Her Majesty The Empress Has Made Her Debut In The Center Position [Ancient to Modern] - Chapter 48.2

Although Director Yang offered to send a car to pick them up, the trainees considerately declined.

They all said it was too late and too much trouble, and everyone should get some sleep. Then they sent “hard work” emoticons in the group chat and happily dove into the luxurious beds.

The comfortable environment ensured a good night’s sleep, and everyone woke up feeling refreshed.

After breakfast in the dining room, the group strolled along the beach one last time before reluctantly heading toward the gate. Song Jiangjiang gazed at the mansion, a wistful look in her eyes. “I’ll miss everything about this place.”

Qiao Yue patted her. “Work hard, and you’ll have something like this someday.”

Song Jiangjiang: “Sixty million dollars.”

Qiao Yue: “…Maybe in the next life.”

After finishing her work with the butler, Ji Zhao noticed her friends’ obvious sadness. “Once I’m established,” she said, “I’ll bring you all back here.”

Their eyes lit up. “Really?!”

“Really,” Ji Zhao replied.

She retrieved her keys from the butler and added, “I don’t have Ji Jing’s contact information. You notify him—if he dares set foot here again, I’ll call the police.”

“Yes, Miss,” the butler replied.

The search for a new butler was still ongoing, with Ji Zhao conducting video interviews later. Before leaving, she spoke to the housekeeper, raising her wages and asking her to temporarily fill the butler’s role.

Ji Zhao said, “The new butler will be a woman. You all need to get along well.”

 

The housekeeper’s Mandarin was poor, but Ji Zhao could still understand her. She thanked Ji Zhao profusely. Even after getting into the car, Ji Zhao waved at her from the roadside, telling her to come more often. She was great at making hot pot.

Ji Zhao chuckled and waved back.

“Quick, check the group chat!” Song Jiangjiang said. She had chosen the passenger seat for the view, but as soon as she got in the car, she was back on her phone. She turned around and said, “Director Yang just sent a notice.”

Everyone quickly pulled out their phones.

Shen Xin muttered, “Huh?”

Zhou Yuting opened the photo in the group chat. “Why are there so many people? Are they really here to see us off? Aren’t we using the VIP passage? Oh my god, I see my sign!”

Zhou Yuting’s fans had initially made a sign with the character “Stop.” But when they put it up, along with their yellow support color, pedestrians mistook it for a road sign and kept stopping, causing repeated traffic confusion. They quickly changed it to “Rain.”

Qiao Yue said, “Director Yang told us that filming the magazine was confidential because she was worried our competitors would intercept us. Now that we’re finished filming, there’s no need to keep it secret, so our fans are here to see us off. If we use the VIP lane, they might get upset.”

Shen Yican covered her mouth. “Why is someone holding up a sign about my ‘relationship’ with Chen Xingzi? It makes me feel like a grieving widow!”

Shen Xin: “…You two really hate each other, don’t you?”

Yu Cheng clicked through all the photos of the scene in the group chat, assessing the risk of a crowd surge. When she imagined Ji Zhao getting pushed, she frowned and said, “It’s not safe.”

“It’s safe,” Ji Zhao reassured her. “Security will be with us when we arrive. No one will push us, and even if they do, it’s no big deal. We won’t get hurt. Just promise you won’t pick me up and fly away.”

Yu Cheng pursed her lips.

She had exactly that intention.

Ji Zhao knew. “Are you trying to get blacklisted from Hong Kong airport with me?”

“I…”

Ji Zhao patted the back of her hand. “Good girl.”

The moment she finished speaking, the car fell silent. She hesitated, then looked up and saw all her friends staring speechlessly at her and Yu Cheng. When they noticed her looking, their lips curled downward in unison: “Oh, so innocent and well-behaved, huh?”

Ji Zhao: “……”

*****

[The seven-member debut group and their little tag-along have arrived at the airport!]

[Is our community going bankrupt? They’re just driving a seven-seater SUV? How embarrassing!]

[Damn! How do they spread false information like this? I rushed over in a panic only to find luggage. Did anyone consider my feelings? If they pull this again, I’m going to lose it!]

[This time they’re really here! Wow, it’s actually a Rolls-Royce… Who said our community was bankrupt?]

[Did Didi send it?]

[Get lost! Our community is bankrupt, but this Rolls-Royce belongs to the Ji Family.]

[I’m so proud of our girl!]

******

This was the trainees’ first time arriving at the airport, and since the eight of them were at the top of the industry with the most fans, the overwhelming enthusiasm left them a little flustered. Their awkwardness only endeared them further to their fans.

Fans clutched their hearts: “Oh, my pure, kind, innocent, and adorable wife~”

Though the trainees were initially clumsy, they gradually settled into their roles after a few rounds. They declined expensive gifts and accepted only a single bouquet of flowers, preferring the heartfelt letters from fans that were pressed into their hands one by one.

Director Yang asked them to choose two letters to reply to. On the plane, Ji Zhao opened one of the letters. The sincere words within made the weight on her shoulders feel heavier.

The fans didn’t want them to date, but would they want her to quit the competition for romance? Yet continuing the competition while dating—wouldn’t that be deception to the fans?

Yu Cheng was also reading letters in the seat next to her. After finishing one, she folded it and placed it on the tray table. Ji Zhao casually glanced over.

She froze.

Another glance.

She froze again.

She picked up the letter. Yu Cheng had folded it neatly along the creases, leaving only a sliver of text visible. The exposed line read: “They all say you and Zhaozhao are a perfect match. I wholeheartedly agree to this marriage!”

Ji Zhao: “……”

What an open-minded fan.

“What is it?” Yu Cheng asked.

“This fan says she agrees with our marriage,” Ji Zhaozhao said, putting the letter back. “Did you see it? Are you going to reply? How do you plan to reply?”

Yu Cheng hummed in acknowledgment. “I saw it.”

Ji Zhao pressed further. “How will you reply?”

Yu Cheng said, “Her agreement doesn’t matter. You need to agree.”

Ji Zhao: “……”

She turned her head and saw layers of clouds piled outside the window, glowing with radiant light.

The corners of her lips curled upward despite herself.

At 8 p.m. that day, the second performance of the fourth season of Debut! Girls officially aired.

At the same time, all previous vote counts for the trainees were reset to zero and invalidated.

The voting channel was reopened.

Within two hours of its reopening, Ji Zhaozhao’s vote count surged exponentially, surpassing the seventh-place debut position by two million votes and solidifying her position at the top. She was undeniably the Center Position holder and the king of popularity.

The platform’s voting system crashed due to overwhelming traffic, freezing the site and prompting fans to curse the website’s developers.

After casting their votes, fans finally turned their attention to watching the performance stage.

 

After watching the entire stage once, she commented, “I look even more stunning against the backdrop of my useless teammates,” then stopped contributing to the play count and switched to watching Ji Zhao’s solo footage, determined to make her the first trainee to break ten million views.

Once Yu Cheng understood the benefits of hitting ten million views, she began obsessively scrolling through Ji Zhao’s solo footage on her phone day and night.

Even Ji Zhao was annoyed by it. “You muted me!”

Yu Cheng obediently lowered the volume to its lowest setting, glanced at the screen again, and said, “She really is stunning.”

Ji Zhao couldn’t resist pinching her cheek. “You should be thanking socialism. Without it, how would an emperor from feudal times be dancing seductively for you?”

Yu Cheng nodded earnestly. “And she even dances with me.”

Ji Zhao raised an eyebrow.

Realizing the ambiguity in her words, Yu Cheng added with mock seriousness, “… on stage.”

After days of rehearsal, Ji Zhao and Yu Cheng’s stage performance had reached a level that satisfied Cheng Feiwan. They then set aside two hours each day for intensive training, while spending the rest of their time on their own affairs.

Ji Zhao was busy finding a new butler for the Repulse Bay mansion, scheming with Zhong Qingxiu and Ji Lin about the Ji family, and assessing the value of the suburban land in the capital. When the company learned the land belonged to Ji Zhaozhao, they were shocked. The appraisal shifted direction, and proposals flooded in, keeping Ji Zhao overwhelmed.

Yu Cheng was also busy… chasing after Ji Zhao.

After taking advice from Song Jiangjiang, a self-proclaimed relationship expert who’d never been in a romantic relationship but was full of theoretical knowledge, Yu Cheng began showering Ji Zhao with warmth and attentiveness. But Ji Zhao criticized her: “What’s the difference between this and how you usually act?”

…There really wasn’t any difference.

Yu Cheng sank into deep self-reflection in Song Jiangjiang and Qiao Yue’s practice room.

“…We’re like summer and autumn, yet we always manage to turn winter into spring.” Song Jiangjiang walked to the front of the stage, holding her microphone, and turned sideways to welcome Qiao Yue’s entrance.

Qiao Yue bounced excitedly onto the stage. “Meeting someone who completely changes your life… turns out it’s not just for romance…” She bounced and bounced, then froze mid-bounce when she met Yu Cheng’s emotionless gaze, and forgot her lines.

Yu Cheng reminded her, “The plot.”

Song Jiangjiang took over. “Don’t mind me. Keep practicing.”

Qiao Yue: “……”

It was going to be really hard to keep practicing!

Fortunately, Qiao Yue and Song Jiangjiang’s stage was already set up, and they simply reviewed their routine daily to prevent rustiness. After going through it twice, Pei Jia called Qiao Yue to the cafeteria for a chicken leg.

The spacious practice room was suddenly left with only Yu Cheng and Song Jiangjiang.

Song Jiangjiang: “……”

Yu Cheng: “……”

Song Jiangjiang: “Can you get a little closer?”

Yu Cheng refused: “You were the one who said to keep your distance from others.”

Song Jiangjiang broke down: “Well, you don’t have to hang from the ceiling! Looking at you upside down like this is really scary!”

Swinging in mid-air, Yu Cheng retorted: “If I can’t hang upside down, I’ll have to hang myself.”

Song Jiangjiang’s face darkened: “Do you still want to be my wife?”

Yu Cheng’s swaying paused for a moment, her face flushing: “What wife?”

Song Jiangjiang sat on the ground: “Stop pretending. Of course I mean Ji Zhaozhao. Don’t tell me you’ve never secretly called her ‘wife’.”

Yu Cheng stopped swaying and flipped down to land steadily on the ground. “Calling such terms before marriage is improper and inappropriate,” she said sternly.

Song Jiangjiang nodded half-heartedly: “Mm, mm, mm. You’ve hugged, embraced, kissed on the same bed, but you’re not married… What old-fashioned word is this? Not calling someone ‘wife’ before marriage is just a superficial courtesy, right?”

Yu Cheng remained silent.

Song Jiangjiang sighed. “You say all that stuff about caring and asking after her, but it’s useless, right?”

Yu Cheng nodded.

“You can’t even ignore her and make her regret it, can you?”

Yu Cheng nodded again.

“And Zhaozhao isn’t lacking for money, is she?”

Yu Cheng nodded silently.

“Mm,” Yu Cheng replied.

Song Jiangjiang, frustrated, said, “What am I supposed to say to you? You just mumble ‘mm’ when I ask you so many questions. Is something wrong with your vocal system? Did I ask you to say something romantic?”

Yu Cheng glanced outside. “It’s been cloudy lately, no moon.”

She was remembering Song Jiangjiang’s line, “The moon tonight is so beautiful.”

Song Jiangjiang retorted, “Even without the moon, there’s still the night sky, right? And even without the night sky, there’s still beauty, right? Can’t you apply what you’ve learned to new situations?”

Yu Cheng suddenly understood. “Oh.”

That evening, Ji Zhao, who was in the middle of a video conference, received a message from Yu Cheng inviting her to meet downstairs at the dormitory at 9 PM. After reading it twice and still not understanding, she replied, “Why 9 PM?”

That’s when the night is at its best.

Ji Zhao: “……”

She didn’t understand, but since Yu Cheng had invited her, she decided to go.

As the performance approached and the voting channel reopened, the extended timeline and transparent vote counts kept everyone on edge. Even when not training, members stayed in the practice rooms, keeping them brightly lit well into the night.

 

After May, the days became hot, while the evening breeze brought a refreshing coolness.

Ji Zhao took a bath before going downstairs, wearing light orange loungewear and carrying the trash. Before she even saw Yu Cheng, she was stopped by fans squatting nearby.

She tossed the trash into the bin and waved at the fans.

Just as she was about to walk away, she heard footsteps behind her. Turning around, she saw Yu Cheng emerging from the building. She paused, then smiled. “Did you call me down just to talk to the fans?”

Yu Cheng, who had been intently memorizing the line “The night is so beautiful,” was caught off guard by the question. “If you want to, we can go over.”

The fans hadn’t expected them to actually approach and screamed excitedly. “Zhaozhao! Yu Cheng! You two… you two have to debut, okay?!”

Judging by their cries, they were clearly CP fans. Ji Zhao glanced at them again and noticed they were holding banners featuring her and Yu Cheng standing shoulder-to-shoulder, looking perfectly compatible.

The fans were enthusiastic. After signing autographs and taking group photos, Ji Zhao and Yu Cheng reminded them to get plenty of rest before leaving. By the time they departed, it was already 9:30 PM.

After leading Ji Zhao to the secluded garden where fans couldn’t see them, Yu Cheng swung the fan Ji Zhao had received from her fans. After strolling around the garden for three full circles, Ji Zhao finally couldn’t hold back. “Yu Cheng, why did you bring me down here? Are you just going to feed me to the mosquitoes?”

Yu Cheng pressed her lips together, shook her head helplessly, and sighed. “There’s no moonlight.”

“Huh?” Ji Zhao asked.

Yu Cheng glanced around again. “The night is unremarkable too.”

“……?”

Yu Cheng turned to her. “All that’s left is my beauty.”

Ji Zhao clicked her tongue. “You’re being so cryptic—”

Before she could finish, Yu Cheng grabbed her wrist, pulling her forward until their faces were mere centimeters apart. Yu Cheng gazed into her eyes. “How’s my beauty?”

Ji Zhao: “……”

She took a deep breath.

Thirty seconds later, Song Jiangjiang, who was applying a face mask in her dorm room, heard what sounded like Yu Cheng’s agonized scream. She held her breath for a moment, then continued patting the mask on her face, thinking, No matter what Yu Cheng does, she couldn’t possibly get beaten. Don’t worry, don’t worry.

 

Five minutes later, she received a message from Yu Cheng: “It failed.”

Song Jiangjiang: “?”

She peeled off the mask. “No way! The atmosphere was perfect. What did you say?”

Yu Cheng: “Without the moonlight, the night isn’t beautiful, so I decided to let her admire my beauty instead.”

Song Jiangjiang replied with a string of uncountable ellipses.

Yu Cheng: “Was I wrong?”

Song Jiangjiang:</i> <i>Transferred 5000 yuan

[ Song Jiangjiang: ] I sent you 5,000 yuan. Don’t say I taught you this.

Yu Cheng: “What exactly was wrong?”

Song Jiangjiang: “When I said ‘my beauty,’ I meant Ji Zhaozhao’s beauty! I told you to praise her beauty! Praise her for being so stunning that she makes the moon hide and flowers blush, so beautiful that fish dive and birds fall!”

After venting her anger, Song Jiangjiang asked: “So, what was her reaction?”

Yu Cheng: “She stepped on my foot.”

Song Jiangjiang: “Oh.”

No wonder she screamed so loudly.

Now that Ji Zhao had taught her a lesson, Song Jiangjiang felt somewhat relieved. After telling Yu Cheng to return the money, she suddenly had another brilliant idea: “Forget it, forget it. If talking doesn’t work, just sing.”

“Why?”

“Singing sounds better than talking!”

“What should I sing?”

That was a question worth pondering.

Yu Cheng saw the “typing…” status in the chat window. Hearing the water in the bathroom stop, she quickly turned around and saw Ji Zhao had finished bathing and come out. Under her glare, Yu Cheng quickly hid her phone behind her back. “Did you wash up?”

After stepping on Yu Cheng, Ji Zhao lost her balance and fell into the nearby bushes. Although she managed to grab on in time, her clothes still got dirty.

Yu Cheng’s question, though asked with utmost seriousness, sounded strangely off to Ji Zhao.

Suppressing her racing heart, Ji Zhao snapped irritably, “Just go to sleep.”

Before turning off the light, she added one last warning, “Don’t pull any more stunts, got it?”

“Understood,” Yu Cheng replied.

At the estate, idols were expected to sing, dance, rap, and perform—so singing certainly wasn’t anything unusual.

*******

The next day, the oppressive heat of recent days had dissipated. Dark clouds covered the sun, gathering and thickening as they brewed a summer storm.

The estate’s trainees rose early for a practice room rehearsal led by Cheng Feiwan. She critiqued each stage performance—some nearly flawless, others needing improvement, and a few, lacking cohesion, singled out for individual tutoring.

After the rehearsal, the trainees were free to do as they pleased.

What struck Ji Zhao as odd was that after their group finished rehearsing, Yu Cheng vanished. She texted Yu Cheng, but even after returning to the dormitory, there was no reply.

Strange.

Seated by the window, Ji Zhao absentmindedly reviewed the contract sent by her assistant, her mind wandering to what Yu Cheng could possibly be up to. Midway through reading, she suddenly heard faint piano music drifting from below.

A cheerful melody, amplified by a microphone, sounded strangely familiar.

“Why would someone be setting up a livehouse here?”

“Goodness! What is Yu Cheng doing? Did she really bring a piano?”

“Is this new merchandise or an ad? Why is it just Yu Cheng? What about Zhaozhao?”

Ji Zhao’s expression shifted slightly. She set down her tablet and rushed out, weaving through the long, winding corridors until she finally found a window overlooking the estate below. She pushed it open.

Yu Cheng’s voice immediately became clear:

“The sky looks like it’s going to rain,

I wish I lived next door to you.

Standing foolishly beneath your window,

Looking up,

Counting the dark clouds.

If a piano appeared in this scene,

I’d sing for you.”

On the light green lawn stood a white tripod piano. Yu Cheng, dressed in a black evening gown, sat before it, her slender, pale fingers dancing across the keys, creating a scene as beautiful as a painting.

As if sensing Ji Zhao’s gaze, Yu Cheng looked up.

Their eyes met across the distance.

Yu Cheng’s lips curved into a smile, and her voice, accompanied by the piano, filled every corner of the estate:

“I’m singing this song for you,

It doesn’t follow any style,

It’s just a reflection of my desire to bring you joy…”

For you, I’ll thaw the frozen river,

For you, I’ll be a moth to a flame.

Nothing is unworthy.