As time passed, Dream Girl Group grew increasingly popular, and the trainees gradually became the subjects of public discussion.
Lin Yueyue had always held an overwhelming advantage in both votes and popularity… until Gu Tang broke that advantage in one fell swoop.
It was not because everyone had finally discovered how adorable Gu Tang herself was, but because… Gu Tang had been thoroughly roasted online.
Gu Tang stared expressionlessly at the number-one trending topic:
#Gu Tang# #The Sunglasses Boy#
Being literally cursed her way onto the trending list was quite a complicated feeling.
She had been very happy when she clicked into it. After all, being on the trending list was a good thing. But then she discovered that a marketing account had edited together the clip of Xu Piaopiao telling her story with the clip of Gu Tang talking to Song Mo, followed by all kinds of insults in the comments.
After reading a few of the most popular comments, Gu Tang closed her phone, but Xu Piaopiao was not about to let her off.
“Girl, you actually talked to Song Mo alone! Why didn’t you call me when something this good happened?”
Gu Tang replied, “Because you’ve been inseparable from that dance mat.”
Xu Piaopiao was momentarily speechless, then forcibly changed the subject.
“Do you know that a lot of people online are guessing that you and Song Mo are a couple? After all, Song Mo has never been involved in this kind of romantic scandal with any female actress before. You’re the first.”
What? She was Song Mo’s first rumored girlfriend?
Gu Tang had just been wearing an expression that practically screamed “I’m doomed, I’m doomed, I’m doomed.” After hearing Xu Piaopiao’s explanation, however, she suddenly came back to life, even becoming a little bashful.
“But wouldn’t this have such a bad effect on Song Mo? Oh my, I’m really sorry. What have I done to deserve this?”
Xu Piaopiao raised an eyebrow.
“Exactly. If something like this gets spread around, you’re not the one who should be troubled by it. Song Mo should be the one feeling distressed. Why are you so depressed?”
Gu Tang was startled. She suddenly felt the weight of this tremendous responsibility.
“I’ll definitely be stricter with myself from now on. I won’t embarrass Song Mo!”
She said it as though the two of them were already bound together.
Gu Tang was far too good at following whatever opening was given to her. Even someone as thick-skinned as Xu Piaopiao could not handle it.
“You need to have some idea of just how much influence you actually have over Song Mo.”
Xu Piaopiao really was a genius at comforting people. After being enlightened by her, Gu Tang felt completely relieved, and even began to feel a little sorry for Song Mo.
At the same time, she thought of something else.
In the original story, Song Mo’s first rumored girlfriend was of course not Gu Tang, but Lin Yueyue. As fellow rumored girlfriends, Lin Yueyue had received much better treatment than Gu Tang. She had gone directly from being unknown to being adored by the entire internet.
What kind of garbage comparison was this?!
The exact same thing happened, yet Lin Yueyue was adored by the entire internet while Gu Tang was hated by the entire internet.
Gu Tang completely ignored her own appearance, which practically screamed “vicious supporting female character.” She only felt that these people simply lacked the eyes to recognize true beauty and goodness.
After mentally preparing herself, Gu Tang and Xu Piaopiao arrived at the training room and began another day of training.
Gu Tang had originally been worried that the trending topic might cause people to treat her differently…
As it turned out, she had been overthinking it.
Everyone behaved exactly as usual, displaying the calmness of people who had seen the wider world and were thinking, “You deserve special treatment? Who do you think you are?”
Chen Xing was busy. Today was the first time Yin Fan would be performing the entire routine with them, and there were many details that needed to be polished.
Yin Fan’s choreography was genuinely simple. Basically, he just moved to a few designated positions onstage and stood there while each girl danced a circle around him.
Xu Piaopiao’s description was particularly fitting.
“Jupiter and its seventy-nine moons.”
In accordance with the lyrics, each girl’s movements as she danced around Yin Fan were different. Gu Tang happened to be the one who came at the end.
Superpower Girl was an extremely sweet song. It described a young girl’s beautiful fantasies, dreaming of being a top student, dreaming of having endless beautiful clothes to wear, dreaming that the most handsome boy in the entire school would be her boyfriend, strolling through the streets arm in arm with her best friend…
Everything at the beginning was sweet and romantic, filled with the pink, fluttery atmosphere of being in love. Only Gu Tang’s ending depicted a fantasy shattering, the girl coming back to reality and passing by the senior she secretly loved.
“This is way too realistic,” Gu Tang said. Although she had already mentally prepared herself, she still could not help shedding tears of bitterness when she saw the part of the story she had been assigned once again.
Xu Piaopiao twitched the corner of her mouth.
“If you want, I’m willing to switch with you. Just go ask Teacher Chen Xing.”
Xu Piaopiao’s part was the sweetest section, the so-called “honeymoon period.” She had to sweetly hold onto Yin Fan’s arm as they strolled down an imaginary street, then make an innocent, coquettish twirl in front of Yin Fan, as though trying on a dress.
Heaven and earth could bear witness, Xu Piaopiao had never been this coquettishly cute in her entire life. Those few coquettish movements were practically killing her.
“Forget it,” Gu Tang shook her head. “Teacher Chen Xing won’t let us switch. Besides, I can’t do your coquettish routine either.”
The two of them had not talked for long when Teacher Chen Xing clapped his hands and called everyone together.
“Stop practicing on your own. Come on, let’s run through it once with the music!”
The opening movements had already been practiced until they were thoroughly familiar. The part that really needed attention was the section in the middle where Yin Fan joined them.
Speaking of which, Gu Tang could not help wondering whether Yin Fan’s potential was truly limitless. Why was he so steady even when it came to dancing? Working with him required practically no effort at all.
To create the desired stage effect, whenever Yin Fan interacted with one of the girls, everyone else would remain still, and the spotlight would focus only on the two of them.
Gu Tang watched as Yin Fan took the hand of the first girl. This was where the fantasy began. The girl became a top student and unexpectedly encountered a handsome boy at the corner of the hallway.
Then there was the accidental touch when they both reached for the same book at the same bookstore.
A knowing smile exchanged over two ice creams bought from a street vendor.
Strolling together down the street, then trying on a backless dress with a little flirtatious touch at a clothing store, where she had to twirl around to show it to him.
Scene after scene froze as the lights went out, becoming part of the past.
After Xu Piaopiao’s part, Xu Piaopiao froze like a puppet, her fingers still pinching the hem of her skirt. Yin Fan came to stand in front of Gu Tang.
Gu Tang knew that Yin Fan was a good actor. When he looked at you, his eyes were clear yet filled with deep affection, as though you could drown in that tenderness.
“Unable to escape this lingering hesitation, I want you to see the wonderful things I have to show you.”
Gu Tang found the only presentable piece among the Valentine’s Day chocolates she had made into a complete mess. Holding the carefully wrapped chocolate, she went to look for Yin Fan. The moment she spotted him in the crowd, she excitedly waved at him.
“The love I give you, please don’t guess. My heart is racing, and I can’t bear to wait.”
Their eyes met amid the crowd. Gu Tang’s eyes curved into a smile, but the person opposite her seemed not to have seen her and looked away.
The dream finally shattered. The fantasy finally fell apart. The chocolate in the girl’s hands dropped to the ground and was crushed into a muddy mess under someone’s foot.
People came and went. Amid the crowded streets, the young man brushed past the girl. This was the closest distance she would ever get to the boy she secretly loved in the real world.
“The surging crowd pulls me into the deep sea, while the wind tells me that you once existed.”
Gu Tang turned back to look at him. He did not turn around. Gu Tang forced out a smile, wearing the same gentle expression as the boy.
The sorrowful atmosphere was scattered by the cheerful music. The main melody returned to the stage, and she became that innocent, hardworking, happy girl once again, dreaming of becoming a better version of herself.
“…I am still waiting, I am still waiting for your applause.”
To always keep striving and to always remain full of hope for the future, that was the superpower of a superpower girl.
After leaving the stage, Yin Fan’s gaze settled on Gu Tang. Just as he had expected, she was the most captivating individual among them all.
Someone noticed Yin Fan staring. Chen Xing cheerfully draped an arm over his shoulder.
“How was it? These are all my students. Am I an excellent teacher or what?”
Yin Fan lowered his eyes.
“These students are all very talented.”
Chen Xing gave a couple of smug little hums. “Of course they are. Oh, right, did you ever teach Gu Tang anything?”
“What?” Yin Fan looked up at him.
“Things related to performing onstage. Although you didn’t train for very long before you went into acting full-time, our teacher said back then that you were different.” Chen Xing was not jealous in the slightest. The instructor who had taught them had made it clear, a sense of stage presence was something very difficult to grasp.
Yin Fan was the kind of person that teacher had praised as someone who “had a feel for it.”
Chen Xing was the best dancer among all of them, but if he and Yin Fan stood on the same stage, there was no guarantee that the audience’s attention would remain on him.
Yin Fan glanced at Chen Xing and raised the corners of his lips. After blinking, the gentleness between his brows disappeared. The corners of his eyes lifted, becoming sharp and provocative. At the same time, he slightly raised his slender, handsome chin, carrying an aloof arrogance that seemed to hook people’s attention.
He could blend into a girl group and become a gentle yet distant senior from their youth, or he could become cold and sharp, overwhelming everyone around him with his presence and becoming an utterly unique existence.
No matter how many times he saw it, it still made Chen Xing marvel. He clicked his tongue twice and shook his head.
“Acting department, huh…”
“I didn’t teach Gu Tang anything.” Yin Fan had already returned to his usual state, once again becoming that idealized, pure-hearted figure. “She’s a natural.”
He had merely given her a little guidance, yet Gu Tang already possessed such strong expressiveness.
Chen Xing looked suspicious, but he could not find the slightest trace of anything suspicious on Yin Fan’s refined and elegant face.
Yin Fan’s eyes curved into a smile.
“We’re the same kind of people.”
Chen Xing looked at Gu Tang, who was still training, then looked at Yin Fan and spat.
“Stop flattering yourself.”
There was no way Gu Tang was the same kind of person as someone like him.
There was nothing wrong with Gu Tang’s stage performance. Xu Piaopiao, who was also from the acting department, had no difficulty either. The other two girls were not bad enough to drag the group down.
The only one who stood out awkwardly was Jiujiu.
Jiujiu was responsible for the very first part of the interaction, which required the surprise and delight of an unexpected encounter.
Originally, this part should not have been difficult for Jiujiu. After all, every time she saw Yin Fan, she naturally showed an uncontrollable look of delight. But the level of delight she displayed was clearly different from that of someone secretly in love. It was practically open love.
“Performing on the same stage as your idol really is too difficult for a fan,” Xu Piaopiao said with a shake of her head.
Gu Tang offered Jiujiu some advice.
“First, don’t think of Yin Fan as something like a carrot or a cabbage. Basically, just don’t think of him as a person.”
Yin Fan, who was standing nearby, reminded her, “I can hear what you’re saying.”
“Okay, we’ll speak more quietly.” Gu Tang really was an accommodating and considerate woman.
Xu Piaopiao had a different idea.
“Your method is way too outdated. Who still uses that kind of method nowadays?”
Xu Piaopiao walked over to Jiujiu and pointed toward Yin Fan.
“Think of him as the man you hate the most, like your math teacher or something.”
Gu Tang was not about to let her off either.
“Classmate, please apologize to the math teacher.”
Following the direction Xu Piaopiao pointed, Jiujiu looked at Yin Fan. Her voice began to tremble.
“What are you talking about? How could I possibly hate someone whose eyes are completely filled with stars like that?”
“Okay,” Gu Tang interrupted. “That’s enough idol worship for now.”
Chen Xing was deeply dissatisfied.
“You weren’t nervous at all when I was teaching you the moves. What is this preferential treatment?! Now, look at me and hurry up, blush and make your heart race!”
Jiujiu answered very honestly, “It’s a little difficult.”
Chen Xing took a direct hit to the heart and silently covered his wound.
The atmosphere became awkward for a moment, until Yin Fan broke the silence.
“Think of me as your senior,” he said, looking at Jiujiu.
Jiujiu’s heart began racing again. “S-senior?”
Yin Fan nodded and asked with a smile, “Can you do that? Think of me as a senior you have a crush on?”
That smile struck Jiujiu right in the heart. She felt like she was about to run out of breath.
“I can! I can!”
Gu Tang interrupted, “If big sister can do it, then little sister can too.”
Xu Piaopiao chimed in, “If little sister can do it, then Piaopiao can too.”
Xu Piaopiao’s repeated-name pun was so painfully cold that even Gu Tang could not help shuddering.
Jiujiu tried again, this time recreating the moment of encountering her senior. Her performance was somewhat better than before.
“Don’t just stand there staring blankly,” Gu Tang said, standing beside Jiujiu. “He’s a senior you have a crush on. Looking down and sneaking glances would work better. And so the audience can understand what you’re doing, the movements need to be a little bigger. Hmm… Have you watched Japanese school dramas or read school-themed manga?”
Once Gu Tang brought it up, she immediately had a vivid image in her mind.
She thoughtfully pretended to be holding a love letter, then bowed ninety degrees toward Yin Fan.
“Senior! Please accept this letter!”
She put on a full performance using an imaginary prop.
After watching her, Jiujiu finally got the feeling.
“Oh, so that’s how it’s supposed to be!”
Gu Tang straightened up and patted Jiujiu on the shoulder.
“You can do it.”
When she raised her eyes, she saw Yin Fan make a motion in midair as though picking something up. He was actually continuing the story from her imaginary performance.
Gu Tang watched as Yin Fan opened that “love letter,” then suddenly loosened his hand.
“Oh no, I accidentally let the wind blow it away!”
“What kind of boring plot is this?” Xu Piaopiao could not stand watching anymore and joined in with the same imaginary performance.
Xu Piaopiao launched an imaginary flying kick into the air. The “love letter” landed on the ground, and she stepped on it.
“Oh no, I accidentally stepped on someone’s love letter!”
Gu Tang wore a completely numb expression.
“Please, I’m begging you two, be a little nicer to my love letter, okay? I got really high marks in composition when I was in high school, you know. The kind where the Chinese teacher would read my essays aloud in class.”
Their interaction helped ease some of Jiujiu’s nervousness, and she could not help bursting into laughter.
The closer they got to the competition, the more relaxed everyone became.
For one thing, the rankings were no longer much of a mystery. Unless there were major fluctuations, it was possible to guess who would debut. For another, compared with before, they had gained experience and adjusted their mindsets.
The girls now paid more attention to what the teachers had told them, “Enjoy this stage.”
As popular contestants, Gu Tang and Xu Piaopiao had more to do besides their daily training, such as… filming advertisements.
After their previous advertisement shoot, the two of them had been left with deep psychological scars.
What surprised them even more was that this time, they would be filming the advertisement with Song Mo.
After learning about it, Gu Tang looked at the female director.
“Your production team really is ruthless. You’ll ride on any kind of popularity.”
She had already been getting cursed online just for talking to Song Mo.
The young director naturally knew what she meant.
“It’s fine. Someone gets cursed online every day. Getting cursed at a little isn’t a big deal. Getting the money into your hands is what really feels good.”
Gu Tang thought that this was probably how someone could become a director at such a young age. Success really did have its reasons.
“Besides, Song Mo didn’t refuse either,” the young director said with a shrug. “Other people couldn’t even dream of getting an opportunity like this, so don’t overthink it.”
Xu Piaopiao looked at Gu Tang.
“Song Mo really is a major movie star. At this level of hitching a ride on someone else’s popularity, he probably treats it like child’s play.”
“Now that you put it that way, I feel even more pitiful,” Gu Tang said, rubbing her forehead.
In this advertisement, Gu Tang and Xu Piaopiao played two students who could not understand the questions in class, desperately racking their brains but unable to figure out how to solve them.
The top student, Song Mo, gave each of them a bottle of Zhenshimei juice. After drinking it, the two girls suddenly had a flash of inspiration and came up with twelve different ways to solve the problem.
Once they finished their calculations, all three looked at the camera at the same time and smiled brightly.
“Zhenshimei Juice, unlock your brainpower!”
…Had this company really not given up on making such cheesy advertisements that forced an awkward connection to the drink?
Gu Tang gave Song Mo a long look. Even someone who had reached Song Mo’s level still had to do this kind of work.
For some reason, she felt deeply sympathetic toward him.
Song Mo really was outstanding. He had probably seen plenty of things like this before. Even when the advertisement was cheesy, he managed to make it cheesy in exactly the way the sponsor wanted. Under his lead, everyone got through the entire shoot in one take, saving a great deal of time and unnecessary embarrassment.
After filming ended, the other staff began putting away the props. Gu Tang approached Song Mo.
“Although you might think there’s something wrong with me, I still want to make one thing clear. I absolutely have no intention of tying myself to you for publicity.”
Song Mo glanced at Gu Tang. His usual serious expression relaxed, and the corners of his lips lifted.
“Of course I know. I was the one who brought up the street musician and sunglasses in the first place.”
With those words, the worry that had been hanging over Gu Tang finally disappeared. She smiled with curved eyes.
“That’s good. I was really afraid you would misunderstand. But I still caused you a lot of unnecessary trouble.”
Song Mo knew she was referring to the rumors. He thought seriously for a moment, then rested his chin on his hand.
“I’ve never encountered something like this before. I suppose it’s an interesting experience.”
Gu Tang stuck out her tongue.
“What kind of experience is that?”
She and Xu Piaopiao waited for further instructions from the young director.
A figure strode into the room where the advertisement had been filmed, heading straight toward Song Mo. When that person saw Gu Tang and Xu Piaopiao beside Song Mo, she seemed to become even angrier.
This room was not part of the production team’s filming area, so there were no cameras livestreaming.
Lu Yijing stormed over to Song Mo. Everyone else lowered their heads and continued doing their own work, pretending they had not seen anything.
Lu Yijing immediately began questioning him. “Song Mo, what’s going on with you? Why did you choose Gu Tang’s group? Why didn’t you film the advertisement with someone from our group?”
Xu Piaopiao widened her eyes and gave Gu Tang a meaningful look.
Gu Tang raised a hand to shield her mouth so the others could not see what she was saying. “Lu Yijing’s celebrity relative, right in front of us even though they’re supposed to be far away.”
Xu Piaopiao praised herself. “Wow… I’m really good at picking people and stirring up trouble.”
After Lu Yijing entered, the other staff gradually left. Even those who had not finished what they were doing found excuses to leave, and soon the room had been cleared out.
Gu Tang and Xu Piaopiao exchanged a glance and were about to leave as well. However, Lu Yijing took a step toward them, deliberately positioning herself so that anyone who wanted to leave had to pass right by her.
There was a clear hint of provocation in that.
Gu Tang and Xu Piaopiao were constantly teased for having the personalities of vicious supporting female characters, but they had never been so blatantly provoked before.