Your performance is a disgrace!” Xu Wei continued to berate them, his words harsh and merciless.
Lin Xiaoman felt a wave of frustration wash over her. She wanted to protect her teammates but knew that any attempt to talk back would only make things worse. Instead, she took a deep breath and tried to refocus. They had to find a way to regain their spirits and tackle the dance together.
Suddenly, Lin Xiaoman remembered the techniques she learned from Jiang Huan. If they could find a way to incorporate some of those adaptive methods, they might just convince Xu Wei of their potential.
As time went on, Lin Xiaoman proposed a new plan: they would practice the moves not just as a rigid routine, but as a form of expression. She shared her vision with her team.
“We can create something beautiful if we let our emotions guide us,” she said, trying to inspire them. Her teammates exchanged glances, a flicker of hope igniting within each of them.
With a renewed sense of determination, they set to work. As they practiced, something shifted. Instead of merely going through the motions, they found joy in dancing, and Xu Wei began to notice a change in their attitude.
The atmosphere transformed, and they felt a growing sense of artistry developing. Day by day, they were not just learning the dance; they were growing as performers.
By the time the performance day arrived, they stood on stage with confidence, ready to show everyone what they could achieve when they combined discipline with creativity.
As the music played, Lin Xiaoman took the lead. The unity and passion they demonstrated resonated with the audience, leaving a lasting impact.
Even Xu Wei was taken aback, quietly acknowledging their progress. In that moment, they realized that dance was more than just technique; it was a powerful medium for expression.
Do you usually get votes by begging for sympathy?” Xu Wei’s tone was even more contemptuous.
Lin Xiaoman frowned. She knew Xu Wei was arrogant and looked down on others, but didn’t expect her prejudice against trainees to be so severe.
Just as Lin Xiaoman was about to explain, Wei Qinghuan stood in front of Huang Yinyin: “Teacher Xu, please apologize to Yinyin.”
Xu Wei sneered: “Why should I apologize? Am I wrong? She’s been practicing for so long and can’t learn, only knows how to cry. Does she deserve to be an idol?”
“This is a personal attack,” Wei Qinghuan’s beautiful face turned serious. “You must apologize to her.”
“I’m just telling the truth,” Xu Wei coldly swept her gaze over the others. “None of you deserve to be idols.”
The dance studio suddenly fell silent, the atmosphere tense and ready to explode.
“Whether we’re worthy or not is not for Teacher Xu to decide,” Lin Xiaoman spoke slowly, looking at Xu Wei without any fear.
Xu Wei said she wanted to see their abilities, but then found an excuse to leave the dance practice room. Everyone understood her meaning and was letting them go freely, causing everyone to look worried.
“It’s my fault,” Huang Yinyin said self-reproachfully, “I made Teacher Xu angry.”
“With her temper, she would explode even without provocation,” a team member said.
“But without Teacher Xu, what will happen to our dance?” Huang Yinyin’s eyes reddened again. “I’ll go find Teacher Xu and apologize.”
“No need,” Lin Xiaoman spoke up, “if you’re willing to trust me, I have a solution.”
“What solution?” Wei Qinghuan’s face brightened.
“The dance moves are very complex, and everyone’s movements are not standard. If we continue correcting movements one by one, we might not even finish learning the dance by the finals,” Lin Xiaoman said. “To complete this dance, we must modify some movements.”
“Exactly!” Wei Qinghuan’s eyes lit up. “If we modify the moves to suit us, we can perform the dance well in a short time.”
“But…” Huang Yinyin spoke softly.
If we change it to a simpler dance, even if we perform it well, people will compare it to the original based on their existing impressions and think we didn’t do well enough.”
She was right. Recreated works are easily compared to the original, and with a masterpiece preceding them, surpassing the original seemed impossible.
The others looked at Lin Xiaoman with some worry.
“Trust me,” Lin Xiaoman smiled confidently at them. “I have a way.”
“I trust you!” Wei Qinghuan looked at her and nodded firmly.
Lin Xiaoman looked at the others, and they all nodded.
Afterward, Lin Xiaoman rearranged the dance. She simplified the movements for the three members who couldn’t perform highly difficult moves while ensuring that if not looked at carefully, the differences would not be noticeable. In the dance, everyone had their own solo part, and Lin Xiaoman took all these movements onto herself, covering for everyone while quickly changing positions.
They practiced several times and found the effect quite good. Although Xu Wei never came during the training time, everyone regained their confidence.
They continued practicing until 10 PM, and the five could barely complete the dance following the music. Reviewing the playback, the effect seemed not bad. Everyone then returned to their dormitories to rest, planning to add the singing part after familiarizing themselves with the dance.
After separating from the others, Lin Xiaoman felt hungry and went to the convenience store outside the TV station to buy some salad. While walking back, she saw a familiar figure at the corner.
The man standing in the shadows was tall and straight.
“What a coincidence,” Lin Xiaoman took the initiative to greet him.
Ji Zhixian’s gaze first fell on the plastic bag in her hand, then quickly lifted. Under the street lamp, her face was bathed in warm yellow light, her clear eyes sparkling.
Ji Zhixian’s cold expression relaxed, and he said in a low voice, “I was just passing by.”
Lin Xiaoman stepped forward and smiled, “Thank you.”
Although she didn’t like Ji Zhixian much, credit where credit was due.
Ji Zhixian was a very qualified collaborator. When she exposed the malicious editing, he quickly arranged for marketing accounts to clarify the facts, quickly turning public opinion in her favor.
This thank you was appropriate.
She was very close, close enough for Ji Zhixian to smell her fresh fragrance. He lowered his gaze, the girl’s beautiful face filling his entire vision.
However, Lin Xiaoman then pulled away: “It’s almost rest time, I’ll go first.”
Ji Zhixian suddenly felt empty inside and quickly said, “Wait.”
“What?” Lin Xiaoman tilted her head to look at him, her eyes still carrying a smile, “Is there something else?”
Ji Zhixian didn’t like being in a passive situation. Calming his emotions, Ji Zhixian asked coolly, “Don’t you have anything else to say to me?”
“You mean about Teacher Xu?”
Ji Zhixian saw her puzzled expression and felt a hidden displeasure. She was unwilling to take action herself, and now with this big issue with Xu Wei, she didn’t even mention a word.
Is this how she expects help?
Lin Xiaoman, seeing his silence, knew she had guessed correctly and explained, “She’s not suitable to teach us. Her leaving is good.”
“Xu Wei is an internationally award-winning dancer. She can’t teach you?”
Ji Zhixian had gone to great lengths to bring Xu Wei here, but someone was completely unappreciative. His tone carried a hint of reproach. Lin Xiaoman didn’t want to indulge his attitude: “We know best whether she can teach us or not.”
“You should know better than to drive her away. I actually think we practice better without her,” Lin Xiaoman confronted Ji Zhixian head-on.
Ji Zhixian slightly furrowed his brow: “So you practiced all night without even eating?”
“That’s because I was immersed in dance practice and lost track of time.”
“
Ji Zhixian was somewhat annoyed by her stubbornness, giving her a deep look.
