Category: Shion’s Notes

Chapter 13: I’ve Never Met Someone So Shameless!

Time passed quietly. The easy extra work, just sitting there for a close-up, was gone. Yu Linna’s small dream, just beginning to sprout, was ruthlessly plucked. However, the unyielding Yu Linna still tried her luck, but few film crews offered her such opportunities.

Some staff members suggested she try out as a background actor, earning 80 yuan a day, which was considered a high rate. Yu Linna initially thought this job wasn’t bad and joined a film crew as an extra, but the work was far more arduous than she imagined.

“Yu girl, stop dawdling and come over here, the director is about to call ‘action!’”

On set, Yu Linna wore a costume, no makeup, and hurriedly followed the group, taking her place among the crowd of onlookers. Her role was just a background character, like most of the others, playing a member of the crowd watching the scene unfold. She wore a costume, playing a student from the Republican era, and even had her hair styled in braids for the camera, perfectly embodying the image of a student from that time.

But it was all for nothing. She had no lines, didn’t need to do anything, just followed the crowd. A day’s work was incredibly tiring. If it weren’t for the free boxed lunch, she wouldn’t have bothered.

It was too exhausting.

Under the scorching sun, Yu Linna was drenched in sweat. This job was a far cry from the small role she played two days ago. Back then, she at least had a close-up shot. This time, she was completely lost in the crowd. And the pay was meager.

Previously, she received the fee of a featured extra. This time, she received the pay of a background actor. The nature of the work was different, and Yu Linna felt increasingly bored. She had classes on weekdays and could only come here on holidays. Besides this, she had other part-time jobs, working tirelessly, yet she still hadn’t gotten any closer to her dream.

Her bold proclamations felt like a joke.

At noon, all the extras could get their boxed lunches. Yu Linna queued up with the crowd to get her food. Many of the extras here were uneducated older men. Seeing a young girl like her working so hard, and with her striking appearance, they naturally liked to approach her and ask questions. Yu Linna disliked being disturbed and put on a cold expression, ignoring everyone.

But there were still a few persistent individuals who tried to chat her up. There was no helping it; Yu Linna was beautiful, and everyone wanted to hit on her.

Yu Linna took her boxed lunch to a shady spot under a large tree to eat, wanting to avoid these people. Seeing her resistance, they didn’t have the nerve to continue bothering her.

Yu Linna wolfed down her food, her dislike for this place growing.

“What a lousy place, and this boxed lunch, not a single shred of meat. Do they think I’m a monk?”

Although she complained, she still ate everything. There was no helping it; it was free food, after all.

Moreover, for the sake of her future livelihood, she needed this kind of work. Even though she was underage, no one cared. As long as she could earn money, it was fine.

During the lunch break, a visitor arrived at the set: Li Yuexin. As a popular actress in the entertainment industry, Li Yuexin was naturally well-known. It was impossible for her to visit the set unnoticed.

“Miss Li, what brings you here? Come, have a seat.”

“I’m here to see Sister Xiao Yun.”

“I figured. She’s inside.”

Xiao Yun, a well-known actress in the entertainment industry, was also Li Yuexin’s senior. Li Yuexin had been under her care earlier in her career. Although Xiao Yun’s career wasn’t as booming as Li Yuexin’s, as a graduate of a prestigious school, she had good resources and acting skills. After graduation, she participated in many excellent film and television productions. The TV drama she was currently filming was one of them.

Learning that her junior had come to visit, Xiao Yun, still in her costume, came to see her. Xiao Yun was dressed in a Republican-era style, a long dress displaying elegance. Because her shoes were inconvenient, she couldn’t run over. She played a young lady from a wealthy family in the drama, a supporting role, but she shared scenes with famous actors, including the lead, who was a big name in the entertainment industry. Therefore, she could learn a lot, and she was quite satisfied with this opportunity.

“Yuexin, are you off work today or just have nothing to do? It’s not like you, a busy person, to come visit me.”

Although Xiao Yun’s words were teasing, her face wore a kind smile. With their close relationship, such jokes were harmless.

“Sister Xiao, it’s been a while. I have some free time, so I came to see you. I heard you were filming here, so I came over.”

“It’s good that you thought of me. How about we have dinner together tonight?”

“No, I still have work later. I just came over during my break. I have to go back to school tomorrow. My teacher is getting angry about me skipping classes. I don’t want to fail my courses.”

A popular star like Li Yuexin, who had already established herself in the entertainment industry, was actually afraid of failing her courses. If her fans knew, they would probably die of laughter.

Li Yuexin came here today to see her graduated senior and also wanted to talk to her about Nangong Ying. Nangong Ying had greatly impressed her, and she wanted her to join her band and make a name for themselves in the music industry, instead of relying on her own fame as an actress to support the band.

She knew that introducing a newcomer was an unwise move, but it was worth a try. Nangong Ying was talented. Looking at her resume, Li Yuexin knew that this girl had stage experience from a young age and had even won a national championship. Back then, Li Yuexin didn’t have such achievements. She debuted through a singing competition, followed that path, and on her teacher’s advice, enrolled in film school, entering the entertainment industry and becoming famous.

Nangong Ying was somewhat similar to her, and she wanted to help and nurture her.

Meanwhile, Yu Linna, eating under the tree, saw the two actresses chatting in the distance. At first, she didn’t think much of it, but as she watched, she suddenly felt that the actress who came to visit looked familiar. She looked closely, searching her memory, and then her eyes widened in surprise.

Wasn’t that the actress who had recently become popular on TV? Why was she here?!

Although Yu Linna rarely watched TV dramas, preferring ACG, she wasn’t completely ignorant of celebrities. At least she knew about this recently popular star named Li Yuexin.

“Hello!”

As Li Yuexin was talking to her senior, someone suddenly interrupted. She was wondering which inconsiderate girl would interrupt their conversation when she turned around and saw a petite and adorable girl, holding a stack of photo albums, looking at her expectantly.

Seeing such a cute girl, Li Yuexin’s annoyance vanished. How could she be angry with such a girl?

“Hello, I’m your fan! Can I have your autograph?”

Yu Linna bowed deeply and presented the stack of photo albums.

Li Yuexin and Xiao Yun exchanged glances and chuckled. As celebrities, this kind of thing was common. Li Yuexin had encountered this many times during her visits to film sets. Many extras would come to her for autographs, and she was used to it. It was just an autograph, no big deal.

“Of course, anytime. Here you go, signed.”

Li Yuexin always carried a pen with her. A quick signature, and it was done. She was used to dealing with this kind of thing.

Since becoming famous, she often did this, which was why she had to wear a mask and sunglasses even on the streets, to keep a low profile. After all, fans could be scary.

“Could you please sign a few more?”

“Huh?”

Li Yuexin had already signed one, but Yu Linna handed her another one, asking her to sign again. Li Yuexin was taken aback. She had met all kinds of fans, but this was the first time she encountered a fan who asked for multiple autographs one after another.

Since it wasn’t a big deal, Li Yuexin signed the next one. However, it didn’t end there. Yu Linna continued to pull out another photo, asking her to sign again. Li Yuexin ended up signing at least ten times, and almost all of these autographs were given to Yu Linna.

“Um, little girl?”

“Okay, okay, that’s enough, hehe, thank you. Because many of my classmates like you, I wanted to take these autographs back to share with them. Please don’t mind.”

Yu Linna knew when to stop, happily holding the stack of signed photos. With so many autographs, she was more than satisfied.

“So that’s why. Alright then.”

Li Yuexin didn’t suspect anything. After all, it wasn’t a big deal.

But what was Yu Linna’s intention?

Duh, did you think she was really a fan?! Although she knew Li Yuexin, it didn’t mean she was a die-hard fan. She asked for autographs because they were valuable and could be resold at a high price. Then, she wouldn’t have to worry about money!

It had to be said, Yu Linna was a shrewd businesswoman.

Moreover, she even asked to take a photo with Li Yuexin and then another one with both Li Yuexin and Xiao Yun. These photos were also valuable. She would see if she could sell them to Fang Jiayi later, earning whatever she could.

“Your fan is quite cute. She said she’s still in high school. I think she’d be suitable to be an actress.”

After Yu Linna left, Xiao Yun discussed the little fan with Li Yuexin. Although Yu Linna was just one of the countless extras on set, her appearance was truly outstanding, very suitable for the entertainment industry. Regardless of her acting skills, at least she was pretty.

“Yeah, that’s the first time I’ve met such a strange fan. But she’s so cute, I can’t even get mad. But why is she working as an extra? She’s so pretty; she could easily stand out in a beauty pageant. Why work as a background actor, a thankless job? Even giving her a small speaking role would be better than staying here.”

“Maybe she doesn’t want to enter the industry.”

“Nonsense, then what is she doing on a film set? If she didn’t have some aspirations, who would work as an extra? The pay isn’t even as high as a factory worker’s. Only a fool would do this.”

Her words were harsh, but true.

Without aspirations, no one would work as an extra. It was a thankless job. There were so many people in the country, and many wanted to be stars, but not everyone could stand out from the crowd of extras and become famous. At least, most celebrities graduated from professional academies or transitioned from singing careers. Very few emerged from being extras.

Yu Linna, although she didn’t say it, didn’t necessarily mean she didn’t harbor such aspirations.

Chapter 12: Miss Ye

In the end, Ye Zhiyun went alone. She didn’t expect that blockhead to accompany her. Sometimes, you could only rely on yourself; that’s what she thought.

After revealing her identity, she easily entered the film set. The actors were working, and the director she was looking for was busy directing the scene. She explained her purpose to the staff and waited to the side, planning to approach the director after work.

However, after hearing that Miss Ye had arrived, Murong Yan temporarily handed over the work to the assistant director and went to meet her personally.

“What brings you here, Miss Ye?”

“Cut it out, don’t call me that. I’m here to check on things. How much longer until filming is finished?”

“Well, give me about a month, and we’ll wrap up. But post-production will take a bit longer. It’ll be at least four months before it hits theaters.”

Ye Zhiyun frowned slightly. The schedule was a bit long. She had invested in this project and wanted to see results quickly. Otherwise, how could she prove her abilities to her parents?

She invested her meager funds because she saw some talent in Murong Yan. If it lost money, it would be a complete waste. Although this amount of money wasn’t much to her father, it was a significant amount to her.

“How about this, Miss Ye, we’ll work overtime and try to get it released in three months. How does that sound?”

Seeming to sense Ye Zhiyun’s displeasure, he offered to speed up the process, although it would be tough. But to appease Miss Ye about her investment and encourage her to spend more on later publicity, this was nothing.

“Fine, the sooner the better.”

Phew, finally dealt with this young lady, Murong Yan breathed a sigh of relief. As an unknown new director, he cared deeply about this film. Only with success could he establish himself in the entertainment industry. Otherwise, he would have to pack his bags and go home.

Although Miss Ye was young, she had business experience and wouldn’t throw her money away foolishly. The fact that she took a liking to Murong Yan’s script meant that he had potential, and he had to cherish the opportunity she gave him.

“By the way, didn’t you say you were looking for an extra for a specific scene? Did you find someone? Do you want me to ask around abroad?”

“Don’t worry about that. I already filmed it today. Luckily, I found an extra whose appearance perfectly matched what I had in mind, and it only cost 500 yuan. A real bargain.”

“You finished filming… I was going to say, if you hadn’t, I have a few suitable candidates…”

“Miss Ye, why don’t you take a look at the footage I shot today? I guarantee it’s one of my most satisfying shots.”

Ye Zhiyun didn’t refuse, simply watching the footage Murong Yan shot today out of curiosity, and then, she was stunned.

“It’s her?”

She was shocked but maintained a calm expression, revealing nothing.

No wonder she saw Yu Linna in H Residential Area today. So…

Ye Zhiyun’s thoughts became complex, unclear what she was thinking.

Leaving aside Yu Linna’s lucky break, things were going smoothly for Nangong Ying. She won the city championship without any surprises. Although it took some time, it wasn’t too difficult for her. She was inherently talented, and dealing with this level of competition was a piece of cake. Although it was her first time participating in a singing competition, she still dominated the stage.

She would represent the city in the provincial competition and was very likely to advance to the nationals. Many well-known producers and mentors were delighted to have discovered this talent. This young girl held immense potential. If she could represent the country in the future, becoming a member of the Chinese music scene, it would be incredibly significant.

“Sister Xin, you specifically sought out that girl, Nangong Ying. Do you have your eye on her?”

In a spacious practice room filled with musical instruments, staff members were busy adjusting the sound equipment, and several women were preparing to rehearse.

“Well, I do have my eye on her, but not her body, but her talent.”

Li Yuexin joked half-heartedly, tuning her guitar, thinking about how to achieve a better stage presence later.

“You don’t admire many people, but those you do are usually exceptional.”

A short-haired woman sat down at the piano sullenly, annoyed with her band’s lead singer.

This woman, Li Yuexin, as mentioned before, was a popular actress. Although still in university, she already had extensive experience in front of the camera. In addition to being an actress, she was also a member of a band. She and several friends formed a band and performed on stage, gaining some fame. Of course, her greatest fame came from her acting career.

“Nangong Ying is indeed a promising talent. I want to recruit her to our band. It would be nice to have another member.”

“Sister Xin, are you serious? You need to think this through.”

“Yeah, Yuexin, although Nangong Ying performed well on stage, she’s still a newcomer. Are you sure about bringing in a newcomer? Aren’t you worried about disrupting the harmony of our band?”

As the core member of the band and the most famous among them, Li Yuexin naturally knew the implications of her decision. However, she still wanted Nangong Ying, for no other reason than she simply liked her.

Perhaps this newcomer didn’t have much fame yet, but who started out famous? Every successful person started from scratch. If she nurtured her well, she might become like Li Yuexin in the future, entering both the entertainment and music industries, although this was just an optimistic thought.

What about Nangong Ying?

She was completely unaware of these developments. She was currently preparing for the provincial competition. Even though she boasted about winning the national championship, she was taking concrete actions. To gain something, one had to put in the effort.

She just wondered how Yu Linna was doing.

After Yu Linna was eliminated that day, she looked very disappointed. Nangong Ying wondered how she was doing, whether she was attending school properly. Unlike Yu Linna, after the school heard that she would represent the city in the provincial competition, they generously granted her leave, urging her to bring honor to the school.

But she wasn’t focused on that right now. She wanted to know how Yu Linna was doing, so she called her.

“Hello, Linna? Are you home?”

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“About the other day… I’m sorry, I couldn’t help you stay in the competition. Maybe I was too optimistic. The judging for this competition wasn’t what I expected. I didn’t think you’d be eliminated so quickly.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore. I don’t care. I have a better job now.”

Yu Linna had long since stopped caring about the competition. She knew her own limitations, her basic skills were terrible, and being eliminated was expected.

Besides, she had already earned 500 yuan today, so why would she care about that competition?

“Nangong, am I pretty?”

“What’s wrong? Why are you suddenly asking this?”

“Just answer me seriously.”

“…Fine, I have to admit, you are pretty, that’s true, but I’m not bad-looking either, you know.”

Towards the end, Nangong Ying specifically emphasized herself, wanting to remind Yu Linna of the hierarchy.

But Nangong Ying was indeed beautiful, that was a fact. Although not as striking as Yu Linna, if she were in a crowd, she would still stand out.

“I think I might become an actress.”

“Huh?”

“Really, I went to a film set today as an extra. Although it was a small role, only a few seconds, I had a close-up! It was my first time on camera, you know!”

Yu Linna was very happy and excited about her experience.

This was a big step in her life!

She had never experienced such a glorious moment. Although it was just a stroke of luck, it also showed that Yu Linna had potential. With her face, she could become famous!

“Nangong, if I become famous, I’ll be rich! I can become a rich person, do whatever I want, and never be bullied again!”

Naive Yu Linna, completely ignorant of her own future and her own capabilities. She only knew that she was luckier than others, so she must be better than others.

This girl, who had yet to experience the realities of life, was simply happy about earning 500 yuan.

Of course, it was mainly because she was terrified of poverty. She wanted to become rich, to become famous, to escape her current life. She desperately wanted to change her life.

For her, entering this circle meant becoming different from others, becoming someone above the masses.

“Really? That would be great, Linna. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to appear on screen with you.”

Nangong Ying smiled, happy for her friend’s experience. She had been worried that Yu Linna would be discouraged, but it seemed she had overthought it.

“Nangong, what do you want to do in the future?”

“Right now, I just want to win the championship, and then…”

“And then?”

“Become a big star. I want my concerts to be packed with people, and have fans asking for my autograph on the streets. That’s my dream.”

Dreams were beautiful words.

At the same time, they were also the greatest aspirations. Whether they could be realized was up to fate, not human will.

Nangong Ying’s dream was to become a big star.

“I wish you success in achieving your dream.”

“Thanks.”

After hanging up the phone, Yu Linna stretched. She should also set a goal for herself, a dream. Yes, she also wanted to strive to be like Nangong Ying. Nangong Ying was her role model.

After that, she waited for calls every day, hoping for another chance to appear on screen, even if it was just for a second. She wanted to experience the thrill of being on TV. However, several days passed, and no calls came. Everything felt like a dream.

Later, she took the initiative to call Huang Jinglin, only to be told that they didn’t need her as a special extra anymore. If she insisted on becoming an actress, she would have to find a film crew herself and become a regular extra; they were always short of people.

Helplessly, Yu Linna could only figure things out on her own.

Her path would never be smooth.

Chapter 11: Naturally Opposed

Life is always full of drama. One moment you’re struggling to make ends meet, the next you might be on the verge of fame. Yu Linna considered herself lucky. Although she was poor and lacked a good family background, she was beautiful!

Because of her decent looks, she was given an opportunity. If she wasn’t pretty, she wouldn’t have had this chance. Without this opportunity, who knows where Yu Linna would be. In any case, she was incredibly lucky to have earned this extra income.

Maybe I’m a star in the making!

Yu Linna started daydreaming again.

This penniless, talentless girl who dared to dream was just that – average. However, it was indeed a blessing from heaven that she was able to get 500 yuan so easily. She didn’t do anything, just sat there, made a few expressions, and bam, 500 yuan in hand.

This money was enough for her to eat for a while and even cover her rent. Yu Linna was overjoyed.

As she left the film set, she wondered if she should celebrate by buying some good groceries and cooking a delicious meal. After all, she had been eating instant noodles for so long that she was sick of them. If she didn’t have some meat soon, she might die.

With this in mind, she decided to go to a nearby supermarket to buy some decent vegetables and meat to reward herself.

“Huh?”

Suddenly, as she entered the supermarket, a girl’s figure caught her eye.

This girl had long legs and beautiful black hair. Her delicate face was even prettier than the stars on TV. If someone said she wasn’t wearing any makeup, no one would believe it.

“It’s you, the girl who’s involved with Muqing.”

“Uh…”

Yu Linna felt like she had run into some bad luck, encountering her again.

“I remember… your name is Ye, Ye… Ye Zilü.” (lü means green)

“It’s Ye Zhiyun! You’re the one who’s green!”

Ye Zhiyun’s nose was practically steaming, her face livid. This girl was still so annoying!

“Oh, right, Ye Zhiyun, that’s the name.”

“You totally didn’t get it right just now.”

“Listen, the incident this morning was a misunderstanding. I have nothing to do with your childhood friend. You can rest assured.”

“Hmph, as if I need an explanation from a blonde loser like you. You wouldn’t even dare.”

“First of all, please don’t call me a blonde loser. I may be blonde, but I’m not a dog. Call me Yu Linna.”

This little blonde, small chest, but big guts. She actually dares to provoke me.

Very well, Ye Zhiyun decided to teach her a lesson. What lesson? Certainly not a green one. Tch! Who told you that’s what I meant?

“Ye Zhiyun, what are you doing? Why are you coming closer? I’m warning you, I’ve had training!”

“Oh really? I’ve had training too. Want to see my taekwondo rank certificate?”

“Y-you, stay back! What do you want?”

“To teach you a lesson.”

From the very beginning, Ye Zhiyun disliked Yu Linna.

She didn’t like this girl who suddenly appeared. She wanted to teach this little girl a lesson, show her who’s boss. Otherwise, she might think the sun shines out of her ass.

Yu Linna was dumbfounded. Who knew this girl, Ye Zhiyun, would be so aggressive, actually stepping closer and closer. Yu Linna had no fighting experience! What if this girl did something to her? Could she even fight back?! Suddenly, a hand grabbed Ye Zhiyun’s wrist. Ye Zhiyun was about to struggle but saw the person’s face. It was a slightly anxious face, even showing concern, but those concerned eyes weren’t looking at Ye Zhiyun.

“Zhiyun, stop making things difficult for her, okay? She didn’t do anything wrong.”

Ye Zhiyun lowered her head.

They had only known each other for less than a day, why would this man speak up for someone else? Ye Zhiyun was truly unwilling to accept this. They were the ones who had known each other the longest, shouldn’t they be the ones who understood each other the most? Why didn’t he even understand such a simple principle?

If she really wanted to hurt Yu Linna, would she resort to just scaring her? Absolutely not. She was just trying to intimidate her, to warn her to stay away from her childhood friend.

But…

She was still too naive.

“Let go, Muqing.”

“Zhiyun, listen to me…”

“Let go!”

Ye Zhiyun had a temper. She forcefully shook off his hand, her tone turning unfriendly.

Ye Zhiyun was proud. She would never allow her belongings to be taken away. What belonged to her was hers, and no one could take it away, unless it didn’t belong to her in the first place.

“What’s wrong, Zhiyun? Why are you so angry…?”

“You blockhead!”

Ye Zhiyun was truly furious. This guy was good in every way except for his low EQ. He didn’t understand even this simple principle.

Yu Linna innocently retreated. It seemed she shouldn’t have interrupted the two of them. Her unintentional appearance made Ye Zhiyun feel threatened, treating her as the greatest enemy, even though Yu Linna herself had no such intentions.

If you asked Yu Linna if she liked men, she would definitely say no. Although she had lived as a female for more than ten years, she still retained some memories of being male in her past life. She would rather be alone than marry a man.

But how could Ye Zhiyun possibly know these thoughts?

“Um, please calm down, you two…”

“Shut up, blonde loser! Don’t think you’ve won!”

“I… what did I do wrong again…?”

Yu Linna felt incredibly wronged. These days, even having blonde hair was a crime. Someone should apologize to all the blondes in the world!

She wasn’t a blonde loser; she should be a yellow-haired… something!

Ugh! She wouldn’t steal anyone’s man! Stop thinking nonsense!

“I apologize on behalf of my childhood friend. I’m very sorry, she’s not usually like this. Please don’t take offense.”

“It’s okay.”

“My name is Li Muqing, I’m eighteen years old. I’m sorry for any offense. How about I treat you to a meal as an apology?”

“A meal? Great, I’m in! I’m Yu Linna, and you’re my bro from now on.”

Hearing that there was a free meal, Yu Linna didn’t want to buy groceries anymore. She would just freeload. Since this boy offered to treat her, it would be a waste not to accept. Her goal was just a free meal.

“Hey, Li Muqing, what are you doing?!”

“We’ve caused her a lot of trouble, so we should treat her to a meal. Zhiyun, you should come too and apologize to her.”

It had to be said that this boy, Li Muqing, was well-mannered and knew how to behave. He took responsibility for his friend’s actions without hesitation. Such behavior would make him seem like a good young man in the eyes of elders.

But he forgot that this wasn’t in front of elders.

Inviting another girl in front of a girl could easily lead to misunderstandings, especially for someone as perceptive as Ye Zhiyun, whose face turned green at this moment.

Although she knew this blockhead wouldn’t have any romantic intentions, she still wanted to explode!

So openly inviting another girl, wasn’t this clearly asking for trouble?! If he didn’t have any ulterior motives, why would he invite a girl he didn’t know? If he wasn’t so seemingly honest, she would have thought he was trying to hook up!

“First, I need to clarify, I’m only going for the free meal.”

Before going to eat, Yu Linna specifically explained, but whether Ye Zhiyun listened was another matter.

“Eh, so you’re from the City Experimental High School.”

“Yeah, although we’re from different schools, we can still be considered acquaintances. You can treat me as a friend.”

“Alright, let’s exchange contact information. Treat me to more meals in the future.”

“Haha, a few meals are no big deal. By the way, although Zhiyun seems difficult to get along with, she’s actually a good person. I hope you can forgive her for her earlier behavior.”

Ye Zhiyun watched the two chatting from behind. Although their conversation was trivial, and there was no sign of romantic interest between them, Ye Zhiyun was still angry! Ready to explode at any moment!

She really hated this Yu Linna!

Yu Linna was her enemy from the start. From the very beginning, they were destined to never be friends! Ye Zhiyun was extremely annoyed. She didn’t like Yu Linna at all! Her appearance had taken everything away from her, and she was unhappy!

Even during the meal, Ye Zhiyun remained silent, glaring at Yu Linna, practically wanting to kill her. Yu Linna didn’t care; she focused on finishing this free meal. She loved free food; it saved her so much money.

As the host, Li Muqing generously ordered several dishes, both meat and vegetables. Yu Linna, a meat lover, was in bliss. She ate large chunks of meat, enjoying her meal heartily. She responded to Li Muqing’s attempts at conversation with perfunctory “mms,” only caring about the food.

Ye Zhiyun ate elegantly, her dislike for Yu Linna growing.

This girl is like a country bumpkin, with no table manners at all.

As someone from a wealthy family, she couldn’t stand such behavior.

After the meal, there were still quite a few leftovers. Li Muqing didn’t plan to continue eating and was about to pay the bill when Yu Linna stood up and called the waiter.

“Waiter, I’d like to take all of this to go.”

“Certainly, miss.”

Ye Zhiyun was speechless.

Just how shameless could this girl be?!

Someone treated her to a meal, and she actually packed the leftovers to take home!

Did she have no shame?!

“Li Muqing, you don’t mind, right?”

“Of course not, it’s my treat, haha.”

Ye Zhiyun almost coughed up blood. What was her clueless childhood friend doing?!

Yu Linna happily took the packed food and left the restaurant, bidding farewell to the two and going to find a bus. Great, with so much food, it was enough for her to eat for a whole day. She saved tonight’s food expenses and tomorrow’s as well. What a great harvest!

“I will never eat with that Yu Linna again.”

“You still have a problem with her?”

“You blockhead, you understand nothing!”

Miss Ye didn’t want to talk about her anymore and stormed off angrily. A perfectly good day was ruined by that Yu Linna. She would remember this grudge. She would definitely not let Yu Linna off the hook.

“Zhiyun, are you going back?”

“I’m going to visit Murong’s film set. I invested in it, so of course I have to check on it.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“Just go home. What are you coming for? Go away.”

“Oh, okay.”

“…Seriously? You’re actually leaving.”

Ye Zhiyun had the worst day ever.

Chapter 10: It’s Just a Matter of Two Yuan

The scene turned incredibly awkward. Who would have thought that two yuan could cause such a commotion? If she had known it would escalate like this, she definitely wouldn’t have gotten involved for a mere two yuan.

“Look, I don’t know your boyfriend.”

“He’s not my boyfriend! He’s my childhood friend!”

“Okay, okay, whatever. Anyway, this is a misunderstanding. I really don’t know him. Please calm down.”

Honestly, young people these days are so immature, Yu Linna thought to herself. However, it was normal for young couples to get jealous over such things; Yu Linna understood. Although she had never been in a relationship, she was well-versed in ACG culture and quite familiar with childhood friend character tropes in anime. In her opinion, Ye Zhiyun was a living embodiment of an ACG character.

But who was Ye Zhiyun? Did she really care about the two yuan? She was just angry that this blonde girl who suddenly appeared had disrupted the harmony between her and her childhood friend. Furthermore, associating Yu Linna with the “girl who falls from the sky” trope in anime, she felt a sense of impending doom. This threat had to be eliminated quickly!

“Zhiyun!”

Just as Ye Zhiyun was about to say something, Li Muqing got off the bus. Seeing his childhood friend giving a hard time to a girl he didn’t know, he panicked. It was just a matter of two yuan, was it necessary to make such a fuss?

This simple-minded boy didn’t think twice and stood in front of Yu Linna, his broad shoulders shielding the small and frail girl.

“Zhiyun, don’t make things difficult for her. It’s just a bus fare, it’s not that big of a deal.”

Ye Zhiyun stared at Li Muqing, her gaze fixed.

A nameless fire ignited within her, and the last vestiges of her reason snapped. All she wanted to do was explode.

“Li Muqing, do you even know what you’re doing, you idiot?! If you like being with her so much, then go ahead and have fun! Goodbye!!”

Overwhelmed by jealousy, Ye Zhiyun stormed off without another word. Li Muqing felt so wronged. What had he done wrong? He was just trying to be kind and mediate, how did it turn out like this?

A woman’s heart was truly unfathomable.

“Zhiyun, where are you going? Didn’t we agree to go shopping?”

“I’m not going with you anymore!”

“Hey, don’t go, Zhiyun!”

Poor Li Muqing could only chase after his childhood friend to try and calm her down. He had known her for so long, but this was the first time he had seen her so angry. With his negative EQ, Li Muqing had no idea what he did wrong and could only apologize profusely. Ye Zhiyun, on the other hand, wore an expression of “I’m not listening, la la la,” making things difficult for him.

By the time Ye Zhiyun’s anger subsided and she returned, Yu Linna was long gone.

“Where did that blonde girl go?”

Yu Linna wasn’t foolish enough to just stand there and watch the drama unfold. Was she supposed to stay there and wait to be dealt with by Ye Zhiyun? Of course, she chose to run. She didn’t want to be the reason a potentially happy couple broke up; that would give her a guilty conscience.

Honestly, the two of them really did resemble a childhood friend pairing from an anime, specifically a harem anime. If this were an anime world, that low EQ boy would probably be the protagonist.

But this had nothing to do with Yu Linna. She left early because she had to rush to the film set. When the time came, Huang Jinglin called her and asked her to wait for her at the intersection.

She waited at the intersection for about five minutes before Huang Jinglin finally arrived. The host didn’t waste any time and took her directly to the set. To be honest, if Chen Xi hadn’t said that this girl was suitable for the extra role Murong Yan needed, she wouldn’t have paid any special attention to her. After all, this girl only had a pretty face and no other special talents.

However, she was indeed suitable to appear in Murong Yan’s film, even if it was just as an extra.

“I’ll take you to the makeup room later. Don’t ask too many questions. Just finish quickly so you can get off work.”

“Oh.”

Huang Jinglin’s attitude towards her was quite cold and disinterested.

She had been in the broadcasting industry for a while and understood the entertainment world. There were countless people with only looks and no talent, but many famous directors liked to use them. Because good looks always brought a certain amount of traffic.

Murong Yan was a university classmate of Huang Jinglin and Chen Xi. They met in the same club during university. Murong Yan studied sound design at the time but became a director after graduation, thanks to the support of a senior. Although he hadn’t specifically studied directing, Murong Yan was willing to work hard and did a decent job. His first film was an art film, which was quite well-received, at least earning him some recognition.

This time, he received funding from investors and was rushing to film a low-budget movie. As a new director, he couldn’t afford famous actors. And recently, he needed a female character for a scene in his film. This character was preferably a young girl, ideally between 15 and 18 years old, with slightly foreign features. One scene in his movie required depicting a character’s childhood experience, and a young girl was needed for this scene. The girl didn’t need any lines, just a close-up shot. The scene was only about ten seconds long, but it was very important.

Murong Yan refused to spend a fortune hiring a famous actress. In his mind, none of the young stars had the temperament he was looking for. Even searching for foreign girls living in the country yielded no results that met his expectations. In the end, he even considered scrapping the scene altogether.

However, after seeing the photo Huang Jinglin gave him, he immediately decided on this candidate. It was her!

After Yu Linna arrived at the set, Huang Jinglin found a staff member and briefly explained the situation. The staff member then led Yu Linna inside. Yu Linna entered in a daze. In the dressing room, the makeup artist assigned her a seat and immediately gave her an outfit.

“Miss Yu, please change into this costume right away. If you have any questions, feel free to ask us. We’ll do your makeup, and you’ll go to the set in an hour.”

“So soon?”

“Your scene is a special request from the director. We must capture it today, please cooperate.”

Yu Linna didn’t say anything and obediently followed instructions. This was her first time in a film studio, her first time in a makeup room, and she was a complete novice. She was far luckier than most people. Ordinary extras couldn’t even dream of reaching her position. She received such treatment on her first time as an extra.

She was so lucky thanks to Murong Yan’s insistence on the quality of his work. He wanted an actress whose temperament met his expectations and who looked slightly foreign. Even if it was just a ten-second flashback, he insisted on this scene. This was probably his professionalism.

In his words, “No one can easily portray the young Queen Sally’s temperament. It requires a specific look, even if the actress has no acting skills, I need her to have that temperament.”

An hour later, Yu Linna emerged, dressed in a foreign princess costume, her face made up, and her hair carefully styled. For the camera, the makeup artist made her face look more foreign, making her truly resemble a foreign princess. Since Yu Linna was Chinese, she couldn’t completely look like a foreigner, but she happened to have a slightly foreign appearance. After the makeup artist’s meticulous work, she looked quite different from her usual self.

When she entered the filming set, the staff were stunned, and even the actors rehearsing their lines noticed her immediately.

“Who is she?”

“Brother Yan said she’s the actress playing the young Calgary. Her temperament is quite similar to Sister Jiayi’s.”

Yu Linna was still somewhat uneasy. It was her first time on camera, and she didn’t know if she could do a good job. Murong Yan came over to take a look and felt it was not bad. It seemed Sister Chen’s recommendation wasn’t without reason. Indeed, this girl was very suitable for the role in his film.

“Miss Yu, we’ll be counting on you. Don’t stop until I yell ‘cut.’ Just sit on that throne and try to look melancholic. You don’t have to do anything else.”

Yu Linna nodded repeatedly. Whatever the director said, she had to accept.

Besides, it was her first time on a film set. There were so many people, so many staff members, and so many extras. Was it really okay for her, a suddenly appearing extra, to just go in like this?

Nevertheless, she obediently sat on the throne as instructed by the director. Dozens of cameras immediately focused on her. The staff started moving. Yu Linna was nervous but gradually calmed herself down.

“This scene depicts Queen Sally’s youth. I hope you can show some facial expressions. Since this is your first time acting, I won’t expect too much from you. Just complete this ten-second shot.”

Yu Linna closed her eyes and calmed down. She followed her instincts, conjuring up the image of a princess in her mind.

“Action!”

The cameras rolled. Yu Linna thought about her own experiences, her own desires, and slowly, a melancholic expression appeared on her face. It was essentially a natural performance, and the effect was unexpectedly good.

“Cut! Perfect!”

Murong Yan felt it was okay and didn’t ask for a second take, a rare occurrence for him. He mainly felt that the shot was well done. Yu Linna didn’t break character and met his expectations. That was enough. Doing it again might ruin it, so it was better to leave it as is.

“Next group, Sister Bai, please get ready!”

The scene was completed just like that, without any difficulty or unexpected issues. Yu Linna breathed a sigh of relief.

And because of this, she finished work early.

As agreed, Murong Yan asked a staff member to give her 500 yuan as her fee. Although it wasn’t much, it was a lot for an extra. This money could even help her solve her rent problem, for one month, at least.

“Miss Yu, thank you for your hard work. You can go home now.”

“Miss Huang, can I come back to the set again?”

“Alright, alright, go now. I’ll contact you if there’s anything.”

Huang Jinglin didn’t have the patience to entertain her. She didn’t think this girl would have another opportunity. After all, it was just a special scene, and such a special scene wouldn’t happen again. Yu Linna was simply daydreaming.

Chapter 9: The Scene Turned Awkward

The road to fame isn’t easy. No one can achieve it overnight. In this materialistic, entertainment-obsessed era, talent alone isn’t enough; one also needs opportunities. Some people will eventually understand this.

As for Yu Linna, when her living expenses dwindled to a single 100 yuan bill, she once again felt the despair of life. It was impossible to survive a week with this little money. No matter what, the top priority was to find a well-paying job. Of course, anything illegal was absolutely out of the question.

Yu Linna carefully examined her schedule. Her worries were piling up. She had to find a way to survive. In her current situation, she could only find another job, otherwise, even food and shelter would be a problem. There was another issue she needed to consider: whether or not to continue her studies. Given Yu Linna’s financial situation, she could at most finish high school. She couldn’t afford university tuition no matter what, unless the university waived her fees.

If she really had to enter society early, there was nothing she could do about it.

After all, she was alone, with nothing.

Suddenly, a call came from an unknown number. Yu Linna instinctively wanted to reject it, but after a moment of thought, she decided to answer. What if it was an important call?

“Hello, who is this?”

“Are you Miss Yu Linna? I found your number from the registration form for the singing competition. I apologize for the abruptness.”

“Are you Miss Huang?”

“Yes, we just met last night. I won’t waste your time. Although you were eliminated from the competition, your appearance is quite outstanding, and I have a job I’d like to offer you. A friend of mine’s company is looking for an extra. If you don’t mind, you can report to H Residential Area tomorrow. The film set is built there, and my friend will meet you.”

“Is this real?!”

“It’s not fake. It only requires one afternoon of your time, and the pay is daily.”

“I’ll go! I’ll definitely go!”

“Great. I’ll call you tomorrow then.”

Hanging up the phone, Yu Linna was so excited she could barely sleep. She knew it, this call brought good news!

She hadn’t expected such a good opportunity to come her way. She was so lucky! Although it was just an extra role, it would definitely be the most special extra role! If she could use this opportunity to follow Nangong Ying’s path, she could also become rich!

Actually, a normal person’s first reaction to this call would be to suspect a scam. After all, how could such a good thing fall into her lap? But Yu Linna was terrified of poverty; she needed money desperately. Even if it was fake, she would believe it.

For money, even the slightest possibility was worth pursuing. Whether it was a scam or not, she would only know after going.

This also revealed Yu Linna’s character.

The next day, she woke up early. Although she wasn’t going until the afternoon, she couldn’t wait. She wanted to get there quickly and start working immediately. This was an opportunity. Just imagine, which extra would be so special that someone would call to notify them personally? She might be the most prestigious extra in history.

And she didn’t know that she had this opportunity thanks to Chen Xi. Chen Xi thought her appearance was quite good, with potential for development, so she gave her this opportunity. Otherwise, no one else would have received such treatment.

And this would become the beginning of Yu Linna’s greatest resentment.

“Yu girl, are you going out?”

As Yu Linna went downstairs, a neighbor saw the smile on her face and, knowing she was in a good mood, greeted her. Yu Linna had moved here a few years ago. Although she was a child, because she was alone without any adults, some neighbors took pity on her and gave her food. She had relied on their care these past two years.

“Yes, I found a job and I’m going to work.”

“Be careful on the road. By the way, you haven’t had breakfast yet, right? Here, Auntie has two steamed buns, take them.”

“Thank you, Auntie Wang!”

“You’re welcome, hurry to work.”

In the eyes of these neighbors, Yu Linna was just a child, all alone and pitiful. Fortunately, Yu Linna was obedient and didn’t cause trouble. Although she lacked parental guidance, she was surprisingly well-behaved, which was why the neighbors didn’t exclude her. But that was all. They would pity her, and that was it.

Yu Linna didn’t mind. As long as she had a free meal or two, what more could she ask for? After eating the two steamed buns, the emptiness in her stomach lessened, and they were even meat-filled, improving her mood even further.

The girl’s memories of the past were very blurry. How she was born, where she grew up, and how she ended up alone, she wasn’t very clear, only remembering vaguely. She didn’t know who her parents were, whether they were dead or alive. But after so many years without news, they probably wouldn’t come back to see her.

Anyway, she had gotten used to it after so many years. It didn’t matter.

Yu Linna also wanted to be as outstanding and dazzling as her friend Nangong Ying. As long as she was good enough, she would definitely be able to enjoy a better life. It would be even better if she could enter the upper circles like Nangong Ying. She wouldn’t have to be poor anymore, wouldn’t have to go hungry anymore. Then, she could live a good life.

To escape poverty, she had to seize every opportunity.

She waited for the bus at the bus stop. After a long wait, a bus finally arrived, and she boarded with the crowd. She opened her wallet to look for her transportation card but realized she had forgotten it. Helplessly, she had to use cash, but there was a problem: she didn’t have any change.

She only had a 100 yuan bill in her wallet, no change, and the bus didn’t give change. If she put in the 100 yuan, she would be penniless.

Why was she so unlucky today?

“Little girl, hurry up and pay. There are people waiting to board.”

“I…”

Yu Linna was at a loss. What should she do? She didn’t want to lose the 100 yuan, but she couldn’t board without paying. There was no other way; she would have to get off and go to a convenience store to get change. But convenience stores were so stingy, charging a fee. Without change, she couldn’t get to H Residential Area.

“Driver, two fares.”

Suddenly, a boy behind her spoke and put four yuan into the fare box.

At this moment, Yu Linna felt like she had met a god. God, this boy was such a good person, actually paying for her fare! Although it wasn’t much, it was a great kindness!

For some reason, the boy felt like someone was looking at him. It must be an illusion, he thought.

“Thank you!”

Yu Linna gratefully thanked him and went to stand in the middle of the bus. The boy was dumbfounded.

Just as the boy was stunned, a voice came from behind him.

“Hey, do you know her?”

The girl’s face was livid, looking like she was about to eat someone.

Although this girl was very pretty, with delicate features and long legs that many men would covet, her expression was terrifying, as if she could devour someone at any moment.

“Um, I don’t know her…”

The boy forced a smile.

He just wanted to pay for two fares, who knew such a thing would happen? Where did this blonde girl come from? He had no idea!

“You don’t know her, and you paid for her?!”

“Zhiyun, don’t be angry. It’s just two yuan. I’ll pay again.”

“Who needs your two yuan!”

The girl angrily brushed past him and put two coins into the fare box herself.

The boy didn’t know why she was so angry. It was just two yuan, he could afford it. Was it necessary to be like this?

The more Ye Zhiyun thought about it, the angrier she became, her emotions exploding. She rarely went out with her childhood sweetheart, and why did such a thing have to happen? She wasn’t unaware of her childhood sweetheart’s nature, but she couldn’t stand it, that blonde girl was too hateful!

She glared furiously at Yu Linna, who was holding onto a handrail in the middle of the bus, as if she wanted to skin her alive and swallow her whole.

Yu Linna shivered and looked across. The girl was staring at her with murderous eyes.

This girl had long legs and was probably around 1.7 meters tall, possibly a model. Her long black hair cascaded naturally, and her face had the characteristic gentleness of Asian women, but her eyes held a hint of authority.

This was Yu Linna’s first impression.

“Wha-what’s wrong?”

Yu Linna felt like she was being targeted and felt uneasy.

Ye Zhiyun glared at her fiercely, wishing she could swallow her whole.

Since ancient times, black hair and blonde hair have been incompatible (not really).

Especially Yu Linna’s actions just now had made Ye Zhiyun list her as the most dangerous enemy, someone she couldn’t let go of. She and her childhood sweetheart were innocent, their relationship was good, and this homewrecker dared to show up and cause trouble! She didn’t believe that this blonde girl had nothing to do with her childhood sweetheart!

She absolutely couldn’t let this bitch go!

Thus, a perfect misunderstanding began.

As the person at the center of the incident, Li Muqing scratched his head. How did things get so out of hand? He just paid an extra two yuan. Why was his childhood sweetheart acting like she had swallowed gunpowder? Besides, that blonde girl didn’t do anything wrong. Was it necessary to be like this?

It had to be said, oblivious people were truly blessed, unaware even when danger approached.

Yu Linna was unnerved by Ye Zhiyun’s stare, feeling uncomfortable all over. She didn’t know what she had done wrong.

The bus went from stop to stop. Yu Linna saw her destination and got off. Seeing this, Ye Zhiyun also got off.

“Zhiyun, where are you going?!”

Li Muqing was dumbfounded. What was his childhood sweetheart doing?

“Hey, you stop right there!”

“Wha-what’s going on…?”

Yu Linna was completely puzzled, standing at the bus stop, at a loss. This girl was so beautiful, even taller than her, why was she targeting her?

“What’s your relationship with Muqing?”

“Huh?”

“I’m asking you a question. Answer me.”

“…Who is he?”

“Still pretending? If you didn’t know him, how could he have paid for your fare?!”

“…”

The misunderstanding had escalated.

Things always developed in unexpected directions, and no one could have predicted that a small misunderstanding could ignite such a fuse.

Chapter 8: Opportunity

As usual, after the cocktail party, Chen Xi drove the drunk Huang Jinglin home. Only after settling her in did she drive back to her own place. Huang Jinglin was her best friend from university. They both graduated from the broadcasting department, but later, Chen Xi changed careers and became an editor, while Huang Jinglin remained a radio host.

Once, Huang Jinglin asked her why she didn’t join her at the radio station. Chen Xi didn’t answer at the time. But she knew the answer herself.

Back at her apartment, Chen Xi stretched tiredly, locked the door, took off her glasses, tossed her briefcase aside, and went into the bathroom to start the hot water for a bath. Although she hadn’t worked much today, it was tiring enough. Watching so many contestants compete at the venue was quite boring. Except for a few contestants who demonstrated professional-level skills, most were cannon fodder, utterly terrible.

But it wasn’t a complete waste of time. At least Chen Xi had seen a promising girl at the competition venue. That girl named Yu Linna, whose singing was awful. Despite that, Yu Linna’s appearance was truly outstanding, very suitable for the highly visible entertainment industry.

Although she was just an editor, she learned about some things in the entertainment industry from Huang Jinglin. In this circle, as long as one was good-looking and had decent physical attributes, they had more opportunities than others. This was a fact. Although Yu Linna lacked talent, her beautiful appearance would eventually attract attention.

Chen Xi just felt that this girl was special, suited for the entertainment industry. Although she might not be able to act, and her singing was terrible, it didn’t matter. In this circle, as long as one was beautiful, even being a vase could be profitable. Chen Xi felt that such promising talent should be put to good use.

“Hello, Murong? I saw a girl today with decent looks. Didn’t you say you were looking for an extra recently? Want to consider her?”

“Sister Chen, which relative are you trying to promote this time? I’ll take care of them.”

“She’s not a relative. We’re not related at all. She just participated in the program hosted by Jinglin. Her information should still be on the application form. I’ll ask Jinglin to give it to you later.”

“You’re really strange. I’ve never seen you recommend a complete stranger to me. If you weren’t a woman, I’d suspect you had a crush on her.”

The man on the other end of the phone couldn’t help but tease. As far as he could remember, his Sister Chen had never recommended a complete stranger to him. Just how special was this girl Sister Chen spoke of?

“Just consider it an occupational hazard from being an editor. You shouldn’t let good talent go to waste. Cherish it.”

“Alright, alright, it’s just an insignificant role anyway. I’ll take a look. By the way, Miss Ye contacted me recently, saying she wants to discuss a project with me. Since it involves the copyright authorization of an author under your company, Sister Chen, could you make some time for it?”

“That Miss Ye again? That girl is a tough nut to crack. I’ll handle it.”

“Thanks, Sister Chen, you’re a lifesaver.”

After hanging up the phone, Chen Xi figured the hot water was ready and went to her room to grab some clothes. Undressing, her fair shoulders were exposed. Amidst the steam, she relaxed her tired body.

After today’s competition, Nangong Ying successfully advanced to the next round. She also became the most dazzling star of this competition. If this momentum continued, representing the city in the provincial and even national competitions wasn’t just a fantasy.

Naturally, several judges at the venue had privately asked to meet with her, wanting to exchange ideas. After all, if she could represent the city in the national competition, it would be a great honor.

“Miss Nangong, you said you learned music at a very young age. Does that mean you’re also proficient in musical instruments?”

“So-so. I know a little, but I wouldn’t say I’m proficient. I basically stopped my music career around nine years old and joined the martial arts team. This year is the first time I’ve picked up a microphone in many years.”

“Your basic skills are quite solid. To maintain this level after such a long break… Are you confident about competing in the national competition?”

“To be honest, I’m aiming for the national competition.”

Nangong Ying didn’t intend to be modest. She would go all the way. She wanted to prove to the world that she, Nangong Ying, would be perfect.

In the past, she won championships in the martial arts team and the tennis team. Now, she could win a championship in the singing competition as well. Because her goal was always to be the champion.

“Miss Nangong, do you mind if I interrupt?”

Suddenly, a young woman emerged from the crowd. She wore a white chiffon dress and sunglasses, which she removed upon seeing Nangong Ying, revealing a beautiful face and an excellent figure. A rare beauty.

Her sudden appearance surprised the surrounding staff.

Nangong Ying recognized the woman’s face almost instantly. Such outstanding appearance and extraordinary temperament, she couldn’t possibly be an unknown figure.

“Of course, Senior Li Yuexin.”

Li Yuexin was a popular actress who had participated in the singing competition many years ago and won the national championship. Later, she signed with an entertainment company and debuted as an actress. She starred in popular TV dramas, accumulating a certain level of fame. Although still in university, she had already surpassed countless others at the starting line, having stepped into the threshold of A-list stardom.

Even if Nangong Ying hadn’t met her in person, she would have seen her on TV. She couldn’t not know such a big star.

“Thank you. I won’t say too much. Miss Nangong Ying, you’re a very talented person. After you win the championship, you can come find me. I think you’d be a good fit for our company.”

Li Yuexin put on her sunglasses and left the venue. She was a public figure and couldn’t say too much. She only needed to achieve her purpose.

This girl, Nangong Ying, her experience was somewhat similar to her own. She might follow the same path as herself. Li Yuexin thought, if this girl could become her junior, it would be a good thing.

Li Yuexin believed that with Nangong Ying’s ability, she would eventually rise to the top, but having someone guide her would undoubtedly be faster. Moreover, Li Yuexin wanted to witness the growth of this girl named Nangong Ying.

As for Nangong Ying, being praised by the big star Li Yuexin significantly increased public attention towards her. She received even more spotlight. This was something she didn’t experience in sports competitions. In this circle, gaining the attention of a star also boosted one’s fame.

In any case, Nangong Ying had already laid a solid foundation. With her current strength and fame, she would eventually become the brightest star. Thinking of this, Nangong Ying smiled among the crowd. This feeling was wonderful.

She, Nangong Ying, would create history in the entertainment industry. She would make herself famous. She would prove that she was the best.

“Miss Nangong, your outstanding performance has impressed everyone. A hero emerges from youth, and we are all optimistic about your future.”

“Thank you.”

“By the way, Miss Nangong, are you participating in this competition alone? Don’t you have any friends with you?”

Nangong Ying paused, considering how to answer this question.

Indeed, she was the one who brought Yu Linna to this competition, but Yu Linna was mercilessly eliminated. She personally taught her music, so she couldn’t have been unaware that short-term crash courses couldn’t lead to rapid improvement. Moreover, Yu Linna wasn’t in good shape before the competition. She should have known that it was impossible for Yu Linna to place.

But she still insisted on having her participate in the competition with her. What was her intention?

In this competition, Yu Linna was just cannon fodder, serving no purpose other than making Nangong Ying stand out even more.

But after all, she was the one who brought her here. This was an undeniable fact.

“Well, I had a friend with me, but she didn’t make it. I would have been happier if she had advanced with me. She’s a very capable person.”

What was she thinking when she said these words? Only she knew.

That evening, after parting ways with Fang Jiayi, Yu Linna returned alone to her apartment complex. Although she was eliminated from the competition, she didn’t want to dwell on it anymore. She would just obediently work and live. A week without work, and her wallet would be empty.

As she turned the corner to go upstairs, suddenly, a middle-aged woman stood at the stairwell with her arms akimbo, looking imposing.

Yu Linna froze, her feet stopping in their tracks.

“Land-Landlady… I…”

“Yu girl, you actually came back! I thought you had already run away!”

Yu Linna stood there at a loss, trembling. She tried hard to steady her hands, but it was too difficult; she could barely stand. At this moment, she just wanted to turn around and run, but if she really ran, she would definitely face the consequences later.

“I, I… I really don’t have the money. Could you please give me a few more days? I’ll gather the money as soon as possible…”

“I said I’d give you one week at most, Yu girl. You’ve been delaying rent for so long. Do you think I have infinite patience? If you don’t pay the rent, don’t even think about sleeping here tonight!”

Yu Linna was helpless. If she had the money, she would have paid it long ago. She was dragging it out precisely because she didn’t have the money.

Her income from part-time jobs hadn’t been good lately, and she had even been fired from a few jobs. Just finding new work took a lot of time. By the time she stabilized, the rent issue was looming over her again.

“Landlady, I have this much money left, enough for one month’s rent. I’ll pay the rest…”

“Less nonsense! Hand over what you have!”

The landlady didn’t show any mercy, snatching the four hundred yuan bills from her hand, her fierce appearance frightening Yu Linna even more.

“You have half a month to pay the rest of the rent. This is my final deadline.”

With that, the landlady pocketed the money and went upstairs in her slippers, the loud clattering a stark contrast to Yu Linna’s desolate heart.

Tears fell from Yu Linna’s eyes, one by one. She felt so miserable. Even this last bit of money was gone. Why was she so unlucky?

“Sob…”

She stood alone in the stairwell, crying, unable to control her emotions. Why was she always the unlucky one? Just because she was poor, did she deserve to be bullied?

If only she were rich. If she were rich, she wouldn’t have to suffer this humiliation. She could do whatever she wanted. If she were rich, she would gain respect from others. If she were rich, she wouldn’t be treated like this.

If only she were rich…

Chapter 7: The Best Deskmate in the World

Who was Yu Linna? Fang Jiayi had wanted to know about this girl for a long time. It seemed she had heard of her since their first year of high school, often seeing the name “Yu Linna” on the ranking list. But back then, she hadn’t paid much attention to her.

She truly began to notice her when she saw her in person. At that time, Fang Jiayi thought, so there really are such beautiful people in this world. Especially her golden hair, which was very attractive.

After becoming classmates and deskmates in their third year, she wanted to get to know this girl, to become closer to her. Although she didn’t know Yu Linna’s true nature, Fang Jiayi enjoyed being with her.

However, after these few days of brief interaction, she discovered that this girl named Yu Linna wasn’t as difficult to get along with as she imagined. Surprisingly easy, in fact. As long as she had some money in her wallet, she could quickly win her over.

“I’ll treat you to dinner. What do you want to eat?”

“Isn’t that too much trouble…?”

“Consider it a thank you gift for accompanying me.”

“Then I won’t stand on ceremony.”

Although she said it politely, Yu Linna’s expression didn’t look embarrassed at all. Being able to get a free meal was naturally excellent. Since she didn’t have to pay, she was happy to accept.

Don’t blame me for being shameless; I’m forced by life. To fill my stomach, I can only do this.

She was right!

It was this impoverished world that was wrong!

Fang Jiayi didn’t mind Yu Linna’s thick skin. Although her family wasn’t extremely wealthy, treating her to a meal wasn’t a big deal. Besides, she wanted to get to know her.

However, as students, Fang Jiayi didn’t dare to take her to a fancy restaurant. They just went to a nearby fast food place and ordered some casual food. But Yu Linna was the type who would eat even instant noodles as long as they were free. There was no helping it; she was truly afraid of being poor!

Fang Jiayi didn’t know much about Yu Linna, but from her appearance, she could tell that her family wasn’t very well-off. And the fact that she worked part-time jobs suggested that her family situation was probably quite difficult. Thinking about it this way, it made sense that Yu Linna’s grades were so high. Because in their school, students with high rankings received scholarships every semester. Although the amount was small, it was still money.

“Yu, I’ve wanted to ask you for a long time, your grades are so good, why did you choose to come to our school?”

What Fang Jiayi couldn’t understand was why Yu Linna, whose grades were outstanding even citywide, chose to attend their less prestigious school. The city’s best experimental high school was clearly more suitable for her. If she studied there, she would definitely have greater opportunities for advancement.

“Because our school waived my tuition for three years when they admitted me. The tuition at the experimental high school is too high; I wouldn’t go there.”

She admitted it frankly, which was in line with her personality. If that was the case, it was understandable why someone like her would condescend to attend their school. It all boiled down to money.

Just how poor was Yu Linna?

Fang Jiayi didn’t want to pry directly. There would be plenty of opportunities in the future to gradually learn more.

As they ate, Yu Linna looked up at the TV in the restaurant. A new program was airing, a celebrity interview show.

“Our guest today is the talented actor, Yang Ziyang. Welcome~”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone.”

Yu Linna stared at the TV program, a hint of envy in her eyes.

If everything went smoothly for Nangong, would she also become a big star? If one day she became a star and appeared on TV, would they still be able to get along like before?

It wasn’t impossible.

From the very beginning, Nangong Ying and she weren’t the same kind of people. Nangong Ying was so dazzling, different from someone like her, who only knew how to study. No matter how good one’s grades were, they weren’t as good as having connections. This wasn’t without reason.

She had initially thought that Nangong Ying would pull her into that world, but those were just fantasies, impossible to realize.

“Yu, is this program that interesting?”

“…Not really, it’s quite boring. But it’s not completely worthless.”

“Pfft, don’t tell me you also want to be a big star? Well, you’re not bad-looking. Being a star would suit you.”

Fang Jiayi said half-jokingly, not taking it seriously.

Yu Linna, however, pondered this question seriously. If she wanted to be a star, what would that entail? Perhaps she would follow the same path as Nangong Ying. Nangong Ying was always the queen of the stage. If possible, she really wanted to be like Nangong Ying.

Yes, she admired Nangong Ying, longed to be like her.

“Yu? What’s wrong? Are you really thinking about it?”

“…No, I’m thinking about how to thank you for the meal.”

“Hmm… if you want to thank me, then treat me like a friend.”

“…That’s it?”

Yu Linna couldn’t imagine the other party only making such a simple request.

After all, they had only met in their third year and weren’t very familiar with each other. It wouldn’t have been strange if she had made other requests. She hadn’t expected her to ask for something so simple.

It made Yu Linna feel like she was watching a Japanese anime.

“If you don’t want to, I won’t force you.”

“That’s not what I mean… How about I draw a picture for you?”

“A drawing? You can draw?”

“I learned art when I was young. I’m pretty good at drawing.”

“Then you’re quite talented. Here, let’s add each other on WeChat. I’ll send you a photo someday.”

“Add… add on WeChat?”

“Yeah, come on, I’ll scan your QR code.”

“…”

Yu Linna, who rarely took the initiative to add anyone, especially girls, felt noticeably uncomfortable. Being added on WeChat by a girl, could this be a sign that her spring had arrived?

No, obviously not, because they were both girls!

“Hehe, I added the top student of our advanced class, Yu Linna, on WeChat! This is enough for me to brag about for several days.”

Fang Jiayi was overjoyed. Despite Yu Linna’s usual coldness, she was quite famous. Usually, others couldn’t add her; she rejected everyone and never spoke in the class group chat. Extremely aloof, no one could shake this big tree, but today, Fang Jiayi had breached the city walls! She had added her on WeChat!

She seems very happy… Yu Linna couldn’t understand. Was adding her as a friend that exciting?

As the two girls were enjoying their time together, a woman at the next table had been observing them for a while. The two women at the next table were both in their twenties, at the peak of their careers, and they were dressed impeccably, clearly people of status.

“Chen Xi, what are you looking at?”

Huang Jinglin saw her friend staring at the two girls at the opposite table and couldn’t help but feel embarrassed. Chen Xi wasn’t usually like this. Why would she openly stare at girls? It didn’t make sense.

“Jinglin, that girl, the blonde one, isn’t she quite pleasing to the eye?”

“That girl… don’t do anything rash, I’m telling you. You’re from the editorial department, not a talent scout, understand?”

“Get lost. Who told you I’m doing that? I just realized that girl was a contestant who sang on stage today.”

Chen Xi karate-chopped Huang Jinglin, who clutched the swelling bump on her head and cried. Chen Xi took a sip of her beer, her eyes still fixed on Yu Linna.

“You didn’t remind me, I almost forgot. She’s just the extra who was eliminated in the second round… To be honest, that contestant has nothing but looks. Her singing is terrible, and she has no stage presence. Nothing worth watching.”

Huang Jinglin spoke frankly, without holding back. She didn’t think that that vase with only looks was worth anyone’s attention.

She had been hosting the show for several years and had interviewed big names in the entertainment industry. Good-looking people were everywhere, even more beautiful than her. But she didn’t look favorably upon those who only had looks and no talent.

“This girl, she’s a bit special.”

Chen Xi pushed up her glasses and continued to observe her.

“Chen Xi, what are you planning… I’ll call the police.”

“If you don’t want to walk home alone after the cocktail party, you better shut up.”

She kept watching Yu Linna, her gaze unwavering.

Chen Xi was an editor, a completely different profession from Huang Jinglin. Why was she fixated on Yu Linna? Although Yu Linna was exceptionally beautiful, that shouldn’t be the reason she was staring.

It could only be said that it was fate.

Chen Xi just felt that this girl was different, special. She had this feeling. But besides her, no one else thought so.

Sometimes, fate was strange. When Yu Linna stood up to get a drink from the refrigerator, she happened to pass by their table. She glanced over and suddenly saw Huang Jinglin. She had just participated in the competition today, so how could she not recognize the host?

“Ah… Host-Miss…”

“Ahem… Hello, Miss Yu. What a coincidence.”

Huang Jinglin was extremely embarrassed. Why did they have to meet now? This girl, who was a dime a dozen on the street, why did their worlds have to be so small?

“What a coincidence… Miss Huang is also dining here, what a coincidence…”

“Yes, what a coincidence, ahaha…”

Incredibly awkward.

But Huang Jinglin was an adult, and she quickly adjusted her mindset, intending to speak to her properly with the composure of an adult. However, Chen Xi spoke before she could.

“Let me introduce myself. My name is Chen Xi. What’s your name?”

“Huh? Oh… Yu, Yu Linna.”

“Yu Linna… The name suits you. It’s a nice name. I watched your performance. Although it was terrible, you did quite well.”

“Thank you for the compliment. I’ll be going now.”

Yu Linna didn’t want to stay a moment longer and left directly. It was understandable why she did so. After all, they were strangers; how could they suddenly become familiar?

Chen Xi pushed up her glasses, lost in thought.

Chapter 6: I Love Money

The sun was shining brightly, the weather was beautiful, a really nice day. But someone was really not happy.

After the competition ended, Yu Linna ran alone to a deserted park to clear her head. She had also changed her clothes, back to her usual T-shirt and shorts, nothing like her appearance on stage. But because she was beautiful, she looked good in anything.

“Hey, Linna, are you listening?”

Yu Linna answered the phone. She was sitting on a park bench, completely lifeless.

“Although it’s a bit unexpected, you have some experience now. Listen to me…”

“I was eliminated.”

“No, it’s because the opponents were too strong, not because you were too weak!”

“But I was eliminated. I worked so hard, and I got nothing… sniff…”

As Yu Linna spoke, her voice became choked with sobs, and tears rolled down uncontrollably. She wiped away the tears with her hand, but they kept falling, she couldn’t wipe them away.

Nangong Ying, who had known her for so long, knew that Yu Linna was crying. She had always been like this. No matter what she did, as long as she was sad, she wouldn’t hold it in, she would just cry.

“Linna, I…”

“Leave me alone.”

Hanging up the phone, Yu Linna took out a tissue from her pocket and wiped her tears. She had really sacrificed a lot for this competition. She hadn’t gone to class, she had turned down work, she had given up everything. But she had gotten nothing.

So, was her effort really meaningful?

“Um, are you Yu-tongxue?”

Suddenly, a girl’s voice came from behind. Yu Linna turned around.

Under the sun, a girl wearing a white sun hat stood at the entrance of the park. Her hair was braided into two pigtails, and she was wearing a pink dress. A perfect little angel.

“Are you crying?”

Yu Linna quickly turned her head and desperately wiped away her tears. She used up a whole pack of tissues.

“I’m not crying! You’re mistaken!”

“But I clearly saw…”

“I’m not listening, I’m not listening! You’re mistaken, I’m not crying!”

Although Yu Linna was a bit of a crybaby, she didn’t like being seen in a way that others didn’t know about, not at all. This was also the reason why she deliberately pretended to be cold.

If disappointment is inevitable, it’s better not to have expectations in the first place.

“Okay, okay, you’re not crying. How could Yu-tongxue possibly cry, right?”

The girl smiled and gave her a way out. She saw through it but didn’t say it. Actually, she knew everything. Yu Linna was quite grateful to her for this.

“Fang Jianing, what are you doing here?”

“It’s the weekend, can’t I go out?”

Fang Jianing had her usual smile on her face, looking at her happily. Although she and Yu Linna were just deskmates, Fang Jianing, the little angel, had been paying attention to her for a long time. Of course, her good looks were one aspect. The main reason was that Yu Linna had consistently occupied the top spot in the grade rankings, which made Fang Jianing, the little angel, very interested. After coincidentally becoming her deskmate in their senior year, she had actively approached her several times, but usually got the cold shoulder. However, over time, Fang Jianing had learned how to deal with Yu Linna. As long as she treated her to something delicious, this cold-looking beauty would immediately become compliant.

“By the way, Yu-tongxue, it’s a rare holiday, why don’t we hang out together?”

“I’m busy, go away.”

“Hmm? Are you waiting for your boyfriend?”

“Of course not!”

“If Yu-tongxue doesn’t mind, let’s go for milk tea. I’ll treat you.”

“…”

Yu Linna wavered again. It was always like this. Whenever the little angel said this, she always found it hard to resist.

So, this blonde girl wiped away her tears and immediately followed her obediently. It was free stuff, after all, so why not? Fang Jianing smiled and took her to get milk tea.

Although their relationship wasn’t particularly good, wasn’t there a saying that went something like, “Girls’ relationships deepen over milk tea”? Besides, she was very interested in this top student who was constantly praised by the homeroom teacher. If this girl could tutor her, that would be great too.

Although Fang Jianing didn’t know why Yu Linna was crying alone in the park, she didn’t ask. After all, they weren’t very close, and it was better not to ask about these private matters.

“This milk tea shop is pretty good. I’ve been here several times and always wanted to invite Yu-tongxue. You’ll like it here.”

This milk tea shop was located in a relatively remote area. You had to turn into an alley and then go around a bit, it was quite troublesome. And the decoration wasn’t particularly luxurious, it was really out of the way. But because of its good reputation, the shop’s business was pretty good.

Yu Linna had drunk milk tea from many shops, and this shop ranked in her top three. One sip, and a happy sense of satisfaction spread through her throat. Sweet but not cloying, rich in flavor, it was truly unforgettable. Most importantly, the price of this large cup of milk tea was also very affordable, only 10 yuan per cup. So cheap! But she couldn’t drink it often, after all. For Yu Linna, the cost of milk tea was still quite high. She usually mooched off Fang Jianing for milk tea.

“Yu-tongxue, are you free tomorrow? I want to invite you out.”

“I’m busy, I have to go to work.”

“I’ll pay for the meal.”

“…I’m not going. I’ve already taken a long leave of absence. If I don’t go back, my boss will fire me.”

Although Fang Jianing’s proposal was tempting, Yu Linna still refused. She had given up a lot for this competition, including taking time off from work, which meant she had no income, and she hadn’t achieved any results. It was better to get back to work and make up for the week she had missed.

“Yu-tongxue, you also took a leave of absence from school. Is there something going on?”

“That… it’s none of your business, don’t ask.”

“I heard you took a leave of absence with Nangong-tongxue from the next class. Are you close?”

“…We’ve known each other since our first year of high school.”

“I see.”

After drinking the milk tea, Fang Jianing, the little angel, didn’t continue to ask. As mentioned before, their relationship wasn’t very close, at most they were acquaintances. And it was Fang Jianing who had lured her here. Under normal circumstances, they weren’t even friends.

“Nangong-tongxue, she’s a special admissions student at our school. You actually know someone like that. I’m becoming more and more curious about your relationship with her.”

“It’s just that I owed her a favor when I was harassed by some thugs in our first year of high school. If you have to say we have a relationship, we’re friends.”

“That’s pretty good.”

She had heard of Nangong Ying long ago. She was quite famous in school. She was specially admitted in her first year of high school. She also represented the school in the national competition and unexpectedly won the individual championship, bringing glory to the school. And she was also beautiful, with many people pursuing her, but she never took it seriously.

Once, Fang Jianing learned through a friend that Nangong Ying was likely to receive a guaranteed admission spot through the school, meaning she might not have to take the college entrance exams to get into a good university. Even Yu Linna didn’t have this kind of treatment.

Such an outstanding person was actually Yu-tongxue’s friend. Were outstanding people always clustered together? Fang Jianing couldn’t help but think.

“Since we’ve finished the milk tea, let’s go somewhere. I want to buy some clothes, come with me.”

“I…”

“It’s okay. If you accompany me for an afternoon, I’ll give you some pocket money.”

She coaxed her like a child, but it was unexpectedly effective.

Yu Linna was an out-and-out “gold digger.” If there was a bargain to be had, she would definitely take it, never feeling ashamed. According to her, “I’m poor, so rich people should shower me with money.”

For an entire afternoon, although Yu Linna expressed no interest in those girls’ clothes, for the sake of that pathetically small amount of pocket money, she endured it. She had never gone shopping with a girl before. For her, going shopping with a girl was an unimaginable thing. In her previous life, she had died too young and hadn’t played with any girls. In this life, she was too poor and didn’t have much time to play with girls. And she had been displaced for several years, living in many places, so naturally, she hadn’t become particularly close to any girls. Because her circle kept changing, and after a while, she no longer wanted to make “new friends.”

“Yu-tongxue, I see that you usually don’t dress yourself up. Except when you wear your school uniform, you look good, but in private, you’re a mess, your clothes are super old-fashioned. How about I help you pick out some nice clothes? Girls need to dress up to be beautiful.”

With that, Fang Jianing dragged her into the specialty store area. A dazzling array of women’s clothing came into view, like entering a holy land. Yu Linna had lived as a girl for more than a dozen years, so she wasn’t overwhelmed by this. Those beautiful clothes, and those cute little skirts, although she was male, it wasn’t as if she wasn’t interested at all.

With Fang Jianing’s encouragement, she tried looking at a few pieces of clothing. She picked up a piece of clothing and examined it for a moment. Then she saw the number on the price tag: 389 RMB.

No, can’t afford it…

Yu Linna obediently put it back in its place.

“If you don’t have enough money…”

“No, no, absolutely not, forget it.”

No matter how thick-skinned Yu Linna was, she wouldn’t take things she shouldn’t. If she shamelessly asked someone to buy her such an expensive thing, she would be too ashamed to lift her head. She didn’t want that.

Yu Linna was only pursuing a life where she could eat her fill, not being a scheming bitch. No matter what, she wouldn’t do things she shouldn’t do.

Fortunately, Fang Jianing was also a sensible person and didn’t continue to force her. Instead, she picked out two pieces of clothing for herself and paid for them. For an entire afternoon, the two girls walked through the mall. As agreed, Fang Jianing gave her ten yuan as a gesture, and Yu Linna stuffed it into her pocket like a treasure. This money was enough for her to eat a boxed lunch.

“Do you need money badly?”

“I love money!”

“Hahaha.”

Right now, Yu Linna was pursuing money. She always believed that money was everything to her. Her dream was to have lots and lots of money, so she could live a good life. This idea was somewhat similar to Nangong Ying’s, but also different.

Chapter 5: As Expected

The citywide singing competition was held once a year, attracting many participants every year. But not everyone could become the final winner, though it was indeed a gateway to higher places for those with dreams. Some succeeded, while others fell.

The competition venue was packed with people, a sea of black heads covering most of the area. As the first round of eliminations, it always had the largest number of participants, and also the most eliminations. After all, there weren’t many restrictions on the rules of participation. As long as you met the age requirement, you could basically participate. That is, anyone 16 years of age or older could participate. There were no restrictions.

Although it was held every year, the organizers also attached great importance to this competition. This singing competition was to select the best singers in the city, who would then advance to the provincial competition, and finally the national competition. So it was natural that it received attention.

Chen Xi came here because she was bored and her friend had stuffed a ticket into her hand. She actually had no interest in this kind of garbage competition. And she wasn’t a professional. She was just an editor in the editorial department and wasn’t very keen on music. If Huang Jinglin hadn’t dragged her here, she wouldn’t have come. Her work was very busy.

According to Huang Jinglin, this kind of competition always produced one or two special people, and these people were the most suitable to become rising stars. Perhaps it was to witness this moment with Chen Xi that she had dragged her here.

“Hello, audience friends! Welcome to this episode. This program is exclusively sponsored and broadcast by xxxx.”

The lights on the stage flashed, and a chubby male host first said a few words, and the camera recorded this. The cameramen didn’t dare to slack off, concentrating on doing their jobs. The on-site staff proceeded in an orderly manner. Each of them was an indispensable part of this event. The success or failure of a program depended on the silent efforts of these people.

To be honest, Yu Linna was nervous in the contestants’ waiting room. She clutched the corner of her clothes, feeling very uneasy.

For this competition, she had specially changed into a long dress with Nangong Ying’s help, and had carefully styled her hair. She even put on light makeup, which she usually didn’t wear, making full use of her natural advantages. Even before she went on stage, she was already a very conspicuous presence among all the contestants.

But she still had no confidence. Her basic skills weren’t very solid. Could she really stand out in such a competition?

“Don’t be nervous. You’ll get used to it.”

Seeing her like this, Nangong Ying patted her head to help her relax.

Unlike Yu Linna, Nangong Ying had participated in many competitions since she was a child. First of all, she had won two national championships in sports, not to mention the awards from some smaller competitions. Nangong Ying had long passed the age of being nervous about the stage.

Although it was also her first time participating in a singing competition, she never thought she would lose. As long as she gave it her all, she believed she could do it.

But Yu Linna had no confidence. She wasn’t as outstanding as Nangong Ying. Was it really okay for her to participate so rashly?

“Nangong, do you think… I can really do it?”

“You’re the person I chose. Have some confidence in yourself.”

Not to mention anything else, Yu Linna’s appearance was very good, more conspicuous than the average contestant. This alone was her advantage. Nangong Ying believed that this was her winning weapon.

But, the most crucial thing in this competition was still winning with singing skills…

“Next contestant, number 02, Nangong Ying, please prepare.”

The competition had just begun, and Nangong Ying had to prepare. No problem, she was ready. She adjusted her dress, revealing a confident smile. There was really nothing in front of her that could shake her.

She was the strongest.

Huang Jinglin was one of the hosts of this program. She was sitting at the judges’ table, recording the program with her colleagues and creating a humorous atmosphere to make the program easier to broadcast. Chen Xi, on the other hand, was sitting in the C position watching the competition, showing no interest in this kind of competition.

Time passed minute by minute. After the first contestant’s score came out, Nangong Ying finally went on stage. She wasn’t nervous at all. Standing on the stage, enjoying the illumination of the lights, she picked up the microphone, and as the music started, she began to sing.

Years of singing skills, she had always kept them. And she had no problems with her grasp of the notes. Although Yu Linna’s impression of her had always been that of an all-around athlete, she didn’t expect that Nangong Ying could also sing.

This was natural, because Nangong Ying had been exposed to various things since she was very young. She could participate in sports competitions and also in music competitions. She just wanted to challenge herself.

Huang Jinglin stared blankly at this contestant’s singing. How long had it been since she had heard such wonderful music? Although she still had some flaws, overall, these flaws were nothing. And most importantly, she couldn’t find any major flaws.

The audience watching the competition live was also stunned for a long time. They probably didn’t expect to see music comparable to a concert in this kind of competition. Although these songs were all covers, they were sung with their own flavor. Nangong Ying was a well-deserved genius.

Chen Xi was the most surprised one. She thought it would be difficult to see special singers in the elimination rounds. Who would have thought that this was only the second performance, and she immediately saw the most special contestant. This girl’s basic skills were very solid, and she was quite experienced. If there was any shortcoming, it was that because she was too experienced, she lacked a sense of closeness with the audience. But this wasn’t a big problem. The important thing was that everyone enjoyed listening.

The song ended, and the audience applauded. The judges quickly entered the discussion mode. Huang Jinglin, as the host, took the initiative to ask the girl:

“Contestant number 02, Nangong Ying, can I ask you a question? When did you start learning music?”

“Around 5 years old, I think. I started taking interest classes at that time.”

“I want to know if you’ve participated in many competitions. Your stage presence doesn’t look like a newcomer at all, but like a veteran who has participated in many competitions.”

“This is my first time participating in a singing competition, but I have participated in many other types of competitions. Like martial arts competitions, tennis competitions, and basketball, I’ve participated in them all.”

“The competitions you’ve participated in in the past were all sports competitions, completely unrelated to this singing competition. Why did you give up your area of expertise and enter the singing stage?”

Hearing this question, Nangong Ying smiled.

This question, she had an answer long ago, and she had it a long time ago.

“I want to prove that what others can do, I can do too. What others can’t do, I can do.”

Such a bold statement seemed to have destined her fate.

The audience was first stunned, then their faces became excited, and finally, thunderous applause was given.

Throughout history, people who dared to boast were either truly capable or were just bluffing. But they had one thing in common: they could quickly become the focus of the audience.

So there was no suspense in this competition. Nangong Ying occupied the highest score, and even after it was over, no one could surpass her, which showed how terrifying she was.

Yu Linna had been waiting. She sat in the contestants’ waiting room, looking at the lyrics she had prepared. Although she had already memorized them, she was still nervous. She rarely went on stage, and this time she had to force herself to go up. Once she went up, she couldn’t come down.

She wasn’t Nangong Ying. She hadn’t practiced since childhood. All she had was the courage given by others.

When she learned of Nangong Ying’s score, she couldn’t help but show an envious look. As expected, Nangong was different. She was always the most dazzling, unlike her, who had nothing.

The transmigrated girls in novels were always so powerful, with all kinds of cheats. But Yu Linna wasn’t. She thought she could be as calm as the protagonists in novels, but in fact, she couldn’t. In front of the stage, she was like most ordinary people, afraid of the crowd.

But…

She had no way out.

“Next contestant, Yu Linna.”

She stood up and slowly walked out. The moment she went out, the audience was drawn to her. Yes, Nangong Ying was right. Yu Linna’s appearance was very good. Even before she started the competition, she could get points before others. Because she was beautiful, that was the reason. Appearance was also counted in this kind of competition.

After careful makeup, Yu Linna’s appearance was very cute, and her golden hair was very conspicuous. The more you looked, the more you got the illusion of seeing a foreigner, although Yu Linna was 100% Chinese.

When the music started, Yu Linna cleared her mind and completely followed the tune. She followed Nangong Ying’s method and chose the song that suited her best, cleverly hiding her weaknesses. This trick was unexpectedly useful. Although she wasn’t as stunning as Nangong Ying, she at least managed to get a score, so she wouldn’t be eliminated immediately.

When Yu Linna learned that she had passed, she almost cried. She was so nervous! She almost thought she wouldn’t make it.

Chen Xi looked at Yu Linna’s performance on stage. For some reason, she watched for a long time. It wasn’t that Yu Linna was very special, but this child gave her a feeling, making her feel that this child wouldn’t just be buried. Perhaps it was her professional habit. She always felt like she could dig something up, but in fact, she couldn’t dig up anything.

The rest of the competition wasn’t very interesting. Except for Nangong Ying’s performance at the beginning, the rest were tasteless and unwatchable.

The first round of eliminations ended. Yu Linna barely passed, and she was complacent about it for a while.

But then, in the second round of eliminations, Yu Linna was ruthlessly eliminated, completely shattering her fantasy.

With this, let alone prize money, she didn’t even pass two rounds of eliminations. What was the point of talking about placement? In the end, the winner was only Nangong Ying.

Chapter 4: The Best of Times, the Worst of Times

This was a world with a highly developed entertainment industry. Unlike the culturally backward worlds often found in online novels, this world also didn’t have a so-called “Great Chinese Empire.” Everything seemed almost identical to the original world. China was still China, America was still America. If there was any change, it was that there was no change.

Therefore, it was absolutely impossible for Yu Linna to become famous through plagiarism, like her “predecessors” in novels. It was impossible from the very beginning.

The citywide singing competition was an annual event, building momentum for the national competition. It was also a way to select outstanding talent for the music industry, a tried-and-true method. However, in recent years, the music industry had shown a decline, with a lack of successors. There were too few entertainers who could both act and sing. Since the superstar singer’s explosive popularity several years ago, this heavenly king had gradually faded from the public eye, settling down to take care of his wife and children.

Therefore, the music industry indeed needed to cultivate new talent, and the national competition was prepared for this purpose.

“But I didn’t expect you to invite me to attend this competition. It doesn’t seem like something you would do.”

A woman wearing a suit and glasses surveyed the scene and couldn’t help but say this.

This was the city’s radio and television station, an important venue for this selection competition. The participating singers would record their performances here, which would be edited and broadcast on television. This was also for publicity.

Sponsors were also happy to invest in this kind of event. After all, in this era where the entertainment industry reigned supreme, who didn’t want to make money, who didn’t want to become famous overnight? Many singers embarked on this journey with the dream of becoming stars, sweating and striving to realize their dreams. But only a few succeeded; most were drowned by the waves.

“It’s a rare opportunity, so why don’t you come and take a look? Although it might be boring. But you don’t have anything else to do, right?”

Huang Jinglin was her good friend from university. After graduation, they went into different careers, but they still kept in touch.

The woman in the suit was named Chen Xi. She was currently a senior editor at a magazine and had discovered quite a few new talents. She was a completely different type of person from Huang Jinglin, a radio host. It was a mystery how they ended up on different paths.

“Jinglin, my time is very valuable.”

Looking at the ticket that had been stuffed into her hand, Chen Xi showed no interest at all. What was so interesting about this kind of singing competition? It wasn’t a celebrity concert. The participants were all oddballs with terrible voices. It was quite difficult to find singers with good voices. Why did she have to suffer through this? She only wanted to see celebrities.

“Just watch for a while. It’s too boring for you to always sit in the office. It’s good to relax occasionally.”

“I want to see big stars.”

Although she was a star-chaser, Chen Xi was also an ordinary person. If she wasn’t here to see celebrities, it would be really boring.

But after all, her friend was hosting, so she might as well show some support. Besides, if this competition really did discover a star, that would be pretty good. Although the probability was very low.

In today’s society, countless people were desperately trying to climb the ladder to fame, but how many could truly succeed? If everyone could succeed, there wouldn’t be so many ordinary people in this world.

Those who truly succeeded were one in ten thousand.

Back to Yu Linna. Since she had agreed to participate in the competition with her friend, she now had to seriously study music. She took a week off from school, completely following Nangong Ying’s advice, and focused on studying.

Nangong Ying’s home was in the city center, surrounded by high-rise buildings. Yu Linna almost got lost the first time she went, but she finally found the elevator. After entering her home, it was indeed quite large, with a very good environment and a harmonious overall atmosphere. After nervously greeting her, Yu Linna followed Nangong Ying to her room to study.

But it wasn’t smooth sailing. Although Nangong Ying taught with great effort, and Yu Linna studied very hard, she had never practiced from a young age. It was a difficult task to force her to improve in such a short time.

Gradually, Nangong Ying also started to get anxious, and her tone became unfriendly.

“No, at this level, you’ll easily be eliminated in the elimination rounds.”

As an experienced veteran, Nangong Ying sat on the bed and couldn’t help but sigh.

Yu Linna’s situation was too dangerous. Although her appearance was better than that of the average contestant, and her golden hair was very eye-catching, undoubtedly a bonus for the competition, appearance alone wasn’t enough. Without basic strength, it was difficult to gain the approval of the judges.

“Then what should I do…?”

Yu Linna looked at her, feeling troubled.

As a girl with no strong opinions of her own, who only listened to others’ arrangements, she really didn’t know what to do at this moment.

She had completely followed Nangong Ying’s arrangements to participate in the competition. In fact, she had no idea what form the competition would take. All she knew was that Nangong Ying wouldn’t lie to her, and Nangong Ying was always right.

“Linna, I want to ask you a question. Do you know what your purpose is in participating in this competition?”

Nangong Ying popped a cookie into her mouth and glanced at her.

“I want prize money, lots and lots of prize money.”

As she said this, her eyes sparkled. Only when talking about money did she get so excited.

Yu Linna didn’t think of herself as a saint, nor did she think she was a big shot. If there was money to be made, why not go for it? She was a complete “gold digger”; only money was supreme.

“And aren’t you tired of poverty, wanting to change your current life?”

Nangong Ying smiled, holding a cookie and extending it to her. Her expression was full of playfulness, but also a hint of mystery.

“You’re like me, you want to change your current situation, you want to fight for freedom. The difference is that you’re just starting now. It’s okay, I’ll guide you slowly. Linna, if you want to change your situation, you have to work hard. Only by doing what others dare not do can we become different from others.”

The cookie was stuffed into Yu Linna’s mouth. The cookie tasted very sweet, but it couldn’t be swallowed immediately; it had to be chewed. Life was like this too.

Yu Linna, at this moment, strengthened her resolve. That’s right, from a very young age, she had been living a life of displacement. She was tired of it. She had no parents, no one to take her in, and even the foster family she had stayed with for a while had abandoned her. From a very early age, she had been trapped by poverty. She was tired of it.

“I want to become rich, I want to become famous, I want everyone to not look down on me. Then… I can gain everyone’s respect.”

That’s right, to achieve this goal, she had to put in more effort than others. No matter how difficult the road was, she had to keep going.

Because Yu Linna could not admit defeat.

“Haha, yes, that’s more like it. That’s the Yu Linna I know.”

“You really are the same kind as me, Linna.”

“What you want is to be second to none, which is what we call a dream.”

Yu Linna was a person with dreams. She didn’t want to be content with the status quo, she didn’t want to do nothing and just live a plain life. She wanted to go to higher and farther places, to escape her current predicament.

“So, let’s leave it at that. Let’s continue practicing. There’s still a lot you don’t know, and I’ll teach you one by one. Of course, I’m not stupid enough to let you learn everything. What we’re learning is a crash course. Everything is for the competition, don’t expect to become like me.”

“Okay, let’s continue.”

“Also, take a leave of absence from school this week. We’ll focus on studying music, preparing for the competition.”

“So sudden?!”

“Then do you not want that prize money anymore?”

“…Okay, I’ll take a leave.”

For the competition, she would go all out. Let’s give it our all.

Yu Linna didn’t know if she was doing the right thing, but wasn’t there a saying that went, “It’s better to go all out than to give up”? Maybe she was a genius. Perhaps this competition was paving the way for her path to fame. Yu Linna hadn’t even won the prize yet, and she was already imagining the scene after she won. The smile on her face was too obvious!

Well, it was a good thing that she had this kind of heart.

Even though she herself didn’t have much confidence.

This world was quite developed. In an era where the entertainment industry was booming and talent was exploding, everyone wanted to squeeze into this circle and start their own era. So, in such a fiercely competitive era, what was the way to stand out? The only answer was to put in more effort than others and to be more persistent than others. This was probably the only winning formula.

Yu Linna, this ordinary and unremarkable girl, wanted to get more, which also meant she had to lose something in return.