Her Majesty The Empress Has Made Her Debut In The Center Position [Ancient to Modern] - Chapter 9

Although Ji Zhao didn’t fully understand what the graduate entrance exam entailed, she didn’t deny it. Surprisingly, Huang Yuelan’s gaze towards her and Yu Cheng changed, now carrying a hint of admiration.

“If you’re taking the exam in December, now is the perfect time to start preparing,” Huang Yuelan said earnestly. “But you need to focus. You can’t try to do everything at once.”

She put her phone back in her pocket, noticing Ji Zhao and Yu Cheng’s eyes following her movements. Her heart ached. “The graduate entrance exam is more important. Here’s what we’ll do: I’ll hold onto your phones for now. You can come get them back after you drop out.”

Ji Zhao hummed in acknowledgment.

Her simple, almost impatient tone made Huang Yuelan imagine regret and feel even more guilty. She would even wake up in the middle of the night to slap herself.

But duty called. She could only flee, leaving behind their eager, knowledge-hungry gazes.

Watching Huang Yuelan’s hurried figure come and go, Ji Zhao asked, “What was she saying just now?”

Yu Cheng pursed her lips. “I didn’t understand.”

Ji Zhao sighed. “There’s still so much we need to learn!”

Yu Cheng nodded in agreement.

She retrieved her tablet from the roof and unlocked it with her face. Just as she was about to open the browser and continue reading history, her finger accidentally touched a green icon. The touchscreen was so sensitive that it instantly switched to a new page.

Yu Cheng and Ji Zhao had carefully examined every icon on her tablet. After discovering that most of them were less useful than the browser, they hadn’t bothered to open any other apps.

They only knew this icon was called Douban, a forum app.

What greeted them was a featured post.

The black text at the top read: “Douban Truth Serum Group: Discussion – ‘Did you hear? Cheng Feiwan quits! Today’s recording and reevaluation postponed indefinitely.'”

On a new line, the font thins: “I heard a member of the royal family wanted to backdoor their way into being the Initial Center, but Cheng Feiwan refused. Now the production team has no idea how to wrap things up.”

Ji Zhao said, “Cheng Feiwan is the show’s founder.”

Yu Cheng hummed in acknowledgment.

Ji Zhao continued, “Let’s take a look.”

Yu Cheng clicked on the title and scrolled down. A flood of different voices instantly bombarded her:

[Wonder why the show’s snitch has been so quiet today. Turns out the show’s about to get axed. Honestly, I’m so tired of this talent show. Every season is the same formula with no standout contestants.]

[Cheng Feiwan has such a good temper. The production team really pushed her too far…]

[No standout contestants? What about the one who’s going to jump off a building? And isn’t the daughter of an Oscar-winning actor in it too? If this show gets axed, I’ll lose all that entertainment! I won’t stand for it!]

[The royals are getting way too arrogant. The Initial Center isn’t even the final winner. Why would the production team risk offending Cheng Feiwan over this?]

What’s so great about this show’s Initial Center…? I wouldn’t take the blame for them even if you begged me.

I’m going crazy! I’ve been waiting for this talent show for a whole year! Anyone who tries to hide it from me will get a taste of my wrath! The production team better hurry up and carry Cheng Feiwan back here in a sedan chair!

After listening to the self-introductions of all 108 trainees, I feel like I’ve fallen into the Den of Beauties… They’re all my wives…

“Greedy,” Ji Zhao muttered, frowning at such brazen comments. Her gaze wandered into the dark night as she turned to Yu Cheng. “What do you make of this?”

Yu Cheng pondered. “They might not be entirely wrong.”

“What’s true, and what’s false?”

“Cheng Feiwan’s walkout is real. Your Majesty being their ‘wife’ is false.”

“…”

Ji Zhao retracted her gaze, shooting Yu Cheng an exasperated look. “So even in this dynasty, we can’t escape corruption. Do you think filming will go smoothly tomorrow?”

“Let’s go check,” Yu Cheng suggested.

The estate was far from the city, and the director’s team was staying in the villa closest to the gate. With the scandal brewing, they probably weren’t getting much sleep. If they were in a meeting, we might overhear something useful.

Ji Zhao hummed in agreement.

Yu Cheng set down the tablet and wrapped an arm around Ji Zhao’s waist. The icy silk felt cool in her palm, and her fingers tightened slightly as she murmured, “Your Majesty, hold me.”

Ji Zhao turned and embraced her.

Out of habit, they always wore black at night. Ji Zhao was in silk pajamas, while Yu Cheng wore a sleep dress.

The dress accentuated her slender waist, feeling smooth to the touch.

Yu Cheng’s chest vibrated slightly as she spoke: “Let’s go.”

Ji Zhao shifted, burying her face against Yu Cheng’s chest. She felt her feet leave the ground, the wind rush past, and the dark buildings blur into a streak behind them. Before long, Yu Cheng said, “We’re here.”

Ji Zhao was about to release her waist when Yu Cheng’s hand tightened. “Don’t let go,” she whispered.

Ji Zhao froze.

Opening her eyes, she realized they were still suspended in mid-air. Yu Cheng had one arm around her waist and the other braced against the windowsill. A crack in the window let in light and sound.

“What should I do? Who are you asking? Cheng Feiwan is already at the airport! If you don’t send someone to chase her down, what am I supposed to do?”

“That Zheng family elder is ridiculous! He wants Initial Center without consulting his granddaughter. When Zheng Dongqing heard they were canceling today’s filming, she figured it out and came to me, demanding no special treatment—just ‘equal treatment’! So I’m stuck getting blamed from all sides?”

“What else? Go after Cheng Feiwan! Record on time tomorrow!”

The call ended abruptly.

Footsteps echoed back and forth, betraying the caller’s agitation. Ji Zhao and Yu Cheng exchanged a glance as the figure inside drew closer to the window. Yu Cheng immediately released her grip on the windowsill.

They plummeted swiftly.

A voice called from below, “Who’s out there?”

Yu Cheng kicked off the wall, launching herself like an arrow released from its bow. By the time Ji Zhao opened her eyes again, they were back on the original skydeck.

“We were spotted,” Yu Cheng said.

“It doesn’t matter,” Ji Zhao said, stepping out of her embrace. “It’s too dark to see us clearly. Let’s get some rest.”

“Right,” Yu Cheng agreed.

They entered the hallway, the motion-sensor lights illuminating their path one by one.

Descending the long carpeted stairs, past midnight, the entire villa fell into silence.

In the dormitory room, some lay awake, fretting about their futures. Others, exhausted from a day of training, slept soundly, their legs twitching as they danced in their dreams. Still others had their headphones on repeat, jolting awake from explosions in the music before grumbling and drifting back to sleep.

The door to Room 309 closed softly. Chen Xingzi, half-asleep, saw Ji Zhao and Yu Cheng and mumbled, “Sneaking out again, you two?”

Before Ji Zhao could speak, Yu Cheng cut her off: “No.”

Chen Xingzi had just casually mentioned it, and was already half-asleep before she even heard Yu Cheng’s response. But someone shook her awake, and she opened her eyes, looking dazed.

Yu Cheng sat at the foot of her bed, looking serious. “Zhaozhao and I are innocent.”

Chen Xingzi blurted out, “But the way you look at her doesn’t seem innocent at all.”

Yu Cheng’s heart skipped a beat, as if she’d touched on a sensitive spot. Regaining her composure, she turned to check Ji Zhao’s reaction, but found her already lying down, turned on her side with her eyes closed, sleeping peacefully.

As if she’d never woken up at all.

Yu Cheng tilted her head, a faint confusion in her eyes. Shouldn’t my gaze toward Your Majesty be filled with reverence and loyalty? Why would it seem “not innocent”?

I’m not trying to rebel or anything…

The next morning, the estate was unusually bustling.

Apart from the announcement that the reevaluation recording at 2 PM would proceed as scheduled, another, more fantastical rumor had spread: a Trainee from Class B claimed to have seen a ghost late at night, describing it in vivid, convincing detail.

At first, everyone dismissed it as idle talk. But then a witness from Class C came forward, and when the two compared notes, the story suddenly gained credibility.

“Aaaaaah! I knew it! I knew it! A place this old has to be haunted!”

“Superstition is dangerous, friends!”

“Waaah, Zhaozhao, can I sleep with you tonight? I’m scared! Who knew getting a $2,000 salary meant dealing with ghosts too?”

Ji Zhao and Yu Cheng, who had been ignoring everything outside while eating breakfast, froze at Pei Jia’s plea. They answered almost in unison: “No!”

Pei Jia: “?”

It was one thing for the participants to reject her, but why were outsiders also turning her away?

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