Goddess Strategy GL - Chapter 3

She felt there were no hurdles she couldn’t cross. Society was progressing, and people’s minds would move further. The discrimination and prejudice against homosexuality would eventually become dust in history, just like those feudal dross.

Until she was slapped hard by the fury of her parents.

She had never seen her father so terrifying, nor could she understand her mother’s constant references to her being “sick” and needing to “see a psychologist.” After a whole month of turmoil, she was driven out of the house by her parents, who told her to think clearly before coming home.

Ye Ruoqing definitely thought clearly—on the night she was driven out. She needed independence, growth, and experience. The road could be bent, but a person’s knees could not; only with confidence could she stand tall and speak.

That night, she bought a train ticket, and after settling everything in her hometown, she headed north alone with simple luggage.

However, life was far from as easy as she had imagined. Money, housing, a job… those things she hadn’t been aware of before became a heavy burden on her back, and what tormented her the most was her relationship with Zeng Jie.

She missed Zeng Jie, day and night.

Bai Xiaoli had once asked her if there was someone in her heart. She tacitly acknowledged the relationship but did not name the person. After the lesson of coming out, she began to understand the importance of discretion in her words.

Bai Xiaoli was cheerful and usually had the demeanor of a big sister. Knowing Ye Ruoqing’s difficulties, she didn’t hesitate to give her a thousand yuan.

“Take it. You’re tall, so you definitely can’t wear my clothes. This money might not buy something beautiful, but you can definitely pick out something warm and thick. You’re about to compete, so you must stay warm these days and not hurt your voice.”

Ye Ruoqing hadn’t expected Bai Xiaoli to come into the room just to give her money, and a thousand at that. Bai Xiaoli lived frugally, meticulously counting every penny to get by. Ye Ruoqing knew her difficulties; her parents back home were definitely not just “in poor health” as she claimed.

“I can’t take this money,” Ye Ruoqing firmly shook her head. She accepted Zhao Xin’s money readily, first because she considered it a transaction and saw no need for courtesy. Second, she genuinely disliked Zhao Xin and insisted on opposing her. But now, she absolutely had no standing to take Bai Xiaoli’s money, even though she was worried about the registration fee for the audition in a few days.

“Take it. Don’t I treat you like my own sister? Why talk about formalities with me? When you become a big star, maybe I’ll need to rely on you for help then.”

Bai Xiaoli forcefully tucked the money into her arms, then sat down next to her. Seeing Bai Xiaoli’s firm attitude, Ye Ruoqing felt too embarrassed to refuse again. She accepted the money and silently took this kindness to heart.

Bai Xiaoli said, “I don’t ask for anything else. When you win the championship, just make sure to thank me along with your parents and boyfriend, so I can also get some air time on TV, haha.”

Ye Ruoqing “pfft-ed” and laughed. “That goes without saying! Oh, right, there’s one other person.”

“Who?”

“That noble, cold, and aloof beautiful woman that night. Actually, I’m quite grateful to her. Although I was extremely angry that night, later, when I was counting the money in the hotel, I wasn’t angry at all. If it weren’t for her, I would have ended up sleeping on the streets.”

“You always say she’s noble, cold, and aloof. Just how noble and cold is she?” Bai Xiaoli mentally broke down the phrase, and the image of a great beauty instantly appeared in her mind. “Does she look particularly like a celebrity?”

“Hmm… she was wearing sunglasses, so I couldn’t see her face clearly, but she must be beautiful. Her nose was high, and her chin was pointy.” Ye Ruoqing slowly recalled. Although she complained about Zhao Xin enough verbally, the first time she saw her appear before her, she truly felt utterly shaken.

She really, really wanted to pounce on Zhao Xin and roll around with her a few times!

Ye Ruoqing had been an ultimate face-con since childhood and couldn’t control herself when she saw a beautiful woman. As Zhao Xin walked closer step by step, she felt her soul being drawn away step by step. Two little people were fighting inside her heart: one was shouting Zeng Jie’s name at the top of its lungs, and the other was drooling all over the floor.

In the end, reason defeated nature. She forced herself to shift her gaze to the sweet potato in Zhao Xin’s hand, and when Zhao Xin’s fragrance drifted into her nostrils, she managed to squeeze out a difficult sentence: “Beautiful lady, is the sweet potato in your hand delicious?”

“I wish I could see her again…”

Ye Ruoqing clasped her cheeks, looking lovesick. Bai Xiaoli thought she was worrying about the thousand yuan, so she suggested, “Actually, based on what you said, I don’t think it would be hard to find her.”

“How so?”

“There’s a high-end residential complex near the night market, and it’s full of beautiful women—models and celebrities like that. Someone wearing sunglasses late at night must be a celebrity. But you don’t recognize her, and you said she spoke impolitely and was arrogant, so I guess she’s probably one of those less-popular, eighteenth-tier types. I hear that genuinely big-name stars are quite good at putting on a public facade.”

“Are you saying she’s… a Chaoyang V-Sister?” (A term for women who pretend to be minor celebrities/models on social media, often engaging in escort services.)

Ye Ruoqing shivered, but the more she thought about it, the more similar it seemed. That night, she had felt the beauty looked somewhat familiar. Only after noticing Zhao Xin’s Brand C advertisements everywhere did she realize it was the legendary “Zhao Xin face.” Nowadays, Chaoyang V-Sisters all like to get plastic surgery to look like Zhao Xin, which makes paparazzi very frustrated because they often chase the wrong person by mistake. And that beauty’s tone of voice that night, that look of unfulfilled ambition (?), was exactly the attitude of a V-Sister—arrogant online, miserable offline!

Thinking this, Ye Ruoqing’s dissatisfaction with Zhao Xin instantly vanished.

Why must women make things difficult for other women? They were both struggling to make a living in B-City, and earning money was truly tough. Ye Ruoqing was profusely grateful for the thousand yuan and solidified one thought—

She absolutely had to pay that money back!

However, her grand ambition was beaten down by reality after only a few days. Because she had to attend the audition, she didn’t set up her stall for the next few days, staying cooped up in her small rental room to practice singing and maintain the best condition. She used the thousand yuan Zhao Xin gave her for rent, and out of the thousand yuan Bai Xiaoli gave her, she spent four hundred on a down jacket and the remaining six hundred on an outfit for the audition. The remaining money went to the registration fee and a haircut, leaving her with very little. Thankfully, Bai Xiaoli brought her food from the restaurant every day, or she would have struggled even to eat.

The audition went smoothly, but Ye Ruoqing felt a lot of pressure. The singers who rushed there from all over the country each had their unique skills. She saw many luxury cars picking up and dropping off those singers downstairs at the building, and some people accompanying the contestants would chat familiarly with the reception staff.

She seemed to realize something, but after carefully considering it, she felt she shouldn’t think too much. There were dark dealings everywhere, but where there was darkness, there would surely be light.

Holding onto this belief, she entered the Top 100 in the district competition. Her money was dwindling. Every noon, after the others were driven away by luxury cars, she could only run through several alleyways to buy a meal from a pushcart on the street.

She ultimately stopped at the Top 50. The judges’ opinion was that they needed a mature singer, and Ye Ruoqing was simply too immature.

The afternoon she learned the result, she stood blankly in the lobby of the TV station building, letting other smoothly advanced contestants brush past her with victorious smiles.

A man handed her a business card, saying he really liked her singing and would consider signing her. Ye Ruoqing’s hope reignited instantly, and she followed the man to a media company she had never heard the name of. After enduring the man’s repeated unwanted touching, she followed him to a bar. Amidst the drunken revelry, she saw a girl who had also lost in the audition singing provocatively on stage.

She instantly understood what Zhao Xin had told her that night: “You can sing to your parents, your friends, but there’s absolutely no need to gamble your youth, or even some of your precious things.”

She started missing Zeng Jie again, day and night. They had been so innocent back then. On their dates, Zeng Jie would often read her favorite lines to her, and she would sing her beloved songs to Zeng Jie. Zeng Jie had said she wasn’t content with an ordinary life; she wanted to be an actress and appear on the big screen. Ye Ruoqing, being in love, was gradually influenced by her… She knew they wouldn’t have children, and after a hundred years, there would be no imprint of their union left in this world. So, what if she also took the path into the entertainment industry? There was one song she had specifically written for Zeng Jie’s movie. Maybe it would be imprinted on an obscure CD, or maybe only played on the roadside, but they had loved, they had stayed together, and they had left small, beautiful memories in this world—it couldn’t be more wonderful.

That’s why she had to come to B-City.

But now, she started worrying about Zeng Jie. She had checked the two film academies Zeng Jie had applied to at the time and hadn’t seen Zeng Jie’s name. Zeng Jie’s household registration was in another place. In her impulsive coming out, she hadn’t been able to use her parents to find out about Zeng Jie’s hometown situation. The only thing she knew was that Zeng Jie was in B-City, but B-City was so huge, and the industry’s waters were so deep. Had the defenseless Zeng Jie encountered anyone with ulterior motives, been wronged, or suffered unfair treatment?

She couldn’t give up.

A week later, she pulled herself together and asked Bai Xiaoli to help her find a job. Bai Xiaoli hired her into her own restaurant, having her help out in the kitchen first.

She began working during the day and busking at night. She needed money. Besides Voice of the Heart, B-City had many other talent shows. Not long ago, a girl who sang in the subway even appeared on TV. She had to survive in B-City, and maintaining her life was the priority.

One failure, two failures… Half a year passed in the blink of an eye. Her once delicate hands became rough. Due to lack of rest, her daytime work became increasingly unsatisfactory.

Bai Xiaoli saw it and worried about it. Ye Ruoqing knew her work mistakes might cause trouble for Bai Xiaoli, so she prepared to resign. Bai Xiaoli tried to persuade her several times, but Ye Ruoqing still handed in her resignation. Bai Xiaoli knew she couldn’t convince her and could only watch Ye Ruoqing growing thinner while singing in the subway and night market day and night.

Although Ye Ruoqing had lost weight, the sparkle in her eyes remained undimmed, and she was always smiling cheerfully. Bai Xiaoli looked at her dimples, feeling a little sour in her heart. Finally, one day, she pulled Ye Ruoqing aside and said, “I have an opportunity here. I wonder if you’d be willing to take it?”