Chapter 278: I Disagree

AAAAAAAA hello I found some chapters that Sydney probably finished but was too lazy to post. SO HERE THEY ARE. But since school has started and I’m busy preparing for tests updates will not be on any schedules 😀 Also since Sydney is now in a different country than I am, I will be somewhat of a one-man team.

---

After the five judges evaluated their works, they returned to their seats. Inside each of their minds, they were pondering how they were going to evaluate this round. 

In the face-to-face round, there were ten people in each group, and only two people could proceed to the next round. In this group, group 8, only two out of ten people completed their test.

Should they directly let the two pass?

Chen Jianqiu felt outrageous. He had nothing against letting Liu Man pass, but if Su Maolin, with his skills, passed, then this competition would be a complete joke. The art of calligraphy would be sullied!

However, none of the other eight people completed their tests and had a blank piece of paper. How would they evaluate them? Among those other eight people, Chen Jianqiu felt that the author Wu Qu had a beautiful piece, which was handed in to hang up on the halls. Not only was it much better than Su Maolin’s, but it was also even a bit prettier than Liu Man’s. He would say that Wu Qu was number one, and Liu Man was number two. As for Su Maolin, he would be the worst one in this group!

Chen Jianqiu whispered his thoughts to Cheng Zikun, who lowered his voice and whispered back, “We should just let it go today. Even if Su Maolin’s not cheating, the seven other people who are not good enough would still be outed. This Wu Qu’s just having some bad luck, for he got sorted into the eighth group. Su Maolin just stole his number on rank. Why would we offend Su Xuezhen just for this Wu Qu, who we don’t even know about?”

“Next, we will still have to evaluate twelve other groups. If we have a farce right now, how will we proceed with our evaluation later? If this gets exposed, the public will definitely suspect the authority and publicity of our calligraphy exhibit. If the rumors get big, not only will this hugely affect this exhibit, but it will also affect our exhibitions from now on. We have to look at the bigger picture and not lose something much bigger because of this small incident. Besides, you should also care about the association’s reputation.”

“But I just can’t tolerate Su Xuezhen and Wang Qinghai, colluding and cheating,” Chen Jianqiu complained.

“Even if Su Maolin passes the face-to-face round, there is still the last round — the free write. When it comes to that round, we will cooperate with the five judges from the Capital to evaluate. Do you still think Su Maolin can cheat and lie his way through?”

Cheng Zikun thought more about this than Chen Jianqiu did. He guessed that the reason Su Xuezhen did so many things to get his son here was not to get the final rankings but to get a good reputation. If Su Maolin had something being presented as outstanding work at the exhibition, it would be a good title for him, and his future would be much more successful.

“In a week, Su Maolin would still get outed. Not only him but Mr. Su Yi’s beauty apprentice would also be kicked out. The entire level of the eighth group is very bad, and it can not be compared to the third group from this morning at all.”

The third group was also a clerical script group. They had their face-to-face round this morning, and everyone in the group was very skillful. That face-to-face round was very competitive, and every writer performed magnificently.

It was like the World Cup sorting system. There were two types of groups: the competing-until-you-die group and the lay-back-and-straight-up-win group. The third group was the former and the eighth group was clearly the latter.

Chen Jianqiu felt slightly better after listening to Cheng Zikun’s advice because he also felt that the eighth group could not be compared to the third group at all. Besides, they had two other clerical script groups to evaluate later. There would definitely be more excellent writers then.

At this time, Wang Qinghai asked them, “There is quite a lot of difference between the contestants in the eighth group. We’ll let Su Maolin and Liu Man pass, with Su Maolin ranked number one and Liu Man ranked number two. Is everyone okay with this result?”

Chen Jianqiu blurted out, “According to the result we see right there, Liu Man should be number one.”

Cheng Zikun shook his head. This idiot was really straightforward. He couldn’t even stop Chen Jianqiu. What even is the purpose of fighting for number one in the face-to-face round? In the end, they would both get kicked.

Unexpectedly, Su Xuezhen said, “Yes, Maolin surely didn’t meet his usual level of performance today. He has no right to be ranked as number one.”

Su Xuezhen’s words seemed to be humble, but they made others feel uncomfortable. What did he mean, “he has no right to be ranked as number one”? He had no right to even compete in this exhibition!

If Cheng Zikun hadn’t pulled onto Chen Jianqiu as if his life was on the line, Chen Jianqiu would’ve said that.

“Then Liu Man shall be ranked as number one, and Su Maolin as number two. Does anyone have any opinion on this result?”

Mo Qi, who did not take any side, was the first to say, “Nope.”

Cheng Zikun hurriedly said that he agreed.

Chen Jianqiu, after convincing himself for a very long time, finally said, “I agree with this result.”

Su Xuezhen and Wang Qinghai looked at each other and both sighed in relief on the inside. They finally got past this dauntless Chen Jianqiu. Chen Jianqiu was famous for being stubborn in the calligraphy circle. His calligraphy skills are very good, but because he was way too straightforward and didn’t know the ways of socializing, he didn’t have lots of friends and had no connections. There was no one to help him. No matter how good his works were, they could not sell for a high price!

Among these three judges, they were most worried that Chen Jianqiu would mess it up.

Luckily, this time, Chen Jianqiu was smart for once.

Before the final result was announced, the judges would make a summary regarding the entire group’s performance. The eighth group was one of the clerical script groups, so, in the end, Su Xuezhen would make the final word.

Su Xuezhen said, “The level of this group is overall pretty high…”

He first followed the official routine and spoke against his heart, then complimented everyone, “It’s only that some of you writers have not been prepared enough and do not have enough knowledge stored. That’s why some of you can’t completely interpret topics. I hope you all can practice harder and prepare for the exhibit seriously next time to bring us better pieces.”

“Now, I will announce the two writers that will advance to the next round in the eighth group. Liu Man is ranked first, and Su Maolin is ranked second.”

This result was definitely inevitable when the “Yun Yang Ding” topic appeared. Nobody was surprised.

Liu Man’s expression stayed the same. Compared to the results, she was more surprised that none of the others was able to write “Yun Yang Ding”.

Su Maolin felt upset. His father told him beforehand that he would definitely be ranked number one. How did he get “demoted” to number two? Number two sounded terrible.

Time was running out, and the participants from the ninth group were already preparing to come up. Zhou Budai stretched and exercised his wrists. The staff came up to clean the tables and change the name cards. The people who were out were about to leave, disappointed. 

A cold and aloof voice abruptly sounded,

“I disagree with this result!”

Everyone else was stunned. The ones who were about to leave paused their footsteps, and Zhou Budai was still halfway through his yawn, his mouth still open. The judges all had complex expressions.

Everyone in the hall looked towards the source of the complaint. It was the man standing in the middle of the room—Wu Qu.

Wang Qinghai frowned, “The face-to-face evaluation for the eighth group has already ended. If you have any concerns or questions, you can privately give us your feedback after every group’s evaluation is finished.”

“It would be too late when the entire face-to-face evaluation is over,” Wu Qu’s expression was complex. It was as if he was smiling, but he wasn’t at the same time. His eyes ironically stared at Wang Qinghai and Su Xuezhen, “You only dare to do whatever you want and abuse your power because the calligraphy evaluation isn’t open to the public.”

All five judges’ expressions changed; especially Su Xuezhen and Wang Qinghai.

Su Xuezhen said with confidence as if he was the one in the right, “Isn’t the outside gallery open to the public? Our entire contest is fair and justified from start to end. You are slandering the five of us judges by saying these words, and you are also sullying the reputation of the twenty other calligraphy association members sitting around us, watching.”

Next Chapter

Previous Chapter

---

Translated by: I don’t really know, but it’s most likely Sydney

Edited by: Puppxteer

VSROWDC Chapter 5 Part 2

Midnight.

The practice room lights were turned off one by one, in the practice room Ji Zeyu chose, all the students left as well.

Before they left, someone looked at Ji Zeyu and whispered: “Who is that person? He’s so good yet he’s still practicing.”

“According to his clothing, he should be in Class B…… Probably the result of too much pressure.”

Thank god Ji Zeyu hid most of his face under the cap, or else their jaws were going to drop.

12:30 am.

Lu Nanyun went over all the hard parts of his dance in front of the mirror, after making sure he had no mistakes, his tense face loosened up a bit.

Lu Nanyun knew he was placed second, but he wasn’t satisfied or happy.

Ever since he was a child, Lu Nanyun was a model student in the teacher’s eyes and a good kid in the neighbor’s eyes. After his mother died in an accident when he was in high school, he was taken back to the Lu Family, but decided to sign a contract with Chen Nan Entertainment after being accepted to a top college, and attended “Shining Future”,

The reason behind this decision was that Lu Nanyun’s mother used to be a famous dancer, he wanted to inherit the moments when his mother shined on the stage.

But, this decision wasn’t approved or understood by the Lu Family, plus the fact that he was an illegitimate child, his family never treated him well anyway. They’ve almost cut off all connections with him.

This motivated Lu Nanyun and he trained like crazy every day before the contest, and he surprised everyone at the initial rating stage. His Wei Bo follower count grew by hundreds of thousands in one day.

But the Lu family was not satisfied by this feat.

Lu Nanyun’s fans screamed and fangirled over his cool dance moves, but rarely anybody knew how much he worked for this.

Looking at the empty dance room, Lu Nanyun wiped his sweat with his towel and prepared to head back to his dorm.

Ever since he joined the show, Lu Nanyun’s practice time has always been at the top, and whenever he finished, there was practically no one left in the practice rooms.

But today seemed a little different.

There was another practice room that had its light on, and distant sounds of music came through.

Lu Nanyun thought, there were only three days left until the public performance, if there was anyone who practiced this hard and this late, it’d probably be a student from Class F. Comparing them to the others, they definitely had more stress than others.

When he walked past the practice room, Lu Nanyun glanced inside, but his gaze was suddenly fixated.

In the middle of the practice room, there was a slender young man who wore a Class B shirt, his black cap covering most of his face.

He swayed to the music and seemingly melted into the rhythm. His body was smooth and beautiful, without any extra movements, seemingly simple but eye-catching.

Lu Nanyun’s attention was captured, it wasn’t until the music stopped that he finally snapped back. He was surprised: There were dancers with this kind of skill in Class B? How come he’s never heard of him?

At this moment, the young man turned around, walked to the corner, and picked up a drink. He took off his cap and drank.

Lu Nanyun’s eyes suddenly widened.

Ji Zeyu had practiced non-stop for hours, he didn’t have much stamina left, and his throat burned for a drink.

After he took a few sips, a few drops of sweat traveled down his chin and dropped on his collarbones.

Ji Zeyu put down his water bottle, lifted up his shirt, and wiped some sweat off his face.

The boy’s casual movements made him look full of life under the light, his hazel eyes carrying the fatigue after a long practice session.

After his shirt was lifted, from Lu Nanyun’s angle, he could see a flash of Ji Zeyu’s waist, and his visible mermaid line and abs.

Lu Nanyun froze to the ground, his brain empty.

At this moment, Lu Nanyun thought he was going crazy.

Because he even thought, the person he hated the most… 

Is super sexy.

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

---

Translated by: Puppxteer/Yutong

Chapter 23 – The Movie King’s Son

Ms. Liu, scared of letting this child say anything else surprising, stood in front of her and said to Gu Xi: “I’ll take her to change.”

Gu Xi did not talk and held his forehead while looking at the camera. When he saw the female actress being reluctant to do anything, he couldn’t help but slam the script against the table. “Cut!”

Everyone knew that Director Gu was going to be mad, and everyone there wished Zhou Xuan good luck. 

After changing into the right clothes, Fang Jiu sat in the makeup room, letting the make-up artist do whatever he wanted. Ms. Liu came through the door, thought of something, and couldn’t hide her smile. 

“What are you laughing at, Ms. Liu?” Fang Jiu couldn’t move, so she looked at her from the side of her vision. 

Ms. Liu sat down and opened her bottle of water with an interesting expression, yet she did not say a single word. 

The makeup artist noticed and couldn’t help but whisper: “Our director Gu is handsome, tall and all, but when he’s directing a play, he holds no emotions. That Zhou Xuan already failed many times today. Director Gu must be angry right now, so you, Ms. Fang, better watch out.”

Fang Jiu was clearly uncomfortable about being called “miss” by someone older than her. But actors and actresses don’t look at ages… Yet, thinking about how Gu Xi scolded Zhou Xuan, she still felt hollow. 

“Ma is correct. If you don’t understand something later, ask. Don’t be shy. Gu Xi is not like those directors of literature and art movies. He’s not strict on the acting; as long as you don’t make mistakes, he won’t scold you.” Ms. Liu said, putting down her water bottle. 

Fang Jiu replied: “Mhm,” holding on to her script, examining it. Even Zhou Xuan, who is a popular actress, was scolded like that. She herself was merely a new actress. 

After her makeup, Fang Jiu, who looked originally shy and youthful, seemed beautiful and filled with feelings. The red decoration in the middle of her forehead made her bewitching, to the point that even the artist complimented her natural beauty. 

Scared of being scolded, Fang Jiu continued to stare at her script. She understood the mechanisms of her character yet still wanted to know more about it. 

Before the filming started, she met her partner for this scene: Zhao Qi, who is acting as a debauched monarch. Zhao Qi is known as the most popular actor, but he previously only went for the smaller movies. Now that he got his awards, he aimed for larger-scale movies, and it seems that he lowered his required payment in order to gain this role. 

Fang Jiu saw Gu Xi talking to Zhao Qi about the play, so she hurried with her jacket over. 

As Fang Jiu came over, Gu Xi lazily glanced at her. Seeing that her makeup did make her look like the role she’s acting for, he decided to speak to her: “I’ll give you the beat later. When I cue you, go propose the toast to the emperor. You…”

Gu Xi didn’t know how to explain it. This scene required her to seduce the emperor, and he had no way of explaining that to a young lady. 

“I understand!” Fang Jiu nodded her head. 

Zhao Qi glanced at the girl and thought that she was funny. Looks like this scene is going to take a while to film. 

Gu Xi did not say anything else. He waved his hand to get the actors in place. 

Fang Jiu took off her jacket and handed it to her manager. The red, flaming dress showed her figure. Zhao Qi wore a yellow, dragon emperor robe as he sat on the imperial chair, squinting at the female dancer beneath his place, evidently already in the mood of his character. 

Gu Xi decided that if this girl fails this scene, he will take her back to her parents. A girl shouldn’t be messing around in the world of actors. 

“Everyone ready….” Gu Xi stared at the camera. “Action!” 

The air blower started and Fang Jiu’s dress moved with the wind. The others around her started dancing, and she, with her veil, moved swiftly. She spun  softly, her eyes filled with flirtation. 

The actors inside the palace whispered and showed amazement towards Fang Jiu. Even the emperor stared at the woman. 

Fang Jiu took dance lessons at school and learned this dance with her teacher multiple times before taking this role. Now, all she needs to do is pretend this dance is an assignment. 

When the music in her earphones stopped, Fang Jiu walked barefoot to the emperor. She kneeled on the floor with a cup of alcohol with her head down: “Here’s to my emperor~”

Her tone seemed so flirtatious, to the point that Zhao Qi had to steady himself for a moment. He excitedly took over her glass of alcohol and stroked Fang Jiu’s hand for a moment. 

“Emperor~” Fang Jiu turned around to leave. Zhao Qi tried to grab her yet took only her veil. Her appearance became clear to everyone there. Each person took a deep breath. 

Everyone had to say that Fang Jiu’s look definitely satisfied the demands of this role. The other workers at the scene watched with disbelief, each doubting how an unexperienced actor could have adequate skills and not be scared in this sort of scene. 

Gu Xi stared into the camera with a complicated feeling. Fang Jiu isn’t the best at acting, but she’s good for being unexperienced. Like what her mom said, Fang Jiu definitely has the potential. 

“Beauty… Don’t leave!” The emperor Zhao Qi was acting for instantly stumbled after her. Fang Jiu left a flirtatious smile and ran in other directions of the palace. 

She did not run fast, and Zhao Qi reached her quickly, embracing her tightly. “I have finally caught you!” 

“Emperor~” Fang Jiu blushed, looking down. 

“Cut!”

At that moment, Fang Jiu pushed Zhao Qi away as her manager gave her her jacket. She ran in the direction of Gu Xi. 

Zhao Qi fell silent. Is he really that despiteful? 

“Director… Gu, anything I need to change?” Fang Jiu stood behind his chair, staring at the replay inside the camera. 

Gu Xi didn’t speak. He still had complicated feelings, and he feels that he should have a talk about life with Fang Jiu tonight. 

A little girl in the world of acting… hugging and kissing others… this is burning her alive! 

“No, you did very well.” His voice was still cold. 

The workers were all surprised as they looked at Fang Jiu. This is the first time their director complimented someone! 

Fang Jiu let out a deep breath. She suddenly thought of something, and moved a chair to sit down beside the director. “I have a little request.”

Gu Xi glanced at her. Instead of the flirtation that was previously on her face and despite her makeup, she had clear eyes and seemed shy as if she did not know how to phrase what she was going to say. 

“Yes?” He still did not have any emotions inside his voice. 

Fang Jiu hesitated for a long time, and at last said: “I… would like to find a substitute for my next scene.” 

The next scene, which is at the bathhouse, requires her to show her back. Fang Jiu did not want to be to exposed, even if this was the basis of being an actress. Well… who cares. 

After she said so, the vice-director couldn’t help but take a few glances at her, as if he could already see director Gu scolding her. 

Gu Xi was silent for a few seconds and said: “Yes.”

There was no need for Fang Jiu to show her back. Zhou Xuan already had the scenes with shady relations. 

Fang Jiu, after hearing his decision, happily ran off with her script to prepare for other scenes. 

The vice-director looked at what just happened in complete confusion. Isn’t the type of actors who find substitutes the type that their director Gu hated the most? 

The next two scenes weren’t difficult. Fang Jiu almost completed them on first tries. However, tomorrow she has a scene of a dance at a ball which she needs to practice. 

When the crew stopped filming, it was already six o’clock. Gu Xi was toxic, yet he never took time to rest from any celebrities or actors. As long as it’s not necessary for a night scene, he usually never filmed at night. Everyone respected him for this. 

After changing, Xiao Qi, Fang Jiu’s manager, asked her where they should eat. Fang Jiu wanted to practice dancing and decided to order food. 

The first thing Fang Jiu saw was Zhao Qi talking to her manager after Fang Jiu walked out of the makeup room. Fang Qi, seeing that Fang Jiu walked out, said: “We would have many scenes together. Do you want to eat together to get to know each other?”

Zhao Qi is 185 centimeters tall and handsome. At least he already enchanted Fang Jiu’s manager. 

“Next time maybe. I have an important scene tomorrow and I need to practice it.” Fang Jiu looked at the dim sky, reminding herself of how there will be all sorts of paparazzi out there. She had no interest for creating any gossip. 

Seeing that she’s leaving, Zhao Qi grabbed her elbow and asked seriously: “Then, tomorrow?” 

Zhao Qi’s manager stood silent the whole time. He did not know that his actor, who has never been involved in gossip, now asks other actors out. 

Who knows where he learned that. 

Fang Jiu scowled, looking at his hand on her elbow. He let go immediately, smiling awkwardly. 

“I don’t know whether I have time tomorrow. How about we talk about this when there’s time?” Fang Jiu did not want to anger anyone, but neither did she want to be too close with anyone. Zhao Qi does look very handsome, but the entertainment business never lacked handsome men. 

Surprised by being rejected, Zhao Qi felt destroyed. Is it because he’s no longer young? No young girls like him now? 

“What are you two doing!” Gu Xi stopped walking as he passed by this scene. He scolded: “It’s not time for publication yet!”

It seems that the public morals are declining day by day. 

Fang Jiu did not know what to say. 

She did not want to stay longer. Fang Jiu put on her hat and her mask as she slipped out of the set. 

Since the cast was filled with famous actors, these paparazzi waited every day for potential gossip. A few pictures of some scenes would be enough material for them. Fang Jiu already met many, many paparazzi on her way from the set to the hotel, yet all of them were kept at the hotel door. These people wouldn’t wait for too long unless they had mini-cameras, yet no one would usually be so manic to do so. 

After returning to her hotel room, Fang Jiu asked Xiao Qi to order food and then went to shower. After her shower, she ate and talked to herself about the script. 

At the same time, Gu Xi exited the bathroom of his presidential suite upstairs, looked at tomorrow’s schedule, made a few adjustments, and remembered, despite having prepared to go to sleep early, that a “friend from his childhood” was waiting for him to get his materials. 

He knew that his mom must’ve bought random, little gadgets for him, but he still put on a black jacket and hat, walking downstairs. 

Fang Jiu was practicing alone when her doorbell rang. She wiped her sweat and went for the door immediately. Opening the door, she saw Gu Xi standing at the entrance, wearing all black. 

“Where are the things?” Gu Xi looked at her body, noticing how the girl who used to chase him around has grown to become an adult. 

Fang Jiu wore a lose robe, showing her fair and clean legs. There was a thin layer of sweat on her face which was free from makeup. Seeing him, she turned to the side: “Come inside first. It’s not good for people to this.”

After hesitating for a moment, Gu Xi marched inside. His door was always the one knocked; he never had to knock on someone else’s door. 

“Wait for a moment,” Fang Jiu said, walking in and out of her room with an intricate blue bag: “Mrs. Gu told me to give this to you. She also wants to remind you to stay healthy and not be too tired.”

Then, she took a bottle of coke out of her fridge. “I didn’t know that you became a director. You said you wanted to be an astronaut, remember?”

Gu Xi fell silent. Why does she remember this? 

“No matter what you say, shouldn’t you think about what your mom will think of if she seems you hugging some other men?” Gu Xi walked towards the door with the bag. He glanced back before leaving: “If you like acting, go for plays and musicals. This place is not for you.”

Then, he opened the door and left, leaving Fang Jiu alone. 

How will I get closer to you if I don’t enter this field?

The next day, Fang Jiu went to the set early morning. She has a big scene today, which meant dancing on a high stage. This is also a scene with many others, which meant that every actor would be here. She’s not the center, but there would be a few scenes with only her. This is, actually, the hardest to control. 

Gu Xi dislikes people who are late, so everyone was punctual. Seeing Fang Jiu practice dancing, Zhou Xuan had to stop with her hot coffee. She studied her from top to bottom: “I heard that Xia Xi is your aunt?” 

Becoming still and seeing the eyes of other workers focusing on her, Fang Jiu replied instantly: “I don’t have such a good aunt like Ms. Xia.”

The entertainment field always exaggerates things. If someone says today that the main actress is her aunt, tomorrow someone will say she’s her mom. 

Zhou Xuan sipped her hot coffee and lazily watched Fang Jiu dance. “Having a good aunt makes her different. She can get the role out of no where, and could even delete her scenes…”

Everyone knew that the scene at the bath place is gone now. Even Gu Xi had to allow Fang Jiu’s request, so Xia Xi must be her connection! 

Fang Jiu stretched, took her jacket from her manager, did not speak, and left silently. 

When Gu Xi was talking about the play, everyone had to listen. The workers all knew that it was time for director Gu to lash out at the actors. 

“Mr. Qi, you had a very good concept just then. When you slam the table, just listen to my beat.” Gu Xi said to the older main actor. Then, looking at Zhou Xuan who kept putting on more makeup, he slammed his script onto the desk, his face filled with apathy: “Are you trying to act as a corpse by making your face so white?” 

No one spoke. 

Fang Jiu couldn’t control it and laughed with a low volume. 

Zhou Xuan put her makeup tools away and glared at her. Zhao Qi tried to help: “Zhou always had beautiful, white skin. She’ll shine if she puts on more!” 

Everyone likes compliments, and since it was Zhao Qi who usually did not compliment anyone, Zhou Xuan immediately felt satisfied, holding up her script. She pretended to be curious and humble as she flirtatiously looked at Gu Xi: “Director Gu, I don’t really understand this scene. Could you explain it?” 

Gu Xi did not take an extra look at her. He commented coldly: “Spend your makeup time on your script and you would understand it.”

Then, he put his attention on the space around Zhao Qi and Fang Jiu. At last, his gaze landed on Fang Jiu’s dress: “This gown is too ugly. Let the people in charge of costumes find another one.”

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

---

Translated by: Valerie

Edited by: Yutong/Puppxteer

Chapter 22.3 – The Movie King’s Son

With the female lead’s help, the original had a smooth debut. Her company was also owned by the female lead, then she filmed a typical idol romance film and made her debut. Now that she has gained some fanbase, today, she headed to a big movie’s acting set!

That’s right. This movie was directed by the male lead’s son, and she was forced into the cast by the female lead!

“We’re here!” Ms. Liu looked back at her and said seriously: “Gu Xi has a bad temper, not to mention that you were forced in by his mother. If he doesn’t respect his mother’s choice of putting you in, please just endure it and don’t have a temper tantrum.”

Looking at all the employees walking around, Fang Jiu nodded her head and followed Ms. Liu into the set.

In this show, the male and female leads were hot shots, they had both looks and acting skills. Even the side role casts consisted of actors who knew their way in the industry. Fang Jiu was the second female lead, an enchanting and charming dancer. Later in the show, she successfully seduced the Emperor and became the concubine of the sixth house.

As she walked further in the set, she saw more seasoned actors who were big shots in the industry. Even though some were just here for a cameo, they all arrived early since Gu Xi didn’t like it when people were late.

A man wearing black casual wear was staring at the cameras not far from the filming set. He wore a black hat and was currently carefully watching the replay from the security cameras. His side profile was comparable to an extremely handsome celebrity.

While Feng Jiu was still thinking about how this mission would be easy, she saw him suddenly stand up, and cruelly said to the actress: “Zhou Xuan, are you brain damaged or do you have a Myocardial Infarction?”

Fang Jiu: “……”

But, no one in the filming set dared to laugh, it was as if they were used to his insults. The one currently being filmed was the third female lead, she was also a popular actress. Since everyone knew that Gu Xi’s movies always have a good box office, being in his movies will definitely help Zhou Xuan with her future. Or else she would never be here to endure these insults.

Fang Jiu suddenly wanted to back away, since she was forced in here, god knows how she’d be insulted!

“What are you hesitating for? Just go!” Ms. Jiu dragged her towards the security cameras.

The second female lead had an important role, but she doesn’t appear on the screen a lot. Plus, Fang Jiu’s mother was sick, so she didn’t come to the set for the past few days. But the original had already completely understood the script, so Fang Jiu was confident.

“Mr. Gu, it’s been a while.” Ms. Liu seemed to know Gu Xi, she pulled Fang Jiu towards her while she spoke.

Retracting his gaze from the monitor, Gu Xi sat on the chair and glanced at Fang Jiu. His mother had already told him how good his childhood friend’s acting skills were, and that if he didn’t recruit her, he’d regret it for life. Now that he’s taken a look at her, he didn’t want to speak.

Today, Fang Jiu did not put on any makeup and only wore a set of simple sportswear. Her hair was tied into a simple ponytail. Although her face was delicate enough, it looked a bit immature. She was like a college student who had not graduated yet.

“Did you read the script?” He asked aloofly.

The staff around them continued with what they were working on. They were already used to Gu Xu’s aloofness. He never knew what it meant to be gentle towards ladies.

Fang Jiu nodded, and responded seriously: “I did!”

The latter gave a light glance and realized that the girl in his memories, who chased him all around, seemed to be much quieter. He wondered why she felt as if she had no choice but to enter such a messy place as the entertainment circle.

Seeing that all the staff around them were busy with their own business, Fang Jiu suddenly moved her head closer to his and said in a soft voice, “Gu Xi Big Bro, your mom made me bring you some gifts she bought you from abroad.”

Gu Xi: “…”

Miss Liu: “…” Why doesn’t this child know how to stay low-profile!

After taking a deep breath, Gu Xi scanned around them and discovered nobody seemed to have heard them. He frowned and said in a low voice: “I’ll come to your room to get it tonight!”

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

---

Translated By: Puppxteer/Yutong

Chapter 22.2 – The Emperor’s Son

It wasn’t until the eunuch’s shrill sound came from outside the room that everyone in the room knelt to the ground. After the door was pushed open, they immediately stoof and shouted: “The servants and maids bring our greetings to the emperor. Long live the emperor!”

Fang Jiu did not kneel, despite the old servant who kept on tugging her sleeves. She sits there, still as a mountain.

Kneel?

This guy would have died long ago if not for her cure,  let alone become the emperor!

“Leave us.” Xuan Yuanfan waved them away, his bright red dragon robe made him look more extravagant than ever, the other servants and maids had no choice but to quietly leave.

When there were only two people left in the palace, Xuan Yuanfan then walks over to her, looking at the stunningly beautiful face he remembered from his blurred memories, he lowers his head and whispers “My empress really is the most beautiful of them all. ”

Fang Jiu: “……” Idiot!

She immediately takes off her crown, her brow slightly furrowed, “Let me tell you, I’m going to return to the countryside with my father. Trust me I’m not going to stay at your stupid harem and fool around tricking your other concubines.”

Xuan Yuanfan’s originally good mood took a wild turn, his face changing color, “What about me?”

How can an empress not be at the palace!

“Not my problem.” She rolled her eyes, then continued to take off the myriad of little accessories in her hair, god knows how many accessories were put in there.

Her long and silky hair fell down like a waterfall, Xuan Yuanfan couldn’t resist but princess hugged her and marched towards the bed.

“Why fight with the other concubines? I’ll pick you every night.” He puts her down on the bed; looking at her flawless face, he couldn’t resist her beauty, and leaned in for a kiss, while it turned into a french kiss…

“Who… needs you… to pick them every night….” Fang Jiu tried to push him aside. She’s seen ridiculous people, but none were as absurd and shameless as him.

Ignoring her struggles, he continues to rip open her bright red empress gown; the well-made gown was ripped in half with one swift motion. Fang Jiu was speechless, she didn’t understand, how could he possibly have interest when her face was covered full with makeup?

She suddenly felt a big hand slip in towards her waist, then she was suddenly flipped around like a pancake.

“Let’s try a new position today……” He whispers to her.

Fang Jiu quietly swore “F*ck”, but before she could say it out loud, her underpants were suddenly stripped away from her and a breeze of cold air suddenly rushed in…… 

“Just you wait, tomorrow I’ll go home with my father, you shouldn’t come find me anymore…… ah!”

Suddenly, a surprised moan came out of the bright red bed, mixed in with sounds of a man’s rough breath. Dim candle lights illuminated the entire room, showing a different kind of soft charm…… 

Fang Jiu, who returned to the system space, was indifferent, but still couldn’t help but ask: “008, did we have beef with each other?”

System: “Host, why would you ask this?”

Fang Jiu: “……” I don’t want to speak to you!

“This mission was indeed a bit dangerous, but it is truly random. Us systems don’t have the power to control the mission type.” The system’s mechanical voice felt as if it expressed a helpless emotion.

Fang Jiu didn’t want to believe her, and instead asked: “Then how many missions do I have to complete before returning?”

The system was silent for a while, then formally replied: “We don’t have permission to know that information, but since we were once colleagues, I’ll ask the director after my shift.

“Alright, I’ll stop speaking. You should enter your next mission, remember, if you fail, your mind will forever be stuck in the virtual space!”

After the system’s creepy words ended, Fang Jiu’s vision went dark. When she woke up, she found herself in an RV.

Looking at the scenery flashing by the window, her mind was completely in shambles!

If she fails she has to stay here forever? Can the system not be so bad!

“Xiao Jiu, you have to remember to be nice when we arrive. You’ve just made your debut not long ago, and this movie is full of big shots in the industry. Just try to make some connections with them.” The front seat sat a woman in white suit. She turned around to look at Fang Jiu with concern.

Fang Jiu tilted her head, and half seriously nodded her head.

Seeing this, the woman turned back, trying to trust her words.

This was an Entertainment circle novel, where the female lead couldn’t attend college because of her poor family background, then became the male lead’s assistant on pure chance. Even though she did not receive professional training, she had lots of talent in the acting field. After landing a role of the third female lead in a movie with the intentional help from the male lead, she had slowly but surely built up her reputation, then finally got picked up by a famous director. With the male lead’s help, she overcame obstacles and became the youngest movie star with double awards in China.

Although the process seemed to be very simple, the dramas in the entertainment circle would never end. The female lead transformed from her naive self, at the beginning, to being shrewd. The male lead had been secretly protecting her the entire time until the female lead was framed for sleeping with the director in order to get a role. The male lead finally couldn’t resist but stood out to announce that he and the female lead were already together. Although it was fake, since they had already poked through the ambiguity in the air, they got together on a rainy day.

Now that the male and female were married, the male lead had already been awarded as the film emperor twice in international awarding ceremonies. He had an important role in the international industry, not to mention just inside China; however, nobody could get him to act in a film anymore nowadays. This was also one of the regrets of many famous directors. 

While the female lead remained active in the entertainment circle. Well, slightly active. She only occasionally attends fashion events, guest-starring in movies with her acquaintances, because she already had a stable status in mainland China, almost with the elites. So, if the movie wasn’t good, she wouldn’t act in it.

However, their son did not become an actor, but instead became a director!

Their son was overpowered, he received the national prize for most talented new director at a very young age, winning this prize was extraordinary, plus he had already been awarded the best director prize twice in China. And their son was weird as well, he never shoots artistic films, even though this genre was easy to win prizes with, he always goes for high-end films, and the box office for every film of his goes higher every time. Actors who can appear in his films were all big shots. If you wanted trending topics, they had trending topics. If you wanted acting skills, they had the skills, and he never accepts actors who pay their way in. He didn’t care if you were the higher up’s daughter, and no one dares to bat an eye.

Nowadays, the directors in China are seen as very important people. Excluding those super top-tiered actors, basically no one would be foolish enough to offend a director. Nonetheless, the male lead’s son didn’t reveal his relationship with his parents. Only a few people in the circle knew about it.

And her role…… 

Fang Jiu’s mood was complicated. She was originally the daughter of the female protagonist’s best friend. When she was a child, she played with the male protagonist’s son for a while but followed her grandma to go abroad, waiting for her to be picked up by her mother. At that time, the male protagonist’s son had already studied directing abroad, and the two did not have time to meet, so the original Fang Jiu also went to learn acting, but she was very talented, and even the heroine felt very aura when he saw it, and then introduced Fang Jiu into the circle.

TL Note: So sorry about the last chapter, but it’s only Sydney and I working at midnight on this so I just got lazy and used google translate.

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

---

This was a hard chapter to translate, and for my fellow brothers out there reading this, it will be a hard chapter to read—and that can mean different things 😉

Translated by: Sydney & Michael
Edited by: Yutong/ Puppyxteer

VSROWDC Chapter 5 Part 1

It was obvious that Lu Nanyun didn’t believe Wan Long.

In the way he saw it, Ji Zeyu had never taken this competition seriously and had been carefree all this time. How could he have possibly gained the ability to teach others?

Yet, when curfew came, Bai Shengjie who was in the same dorm as Lu Nanyun also mentioned this: “I found out that you really can’t judge a book by its cover. My group’s captain looked like he knew nothing on ordinary days, but he really saved our entire team during an important moment.

Another boy in the dorm, Gu Weicheng, said: “Your group’s captain? Isn’t that Ji Zeyu? You’re joking. What did he do to save your team, love?” Gu Weicheng was a very blunt person and blurted out whatever he thought.

Wei Yichen had just finished taking a shower, he sat by the bed, drying his hair, he didn’t seem interested in their conversation.

Lu Nanyun was reading on the bed, his fingers stopped a little while turning the pages.

“How can you say that? He’s just hiding his talents.” Bai Shengjie said while drinking milk, “Even though his skills are questionable, he’s still pretty awesome.”

“Listen to yourself, aren’t you contradicting yourself right now?” Gu Weicheng obviously didn’t believe him. He was in the same company as Wei Yichen, so he knew all about Ji Zeyu’s bad history. He wouldn’t just accept Bai Shengjie’s attempt to redeem Ji Zeyu.

Bai Shengjie was getting a little impatient: “Oh my god, you don’t understand. But he isn’t as bad as you think.”

“Did Ji Zeyu buy milk for you? Why are you helping him now?” Gu Weichen rolled his eyes, “He’s just trying to coax you because you are very young. Don’t fall for his trap.”

Bai Shengjie was the youngest contestant in the show, though he was very tall, his appearance looked very young and easy to deceive.

Bai Shengjie could not beat Gu Chenwei’s reasoning and decided to straight-up ignore him.

“If I recall correctly, your group is against another pretty strong group. Their center role is Tang Zhen, he’s also in Class A.” Gu Weicheng continued, “Tang Zhen is way stronger than Ji Zeyu, it’s nearly impossible for your group to win.”

After hearing Gu Weicheng’s words, the remaining hope in Bai Shengjie’s heart was demolished. He said bitterly: “Shut up dude, I try not to even think about the PK, and here you are mentioning it.”

In Bai Shengjie’s eyes, even though Ji Zeyu showed extraordinary leadership skills, he could never beat Tang Zhen on the stage. The thought of his own team winning was indeed almost impossible.

Gu Weicheng shook his head and said: “It’s not my fault that you’re in Ji Zeyu’s group. It’s your problem now.”

“Look At Me Now” was separated into groups A and B. Tang Zhen’s in A and Ji Zeyu’s in B. Nearly everyone thought that group B was the cannonfodders, though they didn’t have terrible members. As long as Ji Zeyu was in their group, group B will never win.

But Ji Zeyu didn’t think so.

He picked a specific time and checked out group A’s status, and he found out that their group’s skill average was nearly the same as his own group. The only thing he worried about was if his terrible reputation online would affect the votes.

Tang Zhen saw that Ji Zeyu was “peeking around” and thought that it was very funny since there was no way anyone would see Ji Zeyu as an actual threat. If he could not even do the simple theme song correctly, then how could one expect him to perform an extremely hard song?

But out of politeness, Tang Zhen said to Ji Zeyu: “How’s the practice in your group going?” After he spoke, everyone turned around to look; their eyes were full of fake empathy. 

“Pretty good,” Ji Zeyu said, “Almost the same as you guys.”

Tang Zhen almost laughed out loud, but he held it back since there were cameras everywhere. He told Ji Zeyu, “Oh really? Then it looks like my group has to work extra hard now.”

“You got this,” Ji Zeyu gave them an encouraging gesture.

After Ji Zeyu left, Tang Zhen curled his lips. The look of ridicule flashed through his eyes, and his teammates also started to chuckle. If their microphone were not open, they really wanted to say: Ji Zeyu really is shameless.

Before the live performance, Ji Zeyu put all of his time and energy into practicing.

The “Shining Future” production crew prepared many practice rooms for the contestants, and they were open all day, every day.

Every night, Ji Zeyu would find a practice room with not many people, wear his cap, lower the rim of the cap, immerse in the beat of the music, and practice the live performance song over and over again.

He liked to wear a hat while dancing. It was a habit he had from his past life during the trainee period. Because at the time, he didn’t have any friends in the company and didn’t really know how to socialize. A lowered cap rim could block his face, avoid eye contact with others, and provide him with confidence and safety.

Even though Ji Zeyu said that he was the “aircraft”, his ability to learn dance moves was faster than anyone else in his group. Wan Long and the others needed three days to be familiar with these hard moves, but he only needed to practice twenty times before they became engraved in his mind.

Ji Zeyu had participated in many larger and harder TV shows compared to “Shining Future.” His abilities in this area were developed in unseen corners of TV shows, and he never took any shortcuts.

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

---

Sorry everyone, the chapter was supposed to be posted yesterday!

Translated by: Puppxteer/Yutong

Edited by: Michael and Sydney

VSROWDC Chapter 4 Part 1

The production crew gave every group their own practice rooms. When Ji Zeyu and Qi Aodong arrived, the other four team members were already practicing in front of the mirrors on the wall.

When Ji Zeyu entered, the air seemed to freeze for a second. Then, everyone acted as if they didn’t see him and carried on with their practices.

Their song choice was “Look At Me Now,” a very melodic song full of fast-paced rhythms. The choreography was complex and it was one of the hardest songs in this first public performance.

In the original, the group against them was very strong, and they received a large number of followers after their amazing performance.

The dance instructor was named Nan Lin, and she was a fairly popular dancer in the circle. She glanced at Ji Zeyu and said to everyone: “Alright, now that everyone is here, let’s go through it together first.”

Everyone stood in their formations, but the center spot was missing. Suddenly, everyone looked towards Ji Zeyu.

That someone, who was now the center of all attention, carefully raised his hand, like a student who made a mistake in class, and he said to the teacher: “Um, teacher, can I watch the dance video a few more times? Just let them practice first…”

Ji Zeyu felt that after he transmigrated to this world, he became more and more shameless; however, who could blame him? He had just learned about his first live performance song two minutes ago from Qi Aodong.

Nan Lin sighed helplessly. She seemed to want to say something, but she held it back and said in the end, “All right, Xiao Ji, you can go to that corner and watch the video.”

The other five members weren’t too bothered by this. They automatically ignored Ji Zeyu and started to practice.

Ji Zeyu let out a sigh of relief. The film crew prepared computers for them, so he sat in the corner, put on his headphones, and started to learn the dance.

After a few watch-throughs, Ji Zeyu had a rough idea of the whole dance choreography. The difficulty was indeed hard, not to mention that they had to sing along with the dancing. No wonder the original novel said that Ji Zeyu just “focused on participation”, for with his skills, he couldn’t win even if he had wanted to.

Nan Lin had the rest of the team practice for a while, then left for the group next door. Before she left, she looked at Ji Zeyu and shook her head slightly. She had lost all hope for this group.

In her eyes, Ji Zeyu’s team winning against the group next door was an impossible dream.

Ji Zeyu was someone who participated in lots of other talent shows. After he watched the video a few times, he thought that the song choice was actually great. It fits his current situation, the choreography was unique, and it was quite melodic. If they practiced enough, this performance would not only wow the audience, but it would also save his ruined reputation.

TL Note: This “Ji Zeyu” is referring to Ji Zeyu in his past life.

When he confidently stood up to practice, he was shook by his sight – After the teacher left, everyone lost their spirit. They were either sitting on the floor, sighing, or lying on the floor, daydreaming. Negativity filled the entire practice room.

In this group, except for Ji Zeyu and Qi Aodong, who were from Class B, there was also Wan Long, another Class B student, a guy called Bai Shengjie from Class A, and two students from Class C.

Ji Zeyu asked: “Who’s the team captain again?”

Afterwards, everyone’s silent but helpless eyes told Ji Zeyu — he himself was the team captain.

“Oh, wow, what a coincidence that it’s me,” Ji Zeyu continued shamelessly, “Then, as the captain, I advise all of you to: practice again.”

Wan Long had always thought that it was his bad luck that brought him into this group, and he said tiredly: “Captain, the five of us have practiced lots of times. How about you practice by yourself for a while.”

If it weren’t for all the microphones clipped on every member’s collar, Ji Zeyu bet that Wan Long would blurt out: “How dare you still call yourself captain?” or something along that line.

Everyone else had the same attitude.

Ji Zeyu cleared his throat and said: “I want to blend in with everyone, so let me join you guys, and let’s practice again.”

Everyone suddenly sat up straight.

Qi Aodong said, suspicious of Ji Zeyu: “You know the moves already?”

Everyone looked at him unbelievably.

“I memorized the formations.” Ji Zeyu skillfully avoided the topic, “However, regardless if I know the dance, just know that I definitely won’t be affecting the rest of you.”

Everyone exchanged looks, then finally agreed to Ji Zeyu’s request.

There was no other choice; he was the most popular candidate, and he was the center role.

After everyone got into their formation, they were surprised to find out that Ji Zeyu really wasn’t lying. He accurately found his position, and as the music sounded, he also accurately walked to every position.

Ji Zeyu’s eyes stared at the mirror. His gaze became sharp and determined, and it was as if his entire person had changed.

However, it was inconspicuous that he didn’t actually learn the moves. Even though his positioning was correct, his movements were just fillers, and he was just lip-syncing with everyone else.

After the practice, Bai Shengjie was silent for a moment before saying to Ji Zeyu: “Captain, your positioning has improved a lot, but… your dancing and singing still need some work.”

Everyone nodded in silence.

“Thank you, Xiao Bo, for your encouragement,” Ji Zeyu smiled slightly, “Now, let’s sit down and have a serious chat.”

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

---

Translator: Puppxteer/Yutong

Editor: Sydney

Chapter 264: The Farce and the Scam

The nurse gathered every last ounce of her patience and said to the rich lady,

“How many times do I have to repeat this? Doll cats differ from other cats because they have an extremely sensitive stomach;  they’re even more fragile than Garfields! Especially pure breeds, they’re all born with stomach problems and need special attention for their diet. The cat simply cannot digest the junk that you’re feeding it! Stress response is normal. What you have to do now is to stop feeding it for two days, only feed water and probiotics to regulate the gastrointestinal tract. When it’s feeling better, start feeding it cat food, but only one specific kind of cat food. You should never feed the cat any snacks again.”

The nurse was simply looking out for the cat by giving a whole speech, but the rich lady refused to listen and said, “What do you mean, ‘junk food’? All the cat food, meat, and snacks are all imported from America. They’re super expensive and high in nutrients. I’m buying all this expensive food for my baby kitty’s health!”

The rich lady’s sharp voice irritated Tao Zhiyao even more. She interrupted, “Simply because the cat food has good quality doesn’t mean it’s suited for your cat. Every cat has a different taste; some like poultry, some like fish. Perhaps your Doll cat likes cheaper cat food.”

Tao Zhiyao used to play tons of cat simulators and was a complete cat nerd. She knew everything about caring for cats from internet surfing. She might even be more professional than the nurse.

Tao Zhiyao was trying to convince the rich lady for her own good and to stop her from yapping; however, the rich lady thought Tao Zhiyao was belittling her. This girl mentioned cheaper cat food. Was this girl hinting that she was poor?

She looked at Tao Zhiyao with disdain, “You have the cheapest blue cat, how will you understand doll cats? Do you know how much one doll cat costs? The cheapest being over ten thousand!”

Tao Zhiyao: “……”

Ye Ziliang and the nurse were all speechless. This rich lady was on a completely different page from them.

Compared to other cats, blue cats were indeed cheaper. One could buy a mediocre one with one to two thousand and the prettier ones were sold at five thousand, max.

Pear was bought by Tao Zhiwei, so Tao Zhiyao didn’t know how much he cost, and she didn’t care. She only knew that it was her brother’s gift to her, and it was something money can’t buy.

She was in a hurry to leave home today and didn’t bring any of her fancy purses. If she had them, the rich lady would’ve already shut up.

Tao Zhiyao and Ye Ziliang looked at each other. When they filmed “Vet’s Cuties”, they saw many different kinds of weird people, but none were as annoying as this rich lady.

Nonetheless, no matter how loud they were getting, the doll cat in the rich lady’s arms remained calm like a little princess. Beautiful and docile. She was the polar opposite of her owner.

Tao Zhiyao was truly worried that this weirdo would be a bad influence to the doll cat.

However, when the rich lady talked about the blue cat’s price, it also reminded Tao Zhiyao. She waved her driver over and asked, “Do you know where my brother bought Pear?”

The driver shook his head.

“Ah, nevermind then.  I’ll ask him myself in a call.” Tao Zhiyao rarely ever took the initiative to call her brother, and she would never call him during work hours because that would only distract him.

However, for the kitty, all rules and all boundaries could be broken.

Tao Zhiyao didn’t choose a good time to call. Tao Zhiwei was just welcoming the CEO from their affiliate corporation. In the meeting room, there were almost 10 people from each corporation, all there for the meeting.

He muted his phone, but he had set up a special ringtone for his three most important family members—his parents and his sister.

Tao Zhiwei was very surprised when he saw the caller ID. He picked up regardless of the circumstances. He knew Tao Zhiyao wouldn’t call him for no reason, and it was definitely an emergency that caused her to call him; however, her emergency was a little different from his definition of emergency.

Everyone watched as Tao Zhiwei picked up, sighed in relief, then furrowed his brows. He said, “I didn’t buy the cat in person. I’ll help you ask him.”

Cat? What cat?

All the business elites in the conference room were puzzled.

Tao Zhiwei made a glance, and his assistant who bought the cat walked up, trembling.

“Where did you get that cat?”

“I searched up a cat home on Baidu, I think it was called ‘Famous Kitties’.”

The assistant already guessed that the cat might have some problems, but he was innocent! His boss suddenly called him in the middle of the night, asking him to buy a freaking cat?!

He was normally very busy, so the assistant had no time to get to know anything about pets, cats or dogs. He was even more clueless on where to buy these animals!

Regardless, it was Tao Zhiwei’s order, so he couldn’t refuse even if he wanted to. He had to follow the directions.

He first looked on Yelp. The cat shops on it all closed down at around seven o’clock in the evening. He had to go on Baidu, and he finally found a cat store that hadn’t closed. He called the number listed on the website. The person who answered was very enthusiastic, saying that they were willing to wait and give him a tour.

The cat store was located in a compound. The assistant came to the compound gates, and the person who called himself the owner of the cat store came to pick him up in person.

The owner was talking to him the entire time, introducing his store as the most legal breeding cat store in the entire capital city. He had a good attitude and was asking a lot of questions enthusiastically. He asked the assistant what breed he wanted to buy and what his budget was.

The assistant was, of course, one of Tao Zhiwei’s elite subordinates. He knew that the owner could see he didn’t know a lot about cats and was purposely leading him into a trap, so the assistant did not mention that he was buying a cat for his boss. To keep it safe, he said that he had a budget of 3000 RMB.

The cat shop was actually quite clean, and there was even air conditioning. The temperature was fitting, too. There wasn’t any strange smell in the air. Every cat of large size had its own wooden cage. Seeing that the environment was great, the assistant let down his guard.

There were lots of kittens waiting to be sold in the shop. There were all kinds, litters and litters of different colors, different appearances. Even the assistant, a grown up man, thought they were extremely cute.

With every kitten being so cute, the assistant had a hard time deciding which one to buy. He took a picture of every litter and sent them to Tao Zhiwei so his boss could make the decision himself. In the end, Tao Zhiwei chose a litter of blue cats and even circled the exact kitten he wanted with colorful lines — Pear.

At that time, the owner told the assistant that blue cats usually cost a lot. The kitten they wanted was the prettiest and would cost 5000 RMB; however, because he drove from a far place at such a late time in the evening just to buy a kitten, he must’ve really wanted it. The owner said he would cut the price by 1000 RMB.

So, in the end, the assistant bought Pear for 4000 RMB.

The two men had no experience with buying cats and didn’t do their research beforehand. They got fooled. Getting scammed wasn’t something they cared about; however, they bought a sick cat. The shop owner was harming lives!

The assistant, seeing that Tao Zhiwei’s expression didn’t seem right, did not know what to do.

Tao Zhiwei felt very tired. Initially, he gifted his sister a cat to make her feel happier; however, just now, in the call, he felt like she was going to start crying again by listening to her voice. 

Why were things getting worse and worse?

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

---

Yay TOTFCS is officially revived.

Translated by: Sydney

Edited by: Michael

VSROWDC Chapter 2 Part 2

Ji Zeyu changed into his Shining Future’s British-style uniform. The color of the jacket was light blue with low saturation and he wore a pure white shirt inside. This uniform made him look more polished, combined with a sense of luxury and youthfulness.

If one only focused on his looks, one would have thought he would have no problem getting third place in the popularity polls.

Yun took Ji Zeyu into a nanny car. Sitting in the car was another handsome, chestnut-haired boy with clear skin and delicate features. His single eyelids added a touch of coldness to his looks.

Seeing Ji Zeyu get in the car, the chestnut-haired boy greeted him.

Ji Zeyu searched the information in his head and guessed that this person was probably named Qi Aodong, the strongest one among the five people sent by Starworld Entertainment. If it wasn’t for Ji Zeyu dragging him down, he would definitely be a member of Class A right now.

In the original, Qi Aodong deeply disliked Ji Zeyu but had to obey him because of the pressure from the company. In the end, he chose the path of justice and revealed all of Ji Zeyu’s dirty secrets.

Ji Zeyu greeted him with guilt: “Good morning, Aodong.”

Qi Aodong was slightly stunned, and Yun, who was sitting on the passenger seat, looked at Ji Zeyu through the rearview mirror in shock.

In the past, Ji Zeyu never even recognized Qi Aodong’s existence. Why did he suddenly change his attitude today?

“Well, it seems like you’re feeling good today, Zeyu.” Yun said softly, “Keep it up, and smile more in front of the camera as well!”

Being in control of their facial expression was the very fundamental principle of being an idol. Having his agent coax him to do it made him feel ridiculed.

“Yeah, I know,” Ji Zeyu nodded his head.

A hint of surprise flashed through Yun’s eyes—How is this kid so obedient today?

Outside the “Star Way Shining” program value marketing summit hall, fans were suppressing their excitement, waiting for the arrival of their idols.

When Ji Zeyu arrived, screams from his fangirls and supporters came from the audience.

Though Ji Zeyu had a bad reputation on the internet, his looks suppressed all the negative information about him. He had over 20,000 reposts with just one business photo, and it attracted a large number of fans before the show even started.

If one had looks, then their talents didn’t matter.

“Yuyu’s so handsome!”

“Yuyu, look over here!”

Ji Zeyu had already mastered the skill of facial emotion management. He maintained a sweet smile under the spotlight and casually walked into the room. In comparison, Qi Aodong had a pathetic amount of fans.

“How is it possible to stay in Class B with shitty talents like Ji Zeyu?” A Wei Yichen fan whispered in the audience.

Wei Yichen was the original bottom of this novel; he and Lu Nanyun were classmates. Even though they weren’t in the same company, their small interactions on the Wei Bo platform still attracted people into making them CPs.

TL Note: CP means couple.

Because of this, Wei Yichen became a target in Ji Zeyu’s eyes and was constantly picked on by Ji Zeyu. One could even see hints of their bad relationship in the show. There were even employees who said that the two did not get along well.

Wei Yichen was number 1 on the popularity poll, and he was also the center dancer in the theme song, so obviously, he had more fans than Ji Zeyu, not to mention his fans all thought that Ji Zeyu was bullying their idol. The two fan groups were already intolerant of each other.

Thankfully, her words were not heard by any Ji Zeyu stans, or else a battle would’ve sparked.

Ji Zeyu finished his makeup backstage and walked outside to see that there were stairs-like benches on the stage.

Qi Aodong had already found a space to sit in the corner, not wanting any more affiliation with Ji Zeyu.

Ji Zeyu looked around and saw two empty spots.

One of them was right next to Lu Nanyun. Ji Zeyu glanced at him and immediately walked to the other empty seat.

Lu Nanyun didn’t have much of a reaction, but an unnatural feeling flashed through his eyes.

After Ji Zeyu sat down, the whole place quieted down as everyone’s gaze settled around Ji Zeyu.

Qi Aodong silently stared at his back.

Wan Long, who was in the same company as Lu Nanyun, whispered to Lu Nanyun: “Did Ji Zeyu take the wrong medicine today?”

Ji Zeyu didn’t notice the tension. After he sat down, he suddenly realized that the boy next to him felt familiar; the boy was the person he walked into in the hallway.

“What a coincidence,” Ji Zeyu greeted him, “It’s nice to meet you again.”

The boy looked at him and said calmly: “Yeah, what a coincidence.”

Ji Zeyu could feel that everyone was distancing themselves from him, and their eyes all showed hints of fear; however, this boy was different. He might become his first friend in this world.

“I’m sure we all can’t wait for this,” The host walked up onto the stage for the opening, “Please wait a moment. Our live-stream is going to start very soon.”

“Wow, it’s even live-streamed,” Ji Zeyu poked the boy next to him, “then we really need to perform well!”

The boy nodded silently.

After the marketing summit started, the host introduced the sponsors enthusiastically, praised the ratings of “Star Way Shines” as well as complimented on the class A and class B students that were present.

“Then, next up, let’s have all the contestants show off their talents,” The host said while looking at where everyone was seated, “Let’s invite the current number 1, the most popular contestant — Wei Yichen!”

Claps roared from the audience, and Wei Yichen’s fans started screaming.

Ji Zeyu clapped along as he suddenly remembered. This name was the bottom main character in the original story. He was bullied by Ji Zeyu in the early episodes and held a great grudge against him.

Ji Zeyu planned to see who Wei Yichen was to avoid him in the future.

In the next second, the boy right beside Ji Zeyu stood up and smiled at the audience, bowing. He slowly walked up to the host.

Ji Zeyu’s face abruptly froze.

“Yichen, do you have any talents to show us?” The host asked.

Wei Yichen held up the microphone and said softly: “As the first contestant, I’ll perform a part of the theme song.”

“You’re only doing the theme song?” The host was skeptical, “Wouldn’t it be too simple?”

“Then… I’ll call on someone to dance with me. Is that all right?” Wei Yichen smiled, his tear-like mole seemed more and more charming.

“Sure,” The host nodded in delight, “I’m guessing you are choosing Lu Nanyun, since you guys have been classmates before.”

In the original story, Wei Yichen did actually choose Lu Nanyun. The pair finished the theme song fabulously, making Ji Zeyu jealous.

“You guessed wrong~” Wei Yichen smirked and looked at the contestants, “The person I’m choosing is…”

His sight was set on a certain someone.

“Ji Zeyu.”

The stoned Ji Zeyu suddenly felt as if he was split apart by lightning.

The theme song dance? He didn’t even have a chance to listen to the theme song since he just skipped over it.

He felt completely clueless! What was he supposed to do now?!

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

---

Translated by: Puppxteer/Yutong & Jennifer

Edited by: Sydney

VSROWDC Chapter 2 Part 1

After Ji Zeyu turned around, walked out of the room, and changed out of his weak and pitiful appearance, he couldn’t stop smirking. 

Lu Nanyun shouted furiously at the retreating figure: “Who the fuck wants to be your friend? You better stay far away from me!” 

After the door closed, Lu Nanyun was so furious that he started pacing around the room. 

Ever since Lu Nanyun started competing in the show, he had been harassed almost every day by Ji Zeyu. Even though the latter was in Class B and Lu Nanyun was in Class A, meaning that they did not share a dorm together, Ji Zeyi would still find any chance he could to harass Lu Nanyun. 

Yet, just now, Ji Zeyi had acted like he was the victim. It was no wonder why Lu Nanyun was furious. 

After calming down, Lu Nanyun felt that something was not quite right. 

Lu Nanyun had heard multiple times that the Ji family had spoiled their youngest child. Letting him do whatever he pleased as if there were no laws and did not interfere with any of his choices. Why did Ji Zeyi’s mother suddenly send a message like that?

Could it be that Ji Zeyi had discovered the hidden camera? 

Lu Nanyun glanced at the hidden camera beside the bed, it looked quite inconspicuous to him.

He quickly took the camera out, opened the video contents, and looked through the recording carefully.

At night, when they entered the hotel, Ji Zeyu had suddenly texted him on WeChat, saying that his shower broke and that he wanted to shower in his room. After Lu Nanyun agreed, he hid the camera.

In the video, Lu Nanyun could see Ji Zeyu’s nervousness and excitement as he took off his clothing, trying to show off his body. Then, he walked slowly to the bathroom as if he was a runway model, but he couldn’t pique Lu Nanyun’s interest at all.

After half an hour, when Ji Zeyu walked out of the bathroom, he looked as if he was a completely different person. His eyes were full of an emotion Lu Nanyun couldn’t comprehend, and his actions also perplexed Lu Nanyun.

Most importantly, when Ji Zeyu said: “If you sleep with me, I’ll guarantee your debut as the center”, it wasn’t recorded because they were too far away.

Lu Nanyun replayed the video multiple times. He noticed that when Ji Zeyu spoke, his lips were slightly curled up while hints of slyness flashed in his eyes, then, he also looked at the direction of the camera after his words.

It looked as if the camera was indeed noticed.

After today’s incident, it would be much harder to grasp Ji Zeyu’s weakness in the future.

Lu Nanyun’s face became determined.

Lu Nanyun believed that it was only a coincidence today. Ji Zeyu would, a hundred percent, do these kinds of things again, and next time, he would get the evidence.

Meanwhile, after Ji Zeyu left Lu Nanyun’s room, he received many messages all from his family. They were comforting him, reminding him not to pay too much attention to the comments online.

Ji Zeyu held his phone. Walking while staring at the screen, he murmured: “How hated is this dude…??? It has only been one episode…”

Ji Zeyu didn’t notice a slender figure walking towards him, and he accidentally bumped into the figure. Their shoulders collided, almost causing Ji Zeyu to drop his phone.

After years of being in the entertainment circle, Ji Zeyu had always paid extra attention to his etiquette. He apologized quickly: “Sorry… Are you okay?”

He looked up and saw a face comparable to Lu Nanyun’s. He had pure black eyes, and there was a light mole under his right eye. He looked aloof.

Hearing Ji Zeyu’s apology, the person froze for a few moments, his face full of bewilderedness.

From his expression, Ji Zeyu could conclude that the person knew him.

Ji Zeyu wasn’t sure about the person’s looks in the original story, so he couldn’t recall his name. Ji Zeyu rubbed his head and said, “What a coincidence for us to meet here.”

“Yeah,” The boy answered, his eyes flew across Ji Zeyu, looking straight at Lu Nanyun’s room door. Then he stared straightforwardly at Ji Zeyu, his eyes contained an emotion Ji Zeyu couldn’t understand, “It’s indeed a coincidence.”

“I’m a bit busy at the moment. See you later.”

Ji Zeyu hid the awkwardness of the conversation, nodded, and then left.

When Ji Zeyu returned to his room, his agent, Yun, called him: “Zeyu, don’t go on Wei Bo tonight. In your comment section, lots of your opponents are trying to blemish your reputation by buying spamming bots. They are just jealous of you. Make sure to have a good rest tonight and do good tomorrow on the sales summit.”

Ji Zeyu obediently promised her and hung up. 

He then swiftly opened the Wei Bo search bar to research his name.

After he inputted the two words, “Ji Zeyu”, in the search bar, the keywords that popped out were things like “breathtaking appearance”, “cute and smart”, and “face like that male god at school that’s your first crush”.

The company must’ve censored a lot of words, or else, according to the original personality of Ji Zeyu, the words that described him on the internet would definitely be “useless scum” and “hurry up and quit the entertainment circle”.

Ji Zeyu scrolled through the search results and, without a doubt, he saw dozens of comments humiliating him.

Netizen 1: “What are these talent shows doing these days? How did Ji Zeyu manage to get into class B with his shitty moves in the audition? This is hilarious. Do they think the audience is blind?”

Netizen 2: “I initially wanted to vote for Lu Nanyun. When I clicked open, the trash, Ji Zeyu, was unexpectedly in seventh place. I instantly lost my interest in voting.” 

Netizen 3: “Ahh, help, seeing Ji Zeyu’s audition tape, I think any other celebrities in his company would be better than him. 

The few netizens that actually said something relatively positive about Ji Zeyu only complimented on his looks. No words mentioned his strength in either singing or dancing.

Ji Zeyu’s Wei Bo page was filled with negative comments from his haters. 

The most popular comment was: “ How many people want Ji Zeyu to leave the competition?” The number of likes it had: 52,756. 

Ji Zeyu inhaled deeply, feeling a dull pain starting to form at his temples. 

After a few minutes, Ji Zeyu opened his video application and found the first episode of ‘Shining Future’. He rewatched his first performance and discovered that his temple started hurting a tad bit too early. 

Starworld Entertainment was a company established by his eldest brother, Ji Zefeng. He sent out four talented and good-looking boys to be his stepping stones, but… 

Four stepping stones, yet he still couldn’t climb up.

Even though the program wanted to put Ji Zeyu in Class A, in the end, they had to put him into Class B; although that action still caused public outrage.

In the video, one could clearly notice Ji Zeyu forgetting the beats, forgetting moves, and having voice cracks while singing. It was as if he had only practiced 5 minutes before going on stage.

Because Starworld Entertainment told the program managers that Ji Zeyu’s scores must be the highest in the team, causing three of the “stepping stone” boys to get kicked out of the program and only one of them stayed in Class B.

Ji Zeyu clicked out of the video and sat on the bed. He wondered the same thing as the other contestants: How the hell did he score NO.7 on the popularity poll?

He then abruptly thought of his past life: he trained hard but could only be the background character; he put in a hundred percent of his efforts into every show but was never under the spotlight.

Everything the original Ji Zeyu in the novel didn’t appreciate was everything he had ever dreamt of.

Even being infamous was better than being a nobody.

Ji Zeyu, lying on the soft, large bed, stared at the icy cold ceiling. His expression gradually turned from pureness to determinedness, which had never shown up in the original owner of this body’s eyes.

Now, Ji Zeyu was very clear about what he should do next — He was going to prove himself in the show and quickly get rid of his “getting hated on by everyone” situation.

As for the other people, this wasn’t an easy feat. However, Ji Zeyu was a pro at talent shows, so he was full of confidence.

On the morning of the second day, Ji Zeyu’s agent, Yun, specifically came to the hotel because she was feeling worried for him. Surprisingly, Ji Zeyu was in an extra-good mood and didn’t seem to have been influenced by the public voice at all. 

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

---

Translated by: Puppxteer/Yutong & Jennifer

Edited by: Sydney