Against the Light - Chapter 118
Chapter 118: Isn't Sister Pretty?
"Hey? What are you all doing?" On the bus, the members of Heart Entertainment finally noticed something was off. The people from Light & Shadow and Star Moon had actually huddled together, keeping their distance from them.
"The people from Heart Entertainment are too dangerous. We'd better maintain a certain social distance."
"???"
"Are we really that ferocious? This is really awkward of you."
"So awkward, we can't even be friends anymore!"
"We'll make you eat your words!" Huo Jie shouted, leading the charge.
The members of the other two companies burst into laughter.
【I'm so jealous of this friendship. They must be really close to be able to joke like this on a show.】
【Aww, the sisters' smiles are so sweet. Every single one of them is amazing. I can't wait for their runway walk!!】
【I can!! I've said this so many times, but I can, ahhh!!!】
【Is it going to be a real runway show? Do these ladies even know how to walk the runway?】
【I don't know, but it's a live stream, so they can't fake it. Just look forward to it.】
Before long, the bus slowly came to a stop. The screen switched to an external view of the bus, filming the door directly.
The door opened, and the women stepped off one by one. They gathered in groups of three or five, walked the red carpet, and entered in an orderly fashion.
They were also unfamiliar with the venue and the stage, so they could only follow the staff's directions.
Soon, everyone arrived at a communal dressing room backstage. There were twenty-eight seats, each with a makeup artist and an assistant standing beside it. When the contestants entered, the room immediately erupted in applause.
Seeing this setup, everyone showed expressions of surprise. They were even more astonished when they recognized that many of the makeup artists were famous in the industry, some even being the exclusive artists for major celebrities or film crews.
"Huh? Wow, is this the new set from the Ming family?" Lin Guo picked up a makeup bag from the table. Opening it, she found a full set of skincare products. A set was placed on every table. Not only that, but even the cosmetics the makeup artists were using were all Ming family products.
"Thank you, Young President Ming!"
"Young President Ming, you've spent too much!"
Some of the women who had endorsement deals immediately and consciously thanked their generous sponsor. Ming Zhen, who was secretly watching the live stream, was very pleased.
【Ooh, what kind of cosmetics are the sisters using? Someone please fill me in!】
【Holy crap, I know that Ming family makeup bag. That skincare set is 9,999. It's been sitting in my shopping cart for ages because I couldn't bear to buy it.】
【I use Ming family skincare too. The results are really good, and they have a lot of affordable products. This is their high-end line, so most people can just look.】
【The sponsor is so rich, giving such a huge gift right from the start.】
As everyone was chatting, they suddenly heard applause and cheers from the back. They turned to see Gu Xinran walking in.
"Sister Ran!" The group from Heart Entertainment was exceptionally excited, as if they had just seen their parent.
Gu Xinran smiled and waved to everyone, then walked to a small platform at the front and stood still. She scanned the room, a gentle smile appearing on her face.
"First of all, on behalf of the Queen's matchmaking… oops, no, the Queen's Stage, I welcome you all."
"Hey! That's going too far!"
Watching the group clamorously protest, Gu Xinran pursed her lips and chuckled.
"My apologies, I accidentally said the quiet part out loud."
"Hahaha~"
"Alright, no more jokes. I want to ask everyone, do you know what you're here to do?" Gu Xinran looked at them one by one.
"Walk the runway!"
"Then do you know that this runway show also has a competitive element?"
"Competition?" Everyone was taken aback. They hadn't heard about this. They had all assumed they were just here for a simple runway show.
"That's right. Let me briefly explain the process. Today is your debut stage. I know you've all been gearing up and preparing for this stage for many days. After the debut stage showcase, you can freely form groups based on everyone's performance or your first impressions. There will be four teams of seven. We have invited four professional mentors to conduct a seven-day intensive training for you. After seven days, each team will have its first performance show. After the second public performance, an elimination system will be activated. Based on the combined voting scores from the two performances, the seven people with the lowest scores in the disadvantaged team will be eliminated."
"Seven!" everyone exclaimed in shock. Seven people eliminated at once!?
"Yes, seven."
"This show will have three rounds of elimination. In the end, only seven people will remain on this stage, forming the entertainment industry's top model group. The winners will receive fashion resources beyond your imagination as a reward. I'll keep you in suspense on that for now." Gu Xinran smiled mysteriously, pursing her lips.
"Hiss… Isn't that a bit too brutal?" The women looked at each other.
"Hey, Sister Ran, how does the voting work? There won't be any shady business, right?"
The question was very direct, and the atmosphere became a little awkward for a moment.
Gu Xinran laughed heartily. "I brought them here to find a partner. If I kept them all and eliminated all of you, where would I find suitors? Don't worry, as soon as any of them find a partner, I'll eliminate them immediately. The opportunities will all be yours."
"I get it now. Sister Ran is making sure not to let the good prospects get away~"
"Hahaha~"
The members of Heart Entertainment looked exasperated.
【Hahaha, Xinran is so witty. Desperately promoting her own artists, is that even okay?】
【That question was so awkward. Good thing my Ran has high EQ.】
【Heart Entertainment members: ??? Who exactly are your artists??】
【Hahaha, Sister Ran is so real.】
"I know everyone is very concerned about the voting rules, and I know all of your fanbases are very powerful. However, to prevent fans from ballot-stuffing and disrupting the competition rules, fan votes will only account for twenty percent of the total. Your stage performance will account for forty percent, the mentors' scores will account for twenty percent, and your usual performance will account for the remaining twenty percent."
"Does anyone have any other questions?"
"Will the show provide our performance outfits?"
"Of course. After the debut stage, we will present four sets of outfits in different styles for you to choose from freely."
"Ahhh, I'm so excited! I just want to wear pretty clothes~"
"Can you reveal what brand they are?"
Gu Xinran pursed her lips and smiled without answering.
"Let me keep you in suspense."
"Ah, that's so mean!"
"Alright, I'll leave the dressing room to you all now. In two hours, I'll be looking forward to your performances."
"Okay!"
After speaking, Gu Xinran left. Before she walked out, she winked at the Heart Entertainment group, a gesture that was sensitively captured by the netizens, who commented that her wink was full of spirit!
In the break room, Ming Zhen, Qu Qi, Fang Jinghai, and others were present.
Gu Xinran pushed the door open and entered, letting out an unexaggerated sigh of relief. Fang Jinghai stepped forward to straighten her clothes.
"Was I calm enough just now?" After all, it was her first time playing the role of a host in front of so many successful people. Even Gu Xinran felt a little timid.
"Super steady!" Fang Jinghai nodded, giving her a big thumbs-up.
"Hey, not bad. In just this short time, you've sold several thousand sets of skincare products." Ming Zhen gave Gu Xinran a thumbs-up, praising her for coming up with such a golden idea.
"That fast?" Gu Xinran was surprised.
"Yeah, many fan groups are spontaneously competing to see whose idol has more selling power," Qu Qi said, fiddling with her phone and reporting the data in real-time as she scrolled.
Hearing this, Gu Xinran frowned in thought. "This won't do. We're not here to fleece the fans. I suggest we implement appropriate limits and purchase restrictions. After all, we're thinking long-term."
"I get it." Ming Zhen nodded, took out her phone, and sent a WeChat message to her assistant with instructions. Then, she scrolled through her contacts, her finger pausing on the name Jiang Ming.
Ever since she added Jiang Ming on WeChat, she hadn't found a suitable opportunity to chat with her.
Ming Zhen bit her knuckle, wrestling with her thoughts for a moment. She typed for a long time, then deleted it all.
Gu Xinran was still talking to her, but seeing her distracted state, she glanced at Fang Jinghai, nudged her chin, and gave her a look.
Fang Jinghai understood. Following her gaze, she quietly circled around behind the sofa and peeked at her phone.
"President Jiang? Is that the President Jiang from Ming Xin?"
"Hiss! You scared me to death!" Ming Zhen nearly jumped up, patting her chest.
"What are you guys doing? What's with these weird expressions?" Ming Zhen glanced from side to side. Everyone was looking at her with a very strange expression.
"Shouldn't we be asking you that? What's our Young President Ming up to? Blushing just from looking at your phone? What are you hiding in there?" Gu Xinran asked with a mischievous smile.
"I'm not!"
"Oh my, why is your face getting redder the more we talk about it!?" Fang Jinghai said exaggeratedly.
Ming Zhen hadn't been blushing, but after that comment, her face turned completely red.
"You're going too far. Stop causing trouble here. Go play with your wife," Ming Zhen said, annoyed, and shot a glance at Gu Xinran.
Gu Xinran threw up her hands. That remark really hit home. Yilan hadn't been idle recently either; she had been following up on the new designs. She had pulled several all-nighters in the past few days, and when Gu Xinran left this morning, she was in a daze. It broke her heart to see her like that.
In the adjacent room, Gu Xinran gently pushed the door open and saw Yilan napping on her side on the sofa. Seemingly startled by the sound of the door, Yilan turned over and opened her eyes.
Gu Xinran quickly walked over and knelt by the sofa. "Go back to sleep, it's okay."
Bai Yilan glanced at the wall clock and stretched. "Has it started already?" she asked, her voice hoarse.
"Yes, everyone is doing their makeup, preparing for the debut stage." Seeing her bloodshot eyes, Gu Xinran's face filled with heartache, and her tone was exceptionally gentle.
Bai Yilan sat up and rubbed her eyes. "I'll go check on how the clothes are coming along."
The public performance evaluation was in seven days. Twenty-eight outfits in four different styles was a considerable amount of work. Although she had a professional team, she still needed to personally oversee everything from design to production to feel at ease.
"Hey, have you ever met President Jiang from Ming Xin?"
"Hmm? No." Bai Yilan shook her head.
"This person is a bit mysterious. She didn't even show up for the partnership negotiations."
"Why? Are you worried about something?"
"Not really. Haven't you noticed that whenever Ming Zhen mentions this President Jiang, her whole demeanor changes?"
Bai Yilan raised an eyebrow slightly, thinking back.
"Just now, that girl was holding her phone, looking at Jiang Ming's WeChat, and she actually blushed."
"That happened?"
"Yeah. When you get a chance later, why don't you ask her about it?" Gu Xinran all but had the word 'gossip' written on her face.
"Alright."
With that agreement, the two of them tacitly decided to target Ming Zhen with their scheming.
At Shi Qing's residence.
Shi Qing was leisurely sitting on the sofa, reading a magazine and drinking tea.
Ye Nan was quietly watching the live stream by herself.
"Xinran's idea is really not bad. This time, Wei Yi invited so many famous models in the industry, but their live stream only has a few tens of thousands of viewers. Xinran has completely stolen the spotlight. What a huge loss of face. Many sponsors have already expressed their dissatisfaction and are putting pressure on Bai Yue."
"Making a group of actresses and singers do a crossover runway show… only she could come up with that," Ye Nan sighed softly.
"Hey, don't knock it. These actresses are genuinely good-looking, even more so than those famous models. I'm actually looking forward to their performance now." Ye Nan talked to herself for a while, completely unconcerned about whether Shi Qing was responding, as she was already used to this dynamic.
"Hiss, hey, Sister Qing, I'm still a bit worried about their outfits. With so many famous artists, it would be so embarrassing if the clothes they wear on stage aren't up to par."
Shi Qing took a sip of tea.
"Have you forgotten how the brand Yi Ren came to be?"
"Oh, right!" Ye Nan slapped her forehead in sudden realization.
A short while later, Shi Qing put down her teacup. Listening to the cacophony of women chattering from Ye Nan's phone, she rubbed her temples with a hint of impatience.
"Do young people these days really like watching these people?" Shi Qing asked.
Why did it just sound noisy to her?
She had only watched the beginning, forcing herself to finish the segment where Xinran appeared. When the camera panned to the dozens of female stars, she couldn't watch anymore. Glancing over, although a few looked familiar, she didn't really recognize any of them.
"They're so pretty! Aren't they prettier than those models? How about I introduce them to you one by one?"
"Come on, what's so good about a magazine? Come and look at these ladies!"
Shi Qing frowned, a look of disdain on her face. "Why is your tone of voice so affected?"
"???"
"Don't you want to have more in common with Yilan? If you get to know them now, you can talk to her about her friends in the industry when she comes back."
Shi Qing thought about it. That remark really hit a nerve.
Half an hour later…
"Eh? Aren't those the two actresses from Never Parting? That's the vicious supporting female character, I know her. So her name is Qin Qiong."
"Oh, she and Lin Guo were on that variety show Yilan was on, right? Are they a couple?"
"Ye Qihan? Hey, this girl is kind of handsome."
"This Qi-Qi CP is pretty cute too."
Ye Nan rested her chin on her hand, smiling as she watched her. "Boss."
"Hmm?"
"Enjoying it?"
Shi Qing shot her an unfriendly glare, scaring her into immediate silence.
Before they knew it, the young women had finished their makeup and changed into the clothes they would wear for their stage performance.
During this time, although the Heart Entertainment team hadn't heavily promoted the variety show, that didn't stop it from dominating the trending topics.
Fans of each celebrity frantically supported their idols, spontaneously organizing a massive promotional campaign.
The numerous trending spots that Wei Yi had spent a fortune on for their big show were instantly pushed down past the thirtieth position.
【Ahhh, even though I'm looking forward to the sisters' stage, I could watch them do their makeup all day. This show is so much fun, ahhh!】
【I thought I'd see some exciting drama and catfights, but why am I only seeing pink bubbles? Are these sisters really here for a group matchmaking session?】
【Ahhh, is Qiuyan seriously using her finger to apply lipstick for Yuwei! Girl, step up your game, you should be using your mouth to apply it!!】
【Calm down, person above me. Applying it with your mouth probably can't be broadcast, hahaha.】
【Damn! I thought Qin Qiong was straight as an arrow, until I saw her applying eyeshadow for Guozi. I'm so jealous, sob.】
【Ahhh, the sisters doing each other's makeup is so touching, ahhh!! I could watch this for a lifetime!!】
【I've repeated this so many times, but I have to say it again: I can!!! I can for every single one of them!!】
Seeing that everyone was ready, the staff guided them to the studio.
"Sisters, you can take your seats freely. The stage will be revealed to you shortly, and then the evaluation will begin. The order of appearance will be decided by you," the staff member said before leaving.
Everyone looked at each other in unison, then took their seats, mostly grouped by their companies.
The people from Star Moon were led by Yan Xi, including the Qi-Qi duo.
The artists from Light & Shadow were led by Su Cen.
Artists from other smaller companies sat with people they knew.
The group from Heart Entertainment exchanged glances and then, with a tacit understanding, scattered to sit in various places. If they saw someone sitting alone, someone would immediately go over to keep them company. If they saw someone who wasn't very talkative, they would immediately find a topic to include them. They quickly warmed up the atmosphere, which became very harmonious.
Before long, the large screen in front of them lit up, revealing the stage. Everyone gasped in amazement.
"Hey, I've never walked a T-stage before."
"This stage is amazing. The lighting creates a great atmosphere."
"Right, right, thanks to the lighting, it feels a bit like a familiar stage."
"Look, there are markings on the stage floor. Does that mean you have to take a certain number of steps of a certain length to reach the end?"
"Wow, that's so hard. I really thought a runway walk was just walking. I was thinking, who can't walk, so I came…"
"Regretting it?"
"Yeah."
"We haven't even started yet, how are you already regretting it…"
"After all, we're not professionals at this… Are there any professionals here? Maybe someone can set an example for us?"
"Where's Sister Huo? Sister, you're a professional. Why don't you go first?" someone called out to Huo Jie.
"Alright, I'll go first." Huo Jie showed no stage fright at all. With a nod, she stood up.
Everyone immediately applauded for her.
Huo Jie took off the white suit jacket draped over her shoulders, eliciting another round of screams.
Underneath, she wore a black backless top paired with a pair of sparkling bell-bottom trousers. She had a perfect figure, with a narrow waist and long legs—a perfect clothes hanger, both beautiful and cool.
Huo Jie waved to the crowd and walked into the passageway, heading straight for the stage.
Huo Jie stood on the stage, glanced left and right, then adjusted her earpiece.
"Hello, lighting director. I want all the lights to focus on me in an instant."
"Okay," someone responded immediately.
In the control room.
"Oh? You can make requests like that?"
"Wow, that instant focus sounds like it's going to be explosive."
"I'm so excited, so excited."
"Here it comes, here it comes!"
The screen went dark.
Suddenly, countless beams of colored light shot out in all directions, instantly illuminating the entire stage.
The next second, all the light beams converged sharply at the center of the stage, focusing entirely on Huo Jie!
Huo Jie stood with her left hand on her hip, her body slightly tilted. The moment the light focused on her, she snapped her eyes open, a sharp glint seeming to flash within them!
"Ahhh, that moment was so impactful!!"
"I've got goosebumps!!"
"Wow, that shot was truly amazing. She really has a lot of stage experience. The camera focused on her face at that exact moment, and her presence just exploded."
"So powerful, so powerful. Look how straight she's walking. The tip of her shoe lands perfectly on the line every time without stepping on it!"
"Wow, those long legs. I'm so envious."
"So composed. Her expression management is on point too. So professional, so professional."
As everyone was marveling, Huo Jie reached the end of the runway. She swung her arm forward with momentum, raised it, and ran her fingers through her hair, pushing it back. She tilted her head back slightly, a hint of languor in her eyes. With one hand on her hip, she popped her hip slightly, struck a pose, then returned to the center of the stage, turned, looked back, and froze.
She ended with a blown kiss and a deep bow. When she straightened up, she had a smile on her face, a completely different person from the one on the runway just moments ago.
【Ahhh, my impression of Huo Jie was still stuck in Escape from Death. This is the first time I've seen her walk a runway. What a hidden gem of an idol!!】
【To the person above, I heard that after she signed with Heart Entertainment, the company had her develop her career in the fashion world. I have to say, she's really suited to be a model. Her body proportions are amazing, and her aura is incredible.】
【Ahhh, frantically supporting my Jie. The number one model group in the entertainment industry must have a spot for you!】
【So cool, ahhh, so Alpha. I can't take it!!】
"It's over, it's over. She kicked things off with a bang. Who would dare to go on after her…" The women in the studio smiled wryly.
"Can two people walk together?" Lin Guo asked into the microphone.
"Yes," the director replied.
"?? Huh? Two people can go together?"
"Couples are allowed," the director replied.
"Isn't that unfair!"
"Hehe~"
"???"
"That 'hehe' is full of meaning. Are you trying to force us to marry into your family?"
"Hahaha~" Everyone roared with laughter.
"Well then, sisters, how about Qin Qiong and I go first? Neither of us are professionals anyway."
"Okay, good luck, good luck!"
"Alrighty~"
The two of them walked onto the stage calmly, holding hands and standing in the center, instantly becoming the focus of the entire venue.
"Oh my, look, the two of them, one in black and one in white, one lively and one quiet, they're really in sync."
"Yeah, Guozi is so cute. Hey, looking at it this way, Qin Qiong is pretty cool and dominant too. The two of them are really a good match."
"Seriously, walking with someone else probably isn't as scary, right? I want to find someone to walk with too."
"Me too."
"Sisters, don't you think this seems like a conspiracy by Xinran? First, she has Huo Jie make a stunning debut to pressure us, then she has Lin Guo and Qin Qiong propose a couple's runway walk to encourage us to find a partner to go on stage with!" Yan Xi pushed up her non-existent glasses, analyzing the situation with a straight face.
"Hiss! The more I think about it, the scarier it gets!"
"?? Now that you mention it, that seems to make sense!"
"Yes, I think so too!"
【?? Have these sisters lost their memories? Weren't they the ones who asked Huo Jie to go first? Hahaha.】
【LMAO, they're actually taking it seriously. Xinran must feel so wronged, hahaha.】
【Gu Xinran: ? Well… that was sudden.】
【Hahaha, Ranran isn't even on site and she's still getting blamed for everything.】
【And so many people agree with her. These sisters are going to be the death of me.】
【Yan Xi: Isn't sister pretty? I traded my brain for it.】
【Hahahahaha】
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