Quick Transmigration: The Control Group in Sweet Novels

Qi Yang listened attentively, leaning slightly forward, her gaze fixed on the stage.

The person beside me was also quiet.

They seemed to be drawn in by the scene before them as well.

She thought to herself that in the original story, Xia Nian attracted Chen Zuo's attention at this very moment.

While she was lost in thought, she felt her right little finger being gently touched.

She lowered her head, and Chen Zuo's hand reached out from the side at some point, gently hooking around her, seemingly testing her.

Qi Yang's fingertips stiffened slightly. She wanted to pull away, but the other person seemed to have anticipated her movements. The next moment, they grabbed her small hand and held it in their palm, with an unyielding restraint.

On stage, the piano music continued, the melody becoming longer and more drawn out.

Offstage, both of them had hearts pounding.

Chen Zuo was also nervous. Holding the hand of the girl he liked, he felt the soft, smooth touch beneath his palm. He turned his head closer, his voice low and breathy, and asked, "Does it sound nice?"

His breath brushed against her earlobe, carrying a hint of warmth.

Qi Yang instinctively wanted to shrink her head back, but she hummed softly, "It sounds very nice."

Chen Zuo didn't loosen his grip; he held her hand with just the right amount of strength, as if encircling her in a secret known only to the two of them.

He said, "I think so too."

But his gaze fell on Qi Yang's face, not on the music.

Qi Yang lowered her eyelashes and said nothing more.

The auditorium was dimly lit, and no one noticed their intertwined fingertips. The piano music on the stage was melodious and gentle, and the skin of the young men and women below the stage was warm. Ambiguity fermented silently in the darkness.

When Xia Nian finished playing the last note, her fingertips paused on the piano keys.

A burst of enthusiastic applause erupted from the audience.

Xia Nian stood up from the piano bench, turned around, and bowed deeply to the audience. The lights made her eyes a little sore, and her eyes, which were already dry from wearing contact lenses, were now glistening with a thin layer of tears.

Amid the applause, her gaze swept across the audience.

She wanted to see Chen Zuo.

I don't know if he heard her performance, but she really did it. Because of his encouragement, she suddenly felt especially grateful to Chen Zuo.

I'd much rather see the expression on his face right now, even if it's just a polite clapping.

And she found it just as she had hoped.

Even in the dimly lit central area, Xia Nian could still see clearly.

Chen Zuo and Qi Yang sat side by side, their hands clasped together in the gap between their seats. Both of them were facing the stage, but the atmosphere around them was so intense that no one could penetrate their presence.

The spotlight was still on Xia Nian, and applause was ringing out. She had just finished a perfect performance, wearing a beautiful dress, with her hair styled in a pretty braid, and without her glasses.

She should be happy.

But her heart felt as if it had been gently twisted, and a bittersweet feeling welled up inside her.

The person she had liked for a long time was completely in love with another girl.

Xia Nian maintained her smile, bowed to the stage again, turned and left the stage as the lights gradually dimmed.

Xu Yao greeted her with delight, "Xia Nian, you're amazing! You did it!"

Xia Nian forced a smile at her, her eyes gradually darkening.

The backstage area was noisy, with many people coming over to congratulate her and say that she played so well. She managed to respond to each of them, albeit with difficulty.

When others saw that her eyes were red, they assumed it was because she was nervous.

Only Xia Nian knew that it wasn't because she was nervous, but because, as she stood under the stage lights, the person she wanted to illuminate was using her light to look at someone else.

The program is still ongoing.

Lou Yu's crosstalk performance was also brought up.

He partnered with a boy in his class, and their comedic chemistry was seamless.

Lou Yu truly possesses a natural comedic talent. A few witty remarks were enough to make the audience in the audience laugh uproariously. Even the usually serious homeroom teacher was amused by him. Seeing the teasing looks in the eyes of the other teachers, the homeroom teacher felt somewhat helpless.

Qi Yang's lips curved into a smile, and her expression showed a rare hint of relaxation.

Halfway through the performance, her palm trembled, and that faint touch remained pressed against her, quietly and stubbornly staying there.

Qi Yang tried to pull her hand back.

Chen Zuo gently pressed down on the side of her fingers, stopping her from continuing.

Qi Yang glanced at him sideways.

The boy's profile was clearly defined in the dim light of the auditorium, and he had a slight smile on his lips. His expression was natural, as if the two people holding hands was nothing out of the ordinary for him.

Qi Yang pursed her lips. "What exactly do you want?"

Chen Zuo turned to look at her, his eyes surprisingly serious under the light.

"Give me a chance," he said.

The sound was faint, reaching Qi Yang's ears indistinctly. She was somewhat dazed. "What opportunity?"

"Let me pursue you."

Qi Yang's heart skipped a beat.

He didn't confess directly, which made people unsure how to respond.

She turned her gaze back to Lou Yu, whose program had ended. The two bowed to the audience, and the lights dimmed again. The host came on stage and read his prepared remarks in an official manner.

After a few seconds, she spoke, her voice flat, "I don't want to date before I go to college."

This plot, which deviates from the original book's direction, still terrified her.

Rather than being passive, it's better to draw clear lines from the start.

Upon hearing this, Chen Zuo was surprised by the unexpected awkward silence. He even smiled, as if he had anticipated her words.

"I can wait."

Qi Yang frowned: "You don't need to—"

"How about the first backup option?"

Chen Zuo interrupted her, his tone still earnest, his eyes still serious, "When you get to university, if there's no one better than me around you, then consider me."

Qi Yang was stunned for a moment, not expecting him to say such a thing.

She turned away, her tone becoming more subdued, "I don't want to think about these things right now."

Chen Zuo remained silent for two seconds.

He compromised again, "Then let me stay by your side and make my presence known."

His hand was still around hers. "I don't need you to agree to anything right now, nor do I need you to give me a title. Just let me stay by your side for now, as a suitor, a friend, anything is fine, okay?"

Qi Yang said, "Then let go of my hand first."

"So you're agreeing? If you're agreeing, I'll let go."

Qi Yang's expression remained calm: "If I say no, will you disappear?"

Chen Zuo replied matter-of-factly, "Of course not."

"..."

That's all the shamelessness he has; her answer doesn't matter to him.

Chen Zuo had already made up his mind to begin this long chase.

Seeing Qi Yang's expression, Chen Zuo's imposing manner subsided, and he said, "Alright, I won't tease you anymore."

It loosened immediately.

The prolonged handshake caused a thin layer of sweat to appear on Qi Yang's palms. She quickly withdrew her hands and placed them on her lap.

Next was a poetry recitation, and the atmosphere suddenly shifted from lively to quiet, with neither of the two speaking again.