Oops! I Became a Fan of My Rival Idol! - Chapter 28

The comment section was suddenly flooded with discussions about shipping couples, leaving Qiao Huihui feeling suffocated.

 

She had never expected such a development when she posted the Weibo and now wished she could go back in time to delete it.

 

Seeing the comments grow increasingly detailed—even coming up with a ship name—Qiao Huihui quickly typed a response.

 

LovePaintingQiaoQiaoV: No shipping under my Weibo!

 

RoundRoundRolling: Why not? I think they’re a great match! Both are gorgeous—one fiery and passionate, the other cool and elegant—and they’re both incredibly talented, ranking first and second last time…

 

A fan listed all the reasons Le Xingshan and Shen Nanqing were compatible, and the more Qiao Huihui read, the more bitter she felt. Especially when she saw the rankings—she thought indignantly, Does third place not deserve a mention?

 

In a fit of frustration, she replied: I said no shipping means no shipping! I’m a solo stan! A career stan! I only want my sister to shine alone!

 

Still feeling aggrieved, she rushed to Shen Nanqing’s Weibo and commented: Sister, you’re not allowed to date! A proper idol should focus on her career!

 

The thought that Shen Nanqing was her rival but got shipped with others made Qiao Huihui seethe even in her sleep. She wished she could fly to Shen Nanqing’s side right then and force her to swear off dating.

 

Early the next morning, she packed her bags to return to the filming base.

 

At home, she had nothing to do but laze around, and with the second performance approaching, she couldn’t afford to slack off for too long as the center and leader of her team.

 

After some thought, she decided to go back and train hard.

 

When Qiao Huihui wheeled her suitcase into the dorm, it was, unsurprisingly, empty. After putting away her things, she headed straight to the practice room.

 

“Huihui, you’re back!” Xia Niao spotted her the moment she pushed the door open.

 

She hurried over and asked, “Why’d you come back so early?”

 

Qiao Huihui changed into her dance shoes and looked up. “Got bored at home. Figured I’d come back early to practice.”

 

Xia Niao hesitated before asking, “So… how were your grades?”

 

Qiao Huihui: “Not bad.”

 

Xia Niao instantly understood. As an academic underachiever herself, she often brushed off questions about her grades with a vague “not bad,” which really meant mediocre.

 

She swallowed further questions, determined to be a considerate friend who wouldn’t reopen wounds.

 

Unfortunately, the others didn’t know the context. Seeing Qiao Huihui return, her teammates grew curious about her results.

 

They crowded around and asked, “Huihui, what’d you score?”

 

Without looking up, Qiao Huihui replied, “Seven-thirty.” As if it were no big deal.

 

The practice room erupted in gasps of amazement.

 

Only Xia Niao stood frozen like a fool.

 

She grabbed Qiao Huihui’s arm. “Say that again—how much?”

 

Qiao Huihui gave her a puzzled look. “Seven-thirty!”

 

Xia Niao wailed in despair, “I’m such an idiot!”

 

She was referring to how she’d been fooled, but Qiao Huihui didn’t get the subtext. Still, never one to pass up an opportunity, she immediately shot back, “Took you this long to realize?”

 

Xia Niao, even more incensed, stomped off to a corner to sulk.

 

The rest of the team, meanwhile, surrounded Qiao Huihui, gazing at her with admiration and excitement.

 

“Oh my god, 730 points! That must be the top scorer in the province!”

 

“Suddenly, our team captain seems so much more impressive in my eyes!”

 

“There was actually an academic god hidden among us!”

 

People naturally admire excellence, and everyone has experienced education and the aura of top students. Since childhood, parents have repeatedly emphasized the importance of befriending good students and learning from them. Therefore, most people hold their classmates who excel academically in high regard.

 

Moreover, Qiao Huihui couldn’t even be considered just an ordinary top student anymore—she deserved to be elevated to the status of an academic deity.

 

For a while, Qiao Huihui gained even more admiration and closeness from her teammates, which was an unexpected bonus.

 

Hearing that Qiao Huihui had returned, Le Xingshan from the neighboring practice room came over to visit.

 

She peeked her head through the doorway and smiled at Qiao Huihui.

 

Flattered, Qiao Huihui quickly walked over and asked, “Is there something you need, sister?”

 

Le Xingshan shook her head. “I just heard you were back and came to see you.”

 

Qiao Huihui invited her in to chat, while the others didn’t dare to approach.

 

In the eyes of the other contestants, Le Xingshan was someone who naturally exuded an aura of authority, giving off such an intimidating presence that they didn’t dare get too close.

 

“How were your results?”

 

“Not bad, 730.”

 

Le Xingshan raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. “Wow~ Our Huihui is amazing!”

 

When others praised her, Qiao Huihui didn’t feel particularly special, but being complimented by her idol made her incredibly excited. Her face turned slightly red, though she modestly replied, “It’s alright, just alright.”

 

Seeing this, Le Xingshan chuckled and pinched her cheek. “No need to be humble with me.”

 

Qiao Huihui felt embarrassed and was about to say something else when she suddenly noticed Shen Nanqing standing behind Le Xingshan.

 

She had no idea how long Shen Nanqing had been there.

 

Their eyes met abruptly, and Shen Nanqing’s expression was icy enough to freeze someone to death. Without a word, she turned and walked away.

 

Noticing Qiao Huihui’s sudden stiff expression, Le Xingshan curiously raised an eyebrow and glanced behind her.

 

The hallway was empty—there was nothing there.

 

She turned back and asked, “What’s wrong?”

 

Qiao Huihui shook her head, her mind in turmoil, but she forced herself to appear calm. “It’s nothing.”

 

Le Xingshan knew she was hiding something, but she didn’t press further and tactfully changed the subject.

 

She quite liked this adorable little fan and didn’t want to see her looking so unsettled, so she decided to tease the girl into smiling.

 

Placing her hands on Qiao Huihui’s shoulders, she leaned in close to her ear and whispered, “How’s your practice going? Does your big idol need to lend you a helping hand?”

 

At this, Qiao Huihui forgot everything else, her face lighting up with surprise.

 

“Do you have time?”

 

“Of course. I’ve pretty much finished my own practice,” Le Xingshan replied casually, her tone full of confidence.

 

Qiao Huihui couldn’t help but feel a little envious, though her excitement as a fan grew even stronger. There was nothing more satisfying for fans than seeing their idol excel in their craft.

 

Still, she hesitated, unsure whether to accept the offer.

 

After repeatedly asking, “Are you sure your own dance practice is going well?” and receiving Le Xingshan’s assurances, she finally agreed.

 

The two walked to a secluded corner, heads bent together over a tablet as they discussed intently, completely unaware of how many people were watching them openly or covertly.

 

Yu Xiaoman’s hopes were utterly dashed, her heart filled with disappointment. As she danced, she kept stealing glances at the pair in the corner. Needless to say, her performance suffered, and she nearly twisted her ankle—luckily, Xia Niao happened to pass by and caught her in time.

 

“Xiaoman, be careful.”

 

“Mm, thank you,” Yu Xiaoman replied softly, her heart still fluttering with lingering fear.

 

Twisting her ankle wasn’t the real concern—what truly worried her was the possibility of missing the stage performance and wasting this opportunity. She stole another glance at Qiao Huihui’s profile, thinking to herself that she absolutely had to dance with her at least once.

 

Meanwhile, Qiao Huihui and Le Xingshan finished analyzing the choreography from the instructor’s video and began practicing—one guiding, the other dancing.

 

As she watched, Le Xingshan’s eyes sparkled with admiration.

 

Qiao Huihui danced exceptionally well, a true natural. Her talent had already shown glimpses during her last stage performance, but seeing it up close like this only confirmed it.

 

The previous song hadn’t demanded much expressiveness, and its style had aligned well with Qiao Huihui’s image. But this song was different—not only were the moves more challenging, but the overall vibe was a complete departure from her usual demeanor.

 

When Qiao Huihui finished, Le Xingshan smiled and said, “That was great! But just like the mentor said, you’re a bit like a dancing machine—your expression and energy are a little too tense.”

 

Being called out on her flaws dampened Qiao Huihui’s spirits, and she pouted slightly.

 

Still, she listened attentively as Le Xingshan continued, her tone shifting: “But being an idol isn’t the same as acting. You don’t need top-tier acting skills—just grasp about seventy or eighty percent of the emotion, manage your expressions well, and if both your singing and dancing are solid, you’ll already be a great idol.”

 

Qiao Huihui nodded thoughtfully, absorbing every word, when Le Xingshan suddenly asked, “You pulled it off so convincingly last time—why can’t you do it now?”

 

Last time…

 

Qiao Huihui thought to herself, last time she had a teacher guiding her. This time, without one, of course she couldn’t manage it.

 

Seeing the girl’s mind drift away again, Le Xingshan shook her head helplessly, flicking Qiao Huihui’s forehead to snap her back to attention.

 

“Come on, I’ll teach you.”

 

Taking Qiao Huihui’s hand, she guided her step by step through the expressions and demeanor.

 

……

 

Le Xingshan ended up staying with their team the entire morning. At first, the other members watched with curiosity, but as time passed, they lost interest and went about their own business.

 

By noon, she naturally joined them for lunch. As they walked side by side, Qiao Huihui hesitated before asking, “Jiejie, are you sure it’s okay for you to stay with our team the whole time?”

 

Le Xingshan was, after all, the leader of her own team. In principle, she should be responsible for guiding her own members—yet here she was, neglecting her duties to coach a rival team, even helping Qiao Huihui, her competitor. Worried she might be holding her idol back, Qiao Huihui felt uneasy.

 

But Le Xingshan brushed it off casually, smiling without concern. “Our team… just having Jian Luobai is enough to keep them busy. If I joined in on the teaching too, we’d probably be labeled as demon instructors.”

 

No sooner had she spoken than—speak of the devil—Jian Luobai appeared, walking toward them with Shu Bailian by her side.

 

Since they were all acquainted, it was only natural to exchange greetings. Jian Luobai approached, her expression earnest. “Huihui, congratulations on your excellent results.”

 

Qiao Huihui was stunned, her eyes widening. “How did you know?”

 

Shu Bailian smiled. “It’s all over the place now—they’re saying you’re a genius, the top scorer in the college entrance exams.”

 

She felt an immense satisfaction inside. Others might not know, but today she had seen it with her own eyes—Xiao Ninglu, who usually carried herself with such arrogance, had reacted first with disbelief, then with utter devastation upon hearing the news.

 

Her face had turned ashen, a sight that brought indescribable gratification.

 

The only pity was that she was outside now and couldn’t burst into laughter or share the good news with Qiao Huihui immediately. She’d have to hold it in until they got back to the dorm.