Oops! I Became a Fan of My Rival Idol! - Chapter 12

After seeing the other as her idol, the newly minted little fan excitedly grabbed Shen Nanqing’s hand and said fervently, “Sister Qingqing, I believe in you—you’ll definitely debut! I pick you!”

Shen Nanqing was momentarily stunned before letting out a soft laugh. She didn’t grasp the true meaning behind those words, thinking instead that the girl was simply cheering her on with a childlike earnestness and innocence that was utterly endearing.

The words lifted her spirits, and a smile unconsciously curved her lips, once again leaving Qiao Huihui spellbound.

So even a beauty as icy as her could smile with such breathtaking radiance—like snow melting under the spring breeze, warm and revitalizing…

Now fully immersed in her fangirl persona, Qiao Huihui felt her heart race at the sight of her idol’s mesmerizing smile, so captivating it could make one’s knees weak. Overwhelmed, she blurted out without thinking, “Sister, you’re so beautiful when you smile.”

Shen Nanqing’s gaze faltered, the tips of her ears tinged pink.

Qiao Huihui suddenly realized what she had just said and was struck with embarrassment. Biting her lip, she lowered her head, silent as a mouse.

The atmosphere grew heavy with silence.

Finally, Shen Nanqing broke the tension. “Let’s start practicing,” she said.

Snapping out of her daze, Qiao Huihui mumbled an agreement and took her place in the practice area, deliberately ignoring the awkwardness from moments ago.

Both threw themselves into the dance, focusing intently on perfecting their moves.

Repeating the routine over and over was exhausting, and soon, fine beads of sweat dotted Shen Nanqing’s forehead. Pausing for a few seconds, she undid the top two buttons of her shirt.

Qiao Huihui caught a glimpse of the delicate collarbone beneath, where a small but noticeable red mole stood out.

She averted her gaze, her throat suddenly dry.

…

As the trainees wrapped up their training, the day of the rehearsal arrived.

To avoid fostering unhealthy competition and unnecessary pressure, the production team arranged for each group to rehearse separately, with the mentors providing feedback on their strengths and weaknesses.

Le Xingshan’s group went first. Qiao Huihui was even more nervous than the performers themselves, nearly jumping out of her skin as she cheered from afar, “Go, sister! You can do it!”

Beside her, Shen Nanqing pressed her lips together, an inexplicable displeasure flickering across her expression.

Does she call everyone “sister”?

When it was their group’s turn, Qiao Huihui blended into the middle of the formation, going through the motions without much thought. Untrained in expression management, her face remained blank throughout the routine. Though her movements were precise, something about her performance felt off.

After their performance, Fan Wei was the first to speak. “The overall effect isn’t bad.”

But then his expression shifted as he turned to Qiao Huihui. “Your execution is flawless, but there’s no emotion behind it. It feels like…”

Chu Junling chimed in, “A soulless dancing machine.”

“Exactly.” Fan Wei frowned. “It’s as if you’re treating this dance as just another task. Your expression never changes.”

Qiao Huihui shrank under the criticism like a student caught slacking off.

Fan Wei wasn’t done yet. “Your center position is well-chosen—Shen Nanqing’s dancing is captivating. However, there’s a slight flaw in her movements; they’re not entirely polished.”

Finally, he sighed, “Qiao Huihui’s movements, Shen Nanqing’s emotions… If only you two were one person. Truly, you can’t have your cake and eat it too?”

The atmosphere grew tense as the contestants lowered their heads like scolded schoolchildren.

Chu Junling smiled to ease the tension: “Relax a little. Our teacher Fan Wei is a bit of a perfectionist. But if Qiao Huihui and Shen Nanqing could learn from each other, the results would indeed be even better.”

Qiao Huihui and Shen Nanqing exchanged glances.

Simultaneously, they said, “Thank you for your advice, teachers.”

Chu Junling nodded and let them leave.

Online, news was released that The Dazzling You would hold its first official competition in three days, with live tickets now available for purchase.

Although the show had only aired one episode so far, the sheer power of capital couldn’t be underestimated. The pre-show promotion was everywhere, and the contestants either came with their own fanbases or had gained many followers from the preview episode. As a result, ticket sales were fiercely competitive.

Yang Qingqing struggled tremendously before managing to snag one live ticket. She kissed the purchase screenshot, then immediately rushed to Qiao Huihui’s Weibo to show off.

GreenCanvas: Huihui, your big sister is coming to see you soon!

Of course, Qiao Huihui herself wouldn’t see the comment, but other fans noticed it clearly—especially with the attached ticket screenshot.

They were green with envy, turning into a bunch of sour lemons.

DawnArrives: OP, did you spend twenty years single to get that hand speed? I’m jealous.

WhiteLolo: I want to see the live show too…

HuihuiIsMyWife: OP, lock your doors and windows at night. I crawl through sewers fast—watch out or I’ll steal your ticket.

Thanks to her stunning debut in the first episode, Qiao Huihui had quickly amassed a large following. While many were just fans of her looks, there were also plenty of diehard supporters.

In this era, fan power was formidable. Qiao Huihui’s fans promptly set up a fan club for her, complete with group chats and hashtag hubs, organizing themselves to vote and promote her rankings with military precision.

Even her interactions with others on the show had spawned several new CPs in record time.

One was the “Honey Peach CP”—her pairing with Le Xingshan.

The other was “Summer with Qiao Mu”—her pairing with Xia Niao.

The two CP factions fought tooth and nail, each declaring themselves the one true pairing while dismissing the other as heresy!

But since her interactions with Le Xingshan were undeniably flirtatious—especially the moment when Le Xingshan gave her candy, which had gone viral online—the “Honey Peach CP” currently reigned supreme in popularity.

Once a CP was born, fans would scrutinize every frame of footage, digging for crumbs of sweetness in the tiniest corners.

Thus, in the preview episode, every interaction between Qiao Huihui and Le Xingshan was screenshot and analyzed obsessively. Fans dissected their gazes, tones of voice, even casual gestures—concluding that their chemistry was magnetic. Within just a few days, fanfics and CP fanvids had already flooded the internet.

CP fans were so fervent they practically wanted the whole world to know their ship was real.

Hey sis, you seem kind and beautiful—want to invest in our Honey Peach CP? Guaranteed profit, 100% authentic!

After yet another late-night practice session, Qiao Huihui and Shen Nanqing didn’t rush back to the dorm. Instead, they strolled leisurely side by side across the field.

Qiao Huihui suddenly sighed.

Shen Nanqing immediately looked over. “What’s wrong?”

“Teacher Fan Wei’s explanation about facial expressions… I really can’t grasp it. There are only two days left, and I’m so afraid I’ll end up holding you all back.” She kicked aside a small pebble blocking the path, her expression troubled.

Shen Nanqing stopped walking and turned her head.

With a hesitant expression, she said, “If you want to learn… I can teach you a relatively simple technique.”

Hearing this, Qiao Huihui’s eyes lit up.

And she unleashed an unrestrained stream of flattery: “Qingqing-jie, how do you know everything? You’re amazing!”

Shen Nanqing lowered her eyes, slightly embarrassed. “It’s just a basic acting technique for beginners.”

Qiao Huihui’s eyes grew even brighter. “Wow! Qingqing-jie, are you an actress? No wonder you can dance with so much emotion!”

Shen Nanqing gave a soft “Mm.”

Looking at Qiao Huihui’s admiring gaze, she smiled bitterly in her heart—she was just an obscure actress who had been playing minor roles for years without recognition.

But at this moment, she felt an inexplicable stubbornness, not wanting to tell Qiao Huihui the truth that she wasn’t impressive at all.

The sky tinged with the first light of dawn, the camphor trees swaying in the breeze, the red rubber track with its distinct smell, and the girl with sparkling eyes—the scene was so beautiful it made her heart tremble slightly.

“Come on, Teacher Shen, I’m ready!”

The girl’s lively voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Looking at Qiao Huihui’s earnest expression before her, Shen Nanqing’s lips curled slightly.

“When you do this move, smile a little…”

“Then at this part, look at the camera and give a slight nod.”

“Right before the end, wink at the camera.”

After Shen Nanqing finished speaking, Qiao Huihui tilted her head, thought for a moment, and then followed the instructions. She danced a short segment, then smiled softly and nodded, finally ending with a wink of her right eye at Shen Nanqing.

Just then, the sun rose, its crimson glow breaking through the misty blue sky, stunning Shen Nanqing so much her eyes brightened.

“Teacher Shen, was that right?” The girl stood with the light behind her, yet she herself was even more dazzling than the light.

Shen Nanqing didn’t answer. She felt her heartbeat growing somewhat uncontrollable, her expression blank for a moment.

Facing the other’s expectant gaze, she struggled to look away, forcing her tone to remain calm. “You were… really cute just now.”