Amateur talent show? Top mentors are my students.

The dormitory—or rather, the villa—arranged by the production team was located in a low-density residential area by a lake on the outskirts of the city.

When He Xu got off the bus with his suitcase, the first thing he saw was that house—

The building has three floors, white exterior walls, large floor-to-ceiling windows facing the lake, two rows of neatly trimmed holly bushes at the entrance, and dark gray stone slabs on the steps.

Just by looking at its appearance, you can tell it's not cheap.

There were no program crew signs at the entrance, only a notice posted next to the door frame that read: "Welcome to 'Hello, Fated One'. The key is under the flowerpot by the door. Feel free to choose your room. We hope you have a pleasant stay."

that's it.

He Xu bent down and looked under the flowerpot, and sure enough, there was a key underneath.

He picked up the door, pushed it, and found it unlocked; it must have been left there by the production team beforehand.

He carried his suitcase inside and stood in the entryway, glancing around.

The first floor features an open-plan living room and dining room, with a set of dark gray fabric sofas in the living room.

Opposite is a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, the curtains are drawn, and the light from the lake pours in from outside, illuminating the entire space.

A floor lamp stands next to the sofa, and a plate of fruit and several bottles of mineral water are placed on the coffee table.

The dining area is to the left of the living room. There is a long wooden table with six chairs and six cups on the table, with a name tag under each cup.

The kitchen is behind the dining room. It's not very big, but it's fully equipped with a stove, oven, microwave, and refrigerator. There are also several unopened bottles of seasoning and a set of cookware on the table.

He Xu walked over and glanced at the refrigerator. He opened the door and saw eggs, milk, several boxes of vegetables, and a bag of frozen meat inside, which looked like they had been prepared in advance by the production team.

He closed the refrigerator door and dragged his suitcase upstairs.

The second floor is the bedroom area. There are three doors on each side of the corridor, and a wooden sign hangs on each door with the numbers one through six written on it.

He Xu opened each room one by one and took a look. The rooms were about the same size, each with a single bed, a desk, and a wardrobe. The layout was simple and clean.

He didn't rush to choose a room, left his suitcase in the hallway, and continued walking upstairs.

The third floor is an open-plan attic space, smaller than the second floor, with a low table and a few cushions.

The skylight is located on the sloping roof, allowing sunlight to stream down and bathe the entire floor in a warm glow.

He Xu stood in the middle of the attic and looked around, mentally assessing the house—the production team had really spent money this time.

He went back to the second floor, stood in the corridor for a while, and glanced at the six doors.

The advantage of being the first to arrive is that you can choose any room you like.

But instead of making a choice, he went downstairs again and walked around the living room, dining room, and kitchen, figuring out the functional areas and circulation patterns of each floor.

This is his usual way of doing things—when he arrives in a new place, he first observes the environment before making a decision.

The fixed light in the corner of the living room was on, and the small red dot blinked in the dark.

He Xu glanced at the camera, but didn't try to avoid it. He simply walked to the sofa, sat down, picked up the bottle of mineral water on the coffee table, unscrewed it, and took a sip.

Then he heard a noise at the door.

The wheels of the suitcase rolled over the stone floor of the entryway, making a soft, rustling sound.

He Xu turned his head and looked towards the doorway.

A woman entered.

She had short hair and wore a long camel-colored coat. She stood there, looking aloof and cold.

Zhuang Wenmin.

Her gaze swept across the living room, landing on He Xu's face. She paused for a moment, then said, "Oh, you're the first one?"

"Hmm." He Xu leaned back on the sofa, looking at her. "You're second."

Zhuang Wenmin pushed her suitcase against the wall, took off her coat and draped it over her arm, walked over and sat down at the other end of the sofa, with a cushion between them.

"Have you chosen a room?" she asked.

"I didn't choose, they're all about the same."

"Then I want the one by the lake."

"what ever."

The two sat side by side on the sofa, facing the lake view through the floor-to-ceiling window, and neither of them spoke.

The air was still for a few seconds.

Then Zhuang Wenmin turned her head and glanced at him: "What's that smell on you? Perfume?"

"Mmm, peach flavor," He Xu said.

"I didn't expect you to have this interest."

"Mr. Jin picked it out for me."

"What brand?"

"I don't know, the bottle is pink, I'll show you later."

Zhuang Wenmin's lips twitched, as if she wanted to say something, but then there was a noise at the door.

This time, a man came in.

He was tall, wearing thin-rimmed glasses with gold wire, a dark blue shirt, and black trousers.

The shirt hem was tucked into the waistband, and he stood ramrod straight, exuding a habitual, professionally trained uprightness.

He carried a black briefcase and a small suitcase. When he walked in, his eyes swept around the living room first, and when he saw the two people sitting on the sofa, he paused.

"Hello," he began, speaking calmly and deliberately. "I am Lin Zhen, a lawyer."

He Xu nodded at him: "He Xu, an artist."

Zhuang Wenmin nodded slightly: "Zhuang Wenmin, makeup artist."

Lin Zhen changed into slippers and came in. He put his briefcase on the dining table, placed his suitcase next to the stairs, and then walked into the living room and sat down on the armchair opposite the sofa.

His gaze swept from He Xu to Zhuang Wenmin, and then back from Zhuang Wenmin.

Then he spoke, his tone tinged with a mixture of cautious probing and curiosity: "You two...knew each other before?"

"Yes," He Xu said, "We've collaborated on work before."

"Oh." Lin Zhen nodded. "You're his makeup artist?"

"More or less," Zhuang Wenmin said.

Lin Zhen paused for a moment, as if processing the information, then continued to try and find a topic to talk about: "So... are you guys usually busy with work?"

"It's alright," He Xu said.

"I'm quite busy," Zhuang Wenmin said.

Another silence fell.

Lin Zhen pushed up his glasses, his gaze falling on the plate of fruit on the coffee table, as if he was organizing his next words.

He Xu leaned back on the sofa, not in a hurry to break the ice.

He wasn't very good at this, and he didn't want to pretend to be enthusiastic.

Not to mention Zhuang Wenmin, she sat there and didn't say a word from beginning to end.

The three of them sat there, with only the hum of the air conditioner and the occasional chirping of birds coming from outside the window in the living room.

A few minutes later, light footsteps came from the doorway.

The door was pushed open, and a woman wearing a pale yellow down jacket walked in.

She wasn't very tall, had a low ponytail, a round face, and her eyes curved into slits when she smiled. She looked like a warm ray of sunshine that had just rolled in from outside.

"Hello everyone!" She waved towards the living room as she entered, her voice bright and clear. "I'm Wu Jiayuan, a pediatrician!"

He Xu nodded at her, but Zhuang Wenmin still had the same expression. Lin Zhen stood up and took half a step to greet her, but then realized he had overreacted and awkwardly sat back down.

Wu Jiayuan changed her shoes, took off her down jacket and hung it on the coat rack in the entryway, walked into the living room, her gaze swept over the three people's faces one by one, and then she smiled: "You all came pretty early. I thought I would be the first one."

"You're the fourth one," He Xu said.

"That's not bad either." Wu Jiayuan sat down on the armrest of the sofa, her posture relaxed, as if she had been living in this space for a while. "What were you guys talking about just now?"

"Let's talk about work," Lin Zhen said.

"That's so boring." Wu Jiayuan turned her head, her gaze sweeping from Lin Zhen to Zhuang Wenmin, then to He Xu, and finally stopping on He Xu's face. "You're He Xu, right? I recognize you—the one who dances, you've been on the trending topics a lot."

He Xu nodded, not denying it.

"You're thinner in person than on screen," Wu Jiayuan said. "Your complexion is a bit pale; have you been sleeping poorly lately?"

He Xu turned his head and glanced at her: "Is this an occupational hazard for you doctors?"

"Pediatricians are all detectives," Wu Jiayuan said with a confident laugh. "Children won't tell you where they feel unwell; these are skills they develop through practice."

Zhuang Wenmin gave a soft "humph" from the side, with a slight upturn at the corners of her mouth.

About ten minutes later, there was another noise at the door.

A tall boy walked in carrying a suitcase.

He was wearing a white knitted cardigan, his hair was neatly styled, and he had delicate features.

But he had a very obvious sense of restraint, whether from the cold or from nervousness.

He stopped in the entryway, his gaze sweeping over the people in the living room, then he gave a slight bow: "Hello, I am Sun Zhuohang, an actor."

Wu Jiayuan was the first to respond: "Hello, hello! Please sit down, don't stand."

Sun Zhuohang changed his shoes and came in. He pulled out a chair next to the dining table and sat down instead of moving to the sofa.

He Xu turned his head and glanced at him.

He vaguely recognized the face; it must have been someone he acted in when he was a child, and later played a supporting role in a popular drama. He was the kind of actor who "looks familiar but whose name he can't quite place."

Sun Zhuohang seemed to notice He Xu's gaze, turned his head to meet his eyes, paused for a moment, and then hesitated before speaking, "Teacher He Xu... I've seen your performances."

"Um."

"Your dancing is truly amazing." Sun Zhuohang's voice was a little lower than before, as if he was mustering up the courage to say this. "I also watched the trailer for your movie, and I'm really looking forward to its release."

He Xu looked at his earnest expression and nodded, "Thank you."

Sun Zhuohang didn't say anything more, but he clearly had a sense of joy, like he had "successfully met his idol".

Jiang Yining was the last to arrive.

When she pushed the door open and came in, everyone's eyes naturally turned to the doorway.

She wore a cream-colored cashmere coat over a light pink knitted dress, her hair was styled in large waves and draped over her shoulders, her makeup was exquisite, and she wore small pearl earrings.

She looked like she had stepped right out of a magazine.

"Hello everyone, I'm Jiang Yining, a teacher." She stood in the entryway and smiled, a perfect smile with just the right curve of her lips. "But I'm also a blogger; I usually post about outfits and daily life."

Wu Jiayuan waved to her: "Come in and sit down, it's cold outside, isn't it?"

Jiang Yining changed her shoes and walked in, took off her coat and draped it over the back of the sofa. Her gaze swept over the faces of the six people one by one, lingering for a moment on He Xu's face before moving away.

She sat on the other side of the sofa, gathered her hair to one side, and then turned her head to smile at Wu Jiayuan next to her: "You're a doctor, right? I heard you say that at the door just now."

"Yes, pediatrics."

"Then you must be extremely busy most of the time."

"It's alright, I'm used to it."

The two started chatting casually, and the atmosphere in the living room became a bit more lively than before.

He Xu leaned back on the sofa, his gaze sweeping over everyone's faces.

All six people have arrived.