Chapter 2: I was lured into a daze by number 88. (Foreigners can...)

As usual, passersby clicked into the Naver forum and browsed the hot posts. When they saw "No. 88" frequently associated with the words "divine beauty", they became curious.

They followed the trail and found the official Twitter account of Shining World.

The variety show has a total of 100 contestants, and the official announcements were made in several batches. Fortunately, the later the ranking, the more recent the release time, and the casual viewers quickly found the set of profile cards that included "88".

First, there was a data sheet containing the appearances of twenty people, numbered 80 to 100. Number 88 was in the second row towards the back, but as soon as passersby clicked in, they were immediately drawn to number 88.

With phoenix eyes, delicate eyebrows, a straight and upturned nose, a full forehead, and all the features of her face being just the right size and curve, she also retained a touch of icy coldness, like a blade being drawn from its sheath.

She seemed to possess a magical power that drew everyone's attention. Falling into those dark, cloud-like eyes was like plunging into a deep pool. At first, one might try to swim upwards, but later, it seemed one would willingly drown in it.

The small images are already stunning, but the large individual images that follow are even more incredible, leaving netizens breathless.

Her face was dazzlingly white, almost glowing, creating an extreme color contrast with her jet-black eyes and already bright red lips, making her appear even more voluptuous and aloof, producing a striking beauty that automatically evokes the words "femme fatale."

Although they were all wearing the same uniform for the photoshoot, it looked like a completely different outfit on her. She managed to exude an air of nobility, confidence, and sharpness befitting a young noblewoman, the kind who is about to take over the family business.

Seeing No. 88's face really makes one dizzy for a long time. The mind goes blank in an instant, and one can't think of anything but stare at her face and let out a silly "hehe" laugh.

It wasn't until the phone screen automatically turned off and I saw my own drooling expression on the black screen that I finally snapped out of it.

Holy crap, where did this stunning beauty come from?!

Is it possible for a real person to look like this? Is this really not an AI-generated image that combines stunning photos from various countries?

[Where's the housekeeper?! I need all her information in three minutes!!!]

Is this really not a misleading photo? I'm so afraid it's heavily edited; I hope the picture doesn't look like the real thing TT TT

[They've given the fans something good again! Gold Price Xiba's debut visuals are a sure thing. Did you manage to pull the hidden item after all these blind box draws?]

[There's no way there's a girl in the world who perfectly matches my aesthetic! I've fallen in love for the thousandth and first time! Marry me, my wife!!!]

[Ugh... It's infuriating that he looks like this! Hey God, are you crazy? You're so biased, you could practically shift his heart from the left atrium to the right atrium!]

With a face like that, I have a feeling that no matter what she does, she will be forgiven and the law will declare her innocent.

[kkk's beauty is so striking that just standing there is enough to severely damage someone's self-esteem; it's like a game-changer...]

In this era, countless people have changed their lives with just a pretty face. Humans are visual creatures, and with just one stunning official ID photo, contestant number 88's popularity skyrocketed, instantly making him a familiar face to the fans who follow talent shows.

Looking at the detailed information card of contestant number 88, each information card was filled out by the contestant himself. Even the handwriting of contestant number 88 was sharp. He wrote in two languages, one was Korean, and the other was probably... Chinese?

Name: Jiang Tinghan (Coldy)

Nationality: China

Date of birth: August 8, 2001

Agency: None available

Height: 172cm

Practice duration: 0 days (just switched careers)

Positioning: For now, it's just a storefront.

MBTI: ENTP

Charm point: Almost perfect grades every semester

Hobbies: Making money and giving back to future fans.

Idols: God of Wealth, Golden Cloud

Self-introduction: "If I don't participate in 'Shining World,' I will not only suffer a huge loss, but I will also regret it for the rest of my life. Please look forward to it OvO!"

Oh, it's a green card. I knew it didn't look like a Korean.

Ah... this... this... this is a bit difficult to evaluate.

[I'm heartbroken so fast QAQ, what's the point of a complete newbie participating in a talent show? Are they trying to debut based on their looks alone? Are they trying to squeeze out the spots of those hardworking trainees who have practiced for years?]

How disgusting... I hate people like this the most... Are they crazy...?

The other contestants from her cohort are truly pitiful. There will inevitably be a group of people shouting "Idols are all about looks" and then kissing her, ignoring how terrible her skills are, turning into an automatic floor-cleaning machine.

My sharp tongue is ready to unleash its fury, lol.

If I hadn't noticed she didn't have an agency, I would have suspected she got through the audition through connections!

[Public opinion can reverse in an instant, just like in a talent show. Maybe we should just treat it as a character development project? When I saw the word "temporarily" in her description of her as "currently the face of the group," I was certain she was a very ambitious person, and she certainly has an ambitious face. I'm buying her stock!]

[172cm, great height! He's got the makings of a husband!]

[But don't you really think "perfect GPA every semester" is appealing? It shows that this is a college student, and a high-achieving one at that! College students are practically rare and protected species in talent shows! Finally, not all kids are illiterate!]

That's incredibly appealing! It might stir up some intellectual attraction, but talk is cheap—what if it's all fake? Scandals involving forged degrees have been all the rage these days!

[This kid really loves money! I never expected his idol to be the God of Wealth. Well, money does have the power to make everyone in the world fall in love with it, but saying it so bluntly is kind of cute, lol]

[This feels so mercenary and profit-driven... even the subsequent fan appreciation seems opportunistic!]

[You've already taken "future fans" to heart after just one meeting? Oh my gosh, you're so sincere! Are you some kind of born fan magnet?! I can't wait! I'm already eagerly anticipating seeing you shine on stage!]

[By the way, who is Kim Woon? Is there any idol with that name? I only know Kim Jong-woon from Super Junior. Most of the other names I've listed are famous idols or super senior figures in the global music industry. This Coldy is really unpredictable...]

I checked. Coldy is a student at a university in China, a tutor at Jin Yun's university, and also a psychological counselor for Shining World.

【ah? 】

【ha? 】

【Really?】

[kkk seems to be a really unconventional kid.]

[Are idols choosing their own mentors as mentors? Are they treating talent shows like schools? How many SCI papers do they expect to publish?]

[I bet! This beautiful but useless girl won't even last one episode, she'll probably be eliminated before the second performance!!!]

Jiang Tinghan squatted in a corner of the practice room, taking in all the comments about herself online. Even when she saw unfriendly comments, her expression remained calm and unmoved.

She didn't get through the open selection process through connections; she was directly recruited by Boss. Thank you.

Ha, she won't survive past the first episode. Since her "fans" are so eager for her to stay, she'll definitely have to keep going and try to stay until the end!

For one million!

That form was submitted two weeks ago and should actually be updated. Her practice time has now increased to fourteen days. Ever since she agreed to the sponsor's request, she has been working hard to make up for her shortcomings, digging a well when thirsty, sharpening her spear at the last minute, and cramming for the last minute.

Unfortunately, she wasn't Liu Bei. These three guests couldn't invite Zhuge Liang to be their strategist, so they had to use their own brains to come up with a solution.

How can we leverage our strengths and minimize our weaknesses to achieve the highest possible score?

Jiang Tinghan was very confident in herself, but not in the other contestants of the same rating. Life isn't a novel; there aren't that many hidden talents in Class F. She has always been very simple-minded and didn't want to be dragged down by her teammates.

Sometimes being incompetent is equated with being stupid, and communicating with them might be a huge challenge.

The production team was kind enough to issue a unified message implying that if a candidate's skills were insufficient, they could form a two-person team for a "stunning appearance," each covering up the other's weaknesses and using teamwork to achieve a higher score.

Of course, strong alliances, such as one strong person helping another weak person, are allowed. The strong person might have some hidden masochistic tendencies and always likes to challenge themselves with higher difficulties.

M addiction can also be money; the power of money is always beyond your imagination.

Based on the talent show amusements Jiang Tinghan had seen on Chinese social media platforms before, it's highly likely that one person's embarrassment will turn into two people's embarrassment; you can't make a feast out of watermelon rinds.

In conclusion, to report to everyone, she has decided to face the initial evaluation alone!

Jiang Tinghan finally took a break and caught her breath after practicing dance until 3 a.m. Since arriving in South Korea, it was as if she had been immersed in the world of Koreans, automatically losing her sleep. A glass of iced Americano was all it took to keep her going until dawn.

Fortunately, she was in good physical condition; she used to run the 800-meter dash in just over two minutes and fifty seconds during her middle school entrance exam.

Jiang Tinghan quickly tidied up, changed his clothes, and left the practice room to go to the Han River to get some fresh air.

There are still two weeks until the initial evaluation. Recording will begin the day before the initial evaluation, so she is still free to go out and see if she can encounter any old man who will appear out of her spirit ring to give her a secret manual, or if an upgrade system will suddenly be loaded into her head with a "beep beep beep" sound, the kind that provides a practice space with a different flow rate than the outside world.

Unfortunately, none of them were available.

It's just four final exam weeks.

Looking at the dark, turbulent river, Jiang Tinghan's heart was suddenly calmed by the evening breeze, and he began to think carefully.

Two weeks ago, she chose 2NE1's "I Don't Care" from the song library provided by the program team. At first, like all beginners, she thought that singing was easier to learn than dancing, so she chose a song that focused on melody and singing.

If you only sing the first minute of "I Don't Care" and remove the rap part, the difficulty will decrease.

After a week of vocal lessons, she unexpectedly discovered that her pitch was actually quite good. She has strong insight and perception, and can spot a slight off-key note in a second and then quickly correct it. Because she has a strong heart, she doesn't get nervous. So after practicing singing at least dozens, and sometimes hundreds, of times a day, her current vocal level is barely passable.

She practices dancing every week now, and her rendition of "I Don't Care" has reached a presentable level. Even if she were to be put on stage now, she certainly wouldn't fall to an F grade. But the problem is that it's not outstanding.

In a talent show, what's the point if you don't strive to be number one?

Even if her current strength is only average, she still has to climb up.

So Jiang Tinghan was thinking—could the lyrics be changed?

By revising the lyrics and combining them with makeup and styling, perhaps we can elevate her to the next level.

"I Don't Care" is a powerful yet heartwarming song about a woman who abandons her boyfriend after he cheats on her, and from then on, she no longer cares about anything he does.

More than a decade ago, the concepts of "letting go" and "being carefree" were popular, but according to the current audience's preferences, if a boyfriend cheats, he should retaliate fiercely.

The logic then becomes "I don't care"—because the cheating man has already fallen into a terrible state, so why care?

Of course, adapting the song's style would be more suitable—capturing melancholy when appropriate and cheerfulness when needed. Unfortunately, she doesn't possess that skill yet; the skill tree is still unlocked, so let's explore it later!

After returning home, Jiang Tinghan organized her thoughts and asked the staff she was in contact with if this was feasible and whether the words could be changed due to copyright issues.

When Yoon Shin-hye was told Jiang Ting-han's idea, she was somewhat surprised. It wasn't that the idea was unique, but she was shocked that Jiang Ting-han was a person with ideas. Nowadays, whether they are trainees or idols who have debuted, they are like puppets. Performing is just going to work step by step. They just need to learn everything they have prepared. As a result, their brains are degenerating more and more seriously, and they are almost turning into cavemen.

Jiang Tinghan is not only putting in all her effort to practice singing and dancing, but she also thinks about how to make her debut stage even better. Her energy is just too much! Is she tireless?

This is a rare talent among idols.

Yoon Shin-hye quickly sent someone to contact them, and the reply she received was, "Changing the lyrics is OK, and making a more stage-appropriate melody arrangement is also OK, but drastic changes are not allowed."

This was exactly what Jiang Ting felt cold about. She revised the lyrics again and again, and her training never stopped. Meanwhile, friends from various countries had begun to check in one after another!

The dorm rooms are for six people each, and the groups are randomly shuffled. When I wake up, the list is already on my phone.

The girl in bed number one is Japanese. She has a very gentle personality, and just seeing her dragging her suitcase in makes me quite uneasy.

Her name on her profile card is Tsukichi Anri. She looks cute and petite, but she is actually a powerful dancer who has won the Japanese street dance competition.

The small-looking suitcase that the Japanese girl dragged so easily actually weighed twice as much as two of her, which already showed just how strong she was.

"You can just call me Anri-chan!" The Japanese girl said to Jiang Tinghan in a soft, Japanese-accented English, her eyes sparkling as she looked at her like a little Bichon Frise.

The way she looked at Jiang Tinghan was more excited than when she looked at anyone else. She looked at Jiang Tinghan's height with envy, and when she looked at Jiang Tinghan's face, her eyes lit up, and her face showed the ecstatic joy of winning ten million in the lottery.

Verification complete. Anri-chan really likes beautiful women!

Bed number two is occupied by an Indian-Australian woman named Puthusi Patak. Her surname sounds like a combination of Spider-Man Peter Parker and Iron Man Tony Stark. Her skin is smooth and dark brown, like a palm tree, exuding a passionate and unrestrained Indian charm. However, her Australian accent combined with her Indian accent is a double debuff, making it quite an obstacle to communicate with her in English at the moment.

She is also good at dancing, but her vocal skills are not weak either. Her overall level is very good, and she is clearly destined for Class A or even higher.

As soon as she saw Jiang Tinghan, she gave him a hug and said, "Hey, girl, I've seen you online before, you know what? My Indian friends love you! They even call you 'Naga'!"

Jiang Tinghan struggled to understand Putuo Qian's words: "Naga? Is she a half-human, half-serpent being in Hindu mythology? It is said that she symbolizes power and holiness."

Putuo Qian was somewhat surprised: "OMG! Honey, you actually knew that! That's right! They think you look like a powerful snake!"

Jiang Tinghan was both amused and exasperated; what kind of description was this?

But why are foreigners so enthusiastic, calling people "baby" right away?

Jiang Tinghan said, "Just call me Coldy."

Putuoxi shook her head, her eyes shining as if they held two tiny fireballs: "No! You are the Naga in my heart! My Naga!"

Jiang Tinghan helplessly shrugged, and in return, gave Putuo Qian an easy-to-remember nickname, "Grape," since Putuo Qian, like a grape from the Western Regions, was full of exotic charm.

Number three is a purebred Korean named Kim Seo-hee. Jiang Tinghan liked the name immediately; it was very auspicious and festive, and she was sure it would bring good luck and wealth.

Kim Seo-hee is also a very pure trainee. She has been training for five years and came from YG, so rap is her strength. However, her appearance is quite ordinary. She doesn't have that kind of look that makes her seem like she's indistinguishable from others or that she has a dark and shady vibe.

According to Kim Seo-hee, she also had a good friend who came to "Shining World" with her, but they didn't get a room together.

The first thing Kim Seo-hee said to her was, "You are very beautiful."

Jiang Tinghan calmly replied, "Thank you, I understand."

The conversation between the two indifferent people ended so blandly; perhaps a little salt would have been needed to make them talk a little longer.

Jiang Tinghan thought about the comments online and then looked at the three people's reactions when they first saw her, thinking that she seemed to have a face that appealed to both men and women.

No matter who comes, they all feel like they're about to be fooled when they first meet her.

There's nothing she can do about it; it's not something she did on purpose. Her face is what she was born with.

Huh? It's quite a coincidence that all four of them seem to be Asian.

Jiang Tinghan looked around, her gaze sweeping over the four beds, and suddenly realized, "Why does this feel so familiar?"

I see. Almost four years have passed, and she's still taking the college entrance exam.

A note from the author:

----------------------

The National College Entrance Examination (Gaokao), your lifelong friend (not really).