CHAPTER 118: CHAPTER 115: DILIGENT C-POSITION

Production Team

Yuwei had been here for a full 20 days. Today, the production team asked them to handwrite letters to their fans. At the same time, the production team officially began recording the theme song MV.

Just as Chen Yinghan had predicted, the 11 trainees of Class A stood at the center of the stage, with Li Shihan shining brightly in the coveted C position.

While the theme song was being filmed here, over in Shenghai, the production team held a press conference for the show. Promotional videos for each trainee were launched, and the four major voting channels were opened.

Meanwhile, the two meticulously edited episodes by Yang Xiaoyue were sent to the relevant departments for review.

"Hello, everyone. Today, I’ve called you here to announce that ten days from now, we will hold a public performance," Long Zitao’s words stunned everyone for a moment before the crowd erupted in cheers.

A public performance meant finally stepping onto a stage, facing an audience, and no longer being confined to closed training sessions.

"You will be divided into 16 groups, each led by two mentors for head-to-head battles. Today, we will determine the C position for each group’s performance," Long Zitao continued, making everyone tense up once again.

Looking at the now-silent group, Long Zitao swept his gaze across them with a complex expression and said with a smile, "I know that many of you feel your hard work hasn’t been recognized, and some of you believe that this program only values looks—that no matter how hard or diligently you train, it doesn’t matter."

Some of the girls who had said these things lowered their heads, while others kept their chins high, staring at Long Zitao. They believed they weren’t wrong. They believed it was unfair and that true strength should be the deciding factor.

After all, it was their skill that allowed them to be chosen by their respective teams. They had been taught by their companies to conquer audiences with genuine ability.

Having experienced life in society, they more deeply understood the meaning of the phrase, "If you don’t have the skills, you can’t even put food on the table."

When they saw contestants with good looks being selected for spotlight ads, they couldn’t help but feel discomfort. They felt buried just because they didn’t meet certain beauty standards.

The production team’s final choice wasn’t based on skill but instead on appearances.

Long Zitao didn’t stop, continuing, "And some of you believe you lack resources outside of this program, so no matter how hard you try, it’s futile."

This comment resonated with everyone. Without backing, it was nearly impossible to succeed in the industry.

Seeing the increasingly solemn expressions and the suffocating atmosphere among the girls, Long Zitao raised his voice: "Therefore, the production team has created two types of C positions this time."

The crowd was puzzled. They couldn’t understand how the concept of a C position could be divided.

"The first is the ’Diligence C Position,’ determined by the eight trainees who train the longest hours before the theme song evaluation is complete," Long Zitao explained, sparking curiosity throughout the room.

"The second is the ’Skill C Position,’ awarded to the trainees deemed most talented by mentor votes," Long Zitao added.

Seated in her spot, Wu Zixuan was a little confused. The criteria for selecting the Diligence C Position were clear, but how would the mentors assess someone as talented enough for the Skill C Position?

Many shared the same question. In reality, it was all determined by the production team.

The production team intended to eliminate a batch of trainees after the first public performance while simultaneously promoting a selected few.

By not allowing trainees to vote for the C positions, the production team ensured that unwanted candidates wouldn’t rise—or that desirable candidates wouldn’t miss out.

"Now, I’ll announce the names for the Diligence C Positions."

"The 8th Diligence C Position goes to Luo Qijia."

Long Zitao announced the name loudly.

The room exploded in chatter. Luo Qijia was indeed very hardworking, but in terms of overall presence, she wasn’t particularly outstanding—her original teammate Liu Feiyu was more popular.

Luo Qijia, with her composed demeanor and somewhat reserved personality, froze in shock. She hadn’t expected this. She had joined this competition with the simple intention of participating.

Her daily life revolved around a strict routine of training sessions, always hard-working, never slacking, nor vying for screentime.

Originally, she thought she might be eliminated quietly, but to her surprise, she became the 8th recipient of the Diligence C Position for the first public performance.

Her dancing skills were decent, and she was currently in Class B.

"The 7th Diligence C Position goes to Duan Yuxin." Long Zitao announced, shocking everyone once again.

This girl, apart from her stunning debut, had seemed almost invisible the rest of the time. No one anticipated she would have such perseverance.

Duan Yuxin was equally surprised. She simply wanted to give her best and avoid returning to her small hometown. She hadn’t imagined she would earn a C position.

"The 6th Diligence C Position goes to Ju Lin." Long Zitao continued.

As Ju Lin stepped forward, Lai Ruoxuan stared at her with wide, adorable eyes.

Lai Ruoxuan’s "100-Wave Plan" had failed.

Observing these past few days, Ju Lin unexpectedly emerged as a standout.

Ju Lin’s presence gave many others hope.

As an F-Class member, many from her class had lost heart after the theme song rankings were reshuffled—despite Luo Junxiang’s motivational speeches. To see Ju Lin make it was astonishing.

"The 5th Diligence C Position goes to Qiang Yueting." The announcement further energized the atmosphere.

Qiang Yueting’s skills were widely recognized. Many sympathized with her for failing to make Class A twice. Her spot in the Diligence C Position soothed a lot of frustrations.

Qiang Yueting stepped forward enthusiastically, bowing to her peers and to Long Zitao. At that moment, she brimmed with newfound energy.

"The 4th Diligence C Position goes to Zhu Riri."

Reading this name, even Long Zitao couldn’t hide his complicated expression.

Most people there weren’t as surprised. After Zhu Riri’s outburst, she remained normal in daily interactions and demonstrated exceptional interpersonal skills.

It felt as though two souls resided within her body.

When Zhu Riri heard her name, she covered her face in astonishment, her eyes filled with ecstatic joy.

"The 3rd Diligence C Position goes to Lu Xiaoman."

At this point, Lu Xiaoman already sensed it would be her. She noticed the camera turning toward her, but her face remained expressionless.

As Lu Xiaoman stood and walked out, she glanced at Lv Fangxin. The reason she trained until late every night was her unwillingness to lose to Fangxin.

Lv Fangxin, however, clapped with genuine delight. Despite Lu Xiaoman occasionally making her feel uneasy, they were still roommates.

"The 2nd Diligence C Position goes to Jiang Xijie." Long Zitao extended his hand in applause.

Jiang Xijie was well-known in the industry, having emerged from a formal dance company and pursued her dream of becoming a star by working as a backup dancer.

But she was determined to join a girl group, so she started her own company. Unfortunately, like many others in the field, she struggled to gain recognition.

Jiang Xijie accepted the applause calmly. With years of experience in the industry, she had seen too much to blindly believe in effort alone.

This C position reignited her hope.

"The 1st Diligence C Position goes to Lu Bingbing," Long Zitao announced loudly.

Thunderous applause erupted. As the captain of the Galaxy Girl Group, Lu Bingbing commanded attention, known for her relentless effort.

This recognition reminded other girl groups just how hard it was to catch up with someone who had popularity and worked tirelessly.

Lu Bingbing stepped forward with a serene smile, exuding confidence and elegance—her demeanor showcasing her best self to the world.

"Yuwei, has your captain always been this diligent? She’s amazing!" Wu Zixuan quietly asked Yuwei, who was sitting beside her.

"She’s the most hard-working of us all and our highly respected captain," Yuwei replied with a smile.

"I’ve often watched Galaxy Girl Group’s performances, including yours," Wu Zixuan said with a grin.

"We’ve also watched Milky Way Girl’s performances. At one point, we considered you our rivals," Yuwei said openly.

"So, who’s your favorite among us? Is it Meixuan?" Wu Zixuan teased, giving a sideways glance at Meng Meixuan, who was listening intently.

Meng Meixuan rolled her eyes at Wu Zixuan and leaned her head on Yuwei’s shoulder.

At this moment, all of Class A realized something awkward—none of them had made it into the Diligence C Position.

Meanwhile, many girls from Class B and C experienced a subtle shift in mindset. They all recalled the classic tale: "The Tortoise and the Hare."