CHAPTER 54: DANCE FIGHT

The cheers from the previous round of the dance competition faded into a hum as the contestants left the stage one by one.

Lanterns glowed overhead, warm golds, soft pinks, gentle whites, casting halos on the wooden platform.

The evening breeze rustled the decorative ribbons tied around the pillars, causing them to flutter like dancing tails.

Chi Huaijin sat comfortably beside her father, legs swinging freely under the bench. In her hands was a small bag of popcorn, caramel-coated, warm, and delicious.

She grabbed a handful and popped them into her mouth one after another as she watched Chi Yuanying and Liang Lingzhi bicker backstage.

"Father, look," Huaijin said around a mouthful of popcorn. "They’re fighting again."

Yuanfeng sighed beside her, rubbing his temples. "There’s always trouble where Yuanying is."

"And Lingzhi too," Huaijin muttered with a smirk. "Those two were made for each other."

Her father almost laughed, but before he could respond, the two elementary school divas marched back to the front of the stage.

Chi Yuanying stepped up first, chin lifted high, her icy-blue hanfu swaying elegantly with every step.

She flipped open her fan with unnecessary force and declared loudly into the microphone:

"I, Chi Yuanying, challenge Liang Lingzhi to a second round!"

The audience murmured, some excited, some confused.

Liang Lingzhi, whose torn sleeve from earlier had been hurriedly sewn with visible stitches, flinched. She stepped forward with a scowl.

"You already won one round!" Lingzhi snapped. "What more do you want?"

Yuanying’s smile was cold and triumphant. "To humiliate you completely."

A chorus of "oooooooh" rose from the crowd.

Huaijin popped another kernel into her mouth as she grinned. "Daddy, it’s starting again, their cat-dog fight!" she said cheerfully.

Yuanfeng, however, was looking less amused and more tired of the drama these little noble-born children kept inventing.

Liang Lingzhi bristled. "You think you can beat me again? Fine!"

She stepped forward, but before she could take her position on stage, Yuanying’s eyes slid to Huaijin. Her gaze sharpened like a blade.

"No," she said suddenly, her voice dripping with smugness. "Liang Lingzhi isn’t worth it anymore."

The audience gasped collectively. Even the lanterns seemed to flicker at that moment.

Yuanying smirked and turned dramatically, pointing her fan straight toward Huaijin.

"This time, I challenge my little cousin, Chi Huaijin!"

For a brief moment, the entire festival turned silent.

Even Huaijin froze, her popcorn halfway to her mouth.

"...Ha?" she mumbled around a caramel-coated kernel.

The entire crowd burst into noise at once.

"She challenged who?"

"Isn’t Huaijin like... really tiny?"

"But she’s cute! Maybe she’ll dance well?"

"Wait, isn’t Yuanying older? That’s unfair!"

"Maybe she’s picking an easy win after Lingzhi embarrassed her earlier."

Yuanfeng choked on his tea. "What?? Huaijin?? Why is she dragging you into this?"

Meanwhile, Liang Lingzhi stared at Yuanying as if the girl had grown an extra head. "You’re fighting her now? She’s barely ten!"

"Age doesn’t matter," Yuanying said haughtily. "She’s still a Chi family girl. She should represent our prestige properly... unless she’s scared?"

That last word carried clear provocation.

Huaijin slowly lowered her popcorn. She looked at her father, then at the cheering crowd, then at Yuanying.

"...I wasn’t even involved," she muttered. "Why me? Why not fight the boy they like instead?"

But Chi Yuanying didn’t stop.

She took another step, voice rising proudly.

"Chi Huaijin, do you dare accept my challenge?!"

The crowd roared. Some chanted—

"Accept! Accept! Accept!"

Others gasped dramatically.

A few boys in the front row looked genuinely thrilled at the idea of another dance performance, especially if it involved pretty girls twirling around.

Song Jue, the school’s golden boy and main protagonist, stood among the audience with eyes wide, clutching a stick of sugar haw. His mouth hung open. "Huh? Why that lil’ chick, Huaijin?!"

Yun Jue, the small boy with wolf-like eyes whom Huaijin called "little brother," looked even more alarmed. His fingers curled tightly around the sleeve of his uniform.

"...Sis shouldn’t go," he muttered.

Beside him, Liang Lingzhi crossed her arms, equally stunned yet impressed. "Wow. Your cousin is really brave... or stupid."

Huaijin slammed her popcorn bag down.

The bench shook.

She stood up, cracking her knuckles loudly and deliberately.

Crack crack crack—!

The sound was sharp enough to silence the row of kids behind her, because her irritation right now burned like a tiny flame ready to become a bonfire.

She hated arrogant brats who carried the Chi family name like a crown, and she hated being underestimated.

And most of all—

She hated being dragged into someone else’s stupid feud.

She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and marched toward the stage.

"Huaijin—" Yuanfeng started, alarmed. "Wait—!"

But she didn’t.

Her eyes locked onto Yuanying, who smirked like a victorious queen preparing to wipe out her enemies.

Huaijin climbed onto the stage with a bounce, her small figure dwarfed by the lanterns above her. But her steps were firm, her chin high, her presence surprisingly sharp.

She stopped in front of Yuanying.

"...You want to dance against me?" Huaijin asked, voice cold.

Yuanying smirked. "Scared?"

Huaijin smiled sweetly.

"Scared? No," she said. "Annoyed? Definitely."

The audience erupted with laughter.

Yuanying’s smirk flickered, but she regained it quickly. "Let’s see if you can keep up then."

Huaijin’s eyes gleamed mischievously.

"Oh, don’t worry," she replied. "I’ll make sure you regret choosing me."

The crowd screamed.

A teacher ran up the stage, desperate to stop the chaos. "Girls, this wasn’t in the schedule. Maybe you should—"

Yuanying interrupted arrogantly, "Teacher, the audience is excited. It would be rude to disappoint everyone."

The teacher hesitated. The audience’s passionate cheering made backing out impossible now.

She sighed. "Fine. One more round. But keep it peaceful! And definitely no hurting each other!"

Peaceful was the last thing on anyone’s mind.

The music began, a lively, elegant guzheng melody that seemed designed to test agility.

Yuanying stepped forward first.

Her movements were graceful, refined, and clearly practiced for weeks. Everything about her screamed "Young Miss of the Chi family."