When the teams emerged from backstage in their new outfits, the members of other groups stared at them in disbelief.
Ace, known for their edgy, heavy-metal image and signature poker-faced, world-weary indifference on stage, had never looked like this—cute and delicate.
Yet, He Yunxing and He Xuyi’s exceptional temperament and striking looks somehow made the tender pink uniforms work. The soft color elevated their elegance, giving them an almost ethereal charm. They looked like fresh-faced boys just stepping into society, carrying a hint of youthful inexperience.
The stage was brightly lit, the design and equipment dazzling, but the steps and walkway beneath remained shrouded in a half-lit haze.
He Yunxing walked toward Bian Li, emerging from the dim shadows into the light streaming from the stage. She felt her heart tighten inexplicably, as if invisible fingertips were twisting and tugging at it.
Her heartbeat quickened, thumping—once, then again.
The official stage recording was about to begin. He Yunxing extended a bottle of mineral water toward her.
“Drink some water first to moisten your throat.”
Bian Li accepted it with both hands, taking a big gulp before looking up to meet his gaze.
Her brows arched slightly, and the corners of her lips curled into a subtle smile. Her crescent-shaped eyes shone brightly, as clear as a cloudless sky.
He Yunxing’s expression seemed to freeze at that moment. The two of them stood there in the semi-dark corner, silently looking at each other.
Meanwhile, He Xuyi, standing off to the side, coldly observed the scene. He hadn’t expected his overly considerate teammate to offer him a bottle of water.
His face, already sour, turned even darker as he walked off to grab a bottle for himself. Though he didn’t say a word, his back seemed lonely, almost pitiable.
Out of the corner of her eye, Bian Li spotted him and waved enthusiastically. “Brother He, over here! This way!”
He Xuyi approached reluctantly, clearly uninterested in chatting.
It wasn’t personal. He was just tired.
As they prepared to step on stage, a team of girls in bright red passed by. At the front was Zhen Xi, someone Bian Li didn’t know well. When Zhen Xi’s eyes landed on He Yunxing, her expression became unreadable. She didn’t say anything—not even the usual barbs and sarcasm.
The group entered the venue first. Just as they brushed past, Zhen Xi’s elbow seemed to accidentally bump into Bian Li’s collarbone. To outsiders, it looked like a harmless graze, but Bian Li felt the sharp sting where the blow landed.
The collarbone, though seemingly sturdy, was a vulnerable spot. The pain lingered, sharper than expected.
Bian Li stayed still, her anger simmering. It was obvious Zhen Xi wasn’t being careless. She’d even thrown a disdainful, provocative look at Bian Li as they passed.
The sneaky jab left Bian Li fuming, but she couldn’t call it out in front of so many people. To the crowd, it would look like she was picking a fight over nothing.
She sighed, rubbing her collarbone as she whispered under her breath.
Once on stage, standing behind the answering machine with her team, Bian Li’s brows remained furrowed.
He Yunxing noticed. “Does it hurt?”
Distracted, Bian Li had been patting her cheeks to loosen up her expression for the cameras. She paused and shook her head. “It doesn’t hurt now.”
Her tone was nonchalant, but her eyes betrayed her doubt. She glanced at him curiously—how had he noticed? From where he’d been standing earlier, it should’ve been impossible to see anything.
As if reading her mind, He Yunxing leaned in and murmured, “Your emotions are written all over your face.”
Bian Li pursed her lips. “… It’s not a big deal anyway.”
The director’s voice crackled in their earpieces, signaling the start of recording. “Attention, everyone! After the wardrobe change, the official shoot begins”
Bian Li straightened up, turned her face toward the camera, and stood obediently in place, her expression as well-behaved as ever.
There was a noticeable height difference between the two tall, slender young men and Bian Li, making her appear even shorter in comparison.
He Xuyi, who had been standing next to He Yunxing, suddenly found himself being pulled away. Confused, he glanced at He Yunxing, who gestured toward Bian Li’s left and said, “You stand over there.”
He Xuyi sneered internally. This dog man.
Despite his thoughts, he complied without protest. Now, the two men stood on either side of Bian Li, effectively boxing her in.
“Three, two, one, hit the board,” the director announced, signaling the start of the recording.
The official filming began with the host recapping the last round’s clothing competition. The atmosphere livened up as the host transitioned to the theme of the first activity:
A quick-answer trivia round. Each team would rush to press the answer button, and the fastest responder would answer the question. Correct answers added points, while incorrect ones subtracted points. The team with the most points would win a reward, while the lowest-scoring team would face a penalty.
Bian Li, sandwiched between the two tall men, couldn’t help but feel stifled. She glanced around at the other groups, who were huddled together discussing strategies, while her team just stood silently like three disconnected strangers.
Feeling the awkwardness, she whispered, “Aren’t we a bit…exaggerated?”
Her voice caught the attention of her two “door gods”, who turned to look at her simultaneously.
He Yunxing relaxed slightly, his tall frame leaning against the answering table. “Don’t you want us to protect you?” he replied, his tone light but teasing.
Before Bian Li could answer, he added, “Stand in the middle and focus on pressing the button later.”
She looked down at the bright red answer button in front of her. It stood out conspicuously.
“How am I supposed to answer?” she asked, turning her gaze to him.
He Yunxing tapped his fingers on the table lightly, his tone casual. “Answer whichever one you feel like.”
“And what if I get it wrong?” she retorted, concerned about losing points for their team.
He Yunxing’s lips curved into a confident smirk. “Do you think I’d let that happen?”
His confidence was almost infuriatingly arrogant.
“Fine,” Bian Li huffed, rolling her eyes. “But don’t blame me later if it goes wrong.”
The discussion period ended, and the trivia round officially began.
“Please look at the first question,” the host announced.
“In the poem ‘Ode to the Ancient Greek Weaver’, what conclusion does the poet Keats draw from his observation and conversation with the weaver?”
The question stunned everyone. Most idols weren’t from academic backgrounds, and even those with formal education couldn’t answer immediately.
However, students from Shengming Film Academy had an edge. Their curriculum included courses in art and literature appreciation, so a few participants recognized the question.
Bian Li, on the other hand, belonged to the type who forgot everything after exams. But adhering to her principle of rushing to answer every question, she instinctively pressed the button without hesitation.
She had no idea why, but she trusted He Yunxing.
Her movement caught Zhen Xi’s attention. Known for her competitive nature, Zhen Xi immediately pressed her own button, but she was a fraction too late.
“Ding dong!” The host smiled. “Pink team successfully buzzed in first!”
He Yunxing took the microphone, speaking clearly and without pause. “Beauty is truth, truth is beauty.”
“Correct answer!”
The audience erupted in applause.
From then on, the pink team dominated the round. Bian Li’s quick reflexes secured most of the questions, and He Yunxing confidently delivered the answers. On rare occasions when Bian Li was slightly slower, another team would manage to buzz in first, but those moments were few and far between.
Most of the time, Bian Li pressed the button with absolute faith, her trust in He Yunxing unwavering.
He Yunxing fully showcased his extensive knowledge, effortlessly embodying his reputation as an academic master and top performer in various fields.
Bian Li could distinctly feel the admiring gazes of the female idols around them, their eyes burning with obvious interest.
“Why was the first song ‘Arashi’ by the famous Japanese group Arashi released?”
— “For the Japan World Cup Volleyball Championship as a cheering song.”
“What is the nickname and pet name of Gemini member Bian Li?”
— “Fatty.”
He Yunxing answered each question without hesitation, following the principle of being “fast, fierce, and accurate”. Every answer was spot on.
With this level of dominance, the other teams were completely suppressed, unable to keep up with the pink team’s pace.
The atmosphere in the room grew increasingly heated, reaching a fever pitch.
After He Yunxing answered the question about Bian Li’s nickname, he remained composed, his gaze fixed forward at the camera. Yet, his cold and aloof aura seemed to envelop Bian Li, making her face flush inexplicably. Her heart felt oddly full.
The way he called out her nickname carried a subtle weight, making it sound sweeter and more meaningful than when anyone else said it.
“Alright, here’s the last question!” the host announced, his voice brimming with anticipation. “Why can’t Fahai ever be a rapper?”
Bian Li pressed the button almost instinctively. Her eyes sparkled as she turned to He Yunxing, her expression carrying a hint of anticipation.
He Yunxing didn’t speak. Instead, he raised his chin slightly in her direction, giving her silent approval.
With his affirmation, Bian Li picked up the microphone and confidently answered, “Because he doesn’t know how to be lenient!”
“Correct answer!!” the host shouted, equally caught up in the excitement.
By the end of the round, the pink team had answered nearly three-quarters of the questions. He Xuyi and Bian Li managed to contribute a few correct answers, but the majority were handled flawlessly by He Yunxing. Their team had racked up an impressive number of points.
There was no break before the next round began.
This time, the competition involved balloon shooting. Each team would take turns sending one representative to shoot as many balloons as possible with a toy gun. The team that popped the most balloons would win.
The top three teams would receive small prizes:
– 1st Place: A 30-second exclusive highlight clip selected by the program.
– 2nd Place: A chance to request help from the director.
– 3rd Place: Three packs of imported soft candy in new flavors.
With eight teams present, the chances of winning were fairly high.
The pink team chose He Yunxing to compete again.
No one had much experience with the game, so everyone was trying to figure out the mechanics during the practice round.
Bian Li, excited and eager, whispered, “Let’s aim for first place!”
He Yunxing adjusted his transparent protective glasses, standing sideways with effortless poise.
From where she stood, Bian Li could see the sharp curve of his jawline and the clean, elegant outline of his side profile.
He raised his arm, aiming steadily at the wall of balloons.
Hearing her comment, He Yunxing let out a soft chuckle, his posture relaxed and confident. His lips curled into a faint smirk.
“Why aim for first?” he asked lazily. “If you want to win, just take what you like.”
Bian Li followed his gaze to the neatly arranged prizes.
Her eyes landed on the third-place reward: the imported soft candies. The new flavors were exactly what she liked.
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