Opening her eyes, Chu Yao drew her thoughts back from her memories. She reached out and rubbed her chest, her brow furrowed. She felt uncomfortable. Deeply uncomfortable.
DING.
Just as Chu Yao was about to go back to sleep, her phone suddenly chimed.
Sister Wei: [Yaoyao, there's an audition tomorrow morning. I'll pick you up at seven.]
Chu Yao glanced at the time. It was already 1:30 AM. After replying with a simple "Okay," she returned to her room, pulled the covers over her head, and went back to sleep.
The thoughts stirred by her memories gradually settled. 'It's all in the past now. The Chu Yao of today is no longer that privileged girl who could do as she pleased. She doesn't have time to wallow in sentimental sorrow.'
—
The next time she woke, it was to the sound of her alarm. She groggily opened her eyes. 6:40 AM.
After sitting on the bed in a daze for a few seconds, Chu Yao got up to wash her face and brush her teeth.
At seven o'clock sharp, the doorbell rang.
Still in her pajamas after washing up, Chu Yao walked to the door and peered through the peephole.
The person outside was dressed in a black Chanel suit, exuding an air of professionalism with a hint of sexiness. Chu Yao rubbed her face, her sleepy-eyed expression instantly melting into a smile.
She opened the door, smiling.
"Morning, Sister Wei."
"Sister Wei," whose full name was Shan Wei, was one of the more well-known agents in the entertainment industry. She was nearly forty, but because she took excellent care of herself, she looked to be in her early thirties.
Shan Wei's sharp gaze swept over Chu Yao, instantly catching the dark circles under her eyes. Her brow furrowed. "You stayed up late again!"
It was a statement, not a question, tinged with displeasure.
Chu Yao quickly put on an appeasing smile. "Hehe, you're here so early, Sister Wei. Have you eaten? I bet you haven't. Let me make you something."
"Enough with the chatter. Go get changed. Today's audition is very important."
"You got it, you got it! I'm on my way."
Chu Yao kept her appeasing smile on as she skipped toward the bedroom. Watching her, Sister Wei couldn't help but let out a helpless smile, softening her tense expression.
Chu Yao's apartment wasn't large—just a one-bedroom. Shan Wei crossed to the sofa in her high heels and sat down. Her gaze swept casually around the room. She had been here several times, but it seemed more small, pink items had been added since her last visit.
Shan Wei smiled to herself. A moment later, Chu Yao emerged from the bedroom.
Chu Yao had changed into a simple, pale pink dress. The shallow V-neck design revealed her delicate collarbones, and its high-low hem kept her from looking too childish.
Her hair, which she had previously tied up, now hung loose, its slightly curled ends lending her a demure, womanly charm.
Shan Wei took one look and frowned. "Go change into something you'd normally wear."
"Huh?"
Chu Yao froze. 'Something I'd normally wear? But isn't that the last thing Shan Wei wants to see me in?'
Shan Wei was incredibly perceptive; of course she knew what Chu Yao was thinking. She added, "The audition today is for a school drama."
"Oh! Right, I get it."
Chu Yao nodded and immediately dashed back into her room.
Shan Wei watched her go, shaking her head helplessly.
She had been navigating the entertainment industry for over a decade, rising from a fresh-faced rookie to a top agent. She thought she'd seen every type of person in this business.
But someone like Chu Yao was a true rarity.
The girl looked completely harmless, but she was actually whip-smart. You only had to give her the slightest hint about something, and she would understand instantly. That cleverness alone put her leagues ahead of so many other starlets.
And that wasn't even mentioning her looks, which were stunning enough to outshine almost anyone in the entertainment world.
Chu Yao didn't have the V-line face that was the mainstream standard of beauty. Hers was a little rounder, but in an industry suffering from aesthetic fatigue, a face like hers was refreshingly unique. In front of Chu Yao, many of the so-called "standard" beauties seemed to lack a certain charm.