After the first round of elimination, there were only forty-five students left in total, which means there were three teams remaining in a class, with each team consisting of five people.
The training mode for the second round was different from the first round. The teaching method no longer focused on individual classes but mixed everyone together, like a big pot of rice.
Time flew by quickly, and before we knew it, the winter solstice was approaching. Everyone earned a brief vacation, but the instructor assigned homework in advance, which had to be completed by two teams working together in pairs.
Among them, the first team of Class A and Si Meng’s Team were the most popular. Other teams eagerly extended olive branches, but they were all rejected.
The class leader of Class A, Luo Tianyi, stared at Si Meng intently. Clenching her teeth as if making a firm decision, she disregarded the dissuasion of her teammates and walked up to Si Meng, saying, “Si Meng, are you interested in joining our team?”
“I’m not interested.” Si Meng rejected without even thinking about it. Luo Tianyi’s expression froze for a moment. It was the first time someone had rejected her so bluntly.
However, it was apparent that these words couldn’t make her give up completely. Luo Tianyi put on a thick-skinned face and said, “Then can I train with you?”
“No, you’re in my way.” Si Meng pushed her aside and then placed her lower leg on the dance barre, touching the tip of her shoe with her fingertips, folding her body downward.
“If you don’t agree, I won’t leave.” Luo Tianyi stuck to Si Meng like a plaster, following her wherever she went.
On the other side, the group consisting of Ning Keke, who preferred to eat melon seeds, and the bewildered members of the first team of Class A, sat there.
“Is the class leader of Class A losing it?” Fu Wenwen wondered.
“Love comes too quickly, you wouldn’t understand!” Ning Keke added.
“But fallen flowers have intentions, while flowing water is heartless,” Jiang Chixia said.
“The onlooker sees clearer than the participants, and the emotions of flowing water lie elsewhere,” Hua Qianxin smiled.
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Si Meng was annoyed by all the fuss and looked to Lin Hanyue, who had nothing to do with the situation. Si Meng clasped her hands together, with half of her face mournfully hiding behind Lin Hanyue.
Upon seeing Si Meng run out, Luo Tianyi followed suit and saw Lin Hanyue with a cold expression.
“Tea… Teacher, hello.” Luo Tianyi appeared well-behaved on the surface, but inside, she was puzzled about why Lin Hanyue appeared here.
“Hmm, why are you fooling around here during class time? Are you so free?” Lin Hanyue stared directly at her, and Luo Tianyi nervously swallowed her saliva.
“Go back and hold a plank for five minutes.”
“Uh… Yes, but what about her…” Luo Tianyi glanced at the smug Si Meng. In her heart, she thought how cute Si Meng’s triumphant expression was. She wondered what had happened to her recently. Could she be sick? Why was she constantly thinking of Si Meng’s face?
Luo Tianyi returned to the training room, and the four-member group gave her a look of pity.
Lin Hanyue grabbed Si Meng, who was hiding behind her, and gave her a warning look. She said, “Keep your distance from unrelated people, understood?”
Si Meng nodded like a pecking chicken and replied half-heartedly, “Got it.”
Lin Hanyue bent her index finger and tapped her forehead, saying, “Don’t let things go in one ear and out the other.” Si Meng touched her forehead and realized it was swollen.
Lin Hanyue pressed her against the wall, and the warm breath from Lin Hanyue’s nose tickled Si Meng’s fluffy hair. It was itchy, fragrant, and with a gentle touch, a soft kiss landed on the corner of Si Meng’s lips. Lin Hanyue’s deep and magnetic voice sounded incredibly pleasing to the ear.
“I’ll find you tonight during the break.”
Si Meng returned to the training room, still feeling ethereal and dreamlike. Luo Tianyi approached her, and in a good mood, Si Meng agreed to team up with her, completely disregarding Lin Hanyue’s warning.
That night, the snack street was bustling with people. Couples were walking hand in hand, embracing each other deeply, causing envy in others.
Si Meng had only one thought in her mind—eating.
Ning Keke disappeared somewhere, Fu Wenwen went to watch a performance, Hua Qianxin hadn’t returned from wherever she went, and Jiang Chixia disappeared into a comic book store and hadn’t come out. Following behind Si Meng was the clumsy Luo Tianyi, getting in the way.
Si Meng grabbed a candied haws and stuffed one after another into her mouth. A hand reached out from the crowd and pulled her closer. Caught off guard, Si Meng found herself in a familiar embrace.
Luo Tianyi, holding candied haw as if it was treasure, hadn’t even had a chance to give it to Si Meng when she realized she had lost her!
“Mmm, is it sweet?” Si Meng raised her head and leaned affectionately in Lin Hanyue’s embrace with a smiling face.
“It’s sweet, but not as sweet as you,” Lin Hanyue licked the corner of Si Meng’s lips, and Si Meng fed her the candied haw from her own mouth.
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Lin Hanyue embraced her, enveloping her entire body with her coat, making them appear as if they were conjoined twins.
“Si Meng.”
“Yes?”
“Happy Winter Solstice!”
“Same to you! Come on, let me take you to eat dumplings. That place is so delicious!” Si Meng held Lin Hanyue’s hand. Lin Hanyue’s hand was always chilly throughout the year. Si Meng held her hands and exhaled warm breath into them, then tucked Lin Hanyue’s hands into her own pocket.
A flicker of emotion ignited in Lin Hanyue’s heart. It felt as if those tightly held warm hands were melting away all her winter coldness.
“Si Meng.”
“What’s the matter?”
“I love you, deeply and passionately.”
Si Meng turned around, and Lin Hanyue’s cheeks blushed, her bright eyes reflecting the anticipation, capturing Si Meng’s smiling face.
“I love you too, super-duper, immensely kind of love!”
The two leaned against each other, beautiful as a painted scroll. The nearby freelance photographer involuntarily pressed the shutter. In that moment, time stood still.
The second round of eliminations went exceptionally smoothly, with only one team remaining in each class. Their debut seemed like a nailed-down certainty, ready to take the world by storm.
During this period, Si Meng’s fan base exceeded five million. People no longer saw Si Meng merely as an unknown food streamer but as a rising star in the entertainment industry.
The collaboration with Zhang Bilian for their internet celebrity store also made new progress. The store surpassed 10 million in revenue within its first month of opening. Si Meng chose to reinvest and subsequently opened three more food therapy stores, which became even more popular than the internet celebrity store.
With fame comes controversy. As the number of fans increased, so did the number of detractors. Without a doubt, Si Meng knew who was behind the attacks. She held a wealth of black material about the entertainment industry in her hands, waiting for the right moment to expose it all.
Just as Si Meng’s scandal was trending, the public relations team at the Xiao Entertainment Company swiftly brought it down. The next day, a photo of Si Meng and Lin Hanyue holding hands was exposed. The angle clearly indicated it was taken without their knowledge, and in the photo, their intimacy sparked endless speculation.
The impact of being an influential figure was evident. The fervent fans immediately demanded an explanation from the company. The next day, the manager came to find Lin Hanyue, urging her to clarify the situation. However, Lin Hanyue remained indifferent.
After causing a stir for a few days, the news mysteriously disappeared. Lin Hanyue sneered in response. It was just holding hands, and it had caused such a commotion. She had even planned to share their marriage certificate, but unfortunately, the timing wasn’t right.
On this day, Si Meng came alone to the training room. In the pitch-black darkness, she saw a hunched figure. Si Meng lightly tapped her shoulder, and the person nervously turned around. Upon seeing that it was Si Meng, she let out a relieved breath.
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Si Meng flashed a playful smile, showing no remorse for startling the person. She chuckled, “What’s the matter with you looking for me? Sneaking around like this.”
Luo Tianyi seemed to summon all her courage, clutching her throat and stammering, “Y-You… and Instructor Lin, is it true?”
A chill flickered in Si Meng’s eyes, and the smile on her face faded slightly. She said, “This isn’t something you should be concerned about.”
The eyes of someone in love cannot be hidden. Si Meng finally understood the reason behind Luo Tianyi’s strange behavior in recent days.
“But, but, I like… mmm.” Luo Tianyi’s words were cut off as Si Meng covered her mouth.
Shaking her head at her, Si Meng smiled and said, “Luo Tianyi, you’re a good person, really. You deserve someone better, and I already have someone I like. I’ll be by her side for the rest of my life. So, I’m sorry!”
Luo Tianyi ran out of the training room in a daze. After a moment, Lin Hanyue walked in from outside and embraced the small Si Meng in her arms.
“You did well. For things without results, one shouldn’t have expected from the beginning.”
“What about when I pursued you? Shouldn’t I have expected anything back then?”
Lin Hanyue smirked and said, “That’s different.”
“What?”
“I’ve given you plenty of opportunities to counterattack. It’s just that you didn’t seize them, you know!”
Lin Hanyue tilted Si Meng’s chin and engaged in a passionate French kiss. Amidst their breathlessness, Si Meng heard Lin Hanyue’s voice.
“So, you just stay down there and enjoy it.”
LP: Busy month, please expect inconsistent updates~