Chapter 16: You Are Lian Meng Herself
The girl before them had sleek, lustrous black hair falling gracefully down her back. Her makeup was light, her fair and flawless skin seemed as delicate as porcelain, and her round, oval face radiated a youthful charm. Her eyebrows, gently arched and softened at both the peak and the base, appeared clean and natural. A touch of blush on her cheeks brought out a shy, tender expression. Her large eyes, unburdened by excessive makeup, sparkled with spirit, and beneath them, the fullness of her lower lids made her gaze even more captivating. The glossy lip tint lent her lips a pristine, glass-like perfection.
But it was her healing smile that truly set her apart, reminiscent of a gentle spring breeze, making those who looked upon her increasingly comfortable—a beauty that deepens with every glance. Unlike some whose allure fades upon closer inspection, Lian Youyou’s charm grew stronger the longer one observed her.
“So this is the little fairy our leader spoke of—she’s breathtaking, almost as if Lian Meng had come back to life,” one of the judges murmured, transfixed.
Lu Ming stood before a computer screen, watching Lian Youyou through the camera, a faint smile gathering in his eyes. He remembered the first time he met her, at age five, and how her healing smile had warmed him then.
“Lian Youyou, I hear you’re the daughter of Director Fan Chi and Lian Meng. You certainly resemble Lian Meng,” a bespectacled judge remarked, maintaining a calm demeanor. “Are you here for the spokesperson selection because you want to debut? If you wish to enter the industry, wouldn’t it be easier to act directly in your father's productions?”
His questions were direct and incisive.
“I do want to debut, but I don't wish to rely on Fan Chi,” Lian Meng replied candidly, without a hint of avoidance. “I want to debut because I’m currently too poor, and my grandparents are getting old. I just want to support my family.”
For a few seconds, the judges were stunned. The questions had been sharp, but her answers carried even sharper undertones.
The female judge, curious and gossipy, pressed further, “So, Miss Lian, are you saying… Director Fan has never fulfilled his parental responsibilities? But according to him…”
“Judges, I’m here for the selection today, not an interview,” Lian Youyou cut her off, not wanting to say more. “May I begin my performance?”
She knew no one would truly sympathize with her or her mother; everyone was simply here for the spectacle. Still, she didn’t mind sullying the reputation of those two scoundrels when the opportunity arose.
“Very well… please begin.”
Lian Youyou sang an ancient-style song, “Returning Dream,” which was the theme song for the female character Hua Meng in the game Chronicles of the Rivers and Lakes. Though the song belonged to a female character, its original singer was a man. The lyrics, from a god’s perspective, expressed pity and sympathy for Hua Meng’s fate.
Lian Youyou’s voice was not soft and watery, nor particularly coquettish, but it possessed a unique quality. Her natural, gentle timbre was rounded yet transparent, making her sound distinctive and pleasant—capable of conveying both maturity and youthful innocence.
Her rendition of “Returning Dream” felt entirely different. The original singer conveyed reluctance; Lian Youyou sang with an unyielding spirit.
When she finished, the judges sat in near-silence for half a minute.
Had she performed poorly?
Just as Lian Youyou was about to speak, the bespectacled judge stood up first, slowly beginning to applaud.
The other judges followed suit, rising and clapping to show their approval.
“Miss Lian, have you ever learned who the inspiration for Hua Meng in Chronicles of the Rivers and Lakes was?” one asked.
“No,” she replied. She knew nothing of online games; her previous life had only involved playing simple arcade consoles.
“The prototype and inspiration for Hua Meng is your mother, Lian Meng.”
The prototype was herself?
No wonder, while learning the song, she kept feeling the lyrics described her own life story…
…
As Lian Youyou’s audition concluded, Lu Ming, who had been sitting in the lobby downstairs, stood up and began pacing anxiously. Seeing Lian Youyou emerge from the elevator, he hurried over to ask, “How did it go? Was it smooth?”