Chapter 62

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Chapter 62: Kirimi Miyuki on the Stage

Kirimi Miyuki couldn’t explain how she was feeling at that moment.

The girl’s deep desire and pursuit of the stage were fulfilled in this thrilling moment, giving rise to a happiness that made her soul and beliefs resonate together.

She looked towards the distant stage, where those calling her name seemed to have crossed the river of time, appearing as fans watching the show below, causing her emotions to surge like ocean waves in a haze.

– She must not disappoint her fans.

– She must present the best stage.

– She must show her perfect self.

– She must create an idol-like image of… Kirimi Miyuki!

In that moment,

Kirimi Miyuki’s sense of time slowed down, allowing her mind to wander, her complex emotions to cascade like an avalanche. Amidst all this, she entered a state of perfect performance, stepping to the beat with precision and stability, starting to sing.

Ten seconds.

Twenty seconds.

Thirty seconds.

Kirimi Miyuki showed no signs of slowing down.

Her dance moves were relaxed and graceful, with no stiffness or hesitation. The curve of her pure white dress swayed perfectly, her eyes sincere as she smiled at the camera. Every wink and cute gesture seemed natural and effortless, like she was truly in the moment.

The girl’s innocent face, with rosy lips and a genuine smile, exuded a captivating charm that surpassed her previous performances. Like a storm, she captured everyone’s attention, drawing the audience into the world of the song "Candy", influenced by its theme.

In a blink of an eye,

The audience felt like they were watching a play with a compelling storyline and soul, filled with clever dialogue and seamless transitions. It explored elements of youth, innocence, sweetness, freshness, and cuteness, all blended together like a refreshing soda at the beach, leaving them intoxicated and wanting more.

It even surpassed the impact of some famous stage productions.

Because Kirimi Miyuki’s performance on the stage is so captivating, it is like the shining dishes in Food Wars, which is exactly what Dream Weaver Rabbit pursues – a shining Gemstone!

The total number of bullet comments in the live stream during these three minutes is even fewer than the number of comments in the first ten seconds, showing how much impact Little Sakura’s performance had on them.

As the performance neared its end, a lot of people exclaimed:

"Wow, it seems like Little Sakura is really amazing!"

"I’m sure Miyuki didn’t have experience on such a big stage before, what’s going on now?"

"Yeah, Little Sakura was a minor idol in the country, she performed on small and narrow stages, very close to the audience. Tickets probably couldn’t even sell one hundred, but now this performance is a complete explosion!"

"Unbelievable, how much does Miyuki love the stage? It’s a debuff for others, but clearly a buff for her, her purity is outstanding."

This virtual reality test is a debuff for the other contestants, but for her, it’s like a carp leaping over the dragon’s gate.

With such examples in front of them, the audience had to admit that the goal of "Dazzling Stage" seems to be not just for the girls to graduate where they started, but to consistently follow the cruel law of the jungle, selecting the best group of contestants who are most suited for the stage.

The most amazing thing is,

No one expected that the one who could truly make the audience realize and accept this was not the acclaimed Great Devil Xie Qingxuan or the famous choreographer Ji Shuzhu, but a rural idol from a remote island, taking step by step to reach the stage.

– Kirimi Miyuki.

What she showed on stage, beyond common sense, was exactly what each sub-project of "Dazzling Stage" was seeking – variability.

The underground base, the core.

The Dream Weaver Rabbit’s mouth curled up, showing a joyful smile and laughing.

Kirimi Miyuki’s transformation and beyond ordinary "Heart Flow" was even a surprise in the super AI’s algorithm.

As everyone knows, the human heart is hard to predict.

And this "Heart Flow" skill, which has different requirements for each individual, involves complex and hard-to-analyze emotions and even the intangible "self" that cannot be precisely measured by hormone secretion.

The entertainment circle is like a big melting pot.

Idol talent shows crush the dreams of tens of millions of people every year, building a pyramid with thousands of people.

So, when placed in the larger environment,

Little Sakura’s seemingly tragic yet inspiring experiences actually cannot prove anything.

Because the core of her transformation is not the suffering itself, but her extraordinary desire for the stage and her perfect pursuit of the concept of idols.

Even the super AI codenamed "Dreamweaver," with the authority to control the entire human information database, cannot quantify this desire and obsession.

This leads to unexpected joy and happiness in the current phenomena.

Countless virtual screens pop up, the cries and tremors in the cube prison affirm the purity of "Heart Flow."

It is probably due to the infectious power of the stage and the larger number of spectators.

The commotion this time was even bigger than the commotion caused by the real deal, Chu Yuanqing.

Dream Weaver Rabbit whispered:

"Although Kirimi Miyuki may not have the same talent as her and Chu Yuanqing in that aspect, her dedication to her idol has successfully created an unprecedented chemical reaction on the fake stage."

"This almost irreplicable chemical reaction has pushed her beyond her limits, causing fluctuations in the magic threshold."

"It seems like Tokyo’s ‘Dazzling Stage’ missed out on an interesting talent."

…

…

At the same time.

Just as Kirimi Miyuki made her first entrance into the ‘Heart Flow’, shining on stage and amazing millions of viewers in the live broadcast.

Chu Yuanqing just finished a training session.

The girl wore a dance costume that outlined her figure, with a loose black short-sleeved top on top to prevent revealing curves and movements.

Initially, she didn’t think about covering up.

However, as a reality show grooming idols, to maintain reputation and image, the official wouldn’t show too much of the trainees’ body curves during training to the outside world.

But since she noticed the envious gazes from other girls when practicing in the Grade C training room, she realized that her body was very sensitive to glances and had to put on an extra layer of clothing.

Today is the day of the second evaluation.

Unlike the Grade A contestants who performed first, she, as a Grade C contestant, wouldn’t go on stage until at least two hours later, giving her plenty of time to practice.

Even though she managed to control her breath by using a cheat yesterday, it was only to fit the physical activity and didn’t sync with the dance rhythm. To avoid any mistakes, she needed to practice in advance to ensure everything was perfect.

Chu Yuanqing is very meticulous about this, even though she doesn’t like dancing and is not used to wearing skirts.

After finishing various basic training to make sure she wouldn’t hold back on stage, she planned to go back to her dorm to change into a white dress and practice jumping a few times in the practice room.

Pushing the door open, the dormitory was still empty.

Xie Qingxuan didn’t come back to stay last night, as part of the first group to be assessed is quite normal.

Since Tang Liuli entered Heart Flow the day before yesterday, her time spent in the practice room doubled, she only goes back to the dormitory to sleep.

Liang Xiaoxiao doesn’t need much explanation, she is at the bottom of the food chain with a Grade D, her only advantage now is having a little extra training time compared to the top players, so she naturally doesn’t have time to waste in the dormitory and must still be in the practice room.

Chu Yuanqing casually covered the camera with a towel, she took off her short-sleeved shirt that hid the curves of her chest, and pulled out a short shirt, short skirt, sports bra, white short stockings, and small leather shoes from the closet.

The girl laid all these clothes on the bed, imagining herself wearing them all, her clear eyes filled with shimmering light, she couldn’t help but rub her cheeks hard, secretly gritted her teeth, feeling a little ashamed and giving herself some self-hypnosis.

She would need to wear this outfit for the secondary rating later, whether she put it on now or later, it didn’t matter much!

Chu Yuanqing, you can do it!

After wearing this for so many days, I should be used to it by now!

Chu Yuanqing gently touched her delicate face and looked back to see herself in the mirror, her features appearing blurry like ink paintings, with a dreamy look in her eyes.

No matter how many times she looks, she’s so beautiful…

Just as the girl’s thoughts brushed over this point, she quickly averted her gaze as if she had been burned, pushing away distractions. Her delicate fingertips nervously twisted a damp lock of dark hair, covering her ears and neck, feeling hot and sticky with sweat, mumbling to herself:

"I should take a bath first."

Chu Yuanqing tidied up her clean clothes and slowly pushed open the door.

Subsequently, her eyes sparkled with a strange light.

Xie Qingxuan’s body was like a treasure, her pure white skin exposed for all to see, her platinum blonde hair swaying in the rippling water, partially covering her rosy complexion.

The trembling of the young girl’s chest, almost out of breath, remained motionless, her slender waist with a beautiful vertical belly button, along with her long and full white legs, creating a vivid and enchanting image in the mind.

Hmm, Great Devil, everything really is so big here.

However, this time,

Chu Yuanqing didn’t feel guilty enough to leave right away, nor did she question if such bigness would allow for a good dance.

Seeing the other person’s mouth and nose submerged in water, with their pupils losing focus, almost on the verge of passing out, was enough to outshine the fact that they had been caught taking advantage of, sending it flying to the heavens.

Chu Yuanqing didn’t have time to think too much, nor did she have the luxury to worry about avoiding suspicion, so she quickly ran to the bathtub, grabbed Xie Qingxuan’s slender arm, pulled the child into her arms, forcibly breaking the breath-holding underwater state, and hastily asked:

"Xie Qingxuan? Can you hear me speaking?"

Chu Yuanqing patted the other person’s smooth, cold back.

Xie Qingxuan coughed a few times, her chest heaving violently, her pupils gradually focusing, choking sensation gripping her throat, rich and lingering like aged wine, lingering between limbs and soul, as if a mist was rising, veiling the sight before her.

The young girl had meditated countless times to pull herself away from the brink of fainting. It had now become a habit to the point that she hadn’t even realized what had happened.

Just…

Her whispered words in her ear, the warm hand on her back, and the scent that could ease narrowness and jealousy, all gave an indescribable sense of comfort during the embrace, capturing the emptiest and weakest moment of her heart, as if leaving a special mark in her consciousness.

This was the emotion that the distorted and gloomy family had never bestowed upon her for half of her life.

So unexpectedly, it felt like following a desire from instinct,

Xie Qingxuan hugged Chu Yuanqing back, placing her hands on her soft white neck, like craving the warmth of spring snow, burying her head in the other’s considerable softness, like a big dog, honestly asking:

"Can I hug you for a while?"

The girl’s eyes lowered, her curled eyelashes flickered, tears slowly rolled down, looking both obedient and gentle, despite her tone of voice and manners being as usual and restrained, hiding the coquettish scent but still bringing a sudden contrast that struck the heart.

Chu Yuanqing momentarily visualized the scene of being coquettish by her daughter, the awkwardness of no intimacy between men and women was greatly diluted by this strange deja vu feeling, she touched Xie Qingxuan’s damp head, sighed inwardly, feeling surrounded by problem children.

The only normal one in the dormitory was Xiaoxiao.

The girl silently turned on the water faucet in the bathtub, letting the hot steam gradually fill the air, trying to avoid feeling so uncertain between them, then asked:

"Did the stage for the secondary rating fail?"

After careful consideration, it seemed like there was no reason that could make the Great Devil drown herself in the bathtub, acting foolishly like a mermaid who couldn’t breathe underwater.

Xie Qingxuan was completely unaware of her fallen image and replied:

"Well, I didn’t do my best."

Chu Yuanqing could sense the dissatisfaction within her, her pride melting away like a snow cone in the summer heat, gradually wilting in the grandeur of cicadas, becoming lonely and pitiful, yet her tone remained indifferent, displaying a sickly stubbornness.

Is the stage really that important?

Chu Yuanqing seemed a bit absent-minded.

Whether Kirimi Miyuki or Xie Qingxuan, or even most contestants, all displayed a completely different energy when facing the stage.

But many of them actually have other options.

Xie Qingxuan is from Xihe Entertainment. Being an idol at this top company may not be outstanding, but even if she loses the qualification to be an idol, transitioning to an actor or singer in the future won’t be difficult.

It’s just a failure in the secondary ratings. Maybe she can still maintain a Grade A evaluation. Is it worth it for this child to torture herself like this?

Chu Yuanqing touched her silky hair and comforted her like she would comfort a child:

"If you can’t do it this time, it’s okay to do it next time. Everyone says you’re very talented. Don’t punish yourself in this way in the future. What if something goes wrong?"

"It will also affect the progress of future training, not worth the loss."

The girl’s voice was soft and cold, but when it softened, it was like sticky cotton candy, making the ears tickle.

Although the words spoken were ordinary, they carried a magical power to heal people’s hearts.

Splash, splash.

"Don’t get so close, don’t hug so tightly, you’ve made me all wet!"

Chu Yuanqing’s clothes got wet from the splashing water, she shyly tapped Xie Qingxuan’s head, like pushing away a big dog, telling him not to get his wet flesh on her.

She did come in to take a bath, but she had no intention of bathing with the other girls, okay!

After some thought, Xie Qingxuan made a reasonable suggestion:

"Bath together?"

This child, unexpectedly clingy!

Chu Yuanqing didn’t want to give up her dignity, and firmly refused:

"No! You hurry up and leave, I still need to go for training after my bath."

Xie Qingxuan’s expression remained the same, he blinked his eyes, and said regretfully:

"What a pity."

Stopped speaking.

The girl stood up in a straightforward manner, slowly walked out of the bathtub when someone closed their eyes, casually picked up a towel to wipe off the water drops, wrapped up a bit of spring color at the same time, creating a slightly hazy and tempting atmosphere. She whispered:

"Chu Yuanqing, can I ask you a question?"

"Why…are you standing on the stage?"

She needed to find a way to immerse herself in the stage, so asking others for advice seemed like a good idea.

From Chu Yuanqing’s perspective, the tone of this sentence was as light as asking what someone had for breakfast, yet it strangely made people on edge, as if it was an important philosophical question.

In that moment,

She suddenly thought of the soulful exchanges that often happened between supporting characters and main characters in competitive cartoons. In these typical plotlines, there would always be some mysterious past, psychological trauma, and even dreams and enlightenment being discussed.

People who can’t understand will feel confused, just like how I feel now.

But when I think carefully, of course, I also feel confused.

Her dream is a monthly salary of 12,000, not about stage and idols.

However, the other contestants are different. The dreams and hopes they carry at this young and beautiful age have a weight far beyond material and reality.

Kirimi Miyuki is like this.

Xie Qingxuan probably is too.

So, the Sakura girl who came from a foreign country here will say she wants to help her.

So, the Grade A contestant called Great Devil by her fans will ask her the reason for standing on the stage.

Because… they all believe that they are the same kind of people, and communication between the same kind of people is done through electric waves.

Chu Yuanqing felt a bit guilty, but then she thought, even out of respect, this was a question that should be answered seriously.

She was silent for a long time, and then said a lie that wasn’t really a lie:

"Because… I want to see everyone’s happy smiles."

"That’s it."

This innocent yet stubborn falsehood was what drove her to embark on a journey to save the world.

So if one day, she really became an idol, her original intentions would probably remain the same.

Xie Qingxuan felt an unquestionable strong power from it, murmuring softly like in a dream:

"…Is that so?"

Chu Yuanqing’s answer made her see once again the dark and ugly truth of her original intention – to destroy her sister’s dream – which might be the root of the gap between her and the stage.

This fact should have made her feel more disappointed and lost.

Strangely, a crazy idea grew like wild weeds, taking root in her consciousness.

If.

If she devoured Chu Yuanqing’s dreams, temporarily becoming the idol who wanted to see everyone smile happily, could she cross over the… originally unreachable barrier?