Chapter 224 : You’re Really Something!
“Huh!? Alright, I understand. I’ll be right there.” Ling Ning hung up the phone and turned to Xiao Xiao with an apologetic expression.
“What’s up?” Xiao Xiao asked, noticing Ling Ning’s look of regret.
Ling Ning shook her head, slightly embarrassed. “I’m really sorry, but I have something to take care of this afternoon, so I can’t show you around S City as I planned. I wanted to be a good host, but it can’t be helped.”
Ling Ning had been thrilled to reconnect with Xiao Xiao, one of her few close friends from her previous life. Even though Xiao Xiao didn’t recognize her, Ling Ning saw this as an opportunity to get to know her all over again.
Xiao Xiao waved it off. “Oh, don’t worry about me! My boss actually just called to ask me to meet with an illustrator to discuss cover and illustration ideas for the print version of your novel.”
“Illustrator?” Ling Ning’s mind flashed to a particular petite figure—Chen Ruo. But she quickly dismissed it. Surely it couldn’t be such a coincidence.
“Well, I’ll be off then. If you need anything, just call me,” Ling Ning said, holding up her phone.
Although He Miaomiao had only said “as soon as possible” over the phone, her tone suggested urgency, so Ling Ning didn’t linger. After saying goodbye to Xiao Xiao, she flagged down a taxi and headed to the magazine headquarters.
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Wang Yan was in a foul mood today. Personal matters had caused her to miss out on a big fashion show and the major car exhibition held by Guardian Company.
However, she couldn’t believe her luck when she got an invitation from Goddess magazine to audition for a cover model role. “A blessing in disguise,” she thought, bubbling with excitement.
Her editor had mentioned that, due to special circumstances, there wouldn’t be much competition, only a few smaller models who hadn’t attended the big events that day.
Wang Yan was already envisioning her rise to fame. She’d make the cover of Goddess, attract the attention of talent scouts, break into the entertainment industry, and become the center of attention. Just the thought filled her with excitement.
But as she arrived at the magazine office, she saw a face she very much did not want to see: Ling Ning.
Ever since the last fashion show where Ling Ning had taken the spotlight, Wang Yan hadn’t forgotten this newcomer who had stolen her thunder.
Seeing Ling Ning, Wang Yan felt a pang of anxiety. If Ling Ning had her usual entourage of big-name supporters with her, Wang Yan’s dreams would be crushed. But when Ling Ning stepped out of her cab alone, with no entourage in sight, Wang Yan felt a wave of relief.
“Oh, isn’t this little Ling Ning? Are you here to audition for the cover too? But wait—where’s your entourage? Are they not around to support you today?” Wang Yan taunted, trying to mask her own nervousness.
“Uh… Who are you again, Auntie?” Ling Ning asked, looking puzzled.
Wang Yan’s face froze. She was still under thirty, but this was the second time Ling Ning had called her “Auntie.” Forcing a stiff smile, she replied, “Oh, my dear, you must have forgotten about our last encounter at the exhibition center fashion show.”
“Oh! That auntie! Sorry, I didn’t remember right away,” Ling Ning replied, feigning realization. She still couldn’t quite recall who Wang Yan was, but since Wang Yan seemed to know her, it would be rude not to acknowledge her.
Ling Ning thought to herself that if Wang Yan had treated her to lunch that day, she definitely would have remembered her.
“You… you’re really something,” Wang Yan ground out through clenched teeth, before quickly turning and walking into the magazine building, lest she lose her temper and cause a scene.
As Wang Yan stormed off, He Miaomiao stepped out from the shadows and gave Ling Ning a thumbs-up. She’d overheard their conversation and was initially prepared to intervene when Wang Yan mocked Ling Ning, but hadn’t expected Ling Ning to handle it so well.
“Meow, meow, meow!?” Ling Ning responded playfully.
“Oh, stop being cute! I didn’t expect you to be even sharper with your words after just a short time apart—you’re really taking after Qin Qing in her prime.”
“Sister Qin Qing in her prime?” Ling Ning asked.
“Oh, let me tell you, back when Qin Qing… Wait, that’s a long story. I’ll tell you later. For now, let’s focus on today. We’ll chat as we walk,” He Miaomiao said, leading Ling Ning into the makeup room where several other models, including Wang Yan, were already waiting.
As they walked, He Miaomiao filled Ling Ning in on the situation. Ling Ning was determined to land this cover—after all, cover shoots paid significantly better than regular photos. And for the sake of her bank account, Ling Ning was ready to give it her all.
“There are two people to watch out for. First, there’s Wang Yan—the one you just met. And then there’s… well, someone else,” He Miaomiao explained, before adding, “Of course, there’s always a chance of a dark horse like you.”
Ling Ning rolled her eyes, wishing she could give He Miaomiao a sarcastic glare. Her explanation hadn’t exactly been helpful.
Due to the time crunch, each model had their makeup done quickly, and they began their auditions immediately. The first model up was the “someone else” He Miaomiao had mentioned. Her every pose and expression was flawlessly executed, drawing approving nods from the editor-in-chief.
The next few models didn’t fare as well; a few were visibly nervous and even made mistakes, clearly lacking experience.
Then came Wang Yan’s turn. Her performance matched—and in some ways exceeded—that of the first model. She was confident that the cover was now hers.
“Editor-in-Chief, I think Wang Yan’s performance was quite good, and she has the looks too. Shouldn’t we just wrap it up here?”
“Exactly. Editor-in-Chief, the remaining models are mostly newbies. I don’t think we need to waste time watching them.”
The editor-in-chief narrowed her eyes thoughtfully before responding, “Let’s see it through. There aren’t many left, and it won’t take much more time.”
After seeing Wang Yan’s impressive showing, Ling Ning’s expression grew serious. Wang Yan’s skills were on par with her own from two months prior.
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Author’s Note:
See this empty computer screen? I wouldn’t lie to you—I lost all my notes and even my study materials. /(ㄒoㄒ)/~~