LATE(2)

"Hey. Have you thought about it? If you go home everyday, you can be followed. Once you are revealed to be a trainee, you will have lots of dangers accompanying you." Bao Jun said.

"What do I do then? Should I pack? I can do it immediately." Xinyi said.

"No! Don't do it. I will send someone to pack your things immediately." Bao Jun said standing up from his chair.

"No way. I don't want anyone touching my clothes or things. Mother and father are not around. What if someone decides to steal while being alone?" Xinyi asked.

"Fine. I will come and pack your things personally. We have been together since childhood and I'm your cousin. Surely you don't mind me going through your things. I will go and get your things later. Just come to the agency immediately." Bao Jun said.

" I'm on my way. I will ask the driver to take me there and then, we can park somewhere. Just so that someone doesn't see me. I'm on my way. I will be there immediately." Xinyi said picking up her bag and wristwatch.

After wearing it, Xinyi gazed at the big mirror in front of her making sure she was dressed well.

"Okay, Xinyi. You can do it. You can do it. You are meeting Winter Night." Xinyi said to herself as she looked at the mirror before running through the door.

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Fourty minutes later, Tang Bao Jun stood out to wait for Xinyi. While Bao Jun waited outside, the members of Winter Night approached the training room. This one where all the new trainees were being taught everything they needed to know. Jianhong couldn't help but feel nostalgic at this point. Back then when they were trainees, the future looked uncertain and there was a time when they all wanted to give up.

"Are you ready? We would have escorted inside but I think you need your time alone." Liuxian said quietly.

"Yes. Senior Jianhong, I hope you find your inspiration." Randy said tapping Jianhong's shoulder.

This earned a look from Jianhong as he glanced at them briefly. His team was counting on him. He just couldn't disappoint them. More than the fear of disappointing his members and the fans, deep in his heart, there was something else he was more afraid of.

"I'm entering now.". Jianhong said taking a deep breath in before leaving his team.

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Xinyi's car passed by and Xinyi glanced at the agency. MMF Entertainment had been one of the top reigning agencies before the huge scandal Jianhong had gotten into. Winter Night had almost fallen apart.

"Young miss, we are here." Her driver said as he stopped the car.

"Hey! Don't even think of telling my parents anything." Xinyi said.

"What should I tell them if Master ask?" Her driver asked making Xinyi pause for a while thinking.

It was easy to fool her father because he loved her so much. Being his only child, she had that advantage of gaining his trust. Her mother however, wasn't easy to fool at all. Her mother was the owner of the biggest law firms in China. Many times in court, it was easy for her mother to win the case because she was able to distinguish between the lie and the truth.

"Just tell them I'm with my cousin." Xinyi said opening the car door.

The smell of fresh air hit her as she walked talking big steps in order not to be late. Luckily, just as she was about to enter, Xinyi bumped into her cousin once more at the door.

"Cousin." Xinyi said.

"You are late. Come. Let me take you up." Bao Jun said grabbing her hand.

"Take me up. What if someone sees us? Have you told them I'm your cousin?" Xinyi asked making Bao Jun sigh.

"Do you think I'm stupid? Of course not. We already agreed. Don't even think of exposing your identity. I'm taking you because I don't want the staff to pick on you. While being here, you might have to endure some grievances. If you can't then you better go home now. I won't be able to help you like now." Bao Jun said as he walked with her to a door.

While he walked with her, many people seemed to be staring at them as they walked by. This was not the first time they had seen him with a girl but every time they saw him with a girl, they would go beserk and take pictures. Fortunately before Xinyi arrived, he had spoken to all the staff. Although Xinyi had insisted on becoming a trainee, there was no way he was going to allow her suffer any grievance.

"They are all staring." Xinyi said turning her face as they walked by.

"Don't worry. Nobody will take pictures." Bao Jun said placing a hand on Xinyi's arm.

Stopping in front of the door, Bao Jun opened it and a stairs revealed itself. Xinyi smiled at the thoughtfulness of her cousin. When she was little, she had been trapped in an elevator for two days because the power went out. Those two days seemed to be the most scariest moment of her life. She can remember bending down and covering her eyes because she was hallucinating out of hunger and fear. Ever since then she couldn't take an elevator.

"Thank you." Xinyi said as they stepped inside.

"Let's go." Bao Jun said as they started climbing up.

Meanwhile, Jianhong stepped into the training room. Meeting new trainees who were with a lot of dreams might do him some good. The doors opened and the trainees anxiously waited to see who was arriving. Jianhong entered the room smiling as it was part of his image to do so. The trainees seemed enthusiastic as they stood up to greet him smiling as wide as their mouth could.

"Greetings ladies." Jianhong said smiling.

"Greetings Senior JH." They said bowing down briefly.

"Please sit down." Jianhong said.

The female trainees smiled sitting down quickly while some of them whispered talking about JH's visual. Although Jianhong's hair hadn't been styled, it didn't seem to affect his visual.

"Okay, I am Mrs Ming Liping but you can just call me Mrs Liping. Most of you must already know who JH is right?" The female choreographer asked.

"Yes!" They shouted.

"Oh my god, JH is so handsome." One of the trainees shouted and Jianhong smiled.

"Thank you for appreciating his handsomeness but that's not what we are here for. Starting today, JH will be here everyday to supervise you. He will just be here to watch you so do your best, okay?" Mrs Liping said.

"Yes!" They said smiling.

Few minutes later, all the trainees stood in four lines with five people each making the total amount of trainees 20 in number. The female choreographer, Mrs Liping went round doing an attendance.

"One of you is missing. Who is missing?" Mrs Liping asked stopping at the 19th person.

Jianhong turned counting the number of trainees present and found out that someone was indeed missing. This made him remember when his team didn't almost debut because one of the trainees had been reckless. Back then, they always had to keep check of time in order to get food, avoid being punished. For them, time was most essential thing. Obviously this trainee didn't know that.

"Someone is indeed missing. Everyone, you must remember. In the upcoming days, time is of most importance. You cannot afford to be late for anything. Mrs Liping, today is their first time and maybe she is running late. Or she doesn't know her way round the company yet." Jianhong said.

"If you say so. It's just that I don't want to have to repeat the moves again. How about I give you guys some time to know each other while we wait for the last person?" Mrs Liping asked before heading to the corner while the trainees sat down.

Jianhong stood gazing at the door as his mind also wondered to the last trainee. They were wasting time and it was all her fault. As much as he wanted to scold her, he understood today was full of formalities that had to be done.

************************************

Xinyi and Bao Jun continued to climb up the stairs but the stairs seemed to be too long making Bao Jun regret allowing them to hold the practice at the third floor. MMF Entertainment had six floors. With an elevator, it would have been easy but since Xinyi couldn't use an elevator, taking a stairs to the third floor seemed like a dream. An impossible dream.

"What are you doing?" Xinyi asked watching as Bao Jun stopped reaching into his pocket.

"Calling them. Keep quiet." Bao Jun said before dialing someone's number.

Meanwhile at the practice room, few minutes had passed and the last trainee had still not shown up making Jianhong worried. Many trainees often showed up from different parts of the country.

"Hello. Mr Tang." Mrs Liping said catching Jianhong's attention.