The stage lights blind me as I finish the final pose of our performance. The crowd erupts in cheers, but all I can hear is the blood rushing in my ears. I'd just poured my confusion, my longing, my conflicted feelings into that performance - blindfolded and vulnerable in front of hundreds. As the audience continues to applaud, I bow and quickly make my way backstage, Wei Zhi's hand still lingering on my arm.

"You were amazing!" she gushes, pulling me closer than necessary. I force a smile, gently extracting myself from her grasp.

"Thanks, we all were," I reply, adjusting my costume as an excuse to create distance. My heart is still racing, but not from the performance. Tian XuNing is out there watching somewhere, and I can't stop wondering what he thought of it - of me.

Before I can process this further, I spot him. Standing alone at the edge of the backstage area, his expression unreadable in the dim lighting. Our eyes lock for a fraction of a second before he looks away, jaw tight. The ache in my chest intensifies.

Wei Zhi loops her arm through mine again, drawing my attention back to her. "Let's get you cleaned up before the next segment," she says, already guiding me toward the dressing rooms. Over her shoulder, I catch one last glimpse of XuNing, but he's walking away now. The distance between us feels wider than ever.