Everyone Spends Money to Make Me Debut as Center (GL) - Chapter 10

“The dorms are on the third and fourth floors. Do you want me to take you to see them?” Chi Ling asked out of politeness.

Ling Yu didn’t say anything, just stared at Chi Ling with her dark, inky eyes.

Chi Ling: Is this what they call… provocation?

“Okay, thank you.”

If Ling Yu had waited any longer to speak, Chi Ling would have thought she was about to punch her. But the key thing was that her tone was very sincere. Rather than provocation, “slow to react” would have been a more accurate description of her personality.

So, Chi Ling had no choice but to play the role of the tour guide. While she spoke until her mouth was dry, Ling Yu followed her silently, without saying a word, and without a shred of personality.

“That’s pretty much it. The rooms are first-come, first-served, so you can choose one for yourself. Do you want to pick one now?”

Ling Yu: “Whatever.”

Chi Ling: Sister, your specialty isn’t rap; it’s killing conversations, isn’t it?

Chi Ling even wanted to turn to the VJ for help. After all, she wasn’t the one who was desperate for content.

“Ah.” Ling Yu’s eyelashes suddenly fluttered, as if she had just remembered something. “My luggage…”

“Your luggage is still downstairs, right?” Chi Ling tried to restart the conversation. “Do you want me to help you with it? Your suitcases look pretty heavy.”

One second… two seconds…

Ling Yu fell silent again.

Chi Ling felt that even though she was smiling on the outside, she was crying a river on the inside. Was the biggest obstacle on her path to success not Bai Chang, but this person in front of her?

“Ha… do you not like other people touching your stuff? If you don’t need help, I’ll go get a rag for you first. You’ll definitely need it when you clean your dorm later.”

With that, Chi Ling turned and went into the bathroom. Since her back was turned, she didn’t see Ling Yu slowly open her mouth and silently form the word “Okay.”

The VJ following Chi Ling happened to capture Ling Yu’s small, tentative hand hovering in the air. After a moment of awkwardness, her hand dropped with a hint of disappointment.

Two minutes later, Chi Ling came out with the rag and saw that there was still no one on the stairs. She walked downstairs and saw Ling Yu standing motionless in front of her two oversized suitcases, as if her legs were rooted to the ground. Her slender back looked so small and pathetic.

“Ling Yu?” Chi Ling called out.

The other girl quickly turned around, blinking her beautiful eyelashes. This time, she finally spoke clearly. She said, “Help me.”

Ling Yu was afraid that if she was too slow to react again, Chi Ling would just turn and leave. So her tone was no longer flat and unemotional; it was slightly urgent, and her eyes held a hint of moist helplessness.

For some reason, as Chi Ling looked into those eyes, she suddenly remembered the little black dog she had raised at the welfare home in her past life. It was a bit shy and, unlike other small dogs that barked often, it was very quiet. But when it grew up, it became very clingy, basically following Chi Ling wherever she went.

Just one look from a dog like that was enough to melt her heart, let alone from such a delicate and beautiful young girl.

Damn it! Chi Ling cursed under her breath, instantly throwing Tang Yu’s warning to the back of her mind.

Chi Ling walked over and, without a word, picked up one of the suitcases. It was completely effortless for her. Lately, to train Princess Chi’s rusty body, she had been doing a lot of physical training—the difference in dancing between someone who has done physical training and someone who hasn’t is night and day.

Ling Yu picked up a handbag and followed closely behind her. She sincerely praised her, “You’re so strong.”

The VJ following them was trying so hard not to laugh that his face was turning red. The first time Ling Yu from Lemon spoke to Chi Ling from former-MK, it was to compliment her strength?

This scene must be kept for the post-production! It would be great to see the expressions on the faces of the Lemon executives, who had deliberately sent their most difficult-to-talk-to trainee here.

Chi Ling moved the luggage up and down the stairs twice without changing her expression, then asked, “You haven’t picked a room yet, have you?”

“Where are you staying?”

“I… huh?” Chi Ling realized that Ling Yu probably wanted to share a room with her.

Didn’t they say that Lemon and MK were like two tigers on one mountain, always at odds? Did I forget to mention that I used to be from MK when I introduced myself? But even if I didn’t, Princess Chi is so famous (even if it’s for negative reasons), could Ling Yu not know? If she didn’t, surely her agent would have warned her?

But seeing Ling Yu’s innocent look, Chi Ling felt that her thoughts were a little petty. If the other person didn’t care, why should she be so worried on her behalf?

“I want to be in the same dorm as you.” Ling Yu realized she was getting too excited and forced the curve of her lips to go down.

Being looked at with such hopeful eyes, Chi Ling felt that if she didn’t agree, it would be immoral. Where did this inexplicable guilt come from?

“0312.”

••••

After a flurry of activity, she finally helped Ling Yu get her suitcases into the room. Then Chi Ling noticed that the girl was staring blankly at the bare bed board again.

Chi, the “tool-person,” Ling: “Perhaps, do you need some help?”

Ling, the “eager,” Yu: “Yes!”

She was so excited it looked like she was about to wag a tail behind her.

The VJ filming: Helping her move suitcases and even changing her quilt? Are you two really going to be this harmonious and friendly? What exactly am I filming here?

Throughout the entire process of changing the quilt, no matter how insignificant Chi Ling’s movements were—whether she stood up to change direction or casually shook the quilt—Ling Yu watched her with a gaze that was almost worshipful. Chi Ling felt a little weary and put a hand to her forehead. Ling Yu’s dog-like, persistent gaze was just too noticeable.

“You’re amazing.” This was the second thing Ling Yu had said to her on her own today.

With that compliment, Chi Ling felt like she hadn’t just made a bed but had saved the world.

••••

Bai Chang had just left the makeup room and got into the car driven by Bai Yuanyuan. Today was the first day of filming for “Nation’s Girls,” and as the producer, she, of course, had to make an appearance.

Since Tang Yu had to follow Chi Ling’s schedule today, the job of being her temporary agent fell to Bai Yuanyuan, who was the most familiar with Bai Chang. She was a great person, but she was a little talkative.

Even with her hands on the steering wheel, Bai Yuanyuan’s mouth wouldn’t stop.

There was no helping it; Weibo had been so lively lately, and her gossip-loving soul was burning bright!

“Sister Bai Chang, have you been keeping up with Chi Ling’s situation for the past two days? She’s been getting cursed out every day since the show was announced. She’s trended a few times for it. And I checked her fan community; there were barely any support posts to begin with, and now they’re all being flooded by haters’ comments. If this keeps up, even if she has the skills, it’ll be hard for her to debut.”

“Yuanyuan, are you my agent or hers? Why are you so concerned about her?”

“Of course, that’s not what I mean! I’m so happy to be your agent, Sister Bai Chang, even if it’s just for a day!” Bai Yuanyuan’s voice trailed off a little, as if she felt a bit guilty. “What I mean is, Sister Chi Ling’s situation is also pretty pitiful. Maybe you could make a statement or something? Or I could draft a statement on behalf of the studio?”

Before, Bai Yuanyuan would never have dared to make such a suggestion. But ever since Bai Chang silently allowed that accidental “like” on Chi Ling’s fancam to remain, she felt that her boss still cared about her wife.

“What do you think, Sister Bai Chang…” After a long silence, Bai Yuanyuan stopped at a red light and looked back, only to find Bai Chang with her eyes closed, pretending to be asleep.

Bai Yuanyuan: Boss, it’s your own fault you’ll be single forever!

Author’s Note:

Bai, the “jealous one,” Chang is about to come online (The reason Bai Chang didn’t release a statement for Chi Ling will be explained in the next chapter).