Snow-Kissed Rose (GL) Chapter 73

After fulfilling her mission's requirement to feel for Huai Xu's heartbeat, Song Yingshi tossed the tissue into the bin and turned to face Huai Xu with innocent eyes, saying, "Mhm…I accidentally wiped the wrong place. But I've already wiped off all the water on your body, so don't worry."

Huai Xu: "..."

Huai Xu snorted and raised Song Yingshi's chin with her finger. She swept her gaze across Song Yingshi's beautiful lips before she looked Song Yingshi directly in the eye and said, "You wiped the wrong place?" Do you think such an excuse is enough to fool me? Or have my indulgences given you the impression I'm gullible?

Song Yingshi nodded, her chin pressing and rubbing against Huai Xu's finger.

Song Yingshi looked like a puppy looking for scratches, so much so that Huai Xu subconsciously hooked her finger to scratch Song Yingshi's chin. However, she quickly realized that her attention was being diverted, so she refocused, asking, "Are you sure?"

"I lied," Song Yingshi answered surprisingly quickly.

When Huai Xu heard the answer she wanted to hear, she smiled and asked, "Is that so?"

In a voice that contained three parts melancholy, three parts resentment, and four parts yearning, Song Yingshi answered, "I just…envy you a little. I couldn't help it."

Huai Xu: "?"

Song Yingshi shyly lowered her head and continued, "You'll understand me, right?"

Huai Xu: "..."

…

July 6th, the recording venue of the third public performance's team division:

Unlike the past two team divisions, the trainees wouldn't get to select the songs they would perform in the third public performance. Instead, the audience's votes would decide for them. After excluding the eliminated trainees, the production crew assigned the remaining 40 trainees into eight separate teams.

Before the team distributions were announced, the production crew showed the trainees the eight songs that would be performed during the third public performance.

Because of some trainees going outside of the White Tower for work, every trainee was already aware of the eight songs selected. Some, like Wan Jiao, had even done an in-depth analysis of the eight songs.

"This song's not bad, but once you hear 'Falling Asleep,' you won't find it so great anymore. Hopefully, my fans chose 'Falling Asleep' for me," Wan Jiao said to the other eager trainees around her. She also added a small prayer for herself at the end.

"I haven't heard the actual song yet, but I hear that 'Falling Asleep' has become a huge hit," a trainee said.

Wan Jiao gave the trainee a thumbs-up, saying, "It's a massive hit! It's the biggest hit of the year!"

"Really? Ah, it's coming up next!" the trainee exclaimed.

…

Ren Qian was the host for today's grouping.

After watching all eight songs with the trainees, Ren Qian received the team list from a staff member.

Ren Qian slowly looked through the list under the trainees' eager gazes. To create suspense, he would occasionally read out a name or two as he scanned the list:

"Lu Xuewen…so you'll be performing this song, huh…"

"Kou Lengyu? Not bad, not bad"

"Quan Yuanyuan…"

Quan Yuanyuan wasn't as patient as the others. Before Ren Qian could tease her, she interrupted, "Instructor, please hurry up!"

The whole studio broke into laughter.

Ren Qian was caught off guard by Quan Yuanyuan's interruption. Putting his hands behind his back, he faked a cough and said, "Let's do it one by one, then! I'll start from the 40th place. Trainees whose names are called can go directly to the corresponding practice room to wait for your remaining teammates.

"In 40th place…He Xiaoye!"

"Here!"

Song Yingshi heard a hearty response from the row behind her, prompting her to look back.

Noticing Song Yingshi's stare, He Xiaoye lowered her gaze and beamed a smile at Song Yingshi, revealing a set of cute fangs.

Song Yingshi responded with a smile of her own before she felt a gentle tug on her sleeve. When she turned around, Huai Xu, facing forward, reminded her, "The camera's turning over here."

"He Xiaoye, you'll be joining Team Farewell 'Sword.'"

Starting with He Xiaoye, Ren Qian announced the trainees' teams individually. Fan voting usually involved a lot of uncertainty. Even popular trainees wouldn't necessarily get the songs they wanted. After all, fans couldn't read minds. Star of Spring also prohibited trainees from communicating with fans during the voting period.

Song Yingshi had chatted with everyone before and roughly knew which team everyone wanted to join. When she saw many trainees not getting the song they wanted, uncertainty built up within her.

Song Yingshi shifted in her seat, causing Huai Xu to glance at her sideways. Upon successfully attracting Huai Xu's attention, she gently slapped Huai Xu's thigh, an action she had recently grown fond of performing. Then, she made small talk, saying, "I really envy you."

"...What is it this time?" Huai Xu asked calmly.

"You'll definitely get 'Falling Asleep,' so you don't have to worry about anything," Song Yingshi said.

Upon hearing these words, Huai Xu turned to look at Song Yingshi and raised an eyebrow, asking, "Are you worried?"

Although Huai Xu was asking a question, the certainty in her expression showed that she had already decided upon an answer.

Huai Xu knew that Song Yingshi would never be worried. At least, there was nothing for Song Yingshi to be worried about in Star of Spring. Song Yingshi had always faced challenges boldly and eagerly.

In response, Song Yingshi cupped her chin and smiled, saying, "Of course. I, too, have a favorite song."

Going with the flow, Huai Xu asked, "Which team do you want to join the most?"

Kou Lengyu sat next to Song Yingshi and Huai Xu. When she finished chatting with her friend, she noticed the duo talking and secretly eavesdropped on them. However, she couldn't help but scratch her head when she heard the content of their conversation.

The duo sounded like they were having a casual conversation, but it also felt like they were speaking in code.

Kou Lengyu couldn't put her finger on it, but she felt that there was an invisible barrier around Song Yingshi and Huai Xu, the barrier making her feel like she couldn't and shouldn't interrupt their conversation. It was a strange feeling.

Unaware of Kou Lengyu's eavesdropping, Song Yingshi smiled at Huai Xu and said, "Me? The team I want to join most is—"

"Song Yingshi, Huai Xu, don't be distracted in class," Ren Qian interrupted, criticizing his absent-minded "students" like the responsible "teacher" he was.

Immediately, the remaining 20-plus trainees in the recording studio turned to look at Song Yingshi and Huai Xu. Even the trainees who had already left couldn't help but laugh and cheer when they saw this scene through the TVs in their respective practice rooms.

This scene resembled a young couple getting caught flirting behind the classroom by the teacher, and the other students smiled as if they knew what was going on.

Song Yingshi could feel her ears burning up. Fortunately, her hair covered her ears, so she forced herself to stay cool as she responded, "Instructor, we're discussing the song selection."

Meanwhile, Huai Xu removed Song Yingshi's "claw" from her thigh before she said calmly, "We're not distracted, Instructor. Please continue."

Ren Qian was joking with the two, so he didn't continue on this topic. Looking at the list, he asked, "Are you eager to know which team you're in?"

"Not Huai Xu," Song Yingshi replied.

"Hm? Why not?" Ren Qian grew confused.

"Because the answer is obvious. She'll join Team 'Falling Asleep,'" Song Yingshi calmly explained. After a slight pause, she continued thoughtfully, "If I'm not mistaken, she'll even be the center."

"Little Shi has always had a lot of confidence in her roommate," Wan Jiao interjected with a smile.

"Mhm, mhm. But I think so as well," Rong Yi said, nodding.

Seeing as everyone shared similar thoughts regarding which team Huai Xu would join, Ren Qian went with the flow, applauding the trainees' intuition as he announced, "Little Shi guessed correctly."

"Wow!"

"Huai Xu deserves it!"

The trainees cheered and applauded Huai Xu.

Song Yingshi also applauded Huai Xu. Facing Huai Xu with the most sincere smile she could muster, she said, "Congratulations." Congratulations on being able to perform your own song on the stage, as well as being able to perform it as the center.

Huai Xu also looked at Song Yingshi, a hint of emotion appearing in her eyes. Before Song Yingshi could spot this emotion, Ren Qian spoke up again, attracting everyone's attention.

"Huai Xu, since Huai Xu guessed your song, shouldn't you return the favor and guess for her as well?" Ren Qian asked. Then, he looked at the list again in a misleading attempt before he continued, "I'll give you a hint; Little Shi is also a center."

The trainees began guessing along.

"Center? Not bad, not bad. Maybe she's in Team 'Farewell Sword?'"

"'WnW' is also a possibility."

"Whichever it is, we'll first have to rule out 'Falling Asleep!'"

…

Ren Qian felt that Huai Xu would have to guess all seven of the other songs before coming to the right answer, so he wasn't in a hurry. As payback for the magic trick incident, he also had no intentions of telling Huai Xu the answer ahead of time.

When Ren Qian thought about how he would get to make Huai Xu stumble for once, his mood improved significantly. With a playful look, he asked, "Well? Do you have a guess?"

Huai Xu nodded after pondering for a moment.

Getting ready to accept the first wrong answer, Ren Qian asked, "Which team do you think Little Shi will join?"

"'Falling Asleep,'" Huai Xu answered.

"You guessed wrong—huh???" Ren Qian's brain glitched out, and his eyes went wide. "How did you come to this answer?"

How did Huai Xu guess the answer?!

In response, Huai Xu simply smiled and asked, "Instructor, was my guess correct?"

Ren Qian: "..."

Ren Qian nodded reluctantly and asked, "How did you guess it?"

He must know the answer! The last time he was so curious was when he was guessing the truth behind Huai Xu's magic trick.

To Ren Qian's dismay, Huai Xu responded with an equally simple answer this time, "We are only in the team division phase right now. The actual number of votes we received has yet to be announced, so besides Team 'Falling Asleep,' none of the other teams should know who their center is. Yet, you hinted that Little Shi is also a center."

At this time, Huai Xu flashed a bright smile, diluting her indifference as she said playfully, "This hint in itself…is also a hint."

By hinting that Song Yingshi was also a center, everyone would naturally exclude "Falling Asleep" from their guesses. However, Huai Xu did the opposite, gambling on the possibility that Song Yingshi was the center for the only team that already had its center announced.

Ren Qian: "..."

Ren Qian regretted trying to mislead Huai Xu!

While Ren Qian was immersed in regret, Song Yingshi and the other trainees were shocked.

Besides being surprised that Huai Xu could guess correctly, they were even more surprised that—

"How can 'Falling Asleep' have two centers?!"

Song Yingshi pointed a finger at Huai Xu before pointing it at herself, then returned to pointing it at Huai Xu. Her head spinning like a broken compass, she muttered, "Me and you? We're both centers of the same team?"

Then, Song Yingshi looked at Ren Qian, asking, "Instructor, you're not joking with us, are you?"

After failing to prank Huai Xu, Ren Qian resumed his responsible mentor character, saying, "I'm not joking."

Ren Qian also found this situation strange. This outcome would never have happened if the third public performance's songs weren't decided through public votes. However, since the votes were already out, the production crew couldn't change this outcome even if they wanted to. After all, no matter who they removed from the center position of Team "Falling Asleep," the fans would be furious. The production crew's reputation would also be ruined. Hence, Team "Falling Asleep" had to have two centers.

"In addition to having the highest number of votes for Team 'Falling Asleep,' you two also have the same number of votes, so both of you are centers," Ren Qian said solemnly. "Out of Spring Star's many seasons, this is the first time a public performance has had a stage with double centers. I look forward to your performance."

A double-center stage!

…

After the team division came lunchtime. As the trainees sat at their tables, they would still occasionally bring up "Falling Asleep" being a double-center performance.

"I really didn't expect this. All I can say is that…"

Everyone looked at each other and said in unison:

"Snow-Kissed Rose Forever!"

…

While the trainees were gushing over Snow-Kissed Rose, Song Yingshi realized her period had arrived, so she went to get a sanitary pad from the dormitory. Then, as she made her way to the cafeteria, she bumped into Huai Xu outside the bedroom.

"What are you doing back here? Aren't you going to have lunch?" Song Yingshi asked.

"Let's go. We'll eat together," Huai Xu said as she closed the distance between them.

If it were in the past, Huai Xu would never have said this. But now, she could say it as if it were second nature.

"You could've gotten your food first while waiting for me, dummy," Song Yingshi berated.

Subsequently, the two walked to the cafeteria side by side.

The translucent glass windows along the corridor reflected the blue sky outside, and their overlapping footsteps echoed in the empty space.

Song Yingshi hummed a tune as she counted their footsteps.

After listening to Song Yingshi's humming for a while, Huai Xu asked casually, "What song did you want to choose?"

However, Huai Xu didn't hear an answer from Song Yingshi for quite a while. Turning to her side, she saw Song Yingshi smiling at her.

As their gazes met, Song Yingshi replied leisurely, "Didn't you already guess it?"

"Did I?" Huai Xu asked. It didn't take her long to understand what Song Yingshi was talking about.

Meanwhile, Song Yingshi couldn't help but widen her smile before nodding to Huai Xu.

As Huai Xu looked at Song Yingshi's smile, the thin layer of frost covering her face melted into spring water, and a gentle expression formed on her face.

Song Yingshi felt herself burning up again. She pursed her lips and looked away, hastening her steps as she said, "Walk faster. I'm starving."

"Little Shi," Huai Xu called out.

"Hm?" Song Yingshi turned around.

As Huai Xu stood before the azure sky, she was like a soft and fluffy cloud. And when Song Yingshi looked at this smiling cloud, her heart mellowed.

"I also wanted you to choose 'Falling Asleep.' Thankfully, you're here."