When the Side Character Gets a System and Travels through Difference Worlds-Chapter 88: Chi Mo 42

Zhou Wenwen: "We don’t get all the technical stuff, but it just has to be beautiful, right? Anyway, in my eyes, your dancing is the most beautiful of all."

Tan You stopped talking about the dance. In their eyes, she was simply the best, the greatest, the most beautiful, and so on. ’Okay, even if all this praise is a little embarrassing, I’m actually really happy about it.’

After the reality show ended, Tan You threw herself into intense training, leaving her with no time to keep up with news online. As soon as the romance show began filming, the number of followers on Chi Mo’s personal account skyrocketed.

Tan You was exhausted after training every day, so how could she have the energy to focus on anything else? So, while the internet was abuzz with activity, Chi Mo’s account went silent.

It wasn’t until Tan You announced the dance troupe’s upcoming tour on the platform and opened the ticket-purchasing portal that things changed. In less than five minutes, all the tickets for the scheduled three-day run were completely snatched up. Only then did it dawn on Tan You that Chi Mo might actually be famous.

"People online are way too fast!" Zhou Wenwen said helplessly. "I couldn’t get a single ticket."

Gao Jing and Lin Meng both laughed. "We didn’t get tickets either."

Tan You: "Didn’t I tell you guys I’d send you tickets? I already mailed them."

Gao Jing: "I heard Director Liu’s movie is coming out soon. Once it’s released, Momo’s popularity will be even higher."

Tan You: "I doubt it. I’m just a dancer. Things will calm down once the novelty wears off."

Through it all, Tan You remained perfectly level-headed. She would never let all the glamour and adoration make her lose sight of who she was.

Gao Jing: "The first episode of the reality show has aired, and you’re getting the most attention right now. They even dug up information on your ex-husband."

Tan You: "Oh, really? I had no idea. We haven’t been in contact since the divorce."

Lin Meng: "Can we not talk about men? By the way, when you sent out tickets, did you send any to the male guests from the show?"

Tan You: "They all left their addresses, so I just sent them out all at once."

"You sent a ticket to Xu Jike, too?"

Tan You was very calm. "If I’d singled him out and not sent one, it would look like I see him as special. It’s just one ticket."

Gao Jing: "Did you send tickets to the production team?"

Tan You: "I sent some to pretty much everyone. Whether or not they’ll actually come is another story."

Tan You even sent a few tickets to Director Liu. She wasn’t particularly concerned about whether he and his team would show up. She just sent them out so she wouldn’t be seen as ungracious, especially since she’d had a pleasant time working with him.

「Soon, it was opening night.」 The premiere was, naturally, at a theater in N City. Tan You was backstage getting ready. The whole area was bustling but orderly, with no sign of chaos.

The calm was broken by a sudden commotion. Tan You didn’t go to see what the fuss was about. She was just a dancer in the troupe; any incidents would be handled by the troupe leader. It wasn’t her place to get involved.

"I’m sorry, what? You want me to go on for Wu You?" Tan You’s eyes widened. "Wouldn’t that be inappropriate? That’s her number. The program is already set. Wouldn’t I just be taking her performance slot?"

Tan You naturally didn’t want to agree. On the one hand, it was helping a colleague and saving the show. On the other, what if people thought she was using her newfound fame to push other dancers out of their spots? ’It’s best to stay out of things like this.’

Teacher Wen: "But you’re the only one whose schedule allows for it right now. Your two numbers are second and eighth in the program, and Wu You’s is twelfth. That gives you plenty of time to prepare."

"Everyone else’s numbers are scheduled too close together, and no one has a new piece they know well enough. I saw you working on a new dance the last couple of days, didn’t I? How about you step in and save the day?"

Tan You glanced in Wu You’s direction. "What happened to her? Why can’t she perform?"

Teacher Wen’s expression darkened. "She was ’accidentally’ tripped by a backup dancer during the rehearsal just now. Her ankle is so swollen it’s a mess."

Tan You gave a slight nod. "Then have the backup dancer go on."

She didn’t want to assume the worst of people, but the whole thing was highly suspicious. ’She’s rehearsed for so long without ever falling, and suddenly she gets tripped right before the show? It’s hard not to be cynical about this.’

Teacher Wen gave a wry smile. ’She knew it. Chi Mo might look straightforward, but she was sharp as a tack.’

"Of course I know what you’re thinking. But we can’t do that. Even if an investigation finds the backup dancer had nothing to do with it, I can’t let her go on tonight. We can’t set that kind of precedent."

Tan You considered this for a moment. "I’ll go see Wu You."

Since Teacher Wen had put it that way, refusing again would make Tan You look ungracious. Besides, Teacher Wen had a point. If they pulled Wu You’s number and let the backup dancer take her place, it would set a terrible precedent.

’What would stop others from pulling the same stunt in the future?’

Teacher Wen let out a breath of relief. "Competition is everywhere. I don’t want to think the worst, either."

In the main dressing room, Wu You was sitting and wiping away tears while a few other dancers consoled her. A quick glance showed they were all part of Wu You’s usual clique.

Before Tan You joined, Wu You had been the troupe’s star performer. But with Tan You’s meteoric rise, the person everyone in the troupe was watching now was Chi Mo. Wu You was constantly living under Chi Mo’s shadow.

Teacher Wen pushed through the small crowd. "What are you all doing here? Are you ready for the show? Break it up!"

The young women scattered, though they kept stealing glances at Wu You, Teacher Wen, and Tan You. In their private group chats, the messages were flying.

"Teacher Wen," Wu You said, looking up the moment she saw her. Her tears started flowing even harder. Tan You saw it and had to sigh to herself. ’What a picture of tearful beauty!’

Teacher Wen bent down to look at the ice pack on Wu You’s ankle. "With an injury like this, you definitely can’t perform."

Hearing this, Wu You’s tears fell even faster. She shot a venomous glare at the backup dancer who had tripped her. "Teacher Wen, what are we going to do? When will my injury heal?"

"What about my number? I’ve been preparing for months..." She was seething. If they weren’t in a crowded theater, Wu You looked like she wanted to tear that backup dancer to shreds.

Since entering the dressing room, Tan You had been watching the backup dancer, who was sitting not far from Wu You. When the dancer saw Tan You walk in with Teacher Wen, her face fell.

The change in the backup dancer’s expression was fleeting, but Tan You caught it. In the blink of an eye, the dancer put on a look of guilt. "Wu You, I really didn’t mean to. I’m just not familiar with this stage..."

With red-rimmed eyes, Wu You ignored the backup dancer and just looked pleadingly at Teacher Wen.

Teacher Wen frowned. "Alright, you definitely won’t be able to perform for the N City dates. We’ll have to find someone to fill in for your number."

Wu You asked resentfully, "Who’s going to do it?"

’If it’s that backup dancer,’ she thought, ’I will never, ever agree.’

Teacher Wen: "We’ll have Little Chi do it. What do you think?"