The Plan to Save the Villainess Supporting Actress [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 21

Dazed.

The moment Tang Keyue entered the practice room, she saw Nan Zhi facing the wall. Moving closer, she noticed the delicate face bore only that single expression.

“Hey, Mount Nan, what’s wrong?” Tang Keyue teased, nudging Nan Zhi’s shoulder with a mischievous grin.

Mu Siqiong, standing nearby, asked curiously, “Mount Nan is Nan Zhi’s nickname?”

That’s a bit odd.

Tang Keyue covered her mouth, shaking with laughter, her eyebrows dancing. “Can’t say, can’t say! Hahaha!”

Mu Siqiong smiled faintly, assuming it was just an inside joke between them.

As for the subject of their teasing, Nan Zhi hadn’t heard a word of their conversation.

The shock from last night’s dream had completely short-circuited her brain.

Just a ten-second hug with Zhu Ran at the stairwell door, how could it lead to such a dream?

In the dream, that kiss had been far too bold. Even just recalling it made her face burn and her heart race.

The soft press of lips, the tingling slide of tongues, the gentle bites, the scorching breaths, the swallowed gasps and moans.

The overwhelming desire, crashing over her like stormy waves.

It was absurd.

“Ugh!”

Nan Zhi instinctively covered her face and collapsed to the floor in a curled-up ball.

Had she lost her mind?!

Tang Keyue turned her head. “What’s wrong? Huh, your neck’s all red.”

Shen Jiaying had just entered the practice room when the sight before her startled her.

A pink little worm was rolling on the floor, writhing and twisting wildly, letting out occasional wails.

“What’s this?” Shen Jiaying hesitantly asked her teammate nearby.

The other girl stifled a laugh and shook her head, indicating she had no idea.

The system, forced to endure the internal screaming, finally snapped: [Host, please maintain your dignity!]

Nan Zhi blinked back tears.

[Look on the bright side, it was just a dream. The female lead doesn’t even know you’re pining for her.]

[Stop! It’s not like that!]

The system tilted its head. [Hmm?]

Nan Zhi took a deep breath.

[It’s just a misunderstanding because I care too much about Zhu Ran.]

The system was skeptical. [Really?]

Yeah.

What else could it be?

Her thoughts were a tangled mess, with no clear thread to start unraveling.

Nan Zhi decided not to dwell on the flood of questions sprouting like bamboo shoots after rain.

[Could it be liking her?]

Liking?

Her toward Zhu Ran?

All the little doubts gathered into one big question: Do you like her?

Nan Zhi stared at the bold red marquee flashing in her mind, deep in thought.

The mental projection of Nan Zhi rarely wore such a solemn expression.

The system, a little ball of light, peeked at her while secretly rejoicing.

Has the host finally had an epiphany?

The next second, Nan Zhi’s expression shifted, as if she’d figured something out. The system perked up, gazing at her expectantly.

[I don’t know. I’ve never been in love before, so I can’t tell if this is what liking feels like.]

The little ball clenched its fists in frustration.

Stupid host!

–

“Same voting as yesterday?”

After singing the chorus, Mu Siqiong looked at the others.

Last night, Nan Zhi had suggested another vocal showdown, and everyone agreed. Today, Shen Jiaying and Mu Siqiong would each sing a section of the chorus.

Shen Jiaying went first her voice, like her personality, was sweet and charming.

Mu Siqiong’s tone was clearer and more ethereal, a completely different style from Shen Jiaying’s.

“Because I Like You” is inherently a rather upbeat song. Shen Jiaying’s style does align well with the characteristics of the piece, but Mu Siqiong’s contrasting vibe unexpectedly stands out even more.

With such strong competition, the performance of the center position is crucial. While Shen Jiaying is a suitable choice, she’s too predictable not striking enough.

As an audience member, the first reaction to seeing her is that it’s expected after all, she’s the only sweet girl in this group.

But this is a competition. If they lose the live performance, everyone will face brutal elimination.

Compared to Shen Jiaying, who merely “fits” the role, Mu Siqiong with her contrasting appeal and stage presence clearly captivates the audience more and leaves a deeper impression.

Exchanging glances, everyone silently made their choice.

Once the countdown ended, the rest of the teammates pointed to either Mu Siqiong or Shen Jiaying.

“Three, four, so it’s four versus six. The leader takes center stage!” Tang Keyue carefully counted before excitedly hugging Mu Siqiong. “Go for it, leader! I totally believe in you.”

She deliberately exaggerated her Taiwanese accent, making the last line sound both dramatic and hilarious, drawing laughter from the other girls.

Shen Jiying forced a faint smile and silently retreated to a corner, unable to even muster a word of congratulations.

As Shen Jiaying fell silent, the others exchanged uneasy glances, gradually losing the mood to joke around.

Xia Lan from Class B, who was sitting closest to Shen Jiaying, gently patted her back. “It’s okay, Jiaying. Everyone knows you did great too, right?”

Xia Lan raised her brows repeatedly, prompting the other girls to chime in with hurried words of comfort.

“Yeah, Jiaying, don’t be discouraged! You’d be perfect for the opening part!”

“Or maybe…” One of the girls who had initially chosen Shen Jiaying hesitated, her gaze flickering uncertainly. “We could split the center position? Jiaying takes the first half of the chorus, and the leader takes the second half?”

“I think what’s most important is conveying the song’s concept, so Jiaying might actually be more suited for the killing part.”

“Honestly, Jiaying just embodies this style better overall.”

Once the first girl spoke up, the others quickly followed, rushing to defend Shen Jiaying. Xia Lan’s hand hovered awkwardly over Shen Jiaying’s shoulder, unsure whether to pull back or not.

The atmosphere plummeted to freezing point, leaving everyone’s expressions stiff and uneasy.

Mu Siqiong looked around helplessly, her eyes darting toward the cameras positioned around the room.

[Host! It’s your time to shine!]

Nan Zhi steeled herself, pushing aside distractions as she stepped into the fray:

“Two centers? The center is the visual focal point of the entire song, the one who captures the audience’s attention and holds it. If there are two centers, how is that any different from having none at all?”

In a short four-minute song, the killing part appears only three times at most. Splitting the center role would only scatter the audience’s focus.

Especially for a newly debuted group when most casual viewers haven’t even learned who’s who dividing the center position does far more harm than good.

The first girl who had spoken, Shao Xiling, paled instantly. Her lips trembled briefly before she pressed them tightly together and turned away, unable to refute.

Nan Zhi then turned to the others. “Interpreting the style is important, of course, but it can’t just rely on appearance, right? We’re not just performing, we’re competing. Our opponents are A-team’s powerhouse vocalist Yu Yulin and—”

Zhu Ran.

The two words rippled softly between Nan Zhi’s lips and teeth.

The impact of that dream still lingered, and even the mere mention of that name carried a faint trace of ambiguity.

Eleven pairs of eyes fixed on Nan Zhi’s face, waiting for her to finish her sentence.

“Zhu Ran.”

The moment the two syllables left her lips, a desire both alluring and eerie slipped from her mouth into the ears of those eleven people.

Everyone witnessed it. No one would ever understand.

This hidden emotion.

It was Nan Zhi’s secret alone.

She took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in her heart, and locked her gaze onto Shen Jiaying.

“Are you confident you can surpass Zhu Ran?”

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