Chapter 78
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This chapter is edited by Bakhtawar Kakar. Thank you for your contribution!
Chapter 78: Honey Qing, Why Are You So Good at Charming People?!
As Ji Shuzhu’s words faded away, the atmosphere on stage grew tense.
In an instant, four pairs of eyes locked onto Chu Yuanqing—some puzzled, some cold, some curious, and some angry. Their collective gaze fell on the innocent and oblivious Chu Yuanqing, who looked utterly lost.
Why is there another one?
Honey Qing, why are you so good at attracting people?!
At that moment, Chu Yuanqing remained blissfully unaware of the rising tension. She looked at the faces of the other girls and felt deeply moved. She couldn’t help but marvel at how friendly everyone was, even amidst the fierce competition for the Grade A spot in the Carry Center.
Such camaraderie is so rare!
In the world she once knew, apart from the ideal kingdom of Final City—blessed by many—most major cities had been torn apart by disaster and beastly conflicts.
Betrayals, poisonings, conspiracies, assassinations, deceit, nuclear attacks… Humanity had perfected these dark arts.
But now, here were these girls—focused on idols and victories—helping one another in the brutal and cutthroat arena of “Dazzling Stage.”
If only people in the old world had been like this, perhaps the disaster beasts would not have spread as they did…
Chu Yuanqing was deeply touched. She believed that only individuals with such pure hearts could shine on stage and become idols adored by the masses.
As for the occasional superficial quarrels?
No problem! Everyone is good at heart. They can surely get along harmoniously!
Having survived a past of endless battles, personality disintegration, mental collapse, countless deaths, and the drudgery of a corporate life after the world restarted, Chu Yuanqing had become almost comically naive in certain aspects.
Battle arena? What’s that?
For her, it was nothing more than a dark joke. Back then, she had fought alongside many admirable comrades, but before the world could restart, most had perished.
Thus, she remained completely oblivious to the undercurrents swirling around her—unaware that this delicate situation might ignite a conflict with catastrophic consequences if mishandled.
At the same time, Chu Wang Shu felt an inexplicable unease as she noticed the subtle shifts in the atmosphere.
The girl instinctively stepped forward to block the others’ view of Chu Yuanqing, her cheerful expression turning cold and distant. A twinge of jealousy flared up within her, sparking annoyance.
Why is everyone suddenly so interested in becoming friends with Qing Qing?
No way. If Qing Qing has too many friends, she won’t have enough time to spend with me anymore, right?
Behind her, Tang Liuli shrank back like a timid little animal, hiding her nervousness and alertness behind a fragile facade. Her emerald-green eyes flicked toward Ji Shuzhu, and she muttered softly:
“Hmph, how sneaky of Ji Shuzhu. She must have seen Honey Qing shining on stage and thought she could use her to get closer—then take advantage of her! So despicable!”
“Hehe, so wicked! All these women must be the same, with their hidden agendas and bad intentions toward Honey Qing. Can’t they just stay away from her? Honey Qing shines perfectly well on her own.”
Xie Qingxuan, meanwhile, was grappling with a swirl of confusion and heartbreak. Little Sakura’s words echoed in her mind:
“In the end, Little Qing gave her ticket to me.”
The girl’s white lashes quivered as she pressed her lips together. A mix of familiar jealousy and unfamiliar bitterness welled up in her chest, threatening to overflow. Her dark eyes grew heavier with emotion.
Jealousy? Is this like how I envied my sister for getting all our parents’ love?
Could it be that now I’m jealous of Kirimi Miyuki for having Chu Yuanqing’s love?
So friendship, like familial love, shouldn’t be divided or biased. But this jealousy—it’s not as twisted as what I felt for my sister, yet it’s enough to bring a sour ache to my heart, fueling impure emotions I must suppress.
As Xie Qingxuan sorted through her thoughts, she reevaluated her feelings and began piecing together the puzzle of emotions surrounding Chu Yuanqing.
Meanwhile, Little Sakura, her playful and aggressive nature fully on display, had no intention of allowing anyone else to swoop in. Having claimed a small victory, she wasn’t about to let outsiders take advantage.
Kirimi Miyuki’s eyes darkened with veiled hostility, though her lips curved into a warm smile as she took the first step forward:
“Make way? Ji Shuzhu, are you overestimating yourself?”
“I’ll admit, when it comes to choreographing and mastering dance routines, no one in this season of Dazzling Stage can compare to you.”
“But this dance isn’t even that challenging. The one Little Qing got clearly doesn’t fall into that category.”
“Besides, it’s just a one-minute video. There’s no need to memorize lyrics or learn vocals. Little Qing can handle it easily within the allotted time. So, what exactly are you getting worked up about?”
Kirimi Miyuki’s proficiency in Daxia was impressive. She spoke in a logically structured series of questions, without any noticeable foreign accent. Tang Liuli, who was listening from the side, almost lost her temper. She suppressed the urge to shiver, feeling a lingering sense of unease.
—Such a fierce Little Sakura!
—Such strong aggression!
—Such a scary villain!
Ji Shuzhu remained unaffected. Her emotional responses had long been dulled and shattered. Now, aside from Chen Yining, who was like family to her, even her own relatives appeared to her only in black and white.
Not to mention the words of Little Sakura—if someone were to stab her dozens of times, her emotions would only shift because of physiological reactions and hormonal changes.
Sparkle.
Only true sparkle could bring real redemption and happiness.
Ji Shuzhu whispered to herself. She raised her eyes and asked softly:
“What about you, Kirimi Miyuki?”
“If we’re talking about purpose, isn’t it worth questioning your proactive teaching of Chu Yuanqing, especially given the CP connection between you and her?”
“Once the segment of you teaching her to dance is edited into the show, it will undoubtedly be praised by CP fans, right?”
“So, to be blunt, aren’t you much more utilitarian than me—and even more so than Chu Yuanqing’s roommates?”
Her words were sharp, almost as if accusing Kirimi Miyuki of sucking the blood from Chu Yuanqing, instantly freezing the atmosphere around them.
Tang Liuli couldn’t help but clap her hands in approval. She wanted Ji Shuzhu to say more, perhaps even make the two “villains” fight. But then, she pulled back, too scared to look any closer, only daring to secretly enjoy the drama from a distance.
Kirimi Miyuki never saw things that way. She admired her perfect idol and believed in winning on stage. She had no interest in manipulative tactics like blood-sucking, attention-seeking, or scandalous acts.
Little Sakura was determined to defend her precious friendships. Ji Shuzhu’s words felt like an attack on her beliefs, and what made her angrier was that she couldn’t argue back.
Although it was unintentional, her relationship with Chu Yuanqing did give her the perfect theme song—one that could easily be interpreted as a vampire story.
The innocent, pure gaze of the young girl turned cold as frost. She restrained her smile and, politely adjusting her dress, spoke softly:
“Ji Shuzhu, I will prove you wrong with my actions later.”
After that, Kirimi Miyuki no longer had the desire to stay. She craved friendship but didn’t want to be labeled just because she sought purity. It was better to wait for the right moment than to rush in.
With a gentle smile at Chu Yuanqing, her nails, decorated with little blue bear patterns, danced cutely with her gestures. Little Sakura blinked skillfully, winked, and didn’t show any negative emotions. She walked away gracefully, leaving first.
Although Chu Yuanqing may not have been sensitive to deception, she wasn’t naive. After Ji Shuzhu’s words, she could smell the strong scent of gunpowder in the air.
Seeing Kirimi Miyuki leave, Chu Yuanqing didn’t overthink it. She said goodbye to her lovely daughter and Liuli one by one, then patted the head of a certain golden retriever as a gesture of comfort. She brushed past Ji Shuzhu, took a few steps forward, and left, chasing after Kirimi Miyuki.
Xie Qingxuan stood dazed for a moment, her hand unconsciously touching the tips of her hair that had just been brushed past. Her eyes lowered, her lips forming a soft curve, the tips of her ears slightly tingling. She looked like a healed puppy, standing still, naturally graceful.
Tang Liuli, who had initially wanted to cheer for the downfall of the “bad woman,” only to see a scene that made her feel defeated, now felt slightly annoyed. She immediately perked up, reminding herself not to let Little Sakura tell bedtime stories without Honey Qing, successfully feeling a morale victory.
Determined to impress and regain favor, this socially anxious paper tiger took the initiative to bring Chu Wang Shu to the A-level practice room.
Meanwhile, at the steps below the multimedia classroom, the righteous but mysterious emperor Liang Xiaoxiao remained indifferent. She put down her pen and stuffed the notebook filled with observation records into her pocket, already familiar with the contestants who seemed to be interested in Chu Yuanqing.
—Four Grade A, one Grade B.
—Two mascots, one natural airhead, two main attackers.
The situation was very complicated, but the battle was very clear.
Chu Yuanqing was very gentle, and catching up with Kirimi Miyuki was probably due to this gentleness.
However, there’s was sense of detachment on the other side. The idea of pulling her down to earth seemed meaningless. She was like the moon in the water, the flower in the mirror, the person in the mist—she could not be easily taken away.
Since she could not be taken away, it did not affect her enjoyment of that gentleness and love.
So, it was okay to be an outsider.
Liang Xiaoxiao made her judgment and began to consider the best person to separate from Chu Yuanqing and bind to the mirror. She glanced at Xie Qingxuan, thought for a moment, and then turned away.
The Great Devil was a bit naive, but not stupid. It was difficult to get into her practice room, so she decided to leave for self-study, dance practice, and video shooting to submit.
Ji Shuzhu looked toward the direction where the person had left. A mist suddenly filled her phoenix eyes. The sharp atmosphere softened abruptly, contrasting with a seductive and rippling taste. She adjusted her breathing, left the place on her own, feeling no loss at all—only the joy of participating.
In that moment, Chu Yuanqing’s body once again shone brightly.
Though there wasn’t much of it, the purity was very high. Coupled with that special infectious power, it traveled from the scene to the heart, leaving a lingering aftertaste that felt warm in the belly, particularly comfortable and joyful.
Ji Shuzhu’s tongue tingled sweetly. She closed her eyes and patiently, yet eagerly, savored it.
This taste resembled Austria’s Sacher Torte, with its crispy crust and refreshing frosting, almonds and jam inside, and even the outer layer of chocolate and cream—all bursting on the taste buds with genuine happiness with each bite.
“Chu Yuanqing…”
Ji Shuzhu repeated the name softly as she walked slowly to the entrance of Chen Yining’s practice room. She leaned against the wall and sat on the ground, holding tightly to the fabric in front of her chest. Intense palpitations mixed with physiological pleasure.
The girl’s dulled emotions, washed over by the pleasure for a moment, inexplicably conveyed a severe throbbing. Her eyelashes swept down, tears welled in her eyes, and a complex, indescribable sneer appeared on her lips. She sighed softly:
“Little Ning, if…”
“If only your talent were a little better.”
***
At the same time,
Chu Yuanqing had already reached behind Kirimi Miyuki but hadn’t called out to her yet.
Little Sakura seemed to hear something and turned around on her own, initially looking surprised, then breaking into a joyful smile.
Wow, Little Qing actually came to find me!
Does this mean that she thinks we have the best relationship in her heart?
Kirimi Miyuki couldn’t help but feel a childish sense of comparison, like that of kindergarten children. And soon, she truly felt like a kindergarten child when the seemingly younger Chu Yuanqing seriously patted her on the head.
Chu Yuanqing said seriously:
“You don’t need to worry about what that child said. I know Miyuki just wants to help me.”
“At first, my grade was C, and Miyuki sacrificed a lot of her own training time to come and help me voluntarily. I don’t think that’s taking advantage, it’s more like the other way around.”
“So, now it’s the same. There’s no need to avoid suspicion on purpose.”
Kirimi Miyuki’s family is healthy. Her parents live a relaxed life in the countryside of Hokkaido. Her childhood had no strange shadows, except for certain motherly thieves. She felt a bit stunned, covering her head, feeling only the fresh comfort from friends, along with a subtle sense of shame.
Even though Little Qing is mature, she’s still underage, looking only about 16 or 17. Technically, she should be the elder sister, so being patted on the head feels kind of strange.
It must be acknowledged that the negative emotions brought about by Ji Shuzhu’s words did indeed vanish like smoke in the wind under the comforting head pat.
“Okay, I understand. I won’t mind.”
“Does Little Qing mean for me to teach you?”
Chu Yuanqing thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.
The contract she signed for the competition clearly stated that she had to follow the rules. In order to avoid paying a high penalty and to receive her salary, she couldn’t purposely perform badly during the competition at the Carry Center.
So, she had to dance the spicy dance for one minute, even if she didn’t want to.
Instead of torturing herself by trying to learn dance from scratch—when she had zero dancing skills and couldn’t learn on her own—it would be better for her to accept her fate and find a good teacher.
From this perspective, the children surrounding her were like a ray of hope in her difficult situation.
If she hadn’t had a small argument with them earlier, she would still be debating which one to choose as her teacher.
Upon careful consideration, the chances of choosing Kirimi Miyuki were the highest.
The reason was simple: Little Sakura was considered one of the top students in Chu Yuanqing’s heart, someone who could personally award the Best Behaved Student medal. She had spent the most time teaching her, which made Chu Yuanqing feel somewhat comfortable dancing in front of her.
If she were to choose a more unfamiliar teacher like Xie Qingxuan, Ji Shuzhu, or Tang Liuli, she would have to overcome her embarrassment and adapt all over again.
Well, her own lovely daughter was even scarier than a nuclear weapon.
Thirty minutes later, in the A-level practice room.
Chu Yuanqing had changed into her dance outfit. Her cute face was slightly sweaty from practicing, and she was watching a video of deer dancing while sitting obediently on the floor.
Kirimi Miyuki put down her iPad and said softly:
“My habit of self-learning dance is to slow down the video speed, frame by frame, to confirm the movements. I use 1 or 2 eight-counts as checkpoints, breaking down the movements and then practicing at normal speed to count the beats.”
“Hm, your instructor should have told you before. Counting beats is fundamental. It helps you understand the rhythm and clarifies each movement’s beat and position in the music.”
“After that, it’s all about repeated practice, deepening memory. If you forget, just watch the video again, memorize, and practice. It’s a normal process, like sharpening a knife with water.”
Little Sakura continued in a gentle tone:
“Ji Shuzhu has strong choreography skills, but if she only learns dance solo and teaches others, her advantage lies in quickly learning on her own and then guiding the movements hands-on.”
“While it’s convenient and fast, as a girl group idol, self-learning dance is the most basic skill. You must practice on your own early on. Allowing her to help you will only reduce your growth opportunities.”
Chu Yuanqing was deeply shocked when she heard this.
Is Ji Shuzhu really that talented? She thought the phrase “finished scraping” was just a joke!
Frustrated, she thought, If only I had known the child was so talented. I could have quickly taught her step by step and brought her in to help. After all, she didn’t want to be any kind of girl group idol. What importance did business skills have anyway?
Kirimi Miyuki was completely unaware of Chu Yuanqing’s fallen thoughts and continued:
“This dance is quite simple. Little Qing, you try following my instructions first.”
Chu Yuanqing sighed and gave up her fallen thoughts. She quietly picked up her tablet, trying hard to discard her feelings of shame and temporarily separate herself from her emotions.
Soon,
All the subtle expressions on her face disappeared. Her eyes seemed vacant and lost as she entered a complete state of deep immersion known as “Heart Flow,” following the instructions, counting beats, and memorizing every frame of movement efficiently.
Kirimi Miyuki looked slightly dazed. After experiencing “Heart Flow” on stage for the first time, her intuition had become even sharper. Now, she finally noticed things she hadn’t before. In a somewhat shocked tone, she said to herself:
“So Little Qing could enter the Heart Flow unconsciously while studying before?”
The girl’s eyes seemed to burn with excitement, as if imagining going on stage with the other person. Her lips curved upwards in anticipation and excitement, and she softly said:
“Little Qing, Dream Weaver Rabbit is right. You have a natural talent to become an idol.”
“If we can form a team later on, we will definitely create an even more dazzling stage, right?”
Nullparadox
Harem Queen -mother? Anyway, love this so much!