"Dream-Chaser Media?" Tang Xin thought to herself.
While she didn't know much about the industry, her time with the Gloomy Girls Band had made her familiar with a few of the more famous media companies.
There was Chenguang Media, which had signed the Gloomy Girls, as well as companies like Linglan, Rongsen, and Yaoxing.
Miss Marilynn, the megastar whose fame spread throughout the entire universe, was an artist under Yaoxing Media.
At the top of the heart-shaped building that stood as the tallest structure in the Queen's District, a hundred-meter-long poster draped down, fluttering in the breeze. The woman in the poster wore an off-the-shoulder red evening gown, her eyes slightly raised as she looked back with a smile that could captivate anyone.
During the peak of her popularity, her promotional posters could be seen in almost every street and alley under the universe's domain. On the day of her new album's release, she set a record of two million sales in a single day. Her influence was once great enough to sway political affairs, with major families competing to win her over and inviting her to attend their family galas.
She was an idol Tang Xin had always admired.
Whenever Tang Xin felt lost, on those countless nights when she wanted to give up, she would sit at her desk and play the woman's first album on loop, using the woman's story to motivate herself.
A girl born at the bottom of the Queen's District, with no outstanding looks or temperament, had worked as an apprentice in a bakery during the cold winter while practicing her singing on lonely nights. Through effort and sweat, she had become a universal megastar step by step.
This story had likewise inspired many girls who had embarked on the same path as her.
The Queen's District was named for her; it shone because of her.
Tang Xin studied herself in the glass, pinched her own face, and then swayed her body, but she saw nothing extraordinary.
She was just a most ordinary girl, living a mundane life like most others. After leaving the foster home, she had relied on her own efforts to get into the Starry Art Academy. Then, while looking for work to earn her tuition, she had repeatedly hit walls and ended up with nothing but frustration.
Why would a media company notice her?
Could there be some sparkling quality in her that she hadn't even discovered herself?
She had never even heard the name of this media company. It wasn't some specialized scam, was it?
She had heard of people who used the names of media companies specifically to deceive teenage girls in the prime of their youth, luring them into depravity step by step before draining them of all value and taking their organs.
She wouldn't encounter something like that, would she?
[If interested, please contact manager Yuzu at 10000000.]
Looking at this line of text on the screen, Tang Xin's eyes wavered slightly.
Thinking of Marilynn's story, Tang Xin's heart slowly settled.
No matter what, she had to seize this opportunity.
Tang Xin, oh Tang Xin, you must be careful; don't let yourself be fooled!
Tang Xin patted her own face to cheer herself up.
Finally, she dialed that number.
Inside a revolving restaurant.
"Hello, Miss Tang Xin. I am manager Yuzu."
As the two sat down, Xu Xiaoyou extended her hand.
The decoration of this restaurant was luxurious and elegant. Resplendent gemstone lamps hung down, refracting precious light. The carpets were woven from wool and silk with intricate and exquisite patterns. The walls were covered with expensive paintings, several of which she had even seen in textbooks...
Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, one could overlook the entire Queen's District. The city outside rotated in an atmosphere of decadence and luxury. Between the skyscrapers, brilliance shimmered in advertisements for all sorts of cosmetics, luxury bags, and expensive perfumes.
On the heart-shaped building, the woman's poster slowly passed by. That universal megastar seemed to be standing right in front of her, confident and beautiful.
This was her first time in such a high-end restaurant. She was quite self-aware; having never stepped foot into such a place her entire life, she felt uneasy in the air scented with perfume, whether due to nervousness or something else.
"Hello, I'm Tang Xin......"
Handshaking the girl stiffly, Tang Xin secretly observed the young woman before her.
The other party had such a good temperament. Her long golden hair was tied neatly, half of her hair swept back while the other half rested against her forehead. A faint smile exuded warmth, like the winter sun, making people feel a sense of closeness.
"Are you Miss Xu?" a waiter stepped forward to ask.
Xu Xiaoyou maintained her smile and pushed forward an invitation. The invitation was entirely black and gold, with English text clearly written on the leather texture—Amazon.
The waiter nodded after a simple confirmation.
"Welcome to Amazon. The dining service will begin shortly."
These kinds of restaurants always required advance reservations.
The anxiety in Tang Xin's heart subsided a lot.
Temperament couldn't be faked. The other party looked like she had received a high-level education and grew up in a well-off environment.
It fit her stereotype of what a manager from a media company should be like.
Furthermore, for some reason, she felt that this manager named Yuzu was very easy to get along with.
"Um..." Tang Xin began.
Xu Xiaoyou didn't speak. Her expression turned solemn as she gently reached out a hand, signaling that she needed silence. She then tapped on the screen in front of her, appearing as if she were handling some business.
Tang Xin paused awkwardly, lowering her head, her face feeling a bit hot as her hands fidgeted on her knees.
Was she being impolite just now?
Would it cause the other party to feel dislike?
Tang Xin began to overthink.
Xu Xiaoyou took in the girl's every expression.
It seemed Social Master had already taken effect, she thought.
In reality, the screen in her field of vision showed nothing more than some trivial information regarding the Star of Art. She was learning about this hive city, the major events that had occurred in recent years, and some common knowledge.
After leaving the girl waiting for about two or three minutes, Xu Xiaoyou nodded and dismissed the screen in front of her.
"Sorry, Miss Tang. I had some matters to handle just now that were quite important."
"It's fine, it's fine!" Tang Xin waved her hands.
Realizing her reaction was a bit loud and seeing eyes turning toward her, Tang Xin's voice slowly became as small as a mosquito's buzz as her shoulders hunched inward.
"It's okay... don't worry about me."
"Hmm?"
The dishes were quickly served. It was a piece of foie gras, with the sugar coating on the surface baked to a melt and slightly crispy.
"No need to be nervous, Miss Tang. There aren't actually that many rules. This is just a simple little interview, so just relax," Xu Xiaoyou said.
"Actually, I've been observing you for several days now."
"Sev... several days?"
Tang Xin looked uneasy, recalling her experiences over the past few days and wondering if she had done anything that would leave a bad impression.
She thought of the incident with Ai not long ago.
She had used a water spell on someone. In the Star of Art, using such abilities on other citizens was illegal. The Expansion Spell she had performed was actually an ability often used by beauticians to perform minor adjustments by filling parts of the face, which had a certain duration of effect.
High-ranking beauticians were basically all hired by nobles to provide customized private services.
While this kind of ability wasn't enough to get her sent to the tuner's office for restructuring, if she were caught in the act, she would have to submit a written self-reflection of four or five thousand words to the academy via the network.
Xu Xiaoyou knew what the other party was thinking.
In the Star of Art, the Starry Art Academy was an existence similar to a government. The principal was the nominal supreme leader. Universal Heavy Industries had low interference power in the Star of Art, unlike its absolute dominant position in the Corrupt Hive City.
The family factions within Universal Heavy Industries only held two seats on the board of directors, giving them some say when amending or enacting legal acts.
While investigating the background of one of those families, certain details had made Xu Xiaoyou sense something fishy.
That family's crest symbolized the Flower of Winter, signifying resilience, nobility, and unyielding spirit.
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