Even though she knew she hadn't done anything wrong, no one would testify for her.
She had thought that after her disfigurement, she had seen enough of the world's coldness, and that as long as her appearance was restored, she could start anew and be treated the same as others, that as long as she worked hard, she would be rewarded.
As long as she could become normal like everyone else, she could live with dignity, live like a human being.
Now, it seemed all her persistence was like a joke.
Her beautiful wishes were as beautiful as a dream.
Colorful soap bubbles, drifting, needing no touch, a slight disturbance and they shattered completely.
A complete mess.
Dropping her head, Yu Yinyin picked up her belongings.
Her belongings were few: just a backpack, a few casual outfits, not even a decent cosmetic.
Putting the backpack on, Yu Yinyin turned to leave.
"Wait a moment, there's one more thing to inform you," the staff member said with a sneer. "According to the contract you signed earlier, when you withdraw from the competition for personal reasons, you must pay a penalty of 200,000. Until the penalty is paid off, you are not allowed to appear in any media in any form."
Yu Yinyin froze, then suddenly turned to look at the staff member.
200,000?!
Where would she get 200,000!
She didn't even know where to get the money for her follow-up skin maintenance, and they wanted her to pay 200,000!
Seeing the despair on Yu Yinyin's face, the staff member's lips curved up into a satisfied smile, and they said cruelly, "Are you not leaving? Do you want someone to drag you out?"
Before Yu Yinyin could react, two security guards violently pulled her, throwing her and her bag out of the dormitory building.
Lying shamefully on the steps in front of the dormitory building, Yu Yinyin trembled all over from the pain.
At that moment, a pair of calfskin boots appeared before her eyes.
Yu Yinyin looked up along the boots and met a face full of mockery.
"From now on, control yourself. Don't throw yourself at men who aren't yours," Mo Jianing said to Yu Yinyin with a cold smile before stepping on Yu Yinyin's fingers and walking straight into the dormitory building.
The staff member immediately changed their expression, fawning over Mo Jianing, asking about her well-being, and accompanying her towards the elevator.
The surrounding trainees made way as if they knew their place, looking at Mo Jianing with admiration and fear.
Mo Jianing held her head high, accepting everyone's gaze like a queen.
Yu Yinyin's hand trembled with pain. Even if she were dumber, she would know the source of this undeserved misfortune.
She propped herself up and looked at Mo Jianing's retreating back, then at the trainees gazing at Mo Jianing, her eyes filled with disappointment.
No one noticed when Yu Yinyin left or how she left.
This circle was exceptionally cruel, and there were too many people like Yu Yinyin.
If they were to sympathize with each one, they wouldn't be able to.
The thunderstorms predicted by the weather forecast were late.
Thunder roared, and the rain fell torrentially and violently. Yu Yinyin, curled up under the eaves, watched the dense curtain of rain, took out her phone, and, looking at the low battery, hesitated as she scrolled through her contacts, not knowing whom she could contact.
She wanted to find someone who could give her hope and light.
Her vision blurred with tears, her nose felt sore, and her hands still trembled with pain.
Yu Yinyin lowered her head and cried, but she didn't know when she had dialed the number. When she heard a voice on the other end of the phone, she was startled.
"Hello?" a female voice came from the other end of the phone. "Who is it?"
Instantly recognizing the voice, Yu Yinyin's voice choked. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I dialed by accident... I'm sorry..."
"Uh... it's okay, you are..."
"I'm Yinyin..." After answering, Yu Yinyin nervously pursed her lips. Just as she was about to explain further, she heard a voice on the other end of the phone exclaim in realization.
"Oh~ You're her, aren't you? My number one fan?" Xia Qing Tian had a rather deep impression of Yinyin, after all, they had shared hardships. She had given Yu Yinyin her contact information back then, but she didn't expect Yinyin to call her at this time. "How's your treatment going? Are you okay?"
Hearing Xia Qing Tian's caring voice, Yu Yinyin felt her tears could no longer be held back. She burst into tears on the spot, her voice full of grievance. "It's no use... I tried my best... but it was all for nothing..."
Hearing Yu Yinyin's cries, mixed with the rain and thunder, Xia Qing Tian frowned. "Where are you?"
"I, I'm at..." Yu Yinyin looked around and reported the street where she was sheltering from the rain. She then sobbed, "I thought everything would be different, but... but nothing changed... I..."
Before Yu Yinyin could finish her words, her phone automatically shut down due to a lack of battery.
Looking at the completely dark screen and the curtain of rain before her, Yu Yinyin felt utter despair. She hugged herself tightly, buried her face in her knees, and cried even louder.
The roaring thunder drowned out her cries, and the lightning that flashed across the night sky made her figure appear even smaller.
Heaven and earth were vast, yet they could not accommodate her.
She tried so hard to become like others, to survive.
Were her demands too high?
She faced surgery after surgery, and she was so afraid on the cold operating table.
During the recovery period, her skin sometimes burned like fire, and sometimes it itched like insects crawling, and she was in so much pain.
When the bandages were removed, she was so uneasy.
...
She endured it all, thinking she could integrate into society, integrate into this world...
But this world... could not accommodate her.
Since that was the case, why didn't it let her die in that big fire with her memories?
Why let her live, and why give her such a voice?
Giving her hope only to snatch it away, why...
Why was it always like this?
If she were dead, wouldn't she be in less pain?
If she were dead...
Yu Yinyin didn't know how long she cried or how much time had passed. She only knew that the rain had gradually lessened. Cars sped past on the slick, muddy road, splashing water.
Yu Yinyin dazedly stood up and walked step by step towards the road.
On a street like this, if a speeding car ran over her, it probably wouldn't hurt for long.
A car's headlights shone on Yu Yinyin's profile.
This was immediately followed by the sound of a sharp brake, accompanied by the piercing screech of a car horn.
In that instant, Yu Yinyin faintly heard someone crying out hysterically, "Zixuan! Run! Fire! Zixuan!"
...