A Real Heiress Quits (GL) - Chapter 30

In Jianghan squatted in front of her computer.

Among the ten or so contest videos on the webpage, her popularity and likes were pushed to the top. This was, of course, thanks to the company’s efforts in hiring “water armies” (paid posters), but she preferred to believe it was because she possessed a certain kind of talent.

She clicked on a thread in the forum; it was filled with nothing but praise and flattery. She couldn’t help but curl her lips upward. In her mind, she saw herself standing under the spotlight, radiant and glorious, with tens of thousands of people cheering below. Who wouldn’t want to be a sparkling star in the eyes of the public?

“Jianghan?”

In Jianghan snapped back to reality. “What?”

Xiao Wu had been giving her instructions for a long time, only to realize she hadn’t been listening at all. He felt speechless. Seeing this girl puff up bit by bit, he felt that the most terrifying thing wasn’t when one’s strength didn’t match one’s ambition, but when one couldn’t recognize oneself—truly believing that being “packaged and marketed” meant they actually had the skill.

But of course, Xiao Wu wouldn’t say that out loud.

He smiled and repeated the instructions. “We will boost your popularity online. The final stage of the auditions will be selected by the judges. Perform well then. Use this time to practice the pieces more.”

In Jianghan frowned, looking somewhat reluctant. “I’m already very proficient.”

Xiao Wu gave a helpless smile. “Practice makes perfect. What if Yun Junping criticizes you again?”

Recollecting the embarrassing scene from that day, In Jianghan’s face turned pale. She muttered dissatisfiedly, “Didn’t they say Qingshuo could definitely handle the preliminaries? Can’t we just stop her from being a judge?”

Xiao Wu laughed it off. “The judge slots were decided long ago; it’s not easy to change them.”

Besides, this newcomer wasn’t worth the company spending that much effort and using connections just to swap out a judge at the last minute. She seemed to truly think she was someone important.

In Jianghan pouted. Thinking of something, she turned to the computer and began searching for Yu Xinyue. She wanted to see how that person, with her ruined throat, could pass this stage.

But after searching for a while, she still couldn’t find the entry video posted by the girl. With only fifteen minutes left until the deadline, In Jianghan thought: Is she giving up voluntarily?

Well, her throat was so hoarse she couldn’t even speak. Even if she participated, it would just be self-humiliation. It was better to surrender early. A weight seemed to lift from In Jianghan’s heart, and she breathed a long sigh of relief. Just a few days ago, she hadn’t even spared a glance for Yu Xinyue; now, she had unknowingly come to view her as a mortal enemy.

“Brother Xiao Wu,” In Jianghan asked, “didn’t you say you’d eliminate No. 24? Why is she still in?”

Xiao Wu touched the corner of his mouth. “This… I’m not quite sure either.”

“Maybe the judge calculated the score wrong. Why are you so set on her not entering?”

In Jianghan brought out her pre-prepared excuses. They were essentially the same lies she told at school—saying Yu Xinyue was a foster daughter in her home, very calculating, loved to steal her things since childhood, and even coveted her boyfriend.

However, her listener was no longer a bunch of naive students. Xiao Wu heard the crux of the problem immediately. If In Jianghan truly hated Yu Xinyue that much, why would she need the company’s help? Shouldn’t she be eager for Yu Xinyue to be on the same stage so she could slap her face hard? This attitude of avoiding her like the plague was clearly fear.

The “jealous, envious, malicious, and useless foster daughter” in the kid’s mouth was likely much more capable than her.

With this thought in mind, Xiao Wu maintained his kind smile, nodding from time to time to show deep sympathy for In Jianghan’s “pitiful” encounter, and said the company would definitely stand by her. After all, this kid was a newcomer the company wanted to promote. The contract was signed, and money was invested; it wasn’t good to give up. As for that foster daughter, with the company’s strength, making her disappear quietly would be like crushing an ant—nothing worth worrying about.

As they were talking, Xiao Wu suddenly noticed a video at the bottom of the screen leaping up several ranks. In the blink of an eye, it jumped several more.

“Eh?”

In Jianghan had her back to the screen and didn’t see it. “What?”

Xiao Wu walked over and pointed the video out to her. The growth rate of hundreds of likes per second was terrifying. “Contestant, Yu Xinyue… isn’t this that foster daughter from your house?”

In Jianghan’s face turned as pale as snow. Curious, Xiao Wu clicked the video open. “What did she post that’s making it rise so fast?”

The lighting in the video was dim. A girl wearing a hooded sweatshirt sat behind a drum kit, her face hidden.

She raised her hands and struck down hard. Immediately, the drumbeats came like a dense downpour of rain. The notes exploded powerfully on the drumsticks. The listener felt like a small plant in a violent storm, being blown and swayed.

Jazz music is the opposite of traditional classical music. It doesn’t come from the temple or the chants of a sacred shrine, nor is it the decadent music of a grand castle. It was born in the blood and tears of slaves and flourished in the suffering of the laboring masses. It is tears, screams, a challenge to the injustice of fate, and a flower blooming in suffering and blood.

She raised both hands. Deep blue waves came crashing in—the sound of whistling wind, rolling waves, the bustling footsteps on the deck, and the sound of horns… the bass drum, snare drum, tom-toms, crash cymbal, and hi-hat. The sounds from each part, heavy or light, fast or slow, blended into an ark carrying history forward.

The drumsticks were held in her hands, flying unpredictably in the dim light. Her sleeves slid down, revealing a section of slender, white wrist. Despite being a pair of soft, small hands, when they gripped the sticks, they could beat out such a strong and soul-shaking sound.

The drumbeat became denser and denser. It was the galloping of horse hooves, the rain of bullets in a dense forest, the roar of ocean waves. Every strike on the drumhead was soul-stirring. Such intense, passionate, and powerful music was like sparks exploding in people’s ears. The world seemed to be cleared by it, leaving only this penetrating sound—like thunder, like lava, like ocean waves—lingering in the mind for a long time.

“She plays so well…” Xiao Wu stared blankly, murmuring.

Finally, the girl tilted her chin up slightly, tossed the two drumsticks into the air for a spin, and caught them. With a force that seemed ready to hammer through the drumhead, she gave a final, heavy strike.

The song ended.

Xiao Wu hadn’t recovered, slumped in his seat for a long time as if his soul had been drained. His finger seemed to move the mouse uncontrollably toward the “Like” button. In just a few short minutes, he felt he had heard the powerful pulse of history.

The girl seemed to play the essence of this music born in suffering, accompanied by tears and rebellion, bloodshed and struggle. When intense, it was like surging waves, aggressive and unstoppable like a raging sea. Yet it ended like a gentle breeze and rain, concluding softly in a call for peace. It was like fate, like history, like reincarnation.

Just as he was about to click, In Jianghan snapped him out of it. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Xiao Wu’s eyes were vacant. “Ah…?” He found it hard to recover; his soul was still being surged by the drumbeats, still screaming and shouting along with them.

In Jianghan said resentfully, “I’m the one from the company. How can you give her a like?”

Xiao Wu: “I don’t know. My hand couldn’t control itself.”

In Jianghan was about to go crazy. She slammed the “X” button at the top of the screen and paced the room incessantly. What to do, what to do? Doesn’t she only know how to play the piano? When did she learn the drums? Why is she so good at it?

She must be cheating!

Xiao Wu: “I didn’t expect your sister to be so excellent.”

In Jianghan bit her lip, pacing anxiously. Xiao Wu found it strange. “Even if she’s selected, it’s fine, right? You’ll be able to get in anyway.”

In Jianghan’s voice was shrill, her attitude intense. “No! She absolutely cannot be selected!”

She lunged back to the computer. The website showed Yu Xinyue’s ranking rising constantly, about to overtake her. Any random repost was filled with screams:

“Aaaaaah, a goddess!”

“Aaaaaah, I’m at a loss for words!!”

“Aaaaaah!!!”

She even saw the way netizens were screaming like marmots in front of their computers. In truth, no matter how excellent or prominent Yu Xinyue was, In Jianghan didn’t need to worry about being pushed out. This was a competition of tens of thousands; those eliminated were those without strength or connections. Yu Xinyue had strength, and she had connections; her result was already secure.

But In Jianghan simply couldn’t stand Yu Xinyue being ahead of her. It was as if a thousand fires were burning in her heart; she was going crazy with jealousy. This inconspicuous “ugly duckling,” who had always been left far behind by her—how could she fly? Why was she so excellent now?

Seeing the girl’s likes continue to rise and her ranking soar, In Jianghan slammed her fist onto the keyboard. She wasn’t resigned to this.

Xiao Wu couldn’t be bothered with the girl’s jealousy. Propping his chin, he seriously considered whether he could pull this talented contestant into Qingshuo. This was a true star of tomorrow.

In Jianghan suddenly stood up, pointed at the computer, and said, “The person in this video definitely isn’t Yu Xinyue. She used a body double!”

Xiao Wu froze. “What did you say?”

In Jianghan said decisively, “It’s definitely not her. I grew up with her; don’t I know what she’s capable of? She’s decent at the piano, but she’s never learned percussion. How could she play the drums?”

“Are you saying she’s faking it?” Xiao Wu’s expression turned serious. “You can’t say that lightly.”

In Jianghan was very certain. “It’s really not her. Otherwise, why did she purposely film in such a dark place and hide her face?”

Xiao Wu watched the video again and felt her words had some merit. Moreover, in his heart, he didn’t quite believe such drumming could be produced by a child. He searched online. Most people were stunned by the drumming. Qingshuo had packaged In Jianghan very well, but when placed next to Yu Xinyue, the contrast was tragic. Anyone could judge at a glance who was the fish eye and who was the pearl.

Some people began to jeer at In Jianghan in the comments—claiming her virtue didn’t match her position and her reputation was unfounded. However, among the stream of praise for Yu Xinyue, a few questioning voices also appeared. The dim light, the hood, and the contestant’s age made the doubt seem reasonable.

Xiao Wu’s eyes narrowed, and he slowly began to smile. Right now, the doubt was reasonable discussion, but with just a little provocation and agitation, it would turn into a massive crusade and carnival. He had already constructed countless plans in his mind, but first, he had to make a call to the boss to ask whether this girl was an enemy or a potential target for recruitment.

“How can a fourteen-year-old middle schooler play the drums like that!”

“It’s obviously a body double. The competition team should investigate this immediately!”

“Disqualify her!”

“Are kids these days so desperate for fame? It’s unimaginable that such an immoral contestant exists. I hope the team disqualifies her and blacklists her.”

“Inside scoop: I heard No. 24 is a second-generation rich kid.”

“No wonder she could find such a high-level double. She must have thrown money at it.”

“Heh, if this kind of person gets selected, I’ll go to the site and throw eggs at her.”

Tong Ya closed one thread after another, tears of anxiety rolling in her eyes. “Yueyue, how can they say that about you?”

She wanted to defend Yu Xinyue, but her words were immediately attacked by the crowd, who denounced her as a “water army” hired by the rich kid. When people are convinced they are on the side of justice, any different voice is denounced as heresy.

Lately, Yu Xinyue’s drum performance had been pushed to the forefront of the storm. After the praise came overwhelming criticism and slander. The high level of skill that didn’t match her age made the doubt ferment, and the capital behind the scenes pushed it further, completely turning the tide of public opinion. Even without solid evidence, in everyone’s heart, Yu Xinyue was a fraud and a liar who used a double.

The insults and slander online grew more and more unsightly. Tong Ya felt she couldn’t take it just by looking, feeling angry and indignant for her friend. But her tiny voice was soon drowned in a sea of condemnation.

Yu Xinyue, on the other hand, acted as if nothing was wrong. She peeled a segment of a bright orange tangerine and stuffed it into the girl’s mouth. “Alright, don’t be mad.”

Tong Ya looked at her aggrievedly, her eyes red. Yu Xinyue laughed. “Really, I’m the one being cyberbullied; why are you the saddest one?”

Tong Ya swallowed the tangerine, the sweet juice bursting in her mouth and diluting her sadness. Seeing Yu Xinyue so unconcerned, she was still very anxious. “It’s already come to this, and you’re still laughing!”

Yu Xinyue raised her hands. “Okay, okay, I won’t laugh.”

Tong Ya kept opening those threads slandering Yu Xinyue. “How can they be like this? They don’t even have evidence and they’ve started slandering people.”

The computer screen suddenly went dark, reflecting her red-eyed appearance. Yu Xinyue released the power button and rubbed the girl’s small head. “Getting red-eyed so easily—no wonder A-Ji calls you a little white rabbit.”

Tong Ya felt a surge of sourness. “A-Ji… hmph, you’ve only known each other a few days and it’s already ‘A-Ji’.”

“Is the little white rabbit jealous?”

Tong Ya turned around to tickle her. “You’re the white rabbit! You and her are both white rabbits!”

Yu Xinyue dodged left and right, finally falling onto the bed and using the quilt to block the girl’s attack. “Hahaha, okay, okay, let’s stop.”

Ji Zhaohua pushed the door open to see the two girls playing freely, and she breathed a long sigh of relief. Fortunately, the rumors and malicious slander online hadn’t caused any bad influence on Yueyue.

“Auntie.” Tong Ya quickly got up, standing awkwardly like a student caught talking in class.

Ji Zhaohua smiled and put a tray of snacks on the table. “Don’t be formal; just treat it like your own home.” She winked at Tong Ya. “You’re the first good friend Yueyue has ever brought home.”

Tong Ya’s eyes lit up, she bit her lip, and her mouth couldn’t help but curl up. “Yueyue is my first friend, too…”

The girl’s cheeks were pale pink, and she hung her head obediently, like a quiet angel. Standing with Yu Xinyue, they were like summer flowers and the autumn moon—each with her own merits. The more Ji Zhaohua looked at them, the more she liked them, and she couldn’t help but walk forward.

Yu Xinyue saw her approaching and immediately backed away, leaving Tong Ya to be confusedly kneaded by Ji Zhaohua. To Ji Zhaohua, children were just too cute—no matter what, they were adorable. Kneading her felt as soft as a cloud, and Tong Ya was much more obedient than Yu Xinyue; she didn’t resist, just looked at you with eyes bright like stars.

Tong Ya was kneaded until her face was red. She looked at Yu Xinyue for help, only to find she was actually covering her mouth and snickering. Angry! That traitor! She weakly lowered her eyelids, looking exactly like a poor, helpless little white rabbit.

Ji Zhaohua leaned down and hugged the child. Ah, cute.

Yu Xinyue thought she could finally escape Ji Zhaohua’s “evil hands,” but after Ji Zhaohua had her fill with Tong Ya, she reached over and pinched Xinyue’s face. “Why are you hiding? Am I that scary?”

Yu Xinyue and Tong Ya exchanged a look, both revealing helpless expressions. Sunlight shone into the room, spreading a golden carpet on the floor. Ji Zhaohua finally released her “claws.” “Then keep playing; I won’t disturb you.”

Closing the door, the brilliant smile on the woman’s face faded, replaced by a helpless sigh. Her own child was enduring this online malice, yet as an adult, she couldn’t protect her well. She walked to her own bedroom. Ever since entering the Yin house, she and Yin Hongfei had always slept in separate rooms, the bedrooms on the left and right being the furthest apart.

Ji Zhaohua opened a drawer and pulled out a pocket watch from the very back. Inside was a folded, yellowed old photo. In the photo, three teenagers were smiling brilliantly against a backdrop of blue sky, rows of tall cedar trees, and an endless ranch. The girl in the middle was exquisite and beautiful, bearing a seventy-percent resemblance to Yu Xinyue, radiant as a rose. Thinking of the past, Ji Zhaohua’s eyes dimmed, until her phone rang.

The caller was Yan Yuan. Both he and his sister were very concerned about Yu Xinyue’s situation. Yan Yuan also told Ji Zhaohua that the malicious public opinion online was being deliberately manipulated. Finally, he stated his guess—the mastermind was Qingshuo.

Ji Zhaohua didn’t know about the grudge between Ji Fu and Yu Xinyue or the two “splashed clothes” incidents. She just felt it was absurd and ridiculous to destroy someone with public opinion just because they were excellent. Yan Yuan didn’t say much, just pointed out one thing to Ji Zhaohua: rather than wasting energy arguing with manipulated people online, it was better to think about who was hosting Searching for the Voice and who was the one standing at the very end.

Searching for the Voice… Tianyu… Qin Qing!

Ji Zhaohua understood this point, her eyes lit up, and she immediately called Qin Qing. Unexpectedly, Qin Qing’s voice was unusually calm. “Don’t worry, it’s fine.”

Ji Zhaohua was like an ant on a hot pan. “How can you say don’t worry? She’s being scolded like that! Have you seen those words?”

The person on the other end of the phone remained silent. Ji Zhaohua’s heart gradually sank. “Do you know about this?”

Qin Qing still didn’t speak.

Ji Zhaohua: “…Are you giving silent consent?”

“…”

Ji Zhaohua ended the call and stamped her foot in anger. Angry! Thinking of Yueyue calling her “Sister” again and again made her even angrier! The poor child didn’t even know she was being sold, still calling out “Qing Qing”—to hell with “Qing Qing”!

Ji Zhaohua rubbed her brow, about to call her father in a foreign country for help, when she suddenly discovered two threads at the top of a rumor-filled forum. One poster ID was Yun Junping, claiming to be a preliminary judge for Searching for the Voice.

Inside the thread was a short video: the girl holding a guitar and singing gently, her voice clean and ethereal. After the performance, amid thunderous applause from the audience, the judge gave a zero, sparking public outrage.

“Is this the so-called fairness and transparency of Searching for the Voice?”

“No. 24’s strength is obvious to all. You plug my mouth and think you can plug the truth?”

Below was another image showing countless threads the poster had had deleted over these days. Most were deleted as soon as they were posted, seen by only a few people. But for some reason, this thread remained after several minutes, and its popularity was growing.

Yun Junping recounted the events of that day in detail, and after the water army splashed dirty water, she firmly posted her professor certificate and past award certificates. She was very popular at the music conservatory, and after posting, many students helped her speak out. The discussion was already extremely high, and after the reversal, it exploded online like a bomb. In just ten-odd minutes, over a hundred derivative threads appeared. Yun Junping was already a somewhat famous musician in Hanjiang, and the other judges she named were also famous locally. Thus, the matter fermented again, causing people to discuss and repost frantically.

At the same time, Qingshuo Company.

Ji Fu was flying into a rage. “Don’t you know to delete those threads for me?”

Xiao Wu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. “…For some reason, Yun Junping’s thread can’t be deleted.”

Ji Fu: “Dammit! Then delete all the other threads! Shit, which school does she teach at? I’m going to call the school board.”

The staff in the network department huddled together, their fingers cramping from deleting threads. However, by doing this, Yun Junping’s thread floated directly to the top, making it exceptionally eye-catching.

Xiao Wu really couldn’t watch any longer. “Stop deleting. Post new threads to push hers down. Also, don’t let Yun Junping distract us. We just need to stick to the point that the person in the video isn’t No. 24.”

Ji Fu: “Are you sure it’s not her?”

Xiao Wu didn’t want to take this big blame. “In Jianghan said so. She and No. 24 are sisters who grew up together; she guaranteed the kid hasn’t learned percussion. I also investigated—No. 24 plays the piano well, but percussion… she shouldn’t have dabbled.”

Ji Fu breathed a sigh of relief and patted his shoulder. “Well done.” He liked employees who finished everything.

At this moment, a thread reposting Yun Junping’s floated up. Thousands had already reposted it. Strangely, the poster ID was 24, and in the avatar, the face was hidden by a hood, with a small chin tilted slightly upward.

24 accepts any challenge and questioning.

The Qingshuo employees instinctively wanted to delete the thread. Right-click, delete—the action was so practiced it was pitiful. Then they found out this thread… couldn’t, couldn’t, couldn’t be deleted.