Chapter 37 Part 2: The First Selection

“Sister Yan, it’s time to get up.”

Assistant Xu Qin’s soft call came from outside the door.

Song Jin cocked her ear slightly and noticed that Duan Yan was still deep in sleep.

Perhaps because she was tired from playing last night, Duan Yan wasn’t woken by the noise outside and continued to sleep.

Song Jin glanced at the time: 6:30 AM. It was still a long way from the one o’clock fashion show in the afternoon.

Song Jin got up carefully, gently placed a soft pillow over Duan Yan’s ears to shield her from the outside noise, then opened the door with light hands and feet, trying not to make too much noise.

When Xu Qin saw Song Jin coming out of Duan Yan’s room, she was so surprised her eyeballs were about to pop out. She lowered her voice, a slight tremble in her words.

“You… how could you… come from…”

Song Jin made a “shush” gesture to Xu Qin who was waiting outside, gently closed the door, and led her to the side, afraid of waking Duan Yan from her sweet dream.

“I’ll be sleeping with Sister Duan for the time being. She was a bit tired last night, so don’t disturb her. I’ll go back and wake her up later.”

“???”

The amount of information was so overwhelming that Xu Qin was too shocked to speak. She stared at Song Jin with wide eyes, as if she were witnessing something incredible.

“No need to be so surprised. Is there anything wrong with me sleeping with Sister Duan?” Song Jin explained with a smile.

Xu Qin had a sudden realization, the doubts in her heart instantly dispelled.

No wonder Song Jin was so considerate towards Sister Yan. She had been secretly wondering about the reason behind it. Now it seemed that feelings had long since been kindling between the two of them, growing quietly.

Sister Yan was so good at keeping secrets that she, an observer, had become an oblivious “third wheel.”

Seeing that Xu Qin understood the situation, Song Jin nodded in satisfaction. “Our relationship isn’t very stable yet, and Sister Duan is shy, so it’s not appropriate to mention it in front of others.”

Song Jin then added Xu Qin’s contact information. This way, it would be more convenient to understand the situation and maintain communication in the future.

After seeing Xu Qin off, Song Jin returned to her room and began to get ready.

The afternoon was the first round of selections for the fashion show. Many brand representatives would be present, and she planned to win an endorsement opportunity with a French fashion brand for Duan Yan.

The opportunity for this fashion show was provided by her sister, Song Yu, but Song Jin wanted to win this precious opportunity for Duan Yan with her own strength.

She had already made full preparations, studying the list of brand representatives who would be present today, and had locked onto a few targets in her mind.

Nine o’clock.

Song Jin, carrying a fragrant breakfast, knocked lightly on Duan Yan’s door. “Sister Duan, it’s time to get up.”

Duan Yan’s voice, tinged with sleepiness, came from inside the room. “How come it’s you? Where’s Xiao Qin?”

Song Jin had the fingerprint lock for Duan Yan’s door, so she pushed the door open directly and handed the breakfast to her.

Duan Yan leaned against her pillow and glanced at the time on her phone, exclaiming, “Is it nine o’clock already?”

Duan Yan was always used to planning ahead. Facing the few remaining hours, she couldn’t help but feel that time was a bit tight.

“Don’t worry, I was the one who told Xiao Qin not to disturb you. There’s still time. The makeup appointment is at eleven, and it’s only a ten-minute trip from here. We won’t be late.”

A trace of embarrassment flashed across Duan Yan’s face, wondering how Xu Qin would misunderstand her relationship with Song Jin.

Song Jin noticed Duan Yan’s expression. “Don’t worry, Xiao Qin won’t misunderstand, right? Hurry up and get changed and wash up.”

Duan Yan quickly got out of bed, changed her clothes, and washed up with swift and practiced movements, coming out after fifteen minutes.

Song Jin had already eaten breakfast. While Duan Yan was getting ready, she had set the breakfast on the table, just waiting for her to come and eat.

“In the future, just let Xiao Qin do this kind of thing. I do pay her a salary, after all.”

Duan Yan was very touched by Song Jin’s thoughtfulness. She walked to the chair and sat down, looking down at the food on the table in surprise.

The aroma of crab roe buns filled the air. It was one of her favorite foods.

Duan Yan took a light bite. The crab roe burst in her mouth, and the delicious flavor made her close her eyes in enjoyment.

“I’ve really troubled you.”

Song Jin smiled. She knew Duan Yan would like it.

Song Jin and Duan Yan meticulously prepared themselves in front of the mirror. After lunch, it was already twelve o’clock, so they hurried to the location designated by the organizer.

The location was in front of a historic and magnificent hotel in Country F. The entrance was bustling with traffic, and a large crowd of lavishly dressed guests and participants had already gathered.

A dozen or so organizers on site, holding megaphones, commanded the crowd with firm and powerful voices to line up in an orderly fashion, receive their number tags, and then guided them through the hotel’s revolving doors to the backstage area to prepare for the upcoming fashion extravaganza.

Inside the hotel, a giant crystal chandelier, like a brilliant starry sky, emitted a dazzling light. The light and shadows danced on the magnificent golden walls, like a flowing scroll of gold.

The number tags Duan Yan and Song Jin received were next to each other, 30 and 31. Out of a hundred participants in total, their position wasn’t prominent, but it wasn’t at the bottom either.

The two of them walked along the long corridor leading to the T-stage, taking a quick glance to survey the stage where they would soon showcase their style.

The T-stage was designed as a narrow walkway, like a path to a dream, about 30 meters long and 1 meter wide. The floor was laid with a smooth, mirror-like, high-gloss black wood. The starting point was a semicircular space, with a huge white curtain hanging behind it like a waterfall. On both sides of the walkway were the audience seats, arranged in precise geometric patterns to ensure every spectator had an unobstructed view.

After getting a general idea, Song Jin and Duan Yan began to focus on observing the performances of the models on the T-stage.

A strong spotlight suddenly lit up, illuminating the start of the T-stage like daylight, drawing everyone’s attention.

The first model stepped onto the T-stage. Because she was the first to appear, her steps were slightly nervous, but her eyes shone with a determined light as she tried to maintain an elegant posture. The crisp rhythm of her high heels striking the wooden floor echoed. After walking a short distance, she seemed to merge with the stage, her movements becoming fluid and confident.

The audience and judges below nodded slightly, their eyes showing appreciation, their pens lightly marking the list, leaving a sign of approval.

As time passed, the models appeared one by one. Some were so nervous their movements were slightly stiff, like a beginner treading carefully on snow; others seemed born for the stage, every movement exuding an incomparable charm, like a dancer gracefully twirling in the air.

Duan Yan went one step ahead of Song Jin, taking the T-stage first. After Fare’s hellish training, she had already turned the stage into her own kingdom.

Her walk was natural and fluid. Duan Yan wore a red couture dress from a characteristic French brand, the hem swaying gently with her steps like a flame dancing in the night sky.

Her steps were light yet powerful, every turn precise and flawless, her gaze firm, penetrating the souls of the audience like a laser.

Duan Yan’s performance fully showcased the unique qualities of an Eastern model. Her aura was both reserved and elegant, both aloof and maintaining an appropriate distance, like a plum blossom blooming proudly in the cold wind.

The judges, who had been getting a little weary, couldn’t help but show surprise upon seeing this, their eyes flashing with new discovery and excitement.

Song Jin’s gaze never left the judges’ expressions, closely observing their reactions to Duan Yan’s performance.

When she saw the astonishment and approval on the judges’ faces, Song Jin took a deep breath. The tension in her heart gradually dissipated like a thin mist, replaced by anticipation and excitement for her own turn.

As for her own performance, Song Jin actually didn’t have too much attachment to the outcome. This relaxed mindset made her appear particularly at ease on the T-stage, her lively and spirited temperament showcased to the fullest under the spotlight.

After all the models had finished their walks, the host announced the list of those who would be staying.

Song Jin and Duan Yan’s names were prominently on the list, while the models who didn’t get the opportunity to continue were not wasting any time exchanging contact information with the brand representatives present.

Song Jin seized this opportunity and walked straight towards the representative of the brand she had her eye on.

WZ, as a well-known local brand in Country F, had an influence that had long since crossed borders, establishing deep cooperative relationships with the international entertainment industry.

If Duan Yan could successfully secure this endorsement, she would get a foot in the door of the international entertainment world, and her influence would no longer be limited to her home country.

The brand’s representative was a French-Asian art director. Faced with Song Jin’s approach, she revealed a friendly smile.

Song Jin communicated with her in fluent French, trying to impress the art director.

Fortunately, the director had also been quite impressed with Duan Yan’s performance earlier.

In the crowd, Duan Yan’s eyes searched anxiously, looking for Song Jin’s figure.

When she finally located Song Jin, she was smiling brilliantly and chatting enthusiastically with a fashionably dressed woman.

An inexplicable pang of pain involuntarily welled up in Duan Yan’s heart. The feeling was like standing alone in a vast, empty field, surrounded by endless loneliness.

However, Duan Yan knew clearly that she had no right to interfere in Song Jin’s social life.

After all, they were just friends.

Duan Yan didn’t want to keep looking at such a piercing scene and was about to turn and leave.

Just then.

Song Jin, who was in the middle of a conversation, seemed to feel Duan Yan’s gaze. She turned her head, her eyes cutting through the crowd, looking straight at Duan Yan.

Her eyes sparkled with excitement, like two brilliant stars shining in the night sky.

She whispered a few words to the person beside her, then cut the conversation short and walked unhesitatingly in Duan Yan’s direction.

At that moment, Duan Yan felt her heart suddenly accelerate. The surrounding noise and clamor seemed to disappear in an instant, and the entire world fell silent.

In her vision, only Song Jin’s determined steps and her warm gaze, full of deep affection, remained.

In an instant, the loneliness vanished without a trace.

Her body felt a warm current flowing through her limbs and bones, making her feel an unprecedented warmth and peace.