This chapter has been translated by Atlas Studios. All credits belong to them.
Sifting through Ye Xingling's memories, Xia Ling learned that Ye Xingling was 16-years-old and was born into a normal working family. She had a father, a stepmother and a half-sister, Ye Xingfei.
A year ago, Ye Xingfei pulled Ye Xingling along to participate in a Skyart Entertainment's trainee audition. Fortunately, both of them were successful in their auditions and were selected as trainees. Skyart Entertainment signed them on and planned for the sisters to debut as a duo. However, little did they know that the day they signed the contract, tragedy struck. Ye Xingfei was involved in an accident with a truck that lost control, which left her in a vegetative state.
Seeing the plan to debut the sister duo foiled, Skyart Entertainment wanted to terminate the contract with Ye Xingling.
After all, in their eyes, Ye Xingling was only of average talent. The one who really had potential was Ye Xingfei, now a patient in a vegetative state. The person responsible for the termination of the negotiations was the general manager of Skyart Entertainment's Trainee Center, Tan Ying. He was considered a big name in the entertainment industry, having previously discovered and groomed several A-list artistes. He was known to have a good eye for talent and was astute in his criticism. If he claimed that one had no future, then surely that person would not succeed in the industry.
But Ye Xingling was not willing to terminate her contract then.
She had a close relationship with her sister, and she desperately needed cash to pay for her sister's exorbitant treatment fees. Hence, kneeling and begging in front of Tan Ying, she pleaded the company for a loan and vowed to work doubly hard to achieve the best results and repay the company.
Xia Ling had to admit, Ye Xingling was a person with great determination. She was able to convince Tan Ying, who was known to have a heart of stone in the industry, to give her a chance. The company paid her a large sum of money in advance, of which she needed to repay upon debuting along with interest. However, if she were to be eliminated before debuting, she would then have to clear her debt within the year, otherwise...
Xia Ling narrowed her eyes, feeling sympathy for Ye Xingling.
In her previous life, she had heard of certain rumors about Skyart Entertainment. It was said that the company was owned by the Li family – a family associated with the underworld. Other than grooming their artistes, the entertainment company also allegedly meddled in some underworld businesses. If one were to offend a company with such a shady background...
Fine. Perhaps she should not sympathize with Ye Xingling. Ye Xingling was gone for good and would not have to worry about these things anymore. All her problems were now Xia Ling's.
If it were up to her, Xia Ling would not have stepped into the entertainment industry again in this life. She had already stood at the pinnacle of fame in her past life, receiving and enjoying the most enthusiastic support from fans, and experienced the most sinister of schemes as well. She could not think of anything that would attract her about the entertainment industry anymore. Moreover, the industry reminded her of everything about "that man"...
Pain churned in her heart, as she tried to suppress her memories of "that man".
If it were possible, Xia Ling wished that Ye Xingling could be officially eliminated during her trainee stages and live a normal life. However, due to the massive debt that Ye Xingling had racked up, this was but wishful thinking. Xia Ling had no idea how to repay the debt because she knew nothing else except for singing.
Therefore, not only could she not leave, but she had to stay and debut successfully.
Xia Ling sighed deeply and forced a smile.
The heavens must be playing a joke on her. The sum Ye Xingling owed to the company, while said to be a massive loan, was in actual fact only a few million dollars. In her previous life, anything Xia Ling bought would easily be around this amount. However, this time she was stumped. She had no choice but to continue working and suffer in this bizarre entertainment industry.
In the persona of a mere subpar trainee on the brink of elimination no less.
Xia Ling was gradually getting used to her new identity.
The days spent in Skyart Entertainment were uneventful. Every day was a standard routine – she would wake up at the same time, practice her singing and dancing, and then wash up before heading to bed. Perhaps for some, 12 hours a day of intensive practice was grilling. However, after experiencing all the backstabbing and despair in her past life, a simple life was like heaven to Xia Ling.
Day after day of practicing and familiarizing with her new body, Xia Ling was delighted to find out that this body was unexpectedly flexible. This was an innate talent, yet the previous owner of the body was unable to use it to its full potential. Otherwise, she would not be inferior to anyone in the industry after debut, let alone succeeding during this trainee period.
Even her vocal abilities were exquisite. Underneath the seemingly normal vocals, she had a hidden uniqueness that was one of a kind.
Xia Ling was elated with her discoveries. She might have been disappointed by the entertainment industry, but her passion for singing and dancing were ingrained in her bones. She must have been pitied by the Gods to be able to be reborn in such a body.
As she familiarized herself with her new body, coaches in every department were shocked to find that the hopeless student Ye Xingling had improved tremendously after a week. She was able to perform an entire routine without any error.
A handful of coaches praised her.
These praises attracted the jealousy of the trainees in the same class. In their impression, Ye Xingling was a good-for-nothing trainee, existing to rank last in the examinations and to highlight the talents and elegance of others. Now, it was certainly a disappointment that the good-for-nothing trainee had improved.
Xia Ling planned the speed of her "improvements" with caution. The pace of "improvement" was quick, but not excessive. After all, it would definitely be inconceivable that a trainee on the verge of elimination could rise up to be as skillful as a diva.
Even Luo Luo who was always sticking by her side had not realized any abnormalities.
Luo Luo ran and hopped towards Xia Ling, grabbing on to her elbow affectionately. She looked up at Xia Ling with an innocent smile and asked, "Xingling... Xingling! Shall we go for a meal together?"
Xia Ling controlled the urge to massage her temples.
Luo Luo had been pestering her in the past few days. This innocent, energetic girl was sticking to her harder than a chewing gum. No matter how much Xia Ling tried, she could not seem to get rid for her. Well, they were not "best friends" for nothing...
Everything started three months ago.
Back then, Luo Luo arrived at the training camp after passing her auditions. As she was still unfamiliar with everything, there was one time she went into the wrong classroom and missed important pointers from the coach. In the training camp everyone was a competitor, thus no one was willing to help Luo Luo other than Ye Xingling. Her results might be terrible, but she still tried her best to transmit all the information she could remember to Luo Luo.
From then on, Luo Luo saw Ye Xingling as her good friend.
However, the Xia Ling now did not need any "friends".
Opening your heart to and growing too close to another person was the dumbest thing to do in this world. Be it kinship, friendship, or... love.
Handsome yet cold, the god-like memories of "that man" emerged yet again. Each scene of them together fleeted across her mind. Suddenly, she felt her heart writhing in pain. "Pei Ziheng..." She muttered under her breath.
"What did you say?" Luo Luo glanced over to her curiously. "Hurry~ if we get to the canteen late, there won't be anything delicious left for us! Xingling, hurry up~ Today's menu is your favorite codfish and lettuce!" She rushed her with a smile.
Xia Ling was stunned back to her senses and followed Luo Luo towards the direction of the canteen.
It was lunchtime. Everyone from the company was heading in the same direction. Xia Ling and Luo Luo chatted as they walked — well, it was mainly Luo Luo doing the talking and Xia Ling listening to her in silence.
"Did you know?" Luo Luo walked with a spring in her step, her short hair bouncing along, looking as adorable as a bunny. "This upcoming end-of-month examination isn't your usual examination! I heard that Shen Manyao will be coming to select dancers for her new MV!"
"Oh." Xia Ling responded nonchalantly, uninterested in the conversation.
Luo Luo suddenly pressed. "Xingling! Did you hear me? It's Shen Manyao! SHEN MANYAO! She's an actual star, not like us trainees who haven't debuted! If we can be selected to participate in her MV's dance troupe it would be such a good opportunity! It's an actual MV shooting and not just practice!"
"So?"
Luo Luo stared at her as if she was staring at a monster. "Xingling, why is your reaction so lukewarm? Aren't you excited at all?"
What was there to be excited about? It took her some time to even figure out who this "Shen Manyao" was. In her previous life, she did not have wide connections. With the big boss of Imperial Entertainment, Pei Ziheng, showering her with adoration, coupled with the protection of the internationally renowned first-rate manager Chu Chen, Xia Ling could be described as arrogant and domineering and paid no one any attention. Back then, she would not even care to spend an ounce of energy to remember a small star of a different class.
The only reason she even remembered Shen Manyao at all was because Shen Manyao had once offended her.