Snow-Kissed Rose (GL) Chapter 11

When Song Yingshi finished speaking, she secretly glanced at Huai Xu out of the corner of her eye. Then, feeling as if she had successfully pleased her valued employee, she sat beside Tao Qin and asked, "What were you two talking about? Let me in on it, too!"

Song Yingshi's sweet voice contrasted her glamorous appearance, sounding much like an older sister behaving coquettishly. Although Tao Qin had already mentally prepared herself numerous times since yesterday, she still felt a little dizzy dealing with Song Yingshi.

It was simply too overwhelming.

However, Tao Qin was aware that Song Yingshi was a straight girl, so she didn't read too deeply into Song Yingshi's straightforward behavior. She simply regarded Song Yingshi as a beautiful big sister and happily said, "This person here is Lu Xuewen. Her roommate is Huai Xu, who is an independent trainee like you. Lu Xuewen initially offered to help Huai Xu in her training, thinking Huai Xu might need it. However, after today's test, she discovered that she should be the one learning from Huai Xu instead. She's been crying to me about it ever since."

"Shhh!!!" Lu Xuewen shushed Tao Qin with a forefinger to her lips. Then, while covering her mouth with a hand, she whispered, "Keep your voice down! Huai Xu is right behind us!"

Song Yingshi smiled kindly at this sight.

Subsequently, the three of them chatted as they ate. They took turns to speak, creating a lively atmosphere around the table.

Halfway through her meal, Song Yingshi heard rustling behind her. When she turned around, she saw Huai Xu tidying up her tray before getting up to leave her table.

Huai Xu sat alone at her table, so her table became deserted once she left.

"Do you think they'll announce the test results?" Lu Xuewen asked.

Turning around, Song Yingshi pondered and answered, "I doubt that."

Everyone took turns taking the test. Lu Xuewen knew of Huai Xu's performance only because she heard the vocal instructor praising Huai Xu. Judging by how the production crew handled the test, they were unlikely to publicize the test results. After all, that'd be no different than a public execution.

The training camp was not part of the show. What would become of the Initial Rating Performance if the production crew began stirring things up before the actual show? What was the audience supposed to watch?

If Song Yingshi were the director, she definitely wouldn't pass such a decision.

Lu Xuewen had only asked this question in passing, so she didn't delve into the topic.

When Lu Xuewen remembered that Song Yingshi was also an independent trainee, she nearly got the urge to say, "Come to me if you face any problems." However, her most recent experience stopped her from doing so, and she decided to only put on airs after seeing everyone's performance during the actual training.

…

As Song Yingshi predicted, the production crew did not publicize the test results. Everyone was only informed of the lessons they would be taking.

The training camp prohibited trainees from leaving campus and receiving visitors, and all 53 trainees would be divided into three classes.

Song Yingshi, Tao Qin, and Lu Xuewen were assigned to Class 1, while Huai Xu was assigned to Class 2.

Additionally, they stayed on different dormitory floors and had different meal times, so Huai Xu rarely saw Song Yingshi. Nonetheless, she heard plenty about Song Yingshi's daily life through Lu Xuewen, such as what they ate for lunch or who they met together.

Although these were all trivial matters, Lu Xuewen could ramble on about them for an hour straight while soaking her feet in a footbath.

Huai Xu wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but Song Yingshi's name seemed to come up particularly often. Prior to the training camp, Song Yingshi was a person she had to meet every day. Now, Song Yingshi had become a person she had to hear about daily.

Song Yingshi had also mostly kept to their promise. Apart from calling on her for some strange request from time to time, Song Yingshi never took the initiative to approach her.

It really seemed like they had become strangers.

After Lu Xuewen finished talking about Class 3's Ji Wan, Huai Xu heard a familiar name being brought up once more:

"Yingshi is simply incredible. While I can only think of lying in bed and using my phone after training all day, she still has the stamina to go out for night runs. Tao Qin also started to join her after caving to peer pressure," Lu Xuewn said.

At the mention of Tao Qin's name, Huai Xu stopped writing as she recalled the pink-haired girl's face. Then, she asked, "Are they close?"

Huai Xu's abrupt question momentarily stunned Lu Xuewen. She hadn't expected her aloof roommate to acknowledge her rambling.

Upon snapping out of her daze, Lu Xuewen perked up and pondered Huai Xu's question. Then, she puffed up her cheeks slightly and said in a sulking tone, "They're roommates, so it's normal for them to be close." On the other hand, our quiet, peaceful, and non-interfering roommate relationship is very abnormal.

After embarrassing herself in front of Huai Xu on the first day of training camp, Lu Xuewen found it even more awkward to face Huai Xu in a silent atmosphere. For this reason, she often tried to make small talk with Huai Xu. Eventually, she got so used to it that she could ramble on for an hour without getting tired.

Huai Xu said nothing more and ended the conversation with a brief "Mm."

Meanwhile, Lu Xuewen suddenly remembered what Tao Qin had told her—that Huai Xu was bent. This thought urged her to invite Huai Xu into their little group chat, so she tentatively said, "Actually, Tao Qin is very lazy. Besides peer pressure, another reason she decided to go on night runs with Yingshi is because she likes spending time with Yingshi."

Huai Xu faintly smiled at these words. Then, she said somewhat indifferently, "Song Yingshi must be happy to have someone accompany her."

Lu Xuewen found Huai Xu's remark slightly odd. However, when she recalled how Huai Xu and Song Yingshi weren't acquainted with each other, she assumed Huai Xu had said so to humor her. So, she replied casually, "Exactly. Yingshi seems quite happy."

Then, Lu Xuewen quickly shifted the topic to Huai Xu, asking, "By the way, Huai Xu, have you ever trained with other people before? Like a training partner."

Huai Xu pondered Lu Xuewen's question for a moment before she snorted and said, "Does it count if the other party was playing on her phone while I was training?"

Lu Xuewen: "?"

…

The training camp focused on helping trainees develop skills needed in the idol industry, such as dance, vocal, rap, and expression management. To accommodate the "weakest links," the lessons covered beginner-level knowledge and brief demonstrations of more advanced techniques.

Essentially, the training camp was an emergency rescue to ensure trainees wouldn't go on stage completely clueless.

The show's instructors were all individuals with some fame in the industry, so the pressure to do well in class was intense.

After class, the trainees would stick around to discuss the awards their instructors had won and which artists their instructors had trained in the past.

"Oh my god! Instructor Li is the bronze winner of the last Golden Orchid Cup! No wonder her name sounded so familiar!"

"Uuu! The show is so generous! What did I do to deserve being taught by a Golden Orchid Cup winner!"

Huai Xu turned her head slightly when she overheard her classmates' conversation. If memory served her well, the vocal instructor Song Yingshi hired for her had won the Gold Award at the last Golden Orchid Cup.

As Huai Xu had been a layman before, she never thought much about the instructors Song Yingshi hired for her. She merely followed Song Yingshi's orders and attended daily lessons at the hotel.

Of course, despite her disdain for Song Yingshi's actions, Huai Xu never let her feelings get in the way of her interactions with her instructors. Thus, her relationship with her instructors was relatively amicable. On the last day of her lessons, she even bowed to her instructors and thanked them for their guidance.

At the time, her vocal instructor, who favored her the most and was also the most straightforward instructor, said to her frankly:

"Miss Song treats you very well, hiring us to teach you like this. If not for her, I wouldn't have had the pleasure of meeting such a great student like you. Teaching you has been a real joy."

Back then, Huai Xu thought her vocal instructor had been told to say something nice about Song Yingshi. But now, she realized the deeper meaning behind those words.

…

Sometime after classes, Huai Xu made her way to the cafeteria to eat by herself. On the way, she came across Shi Zhi, Star of Spring's studio director and training camp supervisor, and the other party invited her to have their meal together.

No matter how cold and aloof Huai Xu was, she wouldn't be so disrespectful as to refuse the director's invitation. After getting her food, she sat across from Shi Zhi and greeted the other party, "Director Shi."

Shi Zhi was at least 35 this year. However, due to her youthful image, friendly aura, and the fact that she could often be found leading young artists and trainees, she appeared much younger than she was. If not for the sharpness in her eyes, the shrewdness she had developed by spending years in society, and her stern demeanor when training others, nobody would believe she was over 30.

While peeling a hard-boiled egg, Shi Zhi asked Huai Xu with a smile, "How's the training camp? Can you keep up with the lessons?"

When Huai Xu saw the hard-boiled egg in Shi Zhi's hands, the image of a certain person forcing her to drink milk and eat hard-boiled eggs briefly appeared in her mind. However, she didn't let this memory hinder her response as she answered normally, "Mhm, I can keep up."

"You're more than just able to keep up, right? Several instructors have already sung praises of you to me," Shi Zhi remarked.

The more Shi Zhi looked at Huai Xu, the more she grew satisfied with the other party.

Initially, Shi Zhi thought Huai Xu was exceptional only in appearance and demeanor. Hence, she was pleasantly surprised when she learned Huai Xu was progressing rapidly in her idol lessons. Huai Xu's talent would definitely serve the show well.

Of course, Shi Zhi hadn't forgotten that Song Yingshi had asked to meet with Huai Xu during the auditions. If not for Song Yingshi participating in the training camp as well, Shi Zhi would never have gone out of her way to become the training camp's supervisor.

Feigning nonchalance, Shi Zhi asked, "Aren't you and Song Yingshi friends? Should I move you two into the same class? She can help you with your dancing."

Huai Xu's chopsticks froze in mid-air at Shi Zhi's question. Then, her gaze shifted to the table behind Shi Zhi.

Song Yingshi, Tao Qin, Lu Xuewen, and several other trainees occupied the table behind Shi Zhi. They all sat together and chatted merrily, creating a merry atmosphere and making the other tables seem desolate in comparison.

After retracting her indifferent gaze, Huai Xu politely nodded and said, "Thank you for the offer, Director Shi, but I'd rather focus on my vocal training."

…

To fulfill Huai Xu's request and show that she was a woman of her word, Song Yingshi always made sure to carry out her missions sneakily during the training camp. For example, she would first use WeChat to arrange a meeting with Huai Xu at an empty classroom or a sports field. Then, she would stealthily complete her missions while avoiding all other living beings.

Fortunately, all her recent missions were relatively simple, and today's mission was no exception—Read a serene book with Huai Xu.

Song Yingshi had no idea what a "peaceful book" was. She even searched the definition of "serene," but the result she got was: calm, peaceful, and untroubled; tranquil.

The search didn't help her in the slightest.

After racking her brain and browsing the campus bookstore's selection, Song Yingshi met Huai Xu in a deserted plaza. Then, under the dim streetlights, she hesitantly handed Huai Xu a copy of The Book of The Way And Virtue.

"..." Huai Xu stared at Song Yingshi as if she were looking at a mentally challenged person.

Song Yingshi didn't fault Huai Xu for having such a reaction. If someone were to suddenly hand her a copy of The Book of The Way And Virtue, she would similarly think the other party was sick in the head.

The things I have to do to live… Song Yingshi sniffled pitifully. Then, in an attempt to salvage her reputation, she said, "Don't ask why. Just read it with me, and I'll let you go once we're done."

Apart from meeting her mission requirement, there was another reason Song Yingshi had chosen The Book of The Way And Virtue—it was a short and quick read.

Had she gone with the brick-like Advanced Mathematics Collection, neither of them would be going back tonight.

Nevertheless, when they were about to finish reading the thin book, some uninvited guests arrived.

Song Yingshi was startled when she heard voices coming from nearby. By the time her mind reacted to the situation, her body had already instinctively moved behind the nearby bushes, crouching as low as possible.

With The Book of The Way And Virtue in hand, Huai Xu glanced at Song Yingshi.

In response, Song Yingshi signaled Huai Xu with her eyes: Don't look at me! Aren't you the one who doesn't want others to know of our relationship? You deal with them!

It was unknown whether Huai Xu received any of Song Yingshi's signals, but she did eventually turn to look at the uninvited guests.

The uninvited guests were Lu Xuewen and a trainee whom Huai Xu didn't recognize.

When Lu Xuewen turned the corner and spotted her roommate standing under a streetlight, her first reaction was to think, A beauty looked even more beautiful under a streetlight, while her second reaction was to ask, "Why are you reading a book here? It's so dark here. Can you even see any of the words?"

Huai Xu would also like an answer to these questions. When she thought of the culprit hiding behind the bushes, her expression grew even colder.

However, Lu Xuewen seemed oblivious that Huai Xu wasn't in the mood to talk and continued to stare at Huai Xu.

Eventually, Huai Xu reluctantly said, "It caught my interest, so I'm reading it as I walk."

Lu Xuewen, being the dunce she was, had a unique reverence for people who loved reading. Hence, she promptly asked, "What's the book called?"

In a tone that was even colder than her usual, Huai Xu answered, "An Actor's Self-Cultivation."