Everyone Spends Money to Make Me Debut as Center (GL) - Chapter 2

“What did you say? Ling Ling!” Tang Haimei was the first to lose her composure. “You’ve been bullied online by her fans for so long, and you’re still defending her! Now you want to join some variety show for her? If… if what happened before happens again, what am I supposed to do?!”

No matter how powerful they were, they couldn’t stop the tidal wave of keyboard slander pouring in from behind millions of network cables, aimed at their precious daughter. The period when Chi Ling was the target of an internet-wide hate campaign was the couple’s most helpless moment. They could only find the best psychologists they could to help her. Tang Haimei never wanted to see her daughter so gloomy and helpless again.

“Mom, as you said, I’m all grown up now.” Chi Ling gently placed a hand on Tang Haimei’s shoulder, her demeanor so natural it was as if she were the elder comforting someone throwing a tantrum. “I know what I want, and I know what I need to do. This decision isn’t an impulsive one, and I’m not sacrificing myself for anyone. Can you have a little faith in your daughter?”

Of course, Chi Ling wasn’t being impulsive. For eight years, she had dedicated a large part of her youth to this very thing. Plenty of people had mocked and ridiculed her, but she had persevered every time, because she knew that while anyone else could look down on her, she couldn’t afford to look down on herself.

She had stood in front of the mirror countless times, repeatedly perfecting movements to the point of muscle memory. She knew that opportunity only came to those who were prepared.

And now, at this very moment, “Nation’s Girls” was the opportunity she had to seize.

“Ling Ling…” Tang Haimei held her daughter’s warm, soft hand. The thousands of words repressed in her heart, upon seeing the girl’s determined and bright eyes, were suddenly impossible to say. “Are you serious? You’re not just being petulant?”

Bai Chang also put down her chopsticks at this point, observing Chi Ling with an unreadable expression.

Was it her imagination, or had it been so long since she’d seen her that her wife seemed different? This kind of determined, sharp look was something she hadn’t seen on Chi Ling in a very long time.

“I forbid it!” The metal spoon was slammed into the bowl with such force that water splashed out. Chi Chengzhang’s eyes were bloodshot. He pointed a finger at Chi Ling. “I raised you myself. I know your character. You get a three-minute burst of passion for everything you do. I’ve spoiled and loved you, not to have you debase yourself like this!”

The maid, who had just brought a new spoon, was startled by the master’s fury and froze, not daring to come closer.

Chi Ling raised the back of her hand and gently wiped away the soup that had splashed on her cheek. With her back ramrod straight, she stood firm against Chi Chengzhang’s anger and replied, “Dad, thank you for always supporting and encouraging me, but just this once, please believe in me. This time, I will not give up halfway.”

“I won’t listen to any more nonsense from you. I’ll say this once: if you still want to go back to the entertainment industry and chase your idol dream, then get out. Don’t ever come back!”

Chi Ling closed her eyes. She knew this was her father’s “last resort.” But this time, “Chi Ling” wouldn’t soften her voice and act cute to appease him.

“Dad, if I back down now, that would be a three-minute burst of passion. That would be me not even having the courage to take the first step.”

“Ling Ling?” Tang Haimei seemed to realize something was wrong and abruptly stood up, walking toward her.

Chi Ling moved first. After bowing deeply to Chi Chengzhang, she grabbed her packed bag and prepared to leave.

“Stop right there.” Chi Chengzhang’s voice was hoarse. “Since you have so much backbone, don’t take a single thing from this house.”

Chi Ling paused at the door. She turned around and saw the three people at the table—including Bai Chang—all looking at her.

“Ling Ling, be a good girl. Let’s not throw a tantrum, okay? Mom will buy you your favorite things. Clothes? Bags? Or do you want to eat something good? I’ll buy it all for you.”

Chi Ling lifted her chin and looked at the woman sitting calmly at the chaotic dinner table. Only she, with her graceful posture, appeared composed and serene, as if the drama around her had nothing to do with her.

But even the composed Bai Chang had furrowed her beautiful brows, looking at her with a disapproving gaze. “Chi Ling, don’t do things that make Uncle and Auntie sad.”

“Yes, yes, Ling Ling. See, even Bai Chang said so. You always listen to her, don’t you…”

“Mom.” Chi Ling interrupted her. “Please eat your dinner properly. Eat less sweets, they’re bad for your teeth. And try to talk to Dad so he doesn’t get so angry. I won’t be able to call you often once I’m on the show, but I’ll take good care of myself. Don’t worry about me.”

With that, Chi Ling took out the “Nation’s Girls” invitation letter from the compartment of her bag, which she had only just put in. She gestured toward Chi Chengzhang. “This is mine. I’m leaving everything else to you.”

The front door was opened with force, then gently closed. All that remained by the door was Chi Ling’s neatly packed luggage bag.

Chi Ling was gone, leaving Bai Chang to sit between two furious elders, accepting their condemning gazes. The air grew thin with silence.

Bai Chang sighed and met Tang Haimei’s hopeful look. “I’ll give her a call.”

“Ding… ding…”

The three of them silently shifted their gazes to the abandoned backpack behind the door. The ringing was coming from its outermost pocket.

…

Chi Ling admitted she had acted a little impulsively. Fortunately, it wasn’t the dead of winter in December, or she would have been wearing a single thin T-shirt and wouldn’t have survived ten minutes in the harsh northern winds.

“I should have at least brought my phone,” Chi Ling said, kicking a rock on the side of the road. She sat down dispiritedly under a street sign.

The Chi family’s villa was in a famous upscale neighborhood in City A. The environment was beautiful, the neighbors were classy, and the security was excellent. The only downside was… inconvenient transportation.

Everyone who lived here had three or four luxury cars, and residents always drove themselves or hired a driver. So there were no “thoughtful” bus routes that included this stop in their travel plans.

Right now, Chi Ling couldn’t even find a place to stay, let alone figure out how to get out of the neighborhood.

“Okay, it’s about 12:30 PM.” Chi Ling forced herself to stay calm. “The nearest bus stop is seven kilometers away. It’ll take about an hour and a half to walk.”

An hour and a half wasn’t so bad, but what about after she reached the bus stop?

Chi Ling patted her pockets, searching for a single coin. Nothing. Of course. In this age of mobile payments, who carried cash anymore?

She twisted the bracelet on her wrist, thinking hopelessly, “If I told the bus driver I’d give him this as fare, he probably wouldn’t beat me up, right?”

“Don’t worry. He’d just ‘politely’ ask you to get off the bus.” A cold voice came from above her head.

After realizing Chi Ling hadn’t even brought her phone, Bai Chang had gone looking for her. She had expected to find her right outside the house, but after driving past several street signs, she finally saw a pitiful bundle huddled under a telephone pole.

It was a lie to say she wasn’t worried. After all, before Chi Ling’s personality change, they had some good memories. Even now, in Bai Chang’s mind, Chi Ling was still a little sister who needed patience and care—as long as she didn’t test her patience too much.

Chi Ling twisted her head around awkwardly. “What are you doing here? Are you done eating?”

Bai Chang tapped her head with a finger. “Stand up. What are you doing squatting on the ground?”

“What I’m doing is none of your business.”

Bai Chang was choked up by her words, which only further convinced her that Chi Ling was throwing a tantrum.

“What is the purpose of this drama you’re creating?”

Chi Ling quickly understood Bai Chang’s meaning. She thought Chi Ling was using this behavior to threaten her into withdrawing the idea of divorce.

“It seems your hearing isn’t very good,” Chi Ling said, standing up and pointing to her temple. “Or is your memory poor?”

“And I’m not throwing a tantrum, nor am I trying to get your attention this way. If that’s why you stopped, you can leave.” Chi Ling gestured toward Bai Chang’s car.

“Chi Ling, I know you’re entering the competition because of Xike. Haven’t you done enough cruel things to her? I’ve explained to you countless times that nothing is going on between us.”

Chi Ling knew the original owner’s possessiveness toward Bai Chang was a bit extreme. But the person inside the body was now her, someone who had read the novel’s ending and knew that Bai Chang and Wei Xike were the protagonists. She had no desire to get involved.

Even if they were innocent now, they wouldn’t be for long. According to the timeline in the book, they would start dating a year from now—which meant her own death was only a year away.

“Done enough?”

“Believe in my innocence. Stop spreading rumors to slander me and Xike. I’ve said that as long as my marriage to you exists, I won’t do anything to betray you. I can promise you that on anything.”

She truly was a legend, lifted to the top by millions of fans. Even when angry, she didn’t get red-faced and lose her composure like others. Bai Chang simply looked down at you with a gentle, condemning gaze, silently rebuking you like a misbehaving child.

The old Chi Ling would have quickly caved under that gaze, bowing her head and begging for forgiveness.

“Then you can rest assured. I’m not entering the competition because of her,” Chi Ling said, spreading her arms. “And you don’t need to make any promises to me. I have no objections to the divorce whatsoever. You might not believe this right now, but I no longer have feelings for you. Even if you and Wei Xike start dating now, I won’t have any problem with it.”

“As for the slander…” The rumors were indeed spread by the original owner’s internet trolls. Chi Ling pondered for a moment. Since she was benefiting from the original owner’s appearance, she might as well clean up the mess. Having made up her mind, she looked up. “Don’t worry. I will never do such a thing again. I can promise that on anything, too.”

Bai Chang’s eyebrows were low, clearly mistaking Chi Ling’s words as a deliberate attempt to mock her.

“You don’t need to say things like that to provoke me. I’m not like you, lacking any sense of commitment.”

Bai Chang was referring to Chi Ling’s retirement from the industry a year ago. At the time, she was at the peak of her career. Her “sweet-singing diva” image and “rich girl” persona made her very popular with young fans. Even when she appeared in Bai Chang’s dramas and movies with clumsy acting and was involved in all sorts of scandalous gossip, her fans still looked at her through rose-tinted glasses.

But Chi Ling had personally shattered that illusion. Without warning, she held a press conference to announce her retirement.

It was a decision made on a whim, without any thought. Many of her ongoing endorsements and variety shows had to negotiate compensation. Most importantly, her fans were completely blindsided. One moment they were happily voting for their idol, and the next, a televised press conference dropped a bombshell on them.

During the press conference, one reporter asked, “Do you have anything you’d like to say to the fans who have supported you all this time?”

Chi Ling’s answer: “I’m very grateful for my fans’ companionship all this time, but I have a more important person now. I want to spend all my energy and time on her.”

This statement confirmed all the previous rumors. People quickly compiled all the news about Chi Ling pestering Bai Chang and published an eye-catching headline: “Chi Ling: Fans are just tools for me to pursue happiness.”

The statement was technically not wrong. Chi Ling’s purpose for entering the entertainment industry was indeed Bai Chang. Once she achieved her goal, she had no reason to stay and play the role of a singer for her fans.

But her fans’ love for her was genuine, and they were treated with such flippancy. As a result, a massive number of fans turned into haters after the retirement incident.

But what truly made Chi Ling a target of public scorn wasn’t just this. Shortly after her marriage to Bai Chang, a video was uploaded online.

In the video, an enraged Chi Ling slapped Wei Xike hard. Even though the person filming was far away, the crisp sound was audible. Wei Xike, whom Chi Ling was yelling at and calling a “homewrecker,” was simply collaborating with Bai Chang on a song.

Wei Xike was releasing a new album and had finally managed to get Bai Chang to help write the lyrics.

It was the first time in five years that Bai Chang had been involved in music production. The fans of both artists were excited and happy, but Chi Ling’s actions poured a huge bucket of cold water on them.

If Chi Ling and Bai Chang’s marriage had been publicly known, she could have at least tried to criticize Wei Xike as “Bai Chang’s wife.”

In the eyes of haters and casual observers, Chi Ling was just a temperamental person who unilaterally pursued Bai Chang, and even took out her unfounded anger on an innocent person.

The media called this incident the “Slap Gate Incident.” After that, the little Princess Chi entered the stage of being hated by the entire internet.

Chi Ling mentally reviewed the book’s description of the retirement incident, and after sorting out the logic, she replied to Bai Chang with the same righteous attitude. “So now I’m going to fulfill my unfulfilled sense of commitment.”

Chi Ling didn’t want to talk to her anymore. With Bai Chang’s preconceived notions, no matter what she said, she wouldn’t be believed. It was better to be out of sight and out of mind.

Bai Chang got back into the driver’s seat, slowly trailing the stubborn figure of the girl. She knew that as stubborn as Chi Ling was, she wasn’t someone who could endure hardship. Walking down the street in high heels in the hot afternoon sun, she would likely collapse from exhaustion in less than ten minutes. When that happened, she would just pick her up and take her back to the villa, which would satisfy the Chi family.

But this time, Chi Ling’s endurance exceeded her expectations. For a full half an hour, she not only didn’t stop to complain of being tired, she even walked faster, as if she were in a great hurry to get away from her.

Bai Chang’s lips tightened into a straight line. She suddenly stepped on the gas, sped up to Chi Ling, and lowered the window. “Get in.”