The first round of the elimination was about to begin.

The next competition consisted of three rounds, and they would be eliminating two people in each round, reducing the number of candidates from fifteen to nine. Following this, the nine candidates would proceed to the next stage, a competition of five rounds, where one person would be eliminated every round. In the end, the final top four candidates would then proceed to compete for the first, second, and third place in the finals.

The remaining fifteen contestants were both excited and nervous. Furthermore, the next competition would be recorded and edited before being broadcast on TV.

The winner of the online popularity vote and the contestant ranked first by the judges each gained an immunity from being eliminated in the next round. In other words, even if Sheng Jiaoyang and Luo Yi performed badly in the 15 to 13 contestants round, they could still advance.

In this regard, the other contestants were envious of the two who’d gained such an advantage. At least, this round of the competition wouldn’t be so intense.

Qi Hua, who wasn’t very outstanding, hated Sheng Jiaoyang to death. Initially, this privilege should have belonged to her, but it was snatched away by a poor, backgroundless girl. Are those who voted blind? Why were they fond of that poor ghost? If they had sympathy to spare, then they should just donate more to the mountains! What do those blind people even live for?!

With only fifteen people remaining, they could no longer be divided into two teams. So, the fifteen individuals were divided into three groups of five. The three groups would battle against each other, and all the members of the winning team would advance straight to the next stage. As for the team that placed last, the member with the worst performance in the group would be eliminated on the spot. The remaining members would be ranked alongside the runner-up team based on their performance, and the person with the lowest score would then be eliminated.

Sheng Jiaoyang, as the winner of the online popularity vote, and Luo Yi, as the one ranked first by the judges in the last round, each had the privilege of choosing their team members. As for the rest who didn’t get picked, they would automatically become the third group.

In the people who could be selected, there were some contestants who wished to be left for the third group. For example, Qi Hua. She didn’t want to see Sheng Jiaoyang or Luo Yi. Another example was Xiao Yang. She was a team captain before, but now that she’d fallen to the point of being selected, she found it hard to accept. So, she thought it would be better to remain and end up in the third group, and then fight for the captain position there.

As a close friend of Luo Yi, Pu Mingyu was naturally the first picked by Luo Yi. For the other three, they were also girls who’d trained with Luo Yi before.

Meanwhile, Sheng Jiaoyang seemed to randomly pick her team members as there was no common sense to her choices. She first picked Qi Hua, who continuously opposed her, and then three girls who usually didn’t get along well with her. At that moment, everyone was surprised. No one expected her to do this.

“Jiaojiao, why didn’t you choose me?” Wang Wei felt aggrieved. These days, she felt that their relationship was very harmonious. Why didn’t Xu Jiaojiao choose her when picking her team members?

After two days, Wang Wei had come back looking somewhat plumper, and Sheng Jiaoyang couldn’t help but reach out her hand to pinch her cheeks. “Be obedient. You’re already ranked last, so you’d better not join my group.”

“Are you afraid that I’ll drag you down?” Wang Wei became even sadder.

Sheng Jiaoyang laughed, and as she smiled slightly under Wang Wei’s accusing glare, she quietly said, “I have immunity right now, so even if my team performs the worst, I won’t be eliminated. If you enter my group, it’ll be dangerous for you.”

Wang Wei stared blankly at her for a moment. “Why do you make it sound like your team is doomed to lose?”

“Anyway, just be good by staying in Xiao Yang’s group and doing your best!” Sheng Jiaoyang lifted her hand and gently patted Wang Wei’s head. Obviously, she was a bit shorter than Wang Wei, and she was two years younger. However, her behavior put Wang Wei at ease.

As a poor performer, Wang Wei truly admired and trusted a high achiever like Sheng Jiaoyang, so she was immediately appeased by the latter. Her intuition told her that Jiaojiao would do something unanticipated again, which reminded her of the quiz game. At that time, she’d sat there witnessing the brilliance of the young girl as she dominated the entire game.

“In a moment, our stylist will design new hairstyles for you all,” Zhuo Yiyan announced.

“Huh? They won’t shave my head, right? Please don’t!” Some contestants were scared by their guesses.

Some were worried, while naturally, there were some looking forward to it too.

The stylist invited by the staff wouldn’t go so far as to transform them beyond recognition. Many candidates were actually looking forward to making a breakthrough with their new look.

Hairstyles could really affect a person’s temperament.

The dressing room was chaos.

Zhuo Yiyan was standing nearby with the styling director having a chat.

“There are quite a few celebrity faces this season,” the styling director looked around and said.

“To completely transform someone is also a challenge,” Zhuo Yiyan added.

“True. It’s easy to make someone more beautiful, but it’s difficult to help them become more fashionable and create a visual impact.”

Zhuo Yiyan agreed and nodded.

“I don’t want to!” a voice full of anger suddenly screamed.

Everyone looked over to where the voice was coming from almost at the same time. All they saw was a pretty girl clutching her long hair and casting an angry look at the stylist.

“What’s going on? Qi Hua?” Zhuo Yiyan questioned.

“I don’t want to have short hair!” Qi Hua’s expression was indignant.

“What’s wrong with short hair? You just have to believe in the stylist.” Because they were in a group, Sheng Jiaoyang was sitting next to her.

“Shut your stinky mouth!” Sheng Jiaoyang was the last person she would listen to at the moment. Qi Hua was disgusted with this person who always stole her limelight.

Sheng Jiaoyang sneered, “Miss Qi Hua, please keep your temper at home. The stylist is kind enough to offer her help in redoing your hairstyle for you, so don’t be so ungrateful.”

Qi Hua became even more annoyed. If Qi Hua had something in her hands, she would’ve definitely thrown it at her.

“Did I say you could speak? Close your stinky mouth!!”

Zhuo Yiyan’s brows furrowed tightly, and he shouted a warning, “Qi Hua! Please pay attention to your words!”

Qi Hua pouted like she’d been wronged. “But, I don’t want to cut my hair short. Why do I have to get a short haircut? I think my current hairstyle is fine. I asked a professional stylist to do it.”

“Who else doesn’t want to change their hairstyle?” Zhuo Yiyan asked as he looked around at the contestants.

Two other contestants raised their hands and said weakly that they didn’t want to cut their hair either.

“Well then, you three can go out now,” Zhuo Yiyan said indifferently.

“Teacher Zhuo, you’re not asking us to withdraw, are you?” one of the contestants who didn’t want to cut her hair asked anxiously.

“I don’t have the right to force you to withdraw. I just respect your choice. Since you don’t want to try out a new style, I won't object. Now, I was just asking you to go out and wait while the other contestants finish being styled.”

“Oh!” The contestant who’d asked was instantly relieved.

Qi Hua glared at Sheng Jiaoyang before arrogantly leaving the dressing room.

Zhuo Yiyan naturally noticed Qi Qua’s glare aimed at Sheng Jiaoyang. He comforted her by saying, “Don’t mind her and do your best.”

Sheng Jiaoyang lifted her lips into a smile and sat back in her seat.

“That contestant looks like the obedient type, but at the same time, she gives off a prominent aura. Her transformation is quite notable,” praised the styling director.

“Mmh, I have a hunch that she’ll be the contestant who gives me the biggest surprise this season.” Zhuo Yiyan smiled with a corner of his mouth.

The styling director walked over and directed the two stylists behind Sheng Jiaoyang. The stylists’ eyes shone as they nodded.

There was a contestant who saw this and secretly asked their stylist, “Can you also ask the styling director to give you some advice?”

The female stylist rolled her eyes. “Do you really want me to call the styling director over to give me advice?”

“Sure!”

The female stylist was speechless as she’d never seen such a cheeky person before.