Her Majesty The Empress Has Made Her Debut In The Center Position [Ancient to Modern] - Chapter 19

Ten minutes later, Ji Zhao returned to the dormitory, feeling utterly drained.

Chen Xingzi and Shen Yican were lying side by side on the window-facing double sofa, their upper bodies pressed together due to the narrow space, while their legs sprawled outwards onto separate chairs.

Seeing Ji Zhao return, Chen Xingzi lifted the lollipop she was sucking on. “Zhaozhao, you’re back!”

The self-proclaimed fans kept snapping photos of Ji Zhao for nearly five minutes, leaving her feeling drained and exhausted. With a weary sigh, she paused, then suddenly remembered, “Where’s Yu Cheng?”

Chen Xingzi glanced upward, then lowered her voice conspiratorially. “She went straight to the shower when she got back, and then went to bed. She seemed really upset. Did you two argue?”

Ji Zhao shook her head, then paused before reminding Chen Xingzi, “Yu Cheng has very good hearing.”

Chen Xingzi didn’t catch on. “Huh?”

Shen Yican clicked her tongue. “Idiot! Yu Cheng heard everything you just said!”

“Who are you calling an idiot?!” Chen Xingzi misinterpreted the comment, reaching out to swat Shen Yican. “Give me back my mask! You owe me!”

Ji Zhao glanced upward.

The roommates’ bickering faded into the background, a noisy hum that only served to highlight Yu Cheng’s unusual silence above. It was as if she were deliberately avoiding Ji Zhao, refusing to turn around despite clearly feeling her gaze.

Had Yu Cheng ever acted like this before?

Ji Zhao searched her memories for a moment. When they were younger, Yu Cheng would often yield to her—not out of deference to her status, but simply because she was older. “I’m older than Your Highness,” she would say. “It’s only natural.”

She had always accepted this graciously. So why, now, was she throwing such a childish tantrum?

After standing there for a moment, Ji Zhao turned and went to the bathroom.

The moment the bathroom door closed, Chen Xingzi and Shen Yican’s bickering stopped abruptly. The two were tangled together in an awkward embrace, both glancing at the bathroom door before exchanging a look.

Chen Xingzi’s eyes darted around. “I’m really curious. Why did they get into a fight?”

Shen Yican urged her, “Then go ask.”

Chen Xingzi thought of Yu Cheng’s unsmiling face, then of Ji Zhaozhao—so small and cute, yet radiating an inexplicable air of authority. She swallowed hard. “You go ask.”

Shen Yican shook off Chen Xingzi’s arm. “I’m not curious.”

The sound of water in the bathroom stopped and started again, its rhythmic splashing echoing clearly in the suddenly quiet dormitory. Chen Xingzi wrapped her arms around Shen Yican’s neck and whispered in her ear, “Do you think it’s because Yu Cheng confessed to Zhaozhao and was rejected?”

Shen Yican felt she must have misheard. …

Yu Cheng, lying on her upper bunk and contemplating life while listening clearly to every whispered word below, remained silent. …

She stared at the intricate patterns on the wall, the complex, ornate designs swirling into her pupils and transforming into images of two people laughing and chatting in the Practice Room. She simply closed her eyes again.

A subject should not harbor jealousy.

During the Jiaxi era, talented officials and virtuous scholars were numerous throughout the court and country. The Emperor, valuing talent, often summoned ministers to the Imperial Study to discuss state affairs. More senior officials were even personally escorted out by the Emperor himself, a gesture Yu Cheng never found remarkable.

Why was her emotions so turbulent today? Could it be…? Her eyes snapped open, a flicker of murderous intent flashing across her gaze. Could it be that something was wrong with this body, that the original owner’s personality was influencing her?

That made sense. She was thinking about how her personality wouldn’t let her get upset over something so trivial… when…

Yu Cheng’s ears twitched.

Someone was climbing… onto her bed?

In the next moment, she caught the familiar scent of bath soap—a faint, refreshing fragrance blending sage and grapefruit, as crisp as a seaside breeze after rain.

It was Your Majesty.

Yu Cheng relaxed her guard.

But then she suddenly felt inexplicably nervous, tensing up as she lay on her side, eyes fixed on the wall, listening to Ji Zhao’s footsteps on the stairs, the rustle of the quilt being lifted, the slow sound of Ji Zhao—

She couldn’t bear to listen anymore.

Yu Cheng turned around. Ji Zhao moved with deliberate slowness, lying down beside her under her gaze. She turned to face Yu Cheng, watching her quietly.

“Your Majesty…” Yu Cheng began.

Ji Zhao took her hand.

Beneath the thin quilt, soft fingers brushed against the back of her hand, gently pinching as if touching the very core of her heart. A tingling, electric sensation spread through her. As she stared, transfixed, Ji Zhao murmured, “Qiao Yue said you were jealous.”

Yu Cheng instinctively wanted to protest, but Ji Zhao cut her off: “Whether you did or not, Yu Cheng, I hope you won’t ignore me. Otherwise…”

Ji Zhao’s voice was soft and gentle: “I’ll have your entire family executed when we return.”

The comforting words that had risen to Yu Cheng’s throat caught in her throat.

Ji Zhao chuckled. “Just kidding.”

She pulled the quilt up higher and looked at the ceiling above her. “I didn’t realize the view from the top bunk was so good,” she announced. “I’m sleeping here tonight. You can keep me company.”

Her words stopped Yu Cheng from offering to give up her bed. The corners of her lips curved slightly as she closed her eyes. “Go to sleep.”

Yu Cheng opened her mouth as if to speak, then swallowed her words. After a long pause, she belatedly said, “…Sweet dreams.”

Ji Zhao really did have a sweet dream.

She dreamed of the Lantern Festival Banquet. A snowstorm had blanketed the capital, and halfway through the feast, she had asked to see the lanterns. She only wanted to glimpse them from the distant city wall. The head palace maid had carried a lantern and accompanied her.

She stood on the city tower, draped in a black mink cloak, gazing at the distant lantern festival. The vibrant lights created a dazzling spectacle. Just as she was about to return to the palace, she heard the thunder of approaching hoofbeats.

“Your Majesty!” the head palace maid exclaimed joyfully. “It’s General Yu returning in triumph!”

She leaned over the parapet, but before she could make out anything clearly, darkness engulfed her. She felt weightless yet heavy, as if plummeting from the clouds. When she opened her eyes…

A strange ceiling. A strange bed. A strange… uh, softness beneath her?

She blinked rapidly, meeting Yu Cheng’s eyes. Perhaps due to the heat, Yu Cheng’s cheeks were flushed, giving her an endearingly vulnerable look.

Ji Zhao’s gaze drifted downward.

Her hand rested against Yu Cheng’s chest, feeling the steady thump of her heartbeat. She withdrew it calmly. “What time is it?”

“Still early,” Yu Cheng replied.

After Yu Cheng silently got up to fetch breakfast, Ji Zhao remained in bed, lost in thought. Logically, I’m Yu Cheng’s superior. Was what I just did… what Pei Jia called… sexual harassment?

This was a profound question, deserving careful consideration.

The wind had died down, but a light drizzle had begun to fall. The trainees, clutching transparent umbrellas provided by the production team, emerged from the dormitory building in small groups and hurried toward the Practice Building.

Today’s schedule was packed. Not only did they have to rehearse the performance stage for the public show, but they also needed to review the Theme Song dance.

The recording of the Theme Song stage was scheduled to begin at 8 PM tomorrow, but with hair and makeup, stage positioning, and other preparations, they’d need to start arriving at the venue early in the morning.

One trainee grumbled quietly, “We’ll never get it done in two or three takes with a hundred-person stage. Conservatively, we’ll need at least ten tries. And since they’ve already spent money on our looks, the production team will definitely make us record some extra footage. Forget getting any sleep tomorrow night.”

“Enough complaining! Let’s grab a coffee from the convenience store first, okay? Hey, I’m out of coffee coupons. Where can I get some?”

“Yu Cheng has plenty. Should we ask her to trade?”

Yu Cheng had a surplus of coffee coupons because Ji Zhao loved coffee. When other trainees tried to trade with her, she’d bluntly refuse: “Zhaozhao wants to drink it.”

The other trainees: “……”

Her efforts to play the martyr were truly awe-inspiring!

Ji Zhao was the center position for the theme song stage, and the weight on her shoulders grew heavier. Under the sympathetic gazes of trainees who couldn’t even debut as the initial center, she reviewed the theme song only once before telling her teammates, “Let’s start today’s practice.”

Qiao Yue asked considerately, “Don’t you need to practice the theme song more?”

“Why bother?” Song Jiangjiang said, tying her hair up with a hair cord. She looked at Ji Zhao with admiration. “Zhaozhao’s skills are top-notch. You should worry about me instead!”

Ji Zhao stood in the center position, with Yu Cheng and Song Jiangjiang flanking her.

Shen Xin retorted sarcastically, “Right, worry about our Jiangjiang. If she messes up next to the center position, everyone will see it crystal clear. Her mistakes will be recorded in 1080p HD quality.”

Song Jiangjiang jumped up and down. “Shen Xin, are you jealous? Are you jealous?”

Zheng Dongqing sat by the piano, completely indifferent to the bickering as she reviewed the rough draft of “The Puppet Show” stage they had worked on in the practice room yesterday. Her expression radiated serene contentment.

Yu Cheng leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, firmly rejecting trainees who came to exchange coffee coupons. She repeated patiently, “Zhaozhao wants to drink.”

Song Jiangjiang and Shen Xin, who had been bickering all the way to the door, fell silent.

Song Jiangjiang raised a white flag. “If a zombie comes and bites Yu Cheng’s brain, it’ll have to say, ‘Ugh! Love-struck brain!’ Who’s with me? Who’s against?”

Shen Xin high-fived her. “I agree.”

Ji Zhao, who couldn’t figure out why she suddenly wanted so much coffee, just stood there, speechless.

She shook her head and sat down on the piano bench next to Zheng Dongqing. Zheng Dongqing glanced at her, then looked back at the stage. After a moment’s thought, she pressed pause and asked, “Aren’t you worried?”

Ji Zhao retorted, “Worried about what?”

She slowly lowered her fingers and casually plucked a few notes. “You mean the Initial Center Curse? They’re just showing us a preview of what’s coming. I prefer the Initial Center Perk.”

The Initial Center Perk allowed the chosen participant to make a request of the production team, and as long as it was reasonable, the team would fulfill it.

Ji Zhao’s request was to spend a night out with Yu Cheng. Her reason was simple: she’d been cooped up in the estate for too long and wanted to get out and about. As for why it had to be at night—so as not to interfere with regular training—and why she needed Yu Cheng—

The Assistant Director’s face lit up with understanding. “You want to create a ship, right? Don’t worry, we’ll definitely give you two plenty of screen time in the first episode!”

Ji Zhao didn’t argue.

The assistant director asked Ji Zhao, “Have you set a time? Once it’s decided, I can arrange everything immediately.”

Ji Zhao thought for a moment. “Let’s do it today.”

The assistant director agreed promptly. “Alright. I’ll have a car pick you up at the estate gate at 5 PM. Just tell the driver where you want to go, and you can head straight to the recording studio tomorrow.”

Ji Zhao gave the assistant director an approving look.

This efficient, straightforward approach—she could definitely be a chief eunuch in the palace.

The assistant director, however, felt an inexplicable chill down his spine.

Why do I suddenly feel so uneasy?

That evening, Ji Zhao and Yu Cheng climbed into the production team’s car and headed straight for Timely Entertainment.

This was their first real outing since arriving in this era. Though they’d seen countless skyscrapers online, Ji Zhao couldn’t hide her awe as the cityscape whizzed past the window.

She was amazed by humanity’s power: the entire city lit up like daylight, skyscrapers towering everywhere.

Yet she also sighed, thinking of how much prosperity this era’s technology could bring to the Great Qi Dynasty, and how much society could advance if only they could bring these advancements back.

“Still not there?” The unknown outside made Yu Cheng extremely vigilant. She sat ramrod straight, ready to protect Ji Zhao at a moment’s notice.

It wasn’t easy to get out, and although Ji Zhao was eager to experience the customs and culture of this era, company matters were currently the most important. Finance and legal were still working overtime, waiting for her.

The driver said, “We’re almost there. Just across this street.”

Ji Zhaozhao had two floors in a downtown skyscraper. Originally intended for Timely Entertainment, the company had to downsize due to financial difficulties and rented out the remaining space.

Perhaps because the rent was so expensive, even though it was past quitting time, the building was still brightly lit, with few people leaving.

Timely Entertainment was on the 21st floor.

They had to take the elevator.

Yu Cheng braced herself as if facing a formidable enemy. “Your Majesty, I’ll carry you.”

Ji Zhao rolled her eyes and stepped into the elevator, pressing the button for the 21st floor. Her face remained impassive. “Either get in now, or climb the stairs yourself.” She paused before adding, “No using Lightness Skill.”

Yu Cheng paused. “Lightness Skill wouldn’t even get me to the 21st floor.”

What you need to get to the 21st floor isn’t Lightness Skill. It’s the ability to fly.

Ji Zhao didn’t expect Yu Cheng to be so witty. She froze for a moment, then burst out laughing. “Well, what are you waiting for? If you don’t come up, how are you going to protect me?”

Yu Cheng immediately stepped into the elevator.

The elevator ascended.

This was a dedicated elevator for Timely Entertainment, stopping at no intermediate floors as it went straight to the 21st floor. As the elevator doors slowly opened, Ji Zhao didn’t even have a chance to take in the company’s lobby before her path was blocked by a tall, rotund figure.

“Hey! If it isn’t the Ji family’s little actress! Back to sell yourself to the company?”

It was Ji Jing’s signature slick-tongued drawl, a familiarity etched deep into Ji Zhaozhao’s mind that made her physically sick. Leaning against the wall, she retched. “Yue!”

Ji Jing: “???”

He jumped as if stung. “Ji Zhaozhao, what’s your problem? You’re the one who’s disgusting—why the act? You think I won’t go to the Old Master right now and have him revoke all your inheritance, kick you out of the Ji family with nothing? Fuck you—”

“Shut up,” Ji Zhao cut him off coldly.

She didn’t even glance at Ji Jing as she strode into the company. “Do you have a sister or a younger sister or something?”

Ji Jing, on guard, asked, “What do you mean by that?”

Ji Zhao peered through the transparent glass door into the company’s interior, her eyes flicking across rows of thin black displays. A flicker of curiosity crossed her gaze before she remembered Ji Jing was still there.

“It’s not interesting,” she said, turning her face away, her voice flat. “I don’t like talking to men.”

“Send a woman instead.”

Support