Sang Ning put on her sunglasses and remained silent, not bothering to explain much to her agent.
At the access point, Sang Ning’s peculiar outfit drew many curious gazes.
Her clothes were quite normal—just a simple T-shirt and jeans, a very ordinary style in a crowd.
However, her head was wrapped tightly with a scarf that covered both her head and face, not even a strand of hair visible. The only exposed part—her eyes—were hidden behind the sunglasses, leaving no identifiable facial features.
Lu Ye and his agent led the way, with Sang Ning following closely behind. As they were about to pass through the gate, a security guard extended his hand to block her. "Hey, what are you up to?"
Sang Ning didn’t answer, instead gripping her scarf and taking a step back, looking a bit timid.
Lu Ye, who had already entered, turned back. He wore the same style of sunglasses as Sang Ning, slightly pushed them down, and tilted his head to look at the security guard, his expression carrying a mix of sleaze and boldness.
"What’s the matter? Not respecting people’s cultural attire, I see?" Lu Ye’s tone lifted sharply in dissatisfaction.
The guard hurriedly tried to defend himself, "No, I didn’t mean that..."
Lu Ye interrupted the guard, looking at Sang Ning. "What are you dawdling for? Hurry up and get going!"
Under the security guard’s slightly stunned gaze, Sang Ning swaggered inside following Lu Ye.
Unlike other entertainers, Lu Ye had his own private lounge. After dismissing his agent, he brought Sang Ning inside.
As soon as they entered the room, Sang Ning tore off her scarf and sunglasses.
"Big sis, can you be a bit more professional with your disguises next time? This outfit might as well announce that you’re up to no good!" Lu Ye shook his head and sighed.
"Sorry, it’s just a cost-effective solution," Sang Ning said, her eyes scanning the lounge. She zeroed in on a man’s wig placed on a shelf in the corner.
"Can I borrow this?" she asked while already walking toward the wig.
By the time Sang Ning had the wig in her hand, Lu Ye let out a cold chuckle. "Now that the thing’s in your hand, does it make any difference if I say no?"
"Thanks." Sang Ning deftly put on the short wig and said to Lu Ye, "I’m heading out. Later, I’ll leave it to you to explain to your agent."
Lu Ye pursed his lips, his cheeks puffing slightly. Sang Ning really was shameless, using him and then abandoning him without a second thought.
Sang Ning pulled a lock of the wig diagonally across her forehead to cover most of it and her left eye. Peering at Lu Ye through her exposed right eye, she said, "Thanks for your hard work, handsome Teacher Lu Ye!"
"Sweet talk won’t work on me. Do you think I’ll believe that?" Lu Ye slightly raised his chin, letting out a cold snort. Although he showed disdain on his face, he secretly appreciated the compliment.
Sang Ning opened the door and left. Not long after, Lu Ye’s agent returned.
The agent glanced around the room and asked, "Bro, where did that weird girl go just now?"
"What weird girl? Did you get something in your eye?" Lu Ye crossed his legs and took a sip of orange juice before responding.
The agent dared not say more, raising one eyebrow in doubt.
Conflict? Lu Ye’s mood sure shifts quickly.
Sang Ning wasn’t new to the recording building. After leaving the lounge, she wandered around freely as though the place was hers.
On her way, Sang Ning encountered plenty of the program staff.
Her attire was simple, and her demeanor calm and composed. When others brushed past her, they all seemed rushed and preoccupied, not even noticing she was Sang Ning.
Occasionally, a particularly observant or sharp-minded individual would find Sang Ning oddly familiar. Her striking features caught attention, but just as they turned to look again, she was already gone.
Walking along, Sang Ning passed by the pantry and happened to see two familiar staff members.
Fearing recognition, Sang Ning quickly ducked into a nearby compartment to hide.
Inside the pantry, the two staff members were engaging in hushed chatter.
"Hey, do you think our program’s feng shui is off? Forget about the mentors breaking their contract and refusing to record—even the contestants seem like they made a pact to quit one after another!"
"Who quit now? To be honest, ever since Shen Yi announced his withdrawal, I’ve been numb to it. The top star is gone, so whether the little fish stick around or not doesn’t even matter anymore."
Finally, one of them showed a reaction, and Sang Ning also found it hard to believe.
To think Chu Xi, who had vowed with such conviction during her sign-up to make it into the top three or die trying, would quit.
As far as Sang Ning knew, the program wasn’t even halfway to the semi-finals yet. Why would Chu Xi quit at such a critical juncture?
"Why did Chu Xi quit? She seemed to care a great deal about this program. It doesn’t make sense to leave early," someone voiced Sang Ning’s internal question.
The other person replied, "Apparently, she’s heading back to school to prepare for next year’s college entrance exams. Rumor has it Chu Xi made a bet with someone and didn’t want to be looked down upon."
"That’s rare. There are so many entertainers in the industry who are academic failures. People think becoming a celebrity is a quick way to make money, so they don’t take their studies seriously. Especially someone like Chu Xi with strong family backing—she could easily become a big star without a degree if she threw money around. The fact she’s concerned about academics makes her a rarity."
"Chu Xi should truly thank whoever she made that bet with. Without good vision and knowledge, entertainers end up as empty-headed idols who don’t last long. Cultural education is key."
Sang Ning had a vague sense that Chu Xi’s decision to return to school was probably influenced by her.
But whether or not she was the reason didn’t matter. Returning to school was a positive choice for Chu Xi. As long as Chu Xi didn’t come back to hassle her, Sang Ning sincerely wished her success in next year’s exams.
After the two staff members left the pantry, Sang Ning leisurely emerged from the compartment. Her goal was the control room.
Sang Ning pondered for a moment. Without powerful backers, what weapon could she rely on to fight back? The answer was her own fighting skills.
When possible, use force instead of words. Taking down bad guys with violence when necessary was her life philosophy.
Though she lived in a civilized society, when others chose not to follow the rules, why should she bother being polite?
Standing at the door of the control room, Sang Ning was stopped. Entry required specific permissions. Being allowed into the building didn’t mean she could access the control room.
Forcing her way in would only prompt security to throw her out. Though Sang Ning was confident she could handle a few guards, if things escalated, it wouldn’t be guards but the police. She lacked the means to dodge bullets.
The control room was bustling with activity, and Sang Ning stood at the door conspicuously. Everyone passing by glanced at her.
Sang Ning didn’t want to be exposed, but she had to see the person she was looking for. Thus, she opted for a shameless strategy: loitering at the entrance.