Chapter 08

Chapter 08

This class was a dance class.

Xing Shi peeled off his baseball jacket and moved to the back of the line, watching for a few seconds before effortlessly falling into the rhythm.

The original owner had years of dance training under his belt, giving him a strong foundation, and Xing Shi's combat-honed reflexes only made him even more impressive. No wonder the teacher kept praising him.

The system huffed indignantly, "You're such a psychopath!"

Xing Shi kept his focus forward, his movements smooth and effortless.

The system grumbled, "You don't think like a normal person at all! This is impossible to deal with!"

Xing Shi finished another move and quickly rolled up his sleeves.

The system freaked out, "Will you just pay attention to me for once?!"

Xing Shi stayed cool, dancing as he spoke, "You said earlier that you expected the favorability to drop to -10, and it did. You knew what to expect, so why get upset?"

The system whined, "But I was supposed to have -8! This is so unfair!"

Xing Shi suggested, "Just draw a line through the zero and pretend it's an 8."

The system wailed even louder, "That's -18 now!"

Xing Shi shrugged, "What else can you do? Maybe you should go drink some hot water."

The system: "Are you serious?"

Can you be any more dismissive?

The system finally realized that getting this laid-back guy to care about scores was a lost cause, so it went off to calm down.

Xing Shi arrived late, and the class was already wrapping up.

During the final review, they went over everything they had learned. Since the last few moves were new, Xing Shi struggled to keep up and stood aside to watch.

She approached Xing Shi, planning to give him some extra help during the break, but a colleague interrupted by barging in. She gestured for someone else to assist Xing Shi and then left.

Xing Shi's "designated" roommate walked over.

His name was Yu Yi, a delicate and sweet-looking guy, very different from Xing Shi. Yu Yi also lacked a strong dance foundation, and the two of them ended up in the same dorm and class—quite the coincidence.

Seeing Yu Yi about to start teaching, Xing Shi waved him off, "Hold up, I need to say something first."

Yu Yi tilted his head, curious, "What's up?"

Xing Shi said, "We need to gather everyone."

He sent a message to the trainee group chat, grabbing everyone's attention: "I have something important to confess about President Fu, and I've got a surprise for you all. Head to the third practice room ASAP!"

The response was immediate.

Within minutes, people from nearby practice rooms started pouring in.

Feng Zifan grinned as he joined Xing Shi.

Although they're not in the same class, they often eat together and have a solid friendship.

After spending over two weeks together, he got a pretty good sense of Xing Shi. Xing Shi is the type who’d rather lounge around than stand, doesn’t cause any drama, and is only really passionate about one thing: food.

He asked, "What’s going on here?"

Xing Shi mysteriously shushed him and decided to wait for a few more people to arrive.

It was during the break, and most of the trainees had already gathered, except for a few who were either in the bathroom or still talking to the teacher.

Xing Shi felt it was time to speak up. He scanned the room and said, "On the day we were assigned to our classes, the boss was standing next to me. Later that night, at the group dinner, some of you asked about my relationship with him. I told you I didn’t know him, right?"

The trainees nodded in unison.

Feng Zifan and Da Zhuang, who were already aware of the situation, exchanged surprised glances. _Didn’t we all meet Fu Xiuning that day? Are you saying you knew him beforehand?_

Xing Shi continued, "I didn’t tell the whole story back then."

He admitted, "I didn’t know him personally, but it turns out he’s a student at Z University, and he’s my senior."

Everyone was surprised, and their expressions varied.

"I only knew he was pretty wealthy, but I had no idea he was our boss. After finding out that day, I didn’t want to say anything. But now, the boss has come to me directly." Xing Shi glanced at them. "Z University is a prestigious institution with a hundred-year history. The alumni attending the anniversary are all top performers in their fields, and our boss, being one of the standout graduates of his year, will definitely be there."

The trainees were intrigued by what he said.

June Culture Media’s first batch of trainees was small but elite, with only five males and five females. Most of them have already debuted. Two of the girls are currently competing in a popular talent show, where they’ve both made it into the top ten. Whether or not they end up forming a group, they’re already considered successful.

This summer, a new male talent show will air, and the company plans to select participants from among us.

However, with nearly a hundred entertainment companies sending trainees, each company only gets a limited number of spots, making the competition brutal. If we don’t get selected this time, we’ll have to wait for the next opportunity. Now, there’s a chance to impress the boss. Who wouldn’t jump at that chance?

Someone cautiously asked, "Did the boss give any specific instructions? Did he say you should go alone?"

Xing Shi replied, "No, he just said I should put together a performance, and you guys are the backup I’m bringing in."

Feng Zifan asked, "Is it even allowed to bring in outside help?"

Xing Shi pulled up Lin Kecheng’s WeChat, quickly explained the situation, and Lin immediately agreed.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. With the school’s approval, they were good to go.

Xing Shi outlined his plan. "I want everyone to get a chance to shine. We can split into smaller groups, with each group performing to a short segment of music before switching out. Once all the groups have performed, we’ll all come together for the final segment. This way, we can manage the training load better, considering our different skill levels. What do you think?"

Imagining the scene, everyone agreed it would be a hit and gave him a thumbs-up. "Brilliant!"

Xing Shi, having found a clever way to delegate, smiled and said, "It’s all thanks to the boss giving us this opportunity. We can’t let him down."

Everyone nodded in agreement. "Absolutely!"

The system, having watched his entire plan unfold, couldn’t help but ask, "Won’t Fu Xiuning be upset that you’re bringing a whole group up there?"

Xing Shi replied, "When I saved his life, did he seem happy? Check out this -10."

The system, which had just started to relax, promptly crashed and went silent again.

Fu Xiuning was meeting with members of the training department at the moment, and several teachers were present.

He wanted to check in on Xing Shi's progress, which made sense after Xing Shi had saved him. Even if the system was watching, it wouldn’t raise any red flags.

He first asked about the dance style Xing Shi had chosen.

"He’s incredibly gifted," the dance teacher gushed. "He picks up movements instantly, and his flexibility is top-notch, like someone with years of experience. But he’s a total beginner, just naturally talented."

Fu Xiuning nodded thoughtfully, realizing that the foundation must have been laid by the original host. The new occupant would need to start from scratch.

He asked, "Can he join dance competition shows with his current skill level?"

The dance teacher said, "No, he's only been learning for half a month. He knows only a few moves, and there’s still a lot he hasn’t learned."

Fu Xiuning looked at the other teachers and inquired about the other courses.

The teachers, unsure of his plans, gave straightforward answers.

Compared to dance, Xing Shi’s progress in vocal training was slower. He’s only just starting to hit the right notes, but he has a wide vocal range and takes his lessons seriously. With enough effort, he’ll definitely improve.

His acting class was pretty standard for a beginner, but one thing stood out: his natural camera presence. His screen tests were almost flawless, another sign of his innate talent.

Given his striking looks, exceptional talent, and obvious potential, the teachers had started to see Xing Shi like a son of their own.

They could already imagine the frenzy that would erupt when Xing Shi finally stepped into the spotlight, ready to shine.

Worried that Fu Xiuning might rush Xing Shi into earning money too soon, the teachers offered some advice.

They suggested that Xing Shi should focus on practicing this year and aim for a variety show next year. These shows are great for building a fanbase, and with solid skills and quality performances, he’d definitely stand out, gain massive popularity, and attract top-tier opportunities.

As long as he stays focused and doesn’t cause any trouble, a bright and smooth path lies ahead.

Fu Xiuning was naturally aware of this.

If Xing Shi weren’t the host, he would have nurtured him patiently, waiting for him to grow into a star and personally guiding him to the top.

But, unfortunately, Xing Shi was the host.

Fu Xiuning nodded to dismiss the teachers.

As the office grew quiet, Fu Xiuning worked while deep in thought, then picked up his phone and pulled up Xing Shi’s contact.

Xing Shi had just finished his class and was on a break.

After his last class, they could grab something to eat.

Just then, his phone dinged with a WeChat notification, and he saw it was from Fu Xiuning.

Fu Xiuning: “Got plans tonight?”

System: *Alert!*

It immediately perked up.

But before it could celebrate, it watched in dismay as the host replied with just one word.

Xing Shi: “No.”

System: *Triple Alert!!!*

The system was stunned. "What are you doing? Why did you turn him down?"

Xing Shi skipped his lunch break and just wanted to find a spot to chill after dinner, not in the mood to deal with his mission target.

He kept it brief. "-10."

The system stammered, "...But Fu Xiuning initiated contact first!"

Xing Shi replied, "He also reached out to me first at lunchtime."

The system was swayed by his logic.

Meanwhile, Fu Xiuning glanced at the "No" and calmly typed: [When are you free? I’d like to invite you to dinner as a thank-you.]

Less than a minute later, he got a response.

Xing Shi: "Oh, it’s the boss! Sorry, I forgot to update the label. I thought it was from someone I don’t like and replied without thinking. I’m free today, but there’s no need for you to treat me. It was really no big deal, just a small favor."

Fu Xiuning thought, *You’re pretty good at covering your tracks.* He insisted on treating Xing Shi.

Xing Shi politely declined one more time but eventually gave in, unable to resist Fu Xiuning’s insistence.

Fu Xiuning: "Meet me in the parking lot after class."

Xing Shi: "Sure thing~"

The system, having watched the whole exchange: "..."

It questioned his conscience, "You suddenly don’t care about the -10 anymore?"

Xing Shi replied with a straight face, "I think people shouldn’t back down just because something’s tough. We should face challenges head-on!"

The system: "..."

Yeah, right! Like I believe that for a second!