Everyone Spends Money to Make Me Debut as Center (GL) - Chapter 13
Faced with the astonished looks from below, Chi Ling remained calm and unfazed.
Before coming here, she had already set her goal: after eight years of hard work, she would not be satisfied with anything less than this position. And she didn’t just want to sit here now; on the night of the finale, she would rightfully claim this seat amid the applause of the crowd, engraving her name and that crown onto the back of the chair.
After a brief moment of surprise, Su Wanwan quickly adjusted. “Okay, Sister Chi, you sit there in peace. Yu Shu and I will be your left and right protectors. Our 0312 dorm has taken over this mountain, hahahahaha.”
Her words helped lighten the mood, and Chi Ling gave her a faint smile.
Although Su Wanwan’s seat was one level below Chi Ling’s, the distance was very close. As more and more people came in, she started giving Chi Ling some background information.
At first, everything was fine, but then the production team announced the arrival of Bamboo Entertainment, and Su Wanwan’s excitement was palpable.
Bamboo Entertainment had many contestants who debuted in high positions in previous seasons. The company also had the nickname “Flower Garden,” which gave them a certain reputation in the industry.
“They’re here, they’re here! The big shots are here!”
Chi Ling had seen Su Wanwan practice and knew her skills were good. So, the person who could make her so excited was definitely a curious case.
Five tall, long-legged beauties entered the hall, all with a striking, model-like appearance. They walked in a neat line, exuding a powerful and cohesive aura that was visually stunning.
Chi Ling didn’t even need Su Wanwan to point out who the “big shot” was.
The silver-haired girl standing in the middle, with her expression and aura, exuded confidence. She was the only one who completely disregarded the curious looks of others. She naturally lifted her chin and scanned the seats, as if she were the owner of the place.
“Chu Anzhi! Come here!” Su Wanwan waved to the silver-haired beauty.
The woman Su Wanwan called Chu Anzhi lifted her eyes to look up. Her high-arched phoenix eyes made her look imperious and queen-like.
Chi Ling’s and her gazes met in the air. In that one glance, Chi Ling could read in her dark eyes that she, too, was very interested in the top seat.
Su Wanwan next to her was still excitedly explaining, “You know how some people, from their first appearance, you can tell they’re definitely going to debut? That’s exactly how I would describe Chu Anzhi!”
From a big company, with talent, looks, and a unique personality, Su Wanwan was right. Chu Anzhi was the kind of person who, from the moment she appeared, was a lock for a debut spot—the ACE of a group.
Chi Ling was mentally prepared for Chu Anzhi to come up and battle her for the position, but in the end, the other girl just nodded as she passed her and sat down next to Su Wanwan without saying a word.
Soon, all 99 people had entered. As the name of the last company faded on the big screen, two beams of light suddenly hit the center of the main stage, creating a circle of light that drew everyone’s attention.
“Please welcome the producer of the show, the enduring legend of the entertainment industry… Bai Chang!”
Hearing the introduction, Chi Ling got goosebumps. All the girls around her excitedly stood up and clapped. She also had no choice but to clap and watch her soon-to-be ex-wife charm the crowd with a smile that could kill.
Is this a girl group selection or a judge selection? After the show airs, all the attention will probably be sucked away by that woman, Bai.
Unlike her simple outfit at the dorm, today’s Bai Chang had clearly been meticulously styled by a makeup artist. A well-tailored, high-quality suit highlighted her expensive taste. The pointed stiletto heels paired with an oversized casual blazer made her look both capable and feminine.
On the big screen, the camera zoomed in for a close-up shot of her head. Even with her exaggerated, dangling earrings, they couldn’t steal the attention away from her perfect, mixed-race facial features.
She picked up the microphone with her right hand, and the metal bracelets on her wrist made a crisp sound. Then came her clear and pleasant voice. “Hello, everyone. I’m Bai Chang. For the next few months, I’ll be supervising your training as the representative of the national producers. I hope to find a gem among you that can truly amaze me.”
Chi Ling had to fight to stay awake, listening to Bai Chang’s ten-minute-long opening speech, which was more agonizing than listening to the principal’s speech during a school morning assembly.
“Let’s go!”
“Let’s go!”
As soon as Bai Chang finished speaking, everyone immediately started cheering with her, their voices so loud it felt like they could blow the roof off. Chi Ling was so startled that all her sleepiness vanished.
“Now, it’s my turn to introduce the judges for this season of ‘Nation’s Girls’,” Bai Chang said, stepping aside to clear the main stage and looking down at the script to read.
“The former lead singer of a girl group, now a national-level solo artist, Senior Pang Shiru.”
Pang Shiru had been a singer for over a decade, transitioning from an idol to a powerful vocalist. She had never had a scandal in all her years in the industry and was a regular guest at major galas, giving her a lot of authority in the industry. Her skills were secondary—her presence alone was a standard.
If the show had too many young judges, the critical audience would question the standards of the show. She was brought in by the production team specifically to dispel those doubts.
“Our rap judge, Park Jun.”
Park Jun was also a judge on a certain rap competition show next door. She was young but had already achieved a lot.
“Our dance judge, Wei Jie.”
Wei Jie could be considered the go-to choreographer for first-tier girl groups in the country. Even Bai Chang’s former company, HM, had hired her to choreograph many dances.
“And… the vocal judge you have all been waiting for, the current first-tier singer Wei Xike.”
As each judge came out, the girls were so excited they looked like they would clap their hands raw. But soon, the excitement was replaced by tension.
According to the schedule, after the judges were seated, the stage evaluations would begin.
Many of the contestants were newcomers with little to no stage experience, and sitting in front of them were all the top players in the industry. Performing in front of the cameras was already nerve-wracking enough, but the added pressure of showing off in front of experts was a lot for the trainees to handle.
Bai Chang held up the scoring booklet in front of her, turned, and looked at the seats behind her. “Just out of curiosity, is there anyone among you who would like to volunteer to go first?”
Going first was definitely a disadvantage. You would be the one to set the standard, the target of the audience’s attention. Some judges might give you sympathy points for your courage, but others would be more conservative, thinking that the next performance might be better.
Unless your performance wasn’t just “good” but “amazing”!
“Me.” From the top of the pyramid, a girl’s pure and pleasant voice came through the microphone. Chi Ling slowly stood up and raised her arm. “I’d like to perform first.”
Over a hundred pairs of eyes instantly focused on Chi Ling, but she only looked at the person in the middle of the judges’ panel, waiting for her response.
Bai Chang lifted her eyes and scrutinized Chi Ling with an eagle-like sharpness. Then, in a gentle voice, she said, “Okay, you can go first.”
Chi Ling walked down the stairs to the stage amid applause. At least to outsiders, her courage was very commendable at that moment.
“Don’t be nervous, just do your best!” Su Wanwan said as Chi Ling passed her.
Trainees from the same company would usually perform together, but since Chi Ling had signed up late, they hadn’t had time to prepare a collaborative stage. So, they could only perform solo.
Chi Ling smiled and nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I’m not nervous.”
Her current state of mind was better described as “eager” than “nervous.”