Chapter 152

If you don't realize it, it's fine. But once you do, you immediately feel an itch on your skin, which makes you feel very insecure. However, when you think that this feeling is caused by your daughter, you feel a cute sensation of being tickled by a small animal's fur. Even this tingling sensation feels exceptionally healing.

A loving smile appeared on Chu Yuanqing's lips. She remembered Chu Wangshu when he was a child, when he was still as small as a snowball, he always liked to rub his face against hers, and occasionally he would innocently scratch her with his hair.

That was when my daughter was at her cutest!

Although they are growing up and maturing now, and have different kinds of cuteness, their innocent and naivety as cubs, and their tiny size, are definitely the most heartwarming stage.

Chu Yuanqing thought nostalgically, moved the child's hand away, sat up, looked at the Little Cotton-padded Jacket sleeping on her side, pinched her seemingly well-behaved sleeping face, and couldn't help but complain that this wasn't a very well-behaved sleeping position:

"You were so well-behaved and obedient when we first slept together, why do you like to stick close to me so much now?"

After Chu Yuanqing finished speaking, he gently pinched his daughter's cheeks until she was half asleep and half awake, before getting out of bed to wash up and cook.

The early bird catches the worm.

After today, there will be exactly one week left until the end of January. According to the team's original insurance plan, they will have to prepare for the challenge in half a week and officially start the final Stage Battle three days before the deadline.

Therefore, there are only two or three days left for training.

Although everyone had a clear grasp of the framework of <Pandora>, and performed the routine step by step yesterday, with several instances of good coordination and excellent results, there were still many flaws in the dance moves, body coordination, overall synergy, and position transitions.

These are all time-consuming processes, and even with the help of advanced technology, two or three days still feel extremely rushed.

So, during breakfast, the four of them were noticeably more efficient than before. They barely spoke, finished their breakfast in just a few minutes, and then got up to go to the practice room to start practicing their dance.

Chu Yuanqing is making rapid progress and has gradually grasped the essence of the dazzling techniques in <Pandora>, especially the waves used in many of the movements, which she has perfectly solved with magical cheating methods.

The core of wave motion is to soften the whole body and coordinate the movements of each limb in sequence, from top to bottom and from left to right. As long as the amplitude is the same and the force is appropriate, a wave-like rhythm can be created.

Simply put, it requires control over various parts of the body.

This is easier said than done, but it requires accumulated training over time to develop near-instinctive muscle memory. Otherwise, many beginners will not be able to achieve the "clumsy" effect of [early human records of limb taming].

If this were during Chu Yuanqing's prime, no dance would be difficult for her. After all, she had already honed her skills in muscle manipulation and body movement to a level beyond stillness and clarity, and had even begun to delve into the microscopic realm.

Although she is currently forced to lose all concentration due to the curse, she has been using Magic Thread to circulate throughout her body these past few days, fixing a "signal" transmitted by her will to create an extremely efficient method for taming her limbs.

The initial result of this method is mastering the rhythm in dance. If it is further extended, it can be gradually applied to the field of actual combat, reproducing some past techniques. With the buff of Magic Armor, it is believed that it is entirely possible to temporarily switch to a berserker who mainly uses Melee Combat.

However, even with the current results, the Little Cotton-padded Jacket couldn't help but feel discouraged.

Chu Wangshu felt that after years of dancing, she would soon no longer be able to gain the upper hand in front of Qing Bao. She estimated that it wouldn't be long before she could no longer be Qing Bao's little teacher. She was very depressed and could only feel better if Qing Bao patted her head and hugged her, and if they slept together every night.

Kiriwake Yayoi was also amazed by this speed of growth. While she was envious, she also felt a complex mix of excitement and nervousness. Suddenly, she was even more motivated to practice dancing and her energy was even more vigorous. She began to look forward to the scene of standing on the same stage with him.

Tang Liuli remained calm. As a devout believer who firmly believed that Chu Yuanqing was Magical Girl —in short, not human—she felt that it was normal for Chu Yuanqing to do even the most outrageous things. So what if she learned to dance a little faster?

Besides, Flow State itself has all sorts of strange effects, and who knows, Qing Mom's Flow State might even help speed up dance practice.

Time passed, and it was noon.

Chu Yuanqing glanced guiltily at her daughter drinking water beside her, and at the Green Eyed Cat watching them warily. Suppressing her embarrassment, she began to think about how to get to the private cinema to help Yayoi optimize [Cocoon of the Heart].

Before the question could be answered, a holographic projection simultaneously appeared in the practice rooms, cafeteria, entertainment area, and even various public areas of C1, B1, and A1 zones, almost interrupting all the players' lunch break or training.

The Dream Weaver Rabbit's scarlet eyes were filled with laughter as it murmured:

"Everyone, I'm sure you've all missed me a lot after not seeing me for so long, right?"

This mascot loves to waste its energy on trivial details, not only appearing precisely in front of everyone but also displaying various different postures, such as waving politely, opening its arms with a mocking smile, or simply standing still with its hands behind its back, which is quite wicked.

Dream Weaver Rabbit shook its head and sighed, saying with considerable regret:

"Unfortunately, the battle to recruit teammates still has an incredibly long eight days left, and it will be a long time before we officially meet."

"Of course, I have been following the Stage Battle that have accumulated to over a hundred during this period, and I am very pleased with the ways in which you have chosen to deal with the matches."

"Therefore, as a reward—I will add a completely new rule!"

The Dream Weaver Rabbit smiled expectantly and said softly:

"Starting today, all players who have truly mastered [Flow State] will have one opportunity to switch teams!"

"The Program Group will open up access channels between the three regions A1, B1, and C1. Lucky you, you can negotiate with any team in any region, and as long as they agree, you can directly join that team."

"In other words, no matter which area you are in, as long as you are taken in by a team in the A1 area, both of you can skip the Stage Battle and directly advance to the second Public Performance, safely overcoming the crisis of being eliminated in this stage and achieving a win-win situation."

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire audience erupted in cheers.

This extremely unfair rule is tantamount to protecting players who have mastered the [Flow State] state.

The most despicable and disgusting thing is that it perfectly undermines the current competitive environment, and any team with a player in the "Flow State" state will have its core interests shaken.

To put it simply, all three members of Chu Yuanqing's team possess the [Flow State] ability.

If one of them manages to switch teams on the last day, even if the team has already won the Stage Battle and has a full roster of five members, they will still be forced to lose members and suffer defeat in this round.

Of course, other players with [Flow State] still have room for error and can quickly switch to another A1 four-person team to advance after being backstabbed.

The price to pay is that the player who is left behind will fall directly from A1 to the C1 waiting area, as if plunging into an abyss, and will be declared defeated.

That's the current situation. Unless the team has an extremely strong bond, those who are in the [Flow State] state at B1C1 will most likely choose to switch to an A1 team.

Because by doing this, there is absolutely no risk in advancing to the next stage.

As for those teammates who were abandoned and forced to fall into the designated area, forcing them to play an extra Stage Battle? Nobody cares.

If players aren't on the same team, they'll inevitably become rivals, and seizing any opportunity to kick someone when they're down is the right thing to do.

"With malicious intent."

Kiriwake Yayoi frowned slightly and couldn't help but comment:

"When the [Flow State] development lab was opened to us, Dream Weaver Rabbit should have already decided to issue this rule, but deliberately delayed it until the last week."

"But I don't understand, what is its purpose in doing this?"

Tang Liuli understood Chu Yuanqing and the Sakura Girl's personalities, knowing that backstabbing was impossible in their team. She didn't have any particular feelings about it; she knew a lot about the industry and casually remarked:

"It's all for the sake of creating a good show; talent shows are ultimately just variety shows."

"Furthermore, Flashdance already uses the [Flow State] selection criterion to ensure that the strongest contestants will advance, so it can't be considered too chaotic. Compared to other Talent Show, apart from being a bit quirky, it's incredibly fair and ethical."

Chu Yuanqing had a different opinion. She knew the core purpose of Flash Dance and could guess that Dream Weaver Rabbit was doing this most likely to have a legitimate reason to keep as many contestants as possible with the potential to become Magical Girl.

Although Dream Weaver Rabbit keeps pushing the contestants to compete fiercely, increasing the probability of everyone being eliminated, from her perspective, being eliminated early in this show is actually a luckier and happier thing.

Because... the further you go in <Flashdance>, the more likely you are to get involved in the most core secrets.

Once you get your hands on the man-made lantern, it's almost impossible to stay out of it.

The Dream Weaver Rabbit surveyed its surroundings, seemingly scrutinizing the faces of all the contestants. A slightly mocking smile appeared on its face as it continued:

"Some of you feel this is very unfair, right?"

"But this is Flash Dance. It's only the third season, and you've already captured the attention of hundreds of millions of people. In the history of the Chinese Entertainment Industry, there has never been a talent show that has gathered such a huge amount of popularity."

Whether you are lucky or unlucky depends solely on your own strength.

"The winner will be showered with flowers and cheers, and step onto a world-class stage with billions of views."

"The loser will lose all starlight and brilliance, be permanently stripped of the right to be an idol, and leave the stage in disgrace."

"Regardless of whether the rules are reasonable or fair, everything here will be transparent and open to the outside world, and the countless viewers, who are about to break one billion, will judge right and wrong."

"What you need to do is turn this humiliation and resentment into fuel for your progress, creating an unpredictable and dazzling stage!"

The playful glint in the Dream Weaver Rabbit's eyes was replaced by a burning excitement. It seemed to be looking at everyone, yet also at a bright and dazzling future, whispering devoutly and fervently:

"The stage determines victory or defeat, and it also determines destiny."

"Ladies and gentlemen, whether it's backstabbing, betrayal, fraud, or even opportunism, using off-stage schemes to gain a temporary victory is fine with us. The Program Group doesn't care about any decisions you make within the rules."

"But please remember, only those who can truly embody this philosophy can reach the end of Flashdance!"

After speaking, the mascot smiled.

"Alright, that's all for what's said offstage. Besides that, the Program Group has one more announcement."

"At 1 p. m. today, staff will distribute smartphones to everyone. You will have two hours to use them, during which you can talk to your family, post on Weibo to stay updated, check public opinion online, and even start a live stream—there are no restrictions."

The words had barely left his mouth.

The Dream Weaver Rabbit vanished in an instant, like a fleeting dream.

Tang Liuli muttered to herself:

"Still so elusive."

Kiriwake Yayoi suggested:

"How about we extend our lunch break to 3 p. m. today, and then make up for it with an extra two hours of practice tonight?"

Upon hearing this Chu Wangshu immediately seconded the agreement:

"Yes, I agree. It's rare to have time to use my phone. I haven't contacted my family for almost a month."

She had only recently reconciled with her Dad, but the competition format had prevented her from contacting him. Lately, in her spare time from training, she often wondered how her Dad was doing. When she learned that she could communicate by phone, her first instinct was naturally to call Chu Yuanqing.

Tang Liuli didn't object. Although no one could call her with her phone, logging into her social media accounts after a long time, posting on Weibo, replying to some fans' comments, surfing the internet, and checking out public opinion was a good thing.

Among them, CP supertopics like "Qing Ci Li Qu" are definitely one of the must-visit "attractions".

Yes, it would be best to take a photo with Qing Mom and post it together on Weibo, actively feeding the CP fans some sweetness!

The Green Eyed Cat was completely unaware that her own CP fans had been utterly defeated by Little Sakura's "Wu Zhong Jian Qing," to the point of almost having their Dao hearts shattered and surrendering entirely to the other side. She only thought she was too clever, immersed in her beautiful fantasy, and couldn't help but feel secretly pleased.

Chu Yuanqing was completely flustered. She pursed her lips slightly, looking somewhat nervous.

No, she'll definitely have to find an excuse to use her phone alone later, otherwise she won't be able to answer her Little Cotton-padded Jacket's call at all to avoid revealing her identity.

On the surface, she readily nodded in agreement to Yayoi's suggestion.

Soon after, an assistant knocked on the practice room door and brought over all four of their phones, all of which were fully charged.

After grabbing the phone, Chu Yuanqing wanted to find an excuse to run away, fearing that his Little Cotton-padded Jacket would call him as soon as she turned it on.

Unfortunately, the usually socially awkward Green Eyed Cat became the first obstacle. She tugged at Chu Yuanqing's sleeve with her fingertips, blinked her beautiful emerald eyes, and mustered her courage to say:

"Xiao Qing, um... can we add each other on WeChat?"

"... good."

Chu Yuanqing softened her heart and decided to act quickly, so she simply scanned the QR code and added the other party as a friend.

Before the Green Eyed Cat could even mentally cheer, Kiriwake Yayoi and Little Cotton-padded Jacket followed suit and sent friend requests, not wanting to be outdone.

Chu Yuanqing could only treat everyone equally, quickly approving all applications while secretly plotting what excuse to use to open Run.

But the next second, she saw her Little Cotton-padded Jacket quickly add a nickname to her contact list, then casually open Chu Yuanqing's chat interface and make a WeChat call...

Volume 1: 149. The Donghuang Amaterasu, Amaterasu, Wedding Dress Advertisement Airs. (5K)

In the practice room,

The call was barely a few seconds after it was dialed when Chu Wangshu swiftly hung up.

The young girl glanced guiltily at her teammate beside her.

Oh no, I forgot that Yayoi- nee, Liuli, and Xiao Qing are all here. How embarrassing would it be if I acted like Dad in front of them!

Moreover, although the segment where she talks to her parents on the phone is usually recorded in the program, giving her a few extra seconds of screen time, the thought of seeing the comments from netizens on her phone after visiting the art exhibition with her Dad that day made her feel a pang of jealousy, as if her treasure was being coveted.

Yes, because ever since then, a lot of fans have wanted to be her stepmother!

This has caused even her "daughter" Mom Fan, who used to call her "daughter," to develop a somewhat distorted attitude.

The Little Cotton-padded Jacket got angrier the more she thought about it. With a stern face, she opened the Weibo comment section and found that, sure enough, there were a bunch of mean women asking for Chu Yuanqing's contact information!

Deleted!

Deleted everything!

Damn it, before they reconciled, she would have been willing for her Dad to find a partner. But now, although she still respects her Dad's choice, she is actually a little unwilling for a stranger to interfere in the family and affect the father-daughter relationship that they have just reconciled.

This is normal; people will always encounter contradictions between reason and emotion.

So...

Chu Wangshu thought for a moment, suppressed her emotions, and decided to find a place without cameras later to secretly call her Dad.

There's no way around it. The camera is important, but she's a grown-up now. If the whole country saw her acting cute with her Dad, wouldn't that be too embarrassing?!

Chu Yuanqing was puzzled, but he was relieved.

Although she hasn't put Chu Yuanqing's SIM card back in yet, and can't receive his calls on WeChat or in his contacts, posing no risk of revealing her identity, she still wants to try her best to meet her daughter's expectations.

Tang Liuli didn't see the subtle strife between the two. After hesitating for a moment, she made up her mind and started to carry out the plan she had made in her heart to stick together.