On the day of the New Year's Gala, Jinling University's auditorium was packed.
Jiang Silu stood backstage, peeking out through a gap in the curtain.
A sea of heads stretched out before her. The lights bathed the stage in a brilliant white glow. Warm-up music blasted from the speakers, the THUMP, THUMP, THUMP making her heart race with anxiety.
She clutched the hem of her skirt, her palms slick with sweat.
Lu Yao came up from behind and patted her, asking with a smile, "Nervous?"
Jiang Silu nodded, her voice a little tight. "A little."
Lu Yao took her hand, noticing how damp it was. "Don't be nervous," she soothed. "You dance better than anyone. Just perform like you always do. It's not like anyone in the audience knows you."
"Exactly! And that Senior Sister Zhou—she doesn't dance nearly as well as you," Lin Xiaoyi chimed in, leaning closer to whisper her encouragement.
Jiang Silu felt a little embarrassed by their praise, but her heart truly did feel less frantic.
