"So, what's up with you?" Butler Noah was scrubbing Han Luo's back in the bathroom. He looked at her expression through the mirror and started asking questions.
Han Luo came out of the daze and asked, "What do you mean by 'what's up'?"
He washed her back with warm water and was careful not to soak her legs. "I know you lost this time but I can tell it's not the reason why you are distracted."
"Am I?" Han Luo averted her gaze.
Butler Noah raised an eyebrow. "You need to ask? You are acting suspiciously after coming back. What happened there? Spill it."
Han Luo shrugged and answered, "Nothing much. Just some girls tempering with my shoes. That's all."
"That belly dance shoes?!" Noah exclaimed, "What on earth did you do to them to make them your enemies?"
Han Luo leaned on her legs, giving more space to Noah on the back. "Being one of the top dancers is enough to become their target."
"That's unbelievable! However, that doesn't change the fact that you have a teenage-in-love look all over your face. What's the story behind that?"
Just who raised her and stayed by her side since she was a child? How could she hide her sudden change from Noah of all people?
That can never be easy.
"'Teenage-in-love' look? Am I in love?" Han Luo blinked and covered her warmed cheeks. She was confused and at the same time, she was embarrassed thinking about the morning event.
Noah commented, "What's with your shy look? So ugly!"
"Hey!" Han Luo turned half of her body toward him and splashed some water at him. "How can I be ugly? Do you know just how many boys from different countries sent me love letters and asked me out? I didn't have the time to reply to them at all!"
Noah paused. "Did you tell that to Young Master Mo?"
"Why should I tell him that?" Han Luo directly looked at him.
She is no fool. She knows the consequences of telling Mo Yuan about those love letters.
"Good, don't tell him," Noah said. 'Or else I don't know what that boy will do?' He changed the subject and asked her, "Do you still want to attend the competition? It will be hard to face the participants?"
"I will not hesitate though. I fought with honor. Why should I have a hard time to face them?"
"It's a good thing that you are strong." Noah patted her back. He was glad that she wasn't having a hard time about being disqualified.
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A week later, Han Luo could walk without a bandage. She was so happy that she danced all day. In the evening, she went to the quarter-final with Noah and Ma Rui. The music competition had ended and Mo Yuan went to the semifinal. Han Luo was so happy that she wanted to give him a big hug.
The whole week, she only talked to him on the phone only twice. It made her miss him greatly. However, she didn't want to distract him and got busy sightseeing with Noah instead.
When the dancing competition started, Han Luo attentively watched everyone's move. She hated to admit it but those bullies danced very well. She wished she could throw them out of the competition.
Jared danced well. In the end, it was Zenna's turn. However, for some unexpected reason, her shoes broke and she fell on the stage. While the audiences screamed, Han Luo stood up. She was worried about her.
The medical team came and checked Zenna's injury.
"Why is this happening?"
"Same shoe incident that happened a week ago."
"I don't like it."
"Two good dancers were disqualified just like this. Something is fishy."
"Do you think it's some kind of conspiracy?"
"It looks like it but we can't tell for sure since we don't have evidence."
Han Luo listened to the comments of the audience and stayed quiet. She wished she could stay by Zenna's side and from her experience, she knew that Zenna wanted to be alone for now. She clenched her fists and stayed silent.
"It looks like she has the same fate as you. Poor girl! She must be one of the targets." Noah commented.
"That's right." Han Luo's expression didn't look good. 'Why am I so weak? Why can't I fight for justice and protect my friends? Why am I so useless?'
Noah changed her odd behavior and glanced at her. After seeing her pale complexion, he quickly asked, "Are you okay? You don't look well."
Before Han Luo could say anything, they heard a commotion. Han Luo and Noah both looked at the stage and saw Zenna standing with a microphone. Her expression was twisted in pain but her eyes were filled with resolve.
She said, "Judges, I have something I want to share with you all."
"Sure, you can but what about your injuries? Are you okay? Since you are a dancer your legs are important, right?"
Zenna replied, "As you said, as dancers our legs are important parts of our bodies. However, some dancers are tampering with her shoes so that we can be disqualified and those who are doing it are going at the top. Isn't this act unforgivable?"
"!!!" Han Luo was stunned. She wasn't sure if she knew this Zenna. She looked like a completely different person.
Noah whistled. "Now, look at that. This type of girl needs to be at the top. Brat, she is better than you. At least she is fighting back."
"She looks prepared, unlike me who was caught off guard." Han Luo commented.
Everyone started to talk at the same time. The judges heard the angry voices of the audiences and they calmly asked Zenna, "Are you sure about that? Do you have any proof that someone broke your shoes? If you have, please do tell us.. We also want to take the best dancer to the top, not those who used unethical ways to be at the top."