CHAPTER 180: CHAPTER 175: AFTER A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

Public Dining Hall

When the winning team walked in, they couldn’t help but gape in astonishment before bursting into joyous cheers.

The hall was newly decorated, brightly lit, with ribbons and balloons tied to the ceiling.

Most importantly, the tables draped with snow-white tablecloths were laden with all kinds of delicacies: pastries, steaks, salads, fruits, spaghetti.

Having gone more than half a day without eating anything, they charged forward like starving cats.

The air in the dining hall was filled with the clatter of knives and forks and the sounds of eating.

Today truly felt like a cause for immense joy—performing on such a grand stage, winning the competition, and even being treated to so much delicious food.

The losing team was also invited in. In a way, this was both a celebration banquet and a farewell feast.

Everyone knew it, but no one said anything to ruin the mood.

They were like princesses living in a fairy tale, unwilling to leave this beautiful and dreamlike castle.

Luo Junxiang, Zhang Wei, and Long Zitao entered at this moment, prompting rounds of enthusiastic cheers.

They began playing games and laughing together with the trainees.

But reality is often harsh. As the banquet was nearing its end, Long Zitao’s deep voice cut through the moment: "The ranking announcement day is coming up. I hope everyone is prepared."

Suddenly, everyone fell silent, and the joyous atmosphere vanished in an instant.

"I know everyone has been exhausted lately. Now that we’ve finished recording our initial stage performances, you can focus on learning from the instructors over the next few days and await the results."

Because the footage from the initial stage performance still needed editing and later approval for broadcast, the elimination segment would be filmed only after the initial stage aired. This meant the trainees had a few more days to stay here.

These days were also critical for negotiations between various companies. If a company saw potential in the show and offered benefits that satisfied Penguin, agreements might be made.

Of course, while the production team could spotlight individuals, the trainees’ own efforts were crucial. If someone proved completely unmarketable, even the production team wouldn’t bother with them.

After the feast, all the girls returned to their dormitories, but before they had time to freshen up, the production team unexpectedly conducted a dorm room inspection, confiscating the hidden phones.

"It’s over. Looks like we’re completely cut off from the outside world now." Chen Yanran pounded her pillow in frustration.

"The production team really came prepared this time! They knew exactly who had phones," Li Tiange remarked, visibly upset, as her phone had been confiscated immediately.

"This place is filled with surveillance cameras and staff; they must have been secretly observing us." Luo Fengwu wore an expression of equal resentment.

Back in her dorm, Yuwei felt immensely drained, as if the "wounds" accumulated over the past days were all surfacing at once.

She wanted to take a bath, but then she heard faint sobbing from the bathroom.

"It’s Zixuan. She couldn’t hold it in after coming back," Guo Xia said with a sigh as she walked past.

Yuwei nodded silently. She understood Wu Zixuan’s feelings—this failure must have been a devastating blow to her.

On stage, Zixuan had confidently made a gesture indicating victory, yet she lost to Li Shihan.

"Do you think Zixuan will be okay?" At that moment, Li Shihan returned too. She felt guilty about her group’s victory over Zixuan’s.

"She’ll be fine. On stage, we all have to give it our all," Guo Xia replied with a faint smile.

Li Shihan nodded, though her mood was far from cheerful.

Her company had initially sent her to the show just to get some exposure.

The company wasn’t keen on signing the restrictive contracts Penguin required, but over the last few days, Li Shihan herself had developed a strong desire to debut.

In another dorm room, Yang Ni lay on her bed with a towel covering her face.

The blow of losing the center position due to her company’s interference was devastating. Though she maintained an air of confidence outside, she could no longer keep it together back in her room.

Zhang Zijing sat writing in her diary—it was a habit she had kept since childhood. For some reason, she had always had very few friends.

She longed for companionship, for friends to play and laugh with, but everyone who met her labeled her as "aloof."

She hated that word. She wasn’t aloof; she just wasn’t talkative.

Li Zimeng soaked in the bathtub, feeling a sense of loneliness.

She felt like she had no true friends. Every day after training, only this large pink bathtub allowed her to connect with her authentic self.

B-Rank Dormitory

Lin Jiayi sat disheartened. Even though her team had won, she had a nagging sense that their group’s reputation had been entirely ruined by Zhu Riri.

She wondered what she should do next—she truly yearned to stay in the girl group.

Meanwhile, Zhu Riri was pacing in her dorm, her sweat-drenched face lit with an intense, unnerving excitement. Her bloodshot eyes gleamed with a terrifying fervor.

"I will rise to fame, I’ll become a star, I’ll be loved by everyone..."

Her dorm mates were so frightened, no one dared to speak—they felt Zhu Riri had truly gone mad.

Qiang Yueting sat on a stool wearing a silly, vacant smile. Her mind was a chaotic jumble of thoughts, but all of them were beautiful fantasies.

Lv Fangxin clung tightly to Chen Yinghan, endlessly sharing her feelings about the day’s events. She was simply too excited to contain herself.

Those brief three minutes on stage had been the most beautiful moments of her life.

Lai Ruoxuan and Duan Yuxin sipped rose tea together, chatting about the day’s happenings. They were thrilled—after all, their team had defeated Luo Qijia’s group.

Duan Yuxin shared almost the same sentiment as Fangxin—she felt the stage was absolutely exhilarating.

In another dorm room, Gao Ziyi sat at her desk, repeatedly stabbing a book with a needle. Her heart burned with hatred, resentment, and defiance.

Mengqi was sharing some stolen pastries from the banquet with her close friend Luo Tiantian. She savored every bite, declaring how delicious they were.

"Mengqi, won’t you gain weight?"

"Maybe, possibly, probably—but isn’t eating well the key to having the energy to lose weight?"

Mengqi’s laughter was irresistibly radiant, her crescent-shaped smile captivatingly beautiful.

Today’s stage performance had brought them much joy.

Neither of them dwelled on how far they might go in the future, especially Mengqi.

She felt this might be her last stage—but having graced such a stage in her lifetime, she felt it was worth it.

Lu Bingbing, however, sat in her dorm looking utterly despondent and saying nothing. Wang Qingyu tried to comfort her, but Bingbing’s heart felt like a heavy stone.

Fire escape—this area was one place without surveillance cameras. It was already past 3 a.m., a time when most people were fast asleep.

But there were two figures here, exchanging heartfelt confessions.

One was Meng Meixuan; the other was Lu Xiaoman. Somehow, these two dejected individuals had connected.

Recently, the pressure on them had been immense, and their respective "good friends" hadn’t reciprocated their feelings as hoped. After today’s stage performance, their long-held frustrations finally spilled out.

They desperately needed to vent their emotions and lighten the burdens in their hearts.

But what they hadn’t noticed was a pair of eyes watching them through the crack in the nearby safety door.