Jiang Ling’s logic was simple. As fellow singers, her sisters in NOVA must have heard the song the moment it was finished. Since she was desperate to share her joy with someone, Song Meng was the first person who came to mind.
But the moment the words left her mouth, she felt a belated wave of embarrassment. Her pale cheeks flushed with heat, looking as if she had just stepped out of a steamer.
Her clear eyes wavered uneasily, gradually misting over.
“I didn’t mean it that way…”
The clarification felt forced, almost as if she were trying to hide something. Jiang Ling looked down and nervously fidgeted with her fingers, unsure of what else to say.
Watching her cute display, Song Meng felt even more delighted. She smiled and pressed her headphones closer to her ears.
As the girl’s clean voice began to play, Song Meng unconsciously pursed her lips—a small habit she had when focusing. Her toe tapped along to the rhythm, and her eyes squinted slightly. she looked like she was thoroughly enjoying herself.
As a music student herself, she could tell the accompaniment was rich without overpowering the vocals. It harmonized perfectly with each member of NOVA.
“It’s really good.”
Song Meng sighed with genuine admiration after the song ended. She paused, then asked, “Did Miss Shen compose this?”
“Yes, it’s great, isn’t it?”
A strange sense of pride swelled within Jiang Ling. She puffed out her chest and answered honestly.
“It really is,” Song Meng said, glancing at Jiang Ling. “But you sounded the best.”
Jiang Ling’s proud expression froze. Her eyes flickered several times before she muttered shyly, “Honestly, what kind of nonsense is that…”
Despite her words, a satisfied smile spread across her face. Their coffee arrived, and she took a large gulp, her toes swinging slightly under the table.
“You’re in a really good mood.”
Song Meng watched her for a moment before looking away with a gentle, helpless gaze. “You’re almost giggling out loud.”
“Oh, I’m just happy!”
Jiang Ling didn’t deny it, replying with a beaming smile.
After finishing their meal, they didn’t head straight home. Since they were already out, they decided to visit all the places they wanted to see. Jiang Ling insisted on covering all of Song Meng’s expenses, claiming it was a thank-you for the company.
Song Meng initially refused, but she didn’t want to ruin the mood, so she eventually agreed, promising to treat Jiang Ling next time.
The day after they received the audio track, Lin Xiaoyu gathered everyone in the Practice Room.
“I’m going to start the choreography,” she said succinctly. “While a teacher and I will be primarily responsible, please feel free to suggest any good ideas. I’ll consider adding them.”
Because they were dancing, Lin Xiaoyu had her hair tied in a high ponytail today, revealing her pale, translucent neck. Her slim-fitting athletic wear perfectly outlined her impressive figure. Jiang Ling couldn’t help but steal a few glances before sighing to herself.
‘Since I’ve turned into a beautiful girl anyway, why couldn’t this world have given me a larger chest, too?!’
Jiang Ling touched her own chest mournfully, almost hearing the sound of her heart breaking.
However, Lin Xiaoyu was oblivious to Jiang Ling’s internal complaints. She was listening intently to the music, lost in thought.
Originally, Lin Xiaoyu wanted to handle the choreography alone, but then she remembered they had all worked hard on the lyrics together. The dance should be no different.
Besides, everyone’s dancing skills were solid. Even Jiang Ling, who had been criticized in the past, had made significant progress through daily practice.
“Xiao Yu, would this movement be better here?”
Mo Ran watched Lin Xiaoyu’s slow movements and stepped forward to offer a gentle suggestion. “I feel like this would make the flow smoother…”
With Mo Ran leading the way, Fang Wannian and Bai Xue also chimed in with their opinions. Even Jiang Ling spoke up occasionally. The atmosphere was harmonious and filled with joy.
In the past, Jiang Ling had been more reluctant to dance than to sing—not because she disliked it, but because the pressure of standing next to her teammates was too much.
Now, she didn’t have those worries anymore.
Performing on stage with her older sisters in NOVA was simply too wonderful.
Due to her health in her past life, Jiang Ling never had a proper hobby or anything she truly loved.
But as time passed and her bond with her teammates deepened, she had gradually fallen in love with performing… or rather, performing specifically with them.
It was a joy that could not be described with words.
Perhaps because they all shared the same feelings, the choreography was completed much faster than expected.
Once Lin Xiaoyu finished the dance, NOVA’s album production moved to the final step — MV filming.
This was a massive undertaking that required professional skill and experience, so they couldn’t do it themselves. Bai Xue hired a professional team and went to great lengths to recruit a well-known director.
***
At the filming set.
Inside the dressing room, Jiang Ling looked at the outfits created based on Xu Nuo’s designs and beamed with delight.
They were perfect!
While the overall theme was consistent — energetic yet pure — each member’s outfit had unique details reflecting their personal style.
For instance, Bai Xue’s collar was embroidered with silver-white snowflakes. Mo Ran wore a leg ring that matched her hair color. Fang Wannian wore cute ornaments on her signature twin-tails. Lin Xiaoyu wore a necklace with a small fish charm, and Jiang Ling had a bracelet with a little bell.
Filming began. Under the director’s guidance, they systematically filmed the group dance before moving on to individual shots.
After an unknown amount of time.
“Cut — !”
“Alright, everyone take a break.”
The director was very pleased with the progress and gave everyone plenty of time to rest.
At those words, the staff relaxed instantly, chatting amongst themselves to relieve their tension.
In a hidden corner that no one noticed, a man with a staggering gait tightened his grip on a staff ID badge. His eyes were fixed on the resting members of NOVA.
Taking advantage of the staff’s lack of attention, he slowly approached them. The hatred in his eyes deepened with every step.
Jiang Ling was swinging her feet happily because of the smooth progress when she suddenly spotted a strange man in her peripheral vision.
He was wearing a mask and had appeared silently behind Mo Ran. Suddenly, he reached out like a madman, aiming for her neck.
“You damned little bitch — !”