Xicheng led the applause, and everyone followed suit. Ning Xiaofei gently lifted the corners of her mouth, returning his smile from afar before turning and leaving the stage.
The rehearsal continued, and Xicheng walked over to take a seat in the judges' panel next to Ji Mo.
Backstage, the contestants were already buzzing with excitement.
"Xicheng is here, so handsome!"
"Yeah, even more handsome than in photos!"
"I thought he'd only come for the official competition, but he's here now!"
"Oh my god, I'm so nervous!"
...
The girls clustered at the entrance of the stage, watching Xicheng from a distance, chattering and more excited than one another.
The boys seemed to be a bit calmer, but they too gathered around, the only truly composed one being Ning Xiaofei.
Ye Qiao also glanced over a few times from the entrance before coming to stand beside Ning Xiaofei.
"What do you think, who's more handsome, Xicheng or your hubby?"
