Chapter 114 Part 2
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Chapter 114 Part 2: Cost-Effective Magic Replenishment (2)
Xie Qingxuan looked slightly perplexed, recalling the taste of the earlier kiss. Suddenly, she realized:
“So, the blood you coughed up was fake? No wonder it tasted sweet—like a mix of honey grapefruit and fruity tea.”
Chu Yuanqing felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. Who would believe someone’s blood tasted like that? But to keep deceiving the golden retriever, she nodded seriously.
“Yes, that’s right.”
Xie Qingxuan touched her lips thoughtfully and asked,
“What about your eyes and hair?”
Chu Yuanqing scrambled to keep the story going.
“Colored contacts and instant hair dye,” she explained, trying to sound convincing.
The excuse was flimsy, and the idea of filming something so dramatic for gossip seemed absurd, but a normal person couldn’t survive losing so much blood. Besides, the golden retriever was gullible enough to believe it, giving her a glimmer of hope.
Xie Qingxuan mulled it over before asking another question, her tone curious.
“Does Little Qing really like kissing?”
Chu Yuanqing froze, choking on her own embarrassment. Her toes curled in mortification as she struggled to figure out how to respond.
What could she say? If she admitted she liked it, wouldn’t that be tantamount to publicly coming out as a lesbian?
Not that she minded admitting it—after all, she couldn’t possibly like men—but even as a lesbian, she wouldn’t randomly grab someone and kiss them for six whole minutes! From an outsider’s perspective, her actions could only lead to two conclusions:
One that, she was a pervert., and second that he had fallen for Xie Qingxuan and was confessing her feelings in an unconventional way.
The first option would completely ruin her image, making her seem like a shameless flirt.
The second was even worse. If Xie Qingxuan rejected her, she could brush it off. But if she agreed? Chu Yuanqing wouldn’t know how to handle it. She couldn’t take responsibility for such a bold move and would end up looking like a heartless player who starts things she can’t finish—a truly awful person.
Caught in a dilemma, Chu Yuanqing awkwardly replied,
“It’s… fine, not too bad.”
Xie Qingxuan, as straightforward as ever, didn’t pick up on the hidden confession. Instead, she assumed Chu Yuanqing was seeking revenge for the playful antics on stage during their last performance.
But this supposed “revenge” had clearly backfired. Xie Qingxuan hadn’t felt upset at all—in fact, those six minutes had made her quite happy.
The golden retriever felt the situation was a little unfair. She always played nice, yet here she was, feeling unexpectedly delighted. She lifted her innocent gaze, her golden eyes sparkling as she asked:
“Do you want to pet me?”
Chu Yuanqing blinked, caught off guard.
“Where?”
“Anywhere is fine.”
The casual tone, paired with Xie Qingxuan’s stunning figure on Dazzling Stage, hit like a thunderbolt in Chu Yuanqing’s already frazzled mind.
Wait, what? Are we really skipping ahead to that stage?!
Panicking, she shook her head vigorously, her fear mounting. She quickly apologized, her voice filled with sincerity:
“I—I really didn’t mean to kiss you. It wasn’t intentional. I had my reasons, but they’re hard to explain. I’m so sorry if I offended you. If there’s any way I can make it up to you, just let me know.”
Xie Qingxuan blinked, confused by the sudden outburst.
She wasn’t angry—not in the slightest. Whether or not there had been some initial misunderstanding, she didn’t mind the kiss. Now that Chu Yuanqing seemed fine, Xie Qingxuan only felt relief and joy.
The golden retriever tilted her head, deep in thought. From another perspective, she began to understand Chu Yuanqing better.
Little Qing was always a morally upright, diligent girl—someone who pushed herself hard, kept up with training without a single complaint, and even faced top-tier challenges head-on without hesitation. Such a person wouldn’t stoop to petty revenge.
If anything, Chu Yuanqing probably felt guilty about the whole incident.
Still, Xie Qingxuan figured forgiveness couldn’t come too easily. A lesson needed to be taught—nothing harsh, of course, just enough to lead to a happy resolution.
After a moment of pondering, Xie Qingxuan smiled kindly and said:
“I actually really like kissing Little Qing. If you feel uneasy about it, we can make a fair exchange. If Little Qing kisses me for a certain amount of time today, I’ll willingly kiss you for the same amount of time. How does that sound?”
Chu Yuanqing wanted to refuse. She didn’t want to take advantage of the other person, and continuing this way might lead to what people jokingly call an online lip friendship.
However, after careful consideration, despite it crossing a moral boundary, she realized that even if she could rewind six minutes, she couldn’t think of a more effective way to respond than kissing.
This kiss didn’t fully expose her witch identity. Instead, the unique blood aroma reversed some suspicions, activated a long-term healing mechanism to erase any aftereffects, and even slightly alleviated the aging curse that had just attacked her.
It was like hitting three birds with one stone—highly cost-effective.
In the past, she wouldn’t have even considered using such an unscrupulous healing method. But now, knowing the world was still in crisis, she realized it had become a necessary choice.
For the sake of saving the world, this sacrifice was essential.
Chu Yuanqing tried to convince herself of this logic. She listened to the sound of her heart breaking, pursed her lips, and nodded shyly to indicate her agreement.
Xie Qingxuan, satisfied, washed her hands, checked to ensure the other person was okay, then politely left the bathroom. Before leaving, she suggested meeting later in the practice room to dance together on the stage.
Chu Yuanqing, now alone, removed her Magic Armor, changed her hair and eye color disguise, cleaned the bloodstains in the bathroom, and checked her appearance in the mirror. With a deep breath, she used magic to reshape the pendant on her lantern, molding it into the shape of a Möbius strip. Her expression turned serious.
From today onward, she could no longer slack off or coast through her responsibilities. She had to face this hidden talent show filled with secrets head-on.
Countless questions swirled in her mind, demanding answers:
• The specific details of the “disaster beast.”
• How many people had died worldwide because of it.
• The purpose behind Dazzling Stage binding magical tools to Grade A contestants.
• How Dazzling Stage utilized the Calamity Seed to unlock the secret of Heart Flow.
In terms of action, she couldn’t let her adorable daughter grow up without guidance. She needed to keep a close eye on the child’s movements, preferably staying with her in a group to prevent any accidents.
Most importantly, how could she become a super popular idol?
***
The Outside World
Within ten minutes of posting, the Weibo collaboration post from Kirimi Miyuki and Chu Yuanqing was discovered by fans, sparking chaos.
The post featured a tic-tac-toe grid of photos from their advertisement shoot, showcasing scenes of kissing under an umbrella, draping veils over each other on the beach, and taking wedding photos against a striking red backdrop.
These images left fans of unique perspectives utterly stunned.
Even more absurd was the caption, which directly quoted the advertisement’s closing line:
[You have the right to love anyone.]
In an instant, the outside world was engulfed by a tsunami of public opinion.