Chapter 143

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Chapter 143: The True Defeated, Twisted Pleasure, the Demon King Dominating the Stage

The bathroom.

Splash, splash.

Water mist filled the air, and her soft legs trembled.

The green-eyed cat sat weakly on the towel, covering her mouth to hold back a painful cry from falling down. She forced herself to stand and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

The girl’s skin was covered with blush, and tears filled her eyes. Her expression was dazed, and her bangs were wet. She was breathing slightly fast, looking delicate yet flustered, as if she had just finished filming a legendary movie.

The green-eyed cat felt so embarrassed that she covered her face, but then couldn’t help but giggle softly and murmured:

"Even though it’s cunning and shameless, but… Mother Qing’s skin is so smooth and white, her face is so pretty and lovely. She is as gentle as a mother to me, it’s impossible not to be drawn to her."

Tang Liuli recalled this for a moment but felt she should stop thinking about it. She rubbed her face hard with both hands, like a wet cat shaking its head, pushing down the fancy thoughts in her heart, and whispered to herself nervously:

"No, the book says to control these feelings. I have training in the afternoon; three times is already too much. If I keep thinking about Honey Qing, it will definitely cause problems during dance practice."

After she finished speaking, she tidied her dress a little, turned around once in place, feeling somewhat regretful.

Although she had dressed up carefully, due to various unexpected events, she couldn’t use her outfit, and had to give away the chance for a date.

However, because she had enjoyed benefits for a long time—exactly 12 minutes—she felt she should be a bit generous.

Hmm, the sourness changed from old vinegar to Jiangnan rice vinegar.

The green-eyed cat walked out of the bathroom, holding onto the wall, taking small steps to avoid falling, mumbling to herself:

"Hmph, that sakura girl is so honest; she definitely can’t do anything with Mother Qing at the movies. I secretly get close to Mother Qing every day, winning so much. What is there to worry about?"

"So, what matters more is training. This time, I cannot lose on stage. I must strive to win over Honey Qing and later form a group to secretly enjoy romance with fans! Let’s defeat ‘Qing Cheng Qing Guo’ and ‘Meet You in the Mist’! Let’s gather some sweetness for ‘Qing Ci Li Qu’!"

While Tang Liuli was lost in her wild fantasies about Chu Yuanqing spending time watching movies with Little Sakura,

Deep in the underground center of Zhelong Town, a super AI named Dreamweaver surveyed the world with human technology, gathering and refining all data globally, reporting the most accurate data to the higher-ups of the Donghong Federation.

"The pure white light stopped shaking, the ether reaction began to diminish, the collapse ended, and the high walls entered a self-repair state. The global armed red alert was temporarily lifted."

"This collapse lasted for 5 minutes and 37 seconds. During this time, the activity of the Calamity Seeds dramatically increased, but now, with the pure white light’s rapid repair, it quickly froze and entered a standby mode."

"For safety reasons, all research facilities around the world that involve disaster beasts have raised their danger levels. More forces are needed near the thirteen forbidden zones."

"Currently, there are only 27 idol teams that combine the functions of witch, Disaster Shell, and fuel. The progress of ‘Dazzling Stage’ must speed up, and the competition rules must change; otherwise, the cleanup plan will have a 73.981% chance of not keeping up with the speed of the pure white collapse."

The words came to an end.

The atmosphere in the room was heavy.

The thirteen forbidden zones and the Calamity Seeds, which can be forcibly moved using various technological means or even placed in research rooms, are different.

All the Calamity Seeds located within them have taken root on the ground, bound by certain rules that restrict them. Humans cannot even approach these areas, let alone conduct research on them.

The most critical point is that at the very center of the forbidden zone, there is an extraordinarily powerful Calamity Seed.

If we say that the grading from S-level to Grade E of the [Calamity Seed] is within the scope of current technology response.

Then in the forbidden zone, like a heart constantly beating, the [Calamity Seed], as the source of rules, can be called a divine embryo. Once it is truly born into the world, the consequences are something that our current civilization cannot bear.

Therefore, the thirteen forbidden zones are the top priority for eradication.

Only by removing these tumors that have taken root in human civilization can we hope to snuff out the apocalypse before it begins, embracing the precious peace for a long time.

Everyone was discussing eagerly:

"Time, we need time."

"The situation is not at its worst yet; after this tumult with [Pure White], the recovery speed is much faster than usual. I believe [Pure White] will buy enough time for humanity to complete the plan."

"So what is the reason? What caused [Pure White] to recover so quickly? We must understand that the intensity of this turmoil is unprecedented. If we cannot find the variables, it’s hard to say this isn’t just a momentary flash of light."

"No skill can overcome fate. Regardless of the internal reasons, all we can do is race against time and wait with hope."

At this moment,

"Dream Weaver" looked around, the data streams in its eyes surged rapidly, and from a satellite’s view, it caught sight of the City of God. In the distance, atop Monte Cristo, stood a statue of Jesus dozens of meters tall, stretching His arms open to the world, with a Catholic church at His feet.

Seventeen years ago, there were always travelers going on pilgrimages.

Back then, there was a cable car at the foot of the mountain instead of walking. As people climbed up, the vines, like those in a tropical rainforest, would leave tiny colorful marks on the glass. In the process, Jesus slowly revealed Himself from the array of colors; first His fingertips, then His broad back, profile, and finally, His chest.

It was a scene infused with religious meaning, filled with a sense of the sacred that could move people’s hearts.

Therefore, every year, Christians would come to brush away the dust from Jesus’s feet, reaching the place beneath this divine figure to admire the magnificent sight of the sun lighting up the mountain, offering their heartfelt prayers.

Yet, all of this came to an end seventeen years ago.

The pure white high walls stretched across the mountains and seas, sealing away billions of "Calamity Seeds," and also suppressing thirteen forbidden zones.

Monte Cristo was indeed one of the forbidden zones.

On that day, under the Jesus statue, the dusk was forever captured in the sky above.

Inside this statue, there were densely packed Calamity Seeds, like insect eggs, while the most terrifying Disaster hid deep within the heavy clouds, as a ruler overlooking its territory, stretching the dusk within a fixed range and creating a mesmerizing illusion.

For 17 years, thousands of civilians and explorers have been lost and sacrificed within it.

According to years of study and speculation, once the pure white suppression is lost, the eternal dusk will expand wildly, instantly engulfing this city of God and drowning the entire nation like a tsunami.

Dream Weaver looked down at this scene; its empty, rational, and mechanical intelligence suddenly loaded the personality module of the Dream Weaver Rabbit, returning to the form of a mascot, showing an ecstatic smile in celebration and praise:

"Ladies and gentlemen, there has been a significant change in the forbidden zone of Monte Cristo. The realm that once encompassed most of the mountain is now continuously shrinking, returning to the Catholic Church beneath the statue of Christ."

"The activity of the Calamity Seeds inside has also returned from the brink of disaster to the safest state of shutdown."

"In other words, this collapse of the pure white is to suppress this forbidden zone!"

With those words, silence fell.

There was a moment of silence in the whole area, and then the atmosphere became extremely lively.

Does the fact that Pure White can still suppress the recovering forbidden zone mean that things are not as bad as they imagined? That tall wall… maybe it can hold up until the Spark Plan is fully implemented, and only then will it truly collapse and fall apart?!

"Praise Pure White."

"Even when close to collapsing, it still strives to protect human civilization."

"Though we don’t know who its creator is, 17 years of protection is enough to call it the savior of all mankind."

"With the most active forbidden zone being suppressed by Pure White, we can temporarily reduce operations there and shift support to the other forbidden zones, which will help a lot."

"Maybe we should discuss the next competition rules for Dazzling Stage. How can we speed things up while keeping the original atmosphere and not giving any stimulus to the witch reserves?"

"Indeed, even if Pure White still shows mercy to the world, no one knows when it will reach its limit; I think maybe we can take advantage of this in the arena."

For a moment, everyone pulled out past records and began to discuss passionately, occasionally glancing at the seemingly eternal pure white wall, expressing their sincere admiration.

…

…

Area A1, private cinema.

Chu Yuanqing had no idea that many people were praising her. Her mind was filled with wonderful feelings after meeting Charlotte and then getting close with the green-eyed cat. Her gaze was unfocused, showing a kind of melancholy, as if she had lost her principles, and she seemed a bit absent-minded.

There was no choice. Although the green-eyed cat had always treated her like a mother out of emotional attachment, this time she really crossed the line, doing something usually only a mother would do.

Even though it didn’t involve the exchange of body fluids and thus did not trigger any magical effects, still… because it did not involve those, she couldn’t find an excuse to deny the natural reactions her body was having.

Even that bit of feeling, for someone with strong willpower like her, she could easily pretend throughout. Yet, she still couldn’t ignore the voice deep inside her.

Chu Yuanqing didn’t dwell on this for too long, but suddenly realized that perhaps she was too lenient with Liuli, and could even be called indulgent?

Strangely, a sound like a crash against a glass wall echoed in her ears.

A subtle feeling of déjà vu arose in Chu Yuanqing’s heart. Her thoughts paused for a moment, and Charlotte’s meaningful smile appeared in her mind. In the end, she sank back into her chaotic thoughts, shook her head, and stopped thinking further.

Perhaps this child, Liuli, reminds her of some people she has forgotten.

Over the years, as her memories became more empty, she often found a sense of déjà vu with certain people and events, a kind of empty, dreamlike illusion that faded away with a touch.

And compared to such trivial matters, the more important thing is the drastic change in illusions.

If the illusions that used to erupt every three days have all changed to this extent, it will be hard for her to maintain her normal mental state and continue to chase after her idol and the stage.

Chu Yuanqing whispered to herself:

"If the curse is strengthening at this rate, then this level of magic restoration is completely insufficient."

"Even if she is always lucky enough to be beside the right person for magic restoration, she will soon fall behind the curse’s rampaging debuff, falling into a vicious cycle."

"But for now, there are only three ways to improve magic restoration."

"First—Quantity, Quality, and Mana Regeneration Method."

"Quantity and the Mana Regeneration Method should not be considered for now; the most important issue is the quality."

In simple terms, she has to be the ‘helper’ for ‘Dazzling Stage’, guiding the little idols to quickly transform into magical girls, thus improving the quality of their mana recovery.

To be honest, since her mana recovery enhances the effect of [Cocoon of the Heart], this plan benefits both sides without any downsides.

But choosing this path means she has to kiss her support target every day, while optimizing the other’s [Cocoon of the Heart] and maintaining a good growth curve.

In the illusion, Charlotte also seems to have realized Chu Yuanqing’s situation.

So what she finally said was, ‘Little Qing, remember, when you kiss other girls in the future, don’t think of me,’ instead of a jealous warning like, ‘You can’t kiss other girls.’

Chu Yuanqing suppressed her embarrassment and thought seriously; she felt that if she were to choose a support target for mana recovery, the best options were Miyuki, then Qingxuan, and lastly Little Liuli.

Little Sakura’s mana recovery effect is the best.

The golden retriever is the most obedient.

The green-eyed cat is very naughty and always wants more, so it is better to think about it last.

As for the other two people in the Qingmei group who received the Artificial Lantern, their relationship is confusing and complicated, so it doesn’t make much sense to get involved with them.

After all, not every girl can accept being kissed by her, right?

Chu Yuanqing suddenly realized something terrifying.

That is, for some unknown reason, there are so many little idols willing to kiss her or let her kiss them that it’s almost enough to form a Mahjong table.

Chu Yuanqing was very puzzled and did not understand this.

How strange, why is that? She hasn’t done anything, has she?

Kirimi Miyuki didn’t notice at all what her crush was troubled about; she sat next to her with good posture, showing a hint of nervousness.

The word "date" is a magical catalyst that naturally gives a certain charm to everyday little things, coloring them with a filter called "ambiguity," which then sparks unexpected bursts of hormones.

Kirimi Miyuki both craved this surprise and felt a bit resistant to it.

This is because what she wanted was not Chu Yuanqing’s "needs," but Chu Yuanqing’s affection and love.

The latter, however, is quite hard to create from momentary desires and dopamine.

The movie theater is small, like a cozy family-sized place with only six or seven seats.

Since the person picking the movie was Little Sakura, they watched a film from a certain island, which was hard to categorize but could be seen as a coming-of-age story. Since it involved two girls saving each other, there was a hint of a lesbian theme.

The film had a great sense of cinematography, focusing on the world of just the two characters, with others appearing like shadows that only made soft rustling sounds in the wind.

Thus, the story became clear, depicting the pain of two girls in their youth, the harshness of society and family they faced, as they tried to save each other but ultimately failed, lending a cold and bleak tone to the film.

Kirimi Miyuki gradually immersed herself in it.

It was a blue and hazy world, where the lonely desert of the spirit overflowed, and only the girl’s laughter could bring a little warmth.

School bullying, troubled families, and teenage suicide—these sensitive and classic elements mixed together to create a somewhat blurry and dim color.

—"The silkworm feels no pain."

—"The cocoon cannot be cut open from the outside; it must be boiled in hot water."

This was something the teacher said in the movie, almost like a kind of metaphor.

Kirimi Miyuki felt a bit dazed, recalling the white silkworm resting on the girl’s delicate wrist, almost at the same moment as the heroine in the movie who spoke the same words:

"The silkworm gives its silk to humans; it has no mouth to eat, no wings to fly, and only lives for two days in the world, and… no one feels pity for it."

This sentence wasn’t anything special; even with the context of the movie’s story, it didn’t warrant any strong emotional reactions.

But somehow, a sudden and strong sense of déjà vu surged in her heart.

It was like a scabbed wound being torn open, and blood flowed out, making a dripping sound in her heart.

Chu Yuanqing didn’t think much about it; perhaps she had held too much sadness from others. It was hard for her to feel extra emotions by watching a movie. From this sentence, she could only taste the beauty of sorrow from the island.

Even from a god’s view, she somehow resembled the silkworms in the movie.

Chu Yuanqing casually said:

"From the moment the silkworm hatches from the egg to the time the moth dies, it takes about 56 days."

"This time is much longer than the brief life of a mayfly; at least they leave behind silk, a trace of having lived."

Little Sakura nodded silently, the "Cocoon of the Heart" deep within her shining brightly. As a certain cracked sound faded away, the images on the screen seemed to crumple.

Just for a moment, all the strangeness disappeared.

But her feelings remained low for a long time, making her forget to speak to Chu Yuanqing, and she stared at the movie in silence.

Time passed, and the movie ended with the promise of two girls not completing their journey, one of whom committed suicide, making it a complete tragedy, a classic of painful youth literature from an island.

Kirimi Miyuki sighed; she somewhat regretted not looking for reviews before watching this film. The movie’s tone was too dark, and the relationship between the girls remained ambiguous, ending sadly in betrayal and suicide, leaving a strange feeling.

Although there was a hint of girl-on-girl romance, it could not compare to some famous lesbian films, which create a lovely atmosphere that makes people want to fall in love with girls.

But now that it was all watched, there was nothing to do but accept it as a mistake and learn from this experience for the next date.

Little Sakura glanced at the time and realized she had been watching the movie for almost two hours, meaning it was time to prepare to go back to the practice room. She felt very frustrated and couldn’t help but pinch her thigh hard, thinking she was really foolish.

Boo hoo, how could I be so silly?

Watching a movie is the most common way to have a date.

But one must know that the real purpose of watching a movie is usually to find topics to talk about or to stretch the time until evening or mealtime, hoping to spend more time together.

However, with only two hours for a date, going to watch a movie basically cuts off chances for conversation.

Kirimi Miyuki spent all her thoughts on dressing up and how to invite someone, and she actually didn’t think about whether going to the movies was a good idea. She sighed quietly, held back her regrets, stood up helplessly, and smiled as she said:

"Little Qing, let’s go; training will start soon."

Chu Yuanqing didn’t answer right away; her clear eyes blinked, and on her delicately sculpted face, her expression was shy yet determined, like a martyr ready to sacrifice for her faith, and like a shrine maiden devoted to her god.

The scene made the little idol feel a bit dreamy.

The girl politely reached out to hold Little Sakura’s sleeve, giving her a knowing look:

"Let’s wait five more minutes; I need you, right now."

"If you agree, don’t shy away or resist; just sit down quietly."

In that moment, a sweetness like honey, a strong excitement, and a tingling sensation spread through her heart.

Little Sakura’s mind went blank, her cheeks turned pink. She wanted to say something, but all she could see was that holy and serious, yet shy and earnest, beautiful face. Without thinking about anything else, she groggily sat back in her seat, just like a well-behaved child.

How could anyone refuse Little Qing’s request?

Kirimi Miyuki couldn’t say no at all.

The girl closed her eyes with a hint of expectation, her long, curled lashes fluttered, her nose moved gently with each breath. Her soft, pink lips were shiny and tempting, enhanced by the lip gloss, and there was a slight puffiness that made her seem irresistibly desirable.

Chu Yuanqing reached out to touch the pure and lovely face, like a perfect idol. Her slender fingers caressed Little Sakura’s tender skin with a touch as gentle as a feather. With her eyes lowered, she smiled sweetly and lovingly, sighed, and softly said,

"Yes, Miyuki is truly obedient."

Kirimi Miyuki felt a bit shy, as if all her dark thoughts were embraced and allowed by the person in front of her. She happily sank into the warmth of that phrase, pressed her lips together, and gently lifted her chin.

After saying this, Chu Yuanqing didn’t hesitate any longer. She had strong learning abilities, and after training with the four girls, she was already quite skilled in this area, far surpassing Little Sakura, who only had her own experience. She reached out her gentle arms and wrapped them around the little idol’s neck, like an angel bowing down.

Kirimi Miyuki pondered the philosophy of the universe.

On Chu Yuanqing’s side, perhaps to save others, or maybe because she had just experienced too much excitement, she not only successfully restrained her high moral standards, briefly forgot about guilt and regret, but even began to rationally think about whether the effect and intensity of magic had any connection.

Time passes.

Chu Yuanqing’s eyes sparkled with tiny golden flecks, filled with innocent confusion. She sat on Kirimi Miyuki’s lap, gazing down at the beautiful face full of hope and joy, revealing a lovely smile.

Kirimi Miyuki gazed dreamily at this face, lost in the other’s beauty, completely forgetting about the training that was about to happen, as if she were in an incredible sweet dream, delighted by how much she was needed.

In addition,

"Little Qing’s eyes… so they can turn golden at such times?"

"Or could it be that this is an illusion created by too much happiness?"

Little Sakura’s mind wandered, thinking about random things, and soon became hazy, forgetting to think.

Chu Yuanqing didn’t notice this detail either. During the magic restoration process, because the lamp was also involved, the disguised eye color and hair color would slowly fade, until the magic restoration fully put the lamp to sleep, revealing the true form of white hair and golden eyes.

Among them, the "quality" of the magic restoration target determines the lamp’s sleep rate.

Well, in other words, whoever has the highest purity of [Heart Flow] can see the most complete Honey Qing.

Kirimi Miyuki is quite successful now; she just needs a little more to see the complete Honey Qing with white hair and golden eyes.

Twenty minutes later, the small private cinema is in disarray, looking like the aftermath of a wild party; the movie credits have already finished, and the room is completely dark.

Kirimi Miyuki lies on the floor, her pale neck glistening with sweat, with loose hair falling at her temples and forehead, her clear eyes staring into an empty void, reflecting a sense of emptiness, while a joyful smile dances on her pink lips.

Chu Yuanqing wraps her arms around the girl’s waist, her hand moving through the soft bend of her legs, as if caring for a person suffering from dehydration, lifting her into her arms and placing the little idol back in her seat.

Then, the girl hurriedly tidies her disheveled clothes, pulls out a tissue from her pocket, wipes her mouth, and looks at Little Sakura’s vacant expression, suddenly feeling shame and guilt on her confused face, softly murmuring:

"Miyuki? Miyuki, wake up, we need to go train."

Chu Yuanqing bites her lip in embarrassment, feeling more and more "fallen."

The initial suggestion of the "need" came because after afternoon training, it would be time for a shower and dinner, and soon after, bed; it would be hard to find a chance to be alone with Miyuki during that time.

To avoid having the awkward situation with her daughter nearby again, she thought it would be better to take the opportunity to complete today’s goal.

As a result, she really got into the magic restoration; however, due to the evolution of the illusion, she became a bit restless and started to experiment with magic restoration, accidentally going a bit too far.

As for the experiment’s results, she intentionally extended the time and carefully observed the effects of the magic restoration this time, drawing a conclusion.

That is—if you perform magic restoration with the same partner every day, then spending 15 minutes together within 24 hours gives the best results; going beyond that time will lead to diminishing effects.

Yes, this refers to the method of kissing; she hasn’t experienced any more intense methods, so she can’t reach a specific conclusion about them.

Although looking at Liuli and Miyuki, it’s clear they have desires that she shares in one way or another.

But Chu Yuanqing couldn’t get over that mental barrier, especially right after seeing Charlotte in the illusion; even during the process of kissing Miyuki, she couldn’t help but recall the parting words of the other.

"This is all to save the world."

"Chu Yuanqing, this… this is all to save the world!"

Chu Yuanqing quietly murmured to herself, firmly establishing her beliefs several times in order to suppress thoughts of confession. She took a deep breath, her delicate face showing a serious expression, her slender back straightening, appearing calm and dignified, like something sacred.

If you ignored her slightly swollen lips, her hair that wasn’t yet neat, and a few wrinkles in the fabric at her chest, among other strange little details, she looked simply like a serious and pretty little square, completely disconnected from the desires of the world.

She had no choice; she had to look just right. Otherwise, if her true emptiness was revealed, Miyuki would eventually want more, and then… it wouldn’t be as simple as it is now.

Chu Yuanqing collected her thoughts, glanced at the time, composed herself, gently patted the girl’s rosy cheeks, and softly said:

"Miyuki? Wake up, there are eight minutes until training."

Kirimi Miyuki’s extra magic had already been absorbed by the experienced Honey Qing, and she dully regained her senses. Then she noticed the situation and stole a glance at Chu Yuanqing, who seemed to be doing just fine. Feeling embarrassed, she bit her lip and nodded, standing up and walking quickly to the bathroom.

Two minutes later, Little Sakura finished adjusting her clothes. She held back her excitement, feeling that today’s date was a great success.

Does it even matter what movie they watched? What matters most is kissing Honey Qing!

Even if… even if it’s just a friendship of lips, after a while, they will surely start to like each other, right?

For a moment, she remembered many romantic comics where naive fools were played with by bad women. Her heart was filled with joy, and even her steps back home became a little bouncy.

Chu Yuanqing watched closely and recalled what happened before in the door with the green-eyed cat. She realized this behavior must have let Charlotte down about her dreams of love, and for a moment, she felt very guilty and ashamed.

Maybe… later she could find a way to reward Miyuki?

But how should she reward her?

With this question in mind, the two soon returned to the practice room.

Chu Wang Shu and Tang Liuli were already there, watching a dance video for "Pandora." When they caught sight of the two entering together, they both showed a subtle expression at the same time.

The lovely daughter was simply surprised. Normally, Kirimi Miyuki was the earliest one to arrive. Although she wasn’t late today, considering the other person’s character, it was strange for her to arrive right on time.

The green-eyed cat was not so simple. She glanced suspiciously at the two of them and wondered, weren’t they supposed to go watch a movie? What movie can take that long?

No, if it was just watching a movie, with that sakura girl being so serious about the stage, she would have definitely left early after watching a bit.

So… they must have secretly done something bad behind my back!

Tang Liuli’s wisdom grew, and her sharp eyes darted back and forth between the two people’s lips.

Something is not right; there is a problem.

Mother Qing’s mouth was swollen because of her, but why was that Sakura girl’s mouth swollen too? It looked like she hadn’t put on any lipstick or lip gloss, which was completely unlike her usual habits!

Could it be…

The girl thought of a certain possibility, and a sour feeling swelled up in her heart. She became anxious and couldn’t hold back any longer. The fire in her eyes burned, and she activated "Heart Flow," connecting to Little Sakura and Honey Qing to check their emotions and see if she had been fooled.

On Kirimi Miyuki’s side: calm, joy, secretly happy, blissful, satisfied.

On Chu Yuanqing’s side: guilt, shame, uneasiness, and a barely noticeable but real sense of satisfaction and joy.

This was just the emotional connection; the strongest connection was the physical one. In an instant, the green-eyed cat received a huge amount of information, her mind went blank, and she nearly twisted her ankle with each step forward. Her calf suddenly weakened, and she fell to the ground, shocking Chu Wang Shu beside her.

"Liuli? Liuli, why did you fall down? Did you twist your ankle?"

Tang Liuli could no longer hear her friend’s call. She sat on the ground like a little duck, her small face covered in pink, and her eyes filled with tears that seemed about to spill over.

Yes, crying is completely normal, after all, the truth can be very cruel, bringing a sharp feeling of sadness and pain.

But the abstract thing is,

The green-eyed cat was overwhelmed by so much information that she felt dizzy, and for a moment, she couldn’t even feel sad; she felt too weak to fluff up her fur.

No, Liuli, you can’t be this helpless! You have to stand up! You need to face that Sakura girl who likes the popular boy! Otherwise… otherwise, things will definitely become strange in the future!

And just at that moment,

Chu Yuanqing worryingly came closer. Her soft fingers touched Liuli’s cheek, brushed over her hot eyes, gently touched the tempting tear mole, and squeezed the cat’s face, then tilted her head and asked:

"Liuli, what’s wrong? Is there something wrong with your body?"

In a daze, a love greater than a shared bond filled her entire being, like a warm wave washing over her, as if she had returned to an ancient church in the Middle Ages. She found herself humbly at the feet of a solemn statue, feeling incredibly pure inside, experiencing the truth, goodness, and beauty of the world, and discovering the true meaning of life.

Boom, boom, boom…

The gates of heaven suddenly swung open, and grand hymns echoed in her ears.

Tang Liuli, like a defeated warrior, was overwhelmed by thoughts of divine compassion and the image of Jesus helping humanity. She felt that in her soul, body, and even her values, this caring presence nearly transformed her completely.

The green-eyed cat was in a daze until Chu Yuanqing pinched her face for several seconds, bringing her back to reality, shocked at how embarrassing she could be.

The girl’s fair skin was covered in blush, her bright green eyes filled with tears. Feeling very embarrassed, she quickly covered her skirt and stood up, saying, "I need to go to the restroom," before stumbling away.

The three looked at each other, momentarily speechless at the ridiculous and strange scene.

Ten minutes later, the four gathered again, all silently ignoring what had just happened, as if nothing had occurred. After efficiently dividing the dance segments, they began to wear the high-tech devices to boost muscle memory for quick training.

Chu Yuanqing set aside her distractions; she was always good at focusing. She began to weave magical threads inside her body to create circuits, attempting to take shortcuts with unconventional methods, and soon entered a training state.

Kirimi Miyuki’s mind can only hold two things right now: to train hard and to enjoy being closer to Honey Qing. Overall, she seems a bit happier than usual, which is not surprising.

Tang Liuli feels very mixed emotions; she is sad and wronged about losing her crush, but even more, she fears the amazing talent of shared feelings.

After what happened before, she is afraid that one day she will turn into a cat who feels happy seeing Honey Qing kissing someone else.

But if she doesn’t open herself to shared feelings, how can she truly experience Mother Qing’s love? And… and she is sure she won’t let Mother Qing kiss anyone else!

The green-eyed cat feels regret thinking about this.

She shouldn’t have agreed to go to the movies with Mother Qing and that sakura girl. Or, she shouldn’t have sought pleasure while being a thinker in the bathroom; instead, she should have followed them to the theater and become a third wheel!

Tang Liuli, realizing her mistake, has decided on her future actions.

Chu Wang Shu, as an innocent outsider, thinks the atmosphere during training today feels very strange, as if everyone except her has something on their minds.

Did Qing Qing, Sister Miyuki, and Little Liuli have an argument behind her back?

Because of the lack of information, the lovely daughter did not notice the truth hidden beneath the glacier. After thinking seriously for a while, she pushed it out of her mind and immersed herself in training.

At this moment, in the B1 area, the practice room.

Fan Qiuling looked at the stage with the gaze of someone watching a divine being, focusing on the person who shone brightly and sparkled tremendously.

The young girl’s platinum hair swayed in the lights, and her glance, like a gentle blessing from an angel. Her dance was light yet powerful, and every movement was filled with belief, as if she dedicated her whole life to the stage, expressing her love for dreams.

But the most terrifying thing was the dominating power that, like a Demon King, squeezed emotions, forcefully capturing all attention.

—Xie Qingxuan.

As long as she stood on the stage, all the brilliance of others would be devoured.

Whether teammates or enemies, no one could shine in front of the Stage Tyrant.

Fan Qiuling was about to go crazy; she should hate Xie Qingxuan for taking away her most important thing. However, the longer she stayed by her side and watched her perform, the fainter her hatred became.

Now, that feeling of hatred has even twisted into a kind of admiration, a kind of faith, a kind of… love.

Even if she could never shine, always remain a stepping stone for the other, and never regain her desire for the stage, she still wanted to be controlled by this person full of enchanting charm.

Ji Shuzhu felt no stirrings, for she possessed the imperfect "Cocoon of the Heart," which not only granted her some immunity to "Heart Flow" but also froze most of her emotional responses.

Therefore, Xie Qingxuan’s stage could not dominate her.

From this angle, their compatibility was exceptionally high, making them the best partners.

The stage came to an end.

The joy that overflowed from Xie Qingxuan’s eyes and lips, like fading light, froze and fell away, transforming into a sense of indifference and calm. She dismantled Dream Puzzle from a personal perspective with meditation, ignoring Fan Qiuling, and walked to Ji Shuzhu, asking:

"How was the taste this time?"

Ji Shuzhu replied softly:

"It is a mix of everything, but this cannot be avoided. The shining things taken in will blend together and, no matter how you mix them, there will be some flaws in the taste."

"It’s like putting durian and turkey in a strawberry cake. Even though they are all delicious foods, putting them together will still seem strange."

"However, it is much better than before. At least you have learned the most basic combinations and started sorting between sweet and salty, officially entering the cooking stage."

Xie Qingxuan nodded gently, her eyes filled with a mist that swirled into a dark star, as if she was using [Heart Flow] to guide the mix, and she said thoughtfully:

"The kinds of shining things we have are still too few to create a recipe that will move you."

"We want to beat that team, so we need to at least match Little Qing’s level from the secondary rating stage."

Ji Shuzhu’s bright eyes sparkled with anticipation, and she smiled, which felt different from a gloomy atmosphere, and said softly:

"That’s a good idea! I am curious about the flavors of the contestants in this area."

Xie Qingxuan chose not to say more and sat down beside them.

The young girl began to meditate, delving into her subconscious. She ignored dozens of complete Dream Puzzle pieces and glanced at the personality portrait that remained unfinished, always covered by a gentle snowfall, reaching deep into her soul.

The star-shaped pupils of Xie Qingxuan grew darker, and her naturally pure face showed signs of longing. She gently traced the figure in the portrait with her fingertips and whispered softly:

"Little Qing, I miss you so much, I really miss you."