Chapter 30: Random Musings and Performance Announcements

“President Lin~”

I didn’t stop.

“I have one million here, too~”

I still didn’t stop.

I continued walking forward.

Silence fell behind me for a second.

Then, a soft laughter echoed.

He didn’t chase after me.

I reached the end of the corridor, turned the corner, and pushed open my door.

I went inside and closed the door.

Leaning against it, I stared at the ceiling.

‘…He’s testing me.’

‘He realized I’m short on money.’

Normally, Alice’s Little White Face wouldn’t be short on money.

After all, the performance results were right there.

‘Heh.’

I stretched my aching wrists.

‘Let him find out then.

Anyway—’

‘It doesn’t matter.’

***

The next day.

Su Nian was already in the dance studio, doing her warm-up exercises.

A head peeked in through the doorway.

A pink one.

It was Lin Xiaoxi.

She had changed out of that exaggerated princess dress from yesterday and was wearing a plain T-shirt and jeans—I wasn’t sure where she got them.

Her hair was tied up messily, looking a bit disheveled.

When she saw me, she shrank back.

Then, she peeked out again.

“Tha… That…”

“Come in.”

She froze for a moment before slowly shuffling inside.

She stood by the door, not daring to step further.

Su Nian stopped, turned around, and saw her.

“Eh?”

Under Su Nian’s gaze, Xiaoxi shrank back again.

“You… You are…”

“Lin Xiaoxi,” I said.

“16 years old.

And just like you, she wants to be an Idol.”

Su Nian blinked.

Then she walked over, leaning in close to her face.

Xiaoxi instinctively took a step back.

Su Nian followed with a step forward.

“How tall are you?”

“160…”

“How much do you weigh?”

“45…”

“Have you trained before?”

“N-No…”

Su Nian turned her head and looked at me.

“President, why is she even more… that… than me?”

“More what?”

She thought about it.

“…Soft?”

***

Sunlight squeezed through the gaps in the curtains, carving a bright line on the floor.

I was returning from the office.

Halfway there, I heard voices coming from inside.

“Don’t… Don’t cry…”

It was Su Nian’s voice.

“Ugh… I’m not crying…”

The other voice was soft, carrying a hint of a sob.

I stopped in my tracks.

Leaning against the wall, I listened for a while.

“Look, raise your hand—like this—”

“L-Like this?”

“No, no, your wrist needs to go up… Right, higher…”

“Ugh… I can’t do it right…”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. I couldn’t do it right the first time either… The President even kicked me…”

‘…She even knows how to comfort people.’

I let out a small smile.

Then, I pushed the door open and went in.

In the training room, Su Nian was standing in front of the mirror, teaching Xiaoxi how to raise her arms.

By the window, the white-haired girl still held her eternal Black Tea Cup.

Xiaoxi stood beside Su Nian, wearing that plain T-shirt and jeans—I still didn’t know where she found them, but they were much more normal than the pink princess dress from last night.

Her hair was tied up haphazardly and was still a bit messy, but at least she wasn’t crying anymore.

When they saw me enter, both of them stopped at once.

“President!”

Su Nian’s voice was as loud as ever.

Xiaoxi shrank behind her, showing only half her face as she stole a glance at me.

“…Good.”

I walked inside.

Su Nian immediately straightened her back, preparing to start training.

Xiaoxi remained huddled.

I didn’t look at her.

I walked up to Su Nian.

“What are we practicing today?”

“The usual.”

“Go change your clothes.”

Morning run.

***

Fifty minutes later.

Su Nian stood before the mirror, repeating the same movements over and over.

Raise hand.

Turn.

Fixed point.

Raise hand.

Turn.

Fixed point.

Sweat slid down from her forehead, dripping onto the floor.

Xiaoxi was squatting in the corner, taking a break.

She held her knees as she watched Su Nian.

Her eyes were wide.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

“Big Sister Su Nian… is so amazing…”

she whispered.

Once she had rested enough, she began to move as well.

Her hand trembled as she raised it.

She turned, but her head spun.

A fixed point?

None—

Her movements were clumsy and crooked.

“Don’t rush.”

I comforted her, teaching her slowly, hand-over-hand.

Su Nian was still practicing.

Raise hand.

Turn.

Fixed point.

Raise hand.

Turn.

Fixed point.

The twelfth time.

The fifteenth time.

The eighteenth time.

Finally, she stopped, leaning on her knees and gasping for breath.

I walked over.

“Wrist.”

She looked up at me.

I reached out and lifted her wrist by half an inch.

“Here, a little higher.”

“Mhm!”

She turned back and continued her practice.

***

Break time.

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

Xiaoxi was still squatting in the corner, but she had moved a bit closer.

I leaned against the window, looking outside.

The sunlight was pleasant.

People were walking by on the street.

“The President is definitely more biased…”

A mumbling voice came from behind me.

I didn’t turn around.

“So gentle to the newcomer, but all he knows how to do is kick me…”

The mumbling continued.

I listened.

The corner of my mouth quirked up slightly.

—She obviously knew why.

Twenty days.

800 people.

The finale.

This pressure could only be placed on her.

Xiaoxi didn’t need that.

She could take it slow.

Su Nian knew it.

That’s why she was only mumbling.

I leaned against the doorway, looking at them.

My gaze moved from Su Nian to Xiaoxi, and then to Chuxue, taking them all in.

Then, I spoke.

“I’m going out.”

***

Afternoon.

Starlight Small Theater.

2 hours.

Lighting, sound, stage management.

That group of people was even more obedient than yesterday.

When the lighting technician saw me come in, he stood up on his own initiative.

“Mr. Lin, please take a look. Will this angle work today?”

I didn’t say anything.

I walked over and turned one of the knobs half a turn to the left.

The angle of the light cutting down was instantly perfected.

He stared at me, his mouth hanging open, but no sound came out.

“Continue,” I said.

Only Su Nian and Xiaoxi were left in the training room.

Chuxue was also there, but she was in the corner, training by herself—after all, she wasn’t that idle either.

Xiaoxi squatted by the wall, watching Su Nian repeat those movements over and over.

The fifth time.

The tenth time.

The fifteenth time.

Su Nian’s breathing began to falter, but she didn’t stop.

Raise hand.

Turn.

Fixed point.

Raise hand.

Turn.

Fixed point.

Sweat dripped down, landing on the floor.

Xiaoxi looked at the dark stain on the floor, then at Su Nian’s back.

“Sister… Su Nian.”

Su Nian stopped and looked back at her.

“Hmm?”

“Why… why do you work so hard?”

Su Nian was stunned for a moment.

She spoke very calmly.

“Because the President spent Ten Million on me.”

Xiaoxi’s eyes widened.

“Ten… Ten Million?!”

“Mhm.”

Su Nian simply nodded, then turned back to continue her practice.

Raise hand.

Turn.

Fixed point.

Raise hand.

Turn.

Fixed point.

Xiaoxi stood frozen on the spot.

Ten Million.

She knew her family was wealthy, but the concept of Ten Million still left her speechless.

She watched Su Nian’s back.

That figure in the mirror repeated the movements again and again.

Sweat dripped down.

The movements never stopped.

Xiaoxi suddenly felt like she understood something.

But before she could think more on it, Chuxue leaned over.

“Miss Su Nian, let’s train together today.”

She glanced at the somewhat hesitant Xiaoxi and gave a soft invitation.

“Junior Xiaoxi, do you want to join us?”

“I… I do…”

***

By the time I left the theater and headed back to the Agency, the sky was already dark.

When I pushed the door open, the lights in the training room were still on.

I walked over and stood in the doorway.

Su Nian was still practicing.

Raise hand.

Turn.

Fixed point.

Raise hand.

Turn.

Fixed point.

Xiaoxi sat nearby, hugging her knees, watching in a daze.

Chuxue was there too.

She leaned against the wall, holding her cup of black tea, quietly watching Su Nian.

Hearing footsteps, all three of them turned their heads simultaneously.

“President!”

Su Nian’s voice was still just as loud.

“You’re back!”

I nodded.

“How was training today?”

“One hundred times! Finished!”

“…Continue tomorrow.”

“Yes!”

Xiaoxi shrank into the corner and said softly, “Um… Can… Can I do it too?”

“That’s up to you.”

“Mhm…”

***

Later that night.

In the corridor, I was preparing to return to my room.

Chuxue caught up from behind.

“President Lin.”

I stopped.

She stood beside me, looking at the night scenery outside the window.

The streetlights were on, casting pools of warm light.

“That child, Xiaoxi,” she said.

“What do you plan to do with her?”

“…Let her stay for now.”

“And after that?”

I turned to look at her.

She didn’t look back, still staring out the window.

The lines of her profile looked soft under the streetlights.

“That’s up to her,” I repeated.

She was silent for a while before nodding.

Then she turned and walked toward her own room.

After a few steps, she stopped again.

“In another 2 days, Miss Su Nian’s training can move to the next stage.”

“Work hard tomorrow as well.”

“After all, in 2 days, it’ll be time for me to return to performing.”

***

‘Tomorrow…’

In my room, I sat on a chair and opened my phone.

Private message interface:

9999+

I tapped it.

[Alice has a performance tomorrow! Is it true?!]

[Once every 3 days! That Supernova is back!!]

[The Jewel Princess is going to blow us away again—]

[I got a ticket! Ahhhh!]

[I didn’t get one… is anyone selling…]

I scrolled through them one by one.

I put the phone down.

I looked out the window.

The city lights were still bright.

In the distance, there was a flow of traffic, red and white lights moving slowly along the streets.

I had to temporarily return to the frequency of performing once every 3 days.

So, tomorrow night.

I would be performing again.

“…This time, I’ll hold back a little.”

I said to myself.

But my tone wasn’t as firm as usual.

[Performance Announcement! Tomorrow night at 7:00 PM, the Supernova—Jewel Princess Alice Tour Performance!!!]