Her Majesty The Empress Has Made Her Debut In The Center Position [Ancient to Modern] - Chapter 32.1

Subject: Li Tao, which couple is the best ship in the novel?

Main Post: As the title says.

Definitely Ji Zhaozhao and Yu Cheng! CEO and the Movie Emperor’s daughter—a power couple! Their height difference is adorable, and she’s head over heels for her! She follows her everywhere she goes! And she’s her top choice!

Ugh, Ji Zhaozhao and Yu Cheng are so industrial, I can only say they must not be afraid of overwhelming themselves with sweetness. If you want to ship, Song Jiangjiang and Ji Zhaozhao are still the best pairing—their names just fit.

Having so much sweetness to ship and instead shipping names? Aren’t you afraid of chipping your teeth?

I’ve been off the internet for so long I can’t even follow what everyone’s talking about… What’s “Xiao” all about?

Oh, didn’t that talent show “Debut! Girl” start airing recently? After the netizens’ thorough analysis, they discovered there are countless lesbian subplots—it’s practically a lesbian paradise! So they’ve bestowed the nickname “Xiao” upon it.

I wouldn’t even bother talking about this show before it got the nickname… The original name was hard to type, cringeworthy, and just plain bad. “Xiao” sounds much better—just seeing it makes me go “hehe, shipping!”

No one’s shipping Song Jiangjiang and Qiao Yue? “Moon over the River”—a funny school bully and a gentle, cute girl. It feels like she’d be the type to get into fights to protect the cute girl in school…

Shen Yican and Chen Xingzi have so much chemistry, it’s practically crackling! According to my research, even though they’re in different companies, they often run into each other at public appearances. Chen Xingzi is notoriously annoyed by Shen Yican’s company—OMG, is this some kind of “I love you but pretend I’m being all aloof” trope?!

I’ve practically worn the leaked photos from the first performance to a shine. When will the official footage drop?! I want to see the behind-the-scenes! I want to ship the couples! Don’t make me beg!

In the second performance, Ji Zhaozhao and Yu Cheng aren’t even in the same group! Production team, you’re breaking up a couple just to eat instant noodles without seasoning packets!

*******

In the Dramatic practice room, Ji Zhao sneezed violently.

She turned her face aside to cover her mouth and nose, hearing her teammates whisper around her:

“Where’s the seasoning packet?”

“I don’t see it!”

“There’s only the noodles and a fork in this huge instant ramen container?”

Ji Zhao pulled out a tissue. “Does mine not have a seasoning packet?”

Qian Xingxing said, “Exactly! Zhaozhao, you’re truly a Luck King! Winning even with such slim odds!”

Zhou Yuting remarked, “But is that really a good thing…?”

This was Ji Zhao’s first time trying instant ramen since arriving in the modern era, all because Qian Xingxing had raved about it so extravagantly, piquing her curiosity. Instant ramen coupons were plentiful, so for lunch, the five of them had pooled together five different flavors of instant ramen and sat down to open them together.

When they reached Ji Zhao’s seafood ramen, the team searched the entire container thoroughly but couldn’t find the seasoning packet.

Qian Xingxing said gravely, “You don’t understand. This is what they call ‘reverse Luck King’.”

Zhou Yuting asked, “What does that mean?”

Qian Xingxing spoke with conviction. “Think about it. If you’re destined for misfortune, would you rather face a small mishap or a major catastrophe? Maybe enduring this minor inconvenience will ward off greater calamity!”

Zhou Yuting nodded. “It’s just like how I slap myself twice whenever my right eyelid twitches.”

Tong Wei, sitting nearby, let out an exasperated sigh. “Can’t you stop spouting such… unconventional ideas? This stuff would never make it past the censors!”

Qian Xingxing, as if just noticing Tong Wei’s glare, dramatically scanned the surroundings. “Huh? Am I seeing things? Miss Tong, why are you sitting here eating instant noodles with us?”

Tong Wei dumped the seasoning packet into the noodle bowl, her tone stiff. “Is that a problem?”

Qian Xingxing: “Hey, what’s with the attitude—”

“Of course not,” Zhou Yuting interjected, pressing Qian Xingxing down. She was pleased with the prospect of a harmonious team atmosphere. “Weiwei, let’s go get hot water together, okay?” She turned to Ji Zhao. “Zhaozhao, do you want to go to the convenience store and ask the staff to exchange your package?”

“That’s too much trouble! A round trip would waste too much training time!” Tong Wei protested.

Qian Xingxing rotated her wrist. “Damn, my temper!”

Before anyone could react, Tong Wei swapped her instant noodles with Ji Zhao’s. “I don’t like instant noodles, and I’m watching my weight. You can have mine.”

Qian Xingxing’s eyes widened.

Zhou Yuting also stared at Tong Wei in surprise.

Tong Wei stiffened her neck and stubbornly retorted, “What? Never seen a beauty before? Don’t come back and blame me for scheming if you gain weight from eating instant noodles and end up less photogenic than me!”

Seeing Ji Zhao remain unmoved, a flicker of panic crossed Tong Wei’s eyes. “Ji Zhaozhao, you’re not eating it, are you?”

“I’m not refusing it,” Ji Zhao replied, looking up. “Doesn’t this noodle need hot water to cook?”

“You expect me to fetch hot water for you? Do you think everyone’s Yu Cheng, ready to wait on you hand and foot? Have you really deluded yourself into thinking you’re a princess? If you want it cooked, do it yourself!”

“Princess?” Ji Zhao thought to herself, No wonder having no eunuchs around is inconvenient—I don’t even have anyone to order around. She picked up the instant noodle bowl and said to Tong Wei, “Why be a princess anyway? As far as I know, your princesses here get abused by stepmothers, envied by queens, cursed by witches, and lose their legs for love. What’s so great about being a princess?”

Her question stumped Tong Wei. They had already reached the door before Tong Wei weakly replied, “Someone would be there to serve me…”

Ji Zhao paused, then turned around. “Then it’s still better to be Emperor. After all, even Princesses have to serve Princes and bear their children, right?”

Qian Xingxing looked bewildered. “Why does it feel like this conversation has taken seven, eight, or maybe even nine sharp turns?”

Zhou Yuting stood up. “I’ll go get hot water with you.”

Meanwhile, Li Yunyue—only Li Yunyue—forced to sit here and participate in the ritual of opening instant ramen bowls under Qian Xingxing’s enthusiastic invitation, was staring at Ji Zhao with a flickering gaze. Qian Xingxing nudged her shoulder gently. “Don’t tell me you’re about to cry?”

Li Yunyue hastily lowered her head. “If only I had my phone.”

Qian Xingxing let out a laugh. “Are you still worried about your game check-in?”

Li Yunyue shook her head. “…I want to vote for Ji Zhaozhao.”

Qian Xingxing froze for a moment before grabbing Li Yunyue’s hand, startling her. “As long as you like Ji Zhaozhao,” she declared passionately, “we’re family!”

Li Yunyue instinctively leaned back, chuckling awkwardly. “D-don’t get so close.”

Qian Xingxing patted her arm. “Hey, we’re family now!”

Li Yunyue: “Haha.”

Even family needs a safe social distance, okay?!

After dinner, neither lying down nor exercising was advisable.

So Qian Xingxing suggested playing a game. After all, tedious training scenes rarely made it into the final cut. Only fun moments made for effective footage.

The five members of Dramatic gathered again, each reeking of instant noodles. Tong Wei had finally given in and eaten some, and the group had asked the production team for disposable bowls to turn the noodles into a buffet. They even drank the broth, threatening the camera crew not to air this segment.

Then they sat together amicably, discussing what games to play.

“How about Truth or Dare?” Zhou Yuting asked, resting her chin in her hand, her big eyes sparkling. “It’s a little old-fashioned, though. It’d be nice if we had some cards.”

Qian Xingxing waved her hand dismissively. “The production team prepared some, but I looked through them—they’re all cliché and tacky.”

Tong Wei slowly integrated into the group. “Then what should we play?”

Li Yunyue stared at the ceiling, wanting some quiet time.

Ji Zhao, however, was only concerned with practicalities. “It’s lunch break now, and not many trainees are still practicing. Just the five of us is too few for a game. We should call Yu Cheng over.”

Qian Xingxing: “……”

The main act is about to collapse.

Tong Wei couldn’t help but complain, “You were being so noble earlier, and now you accidentally slipped up!”

Ji Zhao winked at her, looking utterly innocent, as if to say, “I did it on purpose. What are you gonna do about it?”

Tong Wei was speechless with anger. She really couldn’t do anything about it!

“Then let’s ask if any other trainees want to join us,” Zhou Yuting suggested.

When Li Yunyue heard so many people were coming, her heart nearly stopped. “We don’t have cell phones, how can we ask? Why don’t we just play as a group? I think four people is…”

“Easy! I’ll go ask!” Qian Xingxing sprang up and rushed to the window. She pushed it open and shouted, “Anyone want to play games with us?! First come, first served! Dramatic is waiting for you!”

Li Yunyue: “……”

Social butterflies… What a terrifying world.

Her call was answered by a hundred responses.

But the game couldn’t accommodate too many players, so only four more people joined in the end: Yu Cheng, Song Jiangjiang, Shen Yican, and Pei Jia.

Yu Cheng was the first to arrive. She practiced Lightness Skill, though she avoided showing off, her speed was undeniably faster than others. Arriving without a hint of redness or panting, she calmly walked to Ji Zhao’s side and asked, “Not resting?”

Ji Zhao shook her head. “I’m too full to rest.”

Yu Cheng hummed in acknowledgment. “I’ll keep you company.”

Her dissatisfaction with the program deepened.

The team members of Dramatic were speechless.

Zhou Yuting wondered if this show could really foster romance. Qian Xingxing reminded herself not to be a toxic fan. Tong Wei rolled her eyes inwardly, thinking, “Ugh, I can’t believe I’m seeing a real homosexual in the flesh.” Meanwhile, Li Yunyue felt quite pleased: “I like Ji Zhaozhao, and I can ship her with someone else too. This is a win-win!”

Next came Shen Yican. As a member of the Rap Group, she had chosen an explosive, high-energy song. To avoid her long hair getting in the way, she had cut it shorter and tied it up in a high ponytail, giving her a fresh and tidy look.

Rolling up her training sleeves to reveal her slender wrists, she asked, “I heard there’s a game here?”

Before she could finish her cool act, Pei Jia and Song Jiangjiang burst into the practice room in a fluster. Shen Yican gritted her teeth. “Are you two in a hurry to reincarnate?”

Song Jiangjiang chuckled awkwardly. “Sorry, sorry.”

She stuck out her leg to block Pei Jia at the door and leaned into the room. “Have you got enough people for the game yet? How many more do you need? This is affecting my relationship with Pei Jia! It’s really important to me!”

“Song Jiangjiang!” Pei Jia shouted from behind her. “My boss is inside! Do you really think they’d pick you when there are so many others? I have connections, you know! Now, move aside!”

Pei Jia had been under immense pressure lately in the Composition Group, and her desire to quit the competition was growing stronger by the day. Even in her dreams, she was packing her bags, only to wake up and face another brainstorming session. In just two days, she’d lost a noticeable amount of weight and desperately needed a break.

Qian Xingxing clicked her tongue. “What’s the rush? Pay the registration fee first!”

Before anyone at the door could respond, a teammate from inside the room asked, “Registration fee?!”

Qian Xingxing cleared her throat. “I never expected our game event to be so popular. We can make a killing and maybe even afford instant noodles for lunch tomorrow!”

Her teammates found her reasoning convincing and agreed to let Qian Xingxing collect the registration fees.

Qian Xingxing was overjoyed. “Beautiful, absolutely beautiful! We’re rich!”

Song Jiangjiang slapped the floor. “Hurry up, will you? I still need to go back and train! What game are we playing? Where did you even get the phone? PUBG or Honor of Kings? Sky: Children of the Light or Fifth Personality?”

“What phone?” Zhou Yuting asked.

A question mark slowly appeared above Pei Jia’s head. “How can we play without a phone?”

“Phone, phone! All you ever think about is your phones!” Shen Yican scolded. “In modern society, phones have invaded too much of our lives. We need to free our hands and stop playing with them.”

She turned to Qian Xingxing. “Where’s the computer? What’s the spec? Will it lag when playing online games?”

The team members of Dramatic were speechless.

Zhou Yuting explained. “When we say ‘playing games,’ we mean small team-building activities. We don’t have phones or computers.”

Song Jiangjiang: “……”

Pei Jia: “……”

Shen Yican: “……”

In unison: “Refund!”

“No, no! Look at Yu Cheng—why won’t she let us get a refund?” Qian Xingxing stuffed the discount vouchers into her pocket and wheedled, “What could be more important than our friendship—phones or computers?”

Again, they answered in unison: “Absolutely not!”

Ji Zhao’s head was throbbing from listening to their bickering. She had been propping her forehead in her hand, but upon hearing their resolute reply, she couldn’t help but look up at the three determined women.

Shen Yican, who shared a dormitory with Ji Zhao, remained silent.

Pei Jia, an employee of Timely Entertainment, also said nothing.

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