CHAPTER 3: THE ALL-ROUND GIRL

Once they figured out that Jiang Su had only appeared in a regular news report, their enthusiasm cooled down significantly.

Only the girl who had spoken earlier, the one who said, “I know you too,” stayed close to Jiang Su.

“My name is Yu Xinyan. I’ve been a trainee for six years now… Pretty useless, huh? But that’s reality. Even after ten years, you might still not debut. I’ve been on two small talent shows before, and both times, I got eliminated in the third round. My biggest moment in the spotlight was when our program collaborated with a boy group’s survival show, and I got caught in a minor scandal. People tore me apart online… But now, I finally got into a major show. This program is hosted by the Weiguang platform, you know? They’ve got deep pockets…”

The other girls snickered. “How many people have you given this whole speech to already? I think you’d be perfect for playing Xianglin’s Wife* in the future.”
(*A tragic character from Chinese literature who keeps repeating her sorrows.)

Yu Xinyan wasn’t embarrassed. She just whispered, “Everyone who comes in here thinks they’re about to skyrocket to fame. If my story can help them wake up and make a rational choice, isn’t that a good thing?”

The others only rolled their eyes and muttered to themselves.

“What wake-up call? More like trying to scare off potential competitors…”

“As if everyone’s as useless as her—six years and still no debut?”

Yu Xinyan acted like she didn’t hear them, but Jiang Su, having undergone specialized training in her early years, caught every single word crystal clear.

Jiang Su looked at her. “Go on.”

Yu Xinyan hesitated for a few seconds. She still wants to hear?

Pressing her lips together, she adjusted her emotions and continued speaking, all while reaching out to help Jiang Su make her bed.

But before she could, Jiang Su had already finished tidying it up in just a few swift motions.

So Yu Xinyan had no choice but to put even more effort into explaining how powerful Weiguang was, how intense the upcoming show would be, and who the key players were…

For others, this might have been pointless chatter.

But for Jiang Su, this was exactly what she needed. The more she knew, the harder it would be for others to control her, and the easier it would be for her to achieve her goals.

Seeing the two of them actually getting along, the other girls were speechless. They turned away and pulled out their phones, opening their private WeChat group chat.

[Not many kids are this good at housework these days.]

[Her family must not be doing well.]

[Not necessarily. Look at the quality of her clothes, and the way she carries herself. Her demeanor is different.]

[…Did you see an LV or Gucci logo on her outfit? There’s nothing. Just some cheap online store knockoff. Unless you think it’s custom-made haute couture?]

Wan Yue hesitated for a moment, then typed out a full sentence:

I used to be her classmate. Her family did have money before.

But in the end, she deleted it all.

What was the point of saying that? To make everyone shocked that Jiang Su didn’t remember her old classmate?

Jiang Su didn’t have many belongings. After locking them in her cabinet, she asked Yu Xinyan to take her to the supermarket to buy some essentials.

Then, she officially settled in.

For the next month, they would undergo intensive training arranged by the company—reporting in at 8 AM sharp and returning to the dorm at 10 PM every night.

By the tenth day before the final selection, another batch of trainees would be eliminated.

Jiang Su kept all of this in mind.

The next morning at six, she was already out of bed, braving the cold to run five kilometers outside. She picked up two buns on the way back, sipping milk as she walked back to the dorm.

The sky was still dim.

Most shops hadn’t opened yet, and the buns she bought were just mass-produced ones from a 24-hour convenience store—dry and bland.

But Jiang Su couldn’t help but squint her eyes in satisfaction.

This was an experience she had never had before—

Just strolling back home slowly, eating her food, feeling the first light of dawn stretch across the horizon.

This profession… not bad at all!

The others didn’t wake up until eight. They rushed to wash up, apply skincare, and put on makeup.

By the time they were dressed, they happened to see Jiang Su walking in through the door.

Everyone was momentarily stunned.

“Where did you go?”

Jiang Su: “Running.”

“…” Her? With that delicate, frail look of hers? Running?

“Having enthusiasm on the first day is great, but don’t burn out too soon.” Someone commented indifferently before hurriedly grabbing their bag and heading out.

“Hurry up! We’re going to be late!”

“Forget breakfast, there’s no time…”

Jiang Su didn’t bring a bag. Instead, she caught up with Yu Xinyan and handed her two steamed buns and a bag of soy milk.

Yu Xinyan was taken aback.

The others also paused in surprise.

“Breakfast,” Jiang Su said lightly.

Most young people these days suffer from mild gastritis—skipping breakfast, eating too much takeout, staying up late, and living irregularly.

Yu Xinyan was no exception.

But since they always struggled to wake up in the mornings, she couldn’t even remember the last time she had breakfast.

Holding the warm food in her hands, she felt a rare warmth in her heart.

Was it because I talked to her a lot yesterday? Not only did she not find me annoying, but she also listened carefully and even brought breakfast just for me?

The others felt a twinge of jealousy.

In this cold weather, who wouldn’t want something warm to fill their stomach?

“Alright, alright, let’s get moving!” Someone urged impatiently.

Their apartment was still a bit of a walk from the subway station. By the time they arrived and got on the train, Yu Xinyan had already finished eating.

Seventeen minutes later, they arrived at the company.

Then, in a flurry, they rushed upstairs. Only then did Jiang Su realize that this company had a lot of girls, all competing for a spot in the upcoming show.

Inside, the posture instructor clapped her hands.

“Alright, everyone, come in.”

Jiang Su was the last to enter.

For a brief moment, the spacious practice room fell silent. Even the instructor hesitated.

“Who is she? Haven’t seen her before.”

“Brother Xu personally recruited her. Looks like she already has a guaranteed spot.”

Jiang Su’s roommates heard the murmurs of envy and jealousy around them. As she walked closer, one of them couldn’t help but whisper, “This instructor is pretty strict. Try not to cry later…”

If scaring off someone like Jiang Su worked, then using this little trick was worth it.

Jiang Su: “Oh.”

Oh?

That’s it?

Not just her roommates, but even the nearby trainees were speechless.

“Let’s start with stretching,” the instructor announced, interrupting them.

Most of the girls here had no prior dance training. They were here for their looks, hoping to break into the industry through this competition. So now, they had no choice but to force themselves through the painful stretching, backbends…

This was the most agonizing part of the lesson.

Yu Xinyan offered, “I’ll support you.”

Jiang Su didn’t respond.

Meanwhile, the room was filled with groans—
“Ah! Ow, ow, take it easy!”
“Wait! Don’t press down on me, ahhh!”
“Are you holding me steady or not?”

Jiang Su, on the other hand, moved with incredible flexibility. She lifted her leg onto the barre, bent sideways, and gracefully touched her toes—like a dragonfly skimming the water—before swiftly switching to the other leg.

While others were still struggling to stretch one leg, she had already finished both and smoothly transitioned into a backbend.

“Like a swan.”

“Like someone who’s trained in ballet.”

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, Yan Yucheng and the director spoke almost simultaneously.

The director paused before adding, “Didn’t expect that… She’s a real talent. No wonder she has such a unique aura.”

Yan Yucheng didn’t care about ‘aura’ or whatever. He just thought that when she bent down to touch her toes, the lines of her back, neck, and legs were strikingly beautiful—even her hands were beautiful.

Inside the practice room, the instructor approached Jiang Su from behind. “Have you trained in dance before?”

Jiang Su: “A little.”

The instructor immediately had her walk across the room while balancing a book, bend down to drink water, then sit down—all to observe her poise, movement, and posture.

Jiang Su followed the instructions precisely.

She walked gracefully, sat with perfect posture and an elegant neck, and when she bent down to pick up the water cup, her slender fingers and the transparent glass created an aesthetically pleasing image.

It was as if she instinctively knew how to present herself in the most beautiful way.

For a moment, the room was utterly silent.

Even the director couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

Compared to the so-called rich heir standing beside him, this girl looked far more like someone born into nobility.

Instructor: “…Nothing more to teach here.”

Huh? That’s it?

Jiang Su: “Got it.”

Soon, it was time for the afternoon girl group dance class.

For the same choreography, while others struggled to catch the beat and execute the moves correctly, Jiang Su only needed three repetitions to get it just right.

The dance instructor handed her an iPad. “You can rest now. If you’d like, you can watch and familiarize yourself with some of the other routines.”

Everyone: “…”

Huh? That’s it?

Jiang Su: “Okay.”

From that moment on, no one dared to tell Jiang Su how difficult these lessons were. Just thinking about their ‘kind reminders’ to her this morning made them feel embarrassed.

By the evening vocal class, the instructor had already heard about a particularly outstanding girl and called her up first for a demonstration.

“We only teach contemporary singing styles. Sing a couple of lines so we can hear you.”

Everyone unconsciously held their breath.

I refuse to believe it.

You have trained posture, dance experience—now you’re telling me you can sing too?

But the girl before them showed no hesitation, no stage fright—just a natural composure, as if she was long accustomed to being tested.

She parted her lips, and her voice carried a natural sweetness, clear like a songbird’s call, crisp like a bubbling spring, yet soft and silky as flowing silk…

The vocal coach fell silent for a moment before speaking.

“Your voice is extraordinary. One in a thousand.”

Of course.

Jiang Su thought to herself indifferently.

It was something forced out with a lot of medication.

“But…” The vocal coach’s tone suddenly shifted.

Everyone subtly exhaled in relief—here came the criticism, right?

The vocal coach smiled kindly. “But you only have technique; you lack emotional investment. However, that’s not a problem. You’re still young and haven’t experienced much yet. With more practice, it’ll come naturally.”

“…” The room fell silent.

Jiang Su: “Understood.”

…That’s it???

Was this supposed to be difficult?

Where was the challenge of assembling a gun in under a minute? Or leaping off a high-rise with a safety lock and landing smoothly in eighty seconds? Or disguising oneself as a completely different person within fifteen minutes?

Jiang Su was momentarily bewildered.

Then, the vocal coach shared some techniques for protecting her voice, and everyone watched as Jiang Su simply moved aside to rest.

Even Wan Yue was dumbfounded.

Impossible!

Sure, Jiang Su was stunning—breathtakingly so—but back in high school, she had never studied dance or vocals. She had always looked frail, constantly skipping P.E. class. Even though she was the school beauty, she rarely interacted with others. During the college entrance exams, rumors had it that she hadn’t even qualified for a third-tier university.

But no matter how much they screamed internally, they all understood one thing—unless the company was out of its mind, there was no way they wouldn’t send Jiang Su to participate in Rookie Girls.

Yu Xinyan glanced at herself, her gaze dimming.

So geniuses really did exist…

Unlike her, who needed an entire month just to learn a single dance properly.

The day’s training ended quickly.

Yan Yucheng and the director had already left.

Some girls planned to grab a late-night snack together, while the more disciplined ones opted to return to the dorm and practice a bit more.

Walking beside Jiang Su, Yu Xinyan asked in a low voice, “How did you learn all of this? Your learning speed is insane. I just… can’t do it at all. If I still don’t debut next year… I might really have to give up.”

How did she learn it?

Jiang Su paused.

Because not learning meant death.

In the organization she once belonged to, the words “I can’t” simply didn’t exist.

Because “I can’t” meant you had no value to stay alive.

Jiang Su swallowed back the words she almost said.

Though she appeared even more delicate than Yu Xinyan, she lightly patted her shoulder and said, “You’ll make it. You’ll debut.”

Yu Xinyan took it as a simple reassurance, nodded firmly, and quickly forgot about it.

Tomorrow… Maybe I should wake up earlier and work harder, too?

Everyone assumed that, after receiving so much praise today, Jiang Su would inevitably get cocky tomorrow.

But to their surprise, she continued waking up early.

Only this time, Yu Xinyan was with her.

After just one kilometer, Yu Xinyan was already out of breath. She gasped for air while walking alongside Jiang Su toward the subway station. “Why… do you wake up so early?”

Jiang Su: “To run. And also…” She paused, licked her lips, and a rare trace of girlish innocence surfaced. “Turns out, the company cafeteria is free! We can go early for breakfast, and have lunch and dinner there too.”

Yu Xinyan hesitated. “…”

It tastes awful, and yet you’re actually rushing to eat it? You really are different from normal people.

“And also…”

“And also?”

“Yeah, because you’re bad at this.”

Yu Xinyan felt a metaphorical arrow strike her right in the knee.

But… she couldn’t argue.

Compared to Jiang Su, she really was hopelessly bad.

Jiang Su scanned her card and stepped onto the subway. “So, if you go early, I’ll teach you a few tricks.”

Yu Xinyan froze.

She’ll teach me?

She really wants to teach me?

Yu Xinyan immediately latched onto Jiang Su in excitement. “Yes! Yes! Thank you, thank you! I’m terrible, I’m so bad—wahhh!”

At ten in the morning.

The director listened to the instructors’ reports in silence for a moment before speaking. “I didn’t expect this… We’ve really found a gem. She’s that skilled…”

But then, he frowned. “There’s a major issue, though—she’s too cold. She barely interacts with her fellow trainees. Why do we form groups? It’s to create a sense of unity, to move the audience. Even if it’s fake, it still works. But she can’t even pretend to make friends. If she enters the show like this, how will that work?”

Yan Yucheng remained indifferent, casually picking up a pen and circling a name on the list in front of him.

“This person came into the company with Jiang Su this morning. She can talk to her, so just send her along.”

The director exhaled in relief. But as he was walking out, something suddenly struck him, and he quickly turned back. “Wait—how did you know?”

Yan Yucheng didn’t reply.

How did he know?

He hadn’t expected that he wouldn’t be the only odd one going to the company cafeteria early in the morning. Jiang Su had been there too.

The moment the girl stepped inside with another trainee, she stole all the light in the room.