The Guide to Rising to Power: The Ultimate Schemes of a Green Tea Beauty

Out of sight, out of mind, Xie Yunzhou silently prayed.

On stage, Shen Yao and Yu Hang worked together seamlessly, delivering their lines smoothly and displaying a steady stage presence, gradually building the atmosphere of the evening to a climax.

As the party progressed past its halfway point, the atmosphere grew increasingly lively.

After announcing a program, Shen Yao whispered something to Yu Hang beside her. Yu Hang nodded, indicating that she could go ahead and prepare.

The following segments were handled entirely by Yu Hang. Although he still looked like he hadn't slept enough, his solid command of the script and occasional impromptu dry humor allowed him to keep the show in control.

Finally, it was time for one of the grand finale performances, the classical dance "The Goddess of the Luo River".

Yu Hang stood to the side of the stage and announced in his magnetic, languid voice: "Next, please enjoy the classical dance 'The Goddess of the Luo River,' performed by Shen Yao..."

As soon as he finished speaking, all the lights in the venue dimmed, leaving only a cool spotlight that poured down on the center of the stage like moonlight.

Fang Yunci stopped talking to the person next to him almost instantly, his gaze fixed intently on the stage bathed in light.

Xie Yunzhou, who had been deliberately avoiding the direction of the stage, finally couldn't help but look up at the light when he heard the name "Shen Yao".

As the music began, it was ethereal and melodious, like water flowing gently down from the depths of the clouds.

Before going on stage, when Shen Yao changed into the dance costume called "Luoshui Tianguang" for the first time, the dressing room suddenly fell silent.

Yu Hang stood frozen in place, and Wang Yunyun also forgot to move.

Every effort she made in herself—regular medical aesthetics, meticulous skincare, diligently honed skills, and cultivated refinement—finally condensed into tangible results at this moment.

The dance costume was a light turquoise color, appearing simple and plain from afar, but its extravagance became apparent upon closer inspection.

The most exquisite thing was the shawl, which was over ten feet long and gradually changed color from green to moon white. The edges were adorned with tiny, sparkling crystals, like holding a flowing galaxy around one's arm.

Her long hair was styled into a "Jinghong" bun, with the jet-black strands piled high on her head in a way that seemed ready to take flight, yet without appearing heavy at all.

A few strands of hair deliberately hung loosely beside her ears and neck, trembling gently with her breath. There was no gold or silver in her hair, only a jade hairpin, the warm luster of genuine mutton fat jade.

Two identical white jade pendants, as small as tears, dangled from her earlobes, shimmering with an extremely faint light.

The makeup perfectly accentuated her ethereal beauty, striking the exquisite balance between "purity" and "allure."

The foundation was thin and sheer, almost invisible; the eyebrows were like distant mountains, lightly swept into the temples; but the eye makeup held a hidden ingenuity. The touch of cinnabar or rosy hue at the outer corner of the eye, seemingly imperceptible, lifted upwards, like the glow of sunset reflected on the water's surface.

Her lips were only adorned with a nearly transparent rouge, glistening like morning dew clinging to newly blossoming petals.

When the music started, there were a few lonely, clear piano notes.

Shen Yao moved.

Her steps were extremely light, as if she were truly walking on water, her shawl trailing behind her in a smooth arc, scattering glittering crystal fragments along the way.

Upon reaching the center of the stage, he turned around, and his gaze suddenly fixed.

Those eyes were as clear as the deepest autumn water, crystal clear, yet when you looked into them, you felt that a thousand words and ten thousand emotions lay hidden beneath. When her eyes moved, the vermilion red at the corner of her eyes came alive, a breathtakingly vibrant color suddenly blooming from her innocence.

A faint gasp could be heard from the audience.

Her movements began to intensify.

With a swift spin, her emerald skirt billowed open with a "whoosh," like the flowing robes of the Goddess of the Luo River suddenly unfurling. The shawl traced a full circle in the air, and crystal points of light connected to form a falling galaxy.

As she bent over, her body curved into a breathtaking arc, her long hair almost touching the ground, and the wings of the jade hairpin trembled under the light, as if she were about to take flight.

But her face was tilted back, her neck forming a graceful swan-like line, her gaze still clear and bright as she looked up—there lay her king, her unfulfilled desires, and her fleeting worldly attachments.

It may seem like she's just taking quick, short steps forward, but her upper body is as steady as a lotus flower in the middle of the water, her shoulders don't sway, her head doesn't shake, only the shawl around her arms is swirling and surging like a storm.

That was no longer silk; it was a wave that had come alive, the surging, indescribable emotions of the Goddess of the Luo River.

As she reached the edge of the stage, she suddenly paused, her entire being shifting from extreme motion to utter stillness, a stillness so profound it took one's breath away. Then, very slowly, she raised one hand, her fingertips gently touching the air.

It was a goddess returning her most precious tear to the human world.

The music stopped.

Shen Yao maintained her final posture, her chest rising and falling slightly, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, resembling dew on lotus leaves in the morning light under the lamp.

The dance costume, named "Luoshui Tianguang," now revealed all its secrets.

It turned out that extremely fine silver threads were woven into the satin. When sweat soaked in and body temperature was generated, the entire garment gradually changed from turquoise to a very pale crimson, as if the goddess had been moved by mortal desires, and blood-red emotions finally seeped out from beneath her fair skin.

She slowly finished her pose, stood still, and gracefully bowed to the audience.

The entire hall was silent for a few seconds, then applause, like a belated tide, swept across the auditorium.

Even years later, after graduation, younger students would still talk about it over tea or after meals—Shen Yao that night was as beautiful as a lucid dream.

Her beauty is intoxicating, and in countless late nights to come, when one suddenly recalls her, the image of that shimmering, clear blue water will still float in one's heart.

Fang Yunci and Xie Yunzhou, two cousins ​​with very different personalities and prominent backgrounds, were separated by a distance that was neither too close nor too far, but their hearts skipped a beat because of the same figure on the stage.

Praise for Shen Yao overflowed like water, almost drowning out the entire auditorium. All eyes were focused on the figure on the stage—stunning, admiring, and ardent.

Even the usually composed school leaders in the VIP section couldn't help but lean forward slightly and whisper to each other, their eyes filled with undisguised appreciation.

Principal Wang turned to the side, smiling as he declined the offer:

"Yunci, did you see that? Our Peking University is truly full of hidden talents. Shen Yao is not only academically outstanding, but also quite brilliant in the arts. She's a rare find, truly a rare find."

Fang Yunci smiled gently as always, his gaze still fixed on Shen Yao, who was bowing to the audience. He said in a steady voice, "Principal Wang is right. Junior Shen is indeed... talented and beautiful, unforgettable."

Xie Yunzhou, who was standing next to him, had not uttered a sound since the moment the dance ended.

The radiance emanating from the person on stage was like the halo of the midday sun in midsummer, burning his vision and stirring up the calm he had been trying so hard to maintain.

He lowered his eyes, staring at his taut knuckles, trying to push back the churning images and agitations in his mind.

The party was drawing to a close, but the atmosphere remained lively.

Just as the host began his closing remarks, Fang Yunci suddenly seemed to remember something interesting and turned his head slightly to the side.

"Cousin, I have a question."