16 First Performance (Part Two)
The two competing teams took their positions on the stage.
The screams from the audience showed no sign of stopping; in fact, they only grew louder, interspersed with various shouts of names.
“Lan Chenxi! Lan Chenxi!”
“Wen Yali! I love you!”
“Chi Xin! Look over here!”
...
“These two groups are incredibly popular!”
Seeing this display, the trainees backstage couldn’t help but sigh with envy, their faces full of admiration.
The volume of screams was on a completely different level compared to before.
“Finally, it’s here!”
The anticipation wasn’t just from the audience. Ever since the song selection day, all the trainees had been eagerly awaiting the showdown between these two groups. As soon as the previous performance ended and their bodies relaxed, they sat upright, eyes fixed intently on the screen.
“Please have both groups introduce themselves. Group 1, you go first,” said Producer Zhai Xingwen.
“Ready to be captivated? We are Pretty Girl!” Wen Yali declared. Afterward, all members of Group 1 turned elegantly to the side and swept their hair behind their ears in unison.
“Ahhh!” The audience responded with enthusiastic cheers.
“Not just a lovely day, but hoping to become a fond memory for everyone. Hello, we are Memory!” Lan Chenxi said, as Group 2 placed their hands lightly over their chests, then extended them forward and outwards, as if sharing their hearts with the audience.
“Ahhh!” The reaction was just as fervent.
As the noise gradually subsided, Zhai Xingwen asked, “Trainee Wen Yali, you’re the center position for our theme song, and Group 1 was entirely chosen by you, gathering so many outstanding trainees to form an Avengers team. What would you like to say about your opponents?”
“The other team is excellent as well, but our goal has always been to surpass ourselves.”
Hearing this, the backstage trainees made sounds of anticipation.
“Wow—already full of tension from the start!”
“This is war! This is war!”
“Does that mean they’re not taking Group 2 seriously?”
“Come on, come on! Let’s see how Group 2 responds!”
The instructors watching in another room wore expressions of amusement.
Rap instructor Bo Wei glanced at the person beside him and said, “Looks like Wen Yali is very confident!”
Dance instructor Zhao Man, who, like Wen Yali, belonged to Xingyuan Entertainment, maintained her serious demeanor with a furrowed brow, not revealing any bias: “Pre-match bravado is just talk. In the end, it’s all about performance on stage.”
Vocal coach Wei Wei smiled gently: “I think it’s good for young people to be competitive—it makes the competition more interesting!”
“Now, Group 2 captain Lan Chenxi, do you have anything to say?” Zhai Xingwen turned to Lan Chenxi.
“I hope everyone feels happy watching our stage—that’s our greatest wish.”
Lan Chenxi did not respond to the provocation but spoke genuinely to the audience.
She was also making it clear that she did not regard the other team as an opponent; from start to finish, she aimed only to present a great stage for the audience.
With the pre-match procedures complete, Zhai Xingwen announced, “Alright, Group 1, please begin preparations.”
“It’s showtime!”
Group 1’s outfits were a soft blue, presenting a fresher vibe compared to Group 2’s pink tones, which were sweeter. Neither was better or worse; they simply had different styles, each with its own charm.
Though both groups performed the same song, the stages were not identical—the groups made their own adaptations, which was also a test of the trainees’ choreography skills.
The gentle harmonies rose and fell, then faded away, and Mo Hanmeng began singing the first line.
“The sunshine gently wakes me up,
The morning breeze feels so pleasant...”
The beginning was steady, and Mo Hanmeng’s state was visibly better than the previous day—rest had evidently been effective.
“The coordination is good, much better than before,” Wei Wei commented, listening to the chorus.
“The stage chemistry is much improved; the practice has clearly paid off,” Zhao Man nodded in agreement.
Yet the instructors remained cautious. Soon came the high note section for the lead singer—the part Mo Hanmeng had struggled with yesterday.
Zhao Man stared intently at the screen, her evaluation sheet clenched tightly in her hand: “Don’t mess up now.”
Backstage, the trainees wore tense, expectant expressions. One even cupped her ear, as if listening more closely.
Group 2’s members were also fully focused.
“I want to talk with you,
From night till dawn,
You still don’t understand my feelings,
I can’t help but want to explain—”
The final phrase rose in pitch but the voice clearly strained. On the word “explain,” the note cracked sharply like a snapped string, producing a harsh sound.
“Ah!” The trainees’ faces showed regret.
“Stay calm, it’s okay, don’t panic!” Wei Wei whispered, as if her encouragement could cross the screen.
Yao Xin’s eyes widened in surprise. She glanced at Qiao Yiqing, noticing that the three senior A-class trainees remained expressionless, unfazed. Suddenly, her gaze unintentionally met Fang You’an’s, who gave her a subtle nod.
Yao Xin immediately composed herself.
There were cameras recording every moment, and if an unfavorable expression was caught, it could be edited out of context. Even if it was just surprise uncontrollably shown, the skillful editing might cause misunderstandings.
Regretting her earlier lapse, Yao Xin steadied herself and continued watching Group 1’s performance.
The stage was nearing its end. In the final harmonies, Mo Hanmeng switched entirely to falsetto. Though a slight tremble remained, she avoided any mistakes and completed the performance smoothly.
With Group 1’s performance over, the backstage trainees exhaled in relief, smiles returning to their anxious faces as applause broke out.
“Well done!”
“Excellent performance!”
The instructors discussed Group 1’s stage.
“Still, it’s a pity,” Bo Wei lamented.
“But they held on until the end, which is commendable,” Wei Wei said.
“Overall a strong performance. If there are regrets, work harder next time,” Zhao Man added without further comment.
In the waiting area, Group 2 gathered, forming a circle and stacking their right hands.
Lan Chenxi asked, “Let’s show everything we have, do our best! Ready?”
“Ready!” everyone responded in unison.
Their joined hands rose overhead before scattering towards the sky.
“Let’s go—it’s time.”
After warming up, the lights dimmed for Group 2’s entrance.
“Just seeing this group take the stage excites me!” Bo Wei laughed.
“As long as they perform at practice level, it’ll be fine,” Wei Wei agreed.
“I hope they aren’t affected by Group 1’s mistakes,” Zhao Man said, leaning forward to get closer to the screen.
The lights brightened, and the music intro began.
The camera focused on the center stage, where Lan Chenxi stood. She turned gracefully, slightly tilting her head with a smile, crossing her hands over her chest and delicately fluttering her fingers like a butterfly spreading its wings.
“Wow!”
“Lan Chenxi!”
“So beautiful!”
Backstage trainees gasped in admiration, some teasingly so, especially those from Yunding Entertainment, who shouted the loudest.
This was the first time seeing Lan Chenxi with such a style.
The members on either side also turned, and after a formation change, Qiao Yiqing stepped to the center.
“The sunshine gently wakes me up,
The morning breeze feels so pleasant...”
The pink-clad girl moved with the grace of a sprite, her porcelain skin, bright eyes, and radiant smile instantly capturing attention and drawing the audience into the song’s atmosphere.
From the first line, her clear, pure voice illuminated the room.
“Such a beautiful voice!”
“How can she sing so well!”
They were all stunned by her singing.
“Wow, so pretty!”
“So adorable!”
That was Fu Huanhuan’s reaction.
Wei Wei nodded, “A strong start, very steady.”
Zhao Man complimented, “Excellent expression control, too.”
After Qiao Yiqing sang, Xi Rui, Yao Xin, and Fang You’an took turns singing the verses, quickly moving into the first chorus.
“I know,
This is what it feels like to be moved,
Sweeter than the cotton candy in my hand,
Every moment with you,
Is a forever I want to treasure,
Please tell me your heart,
So I won’t have to guess anymore,
It’s a la la la la lovely day,
I like you so much, oh lovely—”
The five girls danced lightly and gracefully in perfect harmony. Their voices were bright, sweet, and full of energy. The backstage trainees couldn’t help but sway slightly with the music, fully immersed.
“Good, very well-coordinated,” Zhao Wei said with satisfaction.
“They’ve always been well-synced. I think they’re the best of all the groups,” Zhao Man replied.
After the chorus came a musical variation, the melody softening. This was the song’s “killing part.”
Lan Chenxi turned sideways, her right hand tapping the air, then drawing an arc as her body shifted to face forward. Smiling, she leaned slightly forward, extending her right hand to gently tap the camera lens while singing:
“I wanna love you,
I wanna be with you,
This is our very own lovely day~”
The trainees watching smiled in surprise, enthusiastically reacting.
“Ohhh~”
“So sweet, Lan Chenxi!”
Unexpectedly, Lan Chenxi suited this part quite well.
“Such a breakthrough!” Bo Wei laughed.
After this transitional bridge, the music surged into a powerful beat, shaking everyone’s hearts.
An intense and dynamic knife dance sequence made the trainees’ eyes widen.
“Oh my god, this group is too strong!”
“How can they all dance so well!”
“So synchronized, so synchronized!”
“Such presence and momentum!”
Zhao Man nodded approvingly: “The choreography adaptation here is excellent.”
Bo Wei agreed wholeheartedly. Though nominally they had a week to prepare, with rehearsals and other shoots, effective practice time was only about five days. To execute this dance so well showed how much effort they’d put in.
Group 1 trainees hadn’t returned backstage to sit with the others but stood near the stage, watching.
Wen Yali’s gaze dropped sharply as she watched Group 2’s performance. Their live show was even better than the rehearsal... Moreover...
She glanced sideways at the silent Mo Hanmeng.
Mo Hanmeng had broken down in tears just offstage; traces of crying still marked her eyes. From the start of Group 1’s performance, she’d stared blankly at the screen, expressionless.
Finally, Mo Hanmeng’s expression shifted subtly. Out of the camera’s view, her right hand clenched unconsciously, the slightly long nails digging painfully into her palm, but she paid no mind. Her full attention was on the stage.
In her heart, Mo Hanmeng thought: It’s coming.
---
At that moment, Group 2’s performance entered its latter half, approaching the spot where Mo Hanmeng had faltered.
Backstage trainees remembered Group 1’s mistake. Now, more than anticipation, they felt worry, anxiously awaiting Group 2’s outcome.
Fu Huanhuan nervously clasped her hands, silently praying for no mistakes. Yet compared to others who dared not look at the screen, she felt a strange trust in Qiao Yiqing.
On the official stage, Qiao Yiqing had never slipped up.
She always performed flawlessly.
The instructors, who had been intermittently commenting, fell silent, all tense in anticipation of the high note.
The girl naturally took the song, walking to center stage with a relaxed expression, utterly composed.
Her expression control remained impeccable.
“I want to talk with you,
From night till dawn,
You still don’t understand my feelings,
I can’t help but want to explain—”
Her clear voice filled the studio, the high notes flowing effortlessly, as if plucked from thin air, perfectly natural.
“Refreshing!” Wei Wei blurted out.
“Her voice is so clear!” Bo Wei praised.
“Really excellent!” Zhao Man finally relaxed.
The backstage trainees, their tension broken, were amazed by Qiao Yiqing’s high notes, erupting into cheers.
But that was not all.
The song was not yet over.
They soon entered the final chorus.
“...
Every moment with you,”
“(Harmony) Every moment—”
“Is a forever I want to treasure,”
“(Harmony) A treasured forever—”
“Please tell me your heart,”
“(Harmony) Your heart—”
“So I won’t have to guess anymore,”
“(Harmony) Ooooh—”
The four teammates sang together in harmony as Qiao Yiqing provided the background vocals.
The grand, passionate chorus soared with three-part harmony, pushing the emotion to its peak. The final high note was like heavenly music, its vibrato piercing deep into the heart, lingering long after.
True shock was silent.
From the first harmony note, the backstage trainees were in awe. As the layers of harmony deepened, no one spoke; each silently covered their mouths, eyes wide, watching the girls pour their hearts into the song.
“It’s a la la la la lovely day,
I like you so much, oh lovely~”
With the final note, Group 2’s performance concluded.
After three seconds of silence, a tidal wave of enthusiastic cheers and applause erupted backstage, far surpassing before, echoing the screaming from the audience.
“Amazing!”
“How can they sing like that? Incredible!”
“I’ve got goosebumps!”
“This group is my favorite!”
“I’m so moved I’m about to cry!”
A few trainees paused, realizing tears glistened in their eyes.
The instructors too remained stirred.
Wei Wei sighed softly, “Truly astonishing—such rapid progress!”
Zhao Man, still savoring it, said, “Stage presence is real; live performance is even better than usual!”
Bo Wei pointed at Qiao Yiqing on screen, “And her expression control is superb. Every shot captured her beautiful singing expressions perfectly!”
Wen Yali no longer cared about Mo Hanmeng’s reaction.
Even without the results announced, from the live audience’s reaction, Wen Yali knew Group 1 had lost.
She also knew deep down the vast difference between them, especially in that final high harmony—emotionally and technically, it was a crushing defeat.
It took Mo Hanmeng a long moment to regain her senses.
From Qiao Yiqing’s flawless high note to the emotional crescendo of the harmonies, Mo Hanmeng felt as if dreaming.
Impossible. Just a trainee practicing for three months.
She had trained for years, joined a major company, and often been praised for her singing. How could she be utterly defeated in her proud domain?
Mo Hanmeng lowered her head.
Out of sight, tears began to flow again uncontrollably.
On stage, the members struck their ending poses as the cameras captured each one.
The girl with twin braids had large, bright eyes and exquisite features made even more stunning by the stage makeup. After dancing, her cheeks flushed a peachy pink, and her slightly tousled strands added a lively touch.
Her smile was perfect—sweetness at full bloom.
She playfully winked at the camera.
Backstage trainees were overwhelmed by the close-up of her beauty, leaning back in awe as screams erupted once more.
“Wow, so beautiful!”
“So cute!”
“This ending is gorgeous!”
“I’m picking you!!”
Joining the frenzy was Fu Huanhuan.
“Ahhh, Qing Bao! I won’t allow you to seduce others!”