The Main Characters Won't Stop Pampering Me!-Chapter 57: Prize Giving Ceremony

"Okay."

"And I’m not cute!"

"You are."

"Stop saying it!"

"Okay."

"You’re doing it on purpose again!"

"Mm."

"Argh!!"

Even as she shouted, Yuanying’s eyes were no longer red with humiliation. Her shoulders had loosened. Her breathing was steadier. She was still angry, still embarrassed, but no longer hurting.

It looked like the storm had passed safely, which brought a smile to Huaijin’s lips.

In reality, no matter how aggressively Yuanying acted towards Huaijin, the latter couldn’t help but feel that the kid was being cute rather than being dangerous, which left Yuanying confused about how to behave towards this bold little girl who was staring at her strangely and laughing about something.

Huaijin, seeing that the emotional damage had settled, gently tied up the first-aid kit and looked Yuanying straight in the eye.

"I don’t hate you, little cousin," she said honestly.

Yuanying jerked slightly.

"And I don’t want to steal anything from you," Huaijin continued. "Not your grandfather. Not your family. Not Song Jue. Not your place in the Chi family."

Yuanying’s breath stuck.

"You can keep it," Huaijin finished softly.

Yuanying’s throat constricted.

"Then... what do you want...?" she whispered, barely audible.

Huaijin smiled faintly, her eyes curved like crescents.

"I want to make money."

Yuanying stared.

Blink.

Blink.

"...what?"

"Money."

"...money."

"Yes."

Yuanying’s brain rebooted slowly.

"...so... you’re not here to take my family?"

"No."

"...or Song Jue?"

"No."

"...you only want money?"

"Yes."

"...why money?"

"Because money can buy food."

Yuanying stared at Huaijin as if she had grown a second head.

"...you’re weird."

"Well, so are you." Huaijin made a snorting sound with her nose dramatically, which earned her a sound of laughter from Yuanying.

And just like that, the atmosphere between them softened.

Yuanying wiped her cheeks with her sleeve again, but this time she wasn’t crying.

"...you’re still annoying," she muttered.

"And you’re still dramatic."

Yuanying pouted.

But she didn’t deny it.

After a long pause, she finally spoke in a small voice.

"...I still don’t like you."

"Mm."

"But I don’t hate you... as much now."

"Mm."

"And I still like Song Jue."

"Your problem."

"And you shouldn’t call him tofu block!"

"He is a tofu block."

Yuanying shot her a betrayed glare.

But she was no longer trembling. No longer overwhelmed. No longer drowning in her own insecurities.

For the first time, Yuanying looked like just what she truly was:

A lonely, confused, prideful child trying desperately to hold onto a world she thought she was losing.

Huaijin sighed lightly, patting her shoulder again.

"You’ll grow past this one day."

Yuanying frowned faintly.

"...will I?"

"Yes."

"And what about... you and me?"

Huaijin tilted her head thoughtfully.

"...we’ll fight," she said simply. "But not in a bad way."

Yuanying blinked. "Not in a bad way...?"

"Mm." Huaijin nodded. "Like rivals. Or sisters. Or annoying friends."

Yuanying stared for a long moment.

"...you’re weird," she repeated softly.

But this time, there was a tiny smile tugging the corners of her lips.

And Huaijin smiled back.

A small, gentle, knowing smile.

Because despite this child’s fated role...

Yuanying was not a villainess.

She was just a girl who loved too deeply and feared too much.

A pitiful little side character who only wanted to protect the life she thought belonged to her.

And Huaijin?

Huaijin could never hate someone like that.

She stepped back, dusted her small hands, and offered Yuanying her hand.

"Come on," she said. "The festival isn’t over. If you sit here too long, someone else might steal your tofu block."

"Don’t call him that!"

"Fine. Your... soy pudding."

"THAT’S EVEN WORSE!"

Their childish voices echoed down the backstage corridor—

—and for the first time, Yuanying laughed out loud.

When Chi Huaijin and Chi Yuanying finally returned from backstage while bickering, squabbling, poking each other’s cheeks, and stepping on each other’s shoes like two quarrelsome kittens, everyone froze in awe.

Liang Lingzhi gaped as if she were seeing something supernatural.

Yuanfeng... stared, confused, fatherly, and wary.

Yun Jue, who was leaning against a pillar, lifted an eyebrow slightly when he saw the two girls walking together, one with reddened eyes but no longer sobbing, the other with a tiny satisfied smile that only someone who knew her well would recognize.

He had been watching from a distance. He had seen how Yuanying stormed off the stage, and Huaijin followed her.

He had also seen Song Jue panic and attempt to go after them, only to be blocked by a panicked teacher shouting, "You’re in the next group! Don’t run!"

So when the two came out together, alive, uninjured, and somehow... closer?

Yun Jue’s neutral eyes softened for a moment.

’Looks like it’s that little girl again. She is imposing, I guess.’

Though he wasn’t able to avoid Yuanfeng’s glare, which was staring a hole into his head.

Who was thinking: Why does this ten-year-old boy look at my daughter like he is assessing her psychological state??

Back off, small brat.

But since the festival was reaching its grand finale, no one had time to question what happened backstage. The emcee’s voice echoed through the speakers:

"Everyone, please gather near the main stage! The prize-giving ceremony is about to begin!"

Children from the three participating schools rushed in groups, teachers trying to herd them into neat lines, failing miserably, trying again, still failing.

It was chaos.

A festive, loud, sticky-with-cotton-candy chaos.

Huaijin tugged her father’s sleeve excitedly and pulled him toward the stage. Yun Jue followed at a leisurely pace, hands in pockets, as if he had all the time in the world. Song Jue rushed ahead like an enthusiastic puppy, practically dragging Liang Lingzhi with him.

Yuanying walked a step behind Huaijin, glancing sideways at her awkwardly every few seconds, trying to look indifferent but somehow failing spectacularly.

The moment the emcee began announcing awards, everyone quieted in anticipation.

Parents crowded forward, cameras raised like weapons.

Teachers clapped politely.

Little kids bounced on their toes.

"And now... the award for ’Best Festival Food Creation’ goes to..."