I Struggle to Survive in a Girl Group [Transmigration] - Chapter 9

An Qing quickened her pace, leaving the bare trees lining the track behind her one by one.

The sky hadn’t yet brightened, the dim light casting a hazy veil over her vision. The vast sports field was sparsely populated, with only three or four diligent figures scattered about.

Yu Tingbai ran slightly ahead of her, her movements effortlessly graceful. Her long, slender legs moved with perfect symmetry, her ponytail swaying lightly with each stride.

Over the past few days of training together, An Qing had come to realize that Yu Tingbai was an exceptionally disciplined person. No matter how late or exhausting their previous day’s practice had been, she would unfailingly wake up at 5:30 a.m., rain or shine, and drag An Qing along for ten laps around the track.

About half an hour later, the two completed their run and came to a stop.

A thin layer of sweat had formed on An Qing’s forehead. After catching her breath, she reached to unbutton her jacket collar, only to be stopped by a hand from beside her.

“Don’t. You’ll catch a chill.”

Yu Tingbai pulled a wet wipe from her pocket and handed it over. Then she opened another one for herself, dabbing lightly at her slightly flushed cheeks.

She was as composed as ever like a precision instrument that never faltered, resisting any temptation rooted in human instinct. It made An Qing feel utterly inadequate in comparison.

The two grabbed food from the cafeteria and brought it back to their dorm to eat while changing into their training clothes.

An Qing swiftly lifted the lid of her meal, releasing a burst of steam as the rich aroma curled through the cramped dorm room.

Food always tasted better after a workout. As she ate, she listened to Yu Tingbai’s analysis of yesterday’s practice.

“The transition after this line still isn’t smooth enough. We’ll need to run through it a few more times today.”

“Relax. Don’t overexert yourself it shouldn’t look like you’re trying too hard. The most captivating performances are the ones that appear effortless.”

“And here, right after the turn, you need to wrap your arm around my waist immediately. No hesitation. It’s fine during practice, but on stage, the cameras will zoom in, and any pause will be glaringly obvious.”

There was no denying that Yu Tingbai’s critiques were razor-sharp, each point backed by solid reasoning. An Qing listened intently, growing so absorbed that she even set down her chopsticks.

Just as she couldn’t resist standing up to mimic the moves, the person beside her pressed her back into the chair.

The half-eaten basket of soup dumplings she had abandoned was pushed in front of her.

“Eat more. Get your fill.”

Yu Tingbai raised her chopsticks and lightly tapped An Qing’s head with the clean end.

Was this concern? An Qing’s eyes welled up with emotion. Obediently picking up her chopsticks, she mustered the courage to push her luck. “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of myself ”

Then she heard Yu Tingbai let out a cold laugh, her voice laced with something dangerous.

“Do you have any idea how distracting it is when someone’s stomach growls in the middle of practice?”

An Qing: “I do now.”

Fine, she got it. She was wrong.

Training days flew by. After countless hours of relentless practice and refinement, they finally achieved the desired result.

Thanks to their efforts over the past few days, the other team members’ attitudes toward An Qing had softened considerably, and they could now interact with her without reservation.

The day before the fifth performance, their dress rehearsal wrapped up smoothly, earning unanimous praise from the mentors and lifting a weight off everyone’s shoulders.

By the time they left the stage, it was already past seven. The group grabbed a quick bite at the cafeteria to tide them over while discussing their plans for the evening.

“I have something to take care of tonight, so I won’t be joining the extra practice.”

The moment Yu Tingbai uttered those words, everyone present froze.

It wasn’t that they were worried about her lack of practice rather, they were baffled that Yu Tingbai would voluntarily suggest skipping extra training. Everyone knew she was famously diligent, seemingly possessing boundless energy. She was always the first to arrive and the last to leave, and nothing could ever shake her resolve.

“No way, Tingbai, what did I just hear?”

Shen Siqi was the first to react, shouting excitedly.

“What’s going on? Is it New Year’s Day on your planet or something?”

Who are you calling an alien?

An Qing was amused by Shen Siqi’s usual antics, her lips curling into a silent smile. But after laughing, she couldn’t help but wonder, what could possibly make Yu Tingbai skip training?

Yu Tingbai chuckled and smoothly played along.

“Exactly. If I hurry back now, I might still catch the Spring Festival Gala.”

Shen Siqi burst into laughter and pressed further, “Seriously, what’s going on? Do you need help?”

Yu Tingbai shook her head, still avoiding a direct answer. “It’s personal. Don’t worry about it.”

But what exactly was it?

All evening, An Qing was distracted, her mind filled with Yu Tingbai’s mention of “personal matters.” By the time she messed up the routine for the third time, Shen Siqi finally couldn’t take it anymore.

“An Qing, are you too tired? Maybe you should go rest.”

Chu Qing and Song Rongrong chimed in, “Take a break and get your focus back. You’ll be fine.”

After a moment’s hesitation, An Qing decided to follow her teammates’ advice. She nodded, packed her things, and put on her down jacket.

“I’ll take a walk. I’ll definitely get back on track tomorrow.”

The night was already pitch black, with a few scattered stars hanging in the sky, casting a cold glow. Snow that hadn’t yet melted lined the sides of the path, wrapping around the bare tree trunks.

The training camp wasn’t that big. After wandering aimlessly for a while, An Qing heard voices as she passed a corner. Not far away, two indistinct figures stood about two meters apart, deep in conversation.

Better not disturb them.

An Qing paused mid-step and turned to take another path.

But the next second, she froze in place.

“Yu Tingbai, don’t you understand how I feel?”

A girl’s voice, choked with tears, rang out like an icy thread, slowly coiling around An Qing’s limbs, rendering her almost immobile.

What’s going on? Don’t you know stealing someone’s fiancée is punishable by divine retribution?

An Qing steadied herself and, unable to believe her ears, crept closer, hiding behind a wall and peeking out cautiously.

Sure enough, one of the two figures facing sideways was Yu Tingbai. The girl standing a short distance away, with her back turned, was unrecognizable from behind, but she seemed to be another trainee.

Yu Tingbai pondered for a moment before replying, “I understand, but ”

The girl interrupted her with a sob. “I really, really like you.”

So this is the “personal matter”?

An Qing gritted her teeth. Yu Tingbai, you skipped training just to come here and spend time with another girl? But then again, she was only a fiancée in name she had rejected Yu Tingbai first, and with her own pile of dark history, what right did she have to be angry?

The girl stepped forward as if to throw herself into Yu Tingbai’s arms.

Yu Tingbai sidestepped gracefully, leaving the other to stumble forward and grasp at air.

“I’ve already made myself clear to you.”

Under the faint starlight, that stunning face remained utterly indifferent, showing no trace of softness despite the other’s tears.

“Just this once. Even if you threaten me again with ‘I’ll die if you ignore me,’ I won’t come next time.”

An Qing’s knees ached.

Why did those words feel so fitting when applied to herself? Yu Tingbai, you heartless woman! How am I supposed to live like this? Wuwuwu.

“I would never die for you! You’re not worth it!”

The girl never expected the usually gentle Yu Tingbai to be so cold. Love instantly turned to hatred as she covered her face and ran off crying.

While running, she even shouted back: “I hope your future girlfriend cheats on you!”

An Qing: “…”

The scene ended so abruptly that An Qing stood frozen in the wind. She quietly turned around, trying to slip away, when a chilling voice sounded behind her.

“Heard enough?”

Footsteps approached, and a cold hand lightly pinched the back of her neck, sending a shiver down her spine.

An Qing stiffened, forcing out a difficult smile: “H-hi, what a coincidence.”

Yu Tingbai withdrew her hand and glanced at her: “Why are you here?”

An Qing answered honestly: “Wasn’t in good form, came out for a walk.”

Then, unwilling to let it go, she asked: “How did you notice me?”

Yu Tingbai gave her a look of utter disdain, pinching a strand of silver hair by her ear.

“Have you no self-awareness about how conspicuous this hair color is at night?”

An Qing: “…”

She’d been careless.

“Let’s go back.”

Yu Tingbai had returned to her usual composed self, appearing completely unaffected by the earlier incident. Wearing a long down jacket with her hands in the pockets, she walked ahead at a leisurely pace.

An Qing followed closely behind, her heart pounding.

At just eighteen, she was an extremely optimistic person who’d fought hard to survive she didn’t want to die so easily.

Yu Tingbai was someone who never showed her thoughts on her face. Though always smiling, it was impossible to guess what she was really thinking.

The earlier girl had given An Qing a strong sense of crisis with so many people liking Yu Tingbai, if she didn’t make a move, she’d just be leaving opportunities for others.

This couldn’t go on.

So An Qing quickened her steps, shamelessly moving closer and getting straight to the point: “Will you give me a chance?”

Yu Tingbai asked: “What chance?”

An Qing: “Our engagement.”

She added: “I was immature before and made many mistakes. I don’t want to break off the engagement you can just treat me like a contract worker. Let’s make a verbal agreement: if you’re satisfied with how things go during this period, we can renew.”

Swallowing her pride, she continued muttering: “You probably already know how I feel about you. I treat the role of ‘wife’ as a career, I’ll strictly adhere to professional ethics. Things like cheating would never”

Yu Tingbai stopped walking. The light from the streetlamp ahead illuminated her exquisitely defined profile. She tilted her head slightly, and An Qing once again saw that familiar playful glint in those captivating eyes.

“How long?”

An Qing’s shameful cowardice returned, but she feigned composure: “Two weeks. How’s that?”

She didn’t dare suggest anything longer, thinking gradual progress would be better.

Yu Tingbai blinked: “Three days.”

An Qing was stunned.

“Have you ever seen anyone haggle like that? Young people these days have no martial virtue!”

She tried to negotiate with Yu Tingbai: “Three days is too short. You’ll only see my beautiful exterior the charm of my soul needs more time to uncover.”

Yu Tingbai:

Just as An Qing thought she would be mercilessly rejected like the girl before her, the other party suddenly smiled.

The icy night around them instantly warmed.

“One month. Be on your best behavior.”