Snow-Kissed Rose (GL) Chapter 60.3

After Liu Ningxin completed her introductory performance, she greeted the audience and took her designated seat. Then, the three other mentors made their entrance on stage, with Shi Shuyao staying behind to host the second public performance.

Facing the audience, Shi Shuyao said warmly, "Our second public performance has 10 teams: five in Group A and five in Group B. Teams will compete in batches of two, with each batch having one team from each group. Which batch should we start with?"

After saying so, Shi Shuyao held her microphone toward the audience, and the audience excitedly shouted their answers in response.

"I hear many voices calling for Batch 3, so let's have the teams from Batch 3 take to the stage first," Shi Shuyao said.

At the same time, the main screen on stage revealed a live broadcast of the situation backstage. Apparently, the situation on stage was similarly broadcasted live backstage, as the trainees in Batch 3 were restlessly looking at one another.

"Instructor Shi, are you referring to Group A or B of Batch 3?" Ren Qian asked.

"You all decide the order," Shi Shuyao said, smiling as she looked at the screen.

Ultimately, the two teams of Batch 3 decided on their order through a game of rock-paper-scissors. Group B won, so they would go on stage first.

As it so happened, Group B was Xing Huan's team.

After taking a deep breath, Xing Huan led her teammates onto the stage.

"Say hello to the audience," Shi Shuyao said.

Xing Huan's team of six bowed in unison and greeted the audience: "Hello everyone, we are 'Beautiful Stepmother and Her Five Princesses.'"

Holding back her embarrassment, Xing Huan added, "I am the team leader and the 'Beautiful Stepmother' Xinghuan."

Was this a name a normal person could come up with?! If it wasn't for her 'daughters' making a fuss, she would never have allowed the team to be named as such!

Subsequently, while wearing a polite but awkward smile, Xing Huan listened to her daughters introduce themselves as something-something princess one after another.

[Hahahaha?]

[Her appearance truly befits that of a stepmother. I've never seen a more seductive trainee than her.]

The audience, on-site and online, was initially puzzled about how Xing Huan and her teammates arrived at such a strange team name. However, after watching clips of their team's daily practice, everyone wholly agreed that Xing Huan was not only a qualified team leader but also a qualified mother.

Now, it was time for the stepmother and her daughters to put their hard work to the test.

Xing Huan's team chose a sweet little love song. Their stage was decorated in pink, their outfits were decorated with pink, blue, and white bows, and their performance was as sweet as strawberry-topped pancakes.

Objectively speaking, their performance was far from perfect. Some team members even struggled to finish the performance. However, their dance style was great, and their movements and expressions were contagious. Coupled with the sweet-styled stage, they achieved a 1+1 > 2 effect.

After their opponents finished their performance, the two teams went on stage to appeal for votes.

After a round of vote appeals, Shi Shuyao said, "Instructors, each of you has five votes, and you may only give all five votes to one team. For the 500 audience members present, each of you has only one vote, and you may give it to one of the two teams. Each of your votes may determine whether the trainees on stage can make it to the next public performance, so please choose carefully."

After the 30-second voting period, the staff backstage began tallying the votes.

Xing Huan held her teammates' hands tightly. This wasn't her first time participating in a competitive variety show, nor was it her first time waiting for someone to pronounce her fate on stage. Yet, she felt an unprecedented level of anxiety because this time, she put in more effort than before.

Should their team lose, Xing Huan might be able to stay in the show, but her teammates would likely… This wasn't an outcome she wanted to see!

Just as Xing Huan was starting to struggle for air, Shi Shuyao finally announced the results, "The winner of this batch is…Group B!"

Xing Huan burst into tears.

The other five members of the team were stunned momentarily, but they quickly snapped out of their daze, screamed, and hugged one another.

They won!

[Huh? Isn't Group A better???]

[So what? Group B's performance is more enjoyable.]

[Stage charm is also important.]

[I like Group A.]

…

It might be impossible to compare different styles of performances, but in a competition, there would always be winners and losers, comebacks, and dark horses.

There was fairness that appeared unfair, and unfairness that appeared fair.

This was how idol survival shows worked.

…

With 'Versus' as the theme and the results being announced on the spot, the atmosphere among the audience was much more intense compared to the first public performance.

As the performance went on, Jing Xuan nearly lost her voice from screaming and singing along. When the results of the fourth batch were released, she shook Shang Yan, whom she had dragged along to watch the second public performance live, and asked excitedly, "Is it their turn next?!"

As a Willow, Shang Yan felt out of place sitting among Snow-Kissed Rose fans. After Jing Xuan stopped shaking her, she answered, "Mhm, the next batch is the last."

Jing Xuan cackled and shouted maniacally, "I knew it! I knew the show would use this routine!"

When Shi Shuyao announced the next teams to appear on stage, the shippers in the hall screamed their lungs out. Even without the live broadcast, their voices easily penetrated the wall and reached the ears of their beloved idols.

Huai Xu never expected such a reception, and she couldn't help but cover her ears to protect herself from the roaring chants.

Feeling cheeky, Director Wu had the backstage cameras focus on Huai Xu's reaction.

When the shippers saw that Huai Xu had heard them, they screamed with even greater gusto.

Tao Qin, who had just returned after performing, hid behind Lu Xuewen and laughed maniacally, "Hahaha! Even Huai Xu has a day like this!"

The other trainees backstage pretended as if they didn't see or hear anything, but their rapidly shifting eyes said otherwise.

Song Yingshi took Huai Xu's experience as a warning, never once looking in Huai Xu's direction, only looking ahead.

Unfortunately, Song Yingshi's efforts were futile, as the audience quickly saw through her guise.

[Song Yingshi, don't think I can't tell what you're doing! You were actively looking around before, but now you're behaving like a statue?]

[Little Shi, what are you trying to hide?]

[I'm getting tired of saying Snow-Kissed Rose forever, but Snow-Kissed Rose forever!]

…

After Shi Shuyao finished emceeing, it was time for Teams "Unavoidable" and "Lights On" to decide the order of performance.

The other teams used various ways to determine their order, so everyone was looking forward to what Song Yingshi and Huai Xu would do.

However, contrary to everyone's expectations, Huai Xu simply looked at Song Yingshi and said, "Should my team go first?"

In response, Song Yingshi responded frankly, "Sure."

Dazed trainees: ???

Expectant Shi Shuyao: ???

[That's it?]

[I love it.]

[I sincerely hope you're not this quick in…other matters.]

Song Yingshi saw no problem with her answer. She had discussed the order of performance with her teammates previously. Even if they won the right to decide the order, they would choose to go second. Since Huai Xu wanted to go first, it aligned perfectly with their preference.

Unfortunately, the audience did not interpret Song Yingshi's swift decision-making as she wanted.

[I seriously suspect these two are fools for their wives! What was supposed to be a competitive relationship between teams got turned into a harmonious and happy family by them!]

Everyone critically analyzed Song Yingshi and Huai Xu's interaction. Sure enough, when Huai Xu's team went on stage, Song Yingshi's team happily cheered for them. Although other teams had also cheered for their opponents, the audience inexplicably felt that there was something wrong with these two teams!

After appearing on stage, Huai Xu and her teammates bowed to the audience and said, "Hello everyone, we are 'Lights On.'"

After a slight pause, Huai Xu said, "I'm Huai Xu, and I want to see everyone ablaze with lights."

Following Huai Xu, Wan Jiao said in a high-pitched voice, "I'm Wan Jiao, and I want to accompany you like an incandescent lamp."

Yan Ran smiled and said, "I want to show you the different neon lights of mine, thank you."

Quan Yuanyuan was as energetic as ever, saying, "Hello everyone, I'm Quan Yuanyuan, a unique chilli lamp."

Dan Silan was more creative, saying, "I'm Dan Silan, and I was made to cry by a chili lamp."

Qiu Zhixin winked at the audience, saying, "Hello everyone, I'm Qiu Zhixin, and I want to turn memes into a night light."

After the self-introduction, Shi Shuyao held up her microphone toward Huai Xu and asked, "I can hardly smell any gunpowder coming from you! Don't you want to win?"

Huai Xu leaned into the microphone and said in a low voice, "Nobody wants to lose, Instructor."

When Huai Xu raised her head again, everyone could see the fighting spirit blazing in her usually calm and indifferent eyes.

Before tonight, the audience's impression of Huai Xu was that she was an excellent songwriter and a beautiful but somewhat introverted and low-key trainee. But after tonight, they would come to know of a new Huai Xu.

As Team "Lights On" got into position, Huai Xu thoroughly unleashed her aura, and her posture became aggressive.

Huai Xu did not stand in the center's position. But as Shi Shuyao had mentioned in the Initial Rating Performance, with Huai Xu's looks, she would be the center of attention regardless of where she stood.

The stage was decorated in black and red. Huai Xu seemed to be wearing the night sky on her body, and an illusory crimson lotus was blazing beneath her feet. An icy allure drifted from her every step, seemingly unintentional, yet ever more captivating.

When the first beat dropped, the crimson lotuses of Huai Xu and her teammates fizzled, and the stage was plunged into total darkness before suddenly—

Lights on.

Huai Xu's figure was like a ripple of water. It also resembled an agile fish, slender but full of strength.

Amidst the sexy and languid melody, Huai Xu placed her hand on Wan Jiao's shoulder. With a spin, she moved in front of Wan Jiao, her body pressing down to the rhythm, the curves of her waist and hips perfectly rounded and captivating.

Huai Xu moved listlessly, her performance causing many in the audience to thirst for water. She raised her fingers, which were stained in a mesmerizing wine, and slowly traced her waistline, gradually pulling everyone's breathing into sync.

Huai Xu spun behind Wan Jiao the next instant, disappearing from the audience's view. When she reappeared with a hip sway, she had already retracted the charm the audience had glimpsed. However, the allure in her eyes remained, and she blatantly made a seductive posture every time she looked up.

With a slight movement of her feet, Huai Xu shifted poses with her slender, voluptuous legs.

Huai Xu brushed her fingers across her luscious lips, the silver serpent tightly coiled around her delicate wrist flashing its emerald eyes, hinting at danger. At the same time, a dark, wild desire sparked in her eyes.

At this moment, those who met Huai Xu's gaze realized—

A succubus was seducing them, and they were willingly letting themselves fall prey to her seduction.

Huai Xu usually hid herself under a calm and ethereal shell. But on the stage, a single seductive glance was enough to etch her face into everyone's memory.

When it was Huai Xu's turn to rotate to the center, a downward glance from her sent the audience squealing.

As Huai Xu sang the lyrics, her eyes became increasingly languid.

Huai Xu was now split into two halves, one half enjoying the stage lights and the cheers from below, the other sliding down into an abyss to that practice room on the seventh floor that day.

Song Yingshi told her about ambition and desire; told her not to imprison her desires.

That night, she stood in front of Song Yingshi, examined herself, and, with trembling hands, peeled out a thread of desire from her body.

There was no end to this thread, and like a sharp knife, it sliced apart her body and liberated her soul.

Amidst the fierce evening wind, Huai Xu danced on the screams of the audience, unrestrained and intoxicating.

Her soul danced faster and faster, swirling with the wind and slowly leaving the confines of her flesh. As order collapsed, the silver serpent resurrected and bit on the forbidden fruit—

She was the master of her own desires.