And she wasn't the only one who felt that way.

Viewers in the live stream were having fun commenting:

"It's like a parent-teacher conference."

"The fear of being controlled by parents."

"Looks fierce, but he's actually helping him out."

"Subtle tenderness, oh my gosh."

After Jian Xingsui managed to complete the set of movements, Fu Jinxe said, "Your issue is that you can't control your strength. Both An Ran and Ning Ze have great control. Practice with them."

Jian Xingsui stiffened at the mention of An Ran's name.

Of course, two main characters are naturally drawn to each other, right? He's so clumsy he can't even dance properly. What more could he hope for? Compared to An Ran, he felt even more foolish.

Jian Xingsui hid his emotions, replying softly, "Understood."

Despite his efforts to conceal his feelings, they were evident on his face. The astute Fu Jinxe raised an eyebrow, "Not willing?"

Jian Xingsui, taken aback, hastily replied, "I am! I really am!"

Fu Jinxiao quirked a lip, finding the flustered explanations from the young lad rather endearing. For some reason, everyone around seemed brighter and more capable than Jian Xingsui. But perhaps due to overexposure to such brilliant folks, the simple and genuine nature of the young lad stood out, catching one’s attention.

When did this begin?

Perhaps it started outside the rice cake shop. Watching him passionately defend himself only to shy away upon confrontation presented an interesting contrast.

Though Fu, the renowned actor, enjoys an impeccable reputation in the entertainment industry, he’s intrinsically mischievous, especially when encountering naive individuals, finding amusement in teasing them.

"If you’re unwilling, I’d understand," Fu Jinxiao said teasingly. "After all, if a student taught by me were to admire someone else, wouldn’t that be an insult to me?"

...

The other trainees burst into laughter.

Previously, the unsponsored and lesser-known Jian Xingsui was overlooked. But after Fu Jinxiao’s brief interaction with him, others warmed up to Jian.

Some even approached him:

"Xingsui, if you have questions, ask me."

"Yeah, we can help you out."

"Xingsui, want to practice together later?"

Jian Xingsui, unaccustomed to such interactions, felt overwhelmed, expressing gratitude. This made him realize the complex dynamics and genuine intentions of the group.

While Fu's guidance was invaluable, for Jian Xingsui, who lacked foundational dance skills, sheer enthusiasm wasn’t enough. By the afternoon, he barely passed the theme song assessment, ranking 62nd—middling in the show’s lineup.

As the other contestants completed their selections, the long-awaited public song selection finally arrived that evening.

Teacher Li explained, "The song selection is based on your theme song rankings. The top-ranked contestant gets the first pick and can also choose a teammate. The rest will select in descending order."

Tuya, holding a card, added, "Now, please look at the big screen to select your songs."

Everyone turned their gaze to the screen. The first song had a cool, explosive vibe, fitting for the edgy types.

Jian Xingsui remarked to Shen Xingchen, "It's your style."

Shen Xingchen shook his head. The rebellious lad always went against the grain, "I chose such a song for my debut. I want something different this time."

As the song choices continued, many were of similar vibes. Many wanted to show off to the audience and gain fans.

Wen Sheng approached, "Xingsui, which one do you prefer?"

"Me?" Jian Xingsui blinked, then replied, "I’m fine with anything, actually."

While the other contestants passionately debated their choices, only Jian Xingsui seemed unfazed. The camera captured this moment, as if the production team anticipated his reaction to be a crowd-pleaser.

The live audience laughed:

"Classic ‘two-thousand brother’."

"He's so laid-back. If you disagree, just eliminate him!"

“I'm so annoyed! I'm voting for him now. He better not expect to get this 20,000!”

Just as the last song was being played, Jian Xingsui, who seemed indifferent throughout, perked up and remarked, “This one's not bad.”

The song playing was “Youth of China.”

This particular song had a hint of ancient flair to it, embodying the spirit of both knights and scholars. Its style was different from the initial songs, promising a distinct presentation.

Shen Xingchen nodded, “Indeed, it’s a good pick.”

Once all the songs had been played, Teacher Li said, “Alright, if everyone has made their choice, please come forward.”

Shen Xingchen, unsurprisingly, was the first to choose.

The first song in the library was of a cool genre and was the most popular amongst all the contestants. Everyone expected Shen Xingchen to choose it. However, to everyone's surprise, he went straight for “Youth of China.”

As he stood by his selection, it took everyone aback.

Teacher Li, wearing a surprised smile, followed up, “Alright, Xingchen has chosen this song. Who do you want as your teammate?”

Everyone below was anxious.

This song was indeed in demand, and many wanted it, but it only had spots for five, making positions scarce.

Shen Xingchen looked past the crowd towards Jian Xingsui, loudly proposing, “Want to join?”

Jian Xingsui, previously worried the song might be taken, now beamed, “I’m in!”

As they stood together, the remaining time was for others to make their choices. To Jian Xingsui's surprise, An Ran also chose the same song.

Given An Ran's delicate appearance, choosing an ancient-styled song seemed apt.

He approached with a smile, saying, “I look forward to learning with you.”

Unlike the top-ranking An Ran, his close friend Zhou Xun was ranked lower. Being An Ran's confidant, Zhou naturally wanted to join the same group. However, by the time it was Zhou Xun's turn, the group was already full.

An Ran softly inquired of the teacher, “Sir, as a Class A student, do I have the right to select a teammate?”

According to the rules, Class A did have this privilege.

Teacher Li replied, “Of course, you do. But only one person in a team can exercise this right. Before you, Shen Xingchen has already utilized his. Unless he, or Jian Xingsui, is willing to yield their spot.”

An Ran and Zhou Xun turned their gaze to the two.

Shen Xingchen snickered, “I won't.”

In the past, Jian Xingsui might have avoided conflict with the main character and would've likely yielded. But this time, his close friend had fought for him. Agreeing to give up the spot now would be ungrateful.

So, Jian Xingsui also shook his head, “I won't either.”

An Ran looked at Zhou Xun with a pitiable expression, "I'm sorry, Zhou, I really wanted to be on the same team as you, but it seems impossible now..."

Zhou Xun sighed, "It's okay, An Ran. You did your best."

In the live broadcast room, this scene was being aired. At the same moment, the Jian family members, who had just finished their tasks, tuned in to see this unfold.

Mr. Jian, with a furrowed brow, remarked, "Isn't that Xing Sui?"

Jian Gu, the eldest brother seated next to him, affirmed, "Yes, it's definitely him."

"Just a couple of days ago, I was too busy with company matters to watch the live show. I heard from you all that he had participated in this show. Didn't your younger brother already contact the producers to get him off the show? Why is he still there?" Jian Kuo pointed at the screen where Jian Xing Sui had just turned down An Ran again. Looking at An Ran's hurt expression, he commented, "I thought he had changed, but he's still the same. He can't even dance. What's the difference where he goes? Why can't he just give in for once?"

Jian Gu's brow furrowed deeper in agreement.

Sitting opposite them was the second son of the Jian family, Jian Zhi, a current popular figure. Having made a rare trip home, he overheard the conversation and interjected, "I've already informed the show's producers. They assured me they'd eliminate Jian Xing Sui soon. Don't worry."

Jian Gu sighed, "I thought Xing Sui had changed when he left home. But look at him now, causing trouble in An Ran's show. This boy is truly incorrigible."

Jian Zhi replied with visible distaste, "Don't worry. 'Starlight' has invited me as a guest. I'll personally handle it. If he dares to bully An Ran again, I'll make him regret it."

Everyone else felt reassured.

Meanwhile, Jian Xing Sui remained blissfully unaware of being targeted.

The costumes for "Youthful China" were decided upon — a set of elegant ancient attire with an ink-wash aesthetic. When distributed for fitting, everyone was delighted.

An Ran was the first to get his. He even took the initiative to fetch one for Shen Xing Chen, "Here you go, Chen."

Shen Xing Chen responded with a brief nod.

Zhou Xun was slightly irritated by Shen's indifference to An Ran's gesture, but since it was An Ran's own initiative, he didn't comment. However, An Ran seemed unfazed. He was astute and clearly more cunning than he appeared. His years in the rice cake shop taught him to read people effortlessly.

The Shen family behind Shen Xing Chen was among the elite. Shen was likely a predetermined debut in the 'Starlight' competition. Building a rapport with such a contestant would assure good screen time. An Ran believed he was far superior to the likes of Jian Xing Sui. Shen Xing Chen seemed tough outside but was essentially simple-hearted and easy to manage.

He was confident he wouldn't lose to a fool like that.

Jian Xing Sui found the costume fitting perfectly. While trying on wigs, a makeup artist nearby cheerfully offered, "Let me help you."

One by one, the other contestants also appeared in their outfits.

They all donned similar attire, with dashing hairstyles that made them look like graceful young lords. As everyone was adjusting their outfits, a makeup artist suddenly exclaimed, "Hey, did you guys notice something?"

All eyes turned to her.

"Xing Sui, you and Xing Chen look so alike!"

Before, with different hairstyles and distinct clothing styles, the resemblance wasn’t so evident. But now, with similar looks, the resemblance was uncanny, especially their facial structures and noses.

Jian Xing Sui was taken aback, "Really?"

Shen Xingchen hesitated for a moment before stepping closer. The two stood side by side in front of the mirror. Shen Xingchen had originally wanted to counter that they looked nothing alike, but upon seeing their strikingly similar features in the mirror, he was taken aback. He quirkedly turned to Jian Xingsui, "You know, we really do resemble each other quite closely."

The makeup artist, stifling a laugh, remarked, "You two could pass for brothers!"

The other members came over, joining in the laughter.

Zhou Xun, clearly enjoying the moment, chimed in, "You two do look alike! Are you sure there’s no hidden family secret? Quite amusing."

Only An Ran seemed somewhat perturbed, forcing a smile. He gently commented, "I don’t think they look that alike. Maybe we shouldn’t joke about this..."