Snow-Kissed Rose (GL) Chapter 29

When dinnertime came around, the production crew called everyone to wrap up and head back.

The trainees' free time ended, just like that.

Most of the trainees were girls under 20. Although their experiences granted them maturity surpassing that of their peers, the difference was limited. It was also easier for girls their age to get excited when gathered in large numbers. Hence, many of them couldn't help but grow dissatisfied when the production crew put an end to their gathering.

However, the trainees knew they weren't here to play. They knew that after this relaxing training session, they had to return to a state of alertness and prepare for the theme song performance evaluation tomorrow.

…

The "square dance incident" took up less than two hours of the recording session on June 2nd. Nevertheless, everyone recognized its usefulness.

It eased everyone's tension, created new "moments" for the show, and gave some trainees—especially Wan Jiao—valuable camera time and memorable highlights...

Most importantly, today was the first day the trainees lived together as a group. It made it possible for people who were previously unfamiliar and reserved with each other to joke around freely, rapidly closing the distance between them.

Director Wu, who had been rumored to have run off with his mistress and suffered reputational damage, noticed these changes and privately said to Shi Zhi, "Song Yingshi has a sharp mind."

Director Wu was focused on producing talent shows and disliked politicking. Hence, he wasn't aware of Song Yingshi's background. He only knew that she had come through Shi Zhi's connections, and his compliment was sincere.

Shi Zhi nodded and said, "She really knows how to conduct herself. She doesn't just seek to put herself in the spotlight; she also brings up her companions with her."

The trainees themselves were likely well aware of this fact, as evidenced by Song Yingshi's rising popularity among the trainees. Of course, her friendly personality also played a role in this development. Regardless, this was a good outcome; there was no need to nitpick about it.

After seeing Song Yingshi's performance in general, Shi Zhi also realized why, despite having so much influence over Peach Tree Media, Song Yingshi's family did not seek special treatment for her. With such incredible talent and EQ, Song Yingshi could shine, even without preferential treatment.

"Remember to keep a close eye on her and mark the key points to highlight in the first episode," Director Wu reminded.

"Don't worry, I know what to do," Shi Zhi said, smiling.

Afterward, Director Wu and Shi Zhi never mentioned Song Yingshi again. This was because after today—or more accurately, since the Initial Rating Performance—there was no way Song Yingshi wouldn't be considered a key figure in the first episode.

…

After dinner, the directors went back for a small meeting to prepare for tomorrow's performance evaluation, set up the venue, and discuss the mentors' procedures.

The practice rooms on the second floor were left open for the trainees throughout the evening. The second floor remained brightly lit, and cameras tracked the trainees' every move. There were also staff on duty in the monitoring room.

At 11 PM, a few trainees left the practice rooms massaging their shoulders.

By midnight, the trainees began leaving the practice rooms in groups of three to five, yawning as they returned to their dormitories.

"I'm heading back first. Don't practice for too long. Otherwise, your knees aren't going to hold up. Got it?" a long-haired girl shouted to the people still inside the practice room behind her without turning back.

At 1 AM, Lu Xuewen weakly leaned on Tao Qin and Yu Sheng's shoulders as her friends "dragged" her out of the practice room.

"Lu Xuewen! Get off me and walk on your own!" Yu Sheng reprimanded as she wiped her sleepy tears.

"I'm about to collapse, too…" Tao Qin said, her legs wobbling.

Lu Xuewen: "No, I won't—why are you hitting me, Yu Sheng? Hey, your short arms can't reach me, can't reach me—frustrating, huh?"

In response, Lu Xuewen said, "I don't wanna, I don't— Yu Sheng, why did you hit me?! Hah! You can't reach me! Your short arms can't reach me!"

Half an hour later, Rong Yi emerged from Class A's practice room, rotating her shoulders. As she shut the door and leaned back against it, she tilted her head and muttered, "Those two monsters... Whatever, there's no use competing with them. I'm going back. I still need to grow taller; I can't stay up too late."

After convincing herself, Rong Yi glanced at the door behind her and shuffled toward the elevator.

…

Song Yingshi and Huai Xu were still in Class A's practice room at 2 AM. They had already exchanged all the help they could offer each other during the day. Now, they were simply refining and improving their respective performances, gradually striving toward perfection.

As they had different styles and interpretations, they couldn't help each other at this stage. Hence, they tacitly agreed not to disturb each other, focusing only on their own performances.

About forty minutes after Rong Yi left, Song Yingshi felt she had practiced enough. As she took a sip of water, she watched Huai Xu practice and couldn't help but nod in satisfaction.

At this point, Song Yingshi couldn't see Huai Xu repeating any of the issues she had pointed out previously. No matter how she looked at it, Huai Xu's performance was now at a very high standard.

Glancing at the wall on the clock, Song Yingshi noticed it was nearly 3 AM. If Huai Xu continued practicing anymore, she would run the risk of overexerting herself and falling sick, which would be counterproductive.

After another sip of water, Song Yingshi said, "Are you done? We should head back soon."

Huai Xu silently glanced out the window, and Song Yingshi followed suit.

As they weren't in the city center, there were no tall buildings or bright neon lights to pollute the night sky. Nonetheless, it was pitch-black outside, with only a few stars visible.

Retracting her gaze from the window, Song Yingshi cautiously asked, "You're not thinking of practicing until sunrise, are you?"

Huai Xu didn't speak, but her expression clearly showed she had such intentions.

"Don't even think about it. Let's go. We're going back to sleep," Song Yingshi said, vetoing Huai Xu's decision. Then, she skillfully wrapped herself around Huai Xu's arm and leaned against Huai Xu's body as she walked out of the practice room.

"Let's go, let's go. No looking back…" Song Yingshi said, covering Huai Xu's eyes with her hand as she led Huai Xu through the brightly lit hallway.

On both sides of the hallway, lights in the practice rooms were still on. As the stars in the night sky sparkled, the dreams of the trainees also strived to shine.

…

While the trainees were experiencing a hectic yet fulfilling time in the White Tower, unbeknownst to them, Star of Spring's official Weibo account had released a new wave of promotions.

Starting June 1st, to celebrate the show's official launch and respond to fans' eager anticipation, the official account generously released the recorded hand videos.

Similar to before, the videos were released in batches, but this time across two days and under one unified post.

As soon as the official account acted, the fans started their celebration. Nobody could say that the promotional material this time was poorly made.

Although the theme was "hands," the videos didn't focus on hands only. In addition to showing off the beauty of their hands, the trainees also got to exhibit their unique talents and skills.

Setting aside the mesmerizing instrumental performances, the handful of trainees who had decided to show off their gaming skills were truly unique. On top of having appearances that were pleasant to the eye, they had gaming skills that rivaled professionals. Many gaming fans screamed in delight and declared their love for these trainees. Some even suggested these trainees form a five-member gaming team to debut on the spot.

Soon, marketing accounts began dissecting the trainees' content, categorizing them into several humorous groups: the "I Can Play All Instruments" group, the "I’ll Carry You in Games" group, the "Beautiful Handwriting and Exquisite Painting" group, the "Dancing Fingers" group, and the "What the Heck Is Going On" group.

Despite how odd the last group sounded, curiosity drove many people to click on it.

For netizens who clicked on this group, the first video that greeted them belonged to a trainee named Tao Qin. In the video, Tao Qin stood on a table, tossed five rings into the air, and swiftly poked her fingers at them. Her movements were dizzyingly fast, and all the rings were perfectly looped on her fingers by the time she stopped.

"Is this a circus act???"

"I'm freaking amazed."

"I want the Taobao link for the second ring from the top."

As for the video below Tao Qin's, it belonged to a trainee named Lu Xuewen. In the video, Lu Xuewen held a comb and a pair of scissors.

"Many people often visit hair salons once every week or two to get their bangs trimmed. It is not only troublesome but also costly. Today, I'll teach everyone how to trim your own hair. Check out my hairstyle. Nice, isn't it? I usually trim my own hair, so you can put your trust in my technique. Come, follow my movements. First, take your hair and…"

After a brief introduction, the camera zoomed in on Lu Xuewen's hands, and she began providing a detailed guide on how to trim one's hair at home. Her tone was serious, with no intention of being funny. However, this seriousness also made her video look even more absurd.

"It looks like she's seriously trying to teach us."

"I've learned…nothing."

"…To be fair, her skills aren't bad. I'd believe her if she says she trims her own mullet."

After watching Tao Qin's and Lu Xuewen's videos, netizens finally understood why the "What the Heck Is Going On" group existed. Even if the other trainees categorized into this group were to shatter stones with their bare hands, drive a tractor on the road, or perform the infamous hand flower dance, they wouldn't be surprised anymore.

They wouldn't even be surprised if these trainees were actually circus performers and beauty school graduates trying on a new career!

However, what no one expected was for Wan Jiao to simply start eating in the third video…

With leafy vegetables in both hands, Wan Jiao cheerfully said, "Has anyone tried a Northeastern rice wrap meal before? No? Then, I'll show you by eating it! Don't blink, or you'll miss it!"

Netizens who watched Wan Jiao's video near mealtime got annoyed.

"All you know is eating, where's your talent? Hurry up and feed your wife a bite! (Opens mouth)"

"Is eating all you know? Where's your talent? Hurry up and give your wife here a bite! (Opens mouth)"

"After everything I've seen, you're still the most ridiculous. Liking you now #ThumbsUp"

"Even after everything I've seen, your performance is still ridiculous. I've been converted! #ThumbsUp"

"I share the same talent as this sexy girl, so I = sexy girl."

…

As soon as Jing Xuan heard that the official account had released content, she logged onto Weibo immediately.

At a glance, various hand shots dotted her screen. Some were long, some were short, some were thin, some were pale and tender, some had well-defined knuckles…

Jing Xuan nearly blushed from seeing all the beautiful hands.

This… Wasn't this too suggestive?!

Jing Xuan eagerly searched for the videos of her favorite little idols.

Heeheehee, Song Yingshi and Huai Xu, I'm coming, I'm coming, let me see your hands… Jing Xuan drooled as she swiped away at her phone's screen.

Huh? What's going on?

To Jing Xuan's surprise, she discovered that her two idols had shot their promotional material together!

This was two times the happiness in one video!

Without another word, Jing Xuan clicked on the video.

The video was filmed in a luxurious mansion's living room. Song Yingshi was the first to appear on camera. She wore a white spaghetti-strap dress and carried a white fur stole in the crook of her arm. She had long, curly hair and wore bright, beautiful makeup. At a glance, she was the epitome of a wealthy heiress character.

At this time, though, this wealthy heiress was crouching barefoot behind a sofa.

The camera zoomed in on Song Yingshi's well-proportioned hands, which held a pair of thin-strapped high heels. Her oval nails were trimmed and decorated with pale pink glitter, appearing exquisite and eye-catching.

As if afraid of being caught, Song Yingshi crept forward quietly as she exited the living room. Then, just as she was about to exit the room, she smugly wrinkled her nose and let out a silent "hmph," as if to say, "Who can stop me now?"

However, as if to answer Song Yingshi's question, an icy pale hand with long and powerful fingers landed on top of her hand, pressing her hair down and freezing her in place.

Song Yingshi stiffened, bit her lip in reluctance, and slowly turned to her right.

Huai Xu finally appeared in the shot.

Huai Xu wore a sharply tailored, white-gold blouse with a black mermaid skirt. A few stray strands of hair escaped her loose updo, framing her temples and lending her a mature yet flirtatious air. Nonetheless, her demeanor remained cool and aloof, her presence more unattainable than ever.

Setting her laptop aside, Huai Xu sat elegantly on the sofa and smiled at Song Yingshi, asking, "Where do you think you're going?"