When the 'A' grade results were announced, there was an audible gasp throughout the room.

He was directly promoted to 'A'! What kind of level is that? It's horrifying! And this decision came unanimously from the instructors. Moreover, this person doesn't even dance! Being able to achieve an 'A' underlines his singing prowess.

The audience was equally shocked:

"It's an A!"

"A plot twist!"

"Hahaha, I've always liked this young man."

Jian Xingsui's hand, holding the microphone, trembled slightly. As he bowed deeply to thank the mentors, disbelief evident in his eyes, he scanned the audience below. He saw mentors smiling warmly at him, and fellow contestants gazing at him with admiration. For a moment, he felt as if he were in a dream.

"Could it really be me?"

"Even as an underdog, can achieve an A?"

Fu Jinxiao said, "Come here."

The deep voice of the acclaimed actor drew Jian Xingsui back from his daze. As he approached, he saw both Fu Jinxiao and Tuya standing. The blonde beauty had a warm smile, "I knew you could do it."

Jian Xingsui gave a shy smile.

When he's happy, his buzz-cut head seems silly yet endearing.

Tuya unclipped the 'C' badge from his waist, looked up, and said, "Congratulations on moving up from C."

Jian Xingsui stammered, "It's all thanks to your guidance, mentor."

Tuya stepped back, and behind her stood Fu Jinxiao. The tall, handsome actor was bathed in spotlight, watching him quietly with that ever-present hint of a smile. Then, calling him by name, "Jian Xingsui."

Jian Xingsui's heart skipped, "Yes?"

"Congratulations." Fu Jinxiao took a step forward, in his hand was a golden 'A' badge. He bent down to attach it to Jian Xingsui, straightened up, and said, "No one favored you; you earned this. This badge is a reward for bravely facing challenges."

Tuya added softly, "For your innovation and perseverance."

Teacher Li beside them quipped, "It's a reward for your hard work."

For some reason, even such simple words made Jian Xingsui's eyes mist over. He nodded and bowed deeply again.

Applause thundered from below as he descended the stage.

In the subsequent rounds, some contestants won, some lost. Some managed to advance to group B, but none to group A. Jian Xingsui's success became a unique achievement.

That night, while many dreamt of the theme song and a hopeful tomorrow, an announcement echoed, "All participants, gather in the training room. We'll announce the rules for the theme song assessment."

It was a rude awakening. Some even tumbled out of bed.

In the training room, many were still yawning, looking groggy. They sobered up only when they noticed the cameras.

On the stage stood several mentors.

Despite wrapping up late last night and probably waking earlier than anyone else, each mentor looked impeccably dressed and refreshed. Fu Jinxiao's gaze swept over the yawning contestants, a faint smile playing on his lips – seemingly benign but giving Jian Xingsui an uneasy feeling.

Sure enough, Fu Jinxiao picked up a microphone, "Now, let's unveil the rules for the theme song assessment."

Teacher Li chimed in from the side: “Even for the top position in Class A, positions and the center role have to be determined. Our rule is that within three days, there are no restrictions on your practice methods, duration, or standards. You're free to explore and learn."

If it sounds too good to be true, there's probably a catch.

As expected, before the others could get excited, Tuya said, “However, our assessment criterion is: the first person who can perfectly perform the theme song will be the center for our main track.”

Fu Jinxiao, with lips slightly parted, remarked: “Additionally, the student securing the C position for the theme song will receive a 100 Star Beans reward, the privilege to choose a solo stage song, and the right to select their teammates.”

The entire room was in an uproar.

Teacher Liu Shuang also spoke up: “Please note that everyone's positions during the theme song evaluation will be arranged according to the order of your tests. And, don't assume that just because you're the first to test, you’ll get the center position. Our rule is you have to present both song and dance flawlessly.”

Teacher Li nodded in agreement: “Exactly, everyone pay attention. If you think you can rely on luck, thinking 'I'll give it a shot and if I succeed, I'll secure the position', let me tell you, you only get one shot. If you fail, you'll be directly eliminated and won’t be able to participate in the MV recording for the theme song.”

All the students were shocked.

This season's selection rules seemed overtly harsh. On the surface, it seemed like 'We won't push you to practice, you have three days to be creative'.

But in reality, if you slacked off and someone else learned the routine before you, they would have a better position and camera angle. Especially for everyone in Class A, the first successful performance would grant the central position and generous rewards.

For a moment, all of Class A exchanged glances, seeing both determination and rivalry in each other's eyes.

Shen Xingchen smirked, "This rule is basically a battle against over 100 people. Exciting, I like it.”

In the previous challenge, An Ran had also entered Class A.

Hearing this, he whispered, “The main thing is to prioritize friendship first and competition second. Do your best and that's enough.”

Shen Xingchen raised an eyebrow, “Would you give up the center position for our friendship?”

An Ran remained silent.

Jian Xingsui, watching this exchange, felt an inexplicable urge to laugh.

At the instructor's command, the theme song was displayed on the big screen. To many's dismay, the song was a mix of Chinese and English, with fragmented lyrics, and the choreography was intricate and extensive.

Some students already began to lament:

“How could this be?”

“Three days? I feel even ten days won’t be enough for me to get this right.”

“Help!”

Groans gradually filled the entire training room.

Standing at the front, Fu Jinxiao leisurely started the timer. Holding the microphone, he calmly announced, “The competition begins.”

As if a switch was flipped, everyone scattered. Those from Class A went to their dedicated training room to start practicing the dance. The production team did not provide dance instructors; everyone had to learn by repeatedly watching the performance on the screen.

The first step is to memorize the lyrics.

Yet, just this alone has challenged many. The audience has seen countless contestants venting their frustrations:

"This lyric is genuinely hard to memorize. I've been at it all morning, and I still haven't got it."

"It's chaotic and really difficult to remember."

"I think I'm losing my mind."

In contrast to the complaints from other classes, Class A is relatively quiet. Most of them are intently memorizing the lyrics. Shen Xingchen, with a weaker memory, often seems aloof and proud, but now he is relentlessly practicing, even as others occasionally take breaks.

At noon, Jian Xingsui suggests, "Let's eat."

Shen Xingchen shakes his head, "Just get me a little something."

Without a choice, Jian Xingsui does as asked. Shen Xingchen, who only managed to memorize the lyrics by the afternoon, spent the rest of the day practicing the dance, tirelessly refining his movements along with the video, striving for a perfect performance.

Jian Xingsui has a sharp memory, having learned the lyrics in the morning. But his dance foundation isn’t as strong. Many of his moves are stiff and incoherent. Yet, by night, Shen Xingchen, who only remembered the lyrics in the afternoon, had seamlessly got the dance down.

It wasn’t just Jian Xingsui, even the audience remarked:

"This kid is genuinely giving it his all."

"I’ve seen many push themselves, but he hasn’t rested at all."

"No one has been selected for the center position yet."

It’s not that no one in Class A can dance; they are elite after all. But the risk of being excluded from the MV shoot if they fail is too great a gamble for anyone to take.

Li Xuan'an is Shen Xingchen's primary competitor in the class. Hailing from a prominent agency, he excels in both singing and dancing. For some unknown reason, Jian Xingsui feels that Shen Xingchen has some unsettled score with Li Xuan'an and seems determined to outdo him.

By 4 a.m., most were reaching their limits.

Jian Xingsui approached Shen Xingchen, "Brother Chen, take a nap. You can't go on like this."

Shen, having practiced to the point of drenching several shirts in sweat, shakes his head, "I won’t sleep."

However, it was evident that his overstretched state was deteriorating.

Jian Xingsui genuinely believed that in such a tense and exhausted condition, Shen might make mistakes during the assessment.

He whispered, "Did you know? Li Xuan'an has gone to sleep."

Shen Xingchen frowned, glancing around the practice room, surprised, "Really?"

"Of course," Jian Xingsui chuckled, "You should too. If you're worried about oversleeping, just set an alarm."

Shen Xingchen remained adamant, "No way. I'm not sleeping."

Jian Xingsui sighed inwardly, leaning closer, "If both of you are equally skilled and Li Xuan'an is resting, should you win, people might say you only triumphed because you practiced while he slept. If you lose, they'll say you couldn’t even beat someone who was resting. Either way, it’s a loss."

Shen Xingchen was somewhat convinced.

Exhausted from a day's work, his body was pushed to the limit. Indeed, he longed for sleep. After a moment of hesitation, he finally nodded, "I'll only sleep for two hours, and then get up."

Jian Xingsui whispered, "Alright."

After returning to the dormitory with Shen Xingchen, Shen went to sleep, but Jian Xingsui didn't follow suit and rest. He didn't particularly aspire for the central position and didn’t need to push himself this hard. Yet, around 3 AM, instead of sleeping, he returned to the practice room.

Some viewers in the live broadcast commented sarcastically:

"Such cunning! Advising others to sleep while he stays awake."

"I never expected this from you."

"So manipulative."

However, to everyone's surprise, Jian Xingsui wasn't pushing himself to practice. Instead, he was squatting by the training corridor wall, catching a nap.

...

Everyone watching was puzzled, wondering what he was up to.

The corridor was noisy. Passing people would often disturb him. For someone worn out from a long day, being awakened every five minutes was torturous. Still, Jian Xingsui didn't move.

Meanwhile, in Shen's luxurious residence, others were also puzzled.

Mother Shen, familiar with her son's temperament, had tuned into the show to watch his performance. While her attention was initially on her son, she found herself drawn to another.

Father Shen approached, yawning, "Madam, aren't you going to bed?"

The elegant lady on the couch shook her head, "I’m watching Xingchen's performance. He’s been up all night. Thank goodness there’s someone from Class A looking out for him, or who knows how he'd manage."

Curious, he asked, "Who?"

She pointed to the screen, "That boy."

"Why is he sleeping at the door?" He frowned. "What a peculiar choice."

Although not familiar with Jian Xingsui, for some reason, she felt deeply concerned. "He's the one looking out for our Xingchen. He advised Xingchen to sleep but chose not to himself. People might not understand his reasoning, but I have a hunch..."

He inquired, "What is it?"

"He's keeping watch for Xingchen," she said with a touch of pain and compassion in her voice. "He's guarding against any threats that might approach Xingchen. If no one comes, he lets Xingchen sleep longer. If someone does, he can immediately alert Xingchen."

To aid his friend, he sacrificed his own rest, squatting by the door for the entire night.