Phone in Hand, Online Romance Secured

Wu Biao glanced at him and reached out with a slap—

It landed lightly on his head.

Then he gave it a rub.

And pushed him away again with mock reproach.

"Out of everyone you could've picked, why did it have to be Huo Xiao? If you'd picked literally anyone else, you'd be wearing a pink class uniform right now!"

Wu Biao's tone was reproachful. "Honestly, I give up on you. You should've been dazzling and guaranteed a spot in Class A, but now look at you. Not only are you stuck in dreary Class F, but that sharp-tongued Li Si even deliberately mocked you."

"I'm wondering too—is there something wrong with Li Si? We've never had any grudge against her, so why does she insist on targeting us?"

In the end, he still felt sorry for Si Di.

Sorry that Si Di had performed so well, only to remain in gray Class F.

And even more sorry that he had been hurt for no reason.

Wu Biao snorted angrily. "Good thing Best Actor Qin stood up for you. Otherwise, those opportunistic marketing accounts online wouldn't have hesitated to slander you. Who knows how many nasty things those haters would've said."

As he spoke, Wu Biao's expression changed. "Right, why would Best Actor Qin openly defend you? Didi, you and Best Actor Qin, could it be—"

"No!"

Knowing what he wanted to ask, Si Di threw out a stop gesture and rushed to say, "No! Nothing! Absolutely impossible! Qin Wei and I only work together professionally on the show. Outside the show, we're sworn enemies for life!"

"..."

Wu Biao's hopes were crushed.

He had thought his little kid had finally come to his senses and reconciled with Best Actor Qin.

Sigh.

Beyond teaching.

Seeing Wu Biao hanging his head dejectedly, Si Di blinked.

His little hand pawed at Wu Biao's arm.

Si Di wheedled, "Biao Biao, I've really worked hard these past few days. You saw my stage performance too, right? Even though I didn't make it into Class A, I think my performance was still pretty brilliant, so... about the phone you said you'd give me before... could you maybe..."

"No!"

Wu Biao slapped his hand away. "We agreed that I'd give you a phone if you got into Class A. You're still in Class F, so what do you need a phone for?"

He had no grounds to argue.

He deserved to be refused.

Si Di sighed and lowered his hand.

Life was hard. Didi could only sigh.

Wu Biao glared at him from the corner of his eye, snorted twice, then angrily grabbed his hand.

"Do better from now on!"

Wu Biao pulled a phone from his pocket and placed it in his palm. Like a parent lecturing a child, he said sternly, "There's nothing wrong with you except that you're too hard to control! Your mind runs so wild, not even eight horses could pull it back!"

"I'm seriously scared of you. I've been so anxious these past few days that I've lost several pounds. Didi, have a little pity on me. Be smarter from now on, okay? Pick the soft persimmons to squeeze."

Phone in hand, online romance secured.

Thinking of little V, who was anxiously waiting for his messages on the other side of the internet,

even Si Di's heartbeat became more vigorous.

Nodding hard, he gripped the phone and tried to pull his hand back.

But Wu Biao held on and raised his voice as he rattled on. "You need to take my words to heart. Don't spend all day thinking about that online romance of yours. It's not easy to build a career, and you can date anytime you want. Besides, if you become a top star, what kind of partner couldn't you find?"

"Best Actor Qin said it today too. Even if you're in Class F, you need to show the fighting spirit of Class A. Didi, eliminations will start with the first public performance. Pull yourself together, understand?"

Though Wu Biao was still young, when he started nagging, even seventy-year-old grannies in the park would admit defeat.

Si Di nodded furiously like a pecking chick.

"Hide the phone well and don't let the production team find it. And play less. Just exchange a few words with your online romance partner. Your focus still needs to be on the competition!"

Si Di continued nodding like a pecking chick.

His obedient appearance made it impossible to keep scolding him.

Wu Biao looked into his bright, doe-like eyes, released his hand helplessly, patted his head, and turned to leave.

Once he had gone far enough away, the smile on Si Di's face deepened and deepened.

He lightly bit his lower lip.

Excited and a little bashful, he leaned against the wall and turned on the secondhand, cracked-screen junk phone Wu Biao had given him.

Who cared what kind of phone it was? As long as it could use WeChat, it was a good phone.

Si Di held down the power button.

The screen lit up.

"The United States has Apple, China has Pineapple! Pineapple Phone, the fighter jet among phones, oh yeah!"

The voice was booming.

Louder even than an elderly person's phone.

In the quiet stairwell, its echo spread layer by layer downward.

Si Di's brain throbbed in pain. Nervously clutching the railing, he looked up and down in a panic.

Luckily, no staff members passed by.

Otherwise, the phone would be confiscated in minutes.

Si Di let out a breath, opened WeChat, and logged into his account.

But instead of little V's black kitten avatar appearing before him, there was—

[New device login. Please use your old device to scan the QR code and verify your identity.]

Damn it!

Damn it, damn it!

Si Di was depressed.

If he had an old device, why would he have gone to such lengths to get a new one?

To listen to that idiot startup sound?

Damn!

Si Di returned to the dorm angrily. He tossed and turned in bed, and finally, unable to bear it any longer, climbed down and squatted beside Yu Ning. He whispered, "Xiao Ning, do you know where the phones we handed in are kept?"

Yu Ning was a walking encyclopedia of gossip.

After asking around, he finally got a definite answer: the trainees' phones had all been stored in a storage room on the third floor by the production team.

It was already past one in the morning.

After a full day of filming, everything outside was silent.

Si Di pulled Yu Ning along as they sneaked up to the third floor.

The third floor had nothing to do with filming, and the production team had rules forbidding trainees from wandering around freely.

The hallway was pitch-black, so dark they couldn't see their hands in front of their faces.

"Slow down, slow down. I have night blindness."

Yu Ning was a little scared. Tugging Si Di along and shuffling forward bit by bit, he whispered, "What exactly do you need the phone for? They have a record of every phone. If we take one without permission and get caught, we'll be reprimanded."

Si Di didn't mention the online romance.

He casually made up an excuse. "I have something to do. I'll only use it for a bit—I'm not taking it away. You stay outside and keep watch for me later. I'll go in alone. If we really get caught, I'll take responsibility myself. I won't let you get dragged into it."

If Yu Ning had truly been afraid of getting dragged into it, he would never have come up with him in the first place.

The two felt their way forward until they reached the first door. Si Di took out the Pineapple Phone and turned on its flashlight.

A small sign hung on the door, reading: Props 1.

Si Di pushed the door open and went inside, sweeping the weak phone light around.

It was filled with all kinds of props.

Little platforms, little stools, little mats, along with tables, chairs, and benches.

A complete mess.

In any case, there were no phones.

They left, turned left, and continued onward.

—Props 2.

It was full of clothes.

They were probably for the next three public performances. The outfits looked flashy, with all sorts of styles and colors.

They switched rooms again.

Props 3 contained dorm bedding, mattresses, sheets, and duvet covers.

Props 4 contained who-knew-what kind of stuff.

Damn!

Why were there so many props?

Si Di cursed under his breath, pulled Yu Ning onward, felt their way past several more storage rooms, and arrived at the final room at the end of the corridor.

The door was completely bare.

There was no small sign, nor any other marking.

Si Di carefully opened the door a crack.

Yu Ning stood guard outside as he slipped inside.

Just as he reached into his pocket for his phone, his wrist suddenly tightened!