Surprise attack

It was the day of the second stage, and for the performers this marked a significant moment as it was their very first time to face a live audience, and the excitement in the air was palpable. However, there was an undercurrent of nervousness that coursed through the makeup room, where the atmosphere was nothing short of chaotic. 

The stakes were high – today, 25 contestants would be eliminated, and their fate hung precariously in the balance, entirely contingent upon how well they did on stage.

The young women were really nervous. Both Team A and Team B were getting ready in the same makeup room, which made things even more tense. 

Xia Lihua sat in a makeup chair, patiently awaiting the arrival of her assigned makeup artist. As she sat there, her gaze happened to drift towards Xia Mengrui, who was nearby. It struck her that Mengrui had been conspicuously absent from their dorm for the past few nights.