Chapter 26 Adding Her Own Lines.

Everyone quickly regained theirposure and returned to their performance.

+B Pearls

As a tree, Jean didn’t bhave /bany lines. She bhad /bvery little stage time, but from the moment she stepped onto the stage, she drew everyone’s attention.

The girl bhad /ba pair of lively eyes. Her dark pupils seemed as deep as a night sky sprinkled with bstars/b, and her entire being radiated an unpolished, natural charm.

Compared to her heavily made–up ssmates, each sporting thickyers of white powder and exaggerated red cheeks, Jean-pletely makeup–free–stood out like a pure little deer wandering in from a forest

All she needed to do was stand there quietly, and she effortlessly outshined everyone else on stage.

After briefly appearing at the beginning, Jean stepped back, leaving the spotlight to Lacey.

She watched nkly from the sidelines as Lacey’s big moment began.

Vaguely, Jean felt a particr gaze fixed steadily on her.

Instinctively, bshe /bnced toward the audience

To her surprise, Easton was watching her.

Instead of paying attention to Lacey’s performance as he should have been, Easton had openly turned his head toward Jean, his gazending squarely on her.

He smiled softly, his eyes curving gently.

Jean was momentarily confused.

Are we even

dose?

She bknew /bthe host’s rtionship with her five brothers was terrible, yet Easton was now behaving as though they were very close siblings.

No

This must be my imagination.

Meanwhile, on the stage, Lacey had reached the most crucial part of her performance–the singing segment she’d often stumbled bover /bduring rehearsals.

Jean crossed her arms, calmly watching Lacey standing at the center of the stage.

Whether Lacey messed up or not, Jean honestly didn’t care.

bShe /bwas simply a bit curious if Lacey would struggle like usual or miraculously nail it today.

Music began ying.

Lacey opened her mouth, ready bto /bsing.

second

However, the next sed

Jean froze, disbelief shing through her eyes.

The voice filling the theater right now wasn’t Lacey’s–it was Jean’s own voice, a voice she knew all too

well

What the hell!

Larry was actually lip–syncing-

7:42 bPM /bbc /b

Chapter 26 Adding Her Own Lines

She was thoroughly pissed off.

But no one seemed to care about her feelings. At this moment, the audience was utterly captivated by the singing performance.

+8 Pearls

Their reactions transitioned from surprise, to delight, to astonishment. The entire audience seemed bewitched by Lacey’s fake performance.

As the song finished, a brief silence enveloped the theater. After several stunned seconds, thunderous apuse erupted from. the crowd, all aimed bat /bLacey, bwho /bstood center stage

Even Easton, previously distracted, now gazed at Lacey approvingly.

At this moment, Lacey was unquestionably the shining star of the show.

A delighted smile spread across her face, radiant and full of joy.

Standing quietly in the shadows, Jean watched all of this unfold.

At this point, the y was nearing its end.

Jean only had one bfinal /btask: she needed to “revive” in front of the audience, bringing the story to a perfect close.

The stage lights settled on her.

Jean lowered her gaze, expressionless.

Then suddenly-

She smiled.

Lacey watched Jean nervously, afraid jean might mess up their ending.

As far as Lacey was concerned, her wless performance meant they had the group award in the bag. There was even a strong chance she’d win Best Actress.

And if she did, Lacey could secure a future rmendadon for admission to the Empire Drama Academy..

Lacey had always dreamed of acting, bof /bbing a star.

These bawards /bwere crucial stepping stones toward her dream.

All she needed was for bJean /bto y along band /bneatly wrap things up.

But Jean merely stood there, smiling.

In that seemingly gentle smile, Lacey caught a glimpse of something cold and unsettling.

The next second-

Jean opened her lips band /bspoke clearly, her voice bright and ringing as it reached every ear. “It’s so good to be alive.b” /b

Everyone on stage who knew the script stared bat /bher, dumbfounded.

They knew perfectly well Jean–as a tree–wasn’t supposed to have a single lineb. /b

Shock and anger surged through them. If it wasn’t for the fact they bwere /bbstill /bon stage, they’d have confronted Jean right then

and their

What the hell is she thinking!!

She actually went and added her own lines without permission!

7:42 PM

Chapter 26 Adding Her Own Lines

They all bassumed /bthis cute moment had been deliberately written into the script.

Jean’s sweet, clear voice saying such an adorable line made her seem.

beven /bmore like ba /blovable little forest sprite.

+8 Pearls

Then, Jean calmly gazed out at the vast audience. The bstage /blights reflected brightly in her eyes, like countless stars blooming right before them.

Softly, Jean began to sing.

She sang exactly the same song Lacey had just performed.

No musical apaniment. Just pure, beautiful singing.

Her bvoice /bwas heavenly.

The audience was spellbound once more.

Initially, they thought this btoo /bwas part of the nned performance. But halfway through Jean’s song, some realized something strange:

This voice sounded exactly like the one they’d just heard from Lacey.

“What’s going on?”

People in the audience began murmuring in confusion.

“Isn’t this the same song the main character just sang?”

“Yeah, it’s a nice callback having the little tree sing it too. Pretty neat, I think.”

“No, that’s not the bpoint/b! Not only is this song identical, but their voices are literally exactly the same. The only difference is bthat /bone had music and one’s singing it a cappe!”

“How could two different people have precisely the same voice and singing style?”

“Holy crap!”

“Did they both lip–sync? Did they both use the same recorded audio?”

“Either both were lip–syncing, or one was lip–syncing and the other is the real singer.

“Now here’s the question–bwho’s /bthe breal /bvoice behind this incredible singing?”

“What’s happening exactly? Which one of them was faking?”

I’ve got no idea, but seriously, this voice is beautiful. They should definitely tell us who actually sang it.” bConfusion /bband /bchatter filled the audience. Onstageb, /bJean’s ssmates were on the verge of losing their minds-

Jean, bthis /bunpredictable freak, had nearly given them a collective heart attack.

Did she even realize bwhat /bshe was doing?

Lacey’s lip–syncing bhad /blong been known and tacitly approved by the whole bgroup /band their teacher. They’d agreed beforehand that bending the rules a little was fine, bas /blong bas /bit guaranteed their victory.

But now Jean, their carefully chosen “tree,” bhad /btantly exposed the deception.

Larry stared at Jean in disbelief, desperately suppressing her rage, her fingernails digging deep into her palms.

And Jean, standing calmly in the spotlight, merely smiled softly at the audience,pletely ignoring the chaos unfolding