"If I agree, will you guarantee to return my daughter to me and never show up in front of us again?" Sooyoung asked.
"We can sign an agreement."
"No, I want to completely end our mother-son relationship," Sooyoung said.
"Tomorrow at 9am, I'll see you in front of the hospital. Bring my daughter along. From tomorrow onwards, you are no longer my mother. Please leave for now."
Mother Choi never expected her son to go to such extremes.
However, she didn't think there was anything worth holding onto, so she arrogantly turned around and left.
Seeing that his home was in a mess, Sooyoung did not immediately head for the bedroom to comfort his wife. Instead, he cleaned up the place first before he knocked on the door and called her name,
"Sunny."
"Where's my daughter?" Sunny asked as she opened the door.
"I agreed to give my sperm to Mrs. Choi so she can try IVF. In return, she will return our daughter to us at the cost of our mother-son relationship."
"You..."
"Don't worry, I won't give it to her. I have other plans," Sooyoung said as he placed his arm around Sunny's shoulder. "I want to see if she'd continue acting crazy."
No one would willingly treat their mother like this if the mother treated their child lovingly.
Unfortunately, not only was Sunny stuck in the middle, even if she didn't exist and Sooyoung knew that his mother was this crazy, he wouldn't have possibly tolerated her.
"OK, after we get back our daughter, I want to move," Sunny requested. "I hope a disgusting person like that doesn't show up in my life again."
Sooyoung pulled Sunny into his embrace and patted her comfortingly on the back "Sorry, it's my fault for not managing your relationship well."
"Forget about it. No one can manage with someone like your mother. I can't handle her, but I can hide from her."
"Wait for a good show tomorrow."
After their chat, the couple had a bath and headed to bed.
The next morning, Sunny did not accompany Sooyoung to the hospital. To resolve the matter, Sooyoung utilized his contacts and asked the doctor for some assistance.
"The doctor already has what you want. Where's my daughter?" Sooyoung asked after returning to Mother Choi an hour later. "If you go back on your word, then don't even dream about having a grandson."
Mother Choi scoffed. After seeing the doctor nod his head behind Sooyoung, she finally replied, "Your daughter is in the car. Someone is taking care of her."
"I am officially declaring it now: from this moment onwards, I am no longer your son. From now on, I am not related to any of your matters, not even your so-called future grandson," Sooyoung said firmly.
"Hmmph, don't worry, I won't bother you. Your father and I will bring up the child on our own."
"As you wish."
"My grandson will definitely have a better future than your delicate little daughter."
Sooyoung looked at Mother Choi with deep meaning. He then put away the phone that he was recording their conversation on and left the hospital to retrieve his daughter.
After Sooyoung left, Mother Choi sneered, "Right now, he may not care and think that daughters and sons are the same. But, wait 'til he grows old and realizes how pitiful it is to not a have a son by one's side. Just wait and see."
...
After returning to his car with their daughter, Sunny finally breathed a sigh of relief, "What trick did you play?"
Sooyoung smiled and replied, "I got some samples from the hospital's storage. Since she wants a grandson so badly, she can have one all she wants."
"But, she will find out sooner or later that it isn't blood-related to her," Sunny worried.
"Don't worry, I won't let the child be an orphan. If Mrs. Choi decides to abandon the child, someone will be ready to take care of it," Sooyoung replied.
"You could consider it as helping someone else achieve their dream."
Sunny didn't understand what Sooyoung had planned, but she trusted that he knew what he was doing. After all, they were talking about a life.
Since Sooyoung had already made arrangements, then it was only right for her to let the matter go...
"Will Mrs. Choi never appear in front of us again?"
"We will move immediately," Sooyoung said as he planted a kiss on Sunny's forehead.
"From now on, don't lose our daughter again," Sunny warned.
Sooyoung nodded firmly.
...
Meanwhile, Luo Sheng was on set focusing on his secondary lead role. Of course, Tiffany's ability to select the best was unrivaled.
The character this time was the perfect example. Although, Luo Sheng had to wear a mask to begin with, his character removed it towards the end. When the director saw this, he was deeply satisfied with Luo Sheng's look and continuously praised that the fans would go crazy as soon as he appeared on screen.
In reality, Luo Sheng didn't have high expectations for this role. He simply thought that Tiffany was training his persistence and his acting.
While all this was happening, Tiffany had selected her second artist and Seohyun was watching over her.
But, in relation to Superstar Media, Crown Empire's higher-ups began to question Taeyeon about the agency. Half a year had already passed, yet they hadn't heard anything from Tiffany.
Didn't she know that she was on a time limit?
As time passed, their doubts increased. Could she really create a superstar by staying at home and taking care of her kids? How could things be that easy?
"President Kim, I previously had high hopes for Tiffany, but now, you need to give us some reassurance. Otherwise, after one year is over, she will need to close down her agency."
"Exactly! It's already been half a year..."
"I think she should save herself first."
"Since there's still half a year, then I think you should all remain quiet," Taeyeon immediately brushed them off. "Has she prevented you guys from making money in this half a year?"
The shareholders had nothing to say.
In actual fact, even Taeyeon didn't know what Tiffany was getting up to. Previously, Luo Sheng was already doing well, yet she decided to make him play another secondary lead role. As a result, the popularity he had gained, slowly subsided. What exactly was she thinking?
But, Tiffany never intended to make Superstar Media famous by using Luo Sheng. She knew that he was a newcomer and she couldn't be impatient with him.
Plus, Luo Sheng couldn't possibly achieve much in a short period of time anyway. Hence, she decided to slowly train him instead.
This was the reason why she had created Superstar Media in the first place.
So, when it came to producing results, her hopes were actually placed on her second artist.
Her second artist was an extremely talented female singer.
Three years ago, she almost won first place in a singing competing, but her younger sister framed her for stealing from the organizers. As a result, she was disqualified from the finals.
Although this matter wasn't officially announced to the public, it caused quite a stir within the industry because everyone assumed she was a thief.
But, while she put up with the years of slandering, her sister had become a famous singer...
They were sisters...yet one was glorified while the other was shamed.
However, Tiffany knew that this young woman was a uniquely talented singer who had been left with no choice but to settle as a music teacher.
So, Tiffany felt it was the right time to contact her because a large scale singing competition was about to start.
Plus, Seohyun had been monitoring her to see if she was still passionate about winning.
That night, Taeyeon returned home and wrapped Taehyung in his embrace as he looked at Tiffany, "There's not much time left."
Tiffany held onto her bowl and chopsticks and glanced at Taeyeon, "You don't trust me?"
"I'm just getting impatient on your behalf."
"You don't need to," Tiffany handed Taeyeon a bowl and chopsticks, "When have I disappointed you?"
"You really don't need my help?" Taeyeon asked suggestively as he raised an eyebrow.
"No. I know I will need to pay for it," Tiffany wasn't falling for his trick.
After dinner, Taeyeon gave the two rascals a bath while Tiffany gave Seohyun a phone call, "We don't have much time left. It's time to make a move."
Actually, Seohyun was already struggling to control herself. Such a talented young girl was being schemed against by her own sister. It wasn't hard to imagine how angry she must be. Especially since she spent everyday at music school, repeating the same easy work that she obviously didn't like.
However, Tiffany had not told Seohyun to do anything until now. So, now that Tiffany finally felt it was time, Seohyun immediately threw out her invite.
The next day, while the young woman was teaching a class, Seohyun waited outside her classroom. And, as soon as she finished, Seohyun invited her out for a chat, "Could I please have half an hour of your time. I'm aware you don't have any classes in the afternoon."
The woman was a little surprised, but after seeing Seohyun's business card, she nodded her head.
Although she wanted to reject Seohyun, she couldn't possibly turn away anything related to the entertainment industry.
Soon, the two women arrived at a cafe near the school. As soon as they sat down, Seohyun began to introduce herself, "You can call me Seohyun. I am from Superstar Media."
"I've never heard of Superstar Media before," the woman shook her head.
"That's not important. What's important is, do you want to get back what belongs to you?" Seohyun asked straightforwardly.
"I've actually been monitoring you for some time and I'm aware of your past..."
"I think things are fine the way they are right now," the woman unexpectedly rejected Seohyun before she even finished talking.
"You must think I'm a scammer, don't you?" Seohyun laughed. "Don't be offended by my honesty, but what do you have for me to scam? If I want money, you don't have any. If I want to take advantage of your body, you don't have that either."
"Eh..." the woman looked at Seohyun awkwardly.
"I know that you almost came in first place in a singing competition but you ended up being disqualified because of your sister," Seohyun jumped to the main point to keep the woman interested.
"If we can give you another chance to step onto the stage, do you have the confidence to secure first place?"
The woman's eyes obviously lit up for a moment, but it quickly faded.
"There's no use. My sister told me, if I participate in a singing competition again, she will reveal my history of stealing to the public."
"What if I told you that we can clear your name?" Seohyun asked with a smile.
"That's impossible..."
"There's nothing that Superstar Media can't do." After speaking Seohyun pulled out her business card again and handed it to the woman.
"Don't lose it this time. I have a feeling you will need it."
"I can promise you that we will not only clear your name, but we will also secure you a position in an upcoming singing competition. Of course, you need to be brave as well."
"If you want to spend the rest of your life being humiliated, then no one can help you."
"Think it over. If you are happy to go ahead, then come sign a contract at Superstar Media tomorrow."
After speaking, Seohyun left the cafe, leaving the woman alone with her rapidly beating heart.
Even in her dreams she hoped to step on the stage again. However, her sister kept finding ways to suppress her. Even her current job had to get the approval of her sister.
What meaning did she have left in her life?
After a moment of thought, the woman gave her sister a phone call. But, her sister picked up the phone in an extremely annoyed tone,
"Didn't I tell you that I'm really busy during the day and that you shouldn't call me? Do you want the entire nation to know that you are a thief?"
Hearing her sister's threat, she quickly took a deep breath and apologized, "I'm sorry..."
"What's the point of being sorry? You never remember anything. Didn't you consider that I'm a famous singer? How could I have such an embarrassing sister? Don't ever call me again."
After speaking, her sister hung up the phone.
The young woman held onto the phone in a daze. In the end, she let out a cold laugh.
Perhaps...
...Superstar Media was worth a try...
Actually, that night, Seohyun was also quite unsettled. She had to admit that she wasn't as convincing as Sunny and didn't know how to appeal to one's emotions. However, she still had a feeling that the young woman would show up.
So, the next day, she arrived nice and early at the office. Not long after, the young woman also arrived.
"I am happy to sign a contract, but I would like to add one condition. You can't allow my sister to know that I'm participating in the competition," the young woman said to Seohyun.
"That's easy," Seohyun shrugged.
The woman impulsively signed the contract before she realized that she acted too hastily, "I think...I'm a little regretful."
"You don't need to be regretful. We've already signed you up for the competition using a new stage name and have scheduled a makeover for you. No one will recognize you for now. Only after you qualify for the national rounds will 'someone' notice you, if you know what I mean."
"As for the music school that you are working at, I will make arrangements with them so your sister doesn't find out. You simply need to focus on getting back what belongs to you."
"I don't understand. Why are you doing this?" the young woman was confused; they weren't cheating her of her money or her body. At the same time, she wasn't famous, but they were willing to do so much for her.
"You will understand when the time comes," Seohyun concluded without explaining anything.
As it was her first time dealing with a matter like this, there were a lot of things that Seohyun didn't know how to do. So, she needed guidance from Tiffany.
Including, arrangements for the young woman during the competition. So it seemed, Tiffany needed to personally step into action this time.
As for the shameless younger sister, perhaps only someone at Tiffany's level would be able to deal with her.
B*tches deserved an eye for an eye.
However, the young woman was still worried that her history of stealing would be revealed. She didn't believe that Superstar Media had the ability to clear her name. So, she constantly reminded herself to be careful.
Meanwhile, Tiffany was waiting patiently for the day that the younger sister came knocking on the door.
Sunny had the ability to manage Luo Sheng, but Seohyun wasn't experienced enough.
Tiffany needed to make arrangements and give her pointers, especially since their new artist was the key to Superstar Media's survival. So, following on, Tiffany placed all her focus on this woman.
Luo Sheng quickly found out from Sunny that Superstar Media had signed a new artist and this artist was not only a female, but she was also a singer. Which meant, the two of them weren't competitors. After all, the circles in which they each existed weren't likely to overlap.
Actually, he expected all along that if Superstar Media wanted to progress, they couldn't possibly just sign one artist. However, he could tell that the entire agency was already very thoughtful towards him.
"Luo Sheng, since Superstar Media has signed a contract with you, they won't just give up on you. You don't need to worry,"
Sunny personally visited Luo Sheng on set to provide reassurance. As she looked at the director, she also whispered beside his ear,
"Your director is a righteous person. You can get to know him better."
Although Luo Sheng was a little confused, he still nodded his head. He knew that Sunny's words weren't simply what they appeared on the surface.
"Your current homework is to gather contacts. You don't need to use any fancy words, just be sincere. Even if the sky falls down, Superstar Media will ensure that you get famous."
At this point in time, Luo Sheng didn't fully understand the meaning behind Sunny's words. But soon, he would realize that Tiffany's advice was a turning point in his career towards stardom.
...
Taeyeon quickly found out that Tiffany signed another artist and was planning to enter her into a singing competition called 'Journey'.
He had to admit that Tiffany's arrangement made sense.
"If you can help her win first place, she can come directly to Crown Empire," Taeyeon said to Tiffany.
"I don't need you to go easy on me..."
"I'm not. Crown Empire is a sponsor for this competition and we have a contract with the organizers," Taeyeon replied gently. "If you can secure first place for her, then she deserves to enter Crown Empire."
Tiffany's eyes lit up in surprise, "Really?"
Taeyeon carried Tiffany's freshly bathed body in his arms and placed her on top of their bed as he ran his hand across her belly, "When have I ever lied to you?"
"You can't meddle with the results just to help me," Tiffany needed reassurance, "I want her to hold the trophy in her hands because she deserves it."
"Yes, as you wish." After speaking, Taeyeon leaned over and placed a kiss on Tiffany's stomach.
Tiffany took a deep breath as she gripped onto Taeyeon's hair.
"TaeTae...I still want a daughter."
"But...I don't plan to make you pregnant again," Taeyeon replied. "After all, the two rascals already caused you so much pain when you were giving birth to them. If you suffer again, it will break my heart."
"That was because it was my first pregnancy. The second time won't be as bad," Tiffany assured.
"I still won't allow it."
"But, I want to see your helpless and loving expression around your little lover..." Tiffany persisted. "Now that the two rascals can walk and I have some spare time, I want to have a daughter."
"If you want to have a daughter, then we will have to see what you are capable of," Taeyeon lay down and looked seriously into Tiffany's eyes; it was obvious what he was trying to say.
She would have to make it happen herself!
Tiffany glared at him, but still flipped over and pressed herself on top of his body.
Even if she didn't want a daughter, she wouldn't be able to keep her hands off Taeyeon's body anyway - because simply admiring it with her eyes wasn't enough.
After being in a relationship for so long, the couple understood each other's sensitive spots. So, Tiffany knew that focusing behind Taeyeon's ear would make him lose control.
Seeing Taeyeon react, Tiffany smiled, "You can't resist anymore, can you?"
"Hurry..."
Taeyeon wanted so badly to squish this woman between his arms.
Why was she still so irresistible to him?
...
The next day, at Crown Empire. Although Tiffany had told Taeyeon not to get involved, he still called Sooyoung into his office and instructed,
"Keep an eye on the 'Journey Singing Competition'. We can't let anything unfair happen. If any dirty deals are made or winners are unofficially predetermined, you know the consequences."
"Don't worry, President," Sooyoung nodded.
Since the competition was important to Taeyeon, it was necessary for it to be completely fair.
So, Sooyoung immediately contacted the organizers and told them to strictly abide by the rules of the competition because Crown Empire would be watching.
Meanwhile, Seohyun took the young woman to see the stylist she had arranged so she could get a makeover. To keep her hidden, Tiffany instructed the stylist to cut her hair short and give her a gender-neutral look.
On top of that, to separate her from the usual divas, Seohyun asked the stylist to draw a mole just below her right eye.
Seohyun remembered Tiffany's instructions to make the young woman look like a country bumpkin; that it'd be best if she disappeared when placed into a crowd.
"Remember, you have a new name. You are now called Wendy."
The young woman looked at herself in the mirror and nodded her head, even though she didn't understand Seohyun's plan.
"The auditions are about to begin. You will need to go through a short period of training."
"Understood."
"You've entered a competition before and should understand the rules. The entire process will take 3 months and the final winner will directly sign a contract with Crown Empire," Seohyun explained,
"Which means the competition won't involve any dirty tactics and won't be unfair."
Wendy turned around and looked at Seohyun with a twinkle in her eye, "I will definitely win first place. You just wait and see."
"But you can't depend on singing alone, you still need some battle techniques. Unfortunately, I am of no help when it comes to this, but you will have a special mentor," Seohyun said as she raised an eyebrow in a secretive manner.
Wendy was confused, but, without realizing it, she had already developed a trust towards Superstar Media.
"However, your mentor will not appear until you enter the top 100. For now, if there are any problems, you can contact her through me."
"OK. I will definitely see her very soon."
Although the expectations for the initial stages of the competition weren't very high, it didn't mean that one shouldn't be cautious.
The day before the auditions, Wendy decided she was going to blow everyone away with her performance. But, that night, she received a phone call from Seohyun,
"Simply display your general abilities at the auditions tomorrow, don't reveal too much of yourself."
"But the judges may not remember me if I do that."
"Although Crown Empire will ensure that the competition is fair, you must not forget that competitors will compare themselves to you. If you steal the limelight from the beginning, do you think you'd safely make it to the top 100? Keep a low profile. The judges will be able to tell if you are capable or not. Trust me."
"You will only get one chance at the competition. If you lose your chance, then it's your problem!"
"Plus, do you want your sister to discover you straight away?"
After listening to what Seohyun said, Wendy contemplated for an entire night and agreed that Seohyun's reasoning made sense. She needed to keep a low profile, even if not for any other reason but to hide from her sister.
So, for the auditions, her aim was to display that she had a solid foundation.
9am. Wendy arrived at the auditions accompanied by Seohyun. Seeing the crowded hectic scene, Wendy couldn't help but sigh. No matter how difficult it was, the amount of people that wanted to be famous would never decrease.
There were strict guidelines for the auditions. Whether it was age or height, there were certain standards. After all, the winner would eventually sign with Crown Empire. So they couldn't just accept anyone.
Wendy's conditions weren't bad. In the eyes of the judges, apart from looking a little countrified, she pretty much ticked all the boxes.
However, they had no idea that Tiffany had deliberately made Wendy look this way.
Her non-threatening look made her less noticeable and unlikely to attract enemies.
As for those that captured attention straight from the start and were too flashy, they were easily remembered, but they also became the public enemy.
Against someone like Wendy, enemies would only use 30% of their strength, but against someone that liked to show off, they would use everything they had.
Gradually, those that qualified for the auditions received a number and headed into the main hall to wait for their names to be called.
As there were a lot of candidates, the judges could only give each person a short amount of time. Everyone wanted to make the best use of their time to prove themselves, but plenty of them ended up revealing their weaknesses instead.
In fact, to get into the next round, some of the candidates put a lot of effort into their appearance and clothing just so they could stand out in the crowd and leave a lasting impression on the judges.
But, Wendy followed Tiffany's instructions and turned up with basic clothes and no makeup. Her appearance was simple, yet slightly cool.
"Go, it's your turn." Seohyun was accompanying Wendy. So, as soon as she heard the judges call Wendy's name, she immediately gave her a nudge, "Don't think too much. Trust in yourself."
Wendy nodded and walked straight into the audition room.
The judges had gotten used to seeing extravagant and fancy appearances, so Wendy was quite a surprise.
Although she didn't look as neat and tidy as the other candidates, she had a clean appearance and looked especially pure and innocent.
One of the judges took a glance at Wendy and waved her hand, "Start."
Wendy's voice was clean and she did not select a difficult song to sing. In fact, she chose a relaxed and cheery children's song. This made the judges put down their pens and turn their focus to her.
"Hey, this one's not bad."
"After listening to so many songs, this one has been the easiest on the ear."
"The previous female singer was so high-pitched that my eardrums nearly popped."
"After putting up with so much rubbish, it's quite relaxing to listen to a children's song."
As a result, Wendy sang the entire song - for three whole minutes!
The judges looked at Wendy and nodded their heads, "Keep doing what you're doing. There's no need to look fancy. Just focus on your singing and you will go far."
"This is what we call a singer. You're through to the next round."
The four judges came to a unanimous decision.
After bowing to the judges, Wendy felt tears almost escaping from her eyes.
It turned out that the most simple things were the most eye-catching.
This was Tiffany and Seohyun's intention.
There was no point being flashy in front of others. Being able to leave an impression in front of the judges was true success.
After seeing Wendy walk out with a pass for the next round, Seohyun let out a sigh of relief. But, there was still three months left to the competition. At this rate, she still had a lot of anxiety to put up with.
"Director Lee (Lee Seohyun), thank you. From now on, I will listen to everything you say."
"Did you think that I came up with this idea? This was all thanks to the expert that's guiding me. You still haven't seen the most impressive part of her yet. Let's go. Keep a low profile. Time to go home and prepare for the next round," Seohyun placed an arm around Wendy's shoulder and led her out of the audition hall.
Not too far away, Tiffany's car was actually parked in a hidden corner.
She watched as Seohyun and Wendy exited the hall and saw the joy in their eyes. It seemed, things went well.
In this world, being capable wasn't enough. One had to understand how to help themselves gain points.
"She's only passed the auditions. There's still a long way to go," Taeyeon said beside Tiffany. "But, with a mentor like you, I'm sure she will go home with first place."
"Thank you for having so much faith in me. If I was still young, I would definitely give the competition a try," Tiffany chuckled.
"That's not allowed. Only I can hear you sing," Taeyeon restricted. "Especially at night when your 'voice' sounds particularly good..."
"Be serious," Tiffany nudged Taeyeon's shoulder playfully before she asked Sooyoung to start the car. The competition had just started and there was still a long way until the winner was announced.
Meanwhile, being in a competition again made Wendy especially happy. So, after returning home, it was impossible for her to sleep. But, her 'songstress' sister always picked the right time to give her a phone call.
"What did you want to talk about a couple days ago?" the songstress still sounded as uncaring and arrogant as ever.
"It's nothing," Wendy replied. "I just wanted to ask when your concert tour will start. I was going to come show some support."
"Oh, that...I don't have any more tickets to give you, so it's best you just go to work. I have plenty of fans, I don't need your support."
"Actually, there's something I've been wanting to ask you for a long time. Do you feel even the slightest bit of guilt towards what you did to me three years ago?" Wendy asked.
"Why would I feel guilty? It's normal for an older sister to step aside for their younger sister. Plus, you should blame yourself for stealing," the young woman replied.
"My good sister, haven't I been making sure that you're not starving? I've been feeding you well and I've supported you. What else do you want? You don't know how tiring it is to be a singer."
"By the way, mom and dad bought me a house."
"Just for you...?"
"Of course, why would they buy one for a daughter that embarrasses them?" Wendy's sister asked. "Don't think that mom and dad are being biased. You asked for this. By the way, I have other things to deal with, so I'm going to hang up now."
Wendy felt her heart being sliced open, but she resisted the urge to explode.
One day, she was going to let the b*tch know how it truly meant to be a winner.
As for her parents - from the moment that they kicked her out of the family home - she no longer considered them as her parents. One day, she was going to make them regret what they had done!
But, her main priority for now, was to get into the top 100. She had to meet the person that was guiding Seohyun behind-the-scene.
It was at this time that Superstar Media also began to become widely known. So, at this time, Tiffany was ready to shock everyone.
She was never going to let the world bully her again!
The organizers decided to name the competition using the English word 'Journey' because it sounded extra impressive and they intended to create an image of an ultimate battle.
The first stage of the competition was split into auditions, preliminary round, top 300 and top 100, and utilized the most ruthless method of elimination. There were no second chances or other arrangements. Which meant, only those in the top 100 had the privilege to find out about the next stage in the competition.
Starting from the preliminary rounds, the competition would be broadcasted live at 6pm every Saturday. And it was expected, within one month, the top 100 would be decided.
The competition was fast-paced; within the short span of a few days, the contestants were expected to be ready for the next round of fierce rivalry. This was the reality behind the ruthless 'journey' that they were on.
"A frightening number of people passed the auditions, so don't let your guard down by assuming that there are a lot of spots available for the next round. It's OK for you to relax, but you need to understand how important this competition is to you," Seohyun reminded after escorting Xing Lan home. While she was there, she took the opportunity to scan over her apartment. "This place won't do, it's too basic. You need to move."
"But, won't that attract suspicion from my sister?"
"Don't worry, from the moment that you signed with Superstar Media, your private matters were made confidential, that is, unless you reveal it yourself," Seohyun guaranteed. "Your sister will simply think that you are quietly being a teacher at music school."
"OK, I'll follow the agencies arrangements."
"In that case, I'll take you to dinner first and we can come back to pack your bags after." Seohyun ended up taking Wendy to a hotel for dinner.
However, not long after they sat down, they began to hear people talking about the competition. It was, after all, a big production that only took place once every few years, so it naturally started conversations.
"You entered the competition too, did you pass the auditions?"
"Who do you think our Nana is? She's pretty and has a great voice. She's born to be a star."
Hearing the conversation from their neighboring table, Seohyun shook her head and looked at Wendy, "Remember that girl named Nana. I bet she'll be eliminated in the next round."
"No way! She's so pretty." The woman was dressed in a long white dress with a sweet and beautiful appearance. No matter how one looked at it, she was bound to get a good result.
"Did you think that this is a beauty contest? Trust me, a piece of disgusting news will soon surface."
Fame and fortune was a huge temptation. Once one got hold of an opportunity to gain it, they would not be so silly as to let it go.
"Don't worry. The way you've been keeping a low profile is perfect." Wendy wasn't a threat for anyone. At least for now, she wasn't going to attract any trouble. Seohyun was proud of this, but of course, this was all thanks to the guidance from Tiffany.
In response, Wendy revealed a smile.
The next round was due in six days. However, unlike everyone else, Tiffany was in no rush to train Wendy, nor did she hire any experts to perfect her singing technique. Instead, she instructed her to relax. Wendy wasn't any less talented than anyone else. All she was lacking was a stable mindset and confidence.
Soon, the next round took place inside the Seoul Korea Stadium. As usual, Seohyun accompanied Wendy to the competition.
This time, it was also an elimination round. The contestants were split into groups of 5, but only one survived from each group.
The two women spotted the beautiful Nana in the stadium, and as usual, she was dressed to the nines. When one looked at her, it was impossible to take their eyes off her. But, according to what Seohyun said the other day, this woman was going to be eliminated today.
"Go draw a number," Seohyun reminded Wendy. After drawing a number, the contestants split up, found their respective groups and waited patiently.
However, after Wendy found her group, the other girls simply looked at her with disdain.
In fact, their expressions showed that they didn't think much of her and didn't view her as a threat because she did not stand out at all.
At this time, Wendy finally understood why Seohyun wanted her to look so countrified. If one didn't appear to pose a threat...their enemies would overlook them.
"What's the tactic this time?" Wendy asked beside Seohyun's ear.
"Sing something that you're comfortable with and keep your true abilities hidden. It's not time to dazzle everyone yet."
"Understood."
So, while the other contestants gave their all on stage, singing until tears almost flowed from their eyes, Wendy's performance was extremely steady.
Just like during the auditions, she maintained her simple and basic image.
However, this time, there was an experienced judge on the panel that was also present at the auditions. So, as soon as he saw Wendy, he was quite interested by her.
However, he did not mention it to the other judges because he needed time to confirm her abilities. If he mentioned it now, it would merely increase everyone's expectations for her.
"Child, you can start," a judge initiated.
This time, Wendy did not sing a children's song. Instead, she chose to sing a warm and comforting song. After hearing the other contestants singing their lungs out, the judges eardrums were in pain.
So, a comforting song at a time like this, was the perfect remedy for their tired ears.
As usual, Wendy's voice was clean. Coupled with her warm and sweet smile, she sang in much the same way that Tiffany acted; she simply let the song flow naturally and the meaning was automatically portrayed.
If one was to critique her singing technique, there wasn't much to say. But, when it came to the quality of her voice, it was stable and extremely comfortable to listen to.
Out of the five women, only one could pass to the next round. That was a one in five chance or 20%.
The probability wasn't considered high or low, but if they lost this chance, it would be forever.
Soon, the five women made their way onto the stage. It was time to determine their fates.
The other contestants didn't even consider for a moment that the common-looking woman on the left would have any chance of advancing.
Were they kidding? This was the entertainment industry. It wasn't a place where a non-stylish country bumpkin could enter.
But, contrary to their expectations, the judges actually announced Wendy's name.
"Congratulations, Wendy, you received the highest score in your group and will be advancing to the next round. Get ready for next week's competition."
Wendy bowed thankfully at the judges, while the other contestants were left in shock.
"What?"
"What just happened?"
"Why is that country bumpkin advancing?"
"Something unfair must have happened!"