The crowd exploded again with deafening cheers and applause.
For those who’d paid to see Tawana, tonight was a rare audiovisual feast. Fans of Stephanie were naturally thrilled, while those unfamiliar with her came away with a newfound fondness after her performance.
Afterwards, Stephanie and Tawana shared another embrace.
Tawana held her tightly and whispered guiltily in her ear, “I’m so sorry, Stephanie, I just couldn’t hold back…”
Stephanie smiled, “Why apologise to me? I’m not Charlie wade’s wife.”
With that, she gave Tawana’s back a gentle pat and said, “Perform well, I’m heading off!”
Tawana’s heart swelled with gratitude, and she nodded reluctantly.
Stephanie stepped onto the lift, bowed to the audience once more, and waved, “Thank you again for your support, bye-bye!”
With that, the lift descended, and Stephanie disappeared from the stage.
Tawana, now composed, threw herself back into her solo performance as the intro to the next song began.
Meanwhile, Charlie wade, after leaving the stage, headed straight to the dressing room.
He removed all his makeup and stage gear, changed into his own clothes, and looked at himself in the mirror, feeling a touch of resignation.
If he’d known it’d come to this, he’d never have agreed to be their backup dancer. He was a man with pride—imagine if his identity got out one day. Where would he hide his face then?
As he was mulling this over, a knock came at the door.
Charlie wade called out, “Come in,” and saw Stephanie walk in with a cheeky grin.
“Brother Charlie wade!”
She sidled up to him and teased in a playful tone, “My, my, Brother Charlie wade’s got quite the romantic luck tonight, hasn’t he?”
Charlie wade’s head throbbed. “Romantic luck? I was mortified!”
Stephanie stepped closer, eyeing him up close with a mischievous smile. “A stunning global superstar throws herself into your arms on stage and plants a kiss on you—that’s not romantic luck?”
Charlie wade shook his head earnestly. “Not a chance, it’s not! I’ve got no feelings for her in that way. She’s, at best, half a collaborator, half a friend! That stunt she pulled? I wanted to vanish right there on stage. Romantic luck? Hardly!”
Stephanie let out a teasing “Ohhh,” batting her lashes shyly. “So that doesn’t count as romantic luck? Brother Charlie wade’s standards for romance are awfully high, aren’t they?”
Then, she suddenly leaned in close and asked, “Brother Charlie wade, I’m curious… what about this… does this count as romantic luck?”
Charlie wade, still puzzled, frowned. “What do you mean, ‘this’?”
Stephanie giggled, playing coy. “Just this!”
Before Charlie wade could react, she stood on her tiptoes and pressed her soft, cherry-red lips firmly against his!
Caught completely off guard, Charlie wade didn’t have time to process it.
As their lips met, he felt the warm, tender touch of Stephanie’s lips, laced with a faint sweetness. His mind spun, a strange thrill coursing through him.
His heart raced, and Stephanie showed no sign of pulling away, her eyes closed as she kissed him with careful, almost greedy intensity.
Charlie wade couldn’t help but think to himself, *Charlie wade, you’re supposed to be a master! The earl of the Qing-breaking Society couldn’t kill you, yet here you are, ambushed by two women in a row? You… you’re letting yourself go!*
