◎One Punch Can Take Down Three◎
Yao Xingzhe, the third fish, lay weakly in the hospital bed, hooked up to an IV, cursing and grumbling. Meanwhile, at that very moment, Xia Xi was in the program's audition room, throwing punches with spirited vigor.
...
Xia Xi had been called to the audition room by a program staff member.
The assistant director held her application form, his worldview severely shaken. Before Xia Xi pushed the door open, everyone in the room had been engaged in heated discussion.
"Is the girl just filling it out randomly to grab attention?"
"She doesn't look like someone who knows martial arts."
"Those slender arms and legs... I could probably snap them with a little force..."
Xia Xi walked into the room wearing a colorful, patterned black camisole. The assistant director glanced at her slender, straight arms and legs and somewhat agreed with the comment about them being easy to snap.
He had basically already concluded that Xia Xi was just seeking attention with a false claim.
It wasn't that the assistant director was being stereotypical; the young girl before him appeared delicate and fragile, utterly incongruous with the image of a fighter. Still, he couldn't bring himself to be too harsh. Wanting to get ahead in the entertainment industry, a little clever scheming was understandable.
He carefully broached the subject with Xia Xi.
"Seeing you wrote 'boxing' under hobbies... in the future, when joining other programs, try not to exaggerate too much. Being down-to-earth is what allows one to go further." His words were meant as well-intentioned advice.
Xia Xi, who had thought filling out the form meant she could leave and was still in a state of confusion after being stopped and ushered here, was met with this statement right off the bat.
She agreed that one should be down-to-earth, but the part preceding that felt off. Her expression turned serious, her tone earnest.
"I didn't exaggerate."
Xia Xi looked around. The space was large, specifically prepared for contestants to showcase their talents, allowing for full movement. So, she proactively suggested,
"How about... I just demonstrate?"
Actions speak louder than words. In other areas, Xia Xi could accept others' doubts and didn't mind, but in the realm of martial arts, she had her own steadfast principles.
The assistant director hadn't expected this turn of events. The contestant wanted to perform; he had no reason to refuse. Besides, he was curious. So, a room full of people turned their eyes in unison toward Xia Xi in the center.
The moment an expert makes a move, their skill is revealed. With just the opening stance, the assistant director knew he had been rash.
Xia Xi didn't dawdle. Still in the same outfit and makeup, her entire aura underwent a dramatic transformation.
Her movements were precise, crisp, and clean. The entire set was executed with powerful force, as if carrying the very wind of her punches.
Even though the program staff didn't understand martial arts, they could tell she was a trained practitioner.
In her familiar domain, Xia Xi was like a fish in water, feeling much more settled. After completing the set, her breathing wasn't the least bit ragged. Her eyes were bright, and a slight smile touched her lips as she finished, though with a hint of regret.
"The skirt made some movements inconvenient."
Assistant Director: ...So it actually hindered your performance, is that it?
He felt that scene, with some music added, could have been performed directly on stage at a gala! In the martial arts performance segment.
The hindered performance was real. For Xia Xi, this set was just a warm-up. Through it, she also realized this body had significant deficiencies in strength compared to her previous one.
But that was normal. Diligent training later should be able to make up for it. It wasn't without merits either; flexibility, for instance, was quite good.
Facts speak louder than words. Xia Xi used her actions to prove she hadn't filled out her hobby randomly.
The assistant director looked at Xia Xi, who was blinking patiently awaiting evaluation. After a moment of silence, he gave her a thumbs-up.
What 'hobby'? This contestant was being overly modest. This could clearly be called—
A specialty!
After Xia Xi left the audition room, the male staff member who had earlier claimed her slender limbs could be snapped with a little force patted his chest, feeling a belated fear.
"She could probably take down three of me with one punch, right?"
...
Xia Xi only treated this as a minor episode. Her mind was still fully occupied with opening a martial arts school, and she had already started planning for it.
First, she needed to find a venue and also intensify her training. However, once again, she hadn't gotten far before being stopped.
"Xia Xi, I knew I wasn't wrong about you! The program team just notified me—you passed the preliminary audition!"
The middle-aged man blocking her path wore an expression that was a mix of excitement and 'as expected,' yet also feigned surprise.
Xia Xi: ??? Not excited. Surprised? That part was real.
She didn't remember the system mentioning any plot about passing auditions.
The system hadn't mentioned the audition plot because the original 'sea queen' female lead, upon seeing Yao Xingzhe's text message, would have directly given up and left the scene without even filling out the form, so naturally, there was no question of passing or not.
But with Xia Xi here, she had inadvertently completed the entire selection process.
The man before her was called Brother Chao by everyone. Brother Chao was considered half a manager to the original host.
'Half a manager' because the original host wasn't a formal artist under the company, just had a cooperative relationship. Brother Chao arranged activities and provided resources for Xia Xi, and Xia Xi's income was split with the company.
Generally, such cooperative arrangements weren't common in their company, but who let Xia Xi's looks be exceptionally striking, warranting special treatment.
Brother Chao felt the company and his own judgment weren't wrong. Their company had actually pushed quite a few trainees this time, but many didn't pass. Xia Xi did.
That alone proved this face was worth it. Brother Chao assumed Xia Xi had been selected based on her looks.
It was just a pity they hadn't signed her to a long-term contract. But these things could be negotiated. Thinking this, Brother Chao's smile grew even more benevolent.
"The car is outside. We'll head back to the company soon; there's still some training to do."
Xia Xi's eyelid twitched. She felt things were developing beyond her control, so she tried to put a stop to it.
"Is it to be an idol? I don't know how." It seemed like they were selecting female idols earlier, which didn't align with Xia Xi's expertise.
Brother Chao, "It's fine, you can learn."
Xia Xi, "...Actually, I want to open a martial arts school." Her ambition wasn't in being an idol. Xia Xi's knowledge in that area could even be described as blank; she usually spent all her time training in martial arts.
This time, Brother Chao took a closer look at Xia Xi. "Open a dance studio?"
Xia Xi affirmed, "Yes, open a martial arts school. I want to teach people martial arts." To pass on her master's skills, teaching others just as he had once taught her.
Brother Chao hadn't expected Xia Xi to have such an idea. He nodded, "That's fine, opening a dance studio is good."
It was a classic case of talking past each other.
Xia Xi didn't expect the original host's manager to also support her opening a martial arts school. Could she then take the opportunity to ask him to help her withdraw from the competition, leave the opportunity to those more in need, and let her continue searching for a suitable venue?
The next second, Brother Chao pondered, "But opening a dance studio requires money too, right? Do you have money now?"
Xia Xi was stumped: No money.
She was penniless. The only thing she brought with her was the book The Little Mermaid. The original host didn't seem to be wealthy either.
Brother Chao analyzed for the now-silent Xia Xi, "Then you're right to join this program. This program has good prospects. Never mind whether you can debut or not; even just appearing on it and gaining some popularity can earn you a sum of money."
"And didn't you want to teach people martial arts? This show is perfect for you. With 101 people, there are plenty of opportunities for you to play teacher. If your skills are strong enough, you could practically open a martial arts school right on the show!"
Xia Xi didn't know much about girl group survival shows, but Brother Chao did. When it came time for the theme song dance and team battles, how many of those with poor basics would be crying and begging for a pro to teach them to dance.
Xia Xi fell into deep thought, and upon careful consideration, she even felt a bit moved.
That show had so many martial arts enthusiasts?
Originally, she had no interest in "Pick 101," but now she was suddenly starting to look forward to it.
...
Xia Xi ultimately got in the car with Brother Chao to go to the company.
Not just because joining the show = making money to open a martial arts school, but also because not joining the show = breaching the contract = having to pay compensation.
Yes, although the original host was solely focused on "keeping fish" and marrying into a wealthy family, paying little attention to her own career, and had specifically signed a short-term contract to avoid constraints, there were still certain binding clauses.
If Xia Xi hadn't passed the auditions, that would be one thing, but having entered the auditions and then not participating would be a breach of contract, requiring compensation.
"..."
Even Xia Xi, who could take on three people with her fists, had to bow to money. Actually, if she didn't go to the company, she wasn't sure where to go for now either. If she went, Brother Chao promised three meals a day during the training period, plus room and board.
The company the original host had signed with was actually quite sizable and fairly well-known in the industry. It happened to be lunchtime, so Xia Xi followed Brother Chao to the cafeteria for a free lunch, changed into some practice clothes, and was then taken by Brother Chao to the company's practice room.
The practice room was bustling with several fashionably dressed girls. Some were practicing dance in front of the mirror, while others were chatting.
Brother Chao clapped his hands, interrupting them.
"Everyone, take a break for a moment."
"Let me introduce someone. This is Xia Xi. She'll be practicing with you all from now on."
After introducing Xia Xi, he turned to her and said in a gentle tone, "Wait here for a bit, get familiar with everyone. I'm going to fetch the manager."
Brother Chao went to find the manager to discuss Xia Xi's positioning, leaving Xia Xi alone facing these unfamiliar faces. For a moment, the company trainees looked at Xia Xi with mixed expressions.
The company trainees thought to themselves: Another competitor.
And a competitor with superior looks at that.
Unlike Xia Xi, who was a latecomer to this path, these girls were all officially signed company trainees whose goal was to debut in a group. Participating in "Pick 101" was undoubtedly an excellent path for them.
However, this selection process was equally brutal. They had been chosen, while many sisters they had practiced with before had been eliminated. To some, the sudden appearance of Xia Xi was incredibly grating.
What qualified her?
Xia Xi also rarely found herself in such situations and felt slightly uneasy. Remembering Brother Chao's words before he left, she decided to follow his suggestion.
Introduce herself.
"You..." Before the word "hello" could even come out, she was interrupted by a haughty voice.
"New girl?" The girl who spoke had her arms crossed over her chest, looking down her nose at Xia Xi with a condescending slant.
To achieve this effect, she was standing on a stool.
Rui Ziyue: This new girl is damn tall.
From the first moment Rui Ziyue saw Xia Xi, alarm bells rang in her heart. She considered herself quite outstanding among the trainees, but in terms of pure beauty, she felt she lost out to Xia Xi by a notch. This kind of beautiful waste of space must not steal her spotlight.
Rui Ziyue decided to strike first. She jumped down from the stool and then, right in front of Xia Xi, unexpectedly performed a front flip.
Xia Xi: WOW!
The others: Here we go again, here we go again. Can't Rui Ziyue come up with something else? Is it fun to intimidate people with this all the time? Does she think this is a circus?
Some were disdainful, while others were fawning. "Teacher Rui, that big move is awesome!"
After performing the front flip, Rui Ziyue saw the desired flicker of emotion on Xia Xi's face and felt quite pleased with herself.
She was well aware that some people were complaining that she was doing circus tricks, but so what? If they had the skill, they should try it themselves.
Rui Ziyue believed she had successfully intimidated the newcomer, having delivered her warning. She intended to turn around with an air of noble aloofness and continue practicing her dance, but then she heard Xia Xi's voice.
"Is that considered a big move?"
Xia Xi asked the trainee beside her who had just muttered about Rui Ziyue's "big move," seeking a sincere opinion.
The trainee hadn't expected Xia Xi to talk to her, but she still gave a definite reply. "Yes, it's very impressive."
Xia Xi breathed a sigh of relief. One reason she had been uneasy about coming here was the fear of holding others back. Since she was going to do this, she wanted to do it well and was afraid of letting down the free meals and accommodation, given her field of study wasn't exactly related.
She never expected to learn upon arrival that a front flip was considered a big move.
So, Xia Xi promptly followed up, performing for them a front flip, a backflip, and a combination of front and back flips.
The kind done without using hands.
Under the astonished gazes of everyone, Xia Xi gave a cool, martial-arts-style cupped-fist salute to Rui Ziyue. "I yield to your superior performance."
