"The performance is tonight, and this score will be recorded in the history of the results. Do you even want to stay on stage?!" Ji Mingming's exasperated expression was captured on camera. "How did I teach you? Why aren't you practicing according to my instructions?"
One of the trainees, head bowed, said timidly, "Teacher, we practiced exactly as you taught us..."
"Did you put your heart into it? Did you work hard?" Ji Mingming sneered. "I think none of you except A Qing have any aptitude for it."
Aqing was the center of his group, and the only one who stood tall with a smile on his face after the performance. When he heard Ji Mingming's words, he raised his chin a little higher, looking very proud.
Qin Shuang spoke up: "Who is A Qing?"
When Aqing heard Qin Shuang mention her, she was about to speak happily, but Xiao Shulang interrupted her, saying, "They're in the center position."
Qin Shuang had done her homework beforehand to learn about the contestants' information, but she was not familiar with some of their nicknames. Xiao Shulang only found out by looking through blog posts that Ji Mingming called them C-position A Qing.
"Oh, it's him."
Ah Qing was overjoyed and hoped to talk to Qin Shuang more, but Qin Shuang said indifferently, "But he didn't perform very well just now either."
Aqing's face immediately froze.
Qin Shuang's words were already tactful and polite. There were two people in the group whose skills were clearly far superior to A Qing's. There were a few parts of the dance where A Qing was out of sync, and the others tried their best to match him.
How come it's become that no one but A Qing is suitable for Ji Mingming?
"Teacher Qin," Ji Mingming said politely to Qin Shuang, "I don't know if you know, but music and dance need to be infectious and get the audience's emotions involved in the performance. A Qing does this very well, which is why I chose him to be the center."
“Chaotic, stiff, uneasy,” Qin Shuang said. “That’s what the performance just now showed me.”
Ji Mingming pouted: "That's why I said they're no good—"
"Teacher Ji," finally one contestant mustered up the courage to say, "there's still time. Do you think we could revise it again? I think..."
"What do you think?" Ji Mingming narrowed her eyes. "Adaptation? You can't even practice properly now. If you adapt it, it will only be more chaotic. There are only a few hours left. Didn't you work hard before? Do you expect to turn things around in the blink of an eye?"
Most of the contestants felt extremely aggrieved. Who didn't work hard? They tried their best, but were their efforts really in the right direction?
After remaining silent for a long time, Xiao Shulang finally spoke.
“The choreography is too tight, which makes it lack rhythm, but the main problem is with the music. I’ve heard the original song. Your version has disrupted the harmonious rhythm. The chorus’s highlights are all gone. You tried to show off your skills but ended up with something that doesn’t sound right,” Xiao Shulang said, twirling the pen between his fingers. “If you make some changes, even if you only have a few hours left, I think it can still be effective.”
As soon as he finished speaking, several contestants looked at him with a mixture of surprise and excitement.
That's right, they think so too!
When the song was first adapted, some people suggested it, but Ji Mingming insisted on doing it her own way. Everyone gritted their teeth and practiced, but a test paper with a maximum score of 10 points could never reach 100 points no matter how hard they practiced. With the performance just around the corner, they became more and more anxious and desperate.
My mentality collapsed, and now I can't even reach a perfect score.
Before entering the practice room, the guest stars received paper and pens. Xiao Shulang quickly jotted down the points that needed the most modification. He was about to explain in detail under the expectant gazes of the contestants when Ji Mingming suddenly burst out laughing.
"I was in charge of arranging the piece myself. As a mentor, I have carefully studied my students, and this is the piece that is most suitable for them. If you can't practice it well, you keep making excuses. Is this the kind of attitude you have towards work and life?"
To summarize everything Ji Mingming said, it was all about shifting blame.
If the stage performance is bad, then it must be the contestant's own problem. The mentor has been excellent, so how could it be his fault?
The music used by each group will be handed over to the production team by the mentors. Guest stars can offer suggestions, but the music cannot be changed if the mentors disagree.
With a flick of his pen, Xiao Shulang crossed out the parts of the song that had been adapted in the notebook.
The glimmer of hope that had just appeared in the contestants' eyes was extinguished again. Just as Ji Mingming was about to feel smug, Xiao Shulang's calm voice rang out once more.
"If the music is truly unplayable, then we can only try to salvage it slightly through the dance, such as the fourth beat of the second section—"
Ji Mingming's eyes widened, not understanding why Xiao Shulang could still continue. He interrupted, "Hey, you—"
"Quiet down." Qin Shuang interrupted Ji Mingming before he could finish speaking, her tone indifferent. "Let him finish."
The words weren't harsh, but they carried an inexplicable air of authority, forcing Ji Mingming to fall silent.
Xiao Shulang continued speaking without stopping, as if unaffected by anything, explaining everything he wanted to say in a clear and organized manner. He then closed his notebook and said to the contestants, "That's all the advice I can give."
The contestants stared at him blankly, unable to react for a moment.
Because they knew that Xiao Shulang's suggestion was spot on and extremely useful!
Ji Mingming's face darkened, looking quite displeased. He pinched his fingers together in his palm, forced a smile, and said to the staff on the sidelines, "Shall we stop filming here for our group? I think they need more time to practice."
The staff then gestured to proceed to the next step.
After everyone else left, only the contestants remained in the practice room. They looked at each other, and the person who had dared to give Ji Mingming feedback earlier spoke up first: "I suggest we change the dance; there's still time."
Some people immediately agreed, while others thought for a moment before nodding. Only Aqing was different: "Is there really enough time? What if things get more and more chaotic?"
"Adapt to the rhythm, remove some unnecessary movements, and let the real highlights stand out. It's not troublesome, and it won't be worse than it is now." The man sneered, "Don't forget, if our group as a whole is too bad, you won't get many points either."
Aqing did indeed reach a private agreement with Ji Mingming to be able to stand in the center position. He wasn't worried about not getting any screen time, but his teammates were right: elimination wasn't based on the number of shots you got, but on your score.
Aqing gritted her teeth and said, "Fine, I agree too."
When Ji Mingming couldn't see them, the group of young people got up and started practicing again. Their efforts were no less than anyone else's, and even though the hope was slim, they still wanted to give it their all.
After leaving the house, Xiao Shulang looked at the things on his notebook and sighed softly.
Of the thousands of lives in this world, how many people can have a completely smooth journey? The contestants are no exception. He has done his best to help them, but the rest of the journey is still up to them to walk.
"Still thinking about Ji Mingming's group?"
The production team allowed the guests to rest temporarily, and Qin Shuang handed a glass of water to Xiao Shulang.
This was originally Xiao Jiang's job, but Qin Shuang did it instead, so Xiao Jiang had to drink the water himself.
To avoid smudging his lip makeup, a straw was placed on the glass. Xiao Shulang held the water and said, "I guess so, but I've done what I needed to do, and there's no point in thinking about it anymore."
Qin Shuang nodded. No matter what kind of job you do, you might encounter some strange people. In such situations, your mindset is the most important thing. You can't give up on yourself, otherwise no one can help you.
Qin Shuang brought up another matter: "Ji Mingming is targeting you."
Xiao Shulang nodded: "It's not surprising that Luo Tian has such bad friends."
What puzzled Xiao Shulang was that he felt Ji Mingming's attack was too mild, not even scratching the surface, and not as intense as Zhou Tong's.
Ji Mingming's mind isn't as straightforward as Zhou Tong's. If he doesn't unleash his big move now, then we should be careful that he doesn't dig a pit for us later.
Xiao Shulang took a sip through the straw. The lemonade had sugar in it, making it sweet and sour. He blinked and said, "The sugar is just right."
Qin Shuang: "Hmm, I guess two would suit your taste."
It was Qin Shuang who put it there. No wonder. Xiao Shulang took a few more sips. Xiao Jiang listened from the side and wanted to write it down, but he noticed something.
How much lemon and water should be used with two candies to best suit Xiao Shulang's taste? This... Qin Shuang's control is too precise!
Everyone just had a few sips of water in the lounge, and then the show continued.
Throughout the daytime backstage recording process, apart from encountering some difficulties in Ji Mingming's group, the atmosphere between the mentors and guests in the other three groups was very harmonious. For Xiao Shulang, especially Zhuo Cheng's group, the light in that kid's eyes when he saw him was simply unbearable.
If I had to describe it, it was exactly the same look in the eyes of the fans who confessed their love to me outside the courier store.
But Zhuo Cheng is famous for composing music. Does watching a dating show make him a fan? Xiao Shulang was completely baffled.
But you really can't ask about this directly, so you can only leave your doubts to yourself for now.
Their filming schedule was very tight today. Apart from meals, they didn't have much time to rest. After the backstage recording ended, everyone drove to the TV station building to record a live performance.
Everyone, including the trainees, started preparing for their evening looks, so the dressing rooms were packed with people, and everyone was busy.
Unlike everyday makeup, stage makeup needs to be heavy to achieve a good effect. People often praise someone for looking great on stage, as if they're not wearing any makeup at all. Little do they know that behind that "no makeup" effect are layers upon layers of cosmetics to withstand the stage lights.
Xiao Shulang had completely changed his look, and when he stood in front of Qin Shuang again, even Qin Shuang was stunned for a moment by his appearance:
Xiao Shulang wore a dark blue silk shirt, through which light flowed, making it shimmer like stars in the night sky; black trousers hugged his long, slender legs and accentuated his narrow waist, making his proportions perfect.
What's most wonderful is his eye makeup tonight. A touch of light eyeshadow has been added to his already upturned eyes, giving his affectionate and beautiful eyes a mysterious air. His unintentional gaze seems to gently pull people into a state of infatuation.
Mysterious and elegant, full of charm, yet with clear and pure eyes—a contradictory yet captivating beauty.
It was already quite good that Qin Shuang only lost her mind for a moment. Little did she know how many people were stunned just now, like Zhuo Cheng, who stood there dumbfounded for a long time.
Zhuo Cheng wanted to go out from backstage with Xiao Shulang, but Xiao Shulang and Qin Shuang were like magnets, naturally walking together. Zhuo Cheng stood next to them, and although the atmosphere was good, he inexplicably felt a little superfluous.
Hmm, that's strange, why?
Qin Shuang's look tonight is also fantastic. She wore a black and white two-piece outfit with a V-neck top underneath. The neckline was just right, neither too deep nor too shallow, blending a free spirit with a cool demeanor, which only made people more curious.
The audience was very enthusiastic and took their seats early. The host first introduced the mentors as usual, and then announced in a loud voice: "Next is our guest star tonight, the first one is Qin Shuang!"
The audience was stunned for a moment, then erupted in a scream that could have blown the roof off.
"Holy crap, Qin Shuang!!"
"Ahhh, it's him!!"
The broadcast of "Heartbeat Encounter" was delayed, and everyone thought Qin Shuang was on vacation. Unexpectedly, she squeezed in time to come here, which made everyone excited. In an instant, everyone's expectations for the second guest were high. The host did not dawdle and continued to introduce: "The other one, Xiao Shulang! Let's welcome the two teachers!"
Who? Xiao Shulang?
"How could it be him?"
The screams suddenly subsided, and the applause became sporadic. Many people simply clapped politely in response to the host's words. The clapping turned into whispers, and a murmur arose from the audience.
"Xiao Shulang, who is that?"
"The one who went on the dating reality show with Qin Shuang!"
"The one who had a scandal with Luo Tian!"
It seems that unless they add some kind of label in front of his name, they wouldn't recognize Xiao Shulang at all.
This stark contrast inexplicably delighted Ji Mingming. He even secretly observed Xiao Shulang's reaction, wanting to see the man's flustered expression—
As a result, Xiao Shulang's expression was flawless, without any flaws whatsoever.
Boring.
Ji Mingming curled her lip and snorted inwardly, thinking, "Just you wait, you'll see."
If he could ruin Xiao Shulang's reputation and make him the target of ridicule, Luo Tian would surely have to give him some benefits as a thank you.
Once the performance officially began, the opening act by the first group, Zhuo Cheng's group, was absolutely electrifying, quickly igniting everyone's passion and reigniting the atmosphere.
Because there was no scoring in the first round, the performance order was randomly selected. Ji Mingming's group was last. The recording of the show went smoothly for all three groups until Ji Mingming's group took the stage.
The first three groups each had their own strengths and weaknesses, but as soon as Ji Mingming's group appeared, it was obvious that their skill level was far ahead of the others: the others were on top, and they were on the bottom.
The audience initially waved along to the music, but stopped after about ten seconds, watching the group's performance in a daze.
It's not without its merits, but overall, its flaws outweigh its merits. With so many imperfections, who can still call it a perfect piece of jade?
Some people had hoped they would achieve good results this time, but now there's no expectation anymore.