A Star Reborn: The Queen’s Return - Chapter 166
Chapter 166 She is my Good Friend
Translator: AtlasStudios | Editor: AtlasStudios /Atlas Studios
Earlier, Xia Ling only cared about helping Luo Luo and forgot that there was a large number of people pinning their hopes on her. However, it was too late for them to say anything as Wang Jun was already on stage.
Furthermore, even if she were given another chance to choose again and were met with the rage of the people in Skyart Entertainment, she would still choose to help Luo Luo.
Luo Luo was her friend. She could not watch her friend fall into the clutches of that pervert, let her innocence and future be destroyed, and do nothing about it.
“I’m sorry Sister Mai Na and everyone else.” She lowered her head sincerely apologized to everyone. “I was the one who made the decision and took the liberty to switch my queue number with Wang Jun. I had no choice but to do this.”
“What do you mean you had no choice?” Sister Mai Na was so enraged that she laughed. After working as partners for so long, this was the first time Sister Mai Na was so angry. “Don’t tell me that you actually want to join the revival contest.”
Xia Ling was speechless.
Sister Mai Na gradually changed her expression. “You actually want to enter the revival contest? Oh god, you’re crazy!”
“I’m sorry everyone,” repeated Xia Ling. She could not tell them the reason; otherwise, they would start to criticize and attack Luo Luo. Luo Luo just debuted and could not bear the blame and pressure from so many agents of big celebrities.
However, she did not think that she would see Luo Luo walking over and squeeze her small frame through the crowd. She looked at Xia Ling unbelieving with tears in her eyes. “Xiao Ling, you did it for me right? That’s why you went to look for Wang Jun to switch queue numbers. You wanted to protect me who is the last to go on stage!” She was innocent, but she was not stupid. After seeing Wang Jun appear on stage and thinking about it, she immediately understood what was going on.
Additionally, she was in Imperial Entertainment which shared a dressing room with Skyart Entertainment. Seeing the commotion in the part of the room belonging to Skyart Entertainment, she was very sure of what had happened.
Then, Luo Luo felt extremely guilty. She blamed herself for causing Xiao Ling to make such a poor decision.
Sister Mai Na frowned and asked Luo Luo what was going on.
Before Xia Ling could stop her, Luo Luo had already told her the entire story from the start to end without holding back.
After listening to her, everyone was quiet. Even Sister Mai Na’s rage was reduced by a little. They were all people who valued friendship. If they examined their own conscience and asked themselves, they would probably make the same decision as Xia Ling if their friend was met with such a difficult situation. As for their own reputation and company expectations? They were not as important or urgent.
“So this is the reason why.” Shu Wanyi was the first to speak and acted as the peacemaker. “Since the situation is already like this, anything we say is useless. Sister Mai Na, don’t be mad anymore. Everyone, let’s think about what we should do next.”
However, Sister Mai Na stared at Luo Luo. “I have watched the entire process of the selection round. I remember that you switched your queue number with Xia Yu before and caused her to get a good queue number while she should originally be last. When that happened, there was even a media report documenting that you two are as close as sisters… Ha, how close you two must be as sisters. After you sacrificed for Xia Yu, now you plan on going harming Xiao Ling?!”
“It’s not like that!” Luo Luo was so anxious that she was about to cry. “Xia Yu and I were never close friends, to begin with!”
This child… Once she got emotional, she would start speaking loudly and not be able to control her volume. Everyone in the large dressing room heard what she said, and everyone from Imperial Entertainment turned to stare in her direction.
Luo Luo still did not have a clue about what she did and continued, “It was Boss Chu who asked me to switch with Xia Yu! It was arranged by the company! It is Xiao Ling who is my good friend. Why would I switch my queue number with an outsider and then do something to harm Xiao Ling?!”
“Who did you say was an outsider?” An ominous voice interrupted the conversation.
Everyone turned around to look. It was Chu Chen.
He glared at Luo Luo with a hostile look and said, “Don’t forget your status! As an artiste from Imperial Entertainment, you actually said that your senior from Imperial Entertainment is an outsider while an artiste from another competing company is your good friend?”
“I…” Luo Luo choked.
“Don’t teach someone a lesson in front of me.” Xia Ling used her body to shield Luo Luo and lifted her head to look at Chu Chen. “Chu Chen, what good are you? In this industry, you’re considered a gold-tier manager, but you unscrupulously set your own newbie back and forced her to switch her good queue number for another of your artistes. Do you have any shame?”
“Shame?” Chu Chen looked at Xia Ling and smiled deeply. “Miss Ye, you have always been prideful, which is why you were stupid enough to ignore the hard work of so many people in Skyart Entertainment and voluntarily gave your good queue number to someone else. Imperial Entertainment is not the same. All our artistes are very obedient and follow the company’s arrangements. Have you heard of Tian Ji’s racing horses? What’s wrong with giving the best horse the largest advantage?”
“As such, you would just sacrifice Luo Luo?” Xia Ling replied coldly.
“Sacrifice?” Chu Chen smiled and shook his head. “We’re just giving a newcomer a chance to experience the contest. That’s all.”
“Experience my foot!” Sister Mai Na could not help but burst into a rage. “Get lost!”
Chu Chen did not waste any more time with them as he calmly smiled and left with those who succeeded.
At Imperial Entertainment’s side, in front of a long row of dressing room mirrors, a girl wearing a long pale pink gauze dress was quietly looking at the dispute at the Skyart Entertainment side through the reflection on the mirror. A delicate smile appeared on her sculptured face. Ye Xingling, oh Ye Xingling, I never thought you would have a day like this! With the second last queue number, just wait to enter the revival contest!
Xia Yu’s heart was filled with vicious pleasure. She never thought that forcing Luo Luo to switch queue numbers with her and constructing that scene with Boss Zhao would bring such unexpected benefits.
Hahaha, Ye Xingling, just kill yourself!
She elegantly reached her hand out to apply a layer of powder on her face.
Although Chu Chen was chased away, the pressure was still very low in Skyart Entertainment. The queue number matter was like a large rock that pressed heavily on the hearts of the Skyart Entertainment people. They silently prayed that the six producers did not have full teams in advance and there would be a place for Xia Ling and Luo Luo.
Perhaps their prayers were effective because, in the end, there were exactly two places.
Feng Kun’s team and Zhang Yaran’s team both had a spot left.
Everyone sighed in relief. As long as Xia Ling was chosen by Feng Kun and Luo Luo was chosen by Zhang Yaran, everything would be fine.
However, they were quickly conflicted again. Feng Kun had high standards for the singers he chose. Was Xiao Ling competent enough? If she did not get chosen by Feng Kun, she actually could try for Zhang Yaran’s team. But once she joined Zhang Yaran’s team, Luo Luo had no way of joining Feng Kun’s team because she was from Imperial Entertainment and could only enter the revival contest.
“Xiao Ling, you must do your best. If only Zhang Yaran chooses you, just join his team and don’t think of me!” Luo Luo held Xia Ling’s hand and said seriously. Securing a spot in the limited team places was very precious as it meant that the singers could continue to advance further in the competition and stand a chance to win. On the other hand, if one failed to be selected during the selection round and did not pass the revival round, one’s music festival progress would end there. To a new singer, that was a grievous loss.
Luo Luo was very grateful for Xia Ling and would remember their friendship forever in her heart. However, she did not wish for Xia Ling to sacrifice so much for her.
Xia Ling smiled lightly and went on stage.