After Dissing The Aloof Omega In A Talent Show - Chapter 17

The very instant that ghostly wail echoed, everyone shuddered in unison and snapped to their feet.

“No way… Are they starting the grade announcements with our class?”

“Mommy, I’m scared, waah!!”

Someone’s tearful lament intensified the already tense atmosphere, turning it into utter chaos.

It felt as though they were being fried alive in an iron skillet. The unbearable anxiety only heightened the sheer panic rippling through the uneasy crowd.

Though a few trainees were quietly sobbing under the dual pressure of dread and anticipation, the group could still clearly hear the less than orderly sound of footsteps approaching from the mentors.

“Are they all coming?” Ming Tang pressed a hand against her chest. Through her clothes and flesh, she could feel her heart hammering faster and faster.

“It’s a major announcement, after all. Of course the entire nest is heading out,” Qi Deng mirrored Ming Tang’s gesture, covering her own chest. “My heart is racing too. I’m so nervous.”

Jian Jiahe slapped Qi Deng squarely on the back. “Do you have any literacy at all? ‘Heading out of the nest’ has a negative connotation.”

“Oh, right…” Qi Deng offered an embarrassed chuckle.

Ming Tang could hardly bear to watch their antics. She shifted her gaze toward the practice room door, where a pair of bright red, pointed stiletto heels was the first to cross the threshold.

“Hello, mentors!”

Everyone spoke in unison, bowing deeply to the four mentors who had entered and lined up inside the practice room.

“I can hear some of your voices shaking already,” Yu Wenqing teased with a smile.

“There’s no need to be this terrified, everyone,” vocal mentor Xia Yindong chimed in, picking up where Yu Wenqing left off. “After all, the results are already set in stone, right?”

In their state of collective insecurity, no one was in the mood to banter with the two mentors. They simply nodded along like a flock of helpless quails.

“Don’t look so miserable, every single one of you.” Yu Wenqing tapped the clipboard in her hands. “Let’s lighten the mood. I’ll announce the trainees who have successfully upgraded their classes first.”

Ming Tang instinctively clenched her fists, clearly hearing her own breathing grow heavier amid the pounding of her heart.

“For this theme song evaluation, seven trainees from Class F have made progress.” Yu Wenqing spoke deliberately slow, keeping everyone on tenterhooks.

“Seven?” Qi Deng let out a sharp, quiet gasp.

Ming Tang was also quite surprised. The theme song evaluation didn’t involve any eliminations. The fact that seven people were climbing up meant that seven trainees from higher classes would be demoted to Class F to keep the numbers balanced.

Furthermore, seven people accounted for nearly half of Class F’s current roster.

“There are four trainees moving up to Class D.”

Yu Wenqing paused briefly before reading out the names almost syllable by syllable, finally reaching the fourth name: “Jian Jiahe.”

“Yes!”

A muted cheer of celebration echoed from behind Ming Tang, it was Jian Jiahe.

Meanwhile, the breath Qi Deng had held since Yu Wenqing started reading the list suddenly caught in her throat when the fourth name passed without her own. She nearly choked, breaking into a fit of coughing.

Ming Tang reached out to pat Qi Deng’s back to help her catch her breath, but Qi Deng managed to steady herself, waving her hand to signal she was fine.

Glancing at her own half-extended hand, Ming Tang realized that she, too, was trembling from the sheer tension.

“Next, I will announce the trainees moving up to Class C.”

Xia Yindong glanced sideways at the clipboard in Yu Wenqing’s hands, as if confirming something, and nodded. “There are two trainees who achieved a C rating.”

Hearing this, Ming Tang silently counted on her imaginary fingers.

She just said seven people are moving up in total. Four to Class D, two to Class C… That means there’s still one person moving up to Class B, or maybe even jumping straight to Class A?

“These two trainees are…” Yu Wenqing’s voice cut off at the perfect dramatic moment.

Some trainees stared at the mentors with eyes full of hope, while others kept their heads down, as if trying to etch every single grain of the wooden floorboards into their memory.

Ming Tang kept her hands crossed in front of her, her right hand unconsciously wringing and rubbing her left index finger. Her attention was entirely locked onto the mentors, completely oblivious to the fact that her fingers were turning red from her frantic fidgeting.

“Qi Deng.”

Yu Wenqing called out the first name.

Ming Tang felt the person beside her let out a massive sigh of relief.

Immediately after, her focus intensified to the absolute limit. Ming Tang was terrified that the next name wouldn’t be hers, yet equally terrified that it would be.

“Ming Tang.”

As the final syllable of her name left Yu Wenqing’s lips, the mentor looked over at her with a gentle, approving smile.

Ming Tang felt her heart skip a heavy beat before thudding back into her chest.

The two of them bowed to the mentors, stepped out of their original row, and moved to stand to the side.

“There is one final trainee whose evaluation has been set to Class B by the mentors. This is a massive leap forward,” Yu Wenqing said, her tone exceptionally warm and tender.

“When I heard my name in Class C, I honestly thought you’d be the one getting the higher grade,” Qi Deng whispered, leaning in close to Ming Tang, her voice barely a breath in her throat.

“I wished it were me too…” Ming Tang replied just as softly, audible only to the two of them.

“Jiang Zhiying.”

A girl with straight bangs, who usually practiced by herself in the corner, emerged from the crowd and joined their small line-up.

Ming Tang had a slight impression of her, she seemed to be a very quiet, reserved Beta who rarely interacted with others.

“These are the seven advancing trainees for this evaluation,” Yu Wenqing announced. “The thirteen trainees remaining in Class F, please do not lose heart. Tomorrow at 2:00 PM is the official filming for the theme song music video. You still have about a day left to practice and elevate your performance.”

Xia Yindong nodded in agreement, adding, “Practice hard, everyone. If you perform well in the MV, there’s still a chance to turn the tide and rise up.”

“Alright, follow us,” Yu Wenqing said, turning to lead the seven out.

The group filed out of the room.

“Mentor Yu, are we heading to our new classes right now?”

The moment they stepped out the door, Ming Tang felt Qi Deng nudge her arm. Qi Deng was making frantic eyes at her, clearly gesturing for Ming Tang, who had a relatively closer rapport with the mentor, to ask about their destination.

“Yes,” Yu Wenqing replied without looking up, her eyes scanning the roster in her hands.

“I’ll take Jian Jiahe and the others to Class D,” Xia Yindong added. “The rest of you will follow Mentor Yu to Class C, and Mentor Shen will take Jiang Zhiying to Class B.”

The ‘Mentor Shen’ Xia Yindong mentioned was Shen Que, the songwriting and composition mentor for Moment of Destiny.

Qi Deng pressed further, “Then does that mean Mentor Dai doesn’t have any work to do today?”

“If you all show a bit more backbone and jump straight to Class A, wouldn’t I have plenty of work to do?” rap mentor Dai Shuyan teased.

Xia Yindong laughed and countered, “You can’t expect them to grow fat off a single mouthful, can you? It requires a steady accumulation of effort.”

“Isn’t that just wishful thinking? How many hidden gems could there possibly be?” Yu Wenqing chuckled. “With the sharp eyes the four of us possess, we wouldn’t let a true pearl gather dust and drop all the way down to Class F, would we?”

Hearing this, a faint spark of resentful irritation flared up in Ming Tang’s chest.

Was Yu Wenqing flatly denying their potential?

“I won’t chat with you all any longer.” Xia Yindong stepped ahead of the group and waved her hand toward Jian Jiahe and her companions at the back of the line, her tone gentle as if coaxing kindergarteners. “Come along, we’ve arrived.”

With half the group splitting off, the remaining line fell silent, though their destination wasn’t much further.

“Follow me in.”

Obeying the instruction, Ming Tang looked up at the sign beside the practice room door.

Class C.

Ming Tang took a deep, steady breath, lifted her foot, and stepped into this brand new territory.