Chapter Nine: The Beauty Arrives

Dragging her suitcase, Sheng Jiaoyang got out of the taxi, looked up at the spacious building in front of her, and obediently went to the security office to register and enter.

Yesterday morning, while she was still asleep, the program crew called to invite her to attend training.

This training was with the other contestants who had passed the preliminary rounds, making a total of thirty people including herself.

When she arrived at the door of the waiting room, staff came to collect her phone and luggage. The noisy sounds from inside the waiting room drifted through the half-open door, making Sheng Jiaoyang reluctant to go in.

"Another one's here." As Sheng Jiaoyang pushed open the door, the spacious room quieted down for a moment, and everyone's eyes swept over her.

Sheng Jiaoyang didn't pay any attention and went straight to a seat.

"I heard that contestants might be eliminated at any time during training, and only half of them will make it to the competition!"

"Really? That's so cruel?"

"What competition isn't cruel?"

Hearing the conversation around her, Sheng Jiaoyang's expression remained unchanged. She simply glanced at the other contestants in the room and unexpectedly spotted two somewhat familiar faces. They were the girls who had lined up ahead of her during the preliminary auditions.

After all the contestants had arrived, the organizers finally came.

"Alright, now everyone follow the staff to change clothes. There's a show to walk today."

The person's words were like a thunderclap, startling the contestants into a commotion.

"We're walking in a show today? Aren't we here for training?"

"Are people being eliminated today?"

"Why didn't they say that on the phone yesterday?"

...

The staff ignored the contestants' complaints and silently went about their duties.

Sheng Jiaoyang was given a chiffon strapless floor-length dress. This kind of dress wasn't easy to walk in; one slip and you'd step on the hem. People who had never worn this kind of dress before would definitely feel a bit restricted.

She wasn't the only contestant assigned a floor-length gown; some were given short skirts that could easily expose their skin, and others were dressed in revealing lace dresses. The dressing room was filled with screams and groans.

"Ladies, listen up! The competition has begun. Your every word and action will be captured by the cameras. Please be mindful of your manners, okay?" Even the staff couldn't stand the noise anymore, and someone came out to remind them.

Instantly, the dressing room fell silent.

Sheng Jiaoyang breathed a sigh of relief; finally, it was quiet.

She changed her shoes, drew a number, and then walked to the backstage area of ​​the show in order, entering one by one under the guidance of the staff.

Sheng Jiaoyang's number wasn't too high or too low; it wasn't a good spot, but she wasn't nervous. Her ample experience watching runways gave her the corresponding confidence, and besides, she wasn't in a hurry for the money, so she could approach the competition with a calm mind.

When it was her turn, she walked onto the stage, stood in her designated spot, lowered the hem of her skirt, and, with a wave from the staff, stepped out. With each step, the light-colored skirt fluttered slightly.

For Sheng Jiaoyang, a floor-length gown that would be a hassle for others, was incredibly easy, because she had worn it countless times. In the past, when she was shorter, she often wore 20-centimeter stilettos to wear beautiful gowns, but now, at her height, walking in these gowns was effortless.

The only thing that bothered her was her eyesight. Glasses weren't allowed on the runway, and she hadn't had time to get her vision corrected before rushing to the training. With a visual range of only about one meter, she had to focus intently on her feet.

So, in other people's eyes, while she wasn't restricted, she walked too earnestly, lacking the lightness and ease required by the gown.

"Yi Yan, I heard this contestant is someone you specifically chose. I don't think she's anything special!" In the front row, on the left, sat a woman wearing an exaggerated headdress and heavy makeup. Her features were accentuated by the makeup, but the fine lines around her eyes betrayed her age.

Zhuo Yiyan, who had previously given Sheng Jiaoyang a pass, sat next to the woman. He watched the meticulously walking girl on stage, smiled, and said, "It's still early. Some people need more experience to truly transform themselves."

"Although today's show is just the opening show, it's already enough to see potential. The one who came on earlier, Xiao Yang, was quite good. She's also a newbie with no runway experience, but her presence and stage presence are better than many veteran models who have been in the industry for years. Even without experience, experience comes with practice. But Xu Jiaojiao is too conventional, and her features are too delicate, lacking any sharp angles. Even as a print model, she probably wouldn't be able to take high-quality photos."

Before Zhuo Yiyan could speak, the young woman with a mixed-race appearance sitting to his right suddenly said, "She looks a lot like me in the past."

The heavily made-up woman immediately fell silent.

Zhuo Yiyan's lips curved into a smile. A washed-up senior against a rising international supermodel—how could she not immediately be defeated?

"Lina, this is the first thing you've said since the halfway point of the show. It seems this contestant really resonated with you." Zhuo Yiyan turned to look at the young woman beside him.

The woman had striking features, her eyes deeper than most East Asians. Even with just a light makeup, she was already incredibly beautiful. Coupled with her cold expression, this beauty was even more domineering and commanding.

She was of mixed Chinese and Italian descent; her mother was Chinese, and her Chinese name was Lin Na. This was her first time accepting a domestic gig.

She had wanted to visit her mother's hometown before, but she had been too busy with work. Before becoming famous, she was busy pursuing her dreams; after becoming famous, she started a company and brand with her friends, and even personally went to the lab to develop new aromatherapy products. Her schedule was always packed.

If it weren't for her best friend's accident in China, she wouldn't have turned down all her other gigs and accepted this show's invitation. She just wanted to use this as an excuse to come here and see just how wonderful this place that had made her so happy was.

Watching the girl named Xu Jiaojiao disappear from the catwalk, Lin Na finally spoke, replying to Zhuo Yiyan, "Her catwalk is very similar to mine, and her name is the same as my best friend's nickname." Unfortunately, her own little sun didn't have the same good physique as Jiaojiao. "

That's probably what they call fate," Zhuo Yiyan said with a smile.

Lin Na nodded slightly and didn't say anything more.

The show ended quickly, and the audience members had some impression of the contestants, especially the guests invited by the production team, who undoubtedly had their own picks.

Next was the grouping of the contestants.

Those assigned long dresses formed one team, and those assigned short skirts formed another.

"For the next two weeks of intensive training, we will be training in teams. Now, we need to select captains for both teams. After unanimous decision by the judges, Xiao Yang will be the captain of the long dress team, and Luo Yi will be the captain of the short skirt team. The captains will be responsible for assisting the training instructors in managing team discipline and other matters. Now, let me introduce our special instructor—"

"Lina!" The host pointed to one side.

The contestants all turned to look, their expressions varying as they saw the tall, stunning woman making her grand entrance, but all clearly surprised.

Lina is a rising star in the international supermodel world in recent years. With an angelic face and a devilish figure, she has not only thrived in the modeling industry but has also recently made a successful foray into film and television. Furthermore, she has quickly established her own brand, and her impeccable taste has earned her a place in the fashion world.

Her Chinese identity has also made her a focus of attention in China; even before she came to the country to develop her career, she frequently appeared in entertainment headlines, and everyone present recognized her. Sheng

Jiaoyang, who had been calm, widened his eyes upon hearing the host's call, abruptly turning to look at the approaching woman.

"Beautiful!" he blurted out almost immediately.

The other contestants burst into laughter.

The host couldn't help but laugh as well, then immediately realized he'd messed things up and quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "Young man, even if you're awestruck by a beauty, please keep your composure, okay?"

This elicited another round of laughter.

Only two people present didn't laugh: Sheng Jiaoyang and Lin Na.

When Lin Na heard the word "pretty girl," she almost thought she was hallucinating. She looked at the person who called her—it was the girl named Xu Jiaojiao.

How did she know this nickname that Little Sun had given her? Or was it just a coincidence?

"Lina, please introduce yourself!" the host said.

Lin Na looked away and said calmly, "Hello everyone, I'm Lin Na. I only have the afternoon left for you. How much you learn depends on yourselves."

It really was a pretty girl! Sheng Jiaoyang was thrilled and didn't hear anything the host said afterward.

She wanted to rush over and introduce herself to the pretty girl, then tell her about her tumultuous experiences these past few days. But reason controlled her body, and she could only watch helplessly as the pretty girl walked off the stage and follow the other contestants to change clothes.

"Yang Bao, I really want to be in the same group as you!"

Two good friends were reluctant to part in the changing room.

The other contestants gave them strange looks as they passed by, thinking the two were being a bit dramatic. Even though they were in two groups, they weren't training in separate places, so why act like they were going to be separated forever?

"Okay, go change your clothes. We'll still train together later. What does it matter if we're not in the same group, right?" Xiao Yang comforted her friend with a hug.

"Okay, wait for me after you change. We'll go to the training room together."

"Okay."

Xiao Yang found her locker and saw the girl next to her who had caused the whole room to laugh earlier. She greeted her, "Hi, I'm Xiao Yang. You look familiar!"

"You were in front of me when I registered for the auditions."

"Oh right, I remember now. You seem to really like Lina. You kept looking at her on stage. Is she your idol?"

"No." Sheng Jiaoyang quickly changed her clothes, turned, and left the locker room.

Another girl next to him scoffed, "Tch, what's with the arrogance? She's just a country bumpkin, how dare she call Lina that?"

Xiao Yang smiled and said, "Let's hurry up and change our clothes and head to the training room!"