Chapter 19: A Brand New Dark History Is Born

Life is not a rehearsal, it’s always full of surprises.

At that moment, time seemed to freeze.

In the girl’s eyes reflected shattered comments, as if entering the end of life, glimpsing a brilliant carousel.

The intense emotion went from shame to fear, quickly descending into despair, and finally numbed until her body felt incredibly light.

The clock rewound.

Amid the thunderous applause and cheers, Chu Yuanqing walked step by step like a puppet to the center of the stage.

Facing the judges, the millions of viewers in the livestream room, and her daughter on the stage looking expectantly at her, Chu Yuanqing’s lips slightly curved, revealing a stiff smile.

Her messy smile seemed to have found a time machine in the wee hours of 996 workdays, filled with absurdity and vulnerability.

However, the curve of her lips was interpreted by the trainees in the passenger seats, and even the millions of viewers in the live broadcast room, as a confident smile to ease tension.

Yes, as the first trainee to conquer a lifelong fear of the stage, Chu Yuanqing naturally possessed this level of courage.

The actress Luo Siling picked up the microphone first and asked with a smile:

"Chu Yuanqing, your resume indicates that you are different from most of the contestants present. You haven’t undergone trainee training, and even skipped the talent section during the audition because you lacked a foundation in singing and dancing."

"I’m curious, what prompted you to take the risk of a lifetime in an industry you had no connection to, and insist on participating in ’Dazzling Stage’?"

Very well, this is a great question to showcase yourself and demonstrate charm.

If another trainee were to answer this question, they would probably come up with a touching and philosophical story or experience full of positive energy, leaving a lasting impression on the viewers and impressing them.

And at this moment,

Chu Yuanqing just wanted to run away right away.

Well, if she still had superpowers, she would probably have teleported to the North or South Pole instantly and danced with the penguins gliding on the ice.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case.

Chu Yuanqing held her cute face, using all her social skills and wit, thinking about how to answer this tricky question.

Should I tell the truth?

No way! There are so many people watching in the live stream room!

The most crucial thing is that her daughter is nearby, looking at her with bright eyes, seemingly expecting her answer.

If she tells the truth now, doesn’t that mean admitting that she had been making things up before?

Chu Yuanqing’s thoughts spun millions of times in an instant, and when she came back to reality, she earnestly and seriously uttered two words from her lips under the attention of the audience:

"Dream."

"I came for my dream."

Chu Yuanqing stopped speaking, feeling tormented and regretful.

Little Shu, I’m sorry, I lied!

Luo Siling praised with a smile:

"Well, that’s a very standard answer."

"But in the unique format of our show, saying those words takes a lot of courage. Looking forward to your performance ahead."

The audience in the live studio and the contestants on stage all reacted differently.

Most contestants here thought that Chu Yuanqing only got in based on her looks, skipping the talent segment, doubting her ability. Starting with the first performance might not be a good thing, even risking being seen as a clown for attention.

The audience didn’t react much. Even though Chu Yuanqing was the first to arrive, she didn’t choose a fancy seat. Instead, she picked the last one. She humbled herself and didn’t expect too much.

People who look cute can make anything cute. Nowadays, the comments are all positive, especially from fans of good-looking people.

Zhao Dapan, a famous singer-songwriter, took the mentor’s seat and continued the conversation.

"I have a question. Did you always have this dream since you were young? And what made you want to become an idol?"

Chu Yuanqing looked serious, but her mind went blank, and she couldn’t think clearly. She started talking nonsense when she heard the question.

"Because... I admired those shiny girls on TV."

Zhao Dapan commented thoughtfully.

"She looks very serious. It seems like she gave a sincere answer."

Chu Yuanqing felt worse and worse, with a growing sense of despair filling her. She felt like she was falling into a dark abyss.

If...if your daughter knew that you wanted to become a teenage idol, would your career as a father end here?

(Translated by Gravity Tales 😏)

People’s joys and sorrows are not always the same.

Choreographer Chen Baijiu seized the opportunity and took the microphone to deliver a sharp remark:

"See light, chase light, become light."

"Most people go through the first two stages, but very few reach the last step."

"Chu Yuanqing, I hope your talent matches your courage, otherwise joining ’Dazzling Stage’ would be a dead end."

Jiang Chi took off his sunglasses and spoke concisely:

"The performance you have prepared is a famous street dance from a boy band, I personally look forward to your performance."

The mentor finished his inquiries.

Dream Weaver Rabbit smiled and clapped, the atmosphere lights around the stage lit up, playing the background music the contestants had submitted earlier without giving them much time to react, indicating it was time to start the performance directly.

This sudden "attack" made all the contestants in the audience a little nervous.

Even those with stage experience might not be able to perform at their best when they realize they are live streaming and being watched by millions of online viewers.

Moreover, everyone is a trainee, and only a few have stage experience.

At that moment, both the audience and the contestants thought the same thing.

—— The opportunity given by Dream Weaver Rabbit is a double-edged sword, this girl is probably in trouble.

At the same time,

Chu Yuanqing stood in the center of the stage, feeling the world slowing down around her.

Everyone in the audience felt their breath becoming heavier, and a wave of heat came rushing in.

The tiny camera floating in the air, the smell of burnt rubber in the spotlight, the whispers and stares from the audience, the scrutinizing gaze of the mentor, every detail was etched into her mind, freezing all distractions.

The magical girl’s extraordinary senses awakened under intense stimulation, her original five senses turning into ethereal tentacles, capturing countless gazes, digesting emotions as tumultuous as a tsunami.

The magic within the pendant swayed like water ripples, with the impurities in the grey glass embedded on top growing deeper.

There was no time to think too much, nor to feel ashamed.

Chu Yuanqing’s determination peeled away like an onion, revealing a side that belonged to a savior.

She knew that if she messed up her performance to the point of a stage accident, it would be far worse than dancing in public, and most importantly, she did not want to embarrass herself in front of her daughter!

At this moment, the instincts of past battles resurfaced under the interference of her own will, even though her honed skills were gradually wearing down from erosion. The basic muscle control, body coordination, and neural reflexes could still be maintained.

Chu Yuanqing forgot about her worries, shame, nervousness, and all unnecessary emotions as the music titled "Whisper" played. After that moment, her whole body seemed to retain muscle memory, smoothly flowing and moving in rhythm.

Yes, in rhythm.

The basic rhythm of street dance.

Under the spotlight, Chu Yuanqing danced her steps, but she was not quite skilled in transitioning smoothly. She was a bit inexperienced in keeping up with the music’s beat, just managing to keep pace.

The bug-like skill of controlling her body perfectly allowed her to capture the essence behind this street dance.

Chu Yuanqing could grasp the delicate balance between fast and slow, creating an irresistible sense of pause. She succeeded in showcasing the lazy and relaxed style of hiphop, and when switching to the next dance move, she burst out with amazing strength, creating a balance of power and beauty in her form.

This overflowing inspiration and emotion managed to overshadow any shortcomings in her movements and rhythm.

At this moment.

On the big screen, Chu Yuanqing looked serious, her eyes determined.

With the natural keen intuition of a magical girl, it seemed as if she could find the camera effortlessly, always revealing her stunning face from every angle.

Her exquisite yet fragile and harmless beauty seemed to cut through the audience’s hearts sharply, like breaking through a siege of thousands of troops, showing an extreme sharpness in every frame.

A minute and a half later, the background music came to an end.

This hastily started performance finally ended successfully and smoothly.

The whole audience fell into a sudden silence for a moment, then they reacted and the applause and discussions rushed in like a tsunami, echoing throughout the entire stadium.