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Shen Yiheng frowned slightly: "I didn't provoke him."

"You didn't provoke him, but that expression he had just made—" Han Yu pointed with his chin in the direction He Xu had disappeared, "—how many times have you seen him like that?"

Shen Yiheng did not respond.

Han Yu remained silent for a moment, glanced at the trainees watching from the side, and pulled Shen Yiheng away.

Once they reached the quiet corridor, he continued speaking, his gaze becoming more serious than before.

"His ear had only just recovered a few days ago, and now he's back, spending all his time in the practice building, working even though his voice is so hoarse he can barely speak—and you, as the PD, aren't you helping him out, instead of arguing with him?"

Han Yu's words were like a needle, precisely piercing Shen Yiheng's sore spot.

Shen Yiheng stood in the corridor, his temples throbbing.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say, "I wasn't arguing with him," but he swallowed the words back—because Han Yu was right, he was indeed arguing with He Xu.

Or rather, it was He Xu who was punishing him unilaterally with that kind of "sarcastic gentleness," and he was confronting it head-on, only to be choked and left with a face full of ashes.

"...He wasn't like this before." Shen Yiheng finally spoke, his voice muffled. "He used to curse when he was angry, and then it was over. Now..."

"He doesn't dare to yell anymore," Han Yu chimed in, his tone tinged with helplessness. "Because one of the producers said he yelled too harshly and made the players cry."

Shen Yiheng's fingers curled slightly.

Looking at his expression, Han Yu sighed: "Shen Yiheng, how many years have you known him?"

"...Six years."

"In six years, when have you ever seen him change his ways just because someone said a few words about him?"

Shen Yiheng did not respond.

Han Yu continued, "He changed because he thought you were right. But after he changed, you were still not satisfied, complaining that he was too quiet and too sarcastic—what exactly do you want from him?"

Shen Yiheng's fingers clenched tightly at the seam of his pants, his nails digging into his palms through the fabric: "I didn't want him to change. I just... I just felt that he didn't need to be so fierce to all the contestants."

"That's because you don't understand him," Han Yu said. "You think he's venting his emotions? He's just using what he thinks is the most effective way to force people to their senses."

"Weren't you forced into it back then too?"

"...That's true." Shen Yiheng lowered his head, stared at the crack in the floor for a few seconds, and then suddenly laughed. "I was almost forgetting... that you were also forced into this state by him."

Han Yu's expression froze for a moment, then he looked away: "...My relationship with him is different from yours."

"How are they different?"

Han Yu did not answer.

"Alright, you can go back now." After a while, he straightened up from the wall. "I've delivered the medicine, and I should go now. If you really want him to calm down, figure it out yourself. Don't expect me to pass on your message."

Shen Yiheng did not answer.

-

Four o'clock in the afternoon, third floor of the practice building.

When Shen Yiheng entered the Group A practice room, He Xu was already there.

He was squatting next to the speaker adjusting the volume. He didn't turn around when he heard the door open. He just kept squatting there, dragging the progress bar back to the beginning: "You're finally here? Stand up straight and do it all the way through first."

His voice was flat, revealing no emotion.

Shen Yiheng glanced at his back, wanting to say something, but He Xu had already started playing music.

The five people stood in front of the mirror, with Shen Yiheng in the center, taking a deep breath.

The music started.

Shen Yiheng stood in the center, his body moving to the beat, his movements still clean, but He Xu frowned after only three seconds.

Shen Yiheng was distracted.

Before the first eight counts were even finished, Shen Yiheng's gaze drifted into the mirror and towards He Xu.

The movement was so subtle that the five contestants next to him didn't notice it at all, but He Xu noticed it.

He didn't say anything.

In the second eight-beat sequence, Shen Yiheng's movement was half a beat slower.

Although he regained the rhythm in the next beat, that tiny delay was magnified in He Xu's eyes.

He Xu leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.

His expression remained unchanged, his gaze fixed on Shen Yiheng's reflection in the mirror, his lips slightly pursed.

Still no sound.

Until the third chorus, Shen Yiheng went in the wrong direction during the formation change—

He should have cut to the right, but instinctively took a step to the left, directly colliding with Yang Sheng's movement trajectory.

The two almost bumped into each other, and both paused for a moment.

The music continued, but that brief pause was clear enough.

He Xu finally stood up straight and pressed the pause button.

The music stopped abruptly.

Five people stood in front of the mirror. Some were panting, some looked at Shen Yiheng with a puzzled expression, and some followed his gaze to He Xu.

The practice room was quiet for a few seconds.

He Xu glanced at the other five people before fixing his gaze on Shen Yiheng, saying calmly, "PD Shen, you've come to the wrong place."

"...I know." Shen Yiheng's voice was a little dry.

"How many times have you practiced the choreography for the third chorus?"

"Many times."

"Which way did you go just now?"

Shen Yiheng's lips moved slightly: "To the left."

"Turn right," He Xu said, his tone still flat. "You hit Yang Sheng."

"I know."

"You knew you were going the wrong way?"

Shen Yiheng was speechless.

He Xu looked at his expression, remained silent for two seconds, then looked away and turned to Yang Sheng: "Are you alright?"

"It's nothing," Yang Sheng shook his head.

He Xu nodded, then looked at Shen Yiheng again: "PD Shen, let's do this scene again from the beginning—everyone get ready."

This time, Shen Yiheng didn't go the wrong way.

But He Xu saw through it.

He Xu could tell that he was still distracted.

He knows Shen Yiheng too well.

After the dance was over, he turned his gaze back to the five dancers and said, "You five, your rhythm and positioning are fine, but the synchronized dance part of the second chorus could be a little more polished—it's getting late, that's all for today."

He Xu paused for a moment, then shifted his gaze back to Shen Yiheng.

"PD, stay behind. I'll practice this part with him alone."

Yang Sheng was the first to walk out, head down. As he passed Shen Yiheng, he glanced at him quickly without saying a word.

The other four people filed out, and the door was gently closed behind them.

Only two people remained in the practice room.

He Xu walked to the center of the practice room and stood in front of Shen Yiheng.

"What are you thinking?"

The voice wasn't loud, but the cold, emotionless tone was more chilling than any insult.

Shen Yiheng's lips moved slightly: "...No."

"No?" He Xu turned his head, pointing his right ear at him. "You turned too slowly, your center of gravity shifted, and you bumped into someone—do you even want your job anymore? Being an idol is easy, isn't it?"

Shen Yiheng's fingers twitched, and his Adam's apple bobbed, but he didn't utter a single word.

He Xu did not give him a chance to speak.

"Starting from the very first line of the chorus, you dance alone, and you're not allowed to stop until you finish."

He Xu walked to the corner, pulled up a chair, sat down, crossed his legs, and stared at Shen Yiheng like an emotionless motion capture device.

The music started again.

Shen Yiheng took a deep breath and started dancing from the first line of the chorus.