CHAPTER 81: CHAPTER 81: THE LOVE-HATE FEUD BETWEEN ME AND 100 YOUNGER BROTHERS

Although Yu Xia looks absolutely striking, she speaks quite gently and softly.

She makes particularly reasonable points too. Who could claim she was deliberately insulting Pei Lu? After all, these are Pei Lu’s real issues.

Seeing Pei Lu on the verge of tears, she switched from a critical attitude to a more gentle tone.

"Whatever they’re saying online about isolation is unfounded. Don’t feel burdened by it. Surely the others won’t distance themselves from you because of it, right? It’s just those keyboard warriors causing trouble.

There were even brothers who told me you’ve been working really hard lately. Everyone still has faith in you, as we can see from the behind-the-scenes shots in the practice room and dormitory.

So this is your moment to prove yourself. Come on, sing and dance the theme song once, and show everyone how much you’ve improved."

Pei Lu wiped his eyes and nodded vigorously.

Song Xi, standing nearby with hands clasped behind his back, didn’t move until the music started.

When you compare the two, the difference is clear. Even if Pei Lu was giving his all, beside Song Xi he seemed to only achieve seventy percent.

Especially with expression management and breath control, it was a complete mess.

Fed like pigs, Yu Xia quickly bowed her head, pretending to write comments.

After they finished performing, no one commented. Shu Ran, feeling better, smiled elegantly, didn’t say anything further against Pei Lu, and simply asked them to step down, bringing up the second group.

The quantity of fifty groups is quite large, and there was a break in the middle.

Four mentors gathered in the circle of the boys, chatting at close range.

Shu Ran spoke to Pei Lu with words of comfort, clearly captured by the cameras.

"What I said earlier might have been a bit sudden for you all, so I apologize first. The rumors have gotten really outrageous, even dragging in Cheng, which I think is really inappropriate.

This time, it feels like someone is deliberately targeting you, which makes it easy to offend people. But surely those people aren’t your fans; no fan would do such a thing. I didn’t believe it when I saw it, and I hope you won’t let these baseless rumors ruin your relationships..."

Pei Lu listened obediently, without any means to answer back or rebut.

Yu Xia chatted with the lively ones like Wei Yaoyao, and someone asked her about any bizarre gossip online.

She replied candidly, "Oh, nothing much, mostly focusing on the strange rumors between me and a hundred of you brothers."

"...a hundred?"

"Would you believe it?" she dodged Xie Qingci’s intense gaze and spoke in a relaxed tone,

"I didn’t expect it either. I’m almost at the point of announcing ’With every promotion of Yu Xia’s chastity, you get a free stainless steel basin,’ yet the netizens still won’t let me go."

She took the opportunity to educate them: "It shows half of the online gossip is false, and you’ll see even more absurd ones in the future, so don’t pay too much attention to it."

Wei Yaoyao: "So what should we pay attention to?"

"Do I have to teach you this hands-on?"

"..." He scratched his curly hair sheepishly and fell silent.

After not resting for long, the production team invited everyone to the cafeteria for lunch.

This was Yu Xia’s second time having a meal with them, and while queuing, Wei Yaoyao and Ning Yunchao pulled her into the middle of the three of them from their dorm.

Xie Qingci stood just ahead, his height over a meter eighty, completely blocking her from view when the person in front turned around.

Ning Yunchao and Wei Yaoyao were quite tall too, so she became the only dip amid towering heights.

Walking ahead, Shu Ran turned back calling her, "Yu Xia, there’s steamed yam and fried cauliflower rice in the front, it’s almost finished. Do you want some?"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

She craned her neck to look into the tray ahead, wanting to pass over her plate.

In the middle, Xie Qingci intercepted her.

"Let me help you."

Then he stretched his lean arm forward, two distinct tendons showing on his wrist.

"Anything else you want?" he asked, turning back.

She glanced at the clothes she was wearing today and the same pink training attire on Xie Qingci, feeling like two people in love at university.

She coughed once and pointed with her tiptoeing fingers at two dishes: "That one, those chicken skewers, and the mushroom stew with small chicken."

Xie Qingci complied one by one, then returned the tray to her, whispering, "Be careful."

The mushroom stew and chicken skewers both had some sauce that could easily spill and stain the clothes.

She cautiously received it with both hands, no longer queued.

"I’m good, you all queue slowly. Want me to help hold some seats?"

Wei Yaoyao nodded vigorously, "Yes, yes."

What scene is it when a hundred and four people dine? The whole restaurant filled to the brim, each saying just a word could create a bustling atmosphere.

Yu Xia sat with Shu Ran, chatting with unfamiliar brothers opposite while eating.

Steamed yam needed peeling, which she slowly did until unexpectedly her waist-attached mic was accidentally bumped by someone, causing the freshly peeled yam to roll away.

Turning around, she saw it was Chi Qiao accidentally.

He apologized, she didn’t say anything, and upon turning back she found an extra peeled yam chunk in her plate.

Xie Qingci smiled at her.

"Your yam rolled over to me, here’s a replacement."

With no camera on them, she exhaled in relief and graciously responded, "Thanks, little brother."

Just after eating, Song Xi came over with two plates from the other side, placing one by her hand and one by Shu Ran’s.

"Some of us from the dorm peeled these crayfish, serving the ladies first."

Shu Ran accepted it: "Very nice, thank you for the effort, little brother."

Yu Xia followed suit, thanked him, and accepted it.

She grabbed a shrimp piece to eat, enjoying with half-closed eyes, it was indeed pleasant not having to peel herself.

"Keep up this gentlemanly behavior, little brother."

Song Xi laughed, his eyes glanced at Xie Qingci’s indifferent expression, his smile deepening.

After eating some, Yu Xia stopped, chatting with Shu Ran about future shooting topics.

Shu Ran’s career path differed, with not much acting, but was about to start shooting a new one by year-end.

In comparison, Yu Xia was quite prolific, shooting three or four dramas a year, often immersing herself in crews, sometimes appearing in two airing dramas simultaneously.

The conversation shifted, leading to topics of manicures, makeup, and yesterday’s red carpet.

When everyone finished eating, they returned to the auditorium to continue the theme song assessments.

Xie Qingci performed in the second half, as invited by Ning Yunchao to team up.

Wei Yaoyao was a coward, refusing to compete with them, completing his sing and dance with others early.

Yu Xia watched carefully, noticing his excellent expression management, surely any random snapshot by the audience could yield decent pictures.

She discussed with Shu Ran and others about their ratings and scores, deciding to keep Xie Qingci, Ning Yunchao, and Song Xi in Class A.

Pei Lu went straight to Class F.

From this, Yu Xia deduced two insights—

Changhui plans for Xie Qingci to take a straight shot, with definite debut spots, free from scripts, and no fear of constant praise attracting fans from other houses; the person has the capability.

And Pei Lu, who would also debut, was set for a gradual rise storyline.

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ps: The fried cauliflower rice isn’t rice, it’s whole vegetarian with cauliflower crumbs fried like rice.