Her Majesty The Empress Has Made Her Debut In The Center Position [Ancient to Modern] - Chapter 31

The early summer rain came in a torrent and disappeared just as quickly, stopping by evening. Stars twinkled like scattered specks of light in the dark blue sky. Many trainees went to the convenience store to buy snacks, then sat in tall chairs outside to watch the stars.

Ji Zhao’s group finished quickly and was dismissed early, allowing everyone to rest and recuperate.

Tong Wei questioned her, “Other groups are still training. The more they train, the more footage they get. Why are you sending us back? Aren’t you just sabotaging our training? What’s your angle?”

Ji Zhao ignored her. “Take the entire practice room. Do whatever you want.”

Tong Wei shouted, “You’re just being lazy!”

Ji Zhao had already walked out, but upon hearing this, she stopped, turned on her heel, and strode back toward Tong Wei. As she passed the Follow PD, she casually switched off the camera.

Follow PD: “!!!”

Qian Xingxing cheered inwardly: Take her down! Take her down! Take her down!

Zhou Yuting fretted: Ah… There’s more than one camera in the practice room. They’re everywhere. Should we shut them all down? Or just trip the main breaker?

Li Yunyue… well, she had already slipped away the moment it happened, missing the whole show.

 

The moment Ji Zhao turned around, Tong Wei froze. Seeing Ji Zhao turn off the camera only added to her panic, and she stammered, “What… what… what do you think you’re doing? It’s all being recorded, Ji Zhaozhao! I’m warning you!”

Ji Zhao grabbed Tong Wei’s wrist, yanked her forward, and pressed her face close to Tong Wei’s. “Listen up. Even though this mission is an individual performance and your actions have nothing to do with me, if you ruin the overall act, you’ll pay the price.”

“I don’t care what you think of me, and I don’t care. I’m the captain now. If you have any complaints, keep them to yourself. If you keep pointing fingers, don’t blame me for losing my temper!”

With that, she shook off Tong Wei and strode toward the door.

Tong Wei staggered back two steps, stumbling against the wall. She slid down the wall, staring blankly as Ji Zhao’s figure disappeared through the doorway.

Then, to everyone’s surprise, she burst into tears.

Yu Cheng had been waiting anxiously by the door, glancing at the stars, the flowers, the doorplate, and back again. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. “Zhaozhao!”

Follow PD trailed behind her, noticeably disrupting her composure.

No sooner had she finished speaking than sobs erupted from the practice room. Follow PD shrugged it off; many trainees had been crying lately. The tight schedule, difficult choreography, and overwhelming pressure made crying a necessary release.

 

While Follow PD seemed unfazed, Yu Cheng remained completely oblivious. She took the sweat towel Ji Zhao offered and asked, “Tired already?”

Ji Zhao glanced at her without replying.

Yu Cheng paused. “…Are you mad at me?”

Another silent glance.

Yu Cheng pursed her lips. “Didn’t I let you watch?”

Ji Zhao snorted and strode down the corridor toward the stairs, her mind replaying Yu Cheng’s performance of “What Should I Do?” inwardly amused but maintaining a stoic expression. “What? Even if I hadn’t let you watch, you’d still have watched, right?”

Yu Cheng followed. “Of course not.”

Ji Zhao suppressed a smile. “Then I’ll be watching again tomorrow.”

Yu Cheng acquiesced. “Sure.”

Ji Zhao added another demand. “And once you’ve mastered the whole song, you’ll perform it solo for me.”

Yu Cheng agreed. “Okay.”

“…Yes,” Yu Cheng replied.

Ji Zhao finally looked satisfied. Turning around, she noticed the Follow PD still lingering nearby. “…Why is she always following us?”

Follow PD: “?”

Oh, she wasn’t invisible after all!

 

Follow PD shot Yu Cheng a meaningful look. Yu Cheng finally understood. “The Assistant Director asked me to tell you… we’re filming an ad tomorrow. We need to assemble at 6 a.m.”

“An ad? Just the two of us?”

“Probably not.”

“There will be some other popular trainees too,” Follow PD whispered.

This ad was being filmed for a sponsor—Zheng Dongqing’s family, to be precise. Since Zheng Dongqing hadn’t secured a debut position yet, the sponsors had requested trainees with higher popularity. That’s why Ji Zhao and Yu Cheng were included.

The next day at 7 a.m., the trainees gathered by the fountain downstairs to shoot the ad.

Eleven trainees in total.

Ji Zhao scanned the crowd. Most faces were familiar. After all, popular trainees were all hovering around debut opportunities, staying up late and now drowsily waiting for the Director to arrive.

“We’re doomed, everyone!” Song Jiangjiang wailed, clinging to Chen Xingzi. “Who knew the Rap Group had to write their own lyrics?!”

Chen Xingzi patted her head. “I’m not exactly happy about this either.”

Shen Yican watched them coldly. “Song Jiangjiang, you should look up and see her. Her status in the Vocal Group is practically on par with the sun.”

Song Jiangjiang: “……”

How fickle the world is!

Ji Zhao dodged the enthusiastic rush toward her, deeply displeased that the Assistant Director still hadn’t arrived. “Where is he?”

If this continued, he wouldn’t deserve to be her chief eunuch anymore.

“Everyone, please calm down,” the Staff Manager soothed the trainees. “The Assistant Director is stuck in traffic. He’ll be at the filming location soon. For now, let’s just get into the cars!”

The two SUVs rented by the production team slowly drove out of the estate at dawn.

 

The filming location was inside a shopping mall. Since they’d arrived too early and the mall doors were still closed, they had to enter through the McDonald’s facing the street. However, a minor incident occurred as they passed by.

Someone was hungry.

“Good heavens, it’s McDonald’s! I need a Big Mac right now!” Song Jiangjiang resolutely turned toward the counter amidst the synchronized footsteps of the group. “I’ll take a pork tenderloin and egg Big Mac meal!”

The leader: “……”

The trainees: “……”

After a two-second silence, they all followed Song Jiangjiang.

“I’m really hungry.”

“How can we work on an empty stomach?”

“Long live McDonald’s!”

Ji Zhao and Yu Cheng were experiencing McDonald’s for the first time. Ji Zhao was quite satisfied with the freshly brewed coffee, although she added a bit too much sugar and found it a little too sweet by the end. She reached for Yu Cheng’s soy milk.

Yu Cheng tried to stop her. “Zhaozhao—”

Ji Zhao hummed in confusion. “What is it?”

She took another sip. “Not bad.”

Yu Cheng shook her head with a complicated expression. Ji Zhao narrowed her eyes. “What? Are you disgusted by me?”

Yu Cheng shook her head. “I wouldn’t dare.”

Ji Zhao handed her the soy milk. “Then you drink it.”

Yu Cheng lowered her gaze.

 

The advertising company had requested they arrive on set without makeup, so many of the trainees hadn’t washed their faces. Ji Zhao, however, had washed hers, her fair skin glowing with a soft blush and her lips glistening with moisture.

She took a sip of soy milk from the cup.

…Strange.

It seemed sweeter than before.

They were filming a commercial for a sports drink. Upon arriving at the set, they changed into colorful athletic outfits—light and vibrant, like a rainbow unfurling across the venue.

The assistant director arrived and spent most of his time schmoozing with the sponsors while casually checking in on the trainees.

As he meandered about, he eventually found himself behind Yu Cheng, who was getting her makeup done. Her long hair was pinned up, revealing her entire face. Sensing someone’s presence, she glanced up and gave the cautiously hovering assistant director a cold stare through the mirror.

The assistant director: “……”

Such overwhelming pressure! How intimidating!

Overcoming his mental tremors, he said to Yu Cheng, “Your father is also filming at this location today. Would you like to go see him?”

Yu Cheng didn’t particularly care about meeting him. The assistant director just wanted to get Yu Wangmeng in front of the trainees—even if they didn’t speak, just a brief encounter would generate buzz.

Yu Wangmeng?

Yu Cheng’s mind flashed with his face.

Rumor had it that Yu Wangmeng had been the heartthrob of the film academy in his youth, once using his looks to attract fans in the entertainment industry. But as he aged and lost self-discipline, he gained weight. In this world, the standards for men were already low. Women had to be beautiful, poised, and talented actors, while men could be ugly—it was just considered part of being a “character actor.”

Yu Wangmeng had managed to survive until today. Though he had achieved nothing in the entertainment industry, his status had risen steadily thanks to his increasing ugliness and weight gain.

Yu Cheng firmly refused. “I won’t see him.”

The assistant director hadn’t expected such a blunt rejection. His prepared words died in his throat, leaving only a weak, “Why not?” He’s your own father, for heaven’s sake!

Of course, he didn’t voice that last part aloud.

Yu Cheng pondered for a moment. Her Majesty had once said that Yu Wangmeng was good for nothing except for his money. His indulgence of his daughter was likely just to maintain the image of a loving father. There was no reason to associate with such a hypocrite if she could avoid it. She closed her eyes.

The assistant director: “……”

He’d been completely ignored.

His eyes darted. Yu Cheng always listened to Ji Zhaozhao. If he could get Ji Zhaozhao to persuade her… But before he could finish the thought, a commotion erupted outside the dressing room. A trainee who had finished getting ready burst in, exclaiming excitedly, “Oh my god! Yu Wangmeng is here! I can’t believe I’m actually seeing him in person!”

 

The assistant director smacked his forehead.

Well, of course! Even if Yu Cheng didn’t want to see Yu Wangmeng, he was the only daughter in the world to him. They say he spoiled her rotten, and she rebelled, but an old father would never refuse to see his daughter!

She had to see him. She had to.

And now Yu Wangmeng had come to her himself.

When Yu Cheng opened her eyes, she saw the assistant director looking at her with a kindly smile. “Yu-laoshi is here.”

Yu Cheng instinctively glanced at Ji Zhao.

Ji Zhao was sitting beside her, currently drawing eyeliner. Her closed eyes trembled slightly, making her look very innocent, but when she spoke, her voice carried an imposing authority: “I’ll go with you.”

Yu Cheng murmured, “Yes.”

The assistant director sighed in relief, tinged with a hint of regret. If only there could be some scandal about a strained father-daughter relationship, that might have doubled the show’s popularity! What a pity!

After finishing her makeup, Ji Zhao left the dressing room with Yu Cheng. From a distance, they saw Yu Wangmeng surrounded by trainees for a group photo, looking every inch the benevolent elder. When he spotted Yu Cheng, he raised his hand. “Chengcheng!”

Yu Cheng frowned slightly, feeling deeply uncomfortable.

During the Great Qi Dynasty, Yu Cheng grew up without a father. Her family had served in the military for three generations, and her mother was a renowned general known for her countless victories and widespread fame. One day, she suddenly thought, “Why not have a little general?”

So, she held a competition to select “Yu Cheng’s Father,” evaluating candidates based on appearance, family background, height, and personality. In the end, she chose Yu Cheng’s father. He stayed at the General’s Manor for less than half a month before she became pregnant. She gave him fifty taels of silver and sent him on his way.

Later, when Yu Cheng showed no talent for academics and instead developed a passion for martial arts, her mother sighed wistfully, “Men are truly useless. All they have is a pretty face. They didn’t pass on any of the qualities they should have!”

Yu Cheng deeply resented Yu Wangmeng’s sudden appearance, refusing to even smile at him.

Ji Zhao whispered, “If you really hate him, there’s no need to pretend. Even if he finds out you’re not Yu Cheng, he wouldn’t dare do anything.”

Yu Cheng didn’t want Su Jing to discover the truth because she didn’t want to hurt her feelings. As for Yu Wangmeng’s feelings, no one cared.

Having heard Ji Zhao’s advice, Yu Cheng knew what to do. When Yu Wangmeng, wearing a practiced trainee’s smile, approached her with the intention of giving her a long-overdue father-daughter hug, she sidestepped him, evading the embrace.

Yu Wangmeng, a seasoned smoothie, showed no embarrassment. Instead, he chuckled to the others, “My daughter’s grown up! She used to cling to her dad all the time.” He looked Yu Cheng up and down, his smile paternal. “I haven’t seen you since you joined the company. Don’t you want to have a proper chat with your dad?”

Yu Cheng, having the same intention, decided that some things were best discussed with Yu Wangmeng face-to-face.

Yu Wangmeng’s lounge was larger and more luxurious than the trainees’ dressing room, complete with fitting rooms, restroom, resting area, and makeup station. A money tree stood by the entrance, and a long table along the wall was laden with snacks, bread, and fruit. The entire lounge reeked of overpowering men’s cologne.

Yu Wangmeng settled into the center sofa as if he were at home, casually crossing one leg over the other. “Help yourself to anything you want. Or we could call the makeup artist to do your makeup here.”

“No need,” Yu Cheng replied. “Is this perfume yours?”

Yu Wangmeng laced his fingers and rested them on his knees. “Yes, it’s a custom blend I had made. It features ambergris, cedarwood, and…”

“It reeks,” Yu Cheng said bluntly.

Yu Wangmeng’s expression froze.

Yu Cheng sat down across from him, her posture ramrod straight, her critique merciless. “It’s not just unpleasant—it’s tacky, like something a brothel courtesan would wear. Are you trying to attract bees and butterflies with this scent?”

 

Even if Yu Wangmeng didn’t understand the term “courtesan,” he knew exactly what a brothel was. Feeling his authority challenged, he slammed his hand on the coffee table and roared, “Yu Cheng! How dare you speak to your father like that! You’re in the entertainment industry now, and you’ll need me plenty in the future. You even got into the company through my connections!”

Yu Cheng wished they weren’t related. Otherwise, she would have to cancel her contract, wait for the competition to end, and then join Her Majesty’s company. If she hadn’t gotten into Firefly Agency, she would have avoided so much trouble.

Seeing the disdain in Yu Cheng’s eyes, Yu Wangmeng grew even angrier. “What exactly are you trying to say?”

“Nothing,” Yu Cheng replied. “I don’t want to rely on your connections in the entertainment industry. Stop meddling in my affairs and focus on your own business.”

“Is this how you speak to your father?!” Yu Wangmeng’s hands trembled with anger, but remembering he had to meet people later, he quickly composed himself and got to the point. “By the way, you’re close with Ji Zhaozhao from Just in Time Entertainment, aren’t you?”

Yu Cheng stiffened. “So what?”

Yu Wangmeng gave a lecherous grin, his jowls wobbling. “Dad likes her too. When can you introduce her to me?”

Yu Cheng repeated coldly, “Introduce her to you?”

The way Yu Wangmeng was acting, it didn’t seem like he wanted a proper introduction.

Yu Cheng had slaughtered countless enemies on the battlefield, once terrifying enemy generals into wetting their pants with her killing intent alone. Now, sensing Yu Wangmeng’s intentions, that same murderous aura flared to life.

The unfamiliar hostility in her gaze made Yu Wangmeng shudder. He tried to summon his paternal authority, but his voice failed him. He swallowed hard and tactfully changed the subject: “Ha ha, don’t get so worked up! By the way, when did you learn martial arts? You kept it from your old man, didn’t you? Show your dad what you’ve got!”

Yu Cheng’s killing intent subsided by about half, leaving her puzzled. What was so praiseworthy about being a father? Why did Yu Wangmeng keep saying “dad” like it was something to be proud of?

She casually picked up a glass from the tea table.

“Thirsty?” Yu Wangmeng asked, concerned.

Yu Cheng shook her head.

 

Holding the glass, she stared at Yu Wangmeng. Under his gaze, she smiled faintly and, with what appeared to be no effort at all, slowly crushed the glass in her hand, piece by piece.

Yu Wangmeng’s eyes widened in shock.

Yu Cheng brushed the shards from her palm, stood up, and said in a frosty tone, “You don’t deserve to know her.”

Before Yu Wangmeng could react, Yu Cheng turned and walked toward the door. The assistant at the entrance greeted her with a beaming smile. “The cup broke,” she casually remarked. “Send someone to clean it up.”

The assistant hurried into the room. Even as Yu Cheng walked away, she could hear the assistant shouting, “Teacher Yu, are you okay? Teacher Yu, what happened? Say something, Teacher Yu! A piece of glass cut your foot!”

Ji Zhao, waiting nearby, heard the assistant’s cries. Her eyebrows arched slightly as she glanced at Yu Cheng.

Yu Cheng blinked.

She shrugged.

Looking utterly innocent, she said, “I didn’t do it on purpose.”

Grand General Yu never lied. If she said it was an accident, then it was. Yu Wangmeng was simply unlucky. People like him? If he’s unlucky, so be it. He doesn’t deserve sympathy.

The other trainees were curious, asking Yu Cheng if she’d argued with Yu Wangmeng. But their curiosity didn’t linger long.

After all, every family has that one unreliable father, right?

The shoot went ahead as planned.

It was a sports drink commercial, all about vitality. The trainees, mostly in their early twenties, were dressed in sportswear, their ponytails high and bouncy, their makeup fresh and energetic. They lit up the screen the moment they appeared.

The commercial director, also a woman, was great at bringing out a different side of each trainee. The background was a 4D effect. When the clear water surged toward them with a thunderous sound effect, Yu Cheng jumped in fright, grabbing Ji Zhao’s arm and trying to pull her behind her. Ji Zhao stopped her: “…It’s just an effect.”

“An effect?” Yu Cheng relaxed, staring at the dramatic but harmless wave. “It looks so real.”

“This is nothing!” Song Jiangjiang chimed in from the side. “I once saw a naked-eye 3D display on the street—a huge orange cat! It looked like one swipe of its paw could topple the city, but it was so cute! Waaah!”

“An orange cat?” Ji Zhao murmured. “A kitten with orange fur?”

“Exactly!” Song Jiangjiang replied.

She nudged Ji Zhao. “Do you like cats? Should we secretly keep one at the estate? I saw a little wild cat the other day, looks like a tabby, so adorable!”

Ji Zhao watched H2O splash towards her again. “I used to have one.”

“What?” Song Jiangjiang asked.

“An orange cat,” Ji Zhao said softly. “Very cute, really cute.”

She turned to Yu Cheng. “Right?”

Song Jiangjiang glanced between them. “No, you two haven’t already reached the mandatory cat-keeping stage for girl couples, have you? Isn’t this a bit fast?”

Yu Cheng nodded. “Really cute.”

Ji Zhao agreed. “I thought so too.”

Song Jiangjiang: “…Can you stop ignoring me?”

 

The brief interlude quickly passed. By the time the commercial shoot was finished, it was already afternoon. The director took individual and group photos for the production team, even snapping pairs based on the CP list provided by the production team.

Ji Zhao and Yu Cheng naturally formed a pair.

“Yu Cheng, get a little closer to Zhaozhao! Don’t be so stiff!” the director called through the walkie-talkie. “Yes, smile—show your teeth! Too stiff!”

Finally, Ji Zhao couldn’t resist glancing sideways at Yu Cheng.

A voice squeezed out from between gritted teeth, “Is the person taking pictures with me a jiangshi?”

Yu Cheng shot her a disapproving look. “There are deities watching three feet above our heads. Don’t speak such nonsense.”

Ji Zhao rolled her eyes. “Is a jiangshi a deity?”

Yu Cheng paused, then replied, “No.”

Ji Zhao patiently continued, “Then do the deities care if I say you’re a jiangshi?”

Yu Cheng pondered this, then answered honestly, “They might mistake me for a jiangshi and take me away.”

Ji Zhao: “……”

Unable to hold it in, she burst out laughing.

Seeing Ji Zhao’s radiant smile, Yu Cheng’s lips also curved upward, her eyes sparkling with amusement. The director, who happened to be watching, was delighted. “Yes, yes, exactly like that! That gaze exchange is so sweet! Hold it!”

By the time the director finally called “Cut!”, Ji Zhao’s face felt like it was about to freeze into a permanent grin.

She rubbed her cheeks. “Phew, I almost turned into a jiangshi myself.”

Yu Cheng retorted, “Not a chance.”

Ji Zhao pinched Yu Cheng’s already stiffened cheeks. “Hmm, you’re right. Your skin doesn’t feel as cold and stiff as a jiangshi’s.”

Yu Cheng touched her cheek where Ji Zhao had pinched her, her heart skipping a beat as she followed Ji Zhao off the set. But the director called out urgently, “Wait, wait! We’re not done yet!”

The director smiled warmly. “Seeing how close you two are, let’s take a few more photos.”

Yu Cheng agreed wholeheartedly.

Her relationship with Her Majesty was indeed strong, worthy of being known throughout the world.

She asked, “How should we pose?”

The director directed them. “Yu Cheng, just wrap your arm around Zhaozhao and smile at the camera. Zhaozhao, you can lean into Yu Cheng’s embrace. The height difference between you two is so cute and visually appealing!”

Yu Cheng remained motionless, frowning. “Wrap my arm around her?”

The director replied, “Yes, around the shoulders or waist—whatever feels more comfortable for you.”

Yu Cheng found neither option comfortable.

As Her Majesty’s subject, she considered it already a great honor to be photographed with him. How could she dare to touch him so intimately, let alone wrap her arm around him? Wouldn’t that be a breach of etiquette?

She stood ramrod straight. “No.”

The director was taken aback.

 

Ji Zhao understood Yu Cheng’s thoughts. She shot her a disgruntled glare and told the director, “Let’s just shoot it like this.”

The director assumed Yu Cheng was reluctant to overdo the “acting” with Ji Zhaozhao. After all, too much of anything can be counterproductive; overly diligent “acting” can backfire and alienate fans. Understanding this, she signaled to start filming.

But just as the shutter was about to click, Yu Cheng suddenly reached out and wrapped her arm around Ji Zhao’s waist.

With a gentle tug, she pulled Ji Zhao closer.

The moment was captured in a photograph.

And frozen in that instant was Yu Cheng’s fleeting thought:

Sometimes—just sometimes—I want to step out of line.

********

Note:

The term “Follow PD” is a piece of industry-specific jargon originating from Korean and now widely used in Chinese reality television production, particularly for idol competition shows.

“PD” stands for “Production Director” or “Program Director.” A “Follow PD” is a specific member of the production crew, often a cameraman or a junior director, assigned to follow a single contestant or a small group 24/7. Their job is to capture candid footage, personal interactions, and behind-the-scenes moments for that specific individual.