Grab The Heroine and Run Away Ch.30.2
Mr. Xu swallowed a mouthful of old blood, leaned back, feeling weak and powerless. He forced himself to remain calm. “What does Xu Yanran want to do?”
Now, he could only cooperate with Xu Yanran. If Xu Yanran succeeded, Transcend Entertainment could succeed, and he could succeed!
A triumphant smile flashed in Mrs. Xu’s eyes. She had long seen through this man. The previous Mr. Xu had drive and tactics, but with the passage of time and repeated setbacks in his entrepreneurial journey, he had become utterly weak.
She also appreciated his current uselessness, which gave her and her daughter a chance to reap many benefits from the company.
“Once Yanran’s words are out, they can’t be taken back. Moreover, this matter is the truth. We should cooperate with Yanran and seek everyone’s sympathy,” Mrs. Xu’s voice was gentle, her expression soft. Xu Yanran looked like her, delicate and pale, appearing just like an innocent little white flower.
“Yanran’s position is somewhat precarious. Why don’t we take the blame upon ourselves and let Yanran debut cleanly?” Mrs. Xu said, “In the future, who will even remember these things?”
“Take the blame upon ourselves?” Mr. Xu furrowed his brow.
How could he possibly take the blame upon himself?
Mrs. Xu gave Mr. Xu a reproachful look. Mr. Xu felt somewhat annoyed at being scrutinized by her. He wanted her to speak plainly, but uttering those words felt foolish. He couldn’t understand something even a woman could grasp.
Mrs. Xu had seen through him long ago. A trace of disdain flashed in her eyes. “We should go with the flow.”
Yanran had made it clear during the livestream. The stage was already set. What was there to hesitate about?
Mr. Xu was internally conflicted. He was still worrying about the Xu family’s affairs when suddenly his phone rang. The caller ID displayed a call from the personal secretary of Xing, the Crown Prince of the Xing family, whom he had befriended at a social event long ago.
He was taken aback but didn’t hesitate to answer.
“Mr. Xu, greetings. Let’s skip the pleasantries. Xing Corporation has a project and would like to invite you to collaborate. Are you interested, Mr. Xu?” the cautious secretary politely inquired.
Mr. Xu’s heart skipped a beat. Without hesitation, he replied, “Please explain the collaboration, Mr. Xing.”
“Rest assured, Mr. Xu. You want Xu Yanran to debut, and Xing Corporation wants the Starlight Girls program. Our interests are different,” Xing Yujin’s secretary smiled, “If Xing Corporation takes over the Starlight Girls program, then your daughter is guaranteed a debut!”
Mr. Xu was taken aback. Xing Yujin was making a bold move. Did he intend to directly swallow up Starlight Girls?
But Starlight Girls was indeed a lucrative opportunity, and all the aspects had already been prepared by the Xu family. If he were to act now, he could simply take a share of the profits. However…
“What about the Xu family…”
“Mr. Xu, rest assured, we’ve looked into it. The Xu family doesn’t favor Xu Heran. She came to China because of a family dispute and was banished by her family. We have reliable information that Starlight Girls is merely a way for the Xu family to get rid of Xu Heran.”
Mr. Xu thought about that heartless and ruthless woman and surprisingly found this explanation to be reasonable. Xu Menglan was indeed cold-blooded and didn’t hesitate to cast aside her own daughter.
“But…” Still, he didn’t dare to gamble. Mr. Xu cautiously whispered, “Does Xing Jun, Mr. Xing, agree to this?”
The secretary raised an eyebrow, his gaze inadvertently falling on the tail end of the man’s suit. He realized it was a good thing he hadn’t turned on the speakerphone; otherwise, Mr. Xu’s attempt at an agreement would have been in vain.
Seeing his secretary still in conversation with Mr. Xu, Xing Yujin’s brows furrowed tightly. Impatience colored his expression, and he raised a hand. The secretary promptly handed the phone to him.
“Xu Junjie, have you noticed that it’s been five hours since Xu Yanran’s livestream, yet apart from a lukewarm clarification from Universal Entertainment’s official account, there has been no other response? Even the Universal Group is playing dead. Do you not understand their attitude?”
Mr. Xu’s heart sank, and he immediately pushed aside his previous question. Only one thought occupied his mind now: Was Xu Heran truly abandoned by the Xu family?
If that’s the case, now is the perfect opportunity!
Xu Menglan, you heartless woman, don’t blame me for being heartless in return!
Xu Heran, since you and I have never met, and you’ve never called me ‘dad,’ don’t blame me. This is all your mother owes me!
“Very well, Mr. Xing, go on. I’ll do it,” Mr. Xu said in a cold tone.
In the middle of the night, Transcend Entertainment, which had been playing dead, suddenly spoke up.
The Chairman of Transcend Entertainment, using his father’s tone, informed netizens that he indeed was the father of Xu Heran and Xu Yanran. Everything Xu Yanran had said was true. Xu Yanran had grown up by his side, and he had instilled in her the importance of family bonds, leading her to harbor fantasies about her sister whom she had never met. The reason she joined Starlight Girls was to connect with the sister she had always longed for. However, he hadn’t expected his younger daughter to be hurt again and again.
In a nearly thousand-word Weibo post, he wrote that everything was his fault. His affair was inexcusable. He had already let down one woman, and he didn’t want to let down another family. He had taken good care of Xu Yanran and Xu Yanran’s mother. He hoped that if Xu Heran had any grievances, she should direct them at him, not at the innocent Xu Yanran, who was, after all, her younger sister.
Soon, many people began to spread gifs of Xu Heran rolling her eyes at Xu Yanran and images of Xu Yanran with a pale face and tears streaming down her face. In no time, Xu Heran’s outrageous comments were widely circulated.
However, Universal Entertainment remained seemingly inactive, like it was on vacation. Apart from confirming that Xu Heran and Xu Yanran indeed had the same father but different mothers, and that Xu Heran didn’t know Xu Yanran before the show and was unaware that she was the illegitimate daughter of Xu Junjie due to his affair, there was no other response or action from Universal Entertainment regarding the program.
Those who were originally supportive of Xu Heran were scattered by the wave of manipulated online opinions, left only with furrowed brows as they demanded that Universal Entertainment’s public relations team take action!
Even if Xu Heran and Xu Yanran shared a common father but had different mothers, it was unreasonable to expect Xu Heran to treat Xu Yanran kindly. After all, Xu Yanran was the daughter of the woman who had directly tried to usurp Xu Heran’s place by getting pregnant and coming to their home.
This matter could only be attributed to Xu Heran’s poor attitude toward Xu Yanran, but this was understandable, right? Xu Yanran clearly knew about Xu Heran’s attitude, so why did she keep approaching Xu Heran?
To those who wanted to speak up for Xu Yanran, they might as well go home first and ask their own mothers who gave birth to and raised them. Whose side should they take in this matter?
Unexpectedly, many people came forward to support Xu Heran. Some were her genuine fans, others were fans of Xin Nuo, and some were fans of other members of the show’s cast. Because the official website actively released recordings and behind-the-scenes clips, Xu Heran was quite popular among the trainees. Even those who didn’t have a deep liking for Xu Heran still had some favorable feelings towards her.
Xing Yujin, who had originally been confident of success, found that these people were engaged in a back-and-forth with the internet trolls, which infuriated him to the point that he swept everything off his desk.
“Continue, and I refuse to believe that we can’t tarnish Xu Heran’s reputation!” Xing Yujin harbored a grudge against Xu Heran. After the live broadcast incident, not only did he not abandon the idea of the Starlight Girls program, he was even more determined to obtain this treasure trove, and he was absolutely resolute!
But all of this had to start with getting rid of Xu Heran first!
The netizens’ mockery and the distorted image of his face lingered in his mind, inflaming his anger. Xing Yujin slammed his fist onto the table, gritting his teeth.
“No holding back!”
All of this was completely unrelated to the trainees in the isolated training camp. They woke up early as usual, had breakfast happily, and held hands as they prepared for the recording.
Only in the director’s room, filled with smoke, did Director Liu extinguish the cigarette he had been holding all night. He waved his hand and exhaled a breath of air, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the screen.
“Release it at 8 o’clock sharp. Oh, and I’m going to take a nap first. Wake me up at 9:30 on the dot. I have to welcome our ‘daddy’!”
The assistant director’s lips twitched. She opened the window to let in fresh air. She really wanted to say that it was “mommy,” but the booming snore from the director on the sofa stopped her, and she could only shake her head helplessly.
Inside the soundproof training room, seven girls formed a circle. One girl with long legs wrapped in bandages stood out prominently.
Everyone comforted Xu Heran, carefully avoiding any mention of Xu Yanran.
“Have you all chosen your songs?” Lin Ran spoke gently, “Once we’re sure about the songs, we can go next door to seek the teacher’s advice. If they’re not suitable, we’ll change them promptly.”
“I haven’t decided on a song,” Jiang Qiong raised her hand, speaking up first. “Because I don’t have a particular style, so any song is OK. Of course, more importantly, it’s because my mom cooked such delicious food that I ate too much, and my dad dragged me to the park for a walk the next day, and then we were dragged to visit relatives. I simply didn’t have time to choose a song. Everyone knows these reasons, so I won’t explain further!”
She finished in one breath, earning a surprised look from Laurel.
“Girl, how about trying rap with me?”
After being teased by everyone, honest Jiang Qiong moved to the side and sat next to Laurel.
Laurel?
Naturally, Laurel also hadn’t chosen a song. She was inclined towards many genres, including rap, so she didn’t make a selection.
Sun Lingxi raised her hand. “I want to sing 《Forest and Deer》 by the senior group Fish and Lemon Light Sound!”
Fish and Lemon Light Sound was a girl group launched by her company five years ago. The company favored sweet girls, and 《Forest and Deer》 was a representative work of the group. It was fresh, sweet, and had a dreamy atmosphere. It achieved good results at the time. Sun Lingxi’s choice of this song also indicated her intention to compete for Lin Weining’s attention, as the song suited Lin Weining quite well.
“Sure, we can give it a try,” Lin Weining said gently. “Sorry, I forgot to choose a song.”
Forgot?
Others were all momentarily stunned. How could someone like Lin Weining forget to choose a song? She was known for being meticulous.
Xu Heran stretched out her legs straight as an arrow. Since getting up, she had been completely transformed, looking as if she were a different person. Upon hearing Lin Weining’s words, she twitched her ears and looked at Lin Weining in confusion. Lin Weining’s smile was similar to before, showing no difference, but the people sitting next to her could sense the suppressed emotions emanating from her.
“Sister Weining is unhappy,” Xu Heran whispered to Xin Nuo.
“Mm,” Xin Nuo responded, shifting her gaze briefly before returning to its original position.
In Lin Weining’s eyes, Xin Nuo was just a familiar stranger; she had no intention of listening to a stranger pour out their emotions.
And there was no need for much guessing; Lin Weining had definitely been scolded by the company. Angel Entertainment was famously strict with its artists. The survival of the fittest and the elimination of the weak was even more brutal than advancing in the training camp. Resources were always given to the best, not necessarily the most suitable artists. Angel Entertainment only wanted the best artists.
Angel Entertainment had stood firm with this criterion to this day. Countless artists under its banner had become hugely popular, while those who couldn’t make it were merely stepping stones for others.
Lin Ran sighed softly and had Lin Weining, Jiang Qiong, and Laurel take their seats. “I’ve chosen 《Waiting for the Wind》 which is an emotional song by FAF, the Four and Fire girl group.”
Sun Lingxi frowned. “An emotional song…”
Since the program started airing, there hasn’t been a single successful emotional performance. Sun Lingxi wasn’t very confident about it.
“Well… I want to give it a try because I think everyone is talented, and perhaps we can create a different kind of stage,” Lin Ran explained. “Of course, this is just my personal idea.”
That left only Xin Nuo and Xu Heran.
Xin Nuo sat up straight with her legs crossed, a white baseball cap resting on her knee, and someone’s head leaned against her shoulder. She deliberately shrugged and smiled under the dissatisfied gaze of the person beside her. “I’m giving the song choice right to Xu Heran, so she has the authority to suggest two songs.”
Can it be like this?
Jiang Qiong took out a walkie-talkie from her pocket. “Can you hear me? Can you hear me? You should have helped me choose a song!”
Electric static sounded from Xu Heran’s pocket. Even though the two of them were sitting less than two meters apart, she still courteously retrieved her own walkie-talkie and replied, “Can you hear me? Can you hear me? I’ll help you choose now. I’ll suggest ‘PAW Patrol’ as one song for you.”
She was insinuating something, but the others didn’t understand Xu Heran’s intent. They thought Xu Heran was intentionally mocking Jiang Qiong, and everyone burst into laughter.
Jiang Qiong pretended to be annoyed and turned off her walkie-talkie.
“Well… I wanted to ask,” Sun Lingxi frowned, “where did you get these walkie-talkies? Last night, Song Fenghua sat by the table for a long time trying to figure out how to use this thing. You know what happened? Suddenly, someone let out a horrifying scream through the walkie-talkie, scaring her so much that she threw it away. She almost fell off her chair!”
“I’ve never seen Song Fenghua look so terrified!” Sun Lingxi was ranked eighth and shared a dormitory with Song Fenghua, who was ranked twelfth.
“Just imagine! Song Fenghua, terrified! Doesn’t that sound terrifying?” Sun Lingxi gestured wildly.
Everyone burst into laughter, and Lin Weining couldn’t help but smile.
Xu Heran immediately cleared her name and changed the topic. “It was a gift from Haya. Anyway, let’s talk about the songs. For my first choice, I’ve selected 《stronger》
“The band is called The Score. You might be more familiar with their songs 《Revolution》 or 《Legend》… Their songs are powerful and full of conviction, like, never giving up?” Xu Heran smiled, her eyes bright and radiant. “But I still chose this song, ‘Yuzhan Yuyong’ in Chinese, which means ‘Fight to Become Stronger.'”
Afraid that others might not have heard it, she picked up a tablet and played the music video.
“The lyrics are fantastic!” Xu Heran praised the song. She immediately forgot about her sore legs, propped herself up, and knelt on the floor. She sang along with the male vocals, and when she reached the word “stronger,” she couldn’t help but tap her body rhythmically.
The vocal transition was long and required strength. The song itself carried a powerful force, giving people limitless strength.
Even though Xu Heran was still underage, her singing skills and abilities were incredibly mature. As she clenched her fist and earnestly sang in a clean voice, harmonizing with the original singer, the entire room was filled with her full voice. Even though her vocal range wasn’t thick, it made people feel like she could fill the whole room with her voice.
Xu Heran, born to be a singer.
Xin Nuo gently stroked the arm near Xu Heran, suppressing the slight tingling sensation, and curled her lips, thinking to herself.
Everyone watched the music video and, led by Xu Heran, sang along.
“How was that!” After finishing a song, Xu Heran immediately turned excitedly to Lin Ran.
At some point, everyone had stood up. Lin Ran couldn’t help but applaud. “I think it’s pretty good.”
While singing, she was overwhelmed by an impulse to take the stage, but—
“I can’t do it. My voice is too thin, and I can’t carry it!” Sun Lingxi said regretfully and helplessly, “It’s fine for group singing, but if we have solo parts, my weaknesses will be exposed.”
Oh no, it felt like being a drag on the team.
Lin Ran nodded with empathy. Sun Lingxi had trained with a bigger company, while she, as a trainee from a smaller company, relied on her own feeling to sing, no technique… just pure emotion.
“I like it.” Lin Weining, who had been quietly sitting in the corner, suddenly spoke up. She tilted her head and gave Xu Heran a gentle smile. “I really like it, and I’m voting for this song.”
Sun Lingxi was on the verge of tears.
“It’s not necessary to sing this one for sure. I have another song.” Xu Heran held up a tablet and tapped on another prepared song. Before long, the rapid music started playing, and everyone took a breath.
“Oh my God, this song… it’s breaking the rules!”
“Hehe.” Xu Heran winked, “Gotta win, you know.”
In the training room of Team Two, which was farther away, it was quiet like a calm pond.
Xu Yanran twisted her hair, feeling somewhat detached, yet there was an air of confidence about her. But when the camera turned towards her in the room, she couldn’t control the slight upward curve of her mouth. She felt like today, the camera had been focused on her more frequently. It seemed her strategy was working.
As expected, the production team was biased and favored whoever brought in more money and popularity.
Now, she was the protagonist!
“Well…” Mu Yueliang looked up, glanced around with a subtle expression. Deep down, she regretted it greatly. Why did she make that bet? Why did she put this burden on their group?
Did Xu Yanran not sense the awkwardness among everyone? Stop playing with your hair!
No more bets. She would never bet again!
“Um… let’s confirm the song first, the sooner we confirm, the sooner we can start practicing.” Mu Yueliang spoke up. She had a stronger personality and took the lead naturally. Once again, she was the captain of Team Two.
When it came to selecting the song, the other trainees subconsciously looked at Jian Yueyin sitting in the corner.
Jian Yueyin had a faint smile on her lips as she lowered her head, folding origami cranes with a tissue.
“Because we’re performing before Team One, we must have a very powerful stage to make the audience remember us!” Mu Yueliang said while clenching her fist, and Shu Yuemeng from the same company quickly nodded.
“Not only powerful, but the song should also be a well-known hit.” Jing Rui, the tenth-ranked trainee, said.
“I’m up for anything, hahaha.” Haya leaned against the wall, sitting with confidence. If someone who wasn’t familiar with her personality saw her, they might think a female bandit had come down from the mountain.
Xu Yanran harbored resentment towards Xu Heran. She even disliked the original members of Team Ten who got along well with her, especially Laurel and that Jiang Qiong!
She thought of Jiang Qiong wiping her mouth on her leg, and her face turned red with anger. She licked her teeth, raised her head, and swept a pitiful-looking face towards Haya.
“Sister Haya, we’re a team now. For victory, we can’t just say anything casually, you know.” She shrunk her shoulders and cautiously said.
“…?” Haya didn’t think much, she stretched her long legs. “Then give me a non-casual suggestion, I’ll listen.”
“……？”Her meaning was exactly what her words conveyed, but in Xu Yanran’s ears, Haya was intentionally provoking her. Xu Yanran sneered inwardly, then looked towards Jian Yueyin. “Sister Yueyin, the song you brought out earlier was great. Have you thought about giving us a song too?”
Jian Yueyin placed an origami crane on the shoulder of Song Fenghua, who was sitting in the shadows, and smiled. “I’m okay with that too?”
Xu Yanran immediately said, “That’s wonderful. Sister, could you give us a song even better than 《Follow Me》?”
Mu Yueliang and Shu Yuemeng exchanged a glance, and Mu Yueliang slightly furrowed her brows.
What’s up with Xu Yanran ?
Haya sneered, “Whether a song is good or not, doesn’t it depend on the one singing it? What’s wrong? The ticket sales for your stage were low, and now you’re blaming Yueyin’s song?”
Hearing her words, Xu Yanran’s eyes immediately turned red, and tears fell with a “plop, plop.”
Haya: “…”
“Sister Haya, I didn’t mean that,” Xu Yanran said with a hint of grievance, “Please don’t think that way about me. I just feel that Sister Yueyin’s songs are all very good. I also want to sing Sister Yueyin’s songs.”
Choking back tears, she said to Jian Yueyin, “Sister Yueyin, please don’t misunderstand me because of Sister Haya’s words. I truly admire you and I really like you. I deeply respect you for being able to write such excellent songs!”
Haya curled her legs up, looked up at the ceiling.
Oh no, what have you done to be entangled with her!
“Well, I understand,” Jian Yueyin said gently, her smile unchanged on her face. She placed a tissue next to Xu Yanran and continued in a warm tone, “Since you’re willing to support me and want to sing my songs, I won’t refuse.”
“I’ve been writing songs all along. Besides 《Follow Me》 there are songs like 《Shattered Planet》《Torn Apart》 and 《Me in the Ocean》Oh, I forgot to tell you, out of all the songs I’ve written, except for 《Follow Me》 the others are all melancholic and cold songs. And my dream is to write the most heart-wrenching love songs, the kind that will make your bones ache.”
Jian Yueyin’s voice was warm and gentle. She seemed like a willow growing by the river, but her words were like willow branches lashing the water’s surface in a torrential rain, merciless and cruel.
“Do you prefer slightly heart-wrenching, moderately heart-wrenching, or deeply heart-wrenching songs?” She smiled as she asked Xu Yanran .
Xu Yanran : “…”
Her shoulders stiffened, feeling the almost piercing gazes of Mu Yueliang and Jing Rui behind her. Even the usually quiet Shu Yuemeng was glaring at her.
Well, it seems Sweetie wants to sing heart-wrenching songs, as if losing wasn’t enough of a blow.
Her own label was still the sweet and gentle type.
“Ah… I see.” Xu Yanran forced a stiff smile. She didn’t believe that Jian Yueyin had no other songs. She felt like she was being brushed off!
“Sister Yueyin said that, so I have no choice,” she said in a calm voice. “It seems Sister Yueyin prefers my sister more.”
Trying to sow discord, she couldn’t suppress the malice in her words.
Behind Jian Yueyin, Song Fenghua looked up, her gaze sharp like an arrow.
“Sure,” Jian Yueyin casually caught the mixed tone, her words dripping with sarcasm.
“Who wouldn’t prefer Ran Ran?” She turned her head to look at Haya, “Do I look like I have a problem with my intelligence?”
Haya stopped staring at the ceiling. She leaned down, propped herself up with her palms on the floor, and burst into laughter, tears streaming down her face.
Jian Yueyin appeared gentle on the surface, but her counterattack was unexpectedly harsh. Xu Heran, Xu Yanran, of course people with no intelligence issues would prefer Xu Yanran~
Xu Yanran was cornered by Jian Yueyin, her face turning both green and red. This time, she was so angry that she started crying, tears falling “swish, swish.” Seeing this, the others’ expressions became increasingly complex. How could someone start crying when they couldn’t win an argument?
They already didn’t want to bother with Xu Yanran, but the team became restless due to the addition of this troublesome character.
The atmosphere in the practice room was tense. Even Jian Yueyin, who had the best personality, remained silent. No one wanted to console Xu Yanran, and when she cried and couldn’t hold back her emotions, she stood up angrily and left. Just as her hand reached for the doorknob, a broadcast resounded throughout the entire training camp.
“Attention all trainees, please arrive in the hall within five minutes and line up according to your rankings. I repeat, all trainees, please arrive in the hall within five minutes. There is an important announcement.”
The team that had already started practicing their dance hurriedly got up and rushed outside. Just as Xu Heran stood up, a hand grabbed the back of her collar.
“Walk properly,” Xin Nuo said in a calm tone. “Don’t strain your muscles and collapse on the way. I don’t want to have to ask someone to carry you.”
“Sure.” Xu Heran held Xin Nuo’s hand and affectionately rubbed against her. “Xin Nuo, you’re so kind.”
Xin Nuo playfully flicked Xu Heran’s forehead.
Both of them had long legs, and the hall wasn’t far. In no time, they arrived at the hall that had already been prepared for recording.
“Hmm?”
Xu Heran raised her hand, counted the nearby cameras, and looked around in surprise. “Why do I feel like there are more cameras today than usual? And has the hall been cleaned? It’s so neat!”
“Yeah, it’s sparkling!”
“Look at Sister Fei!”
The program host, Ning Yunfei, held up her high-end couture gown and elegantly walked with a regal air. Her makeup was exquisite, and she wore a complete set of diamond jewelry, looking as if she were attending an awards ceremony. She walked up to the group of trainees with her head held high and struck a playful pose, even though no one knew what she was doing. However, the sudden excitement from the broadcast led the trainees, who were initially apprehensive about the gathering, to respond enthusiastically.
“Sister Fei, you look so beautiful!”
Ning Yunfei placed her hand on her waist, striking a pose with feigned arrogance. The trainees covered their mouths in excitement and cheered for her. The host’s demeanor eased the nervousness of the suddenly summoned trainees.
“Attention all trainees, recording is about to begin. Please stand in your designated positions and maintain silence,” a staff member reminded.
The venue quickly fell silent. Two large cameras operated under the control of cameramen, one aimed at the forty-two trainees, and the other facing the aisle.
At the same time, several small cameras were distributed into three groups, and the cameraman’s expressions were solemn as they held their cameras, ready and waiting.
“…Hmm?”
Xu Heran, hands behind her back, raised her eyebrows as she secretly tiptoed to look outside.
This scene seemed familiar. Could it be…
Just as she furrowed her brows and was muttering to herself, the girl standing alone at the forefront, the first place, turned her head, and their eyes met.
Xu Heran reached out and clenched her fist.
No problem. If it’s some fool who doesn’t know any better, they’ll see that I won’t show any mercy and will drive them away!
A hint of amusement flashed in Xin Nuo’s eyes. She shook her head slightly and gestured for them to stand properly.
Xu Heran, who had leaned out of the crowd, immediately returned to her position.
Meanwhile, footsteps echoed from the corridor leading to the hall. Xu Heran squinted her eyes, her mouth corners downturned, her gaze fierce and locked onto the aisle.
The cameraman who had deliberately come to capture her expression pressed his lips together, afraid of giving away any subtle reactions that Xu Heran might notice.
Fortunately, Xu Heran’s attention was focused on the front, and she didn’t see his suppressed laughter. At that moment, footsteps sounded from the aisle, and the background music in the hall suddenly changed to a foreign song. Along with the music, a group of… beautiful older sisters emerged from the corridor?
Xu Heran: `O 0 O′
Her widened eyes of astonishment were quickly replaced by even greater surprise. She looked at these sisters dressed in uniform red cheongsams, their makeup exquisite, and wearing white gloves. In their hands, they held sealed transparent display covers, parading around the venue.
“Wow!!!”
Someone among the trainees exclaimed in amazement, “They’re gemstones!”
“Diamonds! They’re diamonds!”
“Ah, the diamond necklace that the first sister is holding, I saw it on the Century Screen in Central Square, worn by supermodel Lanyin! Lanyin! The world’s number one supermodel, the big shot who has endorsed all the blue-blooded and red-blooded brands!”
“I d—damn, super shocking!” someone’s voice took a turn, completely stiff as they watched the jewelry that had only been seen in display cases, advertisements, and worn by world-class stars, twirling around them. The entire hall suddenly shone brightly.
It was the brilliance of precious gems!
“Please rest assured, we have a total of three hundred bodyguards stationed in the training camp today, so you can relax~” Ning Yunfei was still joking, but her gaze couldn’t help but fall on the jewelry that symbolizes more than just money.
“What… huh?” Xu Heran said dazedly, looking at these well-trained sisters placing twenty display boxes filled with top-tier luxury jewelry on the showcase, while they maintained elegant smiles, standing behind the display.
The brilliance of the gemstones became even more dazzling within the beauty’s smiles.
The leader, the most beautiful woman, held a long sign with a blue base and casually styled golden characters, exuding a sense of history and pride.
“Heritage and eternity, you and the city.” Beneath the sign were the words “Herrett Jewelry.”
“Herrett! I knew it was Herrett! Red-blooded! The pinnacle of luxury, red-blooded!!” Sasa grabbed a bewildered Youyou and yelled.
Among the forty-two trainees present, some were as excited as Sasa and couldn’t explain their excitement clearly, some were bewildered, having only heard of Herrett but not grasping the concept, and some had no idea at all.
“What, what blood?” Jiang Qiong scratched her head.
“Look at Ran Ran,” Jian Yueyin patted Laurel’s shoulder and whispered softly.
Laurel raised her gaze. In the third row, Xu Heran was frozen, like a stone, out of sync with the atmosphere around her.
However, the cameras still lingering in the aisle told everyone that it wasn’t over yet.
As the music flowing through the hall changed, another foreign song began to play.
“Ah—” it was Sasa again, as a trainee from a major company, she had been exposed to a lot of information. She was the first to react, grabbing Youyou’s arm and getting goosebumps, “The music just now was the promotional music for Heruite Jewelry, and this one is Keruite! Keruite Perfume! The famous Keruite Perfume from the Blue Nation! The Keruite Perfume that used to be exclusively for the royal nobility!”
Seeing that Youyou had no idea about the brand’s significance, she turned around abruptly and shouted at Xu Heran, “Another red-blooded one!”
Xu Heran: “…”
Sasa: “…”
“Uh…” Xu Heran forced a stiff smile, looking at another group of sisters in blue cheongsams walking out of the aisle, each holding different perfumes. However, these perfumes were not sealed in display boxes.
“Romantic, shrouded in mystery, dedicated to love and time.”
Keruite (Royal) Perfume.
When bags embroidered with the Aston brand were placed in front of her, Xu Heran couldn’t even fake a smile. She tugged at the hem of her clothes, a mix of bewilderment hidden under her shock, and helplessness under her amazement. Subconsciously, she looked towards Xin Nuo.
Xin Nuo was showing keen interest in these extravagances that many figures in the world of fame and fortune had pursued their whole lives. She glanced sideways and noticed the girl next to her, who was glancing at Xu Heran’s expression. Xin Nuo silently asked, “What’s wrong, leg hurting?”
Xu Heran’s mouth was dry. She licked her lips and her bluish-purple pupils retracted under the soothing gaze of Xin Nuo.
“Tap, tap, tap.”
A tall figure walked along the dim corridor.
Xin Nuo had her back to the aisle, but she was the first to notice. The eyes that were originally looking at her suddenly shifted away, enlarging, like fireworks bursting open, suddenly radiant.
“Sister?”
She heard Xu Heran’s soft and sweet voice, softly calling out to someone behind her.
Sister?
A smile unconsciously tugged at the corners of Xin Nuo’s mouth. She followed Xu Heran’s gaze, and her pitch-black eyes met a pair of icy blue ones. Yet, the owner of those blue eyes didn’t linger on her face, instead, they gazed straight past her.
Last night, those fingers that held hers in bed, affectionately calling her “Sister Nuo Nuo” a certain pearl, now had a complex expression on their face – a mixture of unease, entanglement, and happiness – a look she had never seen before, gazing “affectionately” at the newcomer.
Affectionate?
Xin Nuo lowered her eyelashes, her fair fingers slowly pinching the tip of her hair. When she raised her gaze again, it was filled with a radiant smile, but her eyes were as dark as ever, like shattered ice.
Who are you calling “Sister” Little Pearl?
“Heh.”
The author has something to say:
Xin Nuo: Affection Level -10
Nuo Nuo: Who are you calling Sister?
Rán Rán: …Let me explain! She really is Sister!
Rán Rán: Also, how did it become affectionate QAQ
Meng Meng: Nodding vigorously.jpg, this is here to support you guys, quickly bring it back! Eh, whose vinegar got spilled?
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Translator: Glariosa
Editor: Sinensis
