Chapter 2 The Second Day of Starting a Business

Fish No. 3, Yao Xingzhe, lay weakly in the hospital with an IV drip, cursing under his breath. Meanwhile, Xia Xi was in the program audition room, practicing martial arts with great vigor and confidence.

…

Xia Xi had been called into the audition room by the program staff.

The assistant director held her application form, deeply questioning his life choices. Before Xia Xi pushed the door open, the team had been engaged in heated discussion.

“Is this girl just trying to grab attention by making things up?”

“She doesn’t look like someone who knows martial arts.”

“With those slender arms and legs, they’d probably snap if I applied a little force…”

Xia Xi walked into the room wearing a colorful black camisole. The assistant director glanced at her delicate, straight arms and legs and somewhat agreed with the comment about them snapping easily.

He had already concluded that Xia Xi was just seeking attention by exaggerating.

It wasn’t entirely the assistant director’s fault for stereotyping. The young woman before him appeared soft and fragile—nothing like someone who practiced martial arts. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to scold her harshly. A little ambition to stand out in the entertainment industry was understandable.

After some thought, he cautiously addressed Xia Xi.

“I see you listed ‘practicing martial arts’ as a hobby. In the future, when applying for other programs, try not to exaggerate beyond reality. Being down-to-earth is the way to go far in life.” His tone was earnest.

Xia Xi had thought filling out the form would be the end of it, but after taking a few steps, she was stopped and brought here instead. Still slightly confused, she was met with these words right away.

She agreed that one should be down-to-earth, but the first part of his statement didn’t sit right with her. Her expression turned serious as she replied firmly,

“I didn’t exaggerate.”

Xia Xi glanced around. The space was large, clearly prepared for contestants to showcase their talents, with plenty of room to move. So she suggested,

“How about… I demonstrate right now?”

Actions speak louder than words. Xia Xi could accept doubts about other aspects of herself—she didn’t care—but when it came to martial arts, she had her own principles.

The assistant director hadn’t expected this turn of events. Since the contestant wanted to demonstrate, he had no reason to refuse. Besides, he was curious. So the entire room turned their attention to Xia Xi in the center.

A true master reveals their skill with the first move. The moment Xia Xi began, the assistant director realized he had been too hasty.

Without hesitation, still dressed the same way with her delicate makeup, Xia Xi’s entire demeanor transformed completely.

Her movements were precise and sharp, her routine powerful and commanding, as if her fists carried their own wind.

Even though the program staff knew little about martial arts, they could tell she was a trained martial artist.

In her element, Xia Xi was like a fish in water, her entire being radiating calm. After completing the routine, her breathing remained steady, her eyes bright. She ended with a slight smile, though there was a hint of regret.

“Some moves were harder to execute in a skirt.”

Assistant Director: …So it actually affected her performance?

He felt that with some music, what he just witnessed could be performed on stage at a gala—right in the martial arts segment.

It was true that her performance had been affected. For Xia Xi, this routine was just a warm-up. Through it, she realized this body had significant shortcomings in strength compared to her previous one.

But that was to be expected. With diligent training, she could make up for it. There were advantages too—like better flexibility.

Facts speak louder than words. Xia Xi had proven with her actions that she hadn’t lied about her hobby.

The assistant director looked at Xia Xi, who was blinking patiently while waiting for feedback, and after a brief silence, gave her a thumbs-up.  

What hobbies? This contestant was being overly modest—this could clearly be called a—  

Specialty!  

After Xia Xi left the audition room, the male staff member who had earlier claimed her slender arms and legs could snap with a little force patted his chest, still shaken.  

“She could probably take down three of me in one punch, huh?”  

……  

Xia Xi treated this as just a small episode. Her mind was still fixated on opening a Martial Arts School, and she had already started planning for it.  

First, she needed to find a venue and intensify her training. But before she could get far, she was stopped again.  

“Xia Xi, I knew I wasn’t wrong about you! The production team just notified me—you passed the Audition!”  

The middle-aged man blocking her path wore an expression that seemed to say, *Excited or not? Surprised or not?*  

Xia Xi: ??? Not excited, but definitely surprised.  

She didn’t recall the system mentioning anything about an Audition plotline.  

The reason the system hadn’t mentioned it was that the original Sea King female lead, upon seeing Yao Xingzhe’s text, would’ve immediately given up and left without even filling out the form, let alone making it to the selection round.  

But in Xia Xi’s case, through a twist of fate, she had completed the entire audition process.  

The man in front of her was called Chao Ge by everyone. He was something of a half-agent for the original host.  

The reason he was only a half-agent was that the original host wasn’t a formal artist under the company—they just had a loose partnership. Chao Ge arranged gigs and resources for Xia Xi, and her earnings were split with the company.  

Generally, such arrangements weren’t common in their company, but Xia Xi’s exceptional looks made her a special case.  

Chao Ge felt the company—and himself—hadn’t misjudged. This time, their company had pushed quite a few trainees forward, but many had failed the Audition. Xia Xi, however, had passed.  

That alone proved her face was worth it. Chao Ge assumed Xia Xi had gotten in purely on her looks.  

The only regret was that she wasn’t signed to a long-term contract—but that could always be negotiated. Thinking this, Chao Ge’s smile grew even more benevolent.  

“The car’s outside. We’ll head back to the company soon—there’s still some training to do.”  

Xia Xi’s eyelid twitched. She felt things were spiraling out of control, so she tried to intervene.  

“Is this about becoming an Idol? I don’t know how.” The audition seemed to be for female Idols, which was completely outside Xia Xi’s expertise.  

Chao Ge, “No problem, you can learn.”  

Xia Xi, “…Actually, I want to open a Martial Arts School.” Her ambition wasn’t to be an Idol—in fact, her knowledge of the industry was practically nonexistent. She’d spent all her time training in martial arts.  

This time, Chao Ge gave Xia Xi a longer look. “Open a *dance* studio?”  

Xia Xi confirmed, “Yes, a Martial Arts School. I want to teach martial arts.” She wanted to pass on her master’s skills, just as he had once taught her.  

Chao Ge hadn’t expected Xia Xi to have such aspirations and nodded. “Sure, opening a dance studio sounds great.”  

A classic case of talking past each other.  

Xia Xi was surprised that the original host’s agent actually supported her idea of opening a Martial Arts School. Maybe she could take this chance to ask if he could help her withdraw from the competition, leaving the opportunity for someone more eager, while she continued her search for a suitable venue.  

But the next second, Chao Ge mused, “Still, opening a dance studio requires money, right? Do you have any right now?”  

Xia Xi was stumped: No, she didn’t.  

She was penniless. The only thing she’d brought with her was *The Little Mermaid*. The original host didn’t seem to be wealthy either.

Chao Ge analyzed with a serious tone, “Then joining this show is the right move for you. It has a lot of potential. Even if you don’t debut, just appearing on it and gaining some popularity can earn you a decent sum.”

“Besides, didn’t you want to teach dancing? This show is perfect for you. With 101 participants, there’ll be plenty of chances for you to act as a mentor. If you’re strong enough, you could even open a martial arts school right on the show!”

Xia Xi wasn’t familiar with girl group survival shows, but Chao Ge was. During the theme song and group performances, countless trainees with weak foundations would beg for guidance from skilled dancers, often in tears.

Xia Xi fell into deep thought, and upon reflection, she even felt a bit moved.

Were there really that many martial arts enthusiasts on the show?

Originally, she had no interest in *Pick 101*, but now she was suddenly looking forward to it.

…

In the end, Xia Xi still boarded the company car with Chao Ge.

Not just because joining the show = earning money to open a martial arts school, but also because not joining = breaching the contract = having to pay a penalty.

Yes, even though the original owner of this body was solely focused on gold-digging and entering a wealthy family, neglecting her career, she had still signed a short-term contract to avoid restrictions—though it did come with certain obligations.

If Xia Xi failed the audition, that would be one thing. But making it through and then refusing to participate would count as a breach, requiring compensation.

“…”

Even someone who could take on three opponents at once had to bow to financial realities. Besides, if she didn’t go to the company, she wasn’t sure where else to go for now. Chao Ge had promised three meals a day during training, plus accommodation.

The company the original owner had signed with wasn’t small—it was quite reputable in the industry. It happened to be lunchtime, so Xia Xi followed Chao Ge to the cafeteria for a free meal, changed into fresh clothes, and was then led to the company’s practice room.

The practice room was lively, filled with several stylish girls. Some were practicing in front of mirrors, while others were chatting.

Chao Ge clapped his hands to get their attention.

“Take a break, everyone.”

“Let me introduce you to Xia Xi. She’ll be training with you from now on.”

After introducing Xia Xi, he turned to her with a gentle tone. “Wait here for a bit, get to know everyone. I’ll go fetch the manager.”

Chao Ge left to find the manager and discuss Xia Xi’s role, leaving her alone to face the unfamiliar faces. The company’s trainees eyed her with mixed expressions.

Internally, they grumbled: *Another competitor.*

And one with outstanding looks, at that.

Unlike Xia Xi, who was a latecomer, these girls were all officially signed trainees with the sole goal of debuting in a group. For them, *Pick 101* was an excellent opportunity.

But the selection process was brutal. While they had made the cut, many of their fellow trainees had been eliminated. To some, Xia Xi’s sudden appearance was nothing but an eyesore.

*What gives her the right?*

Xia Xi wasn’t used to situations like this and felt slightly uneasy. Remembering Chao Ge’s advice before he left, she decided to follow his suggestion.

Introduce herself.

“Hey, you—” Before she could finish, an arrogant voice cut her off.

“Newbie?” The girl who spoke had her arms crossed, looking down at Xia Xi with a condescending glare.

To achieve this effect, she was standing on a stool.

Rui Ziyue: *Damn, this newbie is tall.*

From the moment Rui Ziyue laid eyes on Xia Xi, alarm bells rang in her heart. Among the trainees, she considered herself quite outstanding, but in terms of beauty, she still fell slightly short compared to Xia Xi. This kind of beautiful yet useless person must not steal her spotlight.

Rui Ziyue decided to strike first. She jumped down from her chair and, right in front of Xia Xi, unexpectedly performed a front flip.

Xia Xi: !

The others: Here we go again, here we go again. Can’t Rui Ziyue come up with something else? Is it really fun to intimidate people with this all the time? Does she think this is a circus?

Some were annoyed, while others fawned over her. “Teacher Rui, that move was amazing!”

After executing the front flip, Rui Ziyue saw the flicker of emotion on Xia Xi’s face and felt a surge of satisfaction.

Of course, she knew some people mocked her for performing circus tricks. But so what? If they had the skill, they could do it too.

Rui Ziyue believed she had successfully intimidated the newcomer, delivering a firm warning. She was about to turn away with an air of aloofness and continue practicing when she heard Xia Xi’s voice.

“Is that considered a big move?”

Xia Xi turned to the trainee beside her who had muttered about Rui Ziyue’s “big move,” genuinely seeking clarification.

The trainee hadn’t expected Xia Xi to address her but still gave an affirmative answer. “Yes, it’s really impressive.”

Xia Xi let out a sigh of relief. One of the reasons she had been nervous about coming here was the fear of holding others back. If she was going to do this, she wanted to do it well—she didn’t want to waste the free meals and accommodation, especially since this wasn’t her field of expertise.

But who would have thought that, upon arriving, she’d learn a front flip was considered a big move?

So, without hesitation, Xia Xi followed up by performing a front flip, a back flip, and a front flip back flip combination—all without using her hands.

Under the astonished gazes of everyone, Xia Xi clasped her hands in a spirited salute toward Rui Ziyue. “I yield to your superior skill.”