~~

Cai Minyou had been sleeping for not too long before he was woken up by a certain Hao Hao once again. Slightly groaning, he opened his eyes, and looked down the the end of his bed, seeing the top of Qin Hao's head pop up, as a hand was pulling at his blanket.

"Cai Cai, Cai Cai, wake up." Qin Hao, who was repeating this line for the 10th time, continued to pull at Cai Minyou's blanket, who was still waking up. "Come eat breakfast with me, I'm lonely."

The one still in bed slightly rolled his eyes with a smile, before uncovering himself from the blanket. Climbing down from the bed, he looked at Qin Hao before speaking in a tired voice. "Let me wake up first, Hao Hao, wait for me in the dining area." Cai Minyou walked to the bathroom section, before starting his morning routine.

"Hey, why do you have my headphones? I thought you had your own." Qin Hao took the headphone's off Cai Minyou's head, which was slightly displaced off his ears due to him sleeping. "No need to steal mine."

Cai Minyou, who had honestly forgotten that he had stolen Qin Hao's headphones the previous night, let the other take it off him, as he tried to think of a response.

It's because Wang Zhengliang keeps laughing and he won't stop even when I throw a Samsung heart pillow at him, and I couldn't be bothered getting my headphones.

"It has noise-cancelling, and yours is more comfortable to sleep with." Cai Minyou, who was saying nonsense, came up with a reasonable reason.

Qin Hao laughed a bit. "Don't worry, you can steal it whenever." He paused for a bit, before speaking up again. "Anyways, why would you need noise cancelling headphones in the middle of the night? Is me or Wei Li'an snoring too loudly?"

"..." Cai Minyou was silent for a bit, thinking over what to say. Instead, he avoided the question. "Qin Hao, you go first, wait for me in the dining area. Let me finish up here."

Qin Hao, who didn't bother getting a proper answer, laughed. "Okay, Cai Cai, see you there." Cai Minyou was wondering why Qin Hao was in such an excited mood, but he didn't question it. QIn Hao placed the headphones on Cai Minyou's desk before leaving the room. As he began to finish up on his morning routine, his eyes caught onto something. Under the belongings he had on the table, was the harmless joker card, with his head being the only visible thing seen.

Cai Minyou quickly finished his morning routine, before walking up to the card, and taking it. He figured with the card in hand, he'd find some clues relating to the task. It was given to him indirectly anyways, so it might've been a clue.

He then took a few steps forward to the door, before stopping, with the card in hand. He slightly turned his head around, to see the empty bed of Wei Li'an. Cai Minyou did not know whether it was surprising or not that the other was out of bed before him, but he did not question it. His gaze slightly shifted to the left of the bed, seeing the broken glasses of Wang Zhengliang hiding under the shadows of the bunk bed, a glimmer of the golden frame being the only thing visible under the light.

Once again, there was something there that confirmed that the previous night was real, and everything had actually happened.

Cai Minyou let out a heavy exhale, before making his way out of the dorm room. Another day of Tie Yi was coming, and he was still tired. In his mind, he had decided to remove all thoughts about the task. Although he had found out nothing about the task the previous day, he still gained 5% of the task somehow. If he kept on going until 40%, then he could find out what the task was. Or he could try and guess the task.

But that was too much pressure on Cai Minyou. So he rid his mind of the supposed task and made his way to the dining area, searching for Qin Hao so he could eat breakfast with him.

However, he stopped in his tracks, as he saw a few people gathered around one table, along with Wei Li'an and Wang Zhengliang. Cai Minyou stepped closer to the table, searching whether Qin Hao was there. He did not notice why Wang Zhengliang was looking a little strange at that moment.

"Cai Cai, do you know where Wang Zhengliang's glasses are?" Wei Li'an walked up to Cai MInyou, placing a hand on his shoulder. "He only brought one pair this time, and he couldn't seem to find it this morning." As the hand of the other touched Cai Minyou's shoulder, he freezed for a moment, processing the question that was asked.

He knows where it is.

Cai Minyou turned to Wei Li'an, before speaking. "Maybe he left it somewhere? After breakfast I can help search for you." He patted Wei Li'an lightly, before moving away from the close presence of the other brother. As he found a seat next to Qin Hao, he quickly sat down, grabbing his bag for breakfast that Qin Hao helped him get. He did know where Wang Zhengliang's glasses were, but why didn't he say it?

Maybe it was because he was unaware of any consequences that came along with his actions. He was afraid of the outcome of his own actions.

He shook his head, before taking his food out of the paper bag.

"Cai Cai, are you okay? You looked a bit troubled." Qin Hao asked, causing Cai Minyou to look at him. Cai Minyou grabbed a pair of chopsticks and opened up the box of food.

"I'm fine, Hao Hao." His eyes looked a bit distant as he started to poke at his food, his gaze slowly lingering over to Wang Zhengliang's direction, who was currently being offered glasses by Hu Xia, who forgot the concept of prescription glasses. He shoved a piece of vegetable into his mouth, before going back to poking at his food.

Qin Hao watched Cai Minyou's actions, before judging the other for a bit. But before he was able to continue talking to Cai Minyou about it, a voice had jumpscared many people in the room, especially Cai Minyou.

It reminded Cai Minyou of the voice that he heard for the past two nights.

"Attention brothers. X-Men Collaboration Show Rules has been announced on the big screen in the activity area."

X-Men? Both Cai Minyou and Qin Hao focused their attention on this, interested in what it was. Like Hu Xia to corn, every member quickly made their way to where the rules were posted with a fast running pace, white text on the screen with a blue background. The group of brothers looked like a group of children running up to a corn stand.

Cai Minyou's eyes read over the rules posted on the screen.

"X-Men collaboration show."

Before Cai Minyou could read anything else, a chorus of confused brothers were heard, as all the members looked confusedly at the screen. Wang Zhengliang took up the role of reading out the rules, with a loud voice. Cai Minyou honestly would rather read it in his mind himself, but it was kind of nice to hear Wang Zhengliang's voice rather than his laughter.

"Both sides can cooperate together and form a program. It will also be a battle. Sign up as a member and reference for the test. Selected by the joint directors of the two major groups." Wang Zhengliang continued, as every brother read along with him. "Only members with higher votes can finally be selected." He nodded before turning to the others.

Wait a second, Wang Zhengliang broke his glasses, so how is he reading out the rules? Cai Minyou, filled with pure confusion, turned his head to look at Wang Zhengliang, who was actually wearing Hu Xia's glasses. He blinked a few moments, judging how Hu Xia's prescription glasses managed to fit Wang Zhengliang, although they looked a bit awkward on him.

"So signing up doesn't necessarily mean you're automatically in..." Fu Longfei, who was standing near Cai Minyou, gave a nod, his messy slightly long hair following along with his actions. The elder male turned around to give the younger brother a look, seeing the tiredness of his eyes and the messiness of his hair. Before Cai Minyou was about to say anything, he was distracted by something else around him.

"Can we sign up now?" The voice of You Zhangjing, just one person standing away from Cai Minyou turned his body to face the room that they were directed to go to.

Xiong Ziqi, who stood next to Cai Minyou, nodded, as he looked at You Zhangjing, already walking ahead. "Let's go, if there's a leader role I'll sign up for that." He gave a smile as he tagged along You Zhangjing, who was questioning whether they could sign up at that moment.

Hearing Xiong Ziqi's comment, Cai Minyou's mind was brought to think about the previous day, where Xiong Ziqi's hand was brutally attacked by the back of Xu Haiqiao. His eyes lingered over to Xu Haiqiao, seeing the normal actions that he did, which completely contrasted to the ones he had seen the previous nights. He then looked behind him, seeing Xiong Ziqi and You Zhangjing already wandering off. How did Xiong Ziqi feel about the situation?

Cai Minyou watched as Xiong Ziqi held the door open to the Flame Chamber, letting You Zhangjing into the room first. As the short male walked into the room, Xiong Ziqi, with the unsquashed hand let go of the door, letting the other in first to the registration area.

Seeing Xiong Ziqi standing outside, waiting for his captain to sign up for whatever this X-men was, Cai Minyou took this time to approach the other.

"Is your hand okay? Sorry I left quickly yesterday." Cai Minyou asked straightforwardly, making Xiong Ziqi process for a few moments that this older brother was talking to him.

He looked at his hand for a bit, as if he was trying to recall the events of the previous day. Looking closely at his eyes, Cai Minyou could swear that the shock slowly overcame him. It seemed as if after the event happened, Xiong Ziqi pushed it out of his mind, unwilling to remember them.

"Ziqi?"

"Hmm?" Xiong Ziqi refocused his attention on Cai Minyou, who was giving him a look of concern for his younger brother. "Oh, yeah, my hand is okay, I just can't play the piano for Ai Shi Huai Yi anymore."

Cai Minyou's eyes slightly widened at this, looking at Xiong Ziqi in slight shock. "Then what are you going to do?"

The other shrugged a bit, before speaking. "I guess I'll have to get either Zhangjing or Zao An-ge to do it for me, but I don't know whether they'd fit the role." He stayed quiet for a few moments, before speaking up again. "They seem more like main performers, one vocalist, one rapper... If only that Xu Haiqiao didn't-." Before he got to speak further, he looked up to see Xu Haiqiao, happily interacting with Wang Zhengliang and the others in his group, as if he had done nothing the previous day. Xiong Ziqi decided to be quiet, and question the situation in his own head.

Cai Minyou watches Xiong Ziqi's expression, seeing the confusion in his eyes. Before the two were able to think about a conversation starter to talk about, the leader who had finished signing up for X Men walked out of the room, giving a smile to Xiong Ziqi.

"Do you want to sign up? It's Wang Jia'er's song. Why Why Why." You Zhangjing used his hand to indicate the room he was in to sign up. Xiong Ziqi looked at his leader, then back at Cai Minyou.

He held the door open for Cai Minyou, indicating with his slightly shaking hand the entrance. "Cai-Cai ge, you can go first." Xiong Ziqi looked up at Cai Minyou, who was processing this question.

"Can I go in?"

"Yeah, go in, it'd be worth a try." Xiong Ziqi kept holding the door opening, looking at Cai Minyou's hesitating expression. "Go."

Cai Minyou, who saw Xiong Ziqi's urging expression, quickly went into the signing up room, so he could let Xiong Ziqi's other working hand have a rest from holding the door open for too long. Transitioning from the loud activity area into the quiet flame chamber, his eyes curiously looked into the room, seeing the two separate piles of cards either side of a flaming cup in the middle of a hole in the table, glowing bright red with smoke rising. It has caused a feeling in Cai Minyou that he didn't know how to explain.

In front of this set out was a lyrics card, which Cai Minyou reached out to grab.

Maybe this would be nice for him to try out new opportunities.

"Welcome to the X-Men recruitment registration site."

This voice had slightly jumpscared Cai Minyou, with a slight sense of panic in him. This voice had reminded him of the voice that had introduced the assessment to him, while the Yi Yu group was spoiling their performance to him casually.

He attempted to shove this thought out of his mind, instead focusing himself on the screen in front of him.

'Because you're so magical.'

Cai Minyou confirmed You Zhangjing's words before, it was Wang Jia'er's song.

Switching from the lyrics on the screen, a dance of 4 people was shown, with the music playing in the back. His eyes slightly widened, looking at the movements of each dancer, smoothly going from each move to the next. For Cai Minyou as an older brother, it looked a bit intimidating, but still doable.

"Please take the registration card on the table and write your name on it."

Cai Minyou, after hearing this voice and instructions, reached out to the pile of cards on the left, and took the one closest to the front.

"Submitting it to the Flame Cup counts as a successful registration."

"How much do you get paid?" Cai Minyou asked casually, although silently questioning himself why in the world he had asked that so randomly.

"..."

Cai Minyou took the pen on the table, before taking off the lid. He placed the card flat on the surface, before starting to write his name. "You even do night shifts. Thanks for your hard work." Cai Minyou chuckled for a bit before hearing the response of the voice.

"I am only responsible for the brothers during the day. Please write your name on the registration card." After hearing this, Cai Minyou paused in the middle of writing his name. "Submitting it to the Flame Cup counts as a successful registration."

Only during the day? Then what about what he hears during the night? Cai Minyou, after hearing the last line, felt as if the person speaking had wanted him to hurry up, and stop asking weird questions. He quickly finished off his name, before placing it in the Flame Cup with his left hand. "Thanks."

He then quickly went out of the room, opening the door to see Xiong Ziqi waiting there. "You can go in now." He quickly said, helping Xiong Ziqi open the door for him.

"Thanks, Cai Cai-ge." Xiong Ziqi gave a smile, before he was about to walk in.

"Hey, Ziqi." Cai Minyou called out, causing Xiong Ziqi to stop in his tracks. "Are you sure you want to do this? It's a singing and dancing stage." Worry was evident in his voice, Cai Minyou's hand trying to open the door for longer.

Xiong ZIqi gave a slight smile, before shaking his head. "It's okay, brother, I'll be fine." He gave a slight laugh, before continuing to speak. "Thanks for your concern though."

Cai Minyou nodded. "If you need any help, I'm here, okay?"

XIong Ziqi nodded, giving his thanks, before he walked into the Flame Chamber to sign up. Cai Miynou let the door close, before turning away from the room. Already, he saw You Zhangjing walking around, telling everyone he knew who liked or had a relation with Wang Jia'er, about what the X-Men performance was.

He then reached out a hand to slap himself on the face.

Why in the world was he putting more stress on himself? Currently, many things were circling around in his head. Was the person behind this voice only for day shifts, and there was someone else for night shifts? Or was he not meant to hear anything during the night? So was he hallucinating?

And he also had signed up for X-Men, which meant another performance he had put onto his plate, and more stress for himself. He was already stressed enough with Tie Yi, this random assessment task and losing sleep to rewatching the Yi Yu performance, and now he had to learn a whole new dance so he could possibly not even be chosen to perform in this X-Men performance! He had two stages for singing and dancing, and a side quest to complete too.

He even told Xiong Ziqi that he could help him if he had a problem. Currently, Cai Minyou was secretly praying that Xiong Ziqi did not have any problems, or he had forgotten that Cai Minyou had offered this to him.

"Are you okay, Cai Cai?" A voice had suddenly sounded next to Cai Minyou's ear, making him jump away from the source. "Do you want me to help you slap you?"

"Hao Hao, you didn't have to do that." Cai MInyou gave a deadpanned look to the other, who had a smile on his face.

"Do what? I haven't even slapped you yet." Qin Hao gave a smile at Cai Minyou, who didn't know whether the smile from Qin Hao was meant to be comforting or annoying, but he got rid of that thought.

He brought his hand up to his head, thinking about the morning he just had, he couldn't believe it was just the morning, and he had already made so many decisions that made his Yi Gong so much more stressful. It was great for Cai Minyou's Yi Gong journey.

~~