Chapter 313: Not as pretty as you
Hua Jing’s lips curved faintly. She knew her sister well. Hua Ling loved to be fawned over. She thrived on adoration, on the empty praises of sycophants. But Lin Qian was not that kind of woman. She had never been the type to bow her head and lick someone’s boots for favor. Her bluntness, her refusal to cater to others’ egos, had always put her at odds with someone like Hua Ling.
And Hua Ling’s demeanor... it had long since grated on Hua Jing’s nerves too.
Her mind flickered back to a moment before the accident—a memory etched into her like a scar. Lin Qian had once turned to her in exasperation, blunt as always, and asked, Why do you keep that snake so close to you? The "snake," of course, had been Hua Ling.
Lin Qian had said it right in front of Hua Ling’s face. Without hesitation. Without fear.
Hua Jing could still remember the flash of cold venom in her sister’s eyes that day. Lin Qian had seen through her long, long ago, peeling away the pretty mask Hua Ling wore before others.
And now, seeing Lin Qian struck off the program list so suddenly, Hua Jing understood the motive with piercing clarity. This wasn’t just about Lin Qian. It was about her. Hua Ling’s pettiness ran that deep. Removing Lin Qian had been nothing more than another way of clawing at her shadow, a way to erase someone who had dared to speak the truth all those years ago.
Hua Jing’s smile darkened. So it was all because of me.
That was why she had reached out in secret, contacting Lin Qian ahead of time. She had told her to be ready, that something big was coming. And indeed, this—tonight—was bigger than anyone could have imagined.
Lin Qian didn’t understand it then. She had only followed Hua Jing’s cryptic words, puzzled and wary. But now, watching everything unfold before her eyes—the lights, the piano, the shocking reunion, and her own unexpected stage—she began to piece it together.
If not for Hua Ling’s schemes, if not for the scandal of her being erased so brazenly, Hua Jing might never have returned at all.
And so, as she looked at the woman in front of her—this pale, beautiful figure in red who carried herself like a queen despite everything—Lin Qian’s heart wavered.
Her lips pressed together. She didn’t voice the thought, but her inner voice whispered it with aching clarity:
Why did you come back to save me?
They were not close. In fact, they had always been wary of each other, circling but never truly approaching. Hua Jing had no obligation, no reason to risk everything for her.
And yet, here she was.
Hua Jing had returned, and for some reason, she had chosen to shield her.
The question lodged itself in Lin Qian’s chest, heavy and suffocating, demanding an answer Hua Jing might never give.
Lin Qian looked at Hua Jing expectantly, her eyes shining like two clear pools of water. She wanted an answer, a real answer. Why had Hua Jing helped her when Hua Ling had already stripped her of the chance to perform? Why had Hua Jing stepped in, pulling her back onto the stage, giving her a light when everyone else had tried to drag her into darkness?
But Hua Jing... Hua Jing only smiled.
It wasn’t the cold, untouchable smile that people in the circle knew her for. It was softer, almost indulgent, as if she were staring at something fragile and precious.
Lin Qian’s heart gave an involuntary flutter.
For a moment, Hua Jing herself didn’t know how to answer. The truth? Even she wasn’t sure why she had done it. Logic would have told her to stay out of it. After all, she and Lin Qian had always been on opposite sides, rivals who had clashed again and again in the entertainment industry.
And yet...
Her memories stirred. Before the accident. Before the coma that had stolen years from her life. There had been small moments—little things.
That girl, Lin Qian, with her straightforward, unyielding personality, had stood up for her.
When people whispered ugly things, Lin Qian had refused to believe them.
When rumors spread, she had scoffed and said, "Until I see it, I won’t believe it."
She had defended Hua Jing more times than she could count, even while glaring at her across the stage, even while calling her "enemy" with clenched fists.
Perhaps... perhaps that was why.
Hua Jing opened her mouth. Can it be because you were always—
But she stopped herself.
Her lips curved into something mischievous, almost teasing. And instead of the words she had wanted to say, something entirely different slipped out.
"It is because you are unimaginably pretty."
"..."
Lin Qian’s eyes widened, her jaw almost dropping. "What kind of—what kind of reason is that?!"
Hua Jing tilted her head, her earrings swaying like stars. "What else could it be? Don’t underestimate beauty, Lin Qian. It topples cities and ruins dynasties. Why can’t it move me to act?"
"You—" Lin Qian’s cheeks flushed a dangerous red. She took a step forward, pointing a trembling finger at Hua Jing. "You’re ridiculous! That can’t possibly be the reason. If that were the case, there are so many other pretty faces around you. Why didn’t you help them?"
Hua Jing’s smile deepened. Her eyes glimmered with a faint trace of something Lin Qian couldn’t quite read.
"Because..." she said slowly, her voice soft but cutting through the silence like a blade, "you were the only one who ever chose to believe me."
Lin Qian froze.
Her lips parted, but no words came out. The world around her seemed to still, as if the very air had turned heavy.
Her heartbeat thundered in her ears.
Lin Qian’s mind went blank. The words Hua Jing had just spoken still echoed in her head like a dangerous spell.
"You were the only one who ever chose to believe me."
Her heart had barely recovered from that bomb when Hua Jing leaned closer, her gaze shimmering with amusement.
"But you’re right," Hua Jing murmured, her tone suddenly playful, almost scandalous. "Others are pretty too... but compared to you? They’re nothing. Not even half as dazzling. Not even a tenth."
Lin Qian’s entire body stiffened. "..."
