54: A discussion in the waiting room

Not long after they left, Leah Unnie walked in and looked a little puzzled seeing Xu Zhiyou alone.

“Where are Kim Ji-soo and the other three?”

“They went to greet their seniors. Don’t ask me why I didn’t go, because I had diarrhea.”

Leah Unnie’s mouth twitched when she heard that, but it didn’t matter. As a producer, she didn’t really need to pay attention to such things.

99.9% of artists who debut have high emotional intelligence; no one would intentionally offend a producer. That kind of behavior would be incredibly foolish.

“Zoe! These private courtesies aren’t important, but in public, you need to put on a show, okay?”

“No problem!”

Seeing her casual reply, Leah Unnie knew she definitely wasn’t taking it seriously.

“Yah! I’m serious, don’t be so careless, okay? The senior-junior system here…”

Leah Unnie went on and on, introducing the culture here. It was annoying everywhere; older people could be seniors and even casually physically punish juniors. Crazy!

If they had the ability to defeat her, she would definitely be obedient. If they didn’t, they should keep their heads down. She didn’t care about those things.

She, Niu Kulü Xu Zhiyou, with an entire Earth entertainment library, plus such amazing parents and an older sister, needed to bow her head to others?

If she had to back down for this, she might as well go back where she came from. It would be a serious disgrace to a transmigrator.

“Leah Unnie, I really don’t have that habit. I’ll try my best, I’ll try, haha!”

She had always been polite to those around her, and they were also considering things from her perspective.

There was no need to get angry or argue. If it was useful, she’d follow it; if not, she’d pretend she never heard it.

Leah Unnie shook her head and sighed, seeing her like this: “How did I end up with such a troublesome artist like you? It’s making me break out in pimples. Sigh~”

“That proves you’re still young! Pimples only appear during puberty, so you should be happy!”

Xu Zhiyou, who was looking down and playing a game, took her words and started spouting nonsense.

Leah Unnie was too lazy to say anything more to her; she was truly on the verge of being infuriated. “I’m going to go connect with them. It’s almost time to close. Are you going to die playing games?”

“Go ahead! Thanks for your hard work, Leah Unnie!”

“Sigh~”

Leah Unnie could only be speechless with Xu Zhiyou, unable to even get angry. Leah Unnie herself found it puzzling.

…

It was half an hour later when Kim Ji-soo and the other three returned. They looked at Xu Zhiyou with strange expressions, which made her a little uneasy.

“Did your waists break? Also, why are you staring at me like that?”

She then turned her attention back to the game: “Shit, why don’t you use your ultimate move?! Are you saving it for the New Year?”

The person on the other side also retaliated, not to be outdone: “Who told you to play so impatiently? I told you not to go, but you insisted. Whose fault is that?”

“Oh my goodness, you’re blaming me for your clumsy hands? Someone like you only deserves to play match-three games, you’re useless!”

…

After a string of insults, she successfully made the big brother on the other side cry. Kim Ji-soo watched her operations, secretly learning a trick or two. Xu Zhiyou was quite fierce when playing games.

Kim Jennie and the other two were genuinely impressed by Xu Zhiyou’s foul mouth. She had just made someone cry again. Hearing the sobbing voice on the other end of the phone, they couldn't help but be convinced.

Putting away her phone, she said, “I’m done playing. Tell me what you wanted to say earlier.”

Lisa teased: “I didn’t expect it! You’re so famous! EXO seniors, Cosmic Girls, NCT, Red Velvet…”

“Spit it out if you have something to say. Are you hosting a show here?”

Lisa went on and on with her introductions. She hadn’t been a fan in both her lives combined. This was all making her dizzy just listening to it. She only knew a few of them.

The rest had nothing to do with her. After becoming a trainee, she was even less interested in being a fan. Her filters shattered, and who would still have the heart to chase after that stuff?

Park Chaeyoung was all too familiar with Xu Zhiyou; she was someone who lived in her own world and simply couldn’t be bothered with other people’s affairs.

Taking over, she said, “Every time we greeted a group, they would ask why you weren’t there. It made us feel like mere backdrops.”

“Who told this lady to be so beautiful? This damned beauty, sigh~”

The four of them looked at her smug expression. Park Chaeyoung didn’t indulge her; what she hated most about Xu Zhiyou was this — she’d seize any opportunity to show off.

“Do you have to be so… uh, how should I put it? It’s just…”

She started off smoothly, but then she remembered that she probably couldn’t beat Xu Zhiyou, so she made a graceful turn.

“Bitchy!” But Lisa blurted it out directly. She also couldn't stand Xu Zhiyou’s obnoxious behavior.

“Lalisa, I think you just need some training. After this stage performance, let’s have a good chat!”

Lisa also regretted it as soon as she said it, and in a timid voice, she said, “Uh, my mouth moved too fast just now, I didn’t mean it!”

“I know!”

“That’s good then!”

Before she could pat her flat chest, Xu Zhiyou continued, “Does that affect me dealing with you?”

“That doesn’t affect it!” Lisa realized what she had said.

She almost couldn’t hold it together; her mouth moved too fast, and she wanted to cry. Who could she complain to?

“Hahahaha~” Park Chaeyoung was quite relieved that she had turned the corner in time.

When she wasn’t provoked by Xu Zhiyou, her mind worked very quickly, unlike Lisa, who was truly silly, just like now.

Lisa looked at the laughing Park Chaeyoung with considerable resentment.

It was all because of her. She’d find a chance to kill her directly. She couldn’t handle Xu Zhiyou herself, but a Park Chaeyoung was easily controlled.

Kim Ji-soo checked the time and said, “It’s our turn to go on stage!”

The waiting area was very quiet. The four of them felt their hearts pounding again. Although it wouldn’t lead to a stage accident, Xu Zhiyou’s dream of a debut that exploded onto the scene would be shattered.

Once people got nervous, their limbs would become unusually stiff, and their dancing would look very strange. Hadn’t they worked so hard for this moment?

She had to find a way. She got it!

“You four, guess how long it will take us to get first place. Whoever guesses closest wins a solo song!”

“Really?”

Park Chaeyoung was the first to agree. She had been longing for Xu Zhiyou’s songs for a long time. Getting one meant earning something, as she couldn’t write them herself.

“It’s as real as it gets, and it’s custom-made. You can have whatever you want.”

The other three also got excited. Lisa was the first to say, “Two months!”

“Me, me, me, I guess at most one month.”

“Chaeyoung, do you have to be so arrogant? One month? What are you thinking?” Kim Jennie had a deeper understanding of her delusion.

“I’ll just guess at most one month. With Zoe here, anything is possible. Besides, it’s just a guess, and being bold isn’t illegal.”

“Exactly, Dumpling Ni, what about you?”

“I guess three months. I’d be satisfied if we could get first place in three months.”

She knew many groups that never got first place until they disbanded. Most groups getting first place in three months was already remarkable; she didn’t dare to think too far ahead.

“Show Ge, what about you?”

“Me? I’m like Lisa, two months.”

…

As they chatted, the four gradually relaxed. Xu Zhiyou, seeing that her goal was achieved, also felt much more at ease.

While the four of them were still chatting, the host suddenly cued: “Next group, BLACKPINK on stage~”

The four of them looked at each other, wide-eyed. It was their turn already, and they hadn’t even realized it.

“What are you looking at? Remember to treat everyone down there like watermelon rinds. Just dance the way I usually tell you to. I’m here, you won’t die!”

After saying that, she led the way out. She herself was also super nervous at this moment, but she couldn’t let them see it, absolutely not.

As soon as they exited the waiting area, the cheers from the fans below came in waves.

She only had one thought: Oh my god! Is it too late to go home now? So many eyes watching, what’s with feeling a little shy?

The artists backstage immediately chose good spots. They were also very curious about BLACKPINK’s stage presence. Girl groups, after all, needed strong stage presence the most.

“Cheng Xiao, is that Xu Zhiyou? She’s so beautiful! Remember to ask for her KKT or WeChat later. I’m too shy!” Wu Xuanyi nudged Cheng Xiao.

Cheng Xiao said, exasperated, “Why don’t you go yourself? You know my social skills; I’m also very shy, okay?”

“Let’s play rock-paper-scissors. Whoever loses goes and asks.”

“I don’t want to! I never win at that. Anyway, I’m not going.” Cheng Xiao was also a homebody; she really wasn’t good at social things.