Inside the room.
Father Fang sat in his chair, his gaze nearly scrutinizing as he fixed it on the increasingly impatient Fang Wannian and the visibly nervous Jiang Ling.
“You’re getting more capable by the day.”
Watching Fang Wannian’s expression, Father Fang let out a light chuckle, his tone unreadable. Jiang Ling’s body immediately tensed up.
Could it be that she had actually caused trouble?!
Her eyes flickered between the father and daughter. The oppressive silence became unbearable, so she took a small step forward, preparing to explain: “Uncle, actually, this matter was my fault…”
“I’ve already terminated our cooperation with the Wang family.”
Father Fang seemed to sense Jiang Ling’s anxiety and quickly added with a gentle smile, “Miss Jiang, I apologize for what happened today.”
“Ah… it’s nothing, Uncle. Just don’t blame Nannan, that’s all.”
Hearing this, Jiang Ling finally exhaled in relief.
She was afraid her mistake would create a rift between the father and daughter.
“Tch, he’s not going to blame me,” Fang Wannian snorted coquettishly, as if she had expected this all along. Her eyes filled with concern as she stared at Jiang Ling. “Are you really okay?”
“I’m fine, just got splashed with some water. Didn’t you wipe it off for me?”
Jiang Ling shook her head to show she was unharmed.
“My daughter’s temper is really out of line. I hope Miss Jiang will forgive her. There’s no need to continue this banquet. I have some matters to discuss with the Wang family.”
As Father Fang spoke, Jiang Ling noticed a faint, almost imperceptible sinister aura beneath his warm expression.
“Then let’s go.”
Fang Wannian showed no politeness toward her father and grabbed Jiang Ling’s hand as they left.
In the car.
“I was only gone for a moment, and you got bullied like this?”
Fang Wannian looked at Jiang Ling with a mix of frustration and disappointment. Jiang Ling didn’t try to argue; she wasn’t one for quarrels.
As Fang Wannian rambled on, the vehicle arrived at the dormitory.
“Um, I’ll head inside first!”
Jiang Ling hurriedly got ready to get out, her ears already feeling numb from all the talking.
But as soon as she opened the door, she felt someone grip her wrist.
She glanced back and met Fang Wannian’s complicated gaze.
After a long silence, Fang Wannian’s hand slowly moved down to hook Jiang Ling’s finger, her face flushing slightly.
“Thank you for standing up for me.”
The car sped away, leaving Jiang Ling standing there, fingers trembling, stunned.
She thought it was kind of cute…
Meanwhile, Fang Wannian, walking home alone, blushed deeply as she took out the cotton doll representing Jiang Ling from her backpack.
Her mind couldn’t help but recall Jiang Ling’s serious expression while defending her earlier, lowering her gaze.
She pressed her lips against the doll and whispered softly, “Idiot.”
As time passed, NOVA’s performances flourished, almost always selling out, with the atmosphere at the venue growing increasingly lively.
Jiang Ling’s skills improved steadily—at least now, when the crowd shouted for her to kiss someone, she could calmly change the subject instead of panicking like before.
November quietly slipped by, the temperature dropping slowly, occasional light rains falling, and the wind turning chilly.
Jiang Ling switched to thicker coats and even pulled out a scarf for emergencies.
She frequently posted her practice videos on the official account.
After several rounds of repetition, many onlookers who had initially doubted her began to change their minds.
Overall, everything was moving in a good direction.
That day, Bai Xue gathered everyone in the dance studio, saying there was something to discuss.
“I received an invitation from a comic convention organizer. She says she’s a fan of ours,” Bai Xue explained the event’s details. “What do you all think?”
“Eh, it’s pretty big. Not one of those huge official events, but still a decent scale,” Mo Ran glanced over, surprised.
“Definitely a good commercial gig,” Fang Wannian nodded in agreement. “Given our current scale, attending events like this has no downsides.”
Lin Xiaoyu remained silent, quietly listening to everyone’s opinions.
“So—does this mean I get to see Cosplay Lingling-chan?”
Xu Nuo eagerly squeezed into the conversation, eyes full of anticipation.
“Absolutely not!” Jiang Ling pushed her face away. “We’re going as guest performers on stage, not for fun.”
“Eh~ But performing in cosplay would be so fresh! Plus, it’d get more people to notice and remember NOVA!”
Xu Nuo didn’t give up, explaining repeatedly, trying to change Jiang Ling’s mind.
Hearing that, Jiang Ling did hesitate a little.
If it was for the group’s sake…
“Xu Nuo’s suggestion is tentatively accepted. So everyone agrees?”
Bai Xue spoke briskly. “I’ll go talk to them about the details. You all continue practicing.”
With that, Bai Xue rushed back to her room.
“I’m heading to the convenience store to work. What do you want for dinner?”
Mo Zai packed her bag and casually asked.
“Tomato scrambled eggs,” Jiang Ling quickly raised her hand. “Make it sweet!”
“Got it, be a good girl and practice until I get back.”
Hearing this, Mo Ran smiled and waved at her before leaving for work.
Fang Wannian said she had some family matters to attend to and also left.
The practice team was then left with just Jiang Ling and Lin Xiaoyu.
After discussing, they decided to run through the stage routines for the next performance a few times.
After practicing for a while, they took a short break.
Jiang Ling wiped the sweat from her brow and gulped down water, then slumped in her chair. “I don’t even get that tired anymore.”
“Congrats.”
Lin Xiaoyu smiled faintly, then her phone rang repeatedly.
She picked it up and glanced at the screen.
Silence.
Almost immediately, her expression flickered subtly before sinking into a deep silence.
Jiang Ling swung her legs for a while, about to ask Lin Xiaoyu to continue practicing, but saw her unusual look and frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“…Nothing.”
Lin Xiaoyu muted her phone and flipped it face down on the table, as if nothing had happened. “Let’s keep practicing.”
Jiang Ling instinctively felt something was off, but seeing her quickly recover, she didn’t press further and simply followed her lead.
During the next few practice rounds, Jiang Ling clearly noticed Lin Xiaoyu’s movements were distracted, occasionally zoning out.
Seeing this worsen, Jiang Ling couldn’t stand it and paused the music, holding Lin Xiaoyu’s body as she tried to keep dancing. “Wait.”
Lin Xiaoyu stopped silently, staring straight at Jiang Ling’s face.
“If you’re not in the right state, you shouldn’t just keep practicing. Rest first, then redo the parts you missed.”
Jiang Ling relaxed her grip. “You taught me this yourself, and now you’ve forgotten it?”
Lin Xiaoyu’s eyes flickered momentarily before returning to stillness.
“Mm.”
She nodded expressionlessly. “I’m going home to rest.”
Jiang Ling watched her hurried departure, sensing something was definitely wrong.
Something had to have happened.
She wanted to dig deeper but seeing Lin Xiaoyu’s exhausted state, she decided to wait until her mood improved.
With that thought, Jiang Ling stopped dwelling on it and walked over to the electric piano to start her vocal training.
About an hour later, Jiang Ling’s throat felt dry, so she stopped.
Just as she finished tidying the piano, she heard a series of quick, rhythmic knocks outside the door.
At this hour? Could Fang Wannian be back from her errands and coming to practice?
Curious, Jiang Ling got up and opened the door.
Standing before her was a middle-aged woman with a composed expression, dressed neatly and radiating a dignified aura.
Upon seeing Jiang Ling, her eyes shifted slightly.
Jiang Ling scratched her head in confusion. “Um, Auntie, may I ask who you’re looking for?”
The woman’s gaze lingered on Jiang Ling for a long moment, deep and unreadable.
Finally, she spoke in a steady, slow voice:
“Lin Xiaoyu lives here, right?”
Jiang Ling’s confusion deepened, but since the woman was polite and gentle, she nodded. “Yes, she’s my roommate. May I ask what you need her for?”
Jiang Ling stepped aside, letting the woman enter, who then fixed her eyes on Jiang Ling and spoke deliberately.
“I am her mother.”
Jiang Ling nervously poured two cups of warm water in the kitchen, casting glances at the tense “confrontation” happening between the mother and daughter in the living room.
After learning the woman was Lin Xiaoyu’s mother, Jiang Ling immediately adopted a respectful attitude toward a friend’s elder and went to inform Lin Xiaoyu.
Jiang Ling thought Lin Xiaoyu’s bad mood might improve a little with her mother’s arrival.
Instead, her expression worsened.
Lin Xiaoyu, after drying her damp hair, silently walked into the living room and took a seat across from her mother.
That was the current scene.
Jiang Ling sensed the awkward atmosphere but felt it wasn’t her place to intervene.
She quietly set the water on the table and prepared to leave.
But just as she stepped out, she felt her wrist gripped again.
This time with great force.
Jiang Ling looked at Lin Xiaoyu, whose hand was trembling slightly.
She glanced at Lin’s mother, who frowned sharply at the scene, and felt her heart tighten.
Still, Jiang Ling didn’t pull away.
She gently pried open Lin Xiaoyu’s fingers, sat down beside her, and braced herself before looking at Lin’s mother.
“I wonder, Auntie, what brings you here this time?”
She repeated her question cautiously.
Instinctively, Jiang Ling knew she couldn’t let Lin Xiaoyu face her mother alone.
Even if she knew nothing about the matter.
“…You’re her roommate, right?”
After a long silence, Lin’s mother sipped her water and spoke gently.
“Yes, Auntie.”
Jiang Ling nodded and added, “Also her teammate.”
At the word “teammate,” a flicker of fleeting anger passed through Lin’s mother’s eyes, but she quickly suppressed it, still smiling kindly at Jiang Ling.
“I want to talk to my daughter alone.”
Her smile was warm but firm—no coercion, just an undeniable insistence that softened any resistance.
Jiang Ling’s heart fluttered with unease, unsure what to do.
She turned to study Lin Xiaoyu’s face carefully.
There was a trace of… disarray?
Perhaps not disarray, but an indescribable mix of confusion, sadness, and anger blending on a face that usually showed little emotion.
Jiang Ling clenched her fist, her voice trembling uncontrollably as she spoke without realizing it:
“But your daughter doesn’t seem to want this.”
A long silence followed.
Lin’s mother, caught off guard by the contradiction, looked stunned for a moment.
Her gaze then grew cold, and the perfect, gentle smile vanished without a trace.
“Actually, it doesn’t matter if you’re here or not.”
She set down her cup, her expression indifferent.
“I came to take her back.”
Jiang Ling froze, bewildered.
Take Xiaoyu back? Back where?
Perhaps guessing Jiang Ling’s thoughts, Lin’s mother calmly continued:
“You probably don’t know, but Xiaoyu trained in ballet for a full fifteen years before this.
Her future should have been limitless.
But she stubbornly left the dance troupe and joined some idol group.”
Mentioning idols, contempt briefly flashed in her expression.
“Giving up such a bright future to drift aimlessly here. As her mother, I have the right to take her away.”
Finished speaking, Lin’s mother looked at the silent Lin Xiaoyu sharply, voice losing its earlier softness and turning harsh.
“If it weren’t for a relative’s message, I wouldn’t even know what you call ‘chasing your dreams’ is really hanging around these places and people—”
“Enough!”
Jiang Ling barely had time to interrupt or deny Lin’s mother’s rude stereotypes before Lin Xiaoyu suddenly shouted sharply.
Her breath heavy, yet her face carried an unshakable determination and stubbornness.
“You can say all that to me, because I’m your daughter.
But you have no right to criticize my teammates.
I won’t allow you to slander them like this.”
With that, Lin Xiaoyu’s expression returned to calm, as if the fierce outburst had not come from her.
This left Lin’s mother silent for a long moment.
Looking into her daughter’s unyielding eyes, she sighed helplessly.
“Sorry, I spoke harshly.
But Xiaoyu, it’s time you settled down.
I’m willing to let go of what happened before, but you have to leave here and come back with me to continue ballet. Understand?”
Lin Xiaoyu responded only with endless silence.
Before Lin’s mother could say more, the sound of a key turning in the lock came from outside.
“Oh, you’re all here. Are you hungry? I’m about to start cooking… Who’s this?”
Mo Zai entered carrying a bag, heading to the kitchen to cook, but stopped abruptly at Lin’s mother’s sour expression.
Jiang Ling immediately gave her a subtle look, then quickly got up to grab a cup.
“Oh, I ran out of water. I’ll get some more for you.”
Mo Zai caught on and followed Jiang Ling into the kitchen, immediately asking:
“What’s going on here?”
Jiang Ling promptly and succinctly explained everything that had happened.
After hearing this, Mo Ran frowned.
“I did know Xiaoyu practiced ballet, but I thought it was just a hobby she did for a while. Didn’t expect it was for so long.”
“So what do we do now?”
Jiang Ling bit her lip, her tone anxious.
After a moment’s thought, Mo Zai handed Mo Ran a cup of water, then quickly pulled out her phone.
“Anyway, you try to buy some time. I’ll call Sister Bai Xue back.”
“Okay!”
Jiang Ling, entrusted with this important task, steeled herself and returned to the living room.
But just as she stepped in, a sudden sharp yell exploded—
“Lin Xiaoyu, have I spoiled you too much? After all the hard work I’ve put into raising you, is this how you repay me?”
Jiang Ling instinctively stopped in her tracks and quickly looked at Lin Xiaoyu.
Accused of being unfilial, Lin Xiaoyu slowly stood up, staring into her mother’s eyes for a long time.
Jiang Ling unconsciously held her breath.
Finally, Lin Xiaoyu gave a bitter, sorrowful smile.
“You’re always like this, forcing your ideas on me without regard.”
With that, she walked toward the door almost as if to escape, disappearing into the growing darkness of the night.