Chapter 15: The Mentor’s Sudden Mission

Outside Gu Jingyi’s dormitory, two popular female idols stood with their arms crossed, scrutinizing each other.

Both harbored the same question: “What is she here to do with Gu Jingyi?”

Their gazes met, each sensing something unusual about the other.

“Xiao Xiao, is this what you meant by having something to discuss?” Zhou Jieqiong narrowed her eyes, fixating on Cheng Xiao’s expression, as if trying to detect some subtle change on her friend’s face.

Cheng Xiao, however, remained composed, a faint smile playing on her lips.

At nineteen, Cheng Xiao resembled a slender, elegant champagne rose—sweet and radiant.

Simply standing at the dormitory entrance, she seemed to dim the entire hallway.

“Of course, I came to check out Class A’s living conditions. You’re Gu Jingyi, right? Take a few steps forward so the teacher can have a good look at you.”

Nodding, Cheng Xiao carried the full air of a mentor.

Zhou Jieqiong rolled her eyes inwardly. Usually, she called him Jingyi, but now she used his full name. Seriously, sister, do you really think that after the show airs, the audience won’t dig up that you and Gu Jingyi have known each other long before?

This is just trying to cover something up, making it more obvious!

Yet Gu Jingyi cooperated fully, stepping forward a few paces.

Dressed in Class A’s uniform, he looked fresh and clean. Despite the uniform’s cheapness, he somehow wore it with an air of sophistication, exuding the carefree spirit unique to his age.

Cheng Xiao’s heart suddenly quickened, but she feigned indifference and averted her gaze.

Vaguely, she felt something budding within her—a stirring that seemed to grow stronger with each passing day of their interactions, becoming impossible to control.

Seeing Gu Jingyi’s cooperation, Zhou Jieqiong’s expression grew slightly awkward.

Cheng Xiao smirked inwardly; her relationship with Gu Jingyi was far from ordinary.

“Good. Keep up the effort. I’m looking forward to your performance in the theme song assessment,” she said, feigning a formal evaluation. The more she thought about it, the more amused she became. Wearing the mentor’s mantle, she had reclaimed the ground she had lost to Gu Jingyi before.

“Gu Jingyi, are all the members of Class A’s dormitory here? Could you let the teachers in to check your progress on the theme song?”

Zhou Jieqiong was not to be outdone; she pretended to be on official business, ordering Gu Jingyi about.

The production team trailing behind nodded eagerly, barely hiding their excitement to stir up some trouble.

Gu Jingyi unlocked the door with his key and said naturally, “Come in, everyone have a seat.”

Behind them, Fan Chengcheng noticed the commotion but deliberately slowed his pace, pretending to drop something and bending down to pick it up.

He wanted to stay a little longer to listen to the gossip.

“Bang!” Unexpectedly, Gu Jingyi closed the door after the mentors entered.

“Just visiting, why close the door?” Fan Chengcheng was baffled, mumbling at the shut door.

“Jingyi, I’m on your side! Don’t be so stingy.”

Gu Jingyi never considered that such a normal gesture could be misunderstood. To him, it was perfectly safe for one boy and two girls to be in a room together.

Well, actually, it wasn’t entirely safe. Boys should learn to protect themselves when out.

He was certain that if the production team hadn’t followed inside, he’d be as doomed as Elder Tang trapped in the Spider’s Cave.

Besides the constant filming by the crew, there were cameras installed in the dormitory, capturing trainees’ daily moments for derivative programs.

So filming the variety show was rather intrusive; Gu Jingyi was almost always within the camera’s range.

The two dance mentors were at ease once inside.

They casually glanced around and nodded approvingly.

“The conditions are quite good. The production team really put thought into this.”

Zhou Jieqiong smiled and added, “The environment here is much better than back then. Our dorm was an eight-person room. After training, we had to fight for the showers.”

The Class A dormitory this time resembled a hotel executive suite—spacious, with a dedicated reception area furnished with sofas and a coffee table.

Gu Jingyi glanced at the cameras around the room and noticed they were all switched off.

Apparently, the production team tactfully muted their microphones during the earlier tense moment.

[Good, saves the hassle of intervening.]

Gu Jingyi nodded with satisfaction. Wherever he went, popularity and skill were the true foundations in this circle.

If he were an unknown trainee, the chaotic scene just now wouldn’t have been overlooked by the crew.

Most likely, like Fan Chengcheng’s voice crack, it would have been made into hot search topics and included in the main show, used to hype up the debut of “Idol Trainee,” becoming a dispensable pawn.

[Probably Hua Ce made a deal with the production team before signing the contract.]

Gu Jingyi understood perfectly.

That was likely why Cheng Xiao and Zhou Jieqiong dared to come to his dormitory with such boldness.

Cheng Xiao’s visit did not surprise Gu Jingyi at all.

But Zhou Jieqiong’s true purpose remained a mystery to him.

Influenced by memories from his previous life, he had grown distant toward Zhou Jieqiong after his rebirth.

It was as if a barrier had formed between them, and they could never return to being friends.

He had no desire to provoke someone so restless.

After a brief tour of the dorm, the two dance mentors stood aside.

Next, the production team needed to shoot more footage of Gu Jingyi’s dorm and do some backup interviews.

Once these were done, Cheng Xiao and Zhou Jieqiong planned a “surprise” visit to gather all Class A trainees to the rehearsal room to evaluate the theme song’s progress.

Gu Jingyi’s roommate was Justin from Yuehua Entertainment, overjoyed to be placed in this dorm.

The other roommate arrived late.

“Hello, mentors,” said Cai Xukun as he wheeled his suitcase inside, wearing a down jacket, spotting the two popular young idols at the door.

After greeting them, he entered.

With this, all of Gu Jingyi’s roommates were assembled.

The production team filmed some dormitory footage, capturing the trainees’ private moments on camera, then led them to the interview room for questions.

Most inquiries pertained to the hot contestants’ debut performances, and their answers would be interspersed with their stage reactions in the broadcast.

Though it sounded complicated, the process took less than thirty minutes.

Once all was complete, the dormitory door thundered with knocking.

“Who is it? What’s the matter?”

Gu Jingyi was at the washbasin, removing his light makeup with cleansing oil. He draped a towel over his neck, then hurried out of the bathroom, startled to see the two mentors standing there.

“Surprise! Congratulations on unlocking a hidden task. Class A trainees, please prepare and assemble in the rehearsal room. We will now begin the inspection of your theme song progress!”

Zhou Jieqiong beamed brightly, utterly disregarding Cai Xukun and Justin’s groans of despair.