Her Majesty The Empress Has Made Her Debut In The Center Position [Ancient to Modern] - Chapter 47.2

Their schedule for the day was simple: indoor photoshoots in the morning, free time in the afternoon, and a flight back to City A the next morning.

Shen Yican, just finished with her makeup, peeled off a piece of orange and popped it in her mouth. “I’ll go check.”

Shen Xin stood up. “Where are you going?”

Zhou Yuting said, “The nearest place to practice dancing is probably the auditorium next door. It’s empty today since there’s no event, so if they’re competing, they’d definitely be there.”

The three of them walked toward the auditorium.

Ji Zhao and Yu Cheng were indeed in the auditorium.

The two were rehearsing their duet performance. Even though there wouldn’t be live voting during the performance, the stage presence would directly impact their fans’ favor, so neither took it lightly. But the problem was—

After running through the routine once, Ji Zhao saw Yu Cheng quietly walk to the other end of the stage. She felt a pang of guilt. “Is it really that uncomfortable?”

Yu Cheng waved her hand without turning around. “Don’t worry about me.”

“Oh,” Ji Zhao replied.

But ignoring her didn’t feel right. “How about I help you?”

She clenched her fists. “I may not have any real experience, but my theory is solid!”

She hadn’t been idle these past few days. After all, she was about to start dating. Picking up some bedroom knowledge couldn’t hurt, especially when seeing Yu Cheng so uncomfortable every day made her uncomfortable too.

Yu Cheng’s back stiffened. “…Your Majesty isn’t uncomfortable?”

Her voice sounded strangely lonely.

Your Majesty told me to pursue you, so he must like me a little. Why am I the only one uncomfortable dancing so intimately? Does he not feel anything?

Ji Zhao crouched down beside her. “Does being wet count too?”

Yu Cheng’s face flushed crimson.

Ji Zhao leaned closer. “Why aren’t you answering?”

Yu Cheng remained silent.

Ji Zhao continued, “Actually, I feel the most when we kiss. But just dancing like this, I only feel—”

Yu Cheng abruptly stood up, interrupting her. “Enough! We—we should go back!”

Ji Zhao tilted her head back to look up at her, clearly displeased. “You dare yell at me?”

Yu Cheng shook her head. “I’m not yelling.”

“You are!”

“I—”

“Let me just say something fair here,” Shen Yican said, having just entered the auditorium and only catching half of the conversation. But that didn’t stop her from acting as the judge. “Zhaozhao, Yu Cheng just said it was time to go back. When did she yell? Don’t you agree?”

Zhou Yuting smiled. “True, it wasn’t really a yell.”

Shen Xin: “……”

For some reason, she felt this trip was a mistake. It was exhausting, and she had a nagging feeling they’d end up eating something they shouldn’t.

Ji Zhao ignored them, calmly asking Yu Cheng, “Is that so?”

Yu Cheng’s gaze softened. “I was wrong,” she said. “I shouldn’t have yelled at you.” She lifted her head and addressed the three of them. “I really did yell at her earlier.”

Zhou Yuting: “?”

Shen Yican: “……?”

Shen Xin: “……”

She knew it! The clowns are us!

Ugh! Love-struck fools!

The shoot lasted three hours. By the time it finished, the rain had stopped.

Out of courtesy, they had dinner with the magazine’s editor-in-chief. All the girls were around twenty, too young to have been tainted by the superficiality of the entertainment industry. Under the Assistant Director’s watchful eye, they didn’t even touch a drop of alcohol.

Oh, the Assistant Director this time was named Yang, a female director who had once written a proposal for a popular national variety show—a testament to her professional competence. Unfortunately, her lack of marriage and children meant the higher-ups wouldn’t promote her.

Dinner ended just past noon.

Director Yang gathered them together. “This afternoon is free time. You can go shopping or sightseeing, but there’s one rule: to ensure your safety, you must report your itinerary every hour.”

“Yesss!” the trainees cheered.

Director Yang smiled at their excited, spirited faces. “Take plenty of photos and videos. It’s not every day we get to come out, so we have to make it count.”

“Yes!” the trainees replied.

Director Yang nodded. “Should I send a driver?”

Song Jiangjiang said, “No need!”

She turned to her teammates. “I want to ride the subway, the tram, and even a taxi!”

Ji Zhao nodded. “Might as well give it a try.”

Director Yang chuckled. “Alright, then. Stay safe and have fun!”

After the rain, the wind scattered the dark clouds, and the blazing sun evaporated the moisture. In no time, everything was bright and clear, as if the rain had never fallen.

This outing had no specific purpose. They rode the tram in Central, getting off wherever something interesting caught their eye. They took photos, shopped, and wandered, stopping and starting, playing and moving on. As they traveled and played, they inevitably ran into fans.

Soon, a hot post appeared on a forum, titled “The Seven Debutantes and Their Little Accessories: A Record of Serendipitous Encounters with Passersby.”

[The title alone cracks me up! Pei Jia would immediately pack her bags and quit if she saw this. Don’t push it!]

[Central, Sham Shui Po, Yau Ma Tei, duty-free shops, Mong Kok… They’re really on the move! To the uninformed, it looks like they’re running a marathon club!]

******

The trainees left at the estate opened WeChat and saw that the eight of them had topped WeChat’s Step Challenge.

Zhaozhao took a few extra steps to secure the Center Position on WeChat’s Step Challenge!

Ji Zhaozhao’s fans are crazy… They’re obsessed with the Center Position, aren’t they?

When it’s your own idol, it’s called admiration; when it’s someone else’s, it’s called Center Position obsession. Yu Cheng’s fans, hide your tails…

You’re wrong there. Even Yu Cheng can’t hide her little tail of affection for Ji Zhaozhao. Fans follow their idols, so of course Yu Cheng’s fans can’t hide it either. Hehe, I’m getting another ship fix.

This is a record thread… CP fans, don’t go overboard!

*******

The record thread returned to its original purpose, diligently documenting the trainees’ activities, until more and more trolls joined, including some black fans who started hurling insults in real-time. That’s when things spiraled out of control.

As the trainee in the Center Position, Ji Zhao automatically became the captain, and Director Yang contacted her first.

Protected by Yu Cheng, Ji Zhao faced less direct hostility. Listening to Director Yang’s proposal, she murmured, “It’s rush hour now. Getting your people here will take at least two hours—too long. I have a better idea.”

Director Yang asked, “What is it?”

Ji Zhao said, “Repulse Bay is nearby, and I have a villa there. We might be able to hide there for a while.”

Director Yang: “……”

The words “Repulse Bay villa” could make her heart soar.

Ji Zhao hummed in confusion. “Is that not good?”

Director Yang quickly said, “No, no, it’s fine. Of course it’s fine! It’s just that your villa is near Repulse Bay, but you still need to get there. How do you plan to get there?”

Ji Zhao said, “By bus.”

Director Yang: “……Huh?”

As Ji Zhao said, it was rush hour, and the buses were packed. The eight of them squeezed onto the same bus while the black fans weren’t looking and drove off. It was the fastest and most convenient method.

To Ji Zhao’s surprise, she had expected at least two or three black fans to squeeze onto the bus. She had even prepared retorts, but the black fans were completely blocked by a human wall formed by the fans.

There was a young girl among them, her delicate face filled with determination. She turned around and shouted in accented Mandarin, “Have a good time! We’ll be waiting for your postcards!”

Qiao Yue’s eyes stung. “Our fans…”

Song Jiangjiang wiped away her tears. “They really love us!”

Zhou Yuting stood by the railing on the bus’s upper deck, waving at them. “Stay safe! See you on stage—”

Her voice drifted away in the wind.

Ji Zhao and Yu Cheng also waved silently. It wasn’t until they were far enough away that Ji Zhao softly spoke, “They’re really wonderful.”

Yu Cheng agreed, “Yes.”

“They deserve better,” Ji Zhao said.

Shen Xin paused. “What do you mean?”

Ji Zhao turned to Song Jiangjiang. “You were snapping photos with the trolls earlier. Did you also capture the fans who shielded you?”

Song Jiangjiang nodded. “Yes.”

Ji Zhao continued, “I have an idea.”

She posted a Weibo message, asking the fans who had shielded the girls from the trolls to send a private message to @Timely Entertainment. After verifying their identities, they could claim a parting gift.

Song Jiangjiang’s video would serve as proof of identity.

Shen Xin asked, “Will the production team reimburse us for these gifts?”

Yu Cheng immediately replied, “I’ll cover it.”

Shen Xin: “……”

Forgot there was a rich lady here.

Ji Zhao smiled. “Since we’re working with Timely Entertainment, the expenses will naturally be billed to my company. Once we get to the villa, everyone can choose a gift—up to 1,000 yuan each.”

The air fell silent for a moment.

Song Jiangjiang broke the silence. “I want to resent the rich, but I don’t even know where to start.”

The trainees murmured in agreement.

Only Pei Jia seemed out of the loop. “If our company is so rich, when are they going to give me a raise?”

Ji Zhao: “……”

When they got off the bus and were met by the villa’s butler at the bus stop, Song Jiangjiang was even more at a loss for words. She silently vowed, “If I can’t be a rich second-generation heir, I’ll be the first generation to build that wealth!”

Repulse Bay was a luxury villa built right on the coast, with a private beach right outside. The butler, having been informed in advance, had set up a sun umbrella on the beach with two lounge chairs beneath it. A small table between the chairs held chilled fruit. The butler spoke English with a perfect accent, apologizing for the rushed preparations and asking for their understanding.

Ji Zhao replied in English, “This is China. Please speak Mandarin.”

Shen Yican, an English major, chuckled. “I’ve always wanted to say that to my English teacher during class.”

The butler’s expression shifted slightly.

The villa at Repulse Bay belonged to the Ji family. Ji Jing spent one or two months there each year, but no one else ever visited. While the Ji family didn’t explicitly forbid daughters from coming, no woman had ever been here except for Ji Jing’s female companions.

The butler, steeped in the Ji family’s patriarchal culture, held women in contempt. He didn’t take Ji Zhao seriously and spoke English merely to flaunt his superiority.

He hadn’t expected Ji Zhaozhao to remain so calm and even counterattack without batting an eyelid, leaving him feeling embarrassed.

In Mandarin, he said, “I thought the Young Mistress was accustomed to speaking English.”

“I’m Chinese. Why would I be accustomed to speaking English?” Ji Zhao stopped walking. “Also, if I’m not mistaken, you’ve been working here for over twenty years, right?”

The butler replied, “Yes.”

Ji Zhao said coldly, “Then stop calling me ‘Young Mistress.’ This villa was registered under my father’s name when he was alive, and I inherited it after his passing. If you dare let any stray cats or dogs in again, you’ll be kicked out along with them!”

“And I guarantee no other household will hire you after this.”

The butler: “!!!”

“Stray cats and dogs?” Ji… Ji Jing, right? How dare she!

The butler: “Young—”

Ji Zhao shot him a glare.

The butler swallowed his words. “Mistress.”

Ji Zhao clicked her tongue. “I don’t want to keep a dog like you around. Just call me Boss Ji.”

The butler lowered his head. “Boss Ji.”

“What are these fruits for?” Ji Zhao glanced at the fruit platter on the square table. “I invited my closest friends. Prepare a satisfactory dinner within an hour.”

“An hour?!” the butler exclaimed.

Ji Zhao replied, “There are still 59 minutes left.”

The butler, no longer daring to delay, retreated two steps and hurried back to the villa at top speed. The mansion immediately buzzed with activity, leaving Song Jiangjiang speechless. “I had no idea there were so many people here!”

Ji Zhao smiled. “I lived here as a child, though it’s been a while since I’ve been back. I vaguely remember there being quite a few servants—eight chefs alone, not counting the pastry chefs.”

Song Jiangjiang: “!!!”

Zhou Yuting asked, “Even when you’re not here, they still live here?”

“Of course not in the villa itself,” Ji Zhao explained. “There’s a three-story building nearby that serves as staff housing. The conditions are decent, and they still get paid even when we’re not in residence.”

Pei Jia stepped forward. “Why don’t you transfer me here?”

Ji Zhao sighed. “If you’re tired, rest. If you’re not, wander around. I don’t have the energy to give you a tour, so just treat it like your own home and explore freely.”

Song Jiangjiang: “This is…”

Shen Xin: “That’s exactly what you said…”

Zhou Yuting: “Then I’ll go check it out too.”

Song Jiangjiang took a deep breath. “I have to be my calm self again. I love being like this.”

Shen Yican chimed in, “Let’s film a video to make Chen Xingzi green with envy!”

Qiao Yue cautioned, “Don’t get too attached.”

Shen Yican retorted, “Who’s getting attached?!”

Watching them run off, bickering and laughing, Ji Zhao shifted her gaze to Yu Cheng, who stood motionless beside her. “Aren’t you going to explore?”

Yu Cheng shook her head.

Ji Zhao nodded. “True. As the daughter of Yu Wangmeng, what grand occasion hasn’t Zhaozhao witnessed?”

Yu Cheng said, “I simply want to stay by your side.”

Yu Cheng had said such words before, after all, she was a high-ranking general, and it was her duty as Ji Zhao’s subject to express such loyalty. Everyone would say such loyal words, it was just that the address had changed from “Your Majesty” to “you”, making the words sound so suggestive that it made one’s face burn.

Ji Zhao cleared her throat. “Then come with me to the study.”

The existence of this villa had come to Ji Zhao’s mind yesterday while she was taking photos at Repulse Bay. The Ji Family’s assets were vast, but only a small portion had been divided between their two sons. Since Ji Zhaozhao’s parents passed away, Ji Jing had usurped this villa like a cuckoo displacing its host’s chicks, even Zhong Qingxiu hadn’t remembered that this villa belonged to Ji Zhaozhao.

And in this villa’s study, Ji Zhaozhao’s parents often held discussions, so there should be many things here that Ji Zhao didn’t know.

A password lock.

Ji Zhao tried her birthday twice, and finally opened the door using the date Ji Zhaozhao’s parents first met. After opening the door, she stood silently for a while, and said, “… Ji Zhaozhao’s mother was truly very clever.”

Yu Cheng asked, “Mother?”

“Yes,” Ji Zhao said with a smile. “Do you really think the Ji family’s educational methods could turn a bad bamboo shoot into a good one, or raise a great lover who respects women? Zhaozhao’s father wasn’t much better, but at least this was the password. Otherwise, that idiot Ji Jing would have gotten in.”

The study was spacious, even more so with the ceiling removed. A crystal chandelier hung from the high ceiling, filling the room with bright light. The bookshelves held over five thousand volumes, a collection spanning ancient and modern times, covering all corners of the world.

Ji Zhao headed straight for the safe by the desk. The password was simple: Zhaozhao’s mother’s birthday.

As soon as she opened it, the contents spilled out.

Yu Cheng reached out to stop them, picking up one of the books. “A property title?”

Ji Zhao picked up another. “Another property title?”

Yu Cheng: “A land ownership certificate?”

Ji Zhao: “All of these are—”

“This is ridiculous!” Shen Xin’s voice came from the doorway, close by. She appeared instantly. “Why is the door unlocked? Is this another secret collection room?”

Ji Zhao cursed inwardly. They’d forgotten to lock the door. She exchanged a glance with Yu Cheng, who frantically stuffed items into the safe. But it was too full to close, and there was no time to remove anything. “What should we do?” she whispered.

“Don’t panic,” Ji Zhao said, steadying herself. As the door creaked open, her expression hardened. She grabbed Yu Cheng’s arm, pressing her against the jammed safe. “Sit still and don’t move!”

“Your Majesty—”

In the next instant, Ji Zhao straddled Yu Cheng, lowered her head, and buried her face in the crook of Yu Cheng’s neck, gently biting down. “Your heart’s racing.”

Yu Cheng swallowed hard.

Their positions were undeniably suggestive. From the back, it looked like—

The study door burst open. Song Jiangjiang and the others, who had been eagerly exploring the mansion from the start, crowded in. But when they took in the scene inside, they all froze, speechless.

Zhou Yuting: Is this a dream?

Qiao Yue: Wow, this is shipper heaven!

Shen Yican: Oh no, this is a disaster! Wait, could they be selling themselves? Looks like they still have a long way to go compared to Chen Xingzi on the path to becoming prostitutes!

Shen Xin: What a good omen! Breakfast and dinner are covered…

Song Jiangjiang: Can’t you just wait?! At least lock the door!

Pei Jia: …

She just knew they’d done it!

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