Everyone Spends Money to Make Me Debut as Center (GL) - Chapter 4

Chi Ling had read plenty of web novels, so of course she knew about “cheat code” systems. But since she had transmigrated, nothing of the sort had appeared, and she had started to think she’d been abandoned by the cosmos.

System: Do you need to continue the transfer of target information?

Chi Ling: No! What did that poor girl do to deserve having even her private information like her measurements exposed to me?

System: Okay, understood.

Fortunately, Chi Ling was someone who had seen her share of storms. She quickly got her heart rate under control, hid her expression, and asked the system about the purpose of this so-called cheat code.

Simply put, the number displayed above You Xiaotao’s head was what the system called the “pay-to-win index”. It represented the amount of money she had spent on Chi Ling as a fan, in RMB. This meant that You Xiaotao had spent a total of over one hundred thousand yuan on Chi Ling.

Chi Ling was a little shocked. She had been so focused on practicing that she didn’t know much about the fan community. She couldn’t imagine how a girl who looked to be in her early twenties could have a six-figure sum to spend on a celebrity!

This completely challenged her understanding of things.

The “pay-to-win index” was only visible to Chi Ling. The people with these numbers above their heads were called “target objects” by the system. Chi Ling’s job was to expand her base of “target objects” and increase the total amount of their “pay-to-win index.”

Chi Ling: So what’s the point of this index?

System: To exchange for skills you need in the store.

Chi Ling opened the so-called store. It had three main categories: Singing, Dancing, and Entertainment Skills. Each category had at least dozens of options. For example, under Dancing, there were Latin, Ballet, Chinese Dance, Folk Dance…

Chi Ling’s face was cold: Is this what you call a cheat code? To me, it seems… useless?

System’s eyes widened: ???

“Sister Ling Ling, it’s time to draw for the rehearsal order.” Xiao Li came to Chi Ling’s seat to call her.

Chi Ling: I’m working now, you can rest.

System, reaching out its hands in a panic: Wait! I think I can still sell myself!

When Chi Ling was a trainee, she would occasionally be a backup dancer for her seniors and, if she was lucky, appear in their music videos. So she was quite familiar with live rehearsals.

Xiao Li was a little scared, but also relieved, to see that today’s Chi Ling was calm and composed throughout the rehearsal and didn’t complain about being tired. “Sister Ling Ling, are you in a good mood today?”

Chi Ling was discussing the lighting and blocking with the staff. She turned to Xiao Li when she heard his question. “Why do you ask?”

Xiao Li saw that Chi Ling showed no signs of getting angry, so he mustered the courage to give her a thumbs-up. “No, I just mean you were super great today.”

After saying it, he wanted to slap himself. Didn’t his words imply that Chi Ling’s past performances weren’t good?

To his surprise, Chi Ling just gave him a good-natured smile. “Thank you.”

Xiao Li was standing next to Chi Ling and was so struck by her beautiful smile up close that he almost couldn’t speak.

After the rehearsal came a long wait. Chi Ling didn’t sit idle. She put on her headphones and continued to watch practice videos until a staff member came to call her.

Chi Ling stepped onto the stage, her toes on the yellow marker. She looked out at the audience. As she expected, the crowd was sparse, and a large portion of them were likely paid actors hired by the advertiser. Several older women holding coupons were pointing and whispering about Chi Ling’s red hair. A few young girls who recognized her didn’t look too friendly. The only person who seemed to be friendly was You Xiaotao, whom she had seen at the entrance. Chi Ling responded to all these gazes with a smile.

The song’s intro began. She slowly sat down on a stool, her back straight and her long hair draped over her shoulders. She sang a popular ballad to warm up the crowd.

As she closed her eyes, she took a slight breath, and then a stable and beautiful voice flowed out. When she hit the high notes, her closed eyelashes trembled slightly like butterfly wings, creating a delicate beauty. A few passersby stopped out of curiosity and moved closer to the stage.

“Chi Ling’s singing seems to be much better than before. Is it just me?” a schoolgirl whispered to her friend.

“It must be lip-syncing. The brand probably got tired of her constantly singing off-key and cracking notes, so they made a special request.”

“That makes sense…”

The first and second songs were performed back-to-back, but the second one was a dance number. In the gap between songs, a staff member came to take the chair away. The audience saw this and knew there would be a big move coming up. Some curious onlookers even raised their phones to start filming.

Everyone knew that dancing was Chi Ling’s weak point. The most embarrassing time was at her own concert, when she forgot the choreography and tripped over herself. The video of that fall went viral.

But who would have thought that this arrogant young lady, after retiring, would fall so low as to have to dance for a living at a commercial event?

But Chi Ling’s performance left those who came to watch a trainwreck stunned. She can’t dance? She was absolutely on fire!

As soon as the music started, Chi Ling made a big move, unbuttoning her coat to reveal her beautiful collarbones and graceful, flowing neck and shoulder lines. Her long hair, which had been neatly draped over her shoulders, now swung wildly with her dancing body. Her red hair, illuminated by the bright stage lights, became like a dazzling ruby, leaving trails of bold lines in the air. Her bangs became a little messy, but with her expression, she came alive.

This was a completely different person from the one who had just been sitting there quietly singing!

Some people in the audience even started swaying to Chi Ling’s rhythm. A few brave young students even raised their arms and waved in support. The host, holding a microphone, looked shocked. Was she at an Alfredo promotion event today? She was sure it was Chi Ling’s solo concert.

“It can’t be lip-syncing, can it? I heard her taking breaths just now. It would be amazing if she could do such big moves and not be out of breath,” the girl who had spoken earlier said, pulling her companion closer. “Get a closer look for me. Is the person on stage really Chi Ling?”

Her companion, who had been making sarcastic remarks, was speechless after seeing the performance. He could only raise his phone and take pictures like crazy. “It looks like Chi Ling is going to make a comeback. Honestly, if it weren’t for all that baggage, her face would be great for attracting fans.”

Because of Chi Ling’s powerful performance, the coupons and signed photos that no one wanted earlier were instantly snapped up.

After singing and dancing for five songs, Chi Ling wasn’t tired at all. In fact, she was getting more and more excited. Even though there weren’t many people in the audience and the stage was just a temporary exhibition stand, she had tasted the sweetness of standing on a stage and being the center of attention, and she didn’t want to let go.

After five songs were over, she performed two encore songs at the audience’s request. At the end of the last song, she walked to the front of the stage and stood in front of the girl whose eyes were full of starlight, looking up at her with adoration. She looked at her and sang softly.

“It’s your gaze that gives me courage. If I can, let me hold your hand and walk forward with you…” This was a song Chi Ling had written specifically for her fans. You Xiaotao had played it on repeat countless times, and she never thought she would be standing here, having Chi Ling sing it to her personally.

Was this a dream? She had originally come here today to see Chi Ling for the last time and say goodbye to this crazy chapter of being a fan. She never expected to be completely captivated again by Chi Ling’s shocking improvement.

“Thank you for coming to see me today.” Chi Ling reached out her hand to the still-stunned You Xiaotao.

You Xiaotao immediately covered her mouth, looking like she was about to cry. She looked up and met Chi Ling’s gentle gaze, then tremblingly extended her right hand.

Chi Ling remembered her! Her idol could recognize her in a crowd!

Chi Ling gently held You Xiaotao’s hand in her own. “I wasn’t perfect in the past, and I disappointed my fans many times. But if I can, I want to be like the lyrics of this song and hold your hands and walk forward with you.”

“WOOOO! CHI LING! CHI LING! CHI LING!” The audience, moved by the atmosphere, shouted Chi Ling’s name loudly.

The host and the assistant Xiao Li, who was standing nearby, exchanged a look of confusion. “What marketing account said your Chi Ling doesn’t love her fans? I’d believe it if she proposed right now.”

Xiao Li scratched his head with a foolish grin. How would he know? He also felt like his boss was a completely different person.

Host: “Wait a minute, can you get me an autograph from Chi Ling?”

Xiao Li: “I… I think so?”

Unlike her past few commercial events, Chi Ling didn’t leave immediately after her performance. She walked to the back of the stage, took out a pen, and signed autographs for the few fans who were waiting there.

She observed them and noticed that most of the young fans had numbers in the three to four-digit range above their heads. Only You Xiaotao had a long, prominent string of numbers.

“Chi… Chi… Chi Ling, can you… sign an autograph for me?” When it was finally You Xiaotao’s turn, she still seemed to be in a daze, and the arm holding out the album was still trembling slightly.

“Of course.” Chi Ling smiled and pointed to the phone in her hand. “Do you want to take a picture together?”

“I can?!”

Chi Ling nodded, took the phone, and with a kind gesture, stood closer to the camera, raising her arm and pressing the shutter with a smile.

You Xiaotao had the expression of someone who had just won the lottery the whole time. When Chi Ling handed her phone back, she gave her the gift she had prepared a long time ago. “This is a gift I wanted to give you… It’s a doll I designed to look like you. I hope you like it…”

“Thank you.” Chi Ling took it with both hands and held the handmade doll next to her face. “It’s so cute. You’re very talented.”

“Really?!” What could make a person happier than being praised by their idol? You Xiaotao felt like she was about to fly.

“Yes. The handmade mung bean cakes you gave me at the last signing event were delicious, too.” Chi Ling smiled. “But I think you also sent a designer bag once? Next time, please don’t send such expensive gifts. I’ll be very happy just to receive a letter.”

“The last letter said you found a job you like, right? Congratulations.”

As she finished, Chi Ling had a moment of confusion. How did she know all these things?

Then she remembered what the system had just told her.

As the host, she could view any information about her “target objects.” The higher the pay-to-win index, the more information she could access. The system categorized the pay-to-win index into five levels, from lowest to highest: D, C, B, A, and S.

When she saw You Xiaotao at the entrance, the system had said she was an A-rank target. No wonder she knew so much about her.

System: See? I’m a little useful, aren’t I?

Perhaps it was Chi Ling’s gentle gaze that made You Xiaotao so touched that she felt like crying.

“I… I…” You Xiaotao had thought it was a big deal that Chi Ling remembered her face. But her idol even remembered every gift she had ever sent! And had read all her letters!

Leave the fandom? She was never leaving! You Xiaotao would be a fan of Chi Ling’s for life!