Looking at Jiang Ling, who was blushing furiously and meowing up at her, a barely perceptible trace of emotion flickered in Bai Xue’s eyes.
She then slightly lowered her body and, under Jiang Ling’s pitiful gaze, continued, “What are you wearing?”
“…A maid outfit.”
“Then you should call me…?”
Bai Xue asked with a playful smile.
“Bai Xue, you’re really too much!!!”
The overwhelming sense of shame pushed Jiang Ling to her limit.
She couldn’t help but raise her hand to swat at Bai Xue, but her trembling arms made the gesture soft and ineffective, like a tickle.
“Eh—don’t want to do it? Not even willing to fulfill such a small request for the group? Or are you too scared?”
In an instant, Bai Xue’s face took on a questioning expression, her triple-question tone brimming with pressure and allure.
This caused Jiang Ling, already dizzy from embarrassment, to stumble slightly.
Biting her lip lightly, she glared as fiercely as she could.
“Who’s scared?!”
But after blurting out her bold words, Jiang Ling realized she had fallen into Bai Xue’s subtle trap.
For the sake of pride, she averted her gaze and mumbled, her voice as soft as a mosquito’s hum, “…Master.”
“Couldn’t hear you.”
“…Master.”
After saying those two words, Jiang Ling’s face burned bright red, the scalding heat making her heart tingle.
She closed her eyes and began frantically pounding on Bai Xue’s arm.
“Aaahhh, you awful woman! What kind of weird things are you making me say?!”
Bai Xue endured Jiang Ling’s harmless attacks, pulling her into an embrace with a satisfied smile and patting her head.
“So obedient.”
Mo Ran, standing nearby, snapped photos left and right, looking pleased.
Fang Wannan, watching the scene, turned her head away in slight embarrassment.
Noticing Lin Xiaoyu staring intently at them, she clicked her tongue.
“What are you looking at so seriously?”
“It’s pretty interesting,” Lin Xiaoyu replied thoughtfully.
“A couple of days ago, I read a manga, and I feel like one of the protagonists is a bit like Jiang Ling.”
This piqued Jiang Ling’s curiosity, and she eagerly asked, “Is it one of those super cool female leads saving the world? I knew it, hmph!”
Seeing her smug expression, Lin Xiaoyu shook her head without hesitation.
“They say that protagonist is loved by everyone.”
Jiang Ling’s expectant smile froze on her face.
That was practically a blatant insult!
Unconvinced, she wanted to argue back, but Mo Ran pulled her back.
“Alright, let’s finish the work at hand first.”
Mo Ran glanced at the photos on her phone, thinking seriously.
“Nannan, let’s take a trio photo together. That should be fine.”
Hearing this, Fang Wannan nodded knowingly and walked to Jiang Ling’s side, striking a standard idol pose naturally.
Mo Ran handed her phone to Bai Xue, stuck out her tongue, and flashed a playful, cute smile at the camera.
Watching them slip into their roles so effortlessly, Jiang Ling was in awe.
She was still too green.
Trying to mimic their poses, she was stopped by Bai Xue.
“Just stand in the middle and meow.”
“I’m a person, not a cat! And why do I have to meow for a photo?!”
Jiang Ling protested, refusing to comply.
“Of course, to make the shoot more fun.”
“Only you think it’s fun!”
In the end, amidst the lively chaos, the promotional photos and videos were finally completed.
Jiang Ling practically bolted into the nearby changing room, hurriedly stripping off the embarrassing outfit.
She used to feel a bit awkward wearing women’s clothing, but after donning such bizarre outfits, Jiang Ling now cherished her small, cute, but normal clothes more than ever.
“Eh, it’s not like wearing it would hurt~”
Mo Ran made a regretful expression, eagerly picking up a JK uniform nearby.
“How about this one?”
“I’m already a college student. Vetoed.”
Jiang Ling crossed her arms, rejecting it without a second thought.
Speaking of which, she remembered that since it was the weekend, she hadn’t yet been to A University.
As a college freshman, Jiang Ling picked up her phone and carefully checked her schedule, noticing she had two music theory and piano classes tomorrow afternoon.
“Tomorrow we officially start the promotions. My plan is in the works, and I’ll let you all know in about three days.”
Bai Xue glanced at the date and informed everyone.
“Done for the day!”
Mo Ran hummed a tune as she walked out, with Bai Xue following behind, giving some reminders. Lin Xiaoyu, meanwhile, had vanished at some point.
Noticing Fang Wannan lingering and fiddling with her phone, Jiang Ling hesitated for a moment before approaching her.
“You’re not leaving?”
“Waiting for my driver to pick me up.”
Fang Wannan paused her scrolling, looking up at the slightly nervous Jiang Ling with a puzzled tone.
“Why are you staring at me?”
“Oh… nothing, just thinking your family must be pretty wealthy.”
“Well, by common standards, yes.”
Fang Wannan didn’t deny it, openly admitting it.
“Then why become an underground idol?”
Jiang Ling asked hesitantly, her curiosity getting the better of her.
She felt the question might be too personal, but she was genuinely curious.
Underground idols, as the name suggests, differ from mainstream idols.
They don’t often appear in the public eye, only gaining traction among a small circle of fans, with the lowest pay among idols.
Why would someone like Fang Wannan, a rich young lady, willingly choose this path?
At the question, Fang Wannan fell silent.
The prolonged silence made Jiang Ling anxious.
Had she asked something she shouldn’t have?
Just as she was about to laugh it off and change the topic, Fang Wannan let out a soft chuckle.
It was a light, almost helpless laugh.
Looking into Jiang Ling’s slightly flustered gaze, Fang Wannan spoke slowly.
“A lot of people have asked me that, so you don’t need to worry about upsetting me.”
“…Because of passion.”
After saying this, she curled her fingers slightly, her expression tinged with pained self-mockery.
“Ugh, sounds cheesy, right?”
Caught off guard by the answer, Jiang Ling paused, then shook her head earnestly.
She always believed that everyone’s dreams deserved respect.
“If I told my family, they’d probably make me a famous idol within a month,” Fang Wannan said with a self-deprecating smile.
“Sorry, but money’s all I’ve got.”
“But that goes against what I want.”
“I’ve always loved idols who shine on stage. Their vibrant energy is infectious, so I want to become the person I admire through my own efforts, not just achieve it overnight. That would be too unchallenging.”
After speaking, Fang Wannan let out a barely audible breath.
When she looked up again, her eyes sparkled, her small face glowing with a radiant smile.
Jiang Ling was momentarily stunned, blurting out, “So cute…”
“Wha—!”
Caught off guard by the compliment, Fang Wannan panicked, raising her wrist to cover her flushed face, her voice stammering and trembling.
“W-w-what are you saying?!”