Anticipation and Hidden Talents

Haa-choo!

The white-haired loli, who was currently bathing, suddenly sneezed.

“Who’s talking bad about me?”

Qing Zixi rubbed her reddened nose, muttering softly. After drying herself, she found herself filled with anticipation for tomorrow afternoon’s competition.

****

The next day, Qing Zixi, having granted herself a rare holiday, slept soundly until nearly noon. It was only then that she was roused by the boisterous chatter and footsteps from outside.

‘Oh, right, today’s the day of the competition. All those formidable coaches will be here, won’t they? I absolutely must perform well!’

Cheering herself on mentally, Qing Zixi then descended from the second floor and entered the grand hall.

The teams, formed the previous day, had largely gathered by now. Though the white-haired loli was petite, her dazzling silver-white hair made her impossible to miss.

From a distance, Qing Zixi spotted four individuals waving her over and quickly jogged to join them.

“Hey, I heard that some teams haven’t even practiced much together, while others have been poring over strategies all night.”

Xiao Yi whispered this to a few members of their team, cupping a hand to their mouth. Meanwhile, Xiao Er stood with arms crossed, a knowing expression on their face as they spoke.

“Actually, that’s exactly what Sister Mei and Sister Lan intended. Those who aren’t serious about their profession, or those who can’t quickly integrate into a team and adapt themselves, will be swiftly weeded out.”

Xiao Er’s words held undeniable truth, and Qing Zixi nodded her small head in agreement.

For any competition, time is undoubtedly the most crucial factor. Insufficient time renders many tactical preparations useless.

Similarly, studying opponents and fostering team synergy are all challenges that time can resolve.

In other words, successfully accomplishing these tasks within a short timeframe is a clear testament to one’s talent.

‘I wonder if Sister Mengyao will come to watch me…’

Qing Zixi suddenly realized a faint glimmer of anticipation stirring within her heart.

‘It’s merely to show Sister Mengyao just how formidable I am!’

With a light cough, Qing Zixi discreetly scanned the crowd, searching intently.

Most conspicuous were Mei Ying and Lan Zhi, standing at the very front, accompanied by Zhu Qing and Ruo Ju. Mei Ying was in charge of the entire training camp’s administration, while Lan Zhi and Ruo Ju oversaw the training.

Although both were strict, their expertise was remarkably outstanding.

From Qing Zixi’s observations, the trainees here feared Zhu Qing the most. After all, like Mei Ying, she belonged to the strict faction.

Mei Ying merely disciplined trainees who weren’t serious. However, Xiao Yi and the others whispered that Zhu Qing would brutally scold trainees for their mistakes, making her far stricter than Mei Ying.

Fortunately, it was Teacher Lan Zhi who taught her the most. Her style was gentle, and thanks to her, Qing Zixi endured a training period that, while arduous, was not overly difficult.

Qing Zixi didn’t recognize many of the people further back. Having only recently entered this field herself, she presumed they were all accomplished individuals within the domain.

Nevertheless, a dense crowd had gathered nearby, holding up signs emblazoned with names. The sight was genuinely stirring.

What surprised Qing Zixi most was discovering her own name written on some of these signs.

‘Hmph, have they all been won over by my masterful plays?’

‘But, I don’t think I’ve ever even played a training match…’

The sudden thought made Qing Zixi’s composure waver.

‘Could it be that Sister Yun’ai chose me as a lucky fan because I look cute, and then my live stream was discovered, leading to this fame?’

‘A loli, reliant on looks?!’

Amidst the throng, a golden-haired girl with twin pigtails stood out, clad in a school uniform-style JK outfit. She wore oversized sunglasses and a mask that covered nearly half her face, with a small opening through which she sucked on a lollipop, making her seem somewhat out of place.

Though the venue was packed, the predominantly male crowd hesitated to press too close to the golden-haired girl.

*Stare…

“Oh, I never expected to see you here?”

“Eep!?”

A sudden pat on the shoulder from behind made the golden-haired girl let out a startled cry. She had been intently staring at Qing Zixi through her sunglasses with sharp eyes.

Her lollipop, too, dropped to the ground in surprise.

The girl’s adorable yelp, coupled with the famous blue-haired girl standing behind her, immediately drew the attention of most onlookers.

‘Damn it, Mermaid, go back to your water! Don’t silently ambush me from behind with your light steps! Damn you, Lan Mengyao!’

Had Lan Mengyao known her inner thoughts, she surely would have teased.

‘Don’t I have a wind chime hanging from my waist? Didn’t you hear its tinkling? Or were you simply too engrossed in watching Little Sister Xi?’

However, Lan Mengyao possessed no such mind-reading ability.

After recognizing the newcomer’s face, the golden-haired girl tossed her twin pigtails and spun around.

“You, you, you, who are you? Hmph, I don’t know you at all.”

She unwrapped a fresh lollipop from her pocket, then produced a tissue and carefully picked up the one that had fallen.

The candy was sticky; it would be troublesome if it got stuck to someone’s shoe.

However, Lan Mengyao seemed to have no intention of letting Shen Wei’an off the hook, maintaining her beaming gaze on the golden-haired girl.

In Shen Wei’an, she could always see a hint of Qing Zixi, which made teasing her all the more enjoyable. This was especially true now, having not spoken with Qing Zixi for several days.

– If Shen Wei’an ever discovered Lan Mengyao was using her as a substitute, she would undoubtedly whip her with her twin pigtails.

“Vivianna, if you care about Little Sister Xi, then hold up a sign and cheer for her! Look, she’s already sitting in her chair, ready to start the match. Any later, she’ll put on her headphones and won’t hear you.”

“Huh? Who cares about her? Whether she wins or loses is none of my business, and besides…”

Shen Wei’an turned her head, but even her oversized round sunglasses and large mask couldn’t conceal the faint flush on her earlobes.

“And also, don’t call me that name! Shut up, just shut up!”

If there had been a hole in the ground, Shen Wei’an would have gladly burrowed into it.

“What’s wrong? It’s not a bad name at all. I still miss you from two years ago; you were so adorable back then.”

“You, don’t, don’t stand so close!”

– Shen Wei’an had once, hesitantly and circuitously, inquired of Xia Mengying whether she could develop a memory-erasing potion.

If Xia Mengying could indeed create such a potion, Shen Wei’an would, without a moment’s hesitation, make everyone forget the chuunibyou golden-haired girl she was two years ago, at fifteen.

Declaring herself “Vivianna, the Fifty-Eighth True Ancestor of the Vampire Princesses,” her goal was to unite the world, plant all its lands with her beloved corn, and ensure her ancient castle received endless tributes daily, making everyone on Earth fall in love with corn!

‘Damn it, how could I have had such a ridiculous dream?’

Even now, the memory made Shen Wei’an uncontrollably blush. Noticing that almost everyone’s gaze had turned their way, Lan Mengyao didn’t continue teasing Shen Wei’an.

Instead, she quietly bid farewell and went to chat with another friend nearby.

Firstly, it was to prevent people from discovering that this golden-haired JK girl was the genius light novel author who had taken the nation by storm two years prior, earning enough from just one book to buy half a house. More importantly…

If certain perverts were to discover that this golden-haired girl was also a famous illustrator on Bluebird (Twitter), the originally planned offline competition might well devolve into a Vivianna fan signing event.

While her influence wasn’t as widespread or universally known as Zi Yun’ai’s, the fervor of her core fanbase was in no way inferior to Zi Yun’ai’s.

‘Do not underestimate the power of the Serpent People!’

At least, that’s what Shen Wei’an, two years ago, would have said.