Morning and evening lessons, recite the "Thousand Character Classic"!

Pei Xuan’s words failed to elicit even a shred of sympathy from Lu Yiqing.

In the days that followed, Pei Xuan’s routine remained unchanged. Beyond his own work, he made it a point to regularly inquire about Su Yunjin’s whereabouts.

Meanwhile, as time went by, the third live broadcast of the “Center Stage Girl Group” began. After the first two broadcasts, the third episode was the players’ turn to make their own choices. From the original hundred or so girl groups, only twenty-three teams had survived the rounds of elimination to make it this far, divided among five classes, each now with only a handful of members.

In this episode, based on their scores, the newly formed girl groups could choose which mentor’s team they wanted to join. Su Yunjin, having already demonstrated her prowess, naturally became the most sought-after mentor. Five mentors, fifteen slots; Su Yunjin’s quota was quickly filled. Next in popularity was Wang Tao, a domestic street dance legend. Since singing hadn’t garnered much attention, dance became the focus, and Wang Tao soon finished his own selection.

Then came Shao Xinghui, whose status as an original singer added considerable allure. Finally, there were Luo Zizhen and Liang Feiyue, though Luo Zizhen was far more popular. As an up-and-coming idol, her fame was what many contestants coveted. In contrast, Liang Feiyue, relegated to the fringes of the entertainment industry, claimed she could teach posture classes, but her popularity among trainees remained abysmally low. Those who chose her were mostly the ones with no other options.

After the broadcast ended, “Center Stage Girl Group” once again trended online, with the show’s operators highlighting the most explosive moments on social media. Thanks to this exposure, the replay ratings soared once more.

Over these two days, Su Yunjin was constantly summoned to meetings. At this stage, the mentors’ tasks multiplied: not only were they expected to guide their own teams, but they also should orchestrate dramatic moments—essentially, to create scandals and intrigue. In other words, this was backstage manipulation and unwritten rules. Even though Su Yunjin didn’t approve of such tactics, the reality was that every so-called reality show, genuine or otherwise, followed this process. Everyone understood; everyone tacitly agreed. Su Yunjin knew better than to naïvely challenge the industry. Therefore, she attended these meetings in a daze, making every effort to cooperate with Zhang Zhichang’s arrangements.

The predetermined breakout contestant was Song Yazhi, standing at 170 centimeters and weighing just 90 pounds, who embodied a gentle and elegant traditional style. She wasn’t chosen for her talent, but for her father’s sponsorship. Su Yunjin heard that the Song family’s sponsorship covered everything except stage expenses—even the mentors’ food, clothing, and daily needs were provided for by the Song family. The sponsor’s daughter naturally received ample attention and heavy promotion; Song Yazhi had already appeared twice on the trending lists.

Song Yazhi chose Luo Zizhen as her mentor. With the student’s fame elevating the mentor’s prestige, every time Song Yazhi trended, she took Luo Zizhen with her. Luo Zizhen thoroughly enjoyed this arrangement and doted on Song Yazhi in private, often orchestrating outings for the two of them, though these were merely to sample local snacks. Song Yazhi, eager to please the mentor who could propel her career, showered her with gifts.

With such favor, Luo Zizhen grew increasingly smug. Several times, she flaunted new handbags and accessories in front of Su Yunjin, making snide remarks. Su Yunjin ignored her, but Liang Feiyue sometimes retorted when she couldn’t stand it anymore. Yet, in Luo Zizhen’s eyes, Liang Feiyue wasn’t even worth her attention; she simply glared at Su Yunjin, intent on causing her trouble. But since Su Yunjin refused to engage, Luo Zizhen’s petty provocations always rebounded, leaving her looking foolish.

This sense of superiority lasted until the fourth live broadcast of “Center Stage Girl Group” began. From then on, it was a battle between the members, with at least one contestant eliminated each round. Three members from Su Yunjin’s team were eliminated, five from Liang Feiyue’s, two each from Shao Xinghui and Wang Tao, and six from Luo Zizhen’s group. Among the five mentors, Luo Zizhen’s team was at the bottom.

Nevertheless, Song Yazhi remained, strutting like a proud peacock in Luo Zizhen’s camp. With backstage manipulation, Luo Zizhen feigned disappointment on-stage but was unconcerned off-stage. Her relationship with Song Yazhi continued to thrive, causing friction between Song Yazhi and the other trainees. But this was none of Su Yunjin’s concern; she merely listened in, a bystander to the drama.

The demands of training the contestants made Su Yunjin’s life extraordinarily hectic. Especially in music, progress couldn’t be made through mere crash courses. Posture and form required daily discipline. To improve the contestants’ physical fitness and poise, Su Yunjin added morning and evening classes in addition to the regular training. When she proposed this during a meeting, some trainees were shocked. Some resisted; others looked forward to it. In the end, most voted in favor.

Thus, Su Yunjin’s team began their new regimen: up at six for a half-hour morning run, followed by recitation and explanation of the “Thousand Character Classic.” When Su Yunjin was still in her old sect, she’d mastered these texts before the age of three. These works, comparable to the annals of Chinese history, held not only the wisdom of ancient scholars but were also remarkably straightforward. Unfortunately, though the books survived through the ages, the tradition of starting early with such learning had faded away.

When Su Yunjin handed out the “Thousand Character Classic,” the girls were delighted but only knew the opening eight characters. So Su Yunjin assigned them to memorize one section per day. Today’s theme was nature, from the opening lines to “The sea is salty, rivers are fresh, fish swim below, birds soar above.” Tomorrow would be history, from “Dragon master, fire emperor, bird official, human king” to “Near and far united, guests return to the lord.” Then came moral character, life ideals, and so on.

At first, these trainees were indifferent, until Su Yunjin tested them that very afternoon, requiring them to write from memory. Only then did they realize how serious she was. In the first test, many handed in empty papers. Su Yunjin didn’t hold back, marking their sheets with bold “X”s right before their eyes.

Mentors’ scores directly affected subsequent rankings and even allowed selective regrouping. “If tomorrow you still perform like this, I’ll continue to give you low scores!”