Sanskrit faint
It was only at the very end that Chu Yiqi noticed that neither the shawl nor the skirt worn by Xi Ai had any patterns on them, but rather sections of Sanskrit script, perhaps Buddhist scriptures or some other kind of book.
It's hard to say whether this is a mark of God or an inescapable bondage.
This discovery made Chu Yiqi's heart tremble, and he was somewhat surprised by Xi Ai's thoughts.
The faint Sanskrit appeared again, but it could no longer bring a pure, ethereal, and serene feeling; instead, it brought a sense of suppressed, unexpressed emotions.
Xi Ai stood still, bowed politely, and waited for the results and some evaluations.
Unsurprisingly, Annihilus was the first to speak.
She said, "I still maintain that this style, whether it's the lyrics or the melody, isn't bad, but I still hope you can step out of your comfort zone. Otherwise, I can just listen to your previous songs."
"And do you know the most important question on this stage?"
No one expected that Xi Ai's teacher would be so scathing in her evaluation.
Xi Ai seemed unsurprised and aware of her own weaknesses: "I have no advantage in dancing."
As expected, Xi Ai is in Group B.
As she stepped off the stage, she met Zhou Yangxi's gaze—a tacit exchange between the two people from Group B.
After Xi Ai sat down, Zhou Qingxi whispered to her, "Guess how many people from the ancient style circle these thirty-six people can attract."
Xi Ai smiled and lingered on Chu Yiqi for a moment.
"It's hard to say, it's like a team building event for the traditional Chinese style community."
Zhou Yangxi was determined to ease the tension between Xi Ai and Chu Yiqi, so she turned her head, looked at Chu Yiqi's attire, and said, "Yiqi, you are too, right?"
Xi Ai looked at Chu Yiqi and heard her say, "Yes, but she's a little different from Xi Ai."
For example, there is a section of opera singing in the middle of Chu Yiqi's performance.
That sounds like official jargon; it would be strange if they actually had the same style.
To be fair, Chu Yiqi really likes Xi Ai's musical style, and it's undeniable that Xi Ai has amazing singing skills.
To compensate for some shortcomings in her dancing, Xi Ai added some challenging sections to the song that really tested her singing skills.
Chu Yiqi was one of the last to perform. After she stood up, she glanced at Xi Ai, whether intentionally or unintentionally, and the latter naturally returned her gaze.
The brief exchange of glances seemed to have reached a tacit understanding—treating each other as rivals and formidable opponents.
When he got on stage, Chu Yiqi was still a little nervous. He answered the questions and answers during the warm-up rounds very seriously and with great restraint.
The music began, starting with the sound of a bamboo flute, gradually incorporating the melodious notes of a guqin.
"A corner of the corridor is a place of longing, and the setting moon makes me stand alone."
This line sets the tone for the entire piece.
She did not choose to write lyrics from the perspective of the poet Rong Ruo. Instead, she tried to tell the story of that profound and sorrowful love from the woman's perspective.
"Yellow leaves close the sparse window, the fragrance of tea mingles with the aroma of books."
Perhaps Chu Yiqi's statement is not entirely accurate.
The difference between Xi Ai and her is not that big. At least on this stage, the main difference between them is that Chu Yiqi's choreography is more expressive than Xi Ai's.
"Deep within the painted hall, true feelings are locked away; spring goes and autumn comes, but dreams are hard to rekindle."
The music gradually quickened and became increasingly somber, before fading away after a section of chime bells. At this moment, Chu Yiqi's operatic singing appeared: "With the lamp and moon behind me, I seek the shade of flowers; it has been ten years since I left this place, ten years since I left this world."
Just like at the beginning, the same poem by Rong Ruo was chosen, as if in some kind of echo, completing the loop.
At this point, it's actually impossible to tell whether Yiqi is singing about the past or about the unattainable and unforgettable nature of love throughout history.
Perhaps it was a bit of a surprise, but even though Xi Ai didn't like Chu Yiqi's personality, she still felt that Chu Yiqi could have gone to Group A.
However, after considering all factors, Chu Yiqi was still placed in Group B.
"Personally, I really like this stage, but perhaps..."
Chu Yiqi had no objection to the teacher's evaluation; he simply listened attentively and nodded.
"Thank you, teacher."
-
The light was blurry and hazy, like the afternoon sun shining through a veil and falling in front of my eyes.
Xi Yuan seemed to hear her own name. She opened her eyes, responded, and stood up, but her legs suddenly felt numb, so she slowly shuffled to the door. As soon as she stepped outside, she saw both Meng Yike and Chu Yiqi.
Chu Yiqi's gaze swept over Xi Yuan's arm and finally landed on his feet.
"Thanks."
Xi Yuan didn't say who she was thanking, so Chu Yiqi paused slightly, not daring to linger. Meng Yike didn't respond either, but after Xi Yuan turned away, he looked at Chu Yiqi for a while, then picked up his phone and sent a pre-edited message to a group of four.
"I'll go get a charger. You two can go downstairs first."
"OK."
Meanwhile, several people in the downstairs living room saw Meng Yike's message.
"Target almost there, get the double seats ready!"
"Your mat has been hidden; the target has no other choice."
"Take your time, don't rush."
So when Xi Yuan and Chu Yiqi got downstairs, they stared at the only two seats available, neither of them sitting down first. They stood with their arms folded, waiting to see each other's reaction.
This positioning, at first glance, looks remarkably like a discussion from several years ago. Perhaps it was a long-standing issue, so much so that even now, thinking back on that argument feels like an undercurrent of tension.
*
The day after the first group assignment, a group of people got up early to look at the topics. Xi Ai and Chu Yiqi didn't sit on the ground. Instead, they stood far apart, holding hands and looking at each other, which felt strange.
A moment later, the group's hearts sank when they saw the question.
The introduction has three lines, which can be summarized as: Is it better to be moderate and not compete, or is it better to pursue and fight, and be an ambitious person?
One embodies the philosophy of "the way of Heaven is to win without striving," emphasizing moderation and harmony; the other is someone who "goes to battle and to banquets with joy," and "fires at me," refusing to accept mediocrity.
The ten people looked at each other in bewilderment. Xi Ai slowly added insult to injury: "What's the difference between this and a high school essay?"
Zhou Qingxi was also staring at the screen, but her mouth was faster than her brain and eyes: "Maybe back then, you could write both, and it was hard to get a high score if you didn't write like that."
Xi Ai: "..."
After a brief silence, Chu Yiqi offered his opinion, but his tone remained as low as ever, as if it were a tentative question: "I think we can choose the middle way as the theme."
Xi Ai remained silent, but mentally muttered a couple of complaints: You yourself aren't exactly a moderate or indifferent person, are you? Why choose to be indifferent?
“Survival of the fittest. If you don’t fight, why should you have anything?” Xi Ai said coldly, her eyes fixed on Chu Yiqi, her whole demeanor revealing her undisguised ambition.
—It started with my self-introduction.
Chu Yiqi was not to be outdone, and immediately retorted: "Only by not contending can one be invincible. The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. If you contend too much, you'll only be doing the work for someone else. Since that's the case, why shouldn't I choose to go with the flow? At least it will benefit me. What I can't have, that's fate."
The two roommates were still confused as to why the two had suddenly started arguing, but the others remained silent, sitting together and listening, while considering their own thoughts.
Xi Ai paused for a moment, then said, "Even if you can't win it, it's still better than being trapped in your own self-imposed confinement, bowing your head and blaming those who were willing to fight for it, or those who were within easy reach of it from the beginning."
Meng Yike seemed to be a person who didn't argue, but she also stood on Xi Ai's side: "Yes, many things have been unfair from the beginning. Just like a person can't choose their birth or background, and can't control other people's opinions, does that mean we should just give up and accept the status quo?"
Chu Yiqi didn't say anything more, but he was already wavering.
Yes, actually, from the very beginning, part of the reason she disliked Xi Ai was that Xi Ai was different from the people she had been around since childhood. Xi Ai, being in a superior position, naturally possessed what most people could never obtain in their entire lives—if this was due to Chu Yiqi's preconceived notions, then the clash in their personalities was an irreconcilable objective fact.
—But Xi Ai's beliefs and way of doing things are completely opposite. Like winter and midsummer, quiet stability and flamboyant passion are inherently mutually exclusive.
But now it seems that this is another way of life, a line she dared not touch in the past when she was trapped. Perhaps... it's not impossible.
Actually, now that we've come this far, everyone knows that this topic is neither right nor wrong; it's just a matter of different choices made by people with differing values when it comes to how they conduct themselves in the world.
Different starting points, let alone right or wrong.
"How about we vote?"
The vote resulted in Chu Yiqi unanimously passing the "Struggle".
*
At this moment, they remained silent, the restlessness that had been suppressed in their hearts for years transforming into an unspoken longing that permeated the air.
Fortunately, Su Luojian finally spoke up, breaking the delicate balance between the two: "Alright, sit down quickly."
Xi Ai sat down happily, and Meng Yike finally arrived late.
Su Luojian asked, "Alright, kids, what topic do you want to choose this time?"
Chu Yiqi borrowed a pen from Yu Nianxi and listed the themes of his albums from the previous years.
Their debut single in their first year was "Her Time," and their subsequent album focused on the plight and struggles of women.
The second year, the theme was regional culture, following the travel sequence of the group's variety show.
Then came the retro-style "Looking out from the industrial wasteland".
Then came "The Fall of Icarus," which Chu Yiqi missed recording last year.
Xi Ai heard a soft "tap-tap" sound from beside her. She glanced down and saw that Chu Yiqi was unconsciously tapping his pen.
That was a little gesture that Chu Yiqi often made when he was thinking.
"Hmm... Is this the last year?"
As soon as Chu Yiqi finished speaking, the group looked at each other in bewilderment. Nie Chuiying immediately put down her pen and stopped writing: "How strange, why do I feel like I've been stabbed?"
Su Luo nodded calmly, and for a moment, everyone felt a little heavy-hearted.
Xi Ai was the first to snap out of her emotions, tapping her fingers on the table: "Hey, hey, hey, according to the contract, there are still nine months left before it ends!"
This brief moment pulled the group back to their senses. Shi Yunshan blinked and suddenly said, "Then let's have a flashback!"
"How awful!"
"What's wrong with you!"
"Yeah, it's not like we'll never keep in touch again, it's just a five-year summary."
"Honestly, it feels like time has flown by so fast."
Seeing that the atmosphere was about to go off track, Chu Yiqi once again lent a helping hand: "Alright, there's still so much time. Let's talk about the thought process first?"
"Alright."
Nie Chuiying stopped leaning against Shi Yunshan, sat up straight, and turned a page of her notebook: "Get to work!"
Xi Ai twirled the pen, and when she looked up again, she met Shi Yunshan's gaze. Xi Ai raised her eyebrows slightly, then held the pen between two fingers and spread her hands slightly.
"..."
Meng Yike said, "Then let's stick to the old rules: each person writes a song, and then the lyrics are chosen blindly."
"Okay, okay."
Nie Chuiying: "So, For 8's farewell song—"
Su Luojian finally interrupted them with a smile: "Hey, hey, don't panic. If that day really comes, you really don't plan to write songs anymore?"
"That's true."
After a moment of awkward silence, Xi Ai finally spoke: "So, the first scene of For 8's four-year memoir, action!"
"A one-month trial card for the entertainment industry is in hand."
"Use it while you can, it was personally sent by the Best Actress Xi."
Xi Ai twirled her pen, glared at Yu Nianxi, and said, "Stop insulting me, or I'll write High E."
"Okay, I'll shut up and you can let us go." Yu Nianxi immediately backed down and covered her mouth.
Chu Yiqi listened and couldn't help but chuckle.
She did sing a song written by Xi Ai once, during a class two years ago, as a high-note practice.
I don't know what Xi Ai was thinking. She wrote High F and also liked to write some difficult vocal runs.
"Thank you, Xixi, for letting everyone off the hook." Chu Yiqi joked with a smile.
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