Gu Tang was the kind of person who acted on whatever she said immediately. After returning home from Yin Fan’s apartment, the first thing she did was call Gu Fugui.
Gu Fugui was probably busy as well. It took several minutes before he called back.
“Tangtang, what’s wrong?”
Gu Tang got straight to the point.
“Yin Fan doesn’t have any jobs right now. Can you see if you can get him a decent one?”
There was a brief silence on Gu Fugui’s end before he spoke.
“Have you progressed a little too quickly in your exposure to the darker side of society? Could you start with buying clothes and bags for your little sweetheart first and take things step by step?”
“He’s not my little sweetheart.” Gu Tang lay on the sofa and tore open a bag of potato chips. “He’s my teacher now. He’s teaching me acting.”
“Wasteful daughter!” Gu Fugui said, heartbroken. “Do you know how expensive he is?! Can’t you kill two birds with one stone and squeeze every bit of value out of him?!”
“Please don’t have such high expectations of a daughter who only just became an adult.” Gu Tang bit into a potato chip. “I’m serious. Yin Fan is in such a miserable state right now that if word got out that I’d kept him as my sugar boy, even I would feel embarrassed.”
Since this involved the issue of his daughter’s reputation, Gu Fugui had to take it more seriously.
“I’ll consider all that. Wasn’t the talent competition today? How did it go?”
…What the hell was a “talent competition”? Why did it sound so much like an elementary school variety show?
“The results won’t be announced until tonight.” Gu Tang checked the time. “I have to go back after resting a little longer.”
“Rest first!” Gu Fugui was afraid Gu Tang was under too much pressure. “Your health is the most important thing. Even if you don’t succeed, Dad can still support you. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”
Gu Fugui became even more kindly.
“Tangtang, there’s a song called When the Dream Wakes. Would you like Dad to sing it for you?”
“Dad, you’ve worked hard. Goodbye, Dad.”
When Gu Tang returned to the production site, she sensed something subtly different from usual…
Several of the outer security gates that were normally never closed had actually been shut. Some had even been locked, with “No Entry” signs hanging on them.
There were also noticeably more security guards around.
“Um…” Gu Tang asked, “Is something major happening? Or is some important person coming?”
The young security guards exchanged glances. One of them gave her a mysterious smile.
“You’ll know tomorrow.”
Gu Tang was even more confused.
There was nothing unusual inside the building. Most of the girls had already returned. When Gu Tang went back to the dormitory, she saw Xu Piaopiao looking completely drained.
“Weren’t you going home to rest? Why do you look even more exhausted?”
“I’m nervous.” Xu Piaopiao held her head in both hands. “I’d rather die than let my mom see me on television wearing a little short skirt and dancing!”
“Stop thinking about it. What’s meant to come will come. You might as well face it calmly.” Gu Tang comforted her.
“You’re right. What’s meant to come will come. Let’s be buried together, good sister.”
Xu Piaopiao had clearly backed herself into a dead end.
At six in the evening, the teachers announced the results in the largest training room.
There were also far more cameras than usual this time, creating a tense atmosphere without the teachers even needing to deliberately build one.
“There are five people in Group A, while Groups B and C will each have ten people.” Yang Ya looked at everyone. “However, once I’ve finished announcing the names, this largest training room will belong to Group A. Groups B and C will have to go to their respective training rooms.”
No one objected to the privileges Group A was about to receive.
Gu Tang lowered her eyes. She vaguely remembered the plot.
The five people in Group A were her, Xu Piaopiao, Lu Yijing, and two other women.
Lin Yueyue was not among them. Later, she would overtake everyone and become the most popular contestant.
“But what we’re talking about now is only a temporary grouping.” Liu Weiwei comforted everyone. “Even if you rank last, you still have a chance to move forward. Until the very last moment, no one knows who will come out on top.”
“Group A doesn’t mean you’re in a safe zone.” Yang Ya agreed. “Some of you may be thinking, if ten people are going to be eliminated in the first round, does that mean we can simply eliminate everyone in Group C?”
“Actually, that’s not how it works. After this round, there will be a popularity vote online. Even if you’re in Class C, as long as you have a shining quality that others can’t ignore, you can still become one of the people who remain here until the end.”
Chen Xing also said a few words of encouragement before Yang Ya began reading the names, starting with Group B.
Gu Tang noticed Lin Yueyue’s expression when her name was called. Her face was filled with anticipation and delight, clearly happy. Jiujiu, who was also in Group B, looked like a silly, cheerful fool.
After Yang Ya finished reading the names in Group B, she paused briefly.
The expressions of those whose names had not been called were even more interesting than those whose names had been announced, because it meant they would either be in Group A or Group C.
“Oh no,” Xu Piaopiao whispered.
“It’s fine.” Gu Tang comforted her. “Our results shouldn’t be too bad.”
“I don’t think our results are bad at all?” Xu Piaopiao was genuinely shocked that Gu Tang could think that way. “What if they make us give some kind of speech later if we’re in Group A? I’m terrible at that. If the teacher says I’m in Group A, do I need to cry tears of emotion?”
Gu Tang’s lips twitched.
“Please begin your performance.”
As they continued bickering, the cameras had already shifted from Group A toward Group C. The moment the names were announced had taken on a solemn atmosphere.
This was the first time everyone was truly facing elimination.
“Actually, the fact that you can stand here already makes you winners,” Teacher Yang Ya said with her ever-present smile. “You have to understand that those of you who made it through the auditions were already winners to begin with.”
That night was also moving day.
Group A had two dorm rooms for five people, so naturally, one room would have three people while the other would have two.
Gu Tang and Xu Piaopiao therefore stayed in their original dorm room and helped Jiujiu pack her things.
After Jiujiu had packed everything, she turned to the other two.
“I really don’t want to be separated from you. Our grand foot-soaking project hasn’t even begun yet.”
Gu Tang suddenly felt a little sentimental too.
“I almost forgot about that. I’ll order the foot baths tonight. Even though we don’t live together anymore, every time I soak my feet, I’ll think of you. Our feet will be soaking together, and our hearts will be connected.”
“Then please don’t think of me.” Jiujiu was quite the polite person too.
“Don’t any of you care about this?” Xu Piaopiao raised her phone. “The first episode of our show has aired.”
Gu Tang and Jiujiu turned around at the same time.
Xu Piaopiao was also surprised that they had not known. “At least pay some attention to the show you’re actually participating in.”
After Jiujiu moved to another dormitory, Gu Tang and Xu Piaopiao began watching the video together, happily turning on the barrage comments.
The beginning covered the audition segment, and most of the comments were simply praising how pretty the girls were.
The host in the video smiled brightly.
“It seems some of the contestants are doing something interesting. Let’s go take a look together.”
Gu Tang and Xu Piaopiao suddenly had an ominous feeling.
Sure enough, the very next second showed the two of them playing Old Maid.
While everyone else was preparing songs and dances, they were playing Old Maid. The barrage comments immediately filled the screen:
【666】
【These girls are absolute wolves.】
The video then showed Gu Tang and Xu Piaopiao looking up, and the barrage comments changed styles again:
【A critical hit to my heart!】
【What kind of facial genius is this?!】
【I’m adding this girl’s beauty to my collection of things I treasure!】
The over-the-top flattery made Gu Tang a little excited. She even applauded.
“Well said! That’s absolutely right!”
Xu Piaopiao rolled her eyes at her.
“Can you show a little restraint, girl?”
Gu Tang let out a “heh” and began reading the comments on Xu Piaopiao’s footage aloud.
“Does a handsome face like this really exist? I want to slide down this cool older sister’s eyelashes like they’re a playground slide.”
Unlike Gu Tang, Xu Piaopiao could not handle this level of embarrassing flattery at all.
“I was wrong! Please, I beg you, let me go!”
Gu Tang was about to read a couple more when the footage suddenly switched to Lin Yueyue falling to the ground.
Normally, there was nothing wrong with this. Everyone went over to ask if she was hurt, which was also a good opportunity to show the group’s concern for one another.
However…
The cameraman filmed a group shot.
Gu Tang and Xu Piaopiao were the exceptions in the crowd. Everyone around them was looking toward Lin Yueyue, while one of the two was yawning and the other was staring blankly at the floor. They stood out enormously.
Sure enough, the barrage comments soon started accusing them of having no sympathy.
Gu Tang and Xu Piaopiao looked at each other, stuck out their tongues, and started scrolling through Weibo.
After the episode aired, their Weibo accounts began gaining followers. Their accounts, which had originally only been followed by a handful of people, suddenly gained ten thousand followers.
Under the latest post, some people praised their looks, while others mocked them for having vicious hearts.
“Why are they calling me vicious?” Xu Piaopiao complained as she scrolled through Weibo. “I regularly donate to free meal programs. I don’t think I can at least be called vicious, right?”
“We’re going to become public figures,” Gu Tang patted her shoulder. “Public figures have to learn how to deal with this.”
What Gu Tang never expected was that, the very next day, her confidence in her ability to withstand public attention would prove completely inadequate for what was to come.
There was a small convenience store outside the apartment complex where they could buy daily necessities. The store was close to the security fence, and there was a short path from the apartment to the shop.
When Gu Tang and Xu Piaopiao went out to buy daily necessities that morning, it was their first time seeing so many people gathered outside the fence near the convenience store.
The moment the crowd saw Gu Tang and Xu Piaopiao walking out of the apartment, they erupted into excitement.
“W-what is this?” Gu Tang asked Xu Piaopiao.
“I don’t know either.” Xu Piaopiao was equally bewildered. “Did the company withhold their wages? Let’s just pretend we didn’t see them.”
“Okay.”
The two lowered their heads, hunched over, and hurried along the path as quickly as possible.
“Tangtang! Don’t hunch your back! Straighten your back!”
A shout broke the morning silence.
Gu Tang was startled and instinctively straightened up.
“That’s right! Keep your back straight, that’s when you’re the prettiest! Mommy loves you! You’re such an obedient child!”
The voice did not decrease in volume at all.
“Tangtang, wear that red short-sleeved shirt more often! Red looks the best on you! Red makes your skin look fairer! Don’t wear gray!”
Gu Tang: ???
Xu Piaopiao: “Pfft!”
Then another older sister, whose volume was every bit as impressive as the first girl’s, shouted:
“Piaopiao! Look at Mommy! Piaopiao, don’t do your own eye makeup anymore! Let the makeup artist do it! Your eye makeup is way too dark! You’re too thin, you need to eat more! You need to eat properly so you can grow!”
But Xu Piaopiao was a true wolf.
She shouted back, “Shut up!”
The person on the other side was so startled that she visibly flinched.
Author’s Note: Mini Theater:
Gu Tang and Xu Piaopiao finally have fans. Give them a round of applause!
Xu Piaopiao is a rock girl. The one thing she’s least afraid of is competing over who can shout louder and confronting someone head-on.
Xu Piaopiao: “But when someone looks gentle, I can’t bring myself to go after them at all. Luckily, I have the cold-hearted Gu Tang beside me.”
Gu Tang: ???