Not Just a Single, but a Mashup – Kept a Trick Up My Sleeve

The melodious and graceful tune of ancient music began to play.

It was like a painting of a young girl's shy emotions slowly unfolding on stage.

The rhythm, blending classical and modern elements, felt like a spring breeze brushing against one's face.

It carried a certain... dreamlike quality, as if this was where dreams began!

Dressed in white with white fans in hand, the performers were bathed in dazzling, hypnotic lights.

Seven petite dancers moved to the music, their steps alternating between swift and slow.

Their perfectly synchronized movements exuded the delicate beauty of youth.

"Picking up a fallen leaf~ gazing at the overlap of old and new~"

"Tender green peeks shyly from the treetops~"

"Overlooked by the gentle breeze~ the blossoms hesitate to bloom~"

"Lingering alone, waiting for you~ waiting for everything about you~"

"..."

There was no need to deliberately hype up the competition.

The surrounding rehearsal crew watching couldn't help but gasp in admiration.

"They're absolutely stunning, their figures and dance skills are incredible!"

"I danced this back in my sophomore year—so nostalgic! Now I'm already a freshman in college!"

"That sister cosplaying Asuna earlier is totally the soul of the dance team!"

"‘Swallows return, orioles sing in chaos—who is singing of spring?’ That’s my favorite line in the song!"

"Wow! Their synchronization is... just perfect!"

"..."

Chi Qingchi watched Xiang Tiange on stage with envy.

Having joined the anime club for over two years, she had met many like-minded enthusiasts at Pingchuan University.

But among them, the only person who made her feel inferior... was the "Goose Goose Goose" on stage!

If it were just about cosplaying characters, she wouldn’t admit defeat.

Xiang Tiange’s advantage lay in her versatility.

When it came to both anime-style dance and traditional Chinese dance, she completely outshone Chi Qingchi.

At best, Chi Qingchi could only manage a few cute anime-style dances.

This kind of sultry, enchanting performance was something she simply couldn’t pull off.

What made Chi Qingchi even more jealous was...

"Hey, Lin Yu!"

"Were you singing along just now?"

Chi Qingchi’s eyes widened as she clenched her fists in mock threat.

Lin Yu scratched his cheek awkwardly, trying to explain:

"I... I wasn’t!"

"I’ve only heard this song a little—it’s by Seven Flowers, right?"

"I’m more familiar with their other popular song. I don’t know ‘Ode to Spring’ that well—how could I be singing along?"

No sooner had he spoken than the melody on stage suddenly shifted.

The seven dancers placed their fans at the edge of the stage in unison and rearranged their formation.

For a moment, the audience below was stunned.

What was this?

Were they about to drop an even bigger surprise?

Then, the intro of a new song began playing...

Zhao Yuhao abruptly stood up from his seat and exclaimed:

"The Shiman Club has been hiding their ace up their sleeve all this time!"

"They’re not just performing ‘Ode to Spring’—it’s a medley! This is..."

"Seven Flowers’ other hit song, ‘Falling Blossoms’!"

Lin Yu: "!!!"

Chi Qingchi: "!!!"

The entire band: "!!!"

‘Falling Blossoms’ was even more popular than ‘Ode to Spring.’

Only now did Zhao Yuhao realize they had been outplayed.

For years, the Shiman Club’s signature act at conventions had always been vocal performances.

Everyone assumed this year would be no different.

Their rendition of ‘The Cruel Angel’s Thesis’ had been impressive, leading Pingchuan University’s anime club to assume the dance segment was just a "bonus."

But now, it was clear—

The Shiman Club had bet everything on their dance performance for this summer’s convention!

This had turned into a full-blown showdown—dance versus vocals.

"That big white goose! She’s way too cunning!"

"Going after them puts us at such a disadvantage..."

Chi Qingchi bit her finger anxiously.

Beside her, Lin Yu could somewhat understand how everyone felt.

It was like...

Imagine a music festival where Xu Song was announced to perform ‘Photography Art,’ and everyone assumed that would be his only song.

But then, he unexpectedly performed ‘Purple Sister’ as well.

Fans who already adored him would lose their minds on the spot!

The "other song" Lin Yu had mentioned earlier was precisely this—‘Falling Blossoms.’

Let them panic.

Lin Yu himself settled in to enjoy the second act.

Unable to resist, he hummed along again:

"A longing unfulfilled~ flowers drift, water flows on~"

"Two hearts apart~ loneliness creeps into my soul~"

"Dreaming by the clear pond~ memories of lantern-lit nights~"

"A bitter toast~ like fallen blossoms, when will this sorrow end~"

"..."

Watching the seven dancers sway their slender waists with fans in hand—

Damn!

This was pure nostalgia overload!

No wonder they said, "From then on, the emperor neglected court duties," or "Across the river, the song of the back courtyard still lingers!"

If he were the emperor, could he resist indulging in music and dance?

Not a chance!

...

As the two songs concluded, spontaneous applause erupted from the audience.

Lin Yu clapped silently in his heart.

As for his hands...

Chi Qingchi’s dagger-like gaze had been locked onto him the entire time.

Even now, she was still staring.

Lin Yu felt a chill down his spine.

He quickly pretended to be outraged and clapped sarcastically:

"What kind of performance was that? The world’s going to the dogs!"

Chi Qingchi: "..."

"Lin Yu, your eyes were practically spinning like a slot machine earlier."

Lin Yu feigned innocence, spreading his hands:

"What are you talking about?"

"That was the fury of a man disillusioned with society!"

"Now it’s my turn—clap hard for me. I was only at 30% of my power in the practice room..."

"Watch me win this round for you!"

That last line struck a chord with Chi Qingchi.

Before Lin Yu could stand, she stepped behind him.

Mimicking pre-match warm-ups, she chopped at his shoulders with her hands and said:

"Don’t be nervous. If we perform normally, we still have a chance."

"Our style is ‘high-energy’—we’ll burn away all the delicate atmosphere they created!"

As she spoke, her eyes met Xiang Tiange’s across the room.

Xiang Tiange twirled her fan smugly before her chest.

Chi Qingchi wrinkled her nose in defiance.

...

Backstage.

"How was our performance, Senior Xiang?"

"Hehe, we’re definitely taking first place this time!"

"If we win gold for the dance segment, wouldn’t that be a first for our club?"

"Should we head to the break room now, Senior Xiang?"

"..."

Though their performance had been flawless, with no mistakes,

and the surprise effect of ‘Falling Blossoms’ had landed perfectly,

one thought gnawed at Xiang Tiange—

Next up was Pingchuan University’s anime club band, led by the mysterious "Kaneki" who had dominated the convention scene out of nowhere...

The uncertainty of Lin Yu’s performance filled her with unease.

As the "reinforcements called in by the monkeys," Lin Yu was a wildcard.

Xiang Tiange waved to her team and said:

"Let’s not rush back just yet. We should stay and watch the other teams."

"Especially the one after us!"

...

(Second update today—more coming soon, stay tuned!)