CHAPTER 169: CHAPTER 164: THE TEA IS READY

As they were about to leave the stage, Yang Xiaoyue’s voice came through, asking Luo Junxiang to encourage everyone.

"Wait a moment, it’s not over yet." Luo Junxiang’s words startled everyone.

"Today, you all did a great job." Luo Junxiang looked at Zhu Riri: "Don’t feel regretful, because you’ve improved a lot. Keep working hard, okay?"

Through her sobbing, Zhu Riri nodded vigorously: "Okay!"

"Alright, both groups please leave the stage to rest. Let’s look forward to the next group of performers," Long Zitao interrupted Zhu Riri, who seemed like she wanted to say more.

"I’m so frustrated! They had the bear!" Tian Jiaxuan said indignantly.

Clearly, she didn’t think Zhu Riri’s group lost due to lack of skill and was subtly implying that Liu Feiyu’s group won only because of the "big bear" advantage.

Luo Junxiang pursed his lips and glanced in their direction.

"Their songs, honestly, the styles were quite similar, but the song ’Spoiled’ was more youthful and familiar to everyone."

Falling behind by one point, Tian Jiaxuan seemed to have lost her usual composure.

Backstage, Zhu Riri was still acting frantically, declaring herself to be a crab and vowing never to cry again. The others, striving for unity, could only go along with her antics.

Lin Jiayi couldn’t hold back anymore: "Actually, I’ve never managed to keep up with that song."

She meant that Zhu Riri had rushed the rhythm, causing her lines to fall off-beat.

However, she felt relieved inside, finally able to distance herself. For the next round, she was determined to choose a team suited to her and not act on impulsive feelings again.

"Alright, mentors from both teams, please decide on your groups for the next round," said Long Zitao.

"I think we must win the next round," Tian Jiaxuan said with a serious expression as she stared at the contestant screen. Hu Binbin nodded in agreement.

Over on Zhang Wei’s side, he said, "We opted for a cute theme earlier. Now, I think we need to ignite the atmosphere and maintain the momentum to keep winning."

The trainees observing the stage from the waiting room were utterly silent, especially the six groups yet to perform.

Qiang Yueting grew so nervous that she stood up, feeling certain this time they would select her.

"We’re choosing Qiang Yueting’s group," Tian Jiaxuan said, glaring fiercely at the opposing side.

Zhang Wei also made his choice: "The center of my selected group is someone who is not only hardworking but also very talented—Xiao Man. She’s both diligent and gifted."

Upon hearing Zhang Wei’s decision, Lu Xiaoman smiled confidently and stood up from her seat.

She glanced over toward Chen Yinghan. Despite Chen Yinghan’s gentle and sweet smile, her gaze seemed distant and detached.

Lv Fangxin, on the other hand, gave Lu Xiaoman a friendly look, to which Lu Xiaoman responded with a cold smile.

In regards to Qiang Yueting’s group, Lu Xiaoman felt no fear, confident in her ability to defeat them.

Her own group had excellent singing and dancing talent in Su Ruiqi and outstanding vocal skills in Zhang Zijing.

Moreover, the selected song was a truly outstanding choice, the opening theme from the pinnacle of realist anime, *Basketball Masterpiece*.

This song was one that most evoked youthful memories—a theme song where the rhythm of heavy metal music surged with passion the moment it was heard.

"The scariest kind of people are those who are both capable and hardworking," Hu Binbin began rallying his team members.

"Qiang Yueting is a contestant from Class B, but to stand in the center today, her efforts are evident."

Long Zitao nodded repeatedly at Hu Binbin’s words, clearly in agreement.

Hu Binbin continued, "Also, you know, listening to this national-style song by such a beautiful lakeside today feels like savoring a pot of Longjing tea—leaving a lingering taste."

Even Luo Junxiang couldn’t help staring—the usually quiet Hu Binbin had suddenly turned infectiously persuasive.

When Qiang Yueting’s group walked onto the stage, Jiao Jinglan was supported by Luo Fengwu as they entered.

The other member, Zhang Yuxin, wore a veil, and her stunning figure radiated a subtle and mysterious beauty.

Their song, *Father’s Brewed Tea*, originally opened with a pipa intro, but Qiang Yueting suggested starting with a Suzhou and Hangzhou-style melody instead.

This melody perfectly complemented the song’s setting, infused with a sense of nostalgia and pastoral Chinese elegance.

The opening stage arrangement was clearly designed to accommodate Jiao Jinglan, and it achieved a fairly decent effect.

Three members were on the left, three on the right, as if watching a performance centered on Qiang Yueting.

Today, Qiang Dongyue’s outfit was stunning—a long-sleeve green floral coat holding a paper umbrella painted with orchids.

As a native of Jiangnan, the attire added a fresh touch of grace to her appearance.

Her first vocal line was truly impressive, showcasing near-professional singing standards. Coupled with the melodious charm of the slight tune, it delivered a remarkable opening.

The song wasn’t particularly complex in terms of difficulty, and the melody was quite pleasing.

However, its rhythm was unique—full of sudden shifts from brisk to slower beats, followed by intensely uplifting choruses.

The second segment adopted a slanted forward-backward two-row formation, making Jiao Jinglan, seated, look less out of place.

Meimei from Vitality Era took over the vocals for this segment. There was a small high note she couldn’t reach, resulting in an honest yet strained performance without major pitch issues.

Next, several girls twirled their arms in a kite-like manner, resembling playful countryside maidens.

The intended formation should have been an inverted triangle, but owing to Jiao Jinglan’s injury, they had to adapt into an odd configuration with one member in front, two on each side, and three behind.

At this point, Zhang Yuxin faced the audience and began her first vocal segment.

Her dancing was visually stunning—fair skin, long limbs, and precise timing paired with captivating moves.

Her voice was much better than Meimei’s earlier attempt. Though slightly pitchy, her tone was pleasant to listen to.

Afterward, the formation transformed fully into an inverted triangle, with Jiao Jinglan at the apex initiating the moves while the others danced and sang along with carefree energy, like children on a spring outing.

It was evident she had put effort into vocal training—her tonal placement was correct—but unfortunately, her voice was grating.

Her peculiar voice sounded like a duck quacking; though she hit the notes, there were pitch imperfections throughout, making it uncomfortable to hear.

During a lively dance sequence, Lv Xiaoxue sang a brief segment. Her smile was genuinely sweet, but it resembled Jiang Mengqi’s crescent moon-like smile, creating a visual overlap.

She couldn’t sing or dance particularly well.

Her early training in acrobatics, however, made her movements agile enough to execute the simpler dance moves.

Following her was Qiang Yueting, whose performance was refreshing—early lines were nearly unlistenable except for Zhang Yuxin’s effort.

But then at the last line of Qiang Yueting’s singing, Lv Xiaoxue and Zhang Yuxin added harmony.

Zhang Yuxin’s contribution made sense; she sang decently. But Lv Xiaoxue—why?

This segment’s dance routine was surprisingly polished, including several high knee lifts and one-legged stances, all flawlessly executed.

It looked deceptively simple yet required considerable skill, typically used for training leg and waist muscles.

The girls danced and sang while moving across the stage. Qiang Yueting carried the lead solo vocals, while the others performed rap sections—highlighting her strong vocal prowess.

Finally, they stood in staggered rows, facing the audience, grounding themselves firmly in horse stance while rhythmically swaying their hands like weeping willow branches.

This lineup featured an added flute section in the music—a crisp sound evoking a pastoral countryside vibe.

Then the formation changed, with Luo Fengwu emerging for a solo segment followed by Jiao Jinglan for another. From a technical perspective, it was passable, with the song’s beautiful melody somewhat salvaging their execution.

The girls continued moving like ghosts in the forest as Han Qiuhua took center stage for a rap segment—delivering an unexpectedly effective performance.

Her skill placed her second only to Qiang Yueting in the group. Her magnetic voice was genuinely pleasing to the ear.

Next came an extensive group dance and vocal performance. This demanding section involved dynamic movements with full-body choreography rather than stationary poses emphasizing only upper-body gestures.

Their energy peaked with synchronized jumps and hand sway motions.

The performance could be considered a success—a mix of singing and rap transitioning into a la-la-la chorus around Jiao Jinglan.

Cherry blossoms fell; the lights dimmed—a song concluded.