Chapter 21

Shen Yu had found it strange earlier. With Bai Muyu’s domineering personality, how could she just let it go after being slapped? Yet, Bai Muyu had done nothing, simply continuing to treat her as if she were invisible. It was just too abnormal!
Sure enough, a bigger conspiracy was waiting for her here.
Without her consent, someone had signed her up for a performance and deliberately kept her in the dark about the first two rehearsals, making her miss the best opportunity to withdraw.
If it were the original Shen Yu, wouldn’t she have found a place to cry?
But then again, if it were the original Shen Yu, she probably wouldn’t have dared to slap Bai Muyu in the first place.
Truly, it was a cycle of revenge.
Though angry, Shen Yu quickly calmed down and comforted herself. The situation wasn’t actually that bad.
Before she crossed over, the stage had been her domain. Whether it was a solo or group dance, she had always been the most dazzling one, so she had never been afraid of performing. Dancing on stage for over ten minutes would be no problem for her.
However, she wasn’t entirely confident in her current body. Although she had been stretching and exercising every day, her flexibility and muscle strength couldn’t compare to her original dancer’s body. She couldn’t reach that level of performance.
After finishing her conversation with the entertainment committee member, Shen Yu hurriedly left the school. But instead of rushing to catch the bus home, she decided to go shopping.
Since she had decided to attend the rehearsal and make a splash, she needed to prepare. After all, time was not on her side.
Before she arrived, the original Shen Yu had squandered her image as a wealthy, beautiful girl, turning it into a shabby, disliked persona. Apart from some ordinary clothes, she had nothing presentable, no beautiful dresses, no basic makeup. Nothing.
Shen Yu thought she needed to get a pair of contact lenses. She wouldn’t have time to wear them tomorrow afternoon, but at least she could use them on the day of the school festival. She also needed to buy some makeup. She was familiar with stage makeup and didn’t need anyone else’s help.
Finally, she needed to rent a suitable performance outfit. She would stick to the classical dance she was familiar with.
With all these plans, she probably wouldn’t be able to return home early tonight.
While on the bus, Shen Yu called Uncle Li to tell him she wouldn’t be home for dinner, which gave him quite a scare.
Except for the few days she had spent living in a rented apartment, Shen Yu always had dinner at home.
Uncle Li was worried and kept pressing her about what she was going to do. Shen Yu had no choice but to say she wanted to go shopping. After a moment’s thought, she added, “Uncle Li, please don’t tell Shen Xiao about this. I don’t want that lunatic causing trouble again.”
“I’m just going to buy some clothes,” she said, half-truthfully. “I’ve lost a lot of weight, and none of my old clothes fit anymore.”
Although Uncle Li found it a bit odd that she had chosen this particular time to go shopping for clothes, he said, “Do you have enough money? Should I transfer some to you? Since you’re buying clothes, get a few more pieces, pretty ones. You hardly buy any clothes all year round.”
Shen Yu smiled and replied, “I understand, Uncle Li.”
Just as she hung up, the bus passed by a dance academy. She quickly pressed the stop button and got off. There should be plenty of shops renting performance costumes in this area. After browsing around, she found two stores and eventually settled on a dress.
When she tried it on, the shop owner was taken aback. She circled Shen Yu twice, exclaiming loudly, “You’re so slim? Your clothes are so loose, they don’t show off your figure at all. What a waste of your good shape! Your waist is so tiny, and you even have abs.”
Shen Yu felt a little embarrassed by the praise and lowered her head with a smile. “Students from the nearby dance academy all have figures like this, right? Abs should be pretty common.”
The shop owner shook her head. “Not as nice as yours. Yes, ‘nice’ is the word. You’re so fair-skinned, you’d look great in peach red. I have a set here.” She started to fetch it.
Shen Yu shook her head to stop her. “No need. I want this style. It matches the dance. But the fabric of this one isn’t great, it’s too light and lacks weight.”
The shop owner said, “I do have better ones, but the deposit is a bit higher.”
Shen Yu replied, “That’s fine. Let me take a look.”
After trying on a few more outfits, Shen Yu finally chose the most expensive one. As she was leaving, the shop owner reminded her, “The clothes you’re wearing now are really unflattering. Don’t wear them again in the future. A young girl like you should know how to dress up.”
Shen Yu just kept smiling.
She had spent a bit too much time in the shop, and by the time she stepped out, the sky had darkened. Streetlights along the road flickered on one by one. Holding her bag, Shen Yu waited at the bus stop, her shadow stretched long and thin under the lamplight.
The city center at night was a dazzling spectacle of lights and luxury.
Though Shen Yu wasn’t very familiar with the area, all shopping malls were the same, as long as you had money in your pocket, you could buy whatever you wanted.
The process of buying cosmetics was rather irritating. The sales assistant, judging by her attire, assumed she was just browsing and couldn’t be bothered to help, looking down on her with an air of superiority.
Shen Yu didn’t make a scene. Instead, she pointed to a few products she had often used before and, without even asking the price, said, “Two of each.”
Since she wanted quite a few types, the shop assistant was immediately impressed, and then began bowing and scraping, greeting her with a smile, so utterly pragmatic.
After making a round in the mall, she was already carrying several bags of cosmetics. Paired with her outfit bought from a street stall, the contrast was just too stark.
After buying the cosmetics, Shen Yu went to a well-established eyewear store to order contact lenses. The shop assistant promised she could collect them on Saturday, which put her mind at ease.
The stage was so big, she definitely didn’t want to be fumbling around blindly when the time came.
She had considered getting contact lenses before but kept putting it off. Now, she was truly forced into action.
Besides ordering contact lenses, she also got a new pair of frames. The original owner’s frames were just too outdated, wearing them made her look years older. Seizing the opportunity, Shen Yu replaced the old frames.
Seeing how she spent money without batting an eye, the shop assistant enthusiastically recommended the best and latest styles. When Shen Yu tried them on, she found the effect was indeed great, her face even appeared smaller and more defined.
As she stepped out of the eyewear store, right across from her was a clothing boutique. The dress in the display window looked absolutely stunning.
Shen Yu hadn’t originally planned to buy clothes, but as she gazed at the dress, she found herself inexplicably walking in.
By the time she came out and snapped back to reality, she was holding two more bags.
She had spent quite a lot today, she’d have to carefully record her expenses when she got back.
She hadn’t eaten dinner before going out, and after shopping all evening, Shen Yu was now starving. Just as she was hesitating whether to grab a bite or head straight home,
Uncle Li called again.
His tone was urgent as he asked, "Miss, where are you?"
Clutching her bags, Shen Yu found a corner to stand in and said, "I’m still at the mall."
Uncle Li asked, "Which mall? I’ll come pick you up right now."
Shen Yu replied, "No need. There are still buses running, or I can just take a taxi back."
Uncle Li cut her off, "The young master just came back and found you weren’t home. He’s throwing a fit."
Shen Yu: “…”
Uncle Li said, "Send me your location. I’ll come get you right away."
Shen Yu didn’t refuse again. She walked out of the mall to the main road, sent her location to Uncle Li, and obediently waited where she was.
She thought to herself, Shen Xiao never said she couldn’t go out at night, so why was he throwing a tantrum now? Was his eccentric illness acting up again?
With that thought, her heart couldn’t help but flutter anxiously.
Thankfully, she had strong mental fortitude and good stress tolerance. Otherwise, being ostracized outside and bullied at home like this every day would surely drive her to a mental breakdown, just like Shen Xiao with his eccentric tendencies!
Half an hour later, Uncle Li hurriedly arrived. "Luckily, there’s no traffic jam. Miss, come back with me quickly."
Shen Yu placed her bags in the back seat and got into the passenger seat. Once the car started moving, she asked him, "Uncle Li, what’s going on? Why is my brother angry?"
Though Uncle Li was getting on in years, his driving skills were exceptional. Even in complex traffic, he could navigate smoothly and steadily.
"You didn’t come back for dinner tonight, and the young master was at a business dinner and didn’t return either. Around nine o’clock, Secretary Du brought him back. I noticed he had drunk quite a bit and tried to help him to his room to rest, but he refused. He insisted he hadn’t fed you yet and told me to call you down. But since you weren’t home, he got angry." At this point, Uncle Li sighed and said, "Poor Er Gouzi bore the brunt of his temper."
Shen Yu was startled and quickly asked, "What did he do to the husky?"
Uncle Li replied, "He said he was going to roast the husky and insisted on doing it himself. He ended up chasing the dog around the yard several times. He couldn’t catch it, got angry again, and then demanded I bring you back."
Shen Yu: “…”
So after tormenting the husky, he decided she was the easiest to bully and sent Uncle Li to fetch her back? What kind of logic was that?!
The car soon left the bustling city center and sped toward home.
Having been in this world for a while now, Shen Yu had developed a sense of belonging to the Shen family. Even though there was a lunatic living there, it was still a place she would always return to.
The two hurried back to find the entire villa brightly lit, as arrogant as its male owner.
Uncle Li drove the car into the garage. Shen Yu, who had been waiting on the steps, had intended to enter with him for moral support. But the night wind was bitterly cold, making her shiver uncontrollably, so she had no choice but to push the door open and go in alone.
The hall was bright and warm, instantly driving away the chill that had settled over her.
Peeking inside, she saw Shen Xiao lying flat on the sofa, seemingly asleep. His formal suit was still on, now slightly wrinkled, and he hadn’t even taken off his leather shoes.
His usually cool hairstyle was now drooping, with a few strands falling over his forehead, making him look almost docile.
Shen Yu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed he didn’t have the energy to cause trouble at the moment. So, carrying her things, she tiptoed in, careful not to wake him.
Uncle Li soon entered and, seeing Shen Xiao asleep on the sofa, said with a headache, "We need to get him back to his room. He’ll catch a cold if he sleeps here."
Shen Yu disagreed, "If you move him now, you’ll definitely wake him up, and then he’ll just get angry again."
Uncle Li shook his head, "You’ve forgotten, last time he got drunk and we let him sleep in the living room. The next day, he woke up furious, saying we had the nerve to leave him in the living room."
Shen Yu: “…”
So moving him was wrong, and not moving him was also wrong. And to think she hadn’t eaten all evening, her stomach was growling with hunger, only to come back and have to worry about where this lunatic was sleeping!
Finally, Uncle Li said, "I’ll help him upstairs. You keep an eye on things from the side."
Shen Yu had no choice but to nod. "Let’s each take one side and support him." Uncle Li was getting on in years, and Shen Xiao was so tall and sturdy that one person alone couldn’t manage him.
In the end, the two of them worked together, grunting and straining as they hauled him upstairs. Fortunately, Shen Xiao’s room was on the second floor, so it wasn’t too much of an ordeal.
When Uncle Li pushed open the door to Shen Xiao’s room, Shen Yu realized it was the first time she had ever stepped inside.
Shen Xiao’s room should have been that cold, gray minimalist style you’d expect from someone like him, but it wasn’t.
The room was spacious, almost half again the size of Shen Yu’s bedroom, yet the décor was surprisingly ordinary. The bookshelf, the desk, the bed, they all looked a little worn with age. There was even an old-fashioned tape recorder sitting on the desk. The bookshelf still held books, a few trophies, and even some childhood toys.
In short, at a glance, the whole room was filled with memories.
The moment Shen Yu laid Shen Xiao onto the bed, her heart softened. That sharp-tongued, impossible-to-get-along-with mad snake of a man… turned out to be someone who held onto the past.
Just as Shen Yu and Uncle Li were finally about to breathe in relief, Shen Xiao, who had just been set down, suddenly opened his eyes, staring straight at them.
Shen Yu: “…”
Uncle Li: “…”
The mad snake not only sobered up instantly, he even spoke clearly, directly questioning her:
“You remembered to come back?”
Shen Yu: “…”
So is he drunk or is he perfectly sober?? Which one is it?
Seeing him awake, Uncle Li quickly stepped forward. “Sir, would you like to shower first? I’ve prepared hangover soup. I’ll bring it right away.”
Shen Xiao sat up, legs casually crossed, and waved a hand for him to go.
Shen Yu stuck out her tongue and whispered, “Then I’ll leave too,” already lifting her foot to escape.
Shen Xiao let out a cold laugh: “You stay right there.”
Shen Yu: “…”
Shen Xiao asked, “Where were you tonight?”
Shen Yu answered honestly, “Shopping.”
“And what did you buy?”
She bought a lot tonight. Was she supposed to list everything one by one?? After thinking for a moment, Shen Yu said, “A dress.”
Shen Xiao raised his eyebrows. “Then go put it on. Let me see.”
Shen Yu: “…”
Shen Xiao smirked, “If you dared to buy a dress, that means you really did lose weight. So go put it on and show me the results.”
When she didn’t move, he urged impatiently, “Go!”
Shen Yu bolted out of the room like her life depended on it. One second slower and he really might eat her alive.
She remembered her shopping bags were still downstairs, so she ran down in a hurry, only to run into Uncle Li carrying the hangover soup near the stairs.
Uncle Li asked, “Miss, what did sir ask you to do?”
Shen Yu’s mouth twitched. “…He wants me to try on the new dress.”
It's a pity that if someone is too self-abasing, always keeping their head down and chest hunched, with timid, drooping eyes and eyebrows, over time, even the most attractive features can become repulsive and unappealing.
The original owner was exactly like that.
After changing into a dress, Shen Yu thought for a moment, then swapped her old-fashioned glasses for a newly bought pair and let down her tied-up hair, her raven-black locks now reached her waist.
The distance from the third floor to the second floor was short, but Shen Yu took quite some time, mainly because she felt awkward.
Shen Xiao's room door was open. She peeked inside; Uncle Li wasn't there, and Shen Xiao wasn't on the bed either, but the bathroom door was closed, he was probably taking a shower.
Hesitating briefly, she slowly walked in.
Before she could even steady herself, the bathroom door swung open, and Shen Xiao emerged wearing a bathrobe, damp and fresh from his shower.
Their eyes met in mid-air, and Shen Yu could easily detect the surprise in his gaze.
Shen Xiao raised an eyebrow, holding a towel but not using it to dry his hair, instead shaking his head willfully to flick off some of the water droplets from his hair tips.
He strode forward a few steps, scrutinizing Shen Yu closely, then chuckled softly, "It seems the past month of exercise has paid off, you've almost slimmed down to a bolt of lightning. You should be able to fit into those doll outfits from the gym now, right?"
Shen Yu whispered, "I don't know."
Shen Xiao nodded, "Try them next time."
With that, he suddenly reached out and snatched the glasses off Shen Yu's nose. Her vision blurred instantly, and she instinctively tried to grab them back, but Shen Xiao easily caught her wrist.
They were so close that they could easily hear each other's breathing. Shen Yu lifted her eyes but couldn't make out Shen Xiao's expression clearly. She only felt his grip on her wrist tighten abruptly, making her wince, "It hurts."
Shen Xiao stared at her intently for a few seconds before releasing her hand and tossing the glasses back to her. His tone was cold and sharp as he said, "You can get lost now."
Shen Yu: “…”
He really was a lunatic, always flipping out for no reason.
But since Shen Xiao told her to get lost, it meant he wouldn't torment her further, which was a good thing. After putting her glasses back on, she hurriedly scurried away.
Shen Yu had been busy all evening. After returning to her room, she took a shower, changed into comfortable loungewear, and then went back downstairs.
She had been hungry all night and wanted to find something to eat in the kitchen. Since she had to stay up late searching for music, she needed something to fill her stomach, or she wouldn't have the energy.
Uncle Li lived on the first floor and had already gone back to his room to sleep. Hearing movement outside, he came out and, realizing Shen Yu wanted something to eat, prepared a bowl of seafood noodles for her.
While eating noodles, Shen Yu mentioned the trophies and toys in Shen Xiao's room. Uncle Li sighed and said, "The young master is indeed very sentimental. He has kept everything his late parents gave him. It's not just his room, the attic is also filled with things he collected from the past. Even the paper cup doll you made in handicraft class when you were little, he still has it."
Shen Yu: “…”
Uncle Li continued, "The young master wasn’t always like this. It was only after the old master and mistress passed away that he became this way. Miss, you don’t need to be too afraid of him. I believe, no matter what, he would never harm you."
Shen Yu slurped her noodles and nodded, "Mm, I understand."
The rehearsal was scheduled for the afternoon of the next day, so Shen Yu didn’t go to school in the morning. Instead, she improvised a dance at home, though it wasn’t entirely improvised. She recalled a piece called "Ode to Dunhuang" from her memory and performed it, removing the more difficult moves.
She had danced this piece so many times before that, no matter how much time had passed, she could easily remember it.
Bai Muyu and the others had secretly signed her up for the performance and concealed the first two rehearsals. Their goal wasn’t actually to force her onto the stage but to make her embarrass herself during the final rehearsal, causing her to back out at the last minute and become a laughingstock. That was the outcome Bai Muyu wanted.
In their minds, there was no way Shen Yu would actually make it to the real stage. Either she wouldn’t dare to show up for the final rehearsal, causing the performance to be canceled, or she would go up and act foolishly, getting herself cut by the director and possibly even scolded.
In any case, they would never have imagined that the current Shen Yu not only dared to go on stage but also knew how to dance.
On Friday afternoon, the school auditorium was bustling with noise. Since it was the final rehearsal, the director required the performers to rehearse in full makeup and costume. As a result, the students waiting backstage were dressed in vibrant, festive colors.
Bai Muyu and her friends were also performing a dance. Their act was scheduled early, so they had already put on their costumes and makeup.
Among them, Bai Muyu had the best figure. Wearing a jade-green dress, she looked fresh, delicate, and very beautiful.
The group stood by the edge of the stage, chatting and laughing. Boys passing by would often sneak glances at her, which greatly satisfied Bai Muyu’s vanity.
"Have any of you seen Shen Yu?" Bai Muyu flipped her braid and scanned the crowd.
"Seems like we haven’t," one of the girls beside her replied.
Someone giggled softly and said, "She probably doesn’t dare to come."
The class entertainment committee member, though she hung out with Bai Muyu and the others, felt that things had gone a bit too far this time, especially since she was involved. She whispered, "Shen Yu said yesterday that she would come."
Bai Muyu laughed heartily. "She’s probably here to withdraw from the performance in front of the director. It’ll be quite a scene, she’s definitely going to get scolded badly."
Another person chimed in, laughing, "If she forces herself to go on stage, I wonder what kind of dance she’ll perform. Just thinking about it is hilarious."
The entertainment committee member glanced around and sighed quietly. "Don’t be like this."
Bai Muyu shot her a cold look and sneered, "What? Feeling guilty now? Where was this conscience earlier? It was you who told the director during the first two rehearsals that Shen Yu was sick and couldn’t make it."
The entertainment committee member: "..."
Once the stage lighting and sound effects were set up, the rehearsal officially began. Hosts and actors took the stage one after another, while Bai Muyu and her friends, unwilling to give up, kept their eyes fixed on the audience but still couldn’t spot Shen Yu.
"Is she really not coming?"
"Skipping the final rehearsal without a reason will get her performance cut and her reported and criticized by the school. She wouldn’t dare, right?"
Before long, it was Bai Muyu’s turn to perform, so they no longer had time to worry about Shen Yu.
In reality, Shen Yu had already arrived a while ago. It wasn’t that Bai Muyu and the others hadn’t seen her, they had, but they simply didn’t recognize her. With makeup on, Shen Yu looked like a completely different person from the one they remembered.
The tall, slightly plump, and sturdy Shen Yu, who used to hunch her shoulders and slouch, was nowhere to be seen. Instead, sitting backstage waiting for her turn was a Shen Yu with delicate features, a slender figure, and an energetic demeanor.
Even if they stood face to face, Bai Muyu probably wouldn’t have dared to recognize her.
Shen Yu was wearing a pair of thin-framed glasses, which she would have to remove before going on stage. For now, she was intently studying the stage.
Bai Muyu was performing on stage at that moment. Shen Yu watched for a moment, their movements were stiff and lacked grace. Bai Muyu clearly had no dance training, and many of her moves were poorly executed. Yet she insisted on standing in the center position, making the overall performance look extremely uncoordinated.
If Shen Yu were a judge, she would give this dance a maximum of fifty points, a failing grade!
After Bai Muyu finished her performance, she didn’t leave immediately. Instead, she found a seat in the audience, clearly unwilling to give up and still hoping to catch Shen Yu’s appearance.
Three performances later, it was Shen Yu’s turn for her solo dance.
When the music started, Bai Muyu and her friends exchanged bewildered glances.
One girl exclaimed in surprise, "Could it be that Shen Yu actually knows how to dance?? Impossible! She’s so chubby!"
Bai Muyu’s expression darkened. She had never considered that possibility. With Shen Yu’s shabby appearance and figure, no one would ever guess she could dance.
However, the music sounded a bit strange, it was hard to tell which instruments were playing, though the rhythm of the drumbeats was quite clear.
As the drumming began, all the stage lights went out, leaving only a single spotlight in the center. A beam of light shone directly onto the middle of the stage, where a girl in classical attire slowly rose to her feet. She lifted her hands gently and swayed her waist slightly, like a lazy celestial maiden awakening from a long slumber.
Once she fully stretched her body, the drums and music swelled together, and the lights brightened, fully revealing her face and costume to the audience.
From her light, flowing silk dress and ribbons, the audience could easily tell that her look was inspired by the Feitian, or flying apsaras, from the Dunhuang murals.
The audience wasn’t just made up of rehearsing performers, there were also some students who had come to watch the excitement. At the sight of her appearance and movements, they couldn’t help but exclaim, "So beautiful~~~"
"The daytime effect isn’t even the best. It would probably look even more stunning at night!"
Bai Muyu stared at the stage with a livid expression, gritting her teeth as she asked the person beside her, "Is that Shen Yu?"
The others all shook their heads. "No... it doesn’t look like her. Was Shen Yu ever this slim? Impossible, right? Her figure is way too well-proportioned!"
In fact, at that moment, everyone who knew Shen Yu had the same question in their minds: Who is this person? And why is she performing in Shen Yu’s place?
Bai Muyu narrowed her eyes, studying the stage for a moment before sneering coldly. "Shen Yu really has some nerve. Not only did she not show up herself, but she even sent someone to perform in her place. Who gave her the audacity?!"
Everyone widened their eyes in shock, staring at Bai Muyu. "No way."
Bai Muyu retorted, "Then do you think the person on stage is Shen Yu??"
The others fell silent.
Finally, the entertainment committee member stepped in to mediate. "There’s no need to speculate here. We can just confirm with her after she comes off stage."
"Right, we’ll know once she comes down," someone chimed in.
Bai Muyu’s face remained dark as she fixed her gaze on the person on stage. The movements were so light and graceful, like a fairy, could that really be Shen Yu?
As the dance ended, the audience broke into rare applause, and whispers filled the air.
"Who is that??"
"She danced so beautifully, is she a professional??"
"I don’t remember seeing her during rehearsals."
"Her stage makeup is stunning."
"Her dress is so pretty; she really looks like a fairy when she dances."
...
Bai Muyu abruptly stood up from her chair and stormed toward the stage, just as Shen Yu was descending the steps from the side. She snapped, "Who are you??"
Shen Yu was putting on her jacket, the indoor temperature was barely over ten degrees, and her dance dress was far too revealing to keep wearing.
Hearing Bai Muyu’s aggressive tone, Shen Yu looked up and smiled wryly at her. "Who do you think I am?"
The moment she spoke, though her tone was teasing, her voice was unmistakable, it was the Shen Yu they all knew.
Bai Muyu felt as if she had been slapped hard across the face, her cheeks burning with humiliation. For a moment, she was at a loss for words.
The girls who had rushed over behind her were equally stunned, their jaws nearly dropping to the floor. "It really is Shen Yu! How did you become... become...!"
The words "so beautiful" stuck in their throats. Though it was the undeniable truth, as people who had once mocked Shen Yu’s appearance, they felt unqualified to say such a thing, it would be like slapping themselves in the face.
Bai Muyu realized that once again, things had spiraled out of her control. She had never anticipated such an outcome.
The person who should have been ridiculed and scorned had, at some point, broken free from her cocoon and transformed into someone she couldn’t even bring herself to look at directly!
Shen Yu stood calmly before them, openly accepting their scrutiny, then turned to Bai Muyu with a faint smile. "By the way, I think I should thank you. Thank you for signing me up for the performance without my knowledge, and for helping me skip two rehearsals, saving me so much trouble. Thanks to you, I got such a great opportunity to showcase myself. Having a classmate like you is truly an honor."
Without waiting for their response, she picked up her belongings and turned to leave the auditorium.
Watching her elegant, receding figure, someone quietly asked, "Was her 'thank you' sincere?"
The person beside them replied disdainfully, "Are you stupid? Can’t you tell it was sarcasm?"
"Oh."
But by this point, the group genuinely felt a sense of shame, the slap in the face had been so fierce it left them utterly embarrassed!
Bai Muyu, on the other hand, was so infuriated she couldn’t even speak.
After the rehearsal that day, someone started a thread on the school forum sharing stunning photos taken in the auditorium.
The image showed a graceful Flying Apsaras, silk ribbons wrapped around her arms, leaping into the air as if she were a celestial maiden about to ascend into the clouds.
The post quickly attracted a flood of excited comments from onlookers.
"I saw it today too, damn, I think I might be turning gay!"
"Hold on, don’t turn gay, don’t compete with me, I’ve already curled up like a mosquito coil!"
"I’ve seen my fair share of beauties, but I never knew our school had such a stunning girl. Which department is she from?"
"Do you even need to ask? Look at that figure, she must be from the Performing Arts Department!"
"As a Performing Arts student, I can confirm I’ve never seen this girl before!"
"Am I the only one captivated by that mesmerizing six-pack?"
"You’re not alone!"
"Waiting for the truth…"
"Squeezing in, waiting together…"
…
The post quickly became a hot topic, with everyone speculating about the girl’s identity. Especially with the recent trend of traditional aesthetics, her look had captured the hearts of many.
The school anniversary was on Sunday. During the day, various departments held activities, and many alumni who had graduated years ago returned to participate. However, the main event was the celebration gala in the evening.
Bai Muqing, specially invited by the school, had given a speech in the Performing Arts Department that afternoon and was scheduled to attend the evening gala. Shen Xiao only needed to arrive shortly before the gala began, mainly to meet Situ Yi.
Shen Yu didn’t wait for her brother and arrived at the auditorium early in the afternoon to prepare. Since her performance was a solo act, getting ready wasn’t difficult. After changing into her costume and applying her makeup, she idly watched others bustling around.
Ever since the rehearsal, where she had thoroughly humiliated Bai Muyu with her skills, Bai Muyu had been ignoring her even more. Shen Yu didn’t mind, in fact, she wished Bai Muyu would never bother her again.
After spacing out for a while, Shen Yu took out her phone to play with. It was a new model, the latest iPhone, which Shen Xiao had given her that day. At first, she hadn’t wanted it, feeling it was unnecessary to replace her old one. But Shen Xiao had coldly stated, "There’s a tracker in the phone so I can find you easily."
Shen Yu: “…”
What else could she say? She had no choice but to obediently accept it. She was increasingly feeling that Shen Xiao truly regarded her as his possession, just like the trophies and toys in his room, all things that belonged to him.
Just as she was staring blankly at her phone, a girl crept over to her and asked in a hushed voice, "Are you Shen Yu?"
Shen Yu looked up and realized she didn’t recognize the person. "Yes, I am. Who are you?"
The other girl beamed with excitement and said, "I’m Yuan Yue’s assistant. She’s outside, could you come out for a moment?"
Shen Yu froze. "Yuan Yue?"
Though puzzled, she still stood up and followed the assistant, asking as they walked, "How did you recognize me?" She was wearing stage makeup, and even Bai Muyu had almost failed to recognize her. How could an outsider manage it?
The assistant chuckled and said, "Yuan Yue has the program list. She knows you, so she asked me to check. Actually, before you, I’d already asked several others."
Shen Yu: “…”
Behind the auditorium was a small parking lot. Yuan Yue’s car was parked there. Shen Yu had seen that car pick Yuan Yue up before, so she recognized it at a glance.
Yuan Yue opened the car door from inside and gestured for her to get in.
"Hello, Miss Yuan," Shen Yu greeted her. Although this was their second meeting, they weren’t familiar with each other at all.
But Yuan Yue was the type to act familiar right away. "If you don’t mind, you can just call me Sister Yuan."
Shen Yu looked at her and went along with it. "Sister Yuan, did you need something from me?"
Yuan Yue said, "You’re going to perform, right? Do you think you could sneak one more person backstage?"
Shen Yu raised an eyebrow. "You?"
Yuan Yue nodded eagerly. "You see, my face is pretty recognizable, so I was wondering if there’s a way to slip in without anyone noticing..."
Shen Yu thought for a moment and asked, "Is it because of Mr. Situ? He’ll be attending the event tonight too."
Yuan Yue was startled, her eyes widening. "How did you know?!"
Shen Yu almost laughed at her exaggerated reaction, thinking to herself, Is this female lead a naive airhead? She replied, "Uh... I guessed. I’ve heard some... rumors about you and him before."
After her initial surprise, Yuan Yue’s expression turned complicated. She then said, "It is because of him, but it’s not what you think. Anyway, can you take me backstage?"
"You don’t want Mr. Situ to know you’re here, right?" Shen Yu asked.
Yuan Yue nodded repeatedly.
Shen Yu thought it over and said, "How about this, I’ll do some heavy stage makeup on you. Maybe others won’t recognize you then."
Yuan Yue grinned. "That’s a great idea! A really great idea! Then hurry up and do my makeup. You’re so clever, are all people named Shen Yu this smart?"
Shen Yu frowned and gave her a strange look. "Do you have a friend named Shen Yu too?"
Yuan Yue nodded, sighing with a touch of emotion. "A very good friend. But I probably won’t see her again."
Shen Yu lowered her gaze and said softly, "I’m sorry."
Yuan Yue waved her hand dismissively. "It’s fine. Come on, help me with my makeup."
Afterward, Shen Yu took on the role of a celebrity makeup artist and applied a heavy stage makeup look for Yuan Yue. As the female lead of the novel, Yuan Yue naturally had a flawless appearance, even more beautiful than Bai Muqing and with a sunnier disposition.
This must be what they mean by "the face reflects the heart."
Shen Yu then smoothly escorted Yuan Yue backstage at the gala.
However, not long before the event began, Shen Yu ended up losing track of her.
At the time, Yuan Yue said she needed to use the restroom. Shen Yu pointed her in the right direction, thinking it was nearby and didn’t bother to accompany her. But after Yuan Yue went to the restroom, she never returned.
Shen Yu waited for a while, but when Yuan Yue didn’t show up, she went to check the restroom herself, only to find that Yuan Yue was no longer there.
How could a full-grown person just vanish after going to the bathroom? This was unacceptable.
She quickly called Yuan Yue, but her phone was turned off. Just as she was about to go search elsewhere, Yuan Yue’s assistant called to inform her that Situ Yi had taken Yuan Yue away and told her not to worry.
It turned out that while Yuan Yue was in the restroom, she had run into Situ Yi. Despite her heavy makeup, he recognized her at a glance and, without a word, whisked her away into his car.
The whole situation left Shen Yu speechless and utterly baffled by the protagonists’ dramatic antics.
Meanwhile, Shen Xiao had sacrificed his charm to accompany Bai Muqing to the gala, all for the chance to confront the annoying Situ Yi. But he didn’t even catch a glimpse of Situ Yi and was immediately displeased.
With a cold expression, he demanded of Bai Muqing, "Didn’t you say he would be here?"
Bai Muqing was equally frustrated. She had previously confirmed with Situ Yi, but after he went to the restroom, he never returned. She had no choice but to placate Shen Xiao, saying, "He must have had something come up and left early. How about I introduce you next time?"
Shen Xiao snorted disdainfully, "Not interested."
It had only been a whim anyway. Since he couldn’t meet him, he certainly wasn’t going to chase after him.
Besides, he had plenty of ways to make Situ Yi beg to see him.
With that thought, Shen Xiao’s mood improved slightly. By then, the gala had been going on for a while, filled with uninteresting and bizarre performances that held no appeal for him. He couldn’t be bothered to keep watching.
Just as Shen Xiao was about to stand up and leave, a strangely rhythmic piece of music suddenly started playing on stage, followed by the steady beat of drums.
Shen Xiao raised an eyebrow, straightened up, and focused his attention on the stage. As the spotlight lit up, a familiar figure instantly appeared before his eyes.
But when he clearly saw what that person was wearing, Shen Xiao exploded. He shot up from his seat.
Bai Muqing was startled by his abrupt movement and quickly grabbed him, forcing him back into his seat. "What’s wrong?"
Clenching his jaw, Shen Xiao’s voice was as cold as if it had emerged from a thousand-year-old ice cellar. "That’s my sister!"
Bai Muqing: "..."
Shen Xiao sat in his seat, his hands clenched into fists, his gaze fixed intently on the person dancing passionately on stage.
At this moment, he was burning with rage, as if something he had kept hidden away for a long time was being put on display without his consent, it was utterly infuriating!
He couldn't wait to snatch that thing back and hide it away at home.
As soon as the dance ended, Shen Xiao decisively stood up and left his seat, ignoring Bai Muqing, and strode toward the backstage without looking back.
After Shen Yu finished her dance, the audience erupted into thunderous applause and high-pitched cheers. She smiled and stepped off the stage, but before she could even catch her breath, she was suddenly lifted and thrown over someone's shoulder.
Shen Yu instinctively struggled, only to hear a familiar voice say, "If you dare move even a muscle, tonight's midnight snack will be roasted Er Gouzi."
Shen Yu: “…”