Grab The Heroine and Run Away Ch. 76
The first day of the competition officially ended. The program’s officials arranged hotels for artists from various companies, separate floors for men and women. However, for other reasons, Cui Qi turned down the program team’s offer and rebooked the same hotel for Xu Heran and Xin Nuo that they had used during the filming of 《Crazy Interpretation》
“Nuo Nuo, do you have a dance performance tomorrow?” On the way to the hotel, Laurel asked Xin Nuo.
Their manager who came with them to Beijing smiled and said, “This hotel has comprehensive facilities, including massage, cinema, bar, and leisure rooms for yoga and dance. Nuo Nuo can practice with her dance partner in the evening.”
Before Xin Nuo could speak, Xu Heran, who was slouched in her seat, raised an eyebrow, “Isn’t that unnecessary?”
Xin Nuo, sitting beside her, didn’t say anything, but the gazes of several people in the back row all fell on Xu Heran.
“Really, Xu Pearl? Do you even have to be jealous of this?”
Could Xu Heran admit it?
“Who’s jealous?” Xu Heran crossed her arms, looking serious, “Jealousy aids digestion.”
“Are you hungry?” Xin Nuo asked her.
Xu Heran touched her stomach, “Not really.”
“Alright.” Xin Nuo smiled, looking out of the window, and whispered, “Then digest a bit more.”
Xu Heran: “Hmph.”
The male dance partner who would be performing sports dance with Xin Nuo tomorrow was a newcomer actor signed by Universal Entertainment at the beginning of this year. He had just been admitted to Beijing Film Academy this year and was only a year older than Xu Heran.
When the group got off the car, this new actor was already waiting in the lobby. He was tall and had a decent temperament, but he seemed reserved and nervous.
“Good afternoon, have you had lunch?” Jian Yueyin asked him.
“Hello, Teacher Jian. I plan to practice with Teacher Xin and then eat later,” the male actor said, revealing a shy smile.
Xu Heran lazily responded, “Okay, go upstairs.”
“Sure, sure.” The male actor hurriedly said, actively opening the elevator door for everyone.
“Xu Pearl, look at you.” Jiang Qiong raised an eyebrow at Xu Heran, “Has anyone talked to you?”
“Tch.” Xu Heran folded her arms, lifted her chin, and appeared to be quite proud.
“If same-sex partners were allowed in sports dance, what business would he have?”
A slight curve appeared at the corner of Xin Nuo’s mouth, quickly disappearing. She patted Xu Heran’s arm, “Don’t think about random things. Will you accompany me later?”
Xu Heran lowered her head, gazing at Xin Nuo, “I’ll be watching you!“
“Be careful.”
The collision of indigo-purple and pitch-black gazes, Xin Nuo narrowed her eyes.
“You be careful too.”
By the elevator, the male student who had waited for a long time peeked out and cautiously asked, “Uh… Hi?”
Back at the hotel, everyone scattered to do their own things—massage, bath, dinner. Xu Heran intentionally followed behind Xin Nuo and the male student, occasionally making strange sounds.
Xin Nuo turned around and playfully tapped Xu Heran’s nose from a distance.
Little Pearl opened her mouth and pretended to bite her, emitting a playful “rawr.”
Xin Nuo and the male dance partner entered the dance studio. Universal Entertainment had reserved the entire floor for them. Other than SGS members, no one else was present. Xu Heran leaned against the wall, took out her phone, and played music for Xin Nuo.
“Dream Back to the Practice Room.” Xu Heran whispered, hugging her arms and watching the two people in front of her getting closer and dancing to the music.
“Hmph.”
Xu Heran began humming again.
“Don’t be nervous.” Xin Nuo softly advised the male student, “Focus on expressing emotions.”
“Hmph.”
“Alright.” The male student’s nervous voice trembled as he responded.
“You’re an actor. If you can’t immerse yourself, use your expressions to convey emotions,” Xin Nuo gently instructed.
“Hmph.”
“Well…”
“Heh.”
Someone’s voice was louder than the male student’s response. Xin Nuo looked at the nearly tearful male student in front of her and stifled a laugh, “Don’t mind her. She’s doing it on purpose.”
The male student didn’t dare to look in Xu Heran’s direction, nor did he dare to look at Xin Nuo’s face. He nodded towards the air.
Xin Nuo: “…”
Alright.
After practicing the dance twice and during their break, Xu Heran suddenly stood up, “It’s not working, my friend. Your emotions aren’t right. Let me teach you!”
Xin Nuo took a sip of water and looked at Xu Heran.
A certain excited Little Pearl didn’t bother hiding her expression.
“Teacher Xu, can you do it too?” the boy asked curiously.
“I know a little,” Xu Heran replied, then gestured to Xin Nuo, “Come here.”
“What do you want to do?” Xin Nuo looked at her warily.
Xu Heran gestured again, “Come.”
Xin Nuo had no choice but to put down her water cup and walked over, whispering, “There are others here, so be careful.”
“Okay.” Xu Heran’s throat emitted a response. She turned to the boy next to her and said, “Learn a thing or two.”
The boy quickly nodded. In order to show his determination to learn, he even took out his phone to record.
As the music played, a glint of amusement appeared in Xu Heran’s eyes. As she and Xin Nuo approached each other, they were supposed to place their palms flat against each other, with the woman’s other hand on the man’s arm. However, Xu Heran grabbed both of Xin Nuo’s hands and pulled her close into her embrace.
Xin Nuo: “…”
The observing boy: “Uhh, what’s this?”
“This move is for my use only; you can’t do it,” Xu Heran seriously told the boy, “Did you see my passionate feelings?”
“Xu Her—ah.”
Before Xin Nuo could finish her warning tone, someone released her hand, their hands grabbing her waist and lifting her upward.
“So passionate!”
“Ah—”
Xin Nuo quickly wrapped her legs around Xu Heran’s waist and her arms around her shoulders, while a certain pearl’s hands held up her legs, and they began spinning wildly.
“Pearl roll roll roll!”
“Yahh~~ Yaho~~”
Xin Nuo’s hair scattered as it was whipped around, and a strand of hair flew through the air.
“Xu Heran!!”
“Slow down!!”
In the terrified eyes of the male student, Xu Heran shouted, “You can’t learn this move either!”
“…Won’t learn.” The boy swallowed his saliva and muttered softly.
Definitely won’t learn!
“Xu Heran—ah!”
Xu Heran hugged Xin Nuo as if mad, running around with her. The two of them were drenched in sweat, and eventually, they collapsed on the ground.
“Haven’t you run enough during the day?” Xin Nuo knelt on the ground, watching Xu Heran lying on the ground breathing heavily, hands reaching down and pressing on her own shoes, “I’ll have Sister Cui sign you up for a marathon.”
“Ha… ha…” Xu Heran panted heavily and was about to laugh, but when she saw Xin Nuo taking off her shoes, she let out a gasp and quickly got up, scampering around the classroom.
“Help me!”
“You stop right there!”
Outside the dance classroom, a few heads appeared with a “shua shua shua.”
“What are you doing? We could hear your commotion all the way from the corridor.” Haya didn’t even finish her sentence when a shoe came flying at her, and she quickly ducked.
“Snap!”
A light pink sports shoe hit the ground.
“Wow~”
Several people pretended to be scared but had excited expressions.
“That’s right, that’s the way to do it! Beat her like that!”
“Even with Xin Nuo like this, are you still holding back? Come on! Beat her! Spank her butt!”
“Xin Nuo, you’re the best! If you don’t properly educate Xu Pearl today, how can you uplift the family and become the master of the house? You need to make her understand that in this family, only you have the final say!” Jiang Qiong shouted.
The young boy quickly turned off his phone and trembled.
What should he do? Did he hear something he shouldn’t have… oh no, these seniors are so scary. This is a real girl group, completely different from what’s shown on TV!
“Xu Heran!” Xin Nuo’s hair was all loose, falling in front of Xu Heran’s face. “Let me hit her just once! Just once!”
Xu Heran pondered for a moment, turned her head, and ran. Before she could take a step, her clothes were grabbed from behind. The Little Pearl pretended to be shot and fell to the ground, lying face down.
Xin Nuo sneered, straddling her waist, and grabbing her collar.
“Causing trouble? Haha!”
“I was wrong!” Xu Heran raised her hands in surrender.
Xin Nuo pinched her ear.
“Do you think I’ll believe you?”
Watching Xin Nuo grabbing Xu Heran, those who had gathered at the door rushed forward, spanking Pearl’s butt, tickling Pearl’s foot, poking Pearl’s soft flesh… settling scores and grievances.
Xu Heran burst into laughter, spun around, and Xin Nuo tumbled off her.
“Help me!”
Seeing Xu Heran regain her freedom, the people who had just taken advantage of the situation quickly fled.
“You wait for us!” Xu Heran slapped the floor as she got up. After retrieving Xin Nuo’s shoes and bringing them back, she said with a cheerful smile, “I’m going to get you some food, love you~”
“Go away quickly!” Xin Nuo said angrily.
The dance classroom suddenly quieted down. The boy who had been crouched in a corner asked softly, “Teacher Xin Nuo… should we still practice?”
Xin Nuo stood up and threw her shoes on the ground with a “snap,” then put them on.
“Practice!”
“Oh… okay,” the boy nodded.
At that moment, a spirited singing voice echoed in the corridor outside.
“In your heart~”
The voices of Haya and Jiang Qiong sounded from a distance, “Soaring freely~”
“The radiant starlight! Forever wandering! Friends ahead, can I see your hands!”
“Wow!” Several voices echoed in agreement, clapping their hands.
Xin Nuo: “…fools!”
The boy who had risen to give Xin Nuo water noticed Xin Nuo’s uncontrollable smile and scratched his head.
Alright, girl groups.
Couldn’t figure it out.
The next day, the competition arrived.
Xu Heran stood excitedly outside the dance competition arena, clapping with enthusiasm.
“What number is Xin Nuo?” Song Fenghua asked.
“I don’t know!” Xu Heran said. “They probably have to draw lots.”
As the host introduced the first group of competitors with great enthusiasm, Xu Heran propped up her chin, watched for a while, and then looked down at her phone.
“Xin Nuo, what number are you?”
Among Xu Heran’s messages, there was only one girl with a crown icon who hadn’t replied.
Xu Heran thought for a moment.
“Xin Nuo~ you silly goose~ I like you, silly goose~”
You retracted a message.
Xin Nuo: “?”
“I saw it.”
Xin Nuo sent a few emoticons of Pearl being beaten, ones that Xu Heran had never seen before.
Xu Heran: “!!”
“You were talking about me behind my back!”
“And all of them are like this, bullying Pearl!”
Xin Nuo sneered and sent another emoticon.
A cartoon girl with black hair and dark eyes, holding a grinder in her hand, eyes flashing with menace, staring at the trembling and sweating Pearl on the table.
Xu Heran: “…”
“Please don’t torment Sister! Sister loves peace!”
Xin Nuo: “Your Sister has recently been studying the 108 types of punishment for Little Pearl. Just you wait.”
Xu Heran: “…”
She felt a cold breeze on the back of her neck, turned around, and saw Jian Yueyin fanning her.
Xu Heran: “… Thank you, Yueyin.”
“It’s nothing. I saw you sweating,” Jian Yueyin said in puzzlement. “The air conditioning is set pretty low. Are you still hot?”
“… I’ll handle it myself,” Xu Heran murmured as she fanned herself. “The weather is hot, but Little Pearl’s heart is cold.”
Jian Yueyin raised an eyebrow, smiled, and looked at her knowingly.
The two of them stood at the front watching the competition. After a while, wearing a pink dress, Peach and her male partner took the stage. Almost the instant Xu Heran heard her name, she immediately looked away.
She thought for a moment, then squatted down, arms folded, and stared wide-eyed at the railing.
Other SGS girls came over to watch the spectacle.
“This girl doesn’t seem right today, her complexion is two shades paler than yesterday,” Jiang Qiong touched her chin. “Could it be that what I saw yesterday was true?”
“Powdered white,” Laurel spoke straightforwardly, “I noticed everyone’s face is quite pale, the makeup is heavy.”
“Stiff movements, lack of foundation,” Song Fenghua whispered.
“I watched the Fruit Combo’s dance last night. It’s a sweet style with simple moves,” Haya laughed, “Eleven people, each with their own style, and a few are quite good.”
Xu Heran covered her ears, “Little Pearl of Virtue can’t listen to these things!”
The people standing at the railing exchanged glances, and Jiang Qiong leaned forward. The cameras were filming them from a distance, showing relaxed expressions on the girls’ faces, but their voices couldn’t be heard.
“Some fans exposed this cute little person, who used to like Pearl but now badmouths her behind her back. However, the account was quickly deactivated, so they didn’t dig deep,” the easygoing trip gave Surfing Girl the freedom to enjoy the spectacle.
Jian Yueyin shook her head, “Don’t speculate about others.”
“But be cautious. Except for Ranran, were you also… approached yesterday?”
Several people nodded.
Laurel looked at this person and then that person, her eyes wide open in confusion.
“It’s alright, Your Majesty Flower. Your good name is known to all. This is a good thing!” Haya comforted Laurel.
Laurel deadpanned, “Fine.”
“They’re more restrained today. Perhaps Sister Cui talked to them along with their manager,” Jian Yueyin said, “Looking on the bright side, it means we’re getting popular!”
Lin Weining opened her mouth, “…Huh?”
What are they talking about?
“It’s okay, sweetheart, good children don’t need to understand,” Haya patted Lin Weining’s head.
Jiang Qiong cast her a disdainful look, “This won’t do, you need to make her realize how treacherous people’s hearts can be!”
Haya chuckled softly, “It’s okay, I’m watching.”
Lin Weining’s ears turned slightly red, her hands pressed against the railing, her gaze flustered. All she could do was puff up her face and pretend not to laugh.
Underneath them, Xu Heran sat cross-legged, poking the ad on the back of the railing with a cartoon character’s head, looking lonely.
Happiness belongs to others, what does it have to do with Pearl?
It wasn’t until the broadcast said, “Xin Nuo,” that certain Little Pearl bounced up with a “whoosh.”
“It’s Xin Nuo’s turn!”
“Wow—”
Cheers erupted from the audience.
Among the star athletes who came off the stage, Peach clenched her fist tightly. She received a call from her manager last night, warning her to be mindful of boundaries. The manager also mentioned that one of her fans had spread rumors on Weibo that caught the attention of Universal Entertainment, prompting her to monitor fan comments and avoid getting involved.
She was so frightened at that time that she slumped onto her bed. In an instant, she thought of her deactivated alternate account. She had indeed used that account to follow her main account, often praising herself as a polite and talented person, even speaking from the perspective of an industry insider, getting compliments and recognition from seniors. The fans she attracted were her true fans.
If Universal found out that it was her alternate account…
Her vision went black, and she instinctively logged into her main account, contacting Universal Entertainment and the official SGS account through private messages to apologize. She had stayed up all night for this matter. It wasn’t until a certain individual claiming to be a manager from the SGS official account replied to her, asking her to delete any joint posts with Xu Heran and promising that she would stay away from her in the future.
Peach quickly complied. The manager then assured her that they wouldn’t pursue the matter any further. She implied that they hoped Peach would focus on her own abilities and qualities. Without the strength to back it up, popularity was just a castle in the air.
Peach couldn’t say anything. She couldn’t take in Cui’s advice because she was only relieved that she had narrowly escaped a disaster.
On the stage, a girl in a blue dress smiled and waved to the people around her. A blue bow was perched atop her head. This usually aloof girl suddenly looked adorable, her pitch-black eyes smiling. With a casual tilt of her head, numerous cameras followed her every move.
“So cute!”
“It’s Alice!”
Xu Heran’s eyes were fixed on Xin Nuo. Her long hair was curled into fine curls, falling loosely around her. She wore a fluffy blue and white dress adorned with lace and bows. Her shoulders were covered with puff sleeves, revealing slender, snow-white arms that looked like newly sprouted plant shoots – soft and fragile.
Her dance partner wore a black suit and a rabbit mask.
Melodic yet mournful music filled the hall. The clear voice of a female singer resonated as Alice lifted her skirt, bowing like a rabbit pretending to take off its hat.
In the audience, Jian Yueyin looked at Xu Heran in surprise.
“I stayed up all night for this!” Xu Heran proudly declared.
“Not bad,” Jian Yueyin nodded, then added, “Not bad.”
Xu Heran gave Jian Yueyin a skeptical look and took a small step aside.
《Dreaming Alice》
Amidst the melancholic melody, Alice and the rabbit seemed to dance in a dark forest. Mist curled around, and the shadows of trees swayed. The path was covered with piled-up leaves, and no exit could be found in the forest. There were no traces of animals. Alice’s skirt fluttered like a frantic butterfly, while the rabbit lowered its head in sorrow. Alice gazed into the world without an escape, the mist thickening.
Xu Heran watched Alice intently, observing her helpless eyes, her dance, and the movement of her delicate arms and legs.
Suddenly, Alice’s gaze turned in his direction.
She made eye contact with a Pearl amidst the sea of people.
She saw a vast expanse of blue starry sky, a sea of stars flowing, and gentle starlight enveloping the stars.
The night’s darkness was like a shroud of the dark forest. Despite the swirling mist, the stars still twinkled.
Alice’s eyes brightened.
The Pearl’s breath paused, a smirk forming on her lips.
“What do you say?”
Jian Yueyin approached with a smile, intentionally asking the Pearl who couldn’t take her eyes off Alice.
“Still feeling cold?”
Xu Heran chuckled softly.
“Don’t ask.”
“It’s so hot, I might melt.”
The author has something to say:
Muah muah muah~
Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Sinensis
Proofreader: Ruu
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