Filming could not proceed today as Qian He was absent.
Lin Muci stayed on set for a while, filmed a few solo shots, and then Sister Lan gave her the rest of the day off.
However, she didn't return to the Lin family villa. Instead, she went to the television station.
The practice rooms at the television station were open twenty-four hours.
But it was a holiday, and there should have been no one there. Yet, inside, a figure was painstakingly practicing in front of the camera, beating time to herself and murmuring,
"I can do it, I definitely can!
Come on! Sob, I can definitely dance well!"
It was Yang Weiyang. She was practicing clumsily, but after much effort, she eventually collapsed onto the floor, letting out a pathetic sigh.
"It's really so hard."
Lin Muci walked over to her. Yang Weiyang scrambled to her feet, her eyes wide as she looked at Lin Muci.
"Xiao Ci? Why are you here?"
Lin Muci smiled.
"I guessed you'd be practicing."
She had added Yang Weiyang's contact information earlier. She often saw Yang Weiyang talking to herself, cheering herself on, but only to give up three seconds later, like doing sit-ups, alternating between hyping herself up and wanting to lie flat, a mix of dejected and energized.
"Quite cute."
She asked Yang Weiyang directly.
"What are your thoughts on the final group performance?"
The girl scratched her head, showing a troubled expression.
"What thoughts could I have? They say it's a choice between a solo performance and a group performance, but Xiao Ci, you're so amazing, you'll definitely choose your solo performance, right?
Then I'll have to latch onto another strong team. But no one wants to bring me along. They all think my singing and dancing are too poor and don't want me.
The best choice would naturally be Lu Keke's team.
Lu Keke has connections and a background, and she's quite popular, in the upper tier.
If she and Yang Weiyang, both in the upper tier, teamed up, their chances of debuting in the final group performance would be very high. But Lu Keke directly kicked Yang Weiyang out, giving her no face at all.
In front of the show's cameras, she said she intended to debut in the final group.
'I don't take in trash.'
Yang Weiyang was almost scolded to tears, so she ran off to practice dancing repeatedly in the practice room. But she didn't want to tell Lin Muci about these little troubles. Yang Weiyang just scratched her head, then flopped down on the spot.
"Why is singing and dancing so hard!
Can't a film crew take me in so I can act? Even if it's just playing a corpse! It's better than practicing so hard."
She flipped over and grabbed Lin Muci's wrist.
"Xiao Ci, does your crew need anyone to play a corpse?
Or a stunt double? How about I be your stunt double?
Other stunt doubles might be easier to find.
Is your stunt double the one that Qian He's character abuses?"
Lin Muci rubbed her nose.
"We probably don't need stunt doubles."
Her stunt double wouldn't be easy to find. She couldn't push Yang Weiyang into a fire pit.
The girl opposite sighed deeply, her large eyes filled with sadness and melancholy.
"If it really doesn't work out, I'll just choose a solo stage. If I get eliminated, I get eliminated. If no one wants me, no one wants me. There are plenty of places for a talented person like me to find a spot. I'm already lucky to have made it to this round, all thanks to you, Xiao Ci, for carrying me forward."
She knew her own limitations.
Among the girls, her singing and dancing were truly not outstanding. She could only barely make up for it with diligence.
Lin Muci looked at the dejected Yang Weiyang.
"Besides you, are there any other girls who were left behind?"
Because the final round of public performances was freeform, the girls could form teams freely.
Under these rules, with the program not assigning participants, there were bound to be girls who were ostracized and left behind.
"Of course there are. I'm the most pathetic, no team wants me.
There's also a girl named Aurora, I don't know if you remember her, the one who sings really well, with an unbeatable low voice, a powerhouse singer. But she was also kicked out by Lu Keke.
She was completely stunned. Lu Keke had promised her the lead vocalist position and kept delaying her, preventing her from teaming up with others. Only when everyone else had formed their teams did she directly kick her out, simply wanting to see her eliminated.
Because she was the main vocalist, she would threaten Lu Keke's position in the final group.
Speaking of which, Yang Weiyang was very angry.
'Lu Keke is too inhumane. Having connections and a background doesn't give her the right to act like this. She's just suppressing Aurora because she's capable.'
"Aurora, is it."
Lin Muci silently noted the name in her mind.
"Anyone else?"
Yang Weiyang sighed.
"There's also Han Jiuzhen.
The show barely gave her any screen time from beginning to end.
She's actually a very nice person and very skilled. I think her singing and dancing are second only to yours on the show, her overall strength is very high.
She was a trainee overseas for ten years. Before going overseas, she participated in a show and gained high popularity. But because she's a Chinese girl, she was directly sabotaged, and her debut spot was taken.
Han Jiuzhen originally saw the show 'Idol of Tomorrow' as her last hope, so she returned to China with a desperate resolve. But the show didn't give her screen time. I think she's quite pitiful too."
Yang Weiyang spoke in a very low voice, barely a whisper. Without a microphone, she ensured her voice wouldn't be recorded before daring to tell Lin Muci these things.
"Otherwise, if the show filmed it,
her screen time would also be cut."
Lin Muci said.
"Then the three of you should form a team."
Yang Weiyang had considered it, of course, but they had their own difficulties.
The remaining girls were either like Yang Weiyang, who were poor at both singing and dancing and relied on their looks for popularity.
Or like Han Jiuzhen, whose screen time was measured in seconds.
Or Aurora, who was ostracized. She was too low-key and not very popular. Even if they formed a team, they would stand no chance against Lu Keke's team.
Lu Keke herself was one of the top three most popular contestants.
The girls she chose were those who could cooperate well with her. That team was already a complete configuration, with a lead vocalist, lead dancer, and everything else. How could they compete with Lu Keke?
She wore a sad expression, still not holding much hope, when she heard Lin Muci say.
"Let's just form an Avengers Alliance to fight against Lu Keke."
Yang Weiyang's lips trembled slightly, her words caught in her throat.
"But everyone knows.
Lu Keke's family connections are very, very strong."
Even without her saying it, Lin Muci guessed what she was about to say. She hummed softly, her tone surprisingly pleasant.
"My connections are even stronger than hers.
And don't we have skills? What are we afraid of?"
Yang Weiyang was initially confused. Lin Muci alone could be a team, but why was she saying "we"? She suddenly realized.
"You want to join us?"
"Weren't you going to perform a solo stage?"
Lin Muci smiled.
"That's what you thought. I haven't signed my name on the solo stage application yet. Since I'm here, let's form a team one last time for the final performance.
It'll be perfect, with a good beginning and a good end."
Everyone knew how capable she was and that she would soar in the future. She was far more skilled than the other girls.
But the current Lin Muci possessed an extremely strong personal charm and was a natural leader. She stood in front of the practice room mirror, taking Yang Weiyang's hand.
"I asked you once, and you said you didn't want to lose."
"So, we will definitely not lose."
The system mumbled in Lin Muci's mind.
"Does your host definitely want Yang Weiyang's points? She wouldn't have debuted otherwise."
"But if you do this, your relationship with Lu Keke will change from neutral to adversarial. Her family really does have some influence in the industry."
Hearing the system's mumbling, Lin Muci raised her eyebrows and retorted without hesitation.
"She has connections, do I not?"
Hearing her words, the system trembled.
"Didn't you say you wouldn't use Qian He's connections?"
Lin Muci snorted coldly.
"Who said I wouldn't use his connections? Without his connections, I can still rise.
Did you forget who wrote those globally popular songs, and who earned countless copyright fees for five years without being in this world? Do I need to announce when I'm going to slap someone in the face?"
"If Lu Keke becomes an enemy, then let her be. I never thought highly of her character anyway."
The system immediately became obedient and began to flatter her.
"Yes, yes, yes, my host is the most amazing!"
"As long as you don't encounter Qian He, you can accomplish anything!"