After Rebirth, I Ended Up with My Idol [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 4

Although An Rong’s dancing was subpar, her singing was exceptional, so she was temporarily safe from this round of elimination. Once the evaluation ended, the five eliminated girls departed. The remaining twenty were ranked according to the scores given by the three evaluators. Xu Xiaoye ranked first; An Rong ranked nineteenth—second to last.

Xu Xiaoye stood in the front row, while An Rong stood in the back, separated by two rows of people. An Rong could only catch glimpses of the back of Xu Xiaoye’s head through the gaps between the other trainees.

The survivors were thrilled, their joy impossible to hide; they felt as if they had taken a massive step toward fame.

“Congratulations to everyone who stayed. Next, you will be reassigned to new dorms and issued unified uniforms. From this moment on, you have officially entered training at TS Entertainment. Congratulations.”

The girls clapped excitedly. It felt as though success was just around the corner.

Once the applause died down, Qin Yun said, “Now, will the top four students please step forward.”

The top four looked at one another, hesitated, and then took two steps forward. Xu Xiaoye stood first, Wang Yunshui second, Xiao Yu third, and the fourth was a cool girl who was very good at dancing named Yang Pei.

Qin Yun looked at them and said, “Now, as captains, you will take turns selecting your teammates for the upcoming evaluations.”

Xu Xiaoye held the right to the first pick.

An Rong’s heart hammered against her ribs. Naturally, she had an intense, overwhelming desire to be on Xu Xiaoye’s team.

Xu Xiaoye turned to face the group and said, “Xia Chunhua.”

Xia Chunhua was the cute little girl with naturally curly hair. As soon as her name was called, she raised her hand, chirped “Here!”, and happily ran to stand behind Xu Xiaoye.

The corners of An Rong’s mouth dipped slightly. She silently prayed that the others wouldn’t pick her.

Xiao Yu glanced sideways, smiling past Wang Yunshui to give Xu Xiaoye a knowing look.

Wang Yunshui immediately picked the person in fifth place—another girl who was very good at dancing but had a somewhat plain appearance. It was a strategic move: someone who could dance well but wouldn’t outshine her.

Although An Rong could be a great vocal, the scene of her “ambush” on Xu Xiaoye that morning had left a deep impression. Yang Pei didn’t dare pick her either. After everyone had chosen one person, the turn came back to Xu Xiaoye.

On the surface, An Rong pretended to be calm, her hands crossed in front of her. Her gaze drifted subtly toward Xu Xiaoye as she chanted frantically in her mind: Pick me, pick me, pick me, pick me.

Xu Xiaoye paused for a long time, her eyes scanning several faces with a frown. When her gaze finally landed on An Rong, she hesitated for a moment before saying, “An Rong.”

Qin Yun looked up at her. She’s choosing An Rong voluntarily? Is she ready to let the kissing incident go?

Xiao Yu also turned her head to look at Xu Xiaoye, joking directly this time: “Rank Number One is so annoying! You’re taking everyone I want. Maybe I should just join your team too.”

Standing behind Xu Xiaoye, Xia Chunhua poked her head out and smiled at Xiao Yu, interacting wildly across the gap where Wang Yunshui stood. Wang Yunshui, stuck in the middle, curled her lip impatiently.

An Rong was overjoyed. Her steps were light as she zipped over to stand behind Xu Xiaoye and greeted Xia Chunhua.

Xia Chunhua was tiny, pale, and delicate. Her eyes were round, and her lips were a soft pink; she looked like an underage girl—indisputably cute.

As soon as An Rong greeted her, Xia Chunhua asked, “How old are you? You look so young.”

An Rong said, “I’m seventeen. I shouldn’t be the youngest, right?”

Xia Chunhua said in surprise, “Then I’m older than you! I’m nineteen. Haha, didn’t expect that, did you?”

Because she looked so young, she was often mistaken for a minor, and among her acquaintances, she was usually the youngest. It was a grievance she couldn’t voice. Now that she had finally met someone younger than her, she was naturally delighted.

An Rong pretended not to know and said with feigned surprise, “You really look… very cute.”

Xia Chunhua looked up and laughed. Her voice wasn’t loud, but her expressions were incredibly vivid. She was finally getting to experience the joy of being the “older sister.”

The twenty-four-year-old Xu Xiaoye, standing in front, silently looked back at the two of them before turning away with a look of mock resentment.

Seeing this, Xia Chunhua asked curiously, “Captain, how old are you?”

Xu Xiaoye said, “It’s my Ben Ming Nian (Year of the Zodiac animal—24).”

Xia Chunhua was so shocked she leaned forward to look at her. “Twenty-four? No way! I thought you were only twenty.”

Xu Xiaoye was flattered again and joked, “Naturally gifted beauty, plus diligent maintenance.”

After another round of picking names, it was Xu Xiaoye’s turn again. The smile on her face gradually froze as her eyes slowly moved through the crowd.

An Rong, standing behind her, whispered very softly into her ear: “The second one from the right is named Kang Yu.”

Xu Xiaoye breathed a sigh of relief and called out Kang Yu’s name. Then she quickly whispered back to An Rong: “What’s the name of the girl in the pink top?”

An Rong looked but had no memory of her. She only remembered Kang Yu because, although Kang Yu didn’t make the final debut group, she eventually signed with TS as a trainee.

Xia Chunhua leaned in, took a glance, and said, “Her name is Song Ran.”

Xu Xiaoye said somewhat embarrassedly, “Thank you. This is so awkward—I can’t remember names. I didn’t expect a segment like this; I almost failed right there.”

Xia Chunhua realized the situation.

An Rong instantly realized that her own status as a “middle-of-the-road” pick was probably only because Xu Xiaoye couldn’t remember anyone else’s name.

How tragic…

In her previous life, it hadn’t been like this. Back then, Xu Xiaoye had picked her first. She had been a “top-tier” pick. It seemed that the kiss had indeed had a significant negative impact; her status had plummeted.

An Rong felt a twinge of regret, and could only savor the memory of that flavorless first kiss.

Soon, the four captains had finished selecting their teams. Everyone took a moment to get to know one another so they wouldn’t forget names while living and training together.

Once the teams were set, Qin Yun said, “Since the four captains have chosen their members, the new evaluation task is about to begin. Captains, please come up and receive your assignments.”

Four white iPads were lined up on the table.

Xu Xiaoye walked over. The screens weren’t lit, and they looked identical. She hesitated for a second and looked toward the evaluators for guidance.

Qin Yun pursed her lips and nodded. “Each iPad contains four songs. The songs are the same, but the arrangements have been modified. Don’t worry about unfairness; I guarantee these are songs none of you have heard before. The four dances are all different, but the difficulty levels are roughly the same.”

As she spoke, An Rong remembered: the difficulty of this particular evaluation was actually gargantuan…

Sure enough, as soon as Qin Yun spoke, the previously happy atmosphere was replaced by a shroud of tension. Everyone looked at Qin Yun with wide, pleading eyes.

Qin Yun said unhurriedly, “As you might guess, you have two weeks to prepare. Two weeks from today, there will be a formal performance competition. Scores from the evaluators and our ten choreographers and music teachers will serve as the basis for the end-of-month evaluation. That means, in twenty-five days, five more of you will be eliminated.”

Eliminating five people out of twenty—one-fourth of the group—was a high ratio.

The group was instantly filled with anxiety. People began wondering if their current teammates were suitable, whether a weak teammate would drag their score down, or if a strong teammate would outshine them.

Xu Xiaoye took the first iPad. She turned and opened it for her team to see. Before they could finish the first song, Qin Yun spoke again: “No need to rush. The new dorms are ready. You can go check them out, collect your uniforms, choose your beds, and officially begin your TS training.”

An Rong’s gaze shifted quietly to Xu Xiaoye’s face and then, pretending it was accidental, slid past. She didn’t want to alert anyone. In their previous life, she and Xu Xiaoye had shared a bunk bed, but she wasn’t sure if that would happen this time…

A group of girls cheered and ran toward the studio door. They had been stuck here for a day and a night; they were tired and hungry. At the mention of dorms, they immediately thought of rest. One by one, they bolted like wild horses.

Just as An Rong stepped out of the studio, someone came looking for her.

It was their temporary supervisor, whom they had met when they first arrived. Her name was Chen Xin. She worked behind the scenes; this part wouldn’t be broadcast on the show.

An Rong froze for a moment.

Chen Xin said, “There’s something you need to go take care of.”

An Rong understood. She tilted her head, caught a glimpse of Xu Xiaoye out of the corner of her eye, and nodded to her with an apologetic, embarrassed expression.

Xu Xiaoye also knew what was happening, but she didn’t say a word.

An Rong followed Chen Xin out. Chen Xin remained silent the whole way, putting a lot of psychological pressure on An Rong. She was terrified that she was about to be notified of her expulsion.

When they reached the door of the medical room, Chen Xin finally spoke: “Don’t be nervous. The people inside are very professional doctors. They just need to give you a basic check-up.”

An Rong hesitated. “I already submitted my physical exam report…”

The basic materials required for TS trainees included a physical exam, and after joining, the company organized regular check-ups. Although her memories weren’t perfect, An Rong recalled her physical exams being very thorough.

As she opened the door, Chen Xin turned to look at her. “It’s not for your body.”

An Rong: “…???”

Once inside, An Rong understood what “not for the body” meant. It seemed everyone knew about her kissing Xu Xiaoye, so they were primarily checking to see if she had any mental health issues.

As soon as she entered, she was asked to fill out a form. While she wrote, a person beside her asked repeated questions.

“Why did you kiss Xu Xiaoye?”

Naturally, An Rong couldn’t tell the truth. She said, “I didn’t know it was her. I was dreaming at the time.”

“Do you have a history of sleepwalking?”

An Rong said, “…I don’t think so.”

“What do you mean, ‘you don’t think so’?”

An Rong gripped her pen and said calmly, “I wouldn’t know myself, and no one has ever told me that I do.”

“What were you dreaming about at the time?”

An Rong said coolly, “I forgot.”

“You can’t remember anything at all?”

An Rong hesitated. Feeling that saying she remembered nothing at all would seem unrealistic, she made something up: “I remembered at first, but I forgot as soon as I woke up. I just remember it was very bizarre, and it seemed to take place in the dance studio. Maybe it’s because I didn’t rest well yesterday and the pressure was high.”

“Are you in a relationship?”

An Rong shook her head decisively. Are they suspecting I dreamed of a partner and mistook Xu Xiaoye for them?

“Is there no one you have a secret crush on?”

This time, An Rong hesitated. If she said she had no one at all, it wouldn’t match her behavior. She weighed her words and took a middle-ground approach: “…I had one when I was younger. This is a private matter, right?”

The staff seemed to find a shred of logic there. They nodded, putting on a kind, smiling facade. “It is private. We’re just asking in passing. But if you enter the company, we have rules: artists are not allowed to date. Besides, you’re still young and easily deceived; your parents would be worried.”

An Rong gave a hum of acknowledgment, furrowing her brow to act dejected. She shifted her gaze away and said, “I know. That’s all in the past.”

She acted exactly like a little girl who had made a mistake—someone who gets nervous and reveals her flaws when questioned, answering whatever she’s asked, obedient and easy to handle.

An Rong put down her pen and handed over the paper. “I’m finished.”

An Rong was given a tube of ointment to reduce swelling. As soon as she was let out and opened the door, she saw Xu Xiaoye.

Xu Xiaoye stood at the door, squinting at An Rong with a smile. “Not bad. At such a young age, you already have someone you like.”

An Rong was instantly stunned and shook her head frantically in panic. “I don’t!”

Xu Xiaoye wore an “I-know-the-truth” expression. She nodded and said, “Don’t hide it. I’m not in charge of your business. But from now on, no matter who asks, you must say you don’t have anyone. Understand?”

An Rong: …And if I say I don’t, will you believe me?

This was sincere advice from the experienced Xu Xiaoye, meant for her own good. Moreover, she couldn’t exactly deny it now.

Perhaps because she knew An Rong’s “little secret,” the distance between them seemed to vanish instantly. As they walked toward the dorms together, Xu Xiaoye said, “The company people asked me earlier how I wanted to handle what happened this morning.”

An Rong’s heart leaped into her throat.

Xu Xiaoye blinked and said in a slow, casual tone, “Forget it. Being kissed by a little girl doesn’t seem like a big deal. You aren’t… a lesbian, are you?”

An Rong: …A life-threatening question!

The Author has something to say:

An Rong: After rebirth, things are different from what I imagined.