Chapter 26: I Am the Answer

After finishing the re-evaluation recording, Gu Jingyi returned to the dormitory, took a shower, and went straight to sleep.

He slept until past five in the afternoon, when Justin woke him up to head to the studio.

"Brother Jingyi, wake up. The evaluation results are out, and we have to go record the re-ranking."

Gu Jingyi got up and walked out of the dormitory with Justin.

It had begun to snow at some point, and a thick, velvety blanket of white covered the ground. Snowflakes drifted down with a soft rustle, and the air felt damp and biting.

The trainees, bundled up in down jackets, carefully made their way toward the studio, their footsteps crunching rhythmically in the snow as they gathered for the announcement of the re-evaluation results.

Upon arriving at the studio, the trainees stood in their respective sections based on their current classes, with A at the top and F at the bottom.

Lay Zhang, Cheng Xiao, and Zhou Jieqiong appeared before the trainees to announce the results of the theme song evaluation.

Gu Jingyi had actually already noticed the staff moving the cabinets containing the envelopes of their re-evaluation results to the side; these would be handed out to the trainees after the mentors announced the new levels.

Lay Zhang and the other mentors were ready, and the recording was about to begin.

"I'm so nervous..." a trainee whispered.

"It’s not that bad. If you really think about it, the ones in Class A should be the most nervous. They’re already at the top, so falling from that position would be a much harder blow to their morale," another trainee remarked.

The comment hit the mark; Gu Jingyi noticed that several trainees in Class A looked rather pale.

In reality, before the official announcement, most trainees could roughly estimate their new levels based on their own performances. Those in Class A who looked uneasy had already guessed that their rank would drop.

However, the rules for this season's re-evaluation recording had a slight deviation from his previous life. Previously, Lay Zhang would announce the members of Class B first before moving on to the others. This time, he was opening the envelopes in order from F to A, announcing the changes for each class sequentially.

Once called, the trainees would receive their new envelopes and move to their new designated areas, waiting until the end of the recording to change into their new uniforms.

For the Class A trainees, even if they fell, they would mostly land in Class B. This process was a form of torture for many, such as Chen Linong, Justin, and Ding Zeren. Knowing they had made minor mistakes during their theme song performance, they were forced to stand in place, waiting for the judgment of fate.

Gu Jingyi noticed that Justin looked disheartened, exchanging a brief, fleeting glance with Zhu Zhengting. Although the three of them were close, there was little comfort to be offered in such a moment.

In this theme song re-evaluation, the overall performance of Class A was actually not as strong as that of Class B. Gu Jingyi had already guessed that many trainees from Class B would surge into Class A, completing a shift in the rankings.

***

Class F was large, and after half an hour, less than half of the results had been announced.

On the massive tiered stage, the Class A position sat at the very top. In the areas where the cameras couldn't reach, several Class A trainees were already nodding off.

Gu Jingyi looked down from the pinnacle of the pyramid, his expression indifferent.

As the rankings were announced, some moved up to A, some retained their B status, and others fell to F.

The results for the original Class A members hadn't been announced yet, but several trainees who had surged up from Class B were already standing in the Class A zone. All eyes were fixed on the A section, wondering how many of the "big shots" would be knocked off their pedestals.

Chen Linong looked unwell. Gu Jingyi caught a glimpse of him closing his eyes, clasping his hands together in a prayer at his chest, and bowing his head in silent supplication. No one laughed at him; there were many others in Class A just as nervous as he was.

Gu Jingyi remained unexpectedly calm. The top seat, position number one, was closest to the ceiling. The overhead lights cast jagged shadows across his face. His profile reflected the glow, his features sharp, distant, and cold.

"Jingyi is so cool; he doesn't look nervous at all."

"Strength is the greatest source of confidence in a survival show. 'Emperor Jing' doesn't need to say a word."

Not far from Gu Jingyi, Cai Xukun, sitting in the second seat, felt a complex mix of emotions as he listened to the chatter. If life were a movie, he felt like a supporting character meant to highlight the brilliance of the protagonist. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't outshine the lead. The drive that had always pushed Cai Xukun suddenly deflated like a punctured ball.

After a short break, Lay Zhang continued the announcements. Finally, it was time for the much-anticipated Class A.

The shifts in the rankings were instantaneous. Justin, Ding Zeren, and Wang Linkai dropped from A to B. Chen Linong had it even worse, falling straight from A to C. Ashamed and heartbroken, he still had to struggle to maintain his composure for the surrounding cameras.

The consecutive downgrades of the Class A members cast a dark cloud over the remaining trainees. They desperately needed one trainee to successfully defend their A status, to sweep away the gloom of failure, boost their morale, and justify their place there.

All eyes turned to the only answer: Gu Jingyi.

"The next trainee to have his evaluation announced is Gu Jingyi."

As the mentor called his name, an uproar erupted in the Class A section above. Amidst the deafening cheers of "Go, Gu Jingyi!" and "Defend the throne, Emperor Jing!", Gu Jingyi stepped down from the top seat.

He looked like a king on inspection, standing on stage to accept the homage of his subjects. On the large screen behind the mentors, his handsome, peerless face appeared.

Gu Jingyi looked up and saw the envelope in Lay Zhang's hand. It was distinct from the plain envelopes given to the other trainees, featuring a unique black and gold trim. At a single glance, it set him apart from the rest. It was a privilege exclusive to Class A trainees, though none of the previous ones had possessed the aura to truly command it.

"Gu Jingyi, what do you think your final grade will be?" Lay Zhang asked before the announcement.

"A!"

Gu Jingyi answered without hesitation, his tone as casual as if he were mentioning something trivial.

"So confident?"

Gu Jingyi looked up, meeting Lay Zhang’s probing eyes.

"When it comes to the evaluation of 'A,' I am the standard."

As soon as he spoke, the trainees were filled with fighting spirit. They raised their hands and cheered for him.

On stage, Gu Jingyi’s features were sharp, almost cold. One look was enough to leave others yearning. Zhou Jieqiong couldn't help but cover her face, gazing at him infatuated. Cheng Xiao’s eyes softened, and she gave him a faint smile.

Even the poised Lay Zhang softened his expression. He stopped teasing and handed the envelope to Gu Jingyi without announcing the result on the spot as he had done before.

Gu Jingyi took it and nimbly tore it open. He pulled out the card bearing his grade, not even bothering to check it himself. He turned it directly toward the camera lens that was practically pressed against his face.

"A"

The vibrant red stood out on camera. On the letterhead, the bold black and gold characters of his name, "Gu Jingyi," shone brilliantly.