mommy loves you!"

"He's really a big boy!"

"I've been voting for you every day."

The cool guy grinned and said, "Vote for me every day, isn't that a must? You have good taste, sis."

This kid is always confident yet naive, and the things he says always make people laugh and cry at the same time. But the audience is always drawn to this trait, which makes the show even more hilarious.

Shen Xingchen suppressed his smile. This boy, who always seemed to take everything lightly, was now watching the live stream intently. Instead of campaigning for himself to defeat his nemesis, he said, "Here, I want to campaign for my brothers, Jian Xingsui and Ning Ze. I don't know their rankings, but I hope that if you have any spare votes, you can vote for them."

As the comments section was filled with Jian Xingsui's ranking, Shen Xingchen's eyes darkened when fifteenth place appeared on the screen.

In the last minute, Shen Xingchen got a little anxious: "If you have any fans... could you save the votes you cast for me and give some to Jian Xingsui too? You don't need to put me too high. I feel like I can debut as long as I'm in the lower ranks."

This is a young master who always takes winning and losing very seriously.

From childhood to adulthood, he has hardly experienced any setbacks or helplessness. He has always had everything he wanted and nothing was unattainable. It was this environment that shaped a fearless young master.

His family sent him here to toughen him up.

At this moment, the young master who cared so much about winning and losing suddenly lost his pride. He no longer cared about winning against Li Xu'an, and he didn't care about the ranking anymore. Shen Xingchen held the ranking card, took a deep breath, and said to the audience, "I'm counting on you brothers and fellow villagers!"

The live stream chat immediately erupted in laughter.

When Jian Xingchen saw that many fans in the live chat had promised to vote for his brothers, he smiled and even made a fist-and-palm gesture on the spot, almost as if he wanted to worship the audience. The previous oppressive atmosphere was completely gone, and it turned into a comedy.

However, what Shen Xingchen doesn't know now is that the powerlessness of reality is the first lesson the world is teaching him, and soon, the cruelty of reality will be the second lesson.