Chapter 32: Terrible.

Morning.

Sunlight squeezed through the gaps in the curtains, cutting a bright line across the hallway floor.

I pushed open the door to the training room.

Su Nian was already standing in front of the mirror, dressed in her athletic gear.

Her ponytail was tied tighter than usual, and she looked… how should I put it —

Like a Husky waiting to be fed.

Her eyes were overly bright.

I glanced at her.

“Morning run.”

“…Eh?”

Her expression froze.

“What’s with the ‘eh’?”

“No… it’s just…”

She opened her mouth.

“Isn’t today… a new stage?”

I had indeed told her yesterday that we were starting a new stage.

“Yes.”

“Then… the new stage is… a morning run?”

“Correct.”

She stood there, stunned.

Those dark red eyes widened, filled with the words: ‘Are you kidding me?’

I ignored her.

I turned and walked out.

Behind me came the sound of dragging footsteps and a very faint, stifled grumbling.

“…I spent the whole morning looking forward to this… and it’s still just a morning run… the President is a liar…”

Xiaoxi was squatting in the corner, watching this scene.

She looked at Su Nian’s retreating back, then at me. Her expression was a bit relaxed, and she was smiling.

***

By the river.

Su Nian ran ahead of me, her pace faster than usual.

It wasn’t because she wanted to finish quickly; she was running out of spite.

I followed behind her on a bike.

5 kilometers.

30 minutes.

Slower than yesterday.

But it wasn’t a big deal. This was basic physical training, not a race.

She stopped, leaning on her knees and panting.

I looked at my timer and reminded her.

“You’re slow.”

“…I know.”

Her voice was muffled.

“Got a complaint?”

“…No.”

I looked at her.

She didn’t raise her head.

Her ponytail draped down, resting on her shoulder.

***

Back in the training room.

Su Nian stood before the mirror, waiting for me to speak.

Xiaoxi was still squatting in the corner, hugging her knees as she watched us.

I walked over.

I pulled something out of my bag.

A tablet.

On the screen was a video —

[Gemstone Princess Alice World Tour: Starlight Arena HD]

Su Nian’s eyes lit up.

“This… this is…”

“Watch.”

I placed the tablet on the stand in front of the mirror.

She stared at the screen, her eyes wide.

That pink figure was hopping and dancing in the footage, their ponytail swinging in a perfect circle, and below the stage was a sea of pink.

“So amazing…”

“Don’t just watch,” I interrupted her.

“Treat this place like the stage. Dance.”

She blinked, turning to look at me.

“…Eh?”

“Stop ‘eh-ing.’ Dance.”

“H-here?”

“Where else?”

She looked at me with her mouth slightly open.

Then she looked back at the screen at Alice, who was currently spinning.

Then she looked back at me.

“But… this is a dance studio…”

“The stage is a dance studio, and a dance studio is a stage. Is there a difference?”

She fell silent.

After 3 seconds.

She turned back.

She took a deep breath.

She raised her hands.

The first time.

She danced very seriously.

She tried her best to make every move precise — the height of her hands, the angle of her turns, and the positioning of her poses.

But it looked…

How should I put it —

“Terrible.”

Su Nian was completely stunned, and then:

“Waaaah ┭┮﹏┭┮ — !”

She looked like she had been drenched in rain; it was likely the first time she had felt so discouraged.

“I’m just stating facts.”

Su Nian froze again, this time unable to even cry.

I paused the video.

I walked over.

“Your stamina is just barely reaching the standard… no, it’s not even close.”

“Whatever… here.”

I reached out and lifted her wrist about 0.5 inches.

“This is too high.”

I pressed it down a bit.

“You turned too early here.”

I placed my hand on her shoulder and turned her 0.5 inches to the right.

“Where are your eyes looking when you pose?”

“…The mirror?”

“The audience.”

She blinked.

“But there’s no one — “

“There is.”

I pointed to her head.

She paused for a moment.

Then she turned back.

She continued to dance.

The second time.

The third time.

The fourth time.

The fifth time.

I stopped her over and over, correcting her every time.

The position of her hands.

The timing of her turns.

The look in her eyes during a pose.

The rhythm of her breathing.

She started over again and again.

She was sweating much faster than usual. Droplets slid down from her forehead and dripped onto the floor.

They formed a small, dark patch.

Xiaoxi squatted in the corner, watching the scene.

She looked at Su Nian, then at me.

Her eyes said: ‘This President… is terrifying.’

But she didn’t say it aloud.

She just hugged her knees a little tighter.

The seventh time.

After finishing the final move, Su Nian stopped, leaning on her knees as she gasped for air.

Sweat dripped from her chin.

“Is… is that it?”

Her voice was ragged.

“What else?”

I said.

She lifted her head and looked at me.

Those dark red eyes held a very complex expression —

Confusion, frustration, and a hint of grievance that seemed to say: ‘Have I been played again?’

“…Oh.”

She gave a small response.

She turned back.

She continued to dance.

***

Rest time.

Su Nian sat on the floor, chugging from her water bottle.

Xiaoxi scurried over to her side and handed her a tissue.

“Th… thanks.”

Su Nian took it and wiped her sweat.

Then she turned her head and looked around.

“Where is Miss Chuxue? I haven’t seen her since yesterday…” she suddenly asked.

I leaned against the window, looking outside.

“She has a performance.”

“Eh?”

“She’s an idol; she has her own work. Yesterday was the rehearsal.”

Su Nian was stunned for a moment.

Then she lowered her head.

“…Oh.”

Silence lasted for a few seconds.

She spoke again.

“Then… when will she be back?”

“I don’t know.”

“…Oh.”

Her tone was even lower than before.

“What, you don’t like me teaching you?”

“N-no.”

Xiaoxi watched the scene from the side.

She looked at Su Nian, then at me.

The look in her eyes meant something.

That expression was like watching a child being asked, “Do you like Dad or Mom more?”

‘I can relate,’ she thought silently.

***

Afternoon.

I took them out.

Our final visit to a peer agency.

The sign hanging at the entrance read “Prayer Hut.”

It wasn’t large, but it was kept quite clean.

Su Nian stood at the door, peering inside.

Xiaoxi followed behind her, looking a bit nervous.

I stood to the side.

“Same as usual. Go on.”

Su Nian turned to look at me.

“Go inside. But this time, take Xiaoxi with you.”

I looked at the figure hiding in the shadows.

Su Nian blinked.

Then she nodded and pushed open the door.

Xiaoxi hesitated in the shadows for a moment before following.

I stayed behind and didn’t go in.

I just stood at the door.

I watched their figures disappear down the hallway.

Half an hour later.

They came out.

Su Nian’s expression was a bit more complicated than before they had entered.

“How was it?”

“…That girl has been debuted for 2 years. She’s still doing small commercial gigs.”

“Mm.”

“I asked her how it was, and she said ‘it’s okay.'”

“And?”

“And… and I didn’t want to ask anymore.”

Su Nian stopped talking, but her eyes faintly revealed a sentence: ‘I’m used to it.’

She stood there, looking at her hands.

After a long time.

I spoke.

“The day after tomorrow… we’re going to a higher-level agency.”

She nodded.

“Mm.”

Evening.

We returned to the Agency.

I pushed open the door and flipped on the lights. I told Su Nian to shower first, followed by Lin Xiaoxi, and finally myself.

Afterward, it had been a while, so I prepared some food.

“Wow! The President can cook!”

Su Nian shouted, bowl in hand.

“Just eat.”

I gave her a light knock on the head.

“Ow…”

After eating, we were getting ready for bed, but before that, I called both Su Nian and Lin Xiaoxi back into the training room.

“What is it, President?”

“Watch.”

I turned on the television.

On the screen —

A venue of 5,000 people.

The lights dimmed.

A single person stood in the center of the stage.

A snow-white dress. Snow-white long hair.

Chuxue.

‘No…’

Rather, I should say —

“Snow Girl.”