Chapter 41: Preparation, and Performance

Morning.

The window in the training room was open.

Su Nian stood in front of the mirror.

Raised her hand.

Turned.

Held.

Raised her hand.

Turned.

Held.

The third time.

Her breathing began to get ragged.

The fifth time.

When she raised her hand, it wavered.

The seventh time.

She stopped, propped her hands on her knees, and gasped for air.

Xiao Xi crouched in the corner, watching.

“……Su Nian?”

Su Nian didn’t answer.

She just panted.

“How many times is that?”

“Ten… twelve…”

“And you’re already panting after only twelve?”

Su Nian braced herself on her knees, unable to speak.

Sweat dripped from her chin, one drop, two drops, three drops, forming a small dark patch on the floor.

When she got up this morning, her whole body had felt weak.

“Su Nian.”

She looked up.

“Come here.”

She walked over.

Her steps were a little unsteady.

I put my hand on her shoulder—it felt thin.

After all these days of practice, the toll was too great.

“You’re running out of stamina.”

She froze.

“……I know.”

“And you still train like this?”

She didn’t say anything.

She just responded with those dark red, determined eyes—

‘Because… there’s no time.’

I stared at her—wanting her to back off.

But she didn’t.

Three seconds later.

‘Sigh…’

I sighed inside.

I understood this situation better than anyone.

So I just said, “Eat.”

“Huh?”

“Eat.”

I turned and walked out.

“We’re adding meat today.”

She stood there dumbfounded.

Xiao Xi whispered, “Su Nian… the President said to eat…”

“……Oh.”

She followed.

Her steps were a little faster than before.

***

Agency, dining room.

The table wasn’t big—it could seat eight people at most, but usually only three or four sat there.

Today, Shen Wei was extra—she’d shown up again somehow, crouching at the door.

When she saw us come in, she immediately stood up.

“Morning——!”

I glanced at her.

“Here again?”

“Came to watch Su Nian practice singing——!”

She said it with utter confidence.

I ignored her.

Walked into the kitchen and brought out plates.

One plate.

Two plates.

Three plates.

Four plates.

Su Nian stared at the pile of plates, eyes wide.

“……President?”

“Hm?”

“What… is this?”

“Meat.”

“……I know it’s meat… but…”

She counted.

A plate of chicken breast.

A plate of beef.

A plate of fried eggs.

There were also some vegetables—but they were clearly just filler, a few lonely stalks lying at the edge of the plates.

“Too much…”

“It’s not.”

It’s not like I suddenly increased it.

Changing her diet abruptly would definitely have an effect.

So I’d actually been adding meat gradually, but this husky Su Nian was too dense—or she ate too happily—to notice at all.

I sat down.

“You need to finish all of this today.”

She was stunned.

“All… all of it?”

“Mm.”

I’d calculated the portions.

She could barely finish it.

It matched her recent overworked state.

“Why?”

I looked at her.

Decided to explain in simpler terms.

“Because you pushed too hard yesterday.”

“Today you make up for it.”

Her mouth opened.

Then she lowered her head, picked up her chopsticks.

Picked up a piece of beef.

Put it in her mouth.

Chewed twice.

Then—

“It’s delicious——!”

She looked up, eyes lighting up.

“Really——!”

I listened, knowing this was only natural.

My mood improved a little.

Xiao Xi whispered beside me, “President… can I have some too?”

“Eat.”

She smiled.

Picked up her chopsticks and grabbed a stalk of vegetable.

Shen Wei also leaned in.

“What about me, what about me——!”

“…Fine.”

I turned a blind eye.

She bounced over—

“Yay——!”

Then Chu Xue held her head still.

“No.”

“Why not!”

“You’re a formal idol from the top-tier agency ‘Star Glare’.”

The icy voice cooled her brain, and she finally realized why my answer had been deliberately dismissive.

Maybe others could—but Chu Xue wouldn’t allow such an embarrassing loss of composure from her own agency’s junior.

“Waa…”

—Shen Wei had also learned Su Nian’s teary-eyed look.

She stared at her senior Chu Xue.

Xiao Xi scooted over, trying to shove some of her own food into Shen Wei’s bowl.

“No!”

Shen Wei turned her head away.

“I’m a formal idol from a top-tier agency!”

“I can’t eat food given out of pity——!”

Three seconds later.

“……Is it good?”

She asked quietly.

Xiao Xi nodded.

“It’s good.”

Shen Wei fell silent.

Then she stared at Chu Xue with pitiful eyes—for a full five seconds.

“Sigh…”

“At least pay a meal fee.”

“Yay——!”

***

Noon.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, spreading a warm rectangle across the floor.

Su Nian sat on the floor of the training room, clutching her stomach.

“So… stuffed…”

Xiao Xi crouched beside her, also clutching her stomach—she’d eaten quite a bit, not as much as Su Nian, but still far more than usual.

Chu Xue leaned against the wall, watching them.

“President Lin, are you… raising pigs?”

I glanced at her.

She knew she was asking rhetorically.

Being an idol wasn’t an easy job, especially in Su Nian’s situation.

But I still said, “None of your business?”

She smiled.

Didn’t say anything.

Shen Wei crouched at the door, holding a lunchbox—she’d eaten in the end.

But she didn’t pay the meal fee; instead, she promised to help Su Nian practice singing in the afternoon.

“Su Nian, are you still practicing this afternoon?”

Su Nian looked up.

“Yes.”

“Aren’t you stuffed?”

“Yeah.”

“Then you’re still practicing?”

Su Nian thought about it.

Then she grinned stupidly.

“…If I exercise, I’ll digest it—hehe~~”

Shen Wei was silent.

Then she muttered softly, “…Idiot.”

Then she changed her tone.

Smiled.

“But an amusing idiot.”

***

Four in the afternoon.

Su Nian stood in front of the mirror.

Raised her hand.

Turned.

Held.

Raised her hand.

Turned.

Held.

The moves were a little steadier than in the morning.

Her breathing was also smoother.

I stood at the door, watching her.

In my hand was a water bottle—not the usual one.

It was new, transparent, and you could see the liquid inside.

Su Nian finished one run-through and stopped to catch her breath.

I walked over.

Handed it to her.

“Drink.”

She took it, glanced at it.

“What… is this?”

“Saline water.”

She blinked.

“Saline water?”

“Mm.”

Replenishes electrolytes.

You’re sweating too much.

She looked at the water bottle.

Stared for two seconds.

Then looked up at me.

In those dark red eyes was something unreadable.

“……President.”

“Hm?”

“When… did you prepare this?”

—From the very beginning.

But I didn’t say that.

I’d considered this situation from the start—not just because of Su Nian’s intense training, but also as a consequence of high-frequency performances.

I’d been drinking it too lately.

But that was a secret.

So I just said, “Drink.”

She lowered her head.

Took a sip.

Then froze.

“……It’s salty.”

“No shit, saline water is salty.”

She laughed.

Took another sip.

***

Evening.

The setting sun streamed through the window, dyeing the entire training room orange.

Su Nian still stood in front of the mirror.

The water bottle in her hand was empty now, set aside.

Raised her hand.

Turned.

Held.

Raised her hand.

Turned.

Held.

Seventeenth time.

She stopped, gasping.

Sweat dripped from her forehead, hitting the floor, forming another small dark patch.

Xiao Xi crouched in the corner, staring at the largest dark patch left behind today.

“Su Nian… you practiced so much again today…”

Su Nian didn’t speak.

She just panted.

I walked over.

“Enough.”

She looked up.

“Huh?”

“That’s enough for today.”

Go take a shower.

She hesitated.

“But…”

“No buts.”

Go shower.

She looked at me.

I looked back at her.

Three seconds later.

“……Oh.”

This time, she finally stopped being stubborn.

She turned and walked toward the door.

After two steps, she stopped.

Turned back.

“President.”

“Hm?”

“Tomorrow… can I still eat that beef?”

I looked at her like she was an idiot, my tone flat.

“You have to eat it even if you train badly.”

She paused for a moment, then understood my meaning.

She smiled again.

“Mm——!”

***

Night.

The training room lights were still on.

The TV was on.

Su Nian sat on the floor, hugging a water bottle—the last one of the day, filled with warm water.

Her hair was still wet, draped over her shoulders.

Xiao Xi sat beside her, also hugging a water bottle—the pink one.

Chu Xue leaned against the wall, holding a cup of black tea.

New tea leaves today, she’d said.

Shen Wei sat next to Xiao Xi—she’d shown up again somehow; she always showed up anyway.

The only difference was that she was also staying overnight today.

On the screen, the image cut to the studio.

The host was speaking.

“……Tonight’s special performance, I’m sure everyone has been looking forward to it——”

Su Nian leaned forward.

“It’s starting, it’s starting——!”

Xiao Xi’s eyes widened too.

Shen Wei didn’t say anything, but she also sat up straighter.

The image cut to the venue.

An eighteen-thousand-seat arena.

The lights were dim.

Only the center of the stage was lit—a single spotlight falling on that person.

Pink twin-tails.

Glitter eyeshadow.

A white skirt, so short it barely reached her thighs.

The spotlight hit her.

She raised her hand.

Gently placed it over her chest.

Then—

The music started.

—Intro: crystal-clear synth notes, like countless jewels scattering

Su Nian leaned forward again.

“It’s starting, it’s starting——!”

On the TV, that pink figure began to move.

[The spotlight suddenly dims The whole audience holds its breath, counting down three seconds Whose footsteps are drawing closer Each step lands on a heartbeat]

She walked slowly.

Every step landed on the drumbeat.

From the left side of the stage to the right.

Eighteen thousand lightsticks followed her movement.

[Pink twin-tails cut through the darkness Tens of millions of rays burst forth in an instant Not an ordinary, flashy entrance The Gemstone Princess descends tonight]

The moment the chorus hit, she jumped.

Her twin-tails kept swinging, drawing pink circles in the air.

The audience erupted.

Su Nian was the same as always.

“So… amazing…”

Xiao Xi too, eyes huge.

“So many people…”

Shen Wei said nothing.

But the water bottle in her hand stopped mid-air.

Chu Xue stood by the window, watching the TV.

Watching that pink silhouette.

Dancing, running, laughing on stage.

[Shine! The Gemstone Princess descends——!! Jingle jingle, jingle jingle Her skirt lifts starlight, her crown sparkles brightly Tonight I’m going to rule the whole stage]

Today, she was still standing on that stage.

[Gemstone Princess—Alice]