The Plan to Save the Villainess Supporting Actress [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 22

“How’s your group doing? What stage are you at?”

Xu Silan wore a sporty bra paired with loose-fitting sweatpants in the same color, revealing a glimpse of her snow-white waistline. A half-bloomed black rose tattoo flickered in and out of view as she moved.

Just moments ago, Nan Zhi had aggressively asked Shen Jiaying if she was confident she could win against Zhu Ran.

The response she got was a pair of tearful, reddened almond-shaped eyes and Shen Jiaying’s delicate retort: “Do you have some kind of problem with me?”

Before Nan Zhi could answer, the practice room door was suddenly flung open. Everyone hurriedly stood up to greet Xu Silan.

Mu Siqiong hesitated for a moment, her gaze lingering on Shen Jiaying’s fingertips as she wiped away her tears.

“Teacher Xu, we’re still voting for the center position,” Tang Keyue said, her eyes darting nervously.

Xu Silan raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Have you decided?”

“Not yet!”

“It’s decided,” Mu Siqiong suddenly spoke up. “It’s Shen Jiaying.”

Instantly, the room filled with a mix of puzzled, shocked, and dissatisfied glances directed at Mu Siqiong.

Even Shen Jiaying’s expression stiffened clearly, she hadn’t expected Mu Siqiong to concede the position.

Nan Zhi sighed softly. In the end, she hadn’t been able to stop this turn of events.

Xu Silan’s eyes swept across everyone’s faces.

Having spent years in the entertainment industry, how could these young girls’ thoughts escape her?

The center position in this group was bound to go to either Mu Siqiong or Shen Jiaying. Judging by their expressions, Mu Siqiong had likely been chosen, but Shen Jiaying wasn’t happy about it.

Xu Silan had arrived at an awkward moment, interrupting before a conclusion could be reached.

As the leader, Mu Siqiong had more factors to consider, and stepping down from the center position wasn’t entirely unreasonable.

However.

Xu Silan curled her lips into a smile devoid of warmth.

“Leader, what do you think is the most important quality in leading a team?”

Mu Siqiong paused, then answered uncertainly, “Unity?”

Xu Silan pressed further, “And?”

“Helping each other?”

Xu Silan glanced around the room and raised her voice slightly, addressing everyone, “What do you all think?”

The girls whispered among themselves, all seemingly at a loss.

Nan Zhi raised her hand. “May I answer?”

Xu Silan’s lips curved again as she gestured for Nan Zhi to continue.

“I believe a leader should have foresight and not just focus on the present. If they only prioritize resolving immediate conflicts while neglecting the bigger picture, it could be very dangerous for the entire team.”

Her words couldn’t have been clearer.

Mu Siqiong had voluntarily given up the center position to quell the dispute.

On the surface, it seemed like a resolution to the team’s conflict, but the consequences could be far more severe.

If their final performance turned out poorly and their group lost, the dissatisfaction would only grow.

Because from the very beginning, the voted center had been Mu Siqiong.

What if Mu Siqiong had remained the center?

Would they still have lost?

Nan Zhi’s words struck right at the heart of the matter but they were also too blunt.

Shen Jiaying’s face paled, her teeth sinking into her lower lip as her eyes reddened once more. The word “wronged” might as well have been written across her face.

One was straightforward, while the other silently shed tears.

Anyone could see the tension between them.

The atmosphere grew heavy, and no one spoke.

Xu Silan simply leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, watching the unfolding drama with amusement.

After a long silence, Mu Siqiong took a deep breath, her gaze toward Nan Zhi tinged with a hint of apology.

“I see. Thank you for reminding me. I’ll take more things into consideration in the future, and I hope everyone will keep an eye on me too.”

Nan Zhi raised an eyebrow. And then? That’s it?

“What about the rest of you? Anything else to add?” Xu Silan asked.

Tang Keyue and the others seemed somewhat dejected, while those who had voted for Shen Jiaying didn’t look particularly pleased either.

One of the girls nudged Shao Xiling lightly with her elbow.

“I kind of feel like Nan Zhi has a point,” she said hesitantly. “My roommate told me Zhu Ran is the center. Can Jiaying really beat Zhu Ran?”

Shao Xiling gave her a reassuring glance and scanned the camera briefly. “We’ll talk later.”

The girl still looked uneasy.

Shao Xiling had no choice but to lean in and whisper, “Don’t worry. Others might be uncertain, but if the opposing center is Zhu Ran, Jiaying will definitely win.”

The girl let out a sigh of relief and finally relaxed.

Shao Xiling, Zhu Ran, and Shen Jiaying were from the same company. Wouldn’t their own company know better than Nan Zhi, who had only just met them, whether Shen Jiaying could outperform Zhu Ran?

Then curiosity got the better of her, and she asked quietly, “Why are you so sure Jiaying will beat Zhu Ran?”

Shao Xiling put a finger to her lips mysteriously, her confident gaze settling on Shen Jiaying’s back.

Zhu Ran would definitely lose to Shen Jiaying.

Even though Zhu Ran had a couple of standout moments during the competition, making Shao Xiling wonder if she was really that good.

But Shen Jiaying had said Zhu Ran would mess up the theme song evaluation.

Sure enough, Zhu Ran ended up in Class F.

Others might not understand, but Shao Xiling or rather, everyone inside FN Entertainment knew.

Zhu Ran was nothing more than Shen Jiaying’s sidekick.

Shao Xiling narrowed her eyes and cast a mocking glance at Nan Zhi.

What good did it do to make such a logical argument?

Nan Zhi didn’t know Zhu Ran and Shen Jiaying’s history.

Whether in the past or now, Zhu Ran would never win against Shen Jiaying.

–

“Zhu Ran, Zhu Ran?” Yu Yulin patted Zhu Ran’s shoulder. “What are you thinking about? You’re so lost in thought.”

“Huh? Nothing.”

Zhu Ran blinked and instinctively pulled her shoulder away from the warmth of the other person’s hand.

When she realized what she’d done, she froze for a moment.

Yu Yulin didn’t seem to mind the small gesture and asked cheerfully if she’d be willing to take the center position.

“Me?” Zhu Ran’s surprise was evident.

Her teammate Jian Zhiyao couldn’t help but laugh. “Of course it’s you! Look at the rest of us is there anyone more suitable than you?”

The “Fool” team had only seven members. Aside from Zhu Ran and Yu Yulin from Group A, only Jian Zhiyao was from Group B.

Unlike “Because I Like You,” which had a distinct style and clear definition, “Fool” was an unfinished song.

In the era of short videos, many music creators would share snippets of their inspiration with the public through brief clips.

“Fool” was one of the most iconic examples.

A one-minute video, accompanied only by a guitar, with the composer humming softly.

Within 48 hours of its release, it went viral.

Later, the composer tried multiple times to complete the song but was never satisfied, so “Fool” remained unfinished.

The show’s adapted version retained the song’s original slow tempo, making it smooth overall but relatively steady.

Although the team members weren’t particularly dance-oriented performers, completing the dance routine wasn’t actually difficult.

The real challenge was how to stand out within such a steady rhythm.

Yu Yulin exchanged a glance with her teammates, and everyone’s expressions mirrored each other filled with unwavering trust.

“We discussed it yesterday, and we all agreed the center position has to be you,” Yu Yulin said with a playful smile. “But don’t feel pressured! As long as we all give our best on stage and leave no regrets, that’s what matters. Winning or losing isn’t important!”

“Exactly! I don’t know about you guys, but I chose Fool because I wanted to try something different,” Jian Zhiyao pointed at herself and made an exaggerated face. “Since we’re here, we might as well step out of our comfort zones and try something new!”

“We’re already here, let’s just make this performance great. Like our leader said, no regrets!”

“Zhu Ran, don’t be nervous! We’re all good people, haha!”

One after another, they spoke as if they had already accepted the possibility of losing, yet their enthusiasm never waned. Instead, there was a fiery determination to charge forward despite the odds.

For the first time, Zhu Ran found herself surrounded by such fervor, her eyes brimming with uncertainty.

One of her teammates noticed her unease and cracked a joke with a grin.

Zhu Ran lifted her gaze.

The six girls’ youthful faces were alight with smiles, each one radiating trust toward her.

In a daze, Zhu Ran remembered that rainy day on the rooftop, when Nan Zhi had cupped her face and told her that many people would come to love her in the future.

Back then, she hadn’t imagined that the future Nan Zhi spoke of would rush into her world so swiftly.

Something in her heart seemed to melt away softly.

Yu Yulin stretched out her hand with a smile. “Let’s work hard together.”

Jian Zhiyao immediately placed her hand on top, pouting in mock offense. “How can you say ‘together’ and leave me out?!”

“Yeah, yeah! Me too, let’s all do it!”

Six hands stacked together, forming a small tower.

The girls looked at Zhu Ran with hopeful eyes.

“Come on! We’re waiting for you, Zhu Ran!”

A cool, pale hand gently joined the pile, and Zhu Ran couldn’t help but curve her lips into a smile.

The white tower shot up toward the sky as the girls cheered, shouting words of encouragement.

“Team Fool, no regrets!!”

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