Chapter 6

Yu Shuman was beautiful.

She was naturally capable of drawing other people’s gazes, the shining point in any crowd. The beautiful, dashing dance outfit outlined her figure perfectly and also matched her makeup exceptionally well. A headset mic was hooked by her ear, the microphone positioned right in front of her mouth. As the music began playing through the speakers, she also started moving into her dance.

Yu Shuman’s singing and dancing abilities were not outstanding. She was a beginner who had started halfway through. But she was diligent enough, and although it was obvious she did not have much of a dance foundation, she still tried her very best with every single movement. Paired with her expressions, for a moment, even the people in the audience seats were left staring in a daze.

Qin Ran sat below the stage, her eyes fixed firmly on Yu Shuman without shifting away even once. She watched her dance onstage, heard her singing voice amplified through the microphone and speakers, and saw the sweat trickling down from her temples.

More importantly, she saw the smile on Yu Shuman’s face.

Yu Shuman’s face always carried a smile. Her smile was bold, unrestrained, passionate, lively, and full of life. In this moment, she was enjoying the feeling of being watched by everyone. Onstage, she was happy.

Knowing this made Qin Ran feel that everything she had done had not been in vain. She had been very afraid that Yu Shuman only wanted to earn money to repay kindness, and that she herself did not actually like the feeling of standing onstage.

But in this moment, Qin Ran was certain that Yu Shuman liked who she was right now too.

Just as Qin Ran had instructed Sister Li, Yu Shuman was having a lot of fun.

When the song ended, Yu Shuman was a little out of breath from the burst of energy just now. Her chest rose and fell, heavy breathing still coming from her mouth. The sweat at her temples kept sliding down, and her eyes were bright and spirited, more dazzling than the stage lights.

Filled with excitement, she gave her closing bow and bowed toward the judges’ seats.

After the judges gave their brief comments, they unsurprisingly announced that she had passed the preliminary selection.

When the judges said the word “passed,” even though Yu Shuman had long known the result, she still could not help smiling. Down below the stage, her friends-and-family support group burst into cheers. Someone shouted her name.

“Yu Shuman! You can do it! Keep going!”

With the staff’s reminder, Yu Shuman walked offstage while waving toward her support group.

Logically speaking, once Yu Shuman’s stage was over, her friends-and-family group should have left. But Qin Ran planned to stay a little longer. At the very least, she wanted to finish watching the female lead’s stage before leaving.

The others decided to wander around nearby and wait until the rest of Sister Li’s team left so they could hitch a ride. Before they left, they even specifically came over to ask Qin Ran, this little junior, whether she wanted to go with them.

But Sister Li took over the conversation. “It’s fine. She’ll leave with me later.”

Only then did they feel reassured.

Sister Li sat in the staff-only seating area and even called Qin Ran over to sit with her. Qin Ran looked like an obedient, well-behaved student, but once she sat down, the words Sister Li said to her were completely different from that impression.

“Boss, still planning to take a look at the competition?”

“…Mm.”

Sister Li’s eyes remained on the stage, but her mouth was telling Qin Ran about several artists worth paying attention to. Without exception, Qin Ran heard the female lead’s name from her mouth.

But the female lead was protected very well by her three older brothers and her childhood-sweetheart CEO, so not much information about her had been exposed. All they knew was the company backing her.

“I don’t know what her background is, but since she belongs to that family, she definitely isn’t anyone simple.”

Sister Li did not know what the female lead’s background was, but Qin Ran did.

So she went through all of the female lead’s hidden identities, talking as she went, even explaining her family background and her relationship with the company’s boss. The more Qin Ran spoke, the more numb Sister Li became from listening. In the end, Sister Li could only sigh with emotion.

“As expected of you. You actually managed to dig up even this kind of background.”

Qin Ran did not know whether that counted as praise, so she could only say, “Thank you.”

As they spoke, several more artists passed by. Not long after, it was the female lead’s turn.

She was beautiful, with the air of a woman who had emerged unstained from the mud, like a white lotus. Unlike the other contestants, the female lead wore a white hanfu and sang a traditional-style song. She did not dance much, but she did flick her water sleeves a few times, clearly knowing very well how to highlight her strengths and avoid her weaknesses.

This was Qin Ran’s first time seeing the female lead.

She did not know how to describe her. She only felt that something was very off. The female lead was pretty, and her voice was pleasant. Her eyes were like rippling water, as if the surface of a lake were gently stirring unauthorized copywith waves. But Qin Ran’s preconceived impression made it impossible for her to like her.

Qin Ran sat in her seat and leaned forward, wanting to observe her more carefully. But no matter how she looked, she could not find anything wrong.

Only after the female lead bowed and left did Qin Ran withdraw her gaze.

Sister Li’s voice came from beside her. “She really is a powerful opponent. She does have some skill. Her looks are also the cool, aloof type that’s more popular right now, and she has her own unique characteristics. She’ll be Yu Shuman’s rival.”

Although talent survival variety shows had scripts, the various companies could not decide who became champion. In earlier years, the incident where a contestant with several million online votes was instantly overtaken by someone with only a hundred thousand or so votes and lost the crown was still nailed to the pillar of shame even now. No one wanted to follow in their footsteps.

So everyone could only ask for hidden arrangements to help their artists advance to the final round. As for who could become champion, that depended on whose voice was loudest online.

Whether Yu Shuman won the championship or not was actually not that important. As long as Yu Shuman was happy, that was enough.

But she could not say that in front of Sister Li.

After all, Sister Li was a career-driven woman. Having Qin Ran make her pass along the message “as long as she has fun” had already nearly made Sister Li collapse. If Qin Ran said something like that again, perhaps Sister Li would choose to devour her master, raise the banner of rebellion, and switch to another company to keep working.

The reason Qin Ran had been able to poach Sister Li over was purely because she had promised that, aside from matters involving Yu Shuman, she would not interfere with any of Sister Li’s work. She would also provide the greatest possible support. On top of that, Qin Ran had also poached back the artist Sister Li had previously managed, the one who had been snatched away halfway.

After this whole series of moves, Qin Ran not only awakened Sister Li’s fighting spirit, but also helped her rise to a higher level.

Qin Ran could only nod, indicating that Sister Li was right.

She then mentioned a few more names, signaling to Sister Li that those people had great development prospects. A few of them still did not have companies behind them, so they could be signed.

Sister Li smiled. “Now you’re looking down on my professional standards. I noticed them long ago. I wasn’t waiting for you to tell me.”

Qin Ran said nothing else.

After watching a few more stages, Qin Ran got up, preparing to return to school.

Sister Li asked whether she wanted her to send her back. Qin Ran refused and said someone was coming to pick her up.

Sister Li asked what kind of car it was.

Qin Ran told the truth. “My part-time job boss’s car.”

“???”

Faced with Sister Li’s puzzled gaze, what Qin Ran said was truly the truth.

She had already quit many part-time jobs, but she had been doing this one for a very long time. When she had planned to resign, the boss had been especially enthusiastic and asked whether Qin Ran had encountered some kind of difficulty. She could give Qin Ran another raise…

Faced with such a warmhearted auntie, it was very hard for Qin Ran to say, “I came into a hundred million yuan, so I’m not working anymore.”

Wouldn’t that just stab the auntie right in the lungs?

As a socially anxious person, Qin Ran could only say she was not having any difficulties while being caught by the boss and kept on as a part-timer.

Fortunately, this part-time job was relatively easy. She only had to serve food at the cafeteria.

The auntie knew they had come today to watch Yu Shuman’s competition. Coincidentally, she was also here doing boxed-lunch business, so she asked Qin Ran whether she wanted to go back with her on the way.

Faced with such a kindhearted person, Qin Ran could not refuse and could only mumble her agreement.

The moment she got into the boss’s car, Qin Ran felt a little regretful. The auntie was far too enthusiastic and did not give her any chance to speak at all. She kept talking nonstop.

“Back then, Yu Shuman also worked part-time at my place. I watched her enter school and get to where she is now. She’s finally able to earn some money. It really hasn’t been easy. Auntie also knows about your background. You’re all poor, pitiful children. If you ever run into any difficulties, remember to tell Auntie. If Auntie can help, I definitely will.”

In Qin Ran’s mind, the system protested indignantly. “What is she doing?! I’m the one who can truly help Host! Does she need to say that?!”

After finally arriving at the school, Qin Ran practically tumbled and crawled out of the auntie’s car.

The auntie still did not forget to remind her, “Don’t forget to come over for your part-time shift tonight!”

At that moment, Qin Ran made up her mind.

She absolutely had to resign!

But that night, she still appeared behind the cafeteria auntie’s stall right on time, serving food to the students who came and went.

After her part-time shift ended, she used a spare moment to check her phone and saw that Yu Shuman had sent her many messages. Probably because Yu Shuman knew Qin Ran should be working part-time, she had not sent her a voice call.

Yu Shuman said they had not gotten to talk properly today and that she was really sorry. Yu Shuman said she had been very happy to see them come today. Yu Shuman asked how Qin Ran thought her performance had been. Every few lines, she would also send a sticker. Those cute and adorable stickers were completely different from her queenly appearance today.

Qin Ran smiled, then typed a reply.

Your singing and dancing were especially good today. We were all stunned watching you.

Actually, she very much wanted to tell Yu Shuman that she had been extremely beautiful onstage, that she was naturally suited to standing beneath the lights, that she was as dazzling as the stars.

But Qin Ran could not say words like that out loud.

She was socially anxious to begin with. Even after being at the university for so long, aside from the people in her dormitory, she still could not manage to call anyone else by name.

Not long after Qin Ran sent her message, she received a voice call from Yu Shuman.

Qin Ran was not prepared and fumbled around in a flurry before answering it.

Yu Shuman’s voice came from the other side. Her voice was low and carried an echo. Qin Ran guessed that she was secretly calling her from the restroom.

“Junior, your senior was amazing, right?”

Qin Ran could imagine exactly what Yu Shuman looked like when she said this: that proud little expression, paired with the smile at the corner of her mouth, vivid and lively.

It was just that Yu Shuman’s voice was soft, and Qin Ran’s own voice also unconsciously lowered.

“Mm. Senior was very amazing.”

They rarely called each other by name. They always addressed each other as Senior and Junior. Qin Ran also felt that this was very good. It gave her the feeling that her relationship with Yu Shuman had become especially close.

“I’ll keep working hard. I’ll work hard to become someone amazing, and I’ll work hard to earn lots and lots of money. When the time comes, I’ll let you be my assistant.”