After Transmigrating, I Lived with the Charismatic/Beloved Female Lead - Chapter 18
Chapter 18
“Relax a little, stretch your shoulders out…”
“Oh…”
“Clack!” (Sound of stepping on a foot)
“Whoa! I-I’m so sorry!”
“…It’s okay. Just relax first. Your shoulders and arms are too stiff. Can you loosen up?”
“Clack!”
“…It’s the shoulder. Don’t be so eager to move your feet…”
“I-I got it!”
In the spacious lounge, two graceful figures stood very close, moving their bodies gently to a low, rhythmic beat.
“Yes, then step out with your right foot, just slowly move like this.”
Lu Yuanqiu quietly guided Wei Yue while counting the beat.
Perhaps due to the residual muscle memory of the original owner, after the very beginning when Wei Yue was overly nervous and stepped on Lu Yuanqiu’s foot a couple of times—a vague memory of the dance steps appeared in Wei Yue’s mind.
Following the memory, she quickly kept pace with Lu Yuanqiu’s movements.
Lu Yuanqiu wasn’t surprised by Wei Yue’s quick grasp.
In her view, ballroom dancing was something they were both deeply familiar with. If Wei Yue had genuinely shown unfamiliarity with the steps, Lu Yuanqiu would have seriously doubted her intentions.
Like… when she stepped on her foot twice just now.
Lu Yuanqiu could still feel a dull ache in her toes. She subtly sighed, wondering if Wei Yue still held a grudge against her.
The current Wei Yue was quite contradictory. To say she still disliked her wasn’t quite right, as she had inadvertently helped her in many ways recently. But to say she had suddenly turned over a new leaf seemed too abrupt.
Could one car accident really change so much?
Wei Yue was naturally unaware of Lu Yuanqiu’s hidden scrutinizing gaze. She was currently fully focused on recalling the ballroom dance steps.
Fortunately, as the dance progressed, the memories in her mind became clearer. Even the male lead’s steps were vividly clear.
It seemed the original owner, despite her arrogant and capricious personality, had remarkable memory and learning abilities.
With the combination of conditioned reflexes and enhanced memory, Wei Yue’s anxiety about the dance gradually subsided. Her gaze involuntarily fell upon her dance partner again.
The warm light shone from above. Wei Yue watched Lu Yuanqiu lower her eyes, her long lashes trembling, casting a shadow on her fair face.
Initially, Lu Yuanqiu was leading her hand. But since Wei Yue had recalled the male lead’s steps, they naturally transitioned into the standard male and female roles of ballroom dancing. Now, it looked like Wei Yue was actively holding Lu Yuanqiu’s hand.
That hand was slender, long, fair, and delicate.
While their hands looked outwardly similar, Wei Yue felt the warmth coming from the other’s palm and sensed that Lu Yuanqiu was somehow unique.
Wei Yue felt that somewhat suffocating atmosphere creeping up again.
Then, the next second, a “Clack!” broke the brief silence.
“…Wei Yue,” Lu Yuanqiu looked at the girl in front of her and smiled, speaking softly.
“Mhm…?” Wei Yue’s legs were shaking. She forced a smile and subtly retreated a few steps.
“Do you still have some kind of issue with me?” Although Lu Yuanqiu was still smiling, Wei Yue clearly felt a dangerous aura emanating from her.
“No, no, no, it’s a misunderstanding!” Wei Yue looked horrified, quickly waving her hands to explain.
Along with her slightly trembling voice came the system’s merciless electronic tone: OOC level has risen to 50%. Host, please be mindful.
“So… you’re playing a game of heart-stopping moments, is that it?” Wei Yue weakly complained to the system in her mind as she followed Lu Yuanqiu back to the main hall.
Sure enough, whenever she was alone with Lu Yuanqiu, her OOC level became incredibly unstable. She suspected it was mostly because she found it hard to resist the female lead’s beauty attacks.
However, the various side missions, and even the main mission, that came with Lu Yuanqiu were too tempting.
This scenario of increasing life value and OOC level simultaneously was practically testing her cardiac endurance.
The system patiently explained: Host, you must believe that as the Villainess Transformation Project advances, your OOC restrictions will also lessen. Look, the OOC level only increased by 10% this time, whereas usually, it starts at a 20% increase.
“That is true…”
Wei Yue looked at the system screen, then at Lu Yuanqiu walking ahead. She couldn’t help but sigh that Lu Yuanqiu was truly like that classic phrase to her now—a dangerous yet captivating figure.
She couldn’t leave her, yet she was afraid to get too close.
“Ahem, ladies and gentlemen, the banquet is halfway through.”
A deep male voice spread from the loudspeakers around the hall. At the very front of the hall stood two middle-aged men who looked roughly the same age.
One was Lu Hong, the head of the Lu family, whom Wei Yue and Lu Yuanqiu had just seen in the lounge. The other, the system provided guidance for: Lan Rong, male lead Lan Shangui’s father, the current head of the Lan family.
The appearance of only these two signaled the hosts of the banquet. It was also an undeniable hint—the previously rumored intention of a marriage alliance by the Lu family had likely reached a conclusion.
“And now, we’ve arrived at the part the young people are particularly looking forward to: the dance.” Lu Hong smiled slightly, completely devoid of the stern expression he showed Lu Yuanqiu earlier. “I hope everyone continues to enjoy this banquet.”
After Lu Hong finished speaking, soft music filled the hall, signaling the official start of the dance.
“Are you ready?” Lu Yuanqiu turned around, looking up at Wei Yue, and extended her hand.
Ready or not, she had to be!
Wei Yue grumbled this internally. Worried about making a mistake under the scrutiny of the crowd, she avoided Lu Yuanqiu’s gaze and took her hand.
The moment their hands met, Wei Yue clearly heard small gasps of surprise from the crowd.
After all, the two people who were habitually at odds had unexpectedly become each other’s partners at such a crucial banquet.
If their initial notice was out of gossip and curiosity, then as the dance began, everyone’s eyes were undeniably drawn to the two of them.
Lu Yuanqiu was flawless, needing no introduction. In terms of posture, elegance, and expression, she was impeccable. As she moved and changed steps with the music, the hem of her gown fluttered, every gesture exuding grace.
Wei Yue, however, was even more surprising. Many people were seeing her lead the male part for the first time, yet her movements were fluid and natural, her steps decisive and precise.
More importantly, she and Lu Yuanqiu were perfectly synchronized.
The two people, with their vastly different personalities and temperaments, miraculously became harmonious in this ballroom dance.
The sight of them dancing together was utterly pleasing to the eye.
Wei Ling, standing on the sidelines and not participating in the dance, listened to the discussions of the other influential wives and spotted her daughter.
Looking at the familiar figure of her daughter, she felt both shock and relief.
Shocked that Wei Yue was dancing with Lu Yuanqiu, and dancing so well. Relieved because…
“Sure enough, Yueyue can also do things well,” she murmured.
The two who had become the center of attention were currently focused on their dance moves—at least on the surface.
“Are you still very nervous?”
Lu Yuanqiu, holding Wei Yue’s shoulder, could feel the tension through the fabric of her suit.
She was wearing low heels, making her slightly taller than Wei Yue’s usual height, which was already similar. She lowered her eyes and asked Wei Yue.
“Ah? Uh, more or less, yes! It’s my first time leading the male part…”
Wei Yue wanted to remain silent until the end of the dance. She was worried that being so close to Lu Yuanqiu would cause her OOC level to instantly skyrocket.
Even with her eyes averted, her sense of touch and smell were magnified, and Lu Yuanqiu’s presence was still intensely felt.
“Your first time? But you’re dancing very well.” This was an objective statement, and even Lu Yuanqiu was somewhat surprised.
Earlier in the lounge, Wei Yue had stepped on her several times. Lu Yuanqiu had even thought they might be laughed at during the dance, but she hadn’t expected Wei Yue’s performance to be so splendid now.
Wei Yue accepted the compliment without false modesty: “Thanks for the praise.”
She couldn’t focus on Lu Yuanqiu. Wei Yue was acutely aware of her current predicament.
Although she still didn’t understand why she was so susceptible to Lu Yuanqiu, as she hadn’t been overly drawn to beauty before.
To divert her attention, Wei Yue began to think about the long-dormant Main Mission.
Halfway through the dance, although she had triggered two side missions, the Main Mission still showed no progress. Furthermore, the Main Mission was about the past of the Lu, Wei, and Zhou families, while the focus of the banquet was the Lu and Lan families.
However, the Main Mission had to be closely related to the people and events around her.
She recalled Zhou Ling’s earlier contact, where she mentioned that Zhou Jing was also interested in Lu Yuanqiu. Yet, the original plot of the banquet did not feature the male second lead, Zhou Jing.
Since the plotline had already deviated, could it be that after the dance, at the time Lu Hong was supposed to announce the marriage alliance with the Lan family, a new complication would arise?
Perhaps Zhou Ling’s appearance would involve the Zhou family, or Zhou Jing would make a move…
Pondering this, Wei Yue’s gaze swept across the hall, searching for the Zhou Ling and Zhou Jing siblings.
She didn’t find Zhou Jing, but she successfully spotted Zhou Ling on the dance floor.
To her surprise, Zhou Ling’s partner was… Lan Shangui?
Wei Yue’s lips twitched slightly. It seemed the plot had truly drifted to the ends of the earth.
“Stop looking. Your posture is off.”
Just as Wei Yue was about to delve deeper into why Lan Shangui and Zhou Ling had ended up together, Lu Yuanqiu’s hushed voice rang in her ear, startling Wei Yue back to attention.
She looked up, only to realize that, due to the warning, she and Lu Yuanqiu were now standing extremely close.
“Ah? Uh, ah…” Wei Yue opened her mouth, meeting Lu Yuanqiu’s gaze, her mind temporarily blank.
She saw Lu Yuanqiu looking into her eyes with complex emotion.
Why is she looking at me like that?
Wei Yue was confused. She quickly thought, Could Lu Yuanqiu have noticed her looking at Lan Shangui and assumed she had ulterior motives? After all, the original owner had caused Lu Yuanqiu trouble because of Lan Shangui.
She decisively tried to explain: “Um, you don’t…”
However, in that momentary lapse, she clearly ignored Lu Yuanqiu’s earlier reminder about the dance steps.
“Clack!”
The fourth time—she stepped on Lu Yuanqiu again.
The familiar sound occurred, and Wei Yue clearly felt the soft body she was holding stiffen for a moment.
Then, the hand resting on her shoulder squeezed it firmly.
“Ouch, ouch! Stop, stop, stop… Lu Yuanqiu, be gentle! I really didn’t mean to!”