Why did the system take my request to take photos with a cosplayer seriously?

The innocence in the girl's eyes faded, replaced by a resolute determination.

She rushed into the rain, ran, slipped, got up, and kept running.

Despite their soaked clothes, disheveled hair, and cuts on their feet from the rocks, their blood staining the seawater red.

The music reached its climax, then finally returned to calm.

Lin Mo saved one child in the end, with the waves roaring at her feet.

As she looked down at the baby in her arms, a slight smile curved her lips, revealing a divine radiance for the first time.

The lights slowly dimmed.

Then—thunderous applause erupted.

Ding Heng was the first to clap, his hands making a loud and crisp sound.

Hua Qing stood on the side platform, slightly out of breath, her forehead covered in sweat, and her feet aching slightly.

During that run, she accidentally cut her bare feet, and if Ding Heng saw it later, he would probably complain about it again.

After Hua Qing removed her makeup and changed into casual clothes, she ran to Ding Heng's side, and Shen Tingwan was already standing in the center of the stage.

"How is it? How is it?"

"What do you mean, how about it?"

"How did I dance!"

"Um……"

Ding Heng rarely thought things through so seriously.

"At first I thought you were at a disadvantage being the first to perform, since the audience wasn't yet engaged, but now I think..."

"What do you think?"

"All done!"

Hua Qing's cheeks flushed slightly as she reached out and gently punched Ding Heng's arm.

"Don't talk nonsense, Shen Tingwan and Chenxi haven't finished their performance yet."

The stage music suddenly changed.

Shen Tingwan's passage reaches its climax—Mazu's sacrifice.

To save his father and brothers from a shipwreck, Lin Mo bravely rushed into the raging storm and waves, ultimately dying from exhaustion.

The villagers were grateful for his kindness and built a temple to worship him, honoring him as the "God of the Sea".

Shen Tingwan's movements were more intense and powerful than Hua Qing's.

Spinning, jumping, falling, getting up—every movement is full of dramatic tension.

Perhaps she used too much force, because she slipped while jumping, lost her balance, and fell heavily onto the stage.

"what!!"

Exclamations erupted from the audience.

Shen Tingwan reacted quickly. The moment she fell, she immediately braced herself with her hands and stood up, continuing her movements with almost no interruption in rhythm.

Hua Qing subconsciously gripped Ding Heng's arm tightly, her eyes showing no schadenfreude, but rather genuine worry.

Ding Heng didn't speak, but reached out and covered Hua Qing's hand, patting it gently.

Shen Tingwan's subsequent actions remained precise and flawless.

But the mistake she just made is like a thorn stuck in her heart.

When he finally stepped off the stage, his steps were noticeably faster than usual.

Hua Qing released Ding Heng's arm and exhaled.

Ding Heng then asked, "Now you should feel more at ease, right?"

Hua Qing shook her head: "Chenxi hasn't come up yet."

"Chenxi...hasn't she always been inferior to you and Shen Tingwan?"

"The past is the past."

Hua Qing turned her gaze back to the stage, where Fan Chenxi was preparing to go on stage.

For some reason, Hua Qing had a vague intuition.

Today's Fan Chenxi might be a little different...

The lights dimmed again, and Fan Chenxi walked to the center of the stage.

She portrays the story of Mazu after she became a goddess.

The music started again; it was a simple fisherman's song.

Fan Chenxi stood on the reef, gazing into the distance.

She is a sea goddess who has experienced life and death, yet she possesses no divine indifference.

She gazed at the ships adrift on the sea, her eyes filled with worry and tenderness.

On stage, Fan Chenxi walked into the sea and began to dance.

Below the stage, Hua Qing held her breath, her eyes fixed on the spot.

Hua Qing noticed that Fan Chenxi had no mistakes or flaws today, and had fully incorporated her understanding of the character into her dance.

Mazu is not a high and mighty god; she is compassionate because she empathizes with people's suffering, and gentle because she understands the hardships of humankind.

She is a goddess.

But she knows how to conduct herself better.

Hua Qing recalled her performance, in which she portrayed the young Mazu, a stage in which she should have been most humane and girlish.

But looking back now, I realize she acted too coldly.

Her Lin Mo is brave, determined, and fearless, but she is not "human" enough.

His eyes were too cold, and his posture too aloof.

That wasn't Lin Mo, the girl from the fishing village, but Hua Qing herself, a cold and aloof fairy who seemed untouched by worldly affairs.

The music reached its final climax.

Fan Chenxi stood at the highest point of the stage, with a blue light curtain symbolizing the sea behind her.

She opened her arms, gazing into the distance, her cloak fluttering in the wind.

The lights went out.

The theater was silent for a full three seconds.

Someone stood up and applauded.

Then came the second, and the third.

Hua Qing's applause was even more enthusiastic.

She completely forgot that this was a competition.

All she knew was that Fan Chenxi had just performed a dance that she couldn't imitate.

After standing silently on the side stage for a few seconds, Shen Tingwan also began to applaud.

The three of them went on stage together to take their bows.

When she stepped off the stage, Fan Chenxi's steps were unsteady.

"Hua Qing! Hua Qing! How did I dance? Did I make any mistakes? I'm so nervous... Was I a beat too slow in the middle... Was my last spin a little off...?"

"Dawn".

Hua Qing interrupted, and Fan Chenxi obediently shut up.

"Don't worry! You did a perfect job."

Hua Qing spoke seriously, without the slightest hint of perfunctoriness.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded.

Qi Yanran walked over slowly, holding the voting results that the staff had just tallied.

"The voting results are in."

Hua Qing and Shen Tingwan both took a half step back at the same time, letting Fan Chenxi move to the front.

As professional dancers, they already had their answer in mind.

Qi Yanran said, "Congratulations! Chenxi."

Fan Chenxi was completely stunned.

"I……"

She glanced at Qi Yanran, then at Hua Qing.

"Wow……!"

Finally, he rushed over and hugged Hua Qing tightly, crying like a child.

"Hua Qing...I...I really..."

Fan Chenxi was so excited that she couldn't speak coherently, and tears and snot covered Hua Qing.

Hua Qingzhi was a little breathless from being squeezed, but she didn't push her away and sincerely offered her congratulations.

Congratulations, Dawn! You're amazing!

After saying that, Hua Qing sniffed hard, her eyes still a little sore.

Qi Yanran instructed, "Chenxi, go and prepare. We'll officially sign the contract later."

Fan Chenxi let go of Kai Qing and nodded vigorously, wiped her face haphazardly with her sleeve, and turned to run towards the dressing room.

He ran two steps and then stopped, turning back to look at Hua Qing.

Hua Qing waved to her, smiling brightly.