Chapter 93
Volume 1: Chapter 100. Xiao Qing, I will take you away. (5K2 votes requested)
The viewers in the Live Broadcast Room started to get excited:
"Pure luck, does that mean completely random, with no probability manipulation?"
"Le, I'm sure the dance lineup on the Program Group isn't anything good, is it???"
"Hey, Qing Bao's going to draw first this time, right? We'll sacrifice ten years of our group members' lives just so she can get the hot dance!!!"
"Hehehe, duets are the most fun! How do you assign male and female positions within the group, and how do you tell at a glance who's the 0 and who's the 1???"
"Hilarious! Do you even need to look? Isn't Qing Bao a princess at first glance???"
"Nonsense! The Qing Defense is wrong, vulgar, substandard, and misguided. Only the 'motherly mother and young wife top' type is the best???"
The Dream Weaver Rabbit snapped its fingers, and starlight instantly filled the glass shaft, looking similar to the previous card-drawing method.
Chu Yuanqing's face was serious, her eyes focused, and she took a deep breath.
If drawing a five-star card is the reality you have to face when you first start drawing cards, then drawing a dance card with no difference in probability is the real test of whether you're lucky or unlucky!
Please, please, please don't make it a dance that's too girly like "Little Deer Bumping," and preferably not too difficult either. Otherwise, with my dance background, I'll definitely hold Qingxuan back.
After praying earnestly and nervously, Chu Yuanqing carefully placed her small hand on the glass axis. As her palm print was imprinted, a series of flashy special effects were played, and the selected dance was displayed on the virtual screen.
"Your radiance shines like gold, gradually invading my eyes."
"What kind of tone should I use to make you agree?"
"It's that I can't fathom your sense of taste, and it's that I can't perceive the danger."
This is a song with a slightly ambiguous theme, about seizing the moment when love is just beginning to blossom, and the atmosphere is more like a bar, which can easily make people's imaginations run wild.
The accompanying words easily conjure up images of men and women in a passionate setting, tentatively approaching each other, their bodies gradually becoming tingly, their eyes burning with desire, their breaths growing increasingly intense in the alcohol.
Chu Yuanqing already had a bad feeling.
Sure enough, as a lively melody rang out, a man and a woman on the screen followed the beat, performing a vibrant and sexually charged jazz dance, which included, but was not limited to, rubbing waists, holding hands, hugging, caressing breasts and buttocks, visual kissing, and even falling to the ground and leaning on each other, displaying a variety of ambiguous actions.
--<Dangerous Party>.
The Live Broadcast Room exploded with comments:
"Ha! Just imagining Qing Bao doing this makes my inner pervert instantly crumble!"
"Hehehe, Qing Bao is so good. She knew Mom wanted to see it, so she pulled out <Dangerous Party>. Quickly jump to the male position and get pounced on by Xie Qingxuan, okay???"
"Qing Bao's desperate little face is so cute! This time she'll jump for Mommy with a look of disgust and shyness, right? Mommy loves that kind of thing!"
"Waaaaah! My bitter tea seed accidentally spiraled into the sky! Qing Bao, could you come and help me find it, and maybe also help me stop the itch???"
"Heh, you cunning neo-copper, you made the floor so slippery and wet, and you still want Qing Bao to come over? Go ahead and deduct it yourself!"
"Praise be to Your Qing God for Your gifts! We believers will surely gaze upon Your glory and contemplate Your holy will day and night, never slacking off!"
If evaluated objectively with a rational perspective, this dance is not particularly explicit. While it contains suggestive elements, its beauty and the way it exudes sexual tension make it not vulgar.
Compared to some foreign dances, it appears rather immature and doesn't quite reach the level of being considered acceptable.
But for a middle-aged father who hadn't even gotten used to wearing short skirts, the dance was exactly as its name suggested—so dangerous that she felt like she'd been struck by lightning, nearly fainting on the spot and dying.
Chu Yuanqing's sense of crisis began to surge wildly. She realized that many people were watching her hysterical outburst. Immediately, she suppressed her embarrassment and anger, her face flushing slightly. She pursed her moist lips, then sadly parted them, and whispered:
"Um... can I request to draw another one?"
The Dream Weaver Rabbit, seemingly unintentionally swiping the dance music on the virtual screen, revealed a devilish smile and said in a low voice:
"Huh? Should we really request a re-draw? But there are many better dances in the song library, and it wouldn't be fair to the other contestants, would it?"
At that moment, two arrows, one named [the fear of the unknown] and the other [conscience and morality], pierced my heart fiercely.
Chu Yuanqing was directly sunk. She gave up struggling and gave up her position to Chen Yining. Somewhat dejected, she dragged her heavy steps to Xie Qingxuan's side.
Kiriwake Yayoi at him with a complicated expression. As someone who had personally explored the other party's limits, she knew very well what kind of dance Chu Yuanqing could accept.
-- Dangerous Party is definitely not on this list.
More importantly, just imagining the other person dancing this slightly intimate, even borderline, dance with Xie Qingxuan sent a dull, throbbing pain through her chest.
It was a bittersweet mixture of possessiveness and jealousy, swelling like shadows under the sun, threatening to engulf one's mind like a monster.
The cherry blossom pink in the girl's eyes deepened, and wisps of Black Mist swirled around them. Her expression remained unchanged, a smile playing on her lips, as she murmured to herself:
"Xiao Qing, I will definitely get you back."
Chu Wangshu was also a little annoyed; she didn't want to dance this kind of dance with Xiao Qing.
I just felt that Xie Qingxuan was originally the other person's roommate, and now these two have become teammates, not to mention they were drawn to do such an intimate dance. After a period of getting used to each other, their relationship will definitely get better.
Will I no longer be Xiao Qing's number one best friend if this happens?
No, I have to try and get Xiao Qing back!
For a moment, the two exchanged a glance, nodded in unison, and, as if by telepathy, ignited the same belief, inexplicably enhancing their tacit understanding.
On the other side, the Green Eyed Cat, equally provoked, glanced at its poor, innocent, and useless lead singer teammate with great dissatisfaction, grinding its teeth in anger.
Damn it, with our group, the chances of challenging Qing Mom and that wicked woman and defeating them on stage are close to zero. Trying to win back Qing Mom through a normal PK is a complete pipe dream!
To put it bluntly, this is practically handing over free food! They're giving it away for free!
Etc...
At this moment,
Tang Liuli's despondency was completely washed away. Her extraordinary wisdom, like the roar of a Bugatti Veyron engine, captured a glimmer of inspiration amidst the earth-shattering turmoil, uncovering another side of things and realizing the essence of the problem.
Yes, my goal isn't to win, but to be on the same team as Chu Yuanqing.
If that's the case, why can't we send it?
Rather, giving it away for free is the right path!
It's a very simple logic. Every group needs a lead singer. If she just leads Lin Bao'er to challenge the other team and gets thoroughly crushed on stage, wouldn't she be able to naturally join Qing Mom's team?
Anyway, their team can't beat any high-level teams, so they might as well lose sooner rather than later and be happy since they'll be taken by everyone eventually.
Moreover, this plan was risk-free. As the No.1 lead singer of this season of Flash Dance, one of the only six remaining A-Class contestants in Flash Dance, and the roommate of the two, it was inevitable that she would be chosen.
The Green Eyed Cat swelled rapidly upon hearing this, its expression softening like cotton, and its lips couldn't help but curl upwards, revealing a smug and triumphant look.
Hmph, Great Demon King, huh? Let you be smug for a while. Qing Bao's first kiss is already mine. How could a mere "Dangerous Party" possibly surpass such a magnificent monument!?
Yes, even at the cost of a two-tiered drop in status, a fate as humble as that of a pet.
Tang Liuli grew happier the more she thought about it, feeling that a bright future was beckoning her. Even the little dark cloud above her head that controlled the rain was replaced by a dazzling golden "winwinwin!"
Although to Lin Bao'er, who was standing next to her, this scene looked like a socially awkward, gloomy, introverted girl with her bangs covering her eyes, giggling inexplicably, with a touch of silly cuteness and unreliability.
But this does not prevent the successful birth of such a great sliding knee plan!
On the other side, Chen Yining returned after drawing her dance. Her luck was neither good nor bad; the dance she drew was of moderate difficulty and had a distinct Chao Nation flavor. With their solid foundation, they should be able to achieve a good level of performance in about half a week.
This childhood sweetheart couple remained aloof from the world for the time being, and were not drawn into the vortex of another chaotic battlefield.
Ji Shuzhu looked at the cheerful Young Lady, whose eyebrows were beaming with happiness. A rare tenderness welled up in the depths of her chest, but it was then swallowed up by that emptiness, leaving behind only a desolate void.
The girl lowered her eyes, appearing increasingly aloof and world-weary. Under Chen Yining's confused, yet gradually shy, gaze, she reached out and stroked the other's cheek, her fingertips lingering on the swan's neck, drawing some warmth from it. She slowly embraced the other, sighing softly:
"Xiao Ning, you have to work hard!"
This world has no color; even the freshest green plums are slowly fading.
Despite her best efforts to hold on, the ongoing progression of Hyperthymesia relentlessly eroded her emotions and sense of self, driving her to relentlessly pursue the brilliance deep within her humanity in order to fill the void and protect the treasures hidden in her consciousness.
Ji Shuzhu also tried to heal herself with the love of her fans.
But whether it's likes, follows, comments, or private messages, these online data are so cold and intangible, unable to touch the heart in the slightest. Even participating in offline activities and hearing voices calling one's name only makes one feel... emptiness.
This situation reached its peak three years ago at a music festival in Xistan Country.
Ji Shuzhu encountered an extreme stalker. Even though her bodyguard arrived in time, her ankle was still splashed with sulfuric acid by the stalker, leaving a bright red, burn-like scar.
That's not really important. The scar faded considerably after a combination of liquid nitrogen freezing, aurora treatment, and medication, leaving almost no trace.
Importantly, the moment she saw the obsessive fan throw sulfuric acid, what she felt was not fear or confusion, but a kind of regret that even surprised herself.
--If only he had a knife or a gun hidden away.
--Wouldn't that allow me to leave without any burden?
Once such thoughts take root, they become uncontrollable, and there is no improvement even after Chen Yining visits him in the hospital.
From then on, Ji Shuzhu understood that she couldn't wait for Xiao Ning for much longer.
For the next three years, she used the excuse of getting away from her illness to travel all over the world and see every idol stage she could find. At first, it was okay; the "Flow State" state of top idols eventually helped her condition improve for a while.
However, she was in the audience, not on stage with them, and given the scarcity of opportunities for top idols, this short-sighted approach gradually lost its meaning.
The timely arrival of <Flash Dance> became the most trustworthy lifeline. As long as we continue on this project, we will eventually meet truly shining teammates.
Ji Shuzhu's eyelashes drooped. She glanced at the Young Lady's already bright red earlobes beside her, and once again suppressed the emptiness that was tearing at her heart. Her lips parted slightly, and she whispered to herself:
"Xiao Ning, this is really the last time."
"I will be patient one more time, wholeheartedly assist you, use this dance as material to choreograph the most suitable steps for you, and use all my strength to dance with you on the stage until the end of victory."
So, whatever you do... whatever you do, don't lose!
Chen Yining didn't notice anything amiss, but was instead immersed in her friend's first-ever intimate gesture in many years. Her strikingly beautiful face flushed red, and she nervously and carefully hugged the other's waist, displaying a pure and delicate charm, completely devoid of her usual assertiveness and pride.
The Young Lady stammered:
"I will try my best, Xiaozhu."
"Really, I've never slacked off. I'm sure I can do it. I will accomplish what we set out to do..."
Ji Shuzhu reached out and covered the other person's lips.
As she remained silent, she suddenly felt a pang of sadness.
Chen Yining was supposed to be a girl who drove sports cars, learned horseback riding, played the piano, stirred up trouble in the financial district, photographed lion prides on the grasslands, and traveled the world freely and without restraint.
But years ago, she abandoned all of that for the sake of a verbal promise, just to become an insignificant idol in the eyes of her family, and she never slacked off for it day and night.
This Young Lady should have been even more arrogant and unrestrained.
But somehow, she became her constraint, and he became her reins.
They compromised and tormented each other.
The emptiness in Ji Shuzhu's eyes was misty, and her heart should have been surging with emotions, but those emotions were like a feather brushing against her heart, barely causing a ripple before being swallowed by nothingness.
The girl suddenly realized that perhaps it would be best for everyone to stay away from someone as awful as herself. She temporarily forgot this thought, loosened her embrace, returned to her original state, and whispered:
"Xiao Ning, let's save those words for when they're actually realized."
Chen Yining nodded seriously and began to think about the next strategy.
This half-minute hug had already driven some viewers, unaware of the undercurrents, into a frenzy.
"Waaaaah, I knew the Ri Yi Yue Shu wouldn't end like this!"
"Ha! They dared to hug like that in public, I don't even want to think about what they might do in private!"
"Ningbao looks so tough at first glance, but her earlobes turned red after being hugged. What an adorable contrast! So cute!!!"
"Hilarious! I always thought Ji Shuzhu was super alpha, and he seemed like a domineering top. Now I'm pretty sure it's true. Ningbao must be a pillow princess in bed???"
"Hehehe, pairing two strong partners is so delicious! No need to worry about them being separated at all???"
In contrast to the jubilation of the CP fans here, the CP fans of the "Wu Zhong Jian Qing" camp have been depressed ever since they saw Chu Yuanqing draw Xie Qingxuan. They are all immersed in the sadness of not being able to get Little Sakura, and have no energy at all.
"Annoying? It's not that our Yayoi isn't trying hard enough, it's that fate is tormenting this marriage, damned Dream Weaver Rabbit???"
"Exactly! This situation is too difficult! It's one thing that Qing Bao didn't get Little Sakura, but then Little Sakura got Yue Bao instead. I seriously suspect that the official is maliciously controlling the game?!"
"Yes, normally Little Sakura can team up with anyone, and she can be on the same team as Qing Bao regardless of winning or losing. But if Yue Bao is added, it's hard to say."
Although the audience couldn't figure out the true relationship between Chu Yuanqing and Chu Wangshu, they all noticed the special nature of their relationship as Chu Yuanqing repeatedly showed maternal love.
This has led to their fans shifting from shipping them as friends to shipping them as mother and daughter.
Yes, it has a kind of abstract, yet unexpectedly beautiful quality.
So now we've created a very strange situation: if Chu Yuanqing wins against the Sakura Team, should he choose his daughter or his best friend?
This is a question that truly tests human nature.