Everyone Spends Money to Make Me Debut as Center (GL) - Chapter 8
Chi Ling finally found out what Bai Chang was up to from Tang Yu on the day they were heading to the training camp.
Before this, Tang Yu and Chi Ling had only a superficial relationship, occasionally nodding and greeting each other at the company. If Chi Ling had something to say, she would usually go through the more approachable Bai Yuanyuan. So, when they met, the two of them felt a bit awkward.
“Good morning, Sister Tang Yu.” Chi Ling had gotten up early and spruced herself up from head to toe, hoping to leave a good impression on Tang Yu at their first meeting.
Tang Yu was driving a medium-sized minivan today. When Chi Ling got in, she noticed two makeup artists in the back.
The show was scheduled to start filming at 8 a.m., which meant they had to leave by at least 7 a.m. Tang Yu had assumed that Chi Ling would stay in bed for another half-hour, so she brought people to do her styling in the car to save time. She didn’t expect Chi Ling to be downstairs so early.
“Mm, morning.” Tang Yu nodded at Chi Ling, pointing to the two people in the back. “You can get your styling done while I talk, so we don’t waste time.”
“Okay,” Chi Ling replied.
Having read the original novel, she had complete confidence in Tang Yu’s work ethic and wasn’t worried that she would be treated unfairly due to any prejudice against the original owner. That was Tang Yu’s greatest strength: she always kept her personal and professional lives separate.
The makeup artist was a young girl, but her movements were very skilled. Chi Ling first changed into the clothes she was given, then lifted her chin to have her makeup done.
“I watched all the practice videos you sent me last night. Your improvement is very noticeable. I hope you maintain this positive attitude throughout the competition. Although the company only sent two people this time, we’re still taking it very seriously. Ms. Bai Chang has also put in a lot of effort. And no matter what outsiders say, you just focus on your performance and leave everything else to me.”
Tang Yu’s words were well-thought-out. She started by complimenting Chi Ling, but the main point was in the last part, where she told her not to be a three-minute wonder like before, and even used Bai Chang to put some pressure on her.
“Okay, I understand, Sister Tang Yu.”
Chi Ling’s repeated use of “Sister Tang Yu” today was very sweet, making Tang Yu, who had expected to have to work hard to get her to a good working state, a little unaccustomed to it.
“You should already know that you can’t have your phone during the training camp. So, if there are any emergencies that need my attention, you can contact the production team and have them pass the message on.” Tang Yu handed her a business card and a photo. “This is the PD in charge of your daily life filming. Try to go to her if you need anything; she’s pretty easy to talk to.”
Chi Ling was a little touched by how well Tang Yu had prepared, even though she knew it was just her nature. She took the business card and glanced at the name on it: Xi Yaozhi.
“During the training camp, watch your temper. It’s best to avoid people from Lemon.”
Lemon and Bai Chang and Chi Ling’s former company, HM, were sworn enemies. They constantly paid for smear campaigns against HM’s artists. Their methods weren’t particularly clever, just annoying. It wasn’t that Tang Yu was afraid of them, but as the saying goes, “better to offend a gentleman than a villain.” It was better to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Chi Ling nodded, agreeing to everything Tang Yu said along the way. If it weren’t for her past track record, Tang Yu would have almost believed she was handling an easy, well-behaved kid.
The two makeup artists, one doing her makeup and the other her hair, were incredibly efficient. In less than half an hour, they had Chi Ling all styled.
After the work was done, Tang Yu scanned her with her 24K golden eyes, made sure everything was perfect, and then let Chi Ling get out of the car.
Before she got out, Chi Ling turned and, as if she had been thinking about it for a long time, finally said what was on her mind. “Why was Bai Chang willing to give you to me?”
Everyone knew Tang Yu was Bai Chang’s dedicated agent. Chi Ling had only hoped for an agent who wouldn’t be as much of a drag as Zhou Ping. She never expected Bai Chang to send a top-tier agent down to save her.
Tang Yu didn’t try to hide anything. “Because I’m an easy person to talk to. For one artist, the base salary is 66,000 a month. Bai Chang paid me three months’ salary in advance to take you on. Once the money is in my bank account, Tang Yu is ready to work.”
Sixty-six thousand was, of course, Tang Yu’s “friendship price” for Bai Chang. In turn, Bai Chang didn’t hold back on the payment and transferred a round number of 200,000.
Chi Ling now understood where the 200,000 came from. But the way Tang Yu explained it made her feel like one of those problem students that private tutors dreaded—the kind you could teach, but only if the money was right.
She also didn’t miss the useful information in Tang Yu’s words. Bai Chang only paid for three months’ salary in advance, which meant she believed Chi Ling wouldn’t last that long in the training camp, either by being eliminated or by quitting.
Indeed, in Bai Chang’s eyes, she was a delicate young lady who couldn’t even wash her own socks. It was unimaginable for her to survive in a communal living environment while also competing in a brutal competition.
Fine, then she would just have to work hard to last a little longer and get a few more 66,000-yuan payments out of her moody, soon-to-be ex-wife’s pocket.
The training camp was located in a large building in the suburbs. Tang Yu’s car was parked at the intersection of the main road, and Chi Ling could see the large, modern glass building from inside the car.
Before this, Chi Ling’s fantasy of the training camp was a retro-style villa at the foot of a secluded mountain, where she would be one of ninety-nine girls undergoing brutal training. The building standing by the busy main road instantly pulled her out of her exaggerated imagination. She felt as if she were just an ordinary office worker on her first day, full of anticipation, but the nervousness had dissipated in the face of the gap between reality and her imagination.
“After you get out, everything is up to you. Be mentally prepared. At least try not to be eliminated in the first round,” Tang Yu said. Her words sounded more like sarcasm than encouragement, but her sincere tone was quite effective for Chi Ling.
She turned and gave a smile. “I’ll make it to the end.”
Before, Tang Yu would have just dismissed that as an empty boast. But now… The hundred-plus practice videos and her changed attitude over the past few days had changed her perception of Chi Ling. Maybe a little bit of hope was acceptable.
“Remember to do what you say,” Tang Yu said, giving her the first smile since they had met.