Snow-Kissed Rose (GL) Chapter 79.1

TL Notes:
Made a correction in Chapter 76:
Original:
This someone isn't somebody little people like us can afford to offend, so it's best to go along with their whims.

Corrected:
This someone isn't somebody you can afford to offend, so it's best to go along with their whims.

The welcome ball intended for the guests was a rare opportunity for the trainees to relax. They didn't have to stress themselves and focus too much on the camera, and they could eat and drink with their companions to their hearts' content.

The ball lasted until 10 PM, after which everyone recorded a brief interactive conversation with the guests before calling it a day.

After passing instructions to the staff members, Shi Zhi saw the guests off. Wearing a smile, she said, "It's late. I'll ask our staff members to send you to… Will you all be staying the night in N City, or?"

As Lu Dang followed Shi Zhi out of the banquet hall, he similarly smiled and said, "In that case, please send us to the airport. Unfortunately, we do not have the luxury to rest; we have a very busy schedule for the foreseeable future."

Shi Zhi nodded and said, "It's only natural after the awards 'Soul' has won. But at least the results of your effort are apparent. Everyone everywhere has been singing praises of you recently."

Lu Dang was very pleased with Shi Zhi's praises. Immediately, he stopped being humble and started having ideas about the matter that had been preoccupying his head in recent times.

Lu Dang knew someone among this season's Star of Spring trainees possessed an extraordinary background. Originally, he thought the other party would initiate a conversation with him or someone from his group tonight. However, although the trainees were friendly and polite with his group, most maintained a respectable distance.

A few trainees did approach him, but after probing them, Lu Dang quickly realized they were not the one he was looking for.

Could it be that his information was wrong? Or was the other party too reserved?

The chance to gain a high-quality connection was right before him, and Lu Dang didn't want to miss it.

As Lu Dang was about to step onto the last step of the staircase, he feigned nonchalance as he asked, "I didn't ask in detail yesterday, but why did we move this visit a day forward? There must be a reason, right?"

"I already mentioned on the phone that there was a mistake in the show's scheduling. We intended for the new episode to be released on the 11th, tomorrow, so we had no choice but to bring forward the visit. No matter how good our editors are, they still need time to work, right?" Shi Zhi answered flawlessly.

Lu Dang couldn't find any gaps. His information came from an illegitimate source, so he couldn't call out Shi Zhi's lie and had to leave in disappointment.

Because of this incident, Lu Dang wore a gloomy face to the airport.

Sitting beside Lu Dang, Fu Shu also wore an ugly expression, looking like someone owed him money.

When Yi Siyi noticed her two companions' expressions, she couldn't help but wonder what was going on.

After arriving at the airport, Fu Shu went aside to make a call. When Yi Siyi saw this, she told Lu Dang, "Director Lu, Fu Shu had private contact with a trainee at the ball."

Lu Dang hummed in acknowledgment but did not take the matter seriously. However, he suddenly realized something—could the distinguished person be a fan of Fu Shu? Hence, the two secretly contacted each other?

Immediately, Lu Dang put on a serious expression and said, "Tell me in detail."

Yi Siyi curled her lips at Lu Dang's quick change in behavior. Then, she pointed in Fu Shu's direction and replied, "I saw him conversing with two trainees in a secluded area. When he walked over, he wore a normal expression, but he looked…like that when he returned."

Lu Dang immediately deflated after hearing Yi Siyi's answer.

It turned out that Fu Shu had merely been trying to flirt with a girl and faced rejection. Although Lu Dang was surprised any girl could resist Fu Shu's charms, regardless, it was unlikely that this trainee was the person he was looking for.

"That's it for this matter. Let him be," Lu Dang said uninterestedly.

"He won't make things difficult for the other party, will he?" Yi Siyi wondered.

Lu Dang didn't care. Glancing at Yi Siyi, he smiled and said, "There is no shortage of such situations in our line of work. What? Did you suddenly become charitable today? Why do you care about them? You should know better than to poke your nose in such matters, Siyi."

Lu Dang might look down on Fu Shu for having no background, but he wouldn't go out of his way to provoke and offend others. At least, an ordinary trainee who hadn't even debuted was not worthwhile for him to do so.

When Fu Shu returned, Lu Dang and Yi Siyi promptly concluded their discussion.

Lu Dang resumed mulling over his "distinguished person," wondering if he might have the chance to get in touch with her in the future.

Hah… Aren't they all trainees? Why is there such a significant difference?

Wait.

Suddenly, Lu Dang thought of something—what if this trainee was familiar with the trainee he had been looking for, or possibly even the same person?

However, Lu Dang quickly ruled out the second possibility. Fu Shu might have humble origins, but he wasn't so stupid as to not be able to recognize a girl of distinguished origins, much less offend her.

When Fu Shu wasn't paying attention, Lu Dang quietly asked Yi Siyi, "Did you get a look at who those two trainees were?"

Yi Siyi naturally saw who the two trainees were. However, when she recalled Lu Dang's prior attitude and considered his sudden interest in these two trainees, she felt the other party was up to no good. After hesitating momentarily, she shook her head and said, "I don't know. I didn't get a good look."

…

After concluding their day, the trainees dragged their feet back to the dormitory. Because they all simultaneously marched back toward the White Tower, they formed a huge group and warmed up the midnight air.

Unexpectedly, Dan Silan got drunk from the alcohol served at the ball.

Tao Qin helped Quan Yuanyuan support Dan Silan. When she saw Dan Silan's obvious drunkenness, she asked, "How much did she drink?"

"Maybe half a glass?" Quan Yuanyuan replied with a helpless smile.

Yu Sheng was helping the trio hold their belongings. Walking beside the trio, she said, "She must be the legendary featherweight."

Dan Silan suddenly stood up straight at this time and refuted clearly, "How can anyone get drunk from half a glass? Is he still breastfeeding?"

Everyone present: "..."

Quan Yuanyuan was the first to ridicule Dan Silan, saying, "This is the first time I've seen someone being sharp-tongued toward themself after getting drunk. Alas, it's a pity I don't have a phone to record this moment and show it to you once you sober up."

Upon hearing Quan Yuanyuan's words, Kou Lengyu promptly stepped aside and gave way to the VJ behind her, saying, "Here, Mr. VJ, capture this. Now, may we have our fellow trainee Dan Silan perform a show of self-criticism… Oh, look at how red your face is…"

Dan Silan stared at the camera.

Kou Lengyu got goosebumps when she saw Dan Silan's reaction. However, she quickly regained her wits and asked, "What are you looking at, little crybaby?"

As if responding to Kou Lengyu's words, Dan Silan suddenly started crying loudly, tears streaming down her face.

Everyone: !!!

"Kou Lengyu, why did you provoke her?! You even called her a little crybaby! Look at how you've stressed out the little crybaby now!"

Immediately, the trainees present began reprimanding Kou Lengyu like parents reprimanding their eldest daughter for making their youngest daughter cry, creating a scene that looked like it came straight out of a family sitcom.

Meanwhile, Dan Silan crouched onto the ground, hugged her knees, and continued crying.

Although Dan Silan had already gained the nickname "Crybaby," she had never cried in an open space after the first public performance, let alone cry in such a childlike manner. Most of the trainees present had never experienced such a situation before, so they all started to panic.

Out of everyone present, only Quan Yuanyuan kept her cool. Pushing Kou Lengyu aside, she crouched down in front of Dan Silan and pulled a tissue out of her pocket with familiarity. Since Dan Silan started to weaponize crying against her, she had never stopped carrying tissues.

As Quan Yuanyuan wiped Dan Silan's tears, she took out the last vestiges of patience within her impatient self and said, "Stop crying. We've already scolded Kou Lengyu for you. Why are you still crying?"

In response, Dan Silan looked toward the camera that had been scared into taking a step back and said in a sobbing and aggrieved tone, "The girl in the camera (lens) is too pretty. She's much more beautiful than me, so I'm sad. I'm no longer the prettiest girl in this world."

Quan Yuanyuan: ???

Dan Silan's drunkenness had worsened!

For a moment, Quan Yuanyuan couldn't tell whether Dan Silan was praising her or herself.

Initially, the surrounding trainees tried to suppress their laughter. However, the scene they had just witnessed was simply too funny, and they couldn't hold themselves back and burst out laughing.

"Holy! Hahahaha! I'm dying from laughter!"

"I declare tomorrow to be Dan Silan's social death!"

"I'm already feeling embarrassed for her."

"Silan's too cute, hahahaha! Be more confident! You'll be the prettiest crybaby tomorrow!"

When Quan Yuanyuan saw Dan Silan still sobbing, she held back her laughter and said, "Hear that? Everyone's saying you're pretty. You're much prettier than the girl in the camera."

Dan Silan looked at Quan Yuanyuan, sniffled, and asked, "Really?"

"Really." Quan Yuanyuan nodded.

"You promise?" Dan Silan asked.

"I promise." Quan Yuanyuan nodded again.

Dan Silan seemed to regain her confidence, and her tears stopped flowing outward. Then, she suddenly pointed in the camera's direction, giving the VJ a small fright.

"Last question: Do you like her or me?" Dan Silan asked Quan Yuanyuan.

Quan Yuanyuan: "..." Is there a difference?!

Everyone else: "Hahahahaha!"

"Did you lie to me? Do you like her?! How is she better than me?!" Dan Silan hiccuped.

As the crybaby erupted into another fit, Quan Yuanyuan caved and shouted, "I like you! I like you, okay?!"

Dan Silan bravely wiped her tears and broke into a smile.

Quan Yuanyuan: "..." What an immediate effect.

Quan Yuanyuan finally had enough of Dan Silan's behavior. Her face flushed, and her voice grew stern as she said, "Go back to sleep. Stop wasting everyone's time."

As Quan Yuanyuan finished speaking and prepared to stand up, Dan Silan abruptly threw her arms around her neck. Caught off guard, Quan Yuanyuan landed on her butt, with Dan Silan falling directly on her.

Quan Yuanyuan looked up. After crying, Dan Silan's noble and peacock-like makeup had become a mess, and her eyes and nose were red. Despite this, she remained inexplicably captivating.

"You have good tastes for liking me," Dan Silan said.

Quan Yuanyuan: "..."

"Get down! I can't carry a pig like you!" Quan Yuanyuan shouted, her voice drowning out her increasingly violent heartbeat.

"I don't want to," Dan Silan refused.

"Dan Silan, you—"

When Huai Xu saw Quan Yuanyuan and Dan Silan starting their two-man skit under the starry sky, she glanced at the spectating crowd enjoying the show, smiled, and shook her head. Then, she sighed to Song Yingshi, "These two really know how to stir up trouble."

Song Yingshi also watched the skit. At the same time, the strange feeling in her heart was growing stronger and stronger.

Currently, Song Yingshi couldn't help but feel something was happening whenever she saw a friendly interaction between two girls. In contrast, Huai Xu watched the scene before them with a clean and innocent mind. Did this mean she had become even more of a lesbian than Huai Xu?

…I guess this is another situation of a latecomer prevailing, Song Yingshi comforted herself.

At the end of the road stood the White Tower. As the trainees weaved their way across the tree-lined path, they gradually converged into it.

Shortly afterward, square blocks of light lit up one after another across the White Tower's dim body. Then, these lights went out one by one under the moon's gaze.e under the moon's gaze.