Chapter 64 Part 2

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This chapter is edited by Cthulhu. Thank you for your contribution!

Chapter 64: Paper Tiger, Chu Wang Shu’s Turn (2)

Her body trembled.

—Adrenaline coursed through her veins.

—A storm of intense, bewildering emotions.

Though Chu Wang Shu’s rhythm faltered, her steps misaligned, her breath caught short, her hand movements forgotten, and her expressions uncontrolled, she gradually immersed herself in the performance. Slowly, she began to enjoy it, evolving on stage until she earned praise distinct from all others.

Chu Wang Shu knew.

Being disciplined and self-aware, she recognized her performance had been extraordinary.

Even with three days to prepare, could she possibly surpass this when she next stepped onto the stage?

But why?

Despite knowing, despite being self-aware, despite every reason to feel satisfied, she couldn’t help feeling… unfulfilled.

Profoundly unfulfilled.

This was the most upset she’d ever been in her life.

It felt like missing ice cream on a scorching summer day at age ten, like losing a precious moment of happiness during a season of abundance—leaving you to forever reminisce about the vibrant cicadas of that day.

Just as now, her secondary rating performance might never fully express what she’d wanted to convey, leaving some hopes forever suspended in past moments.

Chu Wang Shu walked away with leaden steps, eyes downcast, her emotions indecipherable. The little girl wandered aimlessly, replaying her on-stage mistakes in her mind, pondering repeatedly like trying to mend a leaking basket, trapped in an endless loop of seeking solutions.

Without realizing it, she found herself at the entrance to the Grade C Practice Room.

Chu Yuanqing, who had just finished a training session and was drinking water, suddenly turned to spot her daughter in the distance. Years of experience told her something was amiss with the child’s demeanor, preventing any immediate joy at the sight.

Was she upset about her stage performance?

Without hesitation, Chu Yuanqing set aside the role of father, ready to comfort her daughter as a friend. She approached, gently cradling the little girl’s face and drawing her out of her reverie, saying:

“Little Shu, are you alright?”

But before her father could begin offering comfort, Chu Wang Shu froze.

The person before her seemed her only enemy. Simply standing there, that presence alone could unleash an uncontrollable flood of emotions.

The buried grievances, sadness, and reluctance deep within her chest inexplicably surfaced, breaking through her defenses and bursting forth like a thunderous flood.

Chu Wang Shu’s lips quivered, her eyes reddened, and tears fell like scattered pearls. She rushed into the girl’s arms, clutching tightly, pressing her pretty face against the soft curves as she sobbed heavily:

“Wuwuwu, Qing Qing, I danced so terribly just now! I missed the beat, sang wrong lyrics, nearly ran out of breath, messed up so many moves, and… and so much more!”

“The coach will surely call me stupid and give me an F. I danced so poorly, I won’t even make it to the show. I’m so useless.”

The live studio erupted:

“Amazing! Little Sakura successfully stole from Great Devil for the second time!”

“Oh my, Honey Moon is so naive. She never considered how other contestants would react in that situation. How could she imagine dropping to Grade F? Such innocence.”

“Honey Moon was crying so hard, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud.”

Initially confused—it had been long since she’d embraced her daughter, especially in this new body—Chu Yuanqing’s heartache and overwhelming compassion made her temporarily forget these details.

Enveloped in tenderness for her child, her young and delicate face radiated newfound loving care, transforming into a compassionate maternal figure.

She listened quietly and attentively to the person in her arms, sometimes stroking her hair gently, sometimes soothing her trembling back. When the girl’s sobs began to subside, she smiled softly and said:

“It’s alright, this is just fine.”

“I really love Little Shu’s dancing. I know how hard you work for the stage. I know you’re not worthless. Even if the mentors and audience don’t understand or appreciate it, I will always support and praise you.”

“It’s okay if the secondary rating wasn’t perfect—we still have the performance, and we can keep working hard.”

“Besides, no one ever asked you to be the best, right?”

“Everyone says to do your best, but no one said not being the best is wrong.”

“Cheer up, dear. Don’t cry.”

Chu Yuanqing’s voice was gentler than ever before, more comforting to Xie Qingxuan than any previous moment, like an ancient lullaby sung beside a winter fireplace, defying a spring-buried season with epic, love, and flame.

In that moment, the unprecedented warmth hidden in the pendant at her chest, its pure white essence burning like a blazing fire, caused the narrow magic power source within to forcibly expand and contract. In the central magic prison of the underground base, touching only sporadic magical waves, all fell silent.

Grand, lonely, selfless, bright, and sorrowful…

These traits, hidden in a corner of the soul, projected through the vast room via various changes, reflected through invisible mediums, transcending space and ocean, descended like a mirage, yet like a dream shattered and dimmed in the lanterns, returning to stillness.

Even so, the practice room players stood stunned, their gazes curious. The audience watching this channel in the live room fell silent, even the bullet comments mysteriously vanishing for a moment before flooding the screen eagerly:

“Folks, I feel healed, like my spirit is floating in the sky, filled with positive energy.”

“I confess, I atone, I regret.”

“Mom is so wonderful, Mom, please say more!”

Busy comforting her daughter, Chu Yuanqing, affected by the Sea of Truth’s curse, hadn’t noticed the pendant’s anomaly.

She held the child in her arms, guiding their face toward hers. Gently wiping away tears with her fingers, looking at the red, watery eyes and sniffling nose, she repeated:

“Don’t cry, okay?”

Chu Wang Shu, unable to understand her own transformation, found that simply listening to that voice felt like being bathed in warm sunshine. Unable to control her surge of negative emotions, she unconsciously sniffled and stuttered her true feelings:

“But if… if I can’t be in the show, then I can’t… can’t let my dad see me.”

She sniffled sadly but stubbornly, nearly blowing a bubble of snot. Like a vulnerable creature stripped of all defenses, without spikes or disguises, just her bare, soft heart, she quietly said:

“I want him to see me.”

“I want him to see me become the moon.”

These were words she never thought she’d speak to Chu Yuanying in her lifetime.

These were wishes she wouldn’t even confide to her best friend.

But now, these simple yet profound words of truth emerged without hesitation, drawn out by a mother’s seductive love, amid inexplicably familiar yet strange care.

I want him to see me become the moon.

Chu Yuanqing’s heart shattered suddenly, like a tsunami of bitterness and regret, mixed with a lonely happiness that overwhelmed her small sense of self. Her irises trembled then quickly steadied as she swallowed the emotions that felt like a dagger in her throat. With a steady voice, she smiled and said:

“Little Shu’s dad will definitely see you, even if he doesn’t appear at the show. Maybe he’ll come watch you perform secretly?”

Chu Wang Shu quietly wiped her tears, feeling shy and reluctant. She lowered her hands from the other’s waist, as if gathering strength, and stood in place, murmuring:

“But he’s very busy with work, always having to go on business trips.”

Chu Yuanqing felt a complex mix of emotions as she touched her daughter’s head and said:

“The performance will be broadcast, there will be Reuters videos, and you can watch online. There’s always a way to see it if you want to.”

“Anyway, don’t be sad for now. Maybe your teacher’s evaluation isn’t as bad as you think?”

The little girl was about to reply when she noticed the wrinkles and tear stains on the other’s chest.

Her face quickly flushed with embarrassment and shame. She hurried to get a tissue to wipe away the tears, but quickly realized something was wrong when she touched the delicate fabric of the handkerchief, and hastily withdrew her hand.

Fortunately, the other person seemed uninterested in pursuing the matter, appearing lost in thought.

But the more she recalled her previous embarrassment, the more Chu Wang Shu wished she could travel back in time and shake herself awake.

How mortifying! How could she be so embarrassing and cry so much? She was never like this before!

Chu Wang Shu just wanted to disappear on the spot. Imitating Little Sakura, she bowed deeply and quickly bid farewell:

“Qing Qing! You’re about to go on stage, so I won’t disturb your training!”

With that, the little girl fled like a thief who had stolen motherly love. In Chu Yuanqing’s confused gaze, she vanished into the distance, her hurried figure carrying a subtle hint of joy.