"Rong Xianning, why aren’t you coming in to greet Young Master Huang?" Zhu Shou spoke with the sly smile of a tiger, his tone laced with warning.
Huang Xi’s face lit up with keen interest, and he even couldn’t help rubbing his hands together.
This kid had been making waves recently. He had seen videos online and had been itching for a chance .
The boy straightened his body and stepped out of the shadows.
Huang Xi’s eyes brightened further.
Through videos and photos, something always seemed to be missing. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ novel_fіre.net
But now, standing right in front of him, this was truly a feast for the eyes.
Every detail perfectly matched his aesthetic standards, especially that clean but defiant aura on him, which tugged at the depths of his heart.
Gao Yuyue and Yan Lu glanced at the boy standing under the light, a trace of shared astonishment in their eyes.
He wasn’t particularly photogenic. The videos and pictures didn’t even capture a tenth of his real elegance.
Indeed, despite his young age, he already carried a certain quality—gravitas.
On him, you could see a fusion of profound depth and purity, blended into a kind of inner strength: soft as spring rain, sharp as winter frost. Unassuming yet steadfast, neither conforming to trends nor boasting, he remained unwavering and calm in the face of tempests and temptations.
It was as natural and indispensable as air to breathing, or sunlight to plants. The qualities that made him mesmerizing defied any logical explanation.
The boy didn’t even spare a glance at the people in the private room. He walked straight toward Feng Cheng and said calmly, "Come back with me."
Feng Cheng stole a cautious glance at Huang Xi and whispered, "Aning... you shouldn’t have come."
"Whether I should’ve come or not, I’m already here."
Rong Xianning looked toward Huang Xi, his pitch-black eyes deep and bright like obsidian, an endless abyss that could enthrall anyone with just one look.
"Young Master Huang, my teammates and I still need to rehearse. May I ask if we can leave now?"
His words were calm and composed, free of any awkwardness or deference expected of someone in a lower position.
"How dare you speak to Young Master Huang like that?" Zhu Shou suddenly barked, his tone venomous.
"Young Master Huang extended his invitation as a courtesy to you. Don’t be ungrateful. If you earn his favor, a spot in the debut group is guaranteed. Otherwise... hmph!"
The boy tugged at the corner of his lips, a faint but unmistakable sneer.
Huang Xi waved his hand and glared at Zhu Shou. "What are you saying? Am I such an unreasonable person? Rong... I’ll call you Aning too. Aning, since you’re already here, why not join us for a bit? My friends here are all great people. Once we’re done, I’ll have a driver take you back. It won’t delay your rehearsal."
Huang Xi seemed to be putting on a very genial facade.
Xu Si let out a disapproving snort. Wherever Rong Xianning went, he seemed to enjoy preferential treatment. And for what reason?
Rong Xianning remained expressionless and said flatly, "Young Master Huang, you have plenty of friends. You don’t need me as a companion. Goodbye."
With that, he grabbed Feng Cheng and made to leave.
But Zhu Shou’s bulky body blocked the doorway, his eyes glaring ominously. "You think you can step out of this door tonight?"
The boy pressed his lips together tightly and turned back to face Huang Xi. "Young Master Huang, what is the meaning of this?"
Huang Xi sighed helplessly. "Aning, I mean no harm. I simply want to be friends with you, as do my friends here—all of whom came because of your reputation. Surely, you wouldn’t want to disappoint everyone, would you?"
Yan Lu rolled her eyes at him. "What are you doing? If he doesn’t want to stay, let him go. Don’t pull that ’forceful friend-making’ nonsense. What do you take us for?"
Gao Yuyue chimed in, "Exactly, she’s right. Friendship should come from sincerity. Forcing someone to do what they don’t want makes us no better than those villains who kidnap young women."
Huang Xi felt a pang of frustration; he was unwilling to let this "prize within reach" escape.
But he couldn’t afford to leave a bad impression on Xiao Lu’er and her friends. After all, there was no real rush.
"An’an, wouldn’t you agree?" Gao Yuyue turned toward Shen You’an, who was seated in a corner.
Huang Xi instinctively followed her gaze toward Shen You’an.
For some reason, the most subtle yet compelling presence in the room belonged to the seemingly quiet and reserved girl.
In the room, her voice rang out, clear and cool: "Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you."
Huang Xi’s face turned red with embarrassment.
The icy, aloof boy instantly lifted his head at the sound of that voice.
In his pitch-black pupils, something trembled—something fractured.
A voice that lingered in his dreams, tugged at his spirit.
Feng Cheng didn’t dare make a sound. Rong Xianning had clutched his hand moments earlier, his nails unconsciously digging into the skin on the back of his hand, the pain so sharp it nearly made him cry out.
Stealing a glance at Rong Xianning, Feng Cheng saw no expression on his jade-like face. But through the cracks in his outward restraint, a hint of bewilderment and unease subtly emerged.