Chapter 27: Two Beauties

After Fu Xiaotao finished cross-checking the performance list with Liuzhou backstage, a faint sense of unease lingered in her heart. She anxiously wove through the crowd, her eyes scanning the room like searchlights, hunting for Fu Siqiao. When she finally spotted her, she found Fu Siqiao sitting in a row with Zhang Chenxi, Xu Zhixing, and Jiang Chaozhou. The scene was like a captivating painting; the combination of four such handsome and beautiful individuals was too eye-catching to ignore, and Fu Xiaotao froze in her tracks.

However, she quickly regained her composure, as the emergency regarding her class’s performance left no room for distraction. She hurried over to Fu Siqiao, gripped her arms tightly, and looked at her with a mix of anxiety and pleading. "Qiaoqiao, please help us! Two of our classmates went to the restroom and haven’t come back, and our performance is starting right now. We can’t let anything go wrong!" Her voice carried a hint of a sob; she spoke rapidly, fine beads of sweat forming on her forehead, with a few strands of hair damply clinging to her cheeks.

Fu Siqiao asked with a look of confusion, "What's wrong?"

Fu Xiaotao explained quickly, gesturing with her hands, "It’s like this—our class program requires two people to act as a couple for the backdrop, but those two students are missing. You have to help me."

Fu Siqiao replied without hesitation, "Sure, I'll help you, but we need one more person."

Xu Zhixing, who had been listening to their conversation, tilted her head slightly with a faint smile, a spark of curiosity and eagerness flickering in her eyes. "I'll do it."

Fu Siqiao responded happily, "Great."

Fu Xiaotao let out a sigh of relief. She hurriedly took Fu Siqiao and Xu Zhixing by the hands and rushed toward the backstage area. Inside, various costumes and props were scattered about in a disorganized fashion. Fu Xiaotao frantically rummaged through the clothing racks to find suitable outfits, clumsily handing them to the two girls.

Fu Siqiao took the clothes and began to change. She quickly took off her jacket, slipped into the performance attire, and skillfully buttoned it up, adjusting her collar and cuffs. Xu Zhixing also changed elegantly, smoothing out the wrinkles in the fabric and adjusting her hair in the mirror. Fu Xiaotao, meanwhile, nervously prepared the other props, her hands constantly searching through the prop box while she muttered to herself, terrified of forgetting something important.

After some quick preparations, Fu Siqiao and Xu Zhixing stood at the side of the stage, ready to play the couple. As requested, they linked arms, wearing smiles and carrying themselves with graceful poise. When the Grade 10, Class 1 program began, the audience, who had been chatting idly or waiting for the show to move along, suddenly quieted.

However, the moment Fu Siqiao and Xu Zhixing appeared on stage, everyone’s gaze was instantly captured. Their eyes widened, mouths slightly agape, faces filled with awe and curiosity. Everything else on stage, which should have been the focus, seemed to fade into the background. The attention of the entire school’s faculty and students was fixed on these two beautiful "couples," and gasps and whispers rippled through the crowd.

On stage, the host beamed with a radiant smile. Looking up with a glint in his eyes, he said in a crisp, resonant voice, "Thank you to Grade 10, Class 1 for their wonderful performance! Their class certainly has some eye-catching beauties!" His teeth were white and straight, sparkling under the stage lights. As soon as he finished speaking, a burst of laughter erupted from the audience; some students doubled over, others covered their mouths to giggle, filling the auditorium with a joyful atmosphere.

Backstage, Fu Siqiao and Xu Zhixing looked at each other and laughed, teasing one another. Fu Siqiao’s cheeks still held a faint, rosy flush from the performance, like the sunset glow, adding a touch of playfulness to her delicate features. Her eyes curved into crescents, brimming with spirit and vitality. She nudged Xu Zhixing’s shoulder and laughed, "You, you were like a professional model on stage. I was almost overshadowed by you."

Xu Zhixing gently tossed her hair, her long, dark, glossy locks tracing a beautiful arc in the air like black silk. Her lips curled into an enchanting smile, and her eyes held a hint of mischief. "Not at all, you were the most dazzling one. I was just the supporting act."

Just then, Fu Xiaotao pounced on Fu Siqiao like a happy little bird. She wrapped her arms tightly around Fu Siqiao’s waist, rubbed her cheek against her back, and said gratefully, "Qiaoqiao, thank you so much! You helped me through such a crisis. I love you so much!"

Fu Siqiao was taken aback by the sudden display of affection, and her face turned even redder, like a ripe apple, with even her earlobes flushing. She lowered her head, staring at the floor, fumbling uncomfortably with the hem of her clothes as she whispered, "Don't say that, it was the right thing to do."

Xu Zhixing pretended to be jealous from the side. "And what about me?"

Fu Xiaotao released Fu Siqiao, turned, and hugged Xu Zhixing, her face beaming with a broad smile. "Thank you both, thank you both! Thank you, School Beauty Xu!"

At that moment, Zhang Chenxi walked over with a steady stride, followed by Jiang Chaozhou. Zhang Chenxi cleared his throat, letting out two faint coughs that rang out clearly in the relatively quiet backstage area. He wore a standard smile—one that looked meticulously practiced, perfectly balanced between being too enthusiastic and too indifferent. A flicker of imperceptible disappointment crossed his eyes as he said, "It seems I’ve arrived at a bad time."

Jiang Chaozhou stood behind him, his eyes lingering on Xu Zhixing. With his hands in his pockets and his head slightly bowed, he seemed to be deep in thought.

Fu Siqiao curled her lips, looking at Zhang Chenxi with bright, playful eyes. "How could you be arriving at a bad time, Handsome Zhang? Tell us, what did you think of our performance?"

Zhang Chenxi crossed his arms over his chest, feigning seriousness as he looked them up and down. Then, he spoke slowly, "Fu Siqiao, you stepped onto that stage, and I almost didn't recognize you. Usually, you look quite ordinary, but dressed up like this—hey, you really have a bit of a star quality."

He stepped forward and circled her like a professional antique appraiser, nodding as he went. "Your gait—though not quite as commanding as an international supermodel—still had that fresh, ethereal grace of a walk through our campus paths. And your expression management! A bit stiff at first, but you got into the groove. That smile was so radiant it nearly outshone the stage lights. I was worried you’d steal the souls of the audience; how could they possibly pay attention to the rest of the show?"

Fu Siqiao feigned annoyance and tapped him lightly. "Stop your smooth-talking; it wasn't nearly as exaggerated as you say."

Zhang Chenxi jumped aside with a laugh and looked at Xu Zhixing, his smile widening even more. "And School Beauty Xu, you arrived with your own halo. The moment you stood there, I felt the stage brighten by several degrees. Your temperament is truly that of a celestial maiden descending to earth—no, a celestial maiden would need clouds to ride, but you just air-dropped in and stole the show. Standing together, you two are a powerhouse combination of the school beauty and the class beauty, leaving us mere mortals staring in awe. I started wondering if I’d walked onto the wrong set and ended up at the Hollywood awards ceremony."

Xu Zhixing burst into a laugh, covering her mouth with her hand, her eyes crinkling into beautiful crescents. "Zhang Chenxi, your mouth must be smeared with honey; you’re so sweet."

Fu Siqiao chimed in, "Exactly. I think he must have eaten ten pounds of saccharin today—his sweet talk is just endless."

Zhang Chenxi waved his hands in mock seriousness. "These are my honest thoughts, don't doubt it. With a performance like that, the school forum is going to explode tomorrow. Maybe people will even start asking for your autographs! When that happens, don't forget me, the talent scout with the discerning eye."

Jiang Chaozhou, listening from the side, couldn't help but chuckle. His laugh was low and magnetic. "Zhang Chenxi, you really can spin a tale, but it was quite entertaining."

Fu Siqiao turned to look at Jiang Chaozhou and raised an eyebrow. "Handsome Jiang, don't just listen to him—you give us a critique too."

Jiang Chaozhou was slightly taken aback, a flush rising to his cheeks. He scratched his head, looking a bit shy as he said, "I... I thought it was very good. You both looked beautiful."

After saying this, he sneaked another glance at Xu Zhixing, his eyes filled with a hint of shyness and admiration.