Even as Su Wantang was held tightly in Gu Yanze’s arms, her gaze lingered on Lingyuan’s retreating back, jealousy growing in her heart like a tangle of thorns.
She swore she would never be as weak as she was in her last life. This time, she would save Gu Yanze herself, no matter what it took—even if it meant hurting Lingyuan to keep him by her side.
The day of the dance troupe audition arrived quickly.
Su Wantang and Lingyuan were paired for a duet. Their rehearsals had gone smoothly, but just before the performance, Lingyuan noticed faint red marks—like plum blossoms—on Su Wantang’s neck. Su Wantang wore them openly, making no effort to hide the evidence of her relationship with Gu Yanze.
Since Gu Yanze and Lingyuan had broken up, he no longer bothered to conceal his nightly visits to Su Wantang’s room. Even after Su Wantang recovered, he never explained himself. But it didn’t matter anymore. Lingyuan had already removed the tattoo from her own neck, and their kisses and marks meant nothing to her now.
For their duet, Su Wantang had chosen a piece inspired by the legend of the Green Snake. On stage, two hanging baskets were suspended from above. Backstage, as Lingyuan finished her makeup and approached the baskets, she frowned and asked, “Why are we using these? We never rehearsed with them.”
Su Wantang, her snake makeup making her look ethereal, smiled sweetly. “It’s for extra points—to enhance the stage effect.”
With no time to question further, Lingyuan joined her for the solo segment. As the graceful music played, she danced with a fan, her movements elegant and captivating, earning nods of approval from the judges. Glancing into the audience, she locked eyes with Gu Yanze, who stared at her intently, as if searching for something.
When the solo ended, Lingyuan received high praise and prepared for the duet. Su Wantang, her face veiled, entered her own basket, and together they rose above the stage.
As the music began, both dancers moved gracefully in their baskets. Suddenly, the music cut off and the baskets jerked violently. The ropes tangled, leaving both women suspended and at risk of falling.
Lingyuan barely managed to steady herself when Su Wantang, with a deliberate shove, pushed her toward the edge. The basket swayed dangerously. Lingyuan crouched down, shouting, “What are you doing? We’ll both fall!”
The baskets collided and swayed, and Su Wantang whispered, “Lingyuan, you’ve always been so clever. How could you be so foolish—didn’t you notice your uncle was with me all along? Even if you broke up, he never agreed. I’m not the only one who understands him.”
Lingyuan stared at her, a bitter smile on her lips. If they were already together, and the breakup was real, why did Su Wantang still feel the need to fight for him? Wasn’t it obvious who Gu Yanze cared about?
The stage was in chaos. Firefighters rushed in, but the rescue was complicated. Lingyuan’s ropes were fraying and could snap at any moment, while Su Wantang’s basket was already tilting dangerously.
If they saved one, the other would surely fall.
When the situation was explained to Gu Yanze, he staggered back, torn with indecision and anguish. Su Wantang, feigning panic, cried out, “Aze, don’t worry about me—save Lingyuan first!”
Gu Yanze’s eyes reddened as he shouted, “Save Su Wantang first!”
Su Wantang smiled in relief as the firefighters pulled her to safety. She threw herself into Gu Yanze’s arms. But just as he embraced her, a loud crash echoed through the theater—Lingyuan’s basket had fallen.
“Lingyuan!”
The impact felt like a sledgehammer, leaving Lingyuan’s insides in turmoil. As she slipped into unconsciousness, she vaguely saw Gu Yanze’s anxious face—but he was still holding Su Wantang’s hand tightly.
A wave of bitterness washed over her. She already knew the answer—so why did it still hurt so much? Had she been hurt by Gu Yanze yet again?
When Lingyuan woke, her body ached everywhere.
Gu Yanze was at her bedside, his face full of concern. The moment she opened her eyes, he grabbed her hand, tears falling. “Lingyuan, you’re finally awake. Are you all right? Is there anything you need?”
His voice was hoarse and sincere, but Lingyuan instinctively tried to pull her hand away. She remembered all the times she had bled for him, and her heart hardened.
“I’m fine. Go back and take care of Teacher Su,” she said, her tone both distant and cold. “We’ve already broken up.”
Gu Yanze’s eyes were bloodshot, and he seemed desperate to erase the distance between them. “Broken up? Again? Are you joking?”
A storm of emotions built in his chest, and he finally punched the wall in frustration before leaving the room.
After a while, Lingyuan chose to be discharged from the hospital. Most of her injuries were bruises and sprains. She could mix her own ointments at home, and only a mild concussion still left her a bit dizzy.
Chapter 04
*