SWNOVELXO Chapter 34 - Romantic relationship
Tang Yuan groped her way to the other side of the bed, a galaxy separating her from Jiang Zi.
She reached out and turned off the light.
Just a moment ago, she had been too sleepy to keep her eyes open, but the abnormality of the affection meter jolted her wide awake.
Why was her affection meter showing her feelings for Jiang Zi instead? What kind of bizarre system did she have?
Moreover, she had to accept a painful truth: she hadn’t fully invested in her feelings for Jiang Zi, which made her feel incredibly ashamed.
[There’s no need to doubt yourself, host. You’ve gone through ten small worlds, and in each one, you met a bad end. Deep down, you still don’t believe this world can offer a happy ending.]
Lying flat on her back, Tang Yuan stared at the ceiling, not responding to the system.
Jiang Zi gently pulled the blanket over her and did nothing more.
Tang Yuan’s fingers twisted nervously in the quilt as she turned her head to look at her, only able to see a blurred outline.
Yes, her luck had always been terrible—hit by a car when she went out, drowned while trying to save someone, and even poisoned to death while eating.
What if her luck continued to be this bad in this life? What if, when faced with the inevitability of death, she found herself reluctant to let go?
Tang Yuan looked at the ceiling once more, tears silently streaming down the corners of her eyes, each drop a hot pearl that vanished into her hair and soaked her pillow, crying soundlessly.
Jiang Zi couldn’t hear her inner thoughts; she only heard Tang Yuan murmuring to herself for a while, followed by a whimper, like a small, abandoned creature, lonely and pitiful.
Jiang Zi felt a sharp pain in her heart, her emotions twisting into a tight knot alongside Tang Yuan’s cries.
What was she thinking to be crying so sadly?
Turning to face her, Jiang Zi lifted her hand toward Tang Yuan’s cheek. The tip of her index finger brushed against the corner of her eye, and sure enough, it met a damp spot.
Without a word, Jiang Zi wiped away the traces of tears, gently brushing them away like broken pearls rolling away.
With a sigh, she pulled a tissue from the bedside table, wiping away the tears from both sides, then wrapped Tang Yuan tightly in her arms, her cool lips pressing against her eyes.
This gesture made Tang Yuan dare not to cry any longer, even afraid to move.
She wondered whether her sobs had been loud enough for Jiang Zi to hear, feeling a bit embarrassed.
In the warmth of Jiang Zi’s embrace, her mind gradually dulled, and she quickly drifted off to sleep.
“Good afternoon, dear viewers! Welcome to the live broadcast of ‘I Must Shine!'”
The host stood confidently on stage, smoothly reciting a series of advertisements before finally diving into introducing the competition rules.
“Next, let me introduce the competition rules. First, to ensure fairness in the competition, the four teachers have the right to give comments but do not have the right to vote.”
“This program is hosted by Qiaochu Entertainment. All the contestants share a common goal: to sign with Qiaochu Entertainment and successfully debut. Of course, for those who lost in the competition, don’t be disheartened; your efforts will be noticed by other companies, and there’s still a chance to debut. There are many paths to Rome, so just keep a calm mindset.”
“Now, let me introduce the judging panel. The fifty judging panel members are composed of professional judges and executives from various entertainment companies, accounting for 50% of the score. The audience in the seats and the online viewers will vote through the same voting channel, also accounting for 50%.”
“Next, let’s step into the music segment. Please welcome the first group of contestants!”
The camera panned over the judging panel and displayed it on the big screen, eliciting an enthusiastic response from the audience.
【If I’m not mistaken, isn’t that Chu Yu? What’s going on? The CEO is here! This is serious attention!】
【Debuting here is the peak; I see Tang Gu as well. Aren’t they regulars on the finance channel?】
【Tang Gu and Tang Yuan—what’s their relationship?】
【There are so many people with the surname Tang; no need to overthink it.】
【Actually, what I want to say is that Tang Yuan has never hidden her identity. A quick search online will say that she’s the legitimate daughter of the Tang family.】
【I’m suddenly unworthy of Tang XiaoYuan!】
【Why is she participating in this program If she’s so rich?】
Aside from the contestants on stage, the other contestants sat in the waiting room, watching the performances on the big screen.
As the competition was announced to begin, Jiang Zi and Tang Yuan finally arrived in the waiting room.
Inside the waiting room were fellow teammates from the same mentor group. When Jiang Zi and Tang Yuan pushed the door open, all eyes turned to them.
Gao QiaoMan clicked her tongue, “Jiang Zi, are you trying to bend me by being so handsome?”
Jiang Zi stood at 177 cm, and with the heels of her shoes, she reached about 180 cm. Dressed entirely in black, she wore two silver necklaces around her neck as accessories, and the black bandages on her hands perfectly matched her outfit, making it look like decorative pieces.
Her long black hair was tied up in a high ponytail and adorned with silver cross earrings. Her lazy fox-like eyes lifted slightly, giving off a vibe that warned others to keep their distance.
Husband is a feeling, not a gender.
Tang Yuan sported two cute bun hairstyles and draped a white shawl over her shoulders. The shawl was short, covering her low-waisted white shorts, and her long, fair legs peeked out from underneath, glowing under the lights. She wore a youthful makeup look, appearing like an adorable little cat.
Beneath the shawl, she wore a purple and white strapless crop top that revealed her midriff, a sexy, trendy outfit that highlighted her figure.
She stood beside Jiang Zi, her height at 168 cm. Even with the 5 cm high heels, she looked quite petite standing next to her.
No wonder these two were the only pair of female contestants in the show with a fan base online; when they stood together, they exuded an aura of intimacy, as if they were in a romantic relationship.
Jiang Zi pulled Tang Yuan down to sit first, tucking a cushion into her arms before sitting beside her.
Her face appeared expressionless, but inside, her jealousy was bubbling over.
The shawl Tang Yuan was wearing had been coaxed onto her by Jiang Zi; soon, she would have to take it off when they went on stage.
Just thinking of Tang Yuan blooming on stage like a freely blossoming flower would surely attract many admirers, as beautiful things always attract people.
As she watched the contestants on the screen, Jiang Zi’s mood sank, her enthusiasm waning.
Noticing her bad mood, Tang Yuan subtly curled her fingers around Jiang Zi’s, sitting close enough to whisper.
“Don’t worry, just dance your best. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”
Jiang Zi turned her gaze toward her, gripping her mischievous fingers tightly. With her other hand, she tugged at the collar of Tang Yuan’s shawl, wrapping it around her a little more tightly.
“You don’t understand anything.”
Tang Yuan looked confused. “What don’t I understand?”
Jiang Zi didn’t respond, instead closing her eyes to feign sleep, mentally trying to reassure herself.
[The female lead’s self-destruction value +3.]
Tang Yuan: …??
She called out to her, “Sister?”
Jiang Zi opened her eyes to look at her again, her ash-gray contacts making her expression seem even more dull.
Tang Yuan nestled beside her. “Sister, why are you unhappy?”
Jiang Zi: “I’m not unhappy.”
[The female lead’s self-destruction value +1.]
Tang Yuan: …
Anxious, she cupped Jiang Zi’s face with both hands, refusing to let her evade the question. “Don’t hide it from me. Why are you unhappy?”
Jiang Zi let her hold her face like a wolf tamed by humans, but her eyes betrayed a hint of grievance.
In a low voice, Jiang Zi said, “I’m afraid you’ll like someone else.”
“Ah?” What kind of reason is this?