Ch129 - Killer Waist Grab

The lights shone on the trainees on stage.

They sat on the couches, dressed in fitted suits, their long legs filling the screen.

“I was locked in at first sight, you are my destiny…”

“Your charm is dangerous, yet I’ve never wanted to escape…”

Lu Xu, in centre position, began to sing, his expression carrying a hint of a refined yet rebellious aura, mixed in with a sense of devotion. Being naturally good-looking , his appearance combined with the suit made him look even more tall and handsome.

After singing a couple of lines, Lu Xu stood up from the couch, and Yao Yulong followed suit, singing, “Conquer, submit, one meeting determines victory or defeat…”

Each of the six men had their own unique charm; it was a wonderful sight wherever they stood.

It had to be said that the languid music embellished by the enchanting lights made it feel like they were elegant, noble, and charming.

There was no need to mention Lu Xu’s appearance. A close-up shot on the big screen lit up the entire studio. The screams nearly blew the roof off.

Not to mention the public judges being captivated, even the mentors felt that a contestant like Lu Xu was a godsend. Even if he did nothing but stand on the stage, a single expression or movement was enough to capture everyone’s attention.

If he wanted to show off, the others wouldn’t even stand a chance beside him.

However, Lu Xu was selfless. Despite the attention he naturally drew to himself, he always remembered that he was in a team. Even though he could easily steal the spotlight, he held back and let his teammates shine whenever the camera turned to them.

The brilliance of one person was like starlight, while the brilliance of the team was dazzling.

Just as the audience marveled at the performance, Yu Manman began singing her part.

Yu Manman being called the queen of singing already indicated her prowess. However, the live version stunned the public judges, causing their jaws to drop in disbelief—

Her voice was just too beautiful!

If Lu Xu and his group captivated the audience’s eyes, then Yu Manman nourished their ears.

It was hard to describe the magic in Yu Manman’s voice. Standing on the stage with a misty atmosphere, she seemed like a siren. Even though they knew she was dangerous, people couldn’t help but want to get closer.

Collaborating with a singer like that actually required courage, as her strength was formidable; a slight misstep could easily steal all the spotlight.

Almost everyone was worried about Lu Xu and his group sharing the stage with Yu Manman, unsure if they might be overshadowed.

Backing vocals would help lift the performance greatly, especially if they were good.

However, if the backing vocals overpowered the contestants, it might end up causing more harm than good.

However, this worrying scenario did not occur. Yu Manman appeared on stage as she started singing, her face obscured by the backlight, yet her figure was outlined vividly.

She was a siren of the deep sea, a Medusa from myth, an elegant goddess whose radiance was blinding. Mortals dared not covet her, but there were always warriors willing to try.

Yu Manman shone brightly, yet Lu Xu and his group were not inferior.

The six of them spread out across the stage, not affected in the slightest by Yu Manman’s presence. They all sang “Submit” while looking at her.

If in the original version of “Submit”, Yu Manman was a world-conquering queen, then on today’s stage, she indeed resembled a goddess touched by a bit of humanity.

No one could obtain her love, but there would always be someone willing to attempt it

Yu Manman, wearing high heels, moved gracefully among the six contestants, every gesture and step a performance. Yu Manman truly possessed an enchanting face that captivated people’s hearts and eyes without saying a single word.

Lu Xu was the only contestant on this stage who could rival Yu Manman in terms of appearance. When the two stood together, it was like a scene from a fairy tale. Not to mention, Lu Xu’s aura was just as powerful as Yu Manman’s.

“Conquer, submit…”

The theme of love between man and woman was timeless. Every glance was like a competition akin to opponents in chess.

Seeing Yu Manman swaying her hips and dancing with Lu Xu, everyone in the studio felt an inexplicable excitement.

Yu Manman had an excellent figure, and Lu Xu was equally impressive.

The two of them stood side by side on the stage, and when Lu Xu reached out and held Yu Manman’s waist, Tang Yanqing’s heart ached with a pang of bitterness, yet he still requested a close-up shot from the live camera.

“Aaaaah, the waist grab!”

“Oh my god, this is just…”

“Oooooh, if only I could experience Yu Manman’s perspective first and then Lu Xu’s perspective. I love both of them; I can’t handle it aaaah…”

The audience was in uproar. The current visual of Lu Xu and Yu Manman was like a magazine cover. If they didn’t know better, they would think this was a pre-edited movie scene.

Even the instructor, Gu Wenan, couldn’t help but exclaim, “If this episode airs, the ratings will explode, my god. I almost want to join in with the dancing just from watching.”

Hearing this, Qin Kewei couldn’t help but mutter softly, “I’m afraid rumors might start flying after this. Just their on-stage chemistry is out of this world!”

Shen Chengyu nodded with a smile, feeling that Lu Xu and his shi jie‘s performance would likely become a trending moment on the internet.

Almost everyone felt that Lu Xu and Yu Manman were a perfect match on stage, and even Ji Xiunian couldn’t deny this.

But watching the interaction of the two on stage and hearing the comments around him, Ji Xiunian suddenly felt a bit stifled.

The feeling was fleeting, disappearing before he could even think about it.

Even though the judges around him were discussing the chemistry between Lu Xu and Yu Manman, Ji Xiunian didn’t intend to say anything.

In the blink of an eye, the performance of “Submit” was approaching its conclusion, and it was almost time for the ending pose.

Ji Xiunian’s gaze landed on Lu Xu. He thought that Lu Xu, being on the upper part of the stage with Yu Manman, wouldn’t look in his direction. However, as soon as he looked up, he saw Lu Xu’s lips curl into a smile, with a wink directed at him.

The camera happened to capture Lu Xu’s face, and it made people feel that some people were just too attractive to be real.

Seeing Lu Xu’s ending wink on the big screen, the audience in the studio screamed endlessly, shouting that Lu Xu was a thief stealing all of their hearts.

This wink was in a close-up shot, and everyone thought that Lu Xu was aiming for the camera.

Ji Xiunian also thought the same way, but there was a small voice in his heart that called out.

With so many camera angles and shots available, why did Lu Xu, out of all of them, look in his direction? Could it be possible that he was actually trying to catch his attention?

It was just a small possibility, but Ji Xiunian felt his heart flutter. It was both sweet and filled with anticipation.

But the next moment, his smile turned bitter. His rational side was trying to bring him back to reality. In such a large studio, could Lu Xu really spot him with such accuracy in just a second?

So, it had to be a coincidence.

Soon, the fifth and sixth groups of trainees took to the stage for their performances. Ji Xiunian shook off the state of being overly anxious and focused on watching the performances.

It had to be said that with the guest singers, the atmosphere throughout the entire third public performance exploded.

Undoubtedly, Lu Xu once again secured the title of the most popular contestant of this round.

The 36 contestants and the guest singers stood on the stage, preparing to take a group photo. Everyone was in high spirits.

Even though the announcement of the new rankings would come soon, and only 22 contestants would continue on, everyone’s faces were filled with joy from completing today’s performance together.

No matter what the future held, as long as they could shine on the stage and show their stuff, even if it was just for a brief few minutes, that was their dream come true.

Lu Xu, as the one in the centre position, was naturally placed in the middle for the group photo.

Yu Manman, with her fame, was not only his shijie but also the guest singer, so the staff arranged her next to Lu Xu. They already had a certain couple vibe on stage, and standing together for the group photo would undoubtedly attract even more attention once it was released.

Lu Xu didn’t have any particular thoughts about this; he simply maintained an appropriate distance from Yu Manman out of politeness.

Ji Xiunian took the stage and immediately spotted Lu Xu. Before he had even decided where to stand, he heard Lu Xu calling out to him, “Nian ge, over here!”

“Sure.” Ji Xiunian didn’t say much verbally, but the slight upward curve of his lips and the twinkle in his eyes gave away his emotions.

Gu Wenan was placed right in the centre, but he felt like something was a bit off.

Seeing Ji Xiunian approach, Gu Wenan pulled him over, saying, “Nian ge, come stand over here.”

Gu Wenan was the one who was right in the middle, with a few people separating him from Lu Xu.

Ji Xiunian did not even hesitate. He pointed to the spot next to Lu Xu and shook his head at Gu Wenan, “No, I’ll stand right here.”

Gu Wenan intended to persuade Ji Xiunian, but Ji Xiunian moved swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, he was already standing next to Lu Xu.

Witnessing this, the people nearby offered to move out of the way. feeling that Ji Xiunian, as a well-known figure, shouldn’t be standing at the edge.

As some invited Ji Xiunian to the center, a photographer on the other side began calling for them to prepare for the photo.

Seeing that Shen Chengyu seemed to want Ji Xiunian to move, Lu Xu naturally reached out and casually looped his arm around Ji Xiunian’s waist, pulling him slightly towards himself, and smiling at Shen Chengyu, “It’s enough for Nian ge to love just me.”

Before they finished speaking, a photographer not far away called out for them to look at the camera, “Get ready, 1, 2, 3… okay, let’s take a few more shots…”

Whatever the photographer said afterward, Ji Xiunian barely heard it. His attention was focused on Lu Xu’s arm around his waist.

Even though he knew Lu Xu’s action had no ulterior motive, having someone he liked hold him like this made him feel incredibly happy.

Standing next to them, Yu Manman naturally noticed the subtle interaction between them.

It was normal for guys to casually touch shoulders or backs, but the directness of Lu Xu’s waist-holding gesture made their relationship seem sweet and intimate.

However, guys were always like this, straightforward and open. Lu Xu probably hadn’t thought much about it either.

Yu Manman averted her gaze and then smiled gently at the camera.

After the group photo, there was a session for individual photos. Many took this opportunity to take photos with mentors or guest singers.

Yu Manman had just taken a group photo with a few trainees when she saw Tang Yanqing standing beside her, seemingly out of nowhere. “Miss Yu, may I take a photo with you?”

Recalling that last time she had jumped into his arms to avoid Ba Mei, Yu Manman felt a bit embarrassed. She hadn’t had a chance to think about or the opportunity to properly thank Tang Yanqing yet, but upon hearing his request, she nodded and said, “Of course.”

With Yu Manman’s agreement, Tang Yanqing happily stood next to her and even gave a thumbs up to Ji Xiunian.

Tang Yanqing had been thinking about this for a long time, and finally, he took the first step. Ji Xiunian looked at him and felt happy for him

However, before they could enjoy the moment for too long, Lu Xu suddenly spoke up, “They’re not a good match. It’s better for them to give up while they still can…”