After Rebirth, I Ended Up with My Idol [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 17

An Rong had originally thought that they had enough material for the afternoon—one sentimental piece about being homesick and one “sand sculpture” group sing-along. With a bit of editing and post-production processing, it should make for four or five minutes of footage. She shouldn’t have to panic for a while. However, when she returned from her overtime session in the dance studio that evening, she found the dormitory was in full party mode.

With Xu Xiaoye leading the charge, several girls were dancing in the room, improvising to the music. Xu Xiaoye was practically an overwhelming force; difficult moves came to her effortlessly, and her transitions were incredibly smooth. Xiao Yu’s dancing style was completely different from the vibe she usually projected; normally an “ice queen” and an elegant lady, she became wild and powerful when she danced, facing off against Xia Chunhua.

Xia Chunhua also displayed a massive contrast, dancing like a “bad boy” and adding many small, playful flourishes.

An Rong took one look, and her gaze was glued to Xu Xiaoye, unable to pull away. Xu Xiaoye was like a charming flower; every toss of her head exuded a thousand different types of allure. Worse yet, she knew exactly how to use her movements and eyes to captivate an audience. The narrow hallway had become her small stage, and An Rong was her most loyal spectator.

Only at a time like this did An Rong not have to fear her gaze being discovered.

Xia Chunhua turned around and immediately spotted An Rong standing at the door, her face lighting up with a warm smile.

An Rong had a bad feeling and turned to slip away, but Xia Chunhua caught her from behind. Grabbing her arm, Xia Chunhua dragged her back, saying as they went, “Come on, come dance!”

As a member of the “uncoordinated limbs” species, An Rong did have four years of debut experience and some skills under her belt. The problem was that the current her hadn’t yet begun professional training. In her seventeen years, she had zero dance experience. Her application form likely stated this clearly. The current her shouldn’t know how to do this. Reborn or not, she had to be cautious and avoid saying or doing the wrong thing.

“I have no coordination,” An Rong protested, trying to decline. She was dragged forward by Xia Chunhua, moving almost inch by inch.

“Only tall people have no coordination. You’re about the same height as me; what do you mean ‘no coordination’?”

An Rong felt a direct hit to the heart. It wasn’t a good situation to refuse seriously, especially with the camera mounted nearby.

An Rong decided to go for broke. Throwing caution to the wind, she said, “I really don’t know how. Aside from the dance we just learned, the only thing I know is school calisthenics.”

Xu Xiaoye tossed her hair and chimed in seamlessly from the side, “Calisthenics is fine. It’s just for fun.”

Fine. If you say it’s fine, then it’s fine. So An Rong stepped up.

Next, to the slack-jawed astonishment of everyone present, she transformed a beat-heavy, rhythmic BGM into a literal performance of Good Luck. If she had been holding two fans in her hands, she could have dominated a public square and become the ultimate king of elderly lead dancers.

Within a minute, those involved in the dance-off were defeated by laughter. Xiao Yu retreated to the side, covering her mouth to laugh. Xu Xiaoye laughed so hard she bent over and pounded her legs as if she had just witnessed some legendary performance. Only Xia Chunhua managed to keep up with her rhythm for a bit, but after a few beats, she couldn’t keep up with An Rong’s soaring “Yangge Cross Step.” She leaned against the wall, laughing until tears came out.

An Rong somehow became the final winner, earning the laughter of the whole room. She had single-handedly transformed from an “idol goddess” into a frolicking public-square-dancing girl.

Wiping away tears, Xia Chunhua came over while twisting her hips and asked, “Hey, how do you do that? How do your feet go back and forth like that?”

Her twisting was completely wrong; her feet weren’t landing in the right spots.

Xu Xiaoye finally straightened up from laughing and advised Xia Chunhua, “What she’s doing isn’t dancing; she’s dancing out pure joy.”

An Rong glanced at Xu Xiaoye with a smile and ignored her, instead pointing at the cross-section of the floorboards to show Xia Chunhua how to step and switch feet.

Xia Chunhua had zero “idol baggage.” She studied the move diligently and was soon twisting along, her arms moving up and down with the beat. She and An Rong stood side-by-side, a pair of “demented” young girls.

After playing for a while, Xia Chunhua ran off and brought back a plush toy, holding it up excitedly for An Rong to see.

It was a grey-and-white Ragdoll cat, exquisite and beautiful. Its blue pupils looked incredibly real, with texture and luster, and the fur was smooth and shiny.

Xia Chunhua patted its head, and it actually moved—the top of its head nudged against Xia Chunhua’s palm.

“A gift for you.” Xia Chunhua held the cat up to An Rong’s face.

“Thank you, but… I’m allergic to cat hair.”

Xia Chunhua rubbed her face against it and said, “It’s fake. It’s a high-end simulation toy, not a real cat. This fur isn’t real cat hair either. It’s super obedient and feels amazing to touch. Try it.”

An Rong immediately shook her head. “It’s too expensive. I can’t accept it.”

Wang Yunshui rolled her eyes from the side and turned to leave. What a country bumpkin. ‘Allergic to cat hair,’ ‘too expensive.’ It’s just a toy—what’s expensive about it? She really acts like she’s never seen the world.

Xia Chunhua pressed the simulation cat into An Rong’s arms and shook her head. “It’s not expensive; I didn’t pay for it. I said I’d give you a plushie last time but forgot. I just remembered, so take it. I have another one anyway.”

An Rong remembered. These two simulation cats were the favorites of Xia Chunhua’s massive toy army, enjoying years of undisputed favor.

“This one is called Xiao Guai (Little Obedient). I have another one called A Lang (The Wanderer). They’re a pair. I’m giving you one.”

A pair. Give one, keep one.

If this weren’t Xia Chunhua, An Rong might have overthought it. But Xia Chunhua always acted according to her whims, giving whatever she felt like giving.

An Rong held the simulation cat, her hand instinctively stroking it from underneath. It felt smooth, almost like a real cat. An Rong’s gaze drifted toward Xu Xiaoye before she said to Xia Chunhua, “Thank you.”

Xia Chunhua grinned and shook her head. “Don’t mention it. Just share more of those pickles with me if you have any.”

“I still have a jar of pickled cucumbers. Do you want those?”

Xia Chunhua shook her head and pouted. “I don’t eat sour things; they make my teeth ache.”

Then that was it. She had only brought one jar of small chili peppers, and they had all gone to Xia Chunhua. An Rong said, “I’ll get you more next time I go home. When we get our phones back, I’ll ask my mom for the recipe. Do you want it?”

Xia Chunhua nodded frantically. “Yes, yes, yes!”

She had looked for recipes online herself, but the results never tasted right. Many hotels and restaurants had pickles, but few made pickled chili peppers, and even when they did, the taste was different.

That night, An Rong lay in bed, rubbing the cat’s ears with one hand. She asked hesitantly to Xu Xiaoye, who was sleeping in the bottom bunk, “Captain, are we always going to have to… be like this?”

Xu Xiaoye wasn’t asleep yet. Earlier that day, she had found an eye mask in the lining of her suitcase. Wearing the mask now, she whispered, “I don’t know, but once you use the same trick, it doesn’t work as well the second time.”

Singing and dancing—the editors would definitely only cut the parts with the best “gags.” Calculating it that way, daily life did seem a bit dull and uninteresting—not very watchable.

Four years had passed, and An Rong didn’t remember what the variety show had broadcasted in her previous life. But thinking about it now, if the others didn’t have any material, wouldn’t the broadcast turn into a compilation of her being a “sand sculpture”?

That would be a public broadcast of her losing face!

That probably wouldn’t do. After all, she was a pretty girl who cared about her image…

An Rong thought about various things for a while, hearing Xu Xiaoye say softly, “Don’t worry. Maybe the others will have things prepared tomorrow.”

There was only a week left until the report performance. They would definitely be filming then, and maybe even live-streaming. There had to be enough “highlights” in between to support another daily show, though that wasn’t really their concern.

Xu Xiaoye said, “Go to sleep.”

An Rong suddenly realized something was off. “Why aren’t you asleep yet?”

Xu Xiaoye was silent for a moment before saying, “It’s nothing. I’m going to sleep now.”

An Rong gave a hum of acknowledgment.

Xu Xiaoye waited for a long time, but no words came. She frowned slightly, pulled off her eye mask, and said, “You said last time you know how to give massages?”

An Rong’s eyes instantly widened.

Xu Xiaoye added, “Help me with a massage tomorrow.”

An Rong was so happy she could fly. She felt like she could go down and run ten laps around the building. This was a qualitative leap! Xu Xiaoye finally viewed her as one of her “own”!

A massive smile broke out on An Rong’s face. In the darkness, she suppressed her voice and said as calmly as possible, “Sure.”

Never mind tomorrow—if you want it, we can do it right now!

Author’s Note:

I know how to do the cross step, hahahahahaha.