CHAPTER 104: CHAPTER 101 DORMITORY BEDS

The shimmer of light in the east tore through the darkness of the night.

Carrying large and small bags, the trainees arrived at the "Survival Base" prepared for them by the show producers with excited expressions on their faces.

Yuwei noticed that besides the show’s name, the wall next to the entrance also had the word "home" written in both Chinese and English; the Chinese version was enclosed in a red circle.

Yuwei really liked this design.

It conveyed that they weren’t coming to a cold, unfeeling place, but a space filled with emotion—a big family comprised of many hearts. Home is the collective amalgamation of hearts.

The accommodations here were even better than many of them had imagined.

At the very least, Yuwei thought it was much better than Galaxy’s dormitory.

Gone were the thin plywood partitions separating cubicles—these were actual rooms with walls.

"Look! There are name tags on the doors. I’m staying here," Fan Lei shouted excitedly.

Arriving at this place, she almost cried. It reminded her so much of the dormitory where their group used to live.

She felt like she had returned home. Her heart was no longer filled with unease but a newfound sense of security.

"Wow! Our dorm is a tranquil blue—it’s so beautiful!"

"Yeah! I can smell the ocean." As soon as this was said, the photographer sitting barefoot on the tatami behind the window involuntarily scratched his toes.

"There’s even a scale here. Are we going to be required to weigh ourselves every day?"

"Of course! Body management is a mandatory part of our routine."

Each girl was looking for her own room, and the previous silence of the building quickly turned into a "marketplace" of lively chatter.

B-Class to F-Class dorms all followed a uniform blue-themed style with four-person rooms.

Yuwei soon found her dorm upstairs.

The name tag on the door also listed: Meng Meixuan, Guo Xia, and Qiang Yueting.

The accompanying broadcast teacher seemed to notice her confusion and explained, "Qiang Yueting is classified as a B+ level trainee, so she’s temporarily staying in an A-Class dormitory."

In reality, every dorm accommodates four people, but A-Class only has 11 members, leaving one bed vacant in the three dorms prepared. Yang Xiaoyue decided to allocate this bed to Qiang Yueting.

She personally had high hopes for the latter, believing her singing and dancing skills were excellent, with great potential to debut.

When Yuwei opened the door, she was stunned.

The setup inside was luxuriously opulent—the overall pink tone instantly appealed to their girlish hearts.

Floor-to-ceiling windows, tatami mats, wardrobes, cozy sofas, a glass coffee table filled with snacks, and thick custom rugs specific to each person.

Each occupant even had her own vanity stocked with comprehensive skincare products.

The stark difference compared to the other dorms they had seen downstairs was apparent.

The girls in A-Class suddenly felt like genuine stars.

All of this served as a mark distinguishing them from the so-called "failures."

Years of effort had ultimately been for just this moment—to live like queens standing above the masses.

"Yuwei, from now on, we’re dormmates. Let’s go train and eat together!" exclaimed Meng Meixuan, her blonde hair glinting as she walked over. Naturally, she placed her hand on Yuwei’s shoulder.

From her gaze, Yuwei could discern a familiar sentiment.

With a radiant smile, she replied, "Of course! I also want to ask you for advice about how you used to train back in Half-Island."

As she said this, she held onto Meng Meixuan’s hand, which made the latter light up with an even brighter smile, immediately gripping Yuwei’s hand more firmly in return.

Guo Xia, observing the two, secretly shook her head. She was all too familiar with this sort of interaction—it’s commonplace in girl groups.

By this time, most of the contestants had found their dorms.

The other dorm layouts in A-Class were:

1. Zhang Zijing, Liu Feiyu, Xu Qianhua, Wu Meixiang

2. Yang Ni, Chen Afang, Lv Xiaoxue, Natasha

Meanwhile, down in the B-Class dorms, a bewildered Qiang Yueting was informed by the broadcast teacher that her bed was upstairs in A-Class.

Carrying her luggage and heading up, she felt both nervous and awkward.

It wasn’t a spot she had earned with merit, and the B-Class girls knew she had gone to A-Class. Many of them were now giving her "special treatment."

"Qiang Yueting, come sit here! Look, we even have snacks," Yuwei warmly invited as she pulled her over and handed her a candied bean.

"Haha! Thank you. Just call me Aqiang—I love snacks like this," Qiang Yueting gratefully said, realizing Yuwei was helping ease her awkwardness.

Observing Yuwei’s thoughtful act, Meng Meixuan’s expression shifted briefly, her eyes flashing with coldness before returning to normal.

"So, who wants the top bunk, and who wants the bottom?" Guo Xia asked the group.

"I’ll take the top bunk," Yuwei quickly replied.

"I’ll take the top bunk too," Guo Xia added, not waiting for Meng Meixuan to speak.

All of them had experience on similar shows and knew that the bottom bunk was preferable.

Recording sessions were exhausting, and coming back to rest as quickly as possible made the bottom bunk the best choice. It was also more convenient for things like nighttime bathroom trips.

Still, no one fought for spots or subtly marked their belongings on a bed to imply ownership—clearly avoiding petty competitiveness in front of the cameras.

Guo Xia’s decision to speak first was because she was the oldest and also the team leader of Dream Wings, making her the most appropriate person to address the matter.

Yuwei preemptively selecting the top bunk was seen as a gesture of goodwill, not cunning—part of the social dynamics everyone silently acknowledged.

Meng Meixuan quickly understood this, though Guo Xia’s initiative was particularly suitable since, as the leader, she should shoulder the responsibility.

As for Qiang Yueting, she remained silent, as she wasn’t originally from A-Class. At this moment, saying anything might lead to unwarranted drama; expressing preference for any bed could make her a vulnerable target for criticism.

In the next-door dorm, things were far less peaceful.

Yang Ni, a Chinese immigrant unfamiliar with many Chinese characters, only realized she was rooming with the Russian girl Natasha when the latter entered.

Natasha’s expression hardened when she saw Yang Ni—her doubts from last night’s broadcasting session were still fresh in her mind.

Yang Ni reacted quickly, glancing at the cameraman and switching to a broad smile, silently cursing the production team for deliberately provoking drama.

Natasha hadn’t yet adjusted to the situation. She casually placed her belongings on the bottom bunk near the door and said, "So we have bunk beds too, huh!"

Attempting a lighthearted reconciliation, Yang Ni suddenly felt furious. Natasha had chosen the bottom bunk she had already picked, with her things neatly placed beside it.

Was this a deliberate challenge? Yang Ni thought. How could she tolerate it?

"That bunk is mine—I chose it first," Yang Ni fired back as she marched over.

"Well, I want the bottom bunk too. I’m tall," Natasha argued without hesitation, moving to sit down but quickly adjusting her posture upon remembering they were filming a show—not back in her college dorm.

She shifted to the opposite bottom bunk instead, laying down instantly and stretching her legs, smiling at the cameraman while saying, "See? This bed is a bit short. I wish I could shrink myself."

The cameraman couldn’t help but admire the Russian girl’s sharp thinking and adaptability.

Standing nearby, acrobatic performer Lv Xiaoxue couldn’t help but smile knowingly.

Having trained in martial arts and acrobatics, she had encountered plenty of feisty personalities. She could easily see through Natasha and Yang Ni’s little intrigues.

Chen Afang, meanwhile, scoffed slightly with disdain.

An Australian citizen, Chen Afang saw herself as a top-tier global citizen and looked down on Russians. Watching Natasha’s performance now only deepened her contempt.

Elsewhere, Wu Zixuan was tidying up her belongings, sharing a dorm with Qi Ziyue, Fu Xiaoyu, and Luo Huixi.

When she learned Qiang Yueting had been placed in an A-Class dorm, she felt a pang of jealousy, bitter as lemon vinegar.

She genuinely believed she was more deserving than the chubby-faced girl but hadn’t received the recognition she felt she deserved, leaving her frustrated and disappointed.

However, on the surface, she maintained a sweet, gentle smile, even helping her roommates organize their luggage.

This endearing behavior earned her admiration from fans who sympathized with her situation.

Next to them was the dorm for Duan Yuxin, Lai Ruoxuan, Li Shihan, and Wu Meiying.

The four of them laughed and bantered as they worked together to unpack their things, being mindful of others’ feelings without showing any sharp edges in their personalities.

In another dorm, Lv Fangxin couldn’t believe her luck.

Just months ago, she had been living in a shabby village filled with the stench of cow manure. Now, she found herself in such lush surroundings, surrounded by stunning, talented girls—it was surreal.

Just the thought of it made her want to both laugh and cry.

"I have to work hard. I have to fight. I must not go back. I absolutely cannot go back," Lv Fangxin silently vowed to herself.

"Fangxin, are you tired? Do you want to wash your face first?" asked Chen Yinghan, her roommate, gently.

"Ah, you guys go ahead and wash first," Lv Fangxin replied hesitantly, still finding it hard to let loose.

"Wow! I finally have my own bed!"

The girl who had been hopelessly off-key during her stage performance, Chen Yanran, lay comfortably on her bed, basking in joy.

"Haha, why are you so happy? You didn’t have a bed at home?" joked Yang Yiyi.

She was part of Milky Way Girl, passable at dancing but equally tone-deaf.

Chen Yanran smiled without answering.

She had actually come from a wealthy family and grew up learning dance and music. However, during her college years, her family fell on hard times, selling their large house to pay off debts.

Since then, her family had crammed into a small apartment. She herself had been sleeping on the living room sofa.

Even so, she never felt discouraged or inferior. She was determined to carve her path to success and restore her family’s fortune. Today marked her first time in two years having her own bed.