Her Majesty The Empress Has Made Her Debut In The Center Position [Ancient to Modern] - Chapter 34.1

Zhong Qingxiu, Ji Zhaozhao’s grandmother, was the undisputed matriarch of the Ji Family. Born into an aristocratic family herself, she had married into the Ji Family and given birth to two sons and a daughter. After the death of her second son—Ji Zhaozhao’s father, she had rarely ventured out in public.

This was her first appearance at such a crowded event in years. Ji Lin had arranged for a VIP booth and discreetly arranged the surroundings to avoid embarrassing the Old Madam.

Her primary reason for attending was to see Ji Zhaozhao.

Ever since her youngest son’s death, the Old Master of the Ji Family had considered Ji Zhaozhao an inauspicious presence, blaming her for the deaths of her parents. He had abandoned her to her own devices, forbidding the Ji family from visiting or showing concern for her. His autocratic nature meant no one dared defy him.

Fortunately, despite being neglected, Ji Zhaozhao had grown up with the family’s substantial wealth. After years of separation, her remarkable growth far exceeded the Old Madam’s expectations.

Ji Lin muttered softly, “Grandma doesn’t need to worry about her at all. She’s so quick-witted that no one dares to bully her. Besides, Yu Cheng protects her like a hawk.”

Zhong Qingxiu said, “I’m not worried about her.”

Ji Lin asked, “Then why are you here to see her?”

The camera on the big screen had long since moved on to the next group. Yu Cheng, being quite conscientious, was going through the motions. Zhong Qingxiu’s gaze shifted away from the screen, her lips touching her teacup. “I have faith in her.”

Ji Lin was slightly taken aback. “Faith in her?”

Zhong Qingxiu continued, “A few days ago, when you came to see her, she snapped back at you. Did Ji Jing scold you?”

Ji Lin lowered her eyes. “He did.”

Zhong Qingxiu asked, “How did that make you feel?”

A flicker of resentment crossed Ji Lin’s face. “He doesn’t even qualify to speak to Ji Zhaozhao. He’s even more useless than I am—what right does he have to scold me? But Mom and Dad both side with him. What can I do?”

Zhong Qingxiu patted her hand. “So you came to see Grandma.”

Ji Lin felt a warmth in her eyes.

Zhong Qingxiu was the least patriarchal member of the Ji family, but in the end, her father still held the final say. So Ji Lin sought comfort from her grandmother, not expecting her to solve the problem.

“You’ve done well,” Zhong Qingxiu said softly. “This is something you’ve never done before.”

Ji Lin was momentarily dazed. “… What do you mean?”

The crowd erupted in cheers, likely because the big screen had cut to someone else. But Zhong Qingxiu’s voice remained calm and steady. “Before, when you were wronged, you always thought, ‘I’m just a daughter, this is what I deserve.’ Grandma couldn’t help you, and might even have been blamed for trying to help you. So you gradually learned to endure everything silently.”

“Resistance is the first step. Zhaozhao taught you that.”

“That girl who didn’t grow up in the Ji family—our Zhaozhao—may be unconventional, but she’s not wrong,” Zhong Qingxiu said. “Go make arrangements. After her performance, I want to speak to her privately.”

“Yes,” Ji Lin replied.

On the big screen, the camera shook a couple of times before turning to face the person filming. Yu Cheng wasn’t very skilled with the equipment yet, and her face filled the screen, causing her fans to scream excitedly.

“Her beauty is magnified! Awsl!”

“How can she look this stunning from any angle? I can’t take it! The Creator is being way too biased!”

“Just thinking about my wife performing ‘What Should I Do?’ today makes my heart race.”

“I’ve prepared a montage of ‘What Should I Do?’ stages using footage directly from the main act. We’d be doing them a disservice if we didn’t edit it. Who’s in favor? Who’s against?”

“I’m a solo fan, and I’m against it!”

“Objection overruled! Take her out and make her watch ‘The Puppet Show’ duo footage ten times!”

During the early stages of the talent show, the fan base was still small, allowing solo fans and pairing fans to coexist peacefully. Representatives from the three major fandoms would sit together, amiably discussing support strategies, empty bottle campaigns, and voting tactics, making others green with envy.

After adjusting the camera, Yu Cheng waved at the lens. “Hello, everyone.”

“Today’s pre-show interviews will end here,” she said, glancing off-camera, making fans wonder if someone was feeding her lines. “There’s water and snacks on your seats. Please rest and wait for the stage to begin.”

She nodded slightly. “Goodbye.”

As she finished speaking, the big screen went dark for a moment before resuming its loop of Debut! Girl promos. Fans used the break to use the restroom, munch on snacks, or catch a quick nap.

While the venue remained orderly, backstage was a chaotic mess.

Staff members darted back and forth, overwhelmed with tasks—coordinating schedules, rushing into dressing rooms to urge stylists to hurry, and shoving freshly made-up trainees into changing rooms.

The opening dance featured seventy-five trainees in a simple formation. Though rushed, the choreography was straightforward, designed to get the crowd excited. Their uniforms were provided by the production team, and some trainees hadn’t even changed out of the costumes they’d tried on earlier for tonight’s performance.

Like Ji Zhao’s group.

Their costumes had just arrived at the gym earlier that day. After trying them on and finishing their makeup, most of the girls needed help changing back into their regular clothes to avoid messing up their hairstyles and makeup.

Yu Cheng swiveled her chair to face Ji Zhao. “Let me help you.”

Ji Zhao hummed in acknowledgment.

Yu Cheng’s eyes softened. “You look stunning,” she blurted out.

The LED lights above the dressing mirror illuminated Ji Zhao’s delicate features. Her small face was flawlessly made up, the mole at the corner of her eye appearing more pronounced and alluring. Her loose, purple curls cascaded down her bare shoulders like seaweed, creating a bewitching yet untouchable beauty.

Ji Zhao glanced at her. “I thought you might have something to say about this.”

Like the Grand Tutor, nagging about how Your Majesty isn’t setting a proper example, how if everyone acted as freely as Your Majesty, the world would fall into chaos…

And all I did was wear less because it’s hot in summer.

“How would I dare?” Yu Cheng murmured.

Ji Zhao rose gracefully. “Come help me change.”

The fitting room was right next door. Qian Xingxing and Zhou Yuting had just finished helping each other change when they saw Ji Zhao waiting outside. Qian Xingxing was about to enthusiastically offer her help when Zhou Yuting tugged at her sleeve.

“What’s up?” Qian Xingxing asked.

Zhou Yuting gave her a meaningful look.

Following her gaze, Qian Xingxing saw Yu Cheng standing ramrod straight beside Ji Zhaozhao. As she passed by, Yu Cheng shot Qian Xingxing a glance that sent a chill down her spine.

“…So venomous! Even more venomous than me!” Qian Xingxing muttered under her breath after the fitting room door closed.

Zhou Yuting shook her head. “I don’t think she’s like you.”

Qian Xingxing nodded vigorously. “Exactly! Who could possibly compare to her?” Realizing she’d slipped into her hometown dialect, she translated into Mandarin: “It’s like anyone who so much as glances at Zhaozhao would get devoured alive by Yu Cheng’s glare. She means it, doesn’t she?”

Zhou Yuting glanced at the tightly shut fitting room door. “We’ll have to observe further.”

Inside the fitting room, the two “subjects under observation” were having a heated argument.

Ji Zhao: “Open your eyes!”

“No,” Yu Cheng said.

“Open your eyes,” Ji Zhao commanded.

“No,” Yu Cheng repeated.

“This is an Imperial Decree.”

A flicker of internal conflict crossed Yu Cheng’s face, torn between defiance and obedience. Ji Zhao’s ultimatum—”If you don’t want to, then get someone else to help me change”—settled the matter instantly. Yu Cheng’s eyes snapped open. “I can’t!”

Ji Zhao smiled at her. “Why not?”

Yu Cheng’s face flushed crimson.

 The production team had provided a uniform: a white blouse, pink jacket, and short skirt. To change into it, one had to remove all their clothes first. The moment Your Majesty entered the room, she began undressing, leaving Yu Cheng no time to react.

While Yu Cheng’s eyes were closed, Your Majesty had already stripped completely.

She hastily averted her gaze, but the fleeting glimpse of beauty—like porcelain skin, breathtakingly lovely, irresistibly alluring—seemed burned into her mind, replaying incessantly. The Emperor Your Majesty, in all his naked splendor.

Yu Cheng’s throat tightened. “…Your Majesty, please forgive me.”

“For what?” Ji Zhao asked, puzzled. “Does Grand General Yu feel humiliated for performing the duties of a Palace Maid? Or is there something unsightly about me? Why won’t you look at me?”

Yu Cheng: “I—”

Ji Zhao: “Look at me.”

Yu Cheng forced herself to meet Ji Zhao’s gaze, afraid to lower her eyes even slightly.

But Ji Zhao wouldn’t let her off the hook. “Look down.”

Yu Cheng’s eyes widened slightly. “Your Majesty!”

Ji Zhao stepped closer, tilting her head back to look into Yu Cheng’s eyes. “What’s wrong? Grand General Yu, you’ve faced countless enemies on the battlefield. What could possibly faze you now? Am I some kind of terrifying beast? Or…”

As if suddenly realizing something, she added with a belated “Ah!” “Could it be that this body is affecting you?”

Yu Cheng was still processing. “Hm?”

Ji Zhao placed her hand on Yu Cheng’s chest. “Do you feel… fluttering when you see a girl?”

Yu Cheng’s heart pounded like a drum.

Ji Zhao tilted her head. “Just with me, or with other girls too?”

Yu Cheng’s hands clenched into fists at her sides. Her voice squeezed out from between gritted teeth. “Your Majesty—there are others waiting. I came to help you change.”

Having unwittingly exposed Yu Cheng’s secret, Ji Zhao felt a twinge of awkwardness and embarrassment. She responded absently with a noncommittal “Oh.”

Yu Cheng helped her put on the shirt.

Yu Cheng buttoned up Ji Zhao’s shirt, one button at a time, from top to bottom, covering her alluring curves. When she reached the hem, her hand paused slightly. She avoided Ji Zhao’s gaze, her voice husky: “Skirt…”

Ji Zhao took the skirt from her. “I’ll put it on myself.”

The skirt had a waistband. As Yu Cheng fastened the buttons, her palm brushed against Ji Zhao’s waist. Her heart fluttered. Your Majesty’s waist is truly so slender, she thought. When she wore the imperial robes earlier, her waist, barely the span of a hand, looked so gallant tied with the sash.

After fastening the waistband, she murmured, “All done.”

The weather was growing increasingly hot. Although the backstage area had air conditioning, the constant movement of staff allowed more hot air in than cool air out, leaving the air stifling and no one wearing coats.

Ji Zhao hummed in acknowledgment and turned around. “Let’s go.”

The lingering, suggestive atmosphere froze for a moment, then vanished the instant the door opened. Ji Zhao composed herself, only to be immediately surrounded by teammates who had grabbed their phones and started taking frantic selfies. “Zhaozhao, group photo! Smile!”

Ji Zhao reflexively raised her hand, baring her teeth in a forced but adorable grin. Her teammates squealed, swarming closer. “So cute! One more!”

Not far away, Qian Xingxing stood with a serious expression, her gaze fixed on the Yuzhao CP super thread on her phone. She looked up to see Yu Cheng quietly observing Ji Zhaozhao and remarked gravely, “Could this be the legendary ‘Sisterly Love’?”

Zhou Yuting scolded playfully, “What nonsense are you spouting?”

But she added earnestly, “It’s definitely a mutual unrequited crush.”

Qian Xingxing: “……”

Finally, someone who can spout such serious nonsense even better than me.

At 7 p.m., the official recording of the second performance stage for Debut! Girl Season 4 officially began.

The theme of this performance was “Position Evaluation.” The trainees chose their preferred position within a team, formed groups, and completed their stages. After the performances, on-site voting took place. The trainee with the most votes in each group received 50,000 points, and the trainee with the most votes in each major category received an additional 100,000 points.

After the production team’s host explained the competition rules and exited the stage, the dimmed lights came back on. The 75 trainees lined up with Ji Zhaozhao at the center position. A lively background track began to play, and the crowd erupted in cheers.

Meanwhile, on the forum, everyone was completely clueless about the performance, anxiously awaiting a live report from someone at the scene.

[Has it even started yet? What happened to the OP? You only got in because someone gave you a ticket! Don’t get too invested, since you’re already eliminated! Don’t tell me you fell for another rookie during the pre-show interview again, did you?!]

[The OP from the neighboring thread has vanished too… Is this show cursed? Does anyone even care about left-behind children anymore?]

[I wish I had a teleportation device to beam me straight to the performance!]

[Sorry, sorry! I’m late! The opening dance just finished. To be honest, it was really… out of sync. But I don’t think anyone actually danced wrong. In short, lucky Weibo fans—just pair the raw footage with whatever background music you like!]

Lin Xiao, you’re getting more and more sophisticated with your insults…

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