Audition Begins

The taxi came to a halt before a glass building.

Yun Qingqing stepped out and gazed up at the towering structure. The big, glowing sign at the top of the building read "Glam Cosmetics".

The moment she entered the building, a rich, intoxicating fragrance filled her nostrils.

Approaching the reception desk, Yun Qingqing offered a polite smile to the impeccably dressed woman seated behind it.

"Hello, I'm Yun Qingqing. I'm here for the ambassador audition."

The receptionist returned a professional and welcoming smile.

"Ms. Yun Qingqing. Welcome to Glam Cosmetics." 

Her fingers danced quickly across the keyboard.

"Yes, I see you're expected for the auditions. Please take the elevators just behind me to the fifth floor, room three on the right as you exit. You'll find the sign for the waiting area."

"Fifth floor, room three, to the right. Got it." Yun Qingqing confirmed, nodding once.

"Thank you very much."

"You're welcome, Ms. Yun. And best of luck."

Stepping into the elevator, Yun Qingqing felt her palms were sweaty. 

She closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and silently repeated, 

You can do this. You can do this. This is an opportunity, one you can't afford to squander.

The elevator doors opened onto the fifth floor. Yun Qingqing stepped out and scanned for room number three, walking to the right. Just outside the designated room, a sign read, "Waiting Room".

Yun Qingqing entered the waiting room and offered a polite greeting to everyone present. Her eyes scanned the people in the room, and she recognized a familiar face among them.

Zhang Xinyue, an influencer from Horizon Media, just like herself. 

Although the rest of the people were strangers, Yun Qingqing thought they should be prominent figures in their respective industries.

But this did not make her feel intimidated instead boosted her competitiveness. 

Taking a seat, she observed her surroundings. The room was minimalist in design: white walls, bright lighting, and a vast horizontal mirror dominating most of the left wall. Sofas were arranged facing each other.

I guess they want us to interact...but why? Maybe they're trying to gauge our personalities, see how we work together...or against each other. But then what is the purpose of the huge mirror?

While Yun Qingqing was discreetly assessing the room's layout, all eyes in the room were on her.

Yun Qingqing was already beautiful, but her striking amber eyes elevated her beauty to another level.

This made her competitors feel a sense of crisis.

The only person who appeared unfazed was Zhang Xinyue.

She was dressed in a beige woolen dress, complemented by stockings and ankle boots. With her round face and soft features, she projected a gentle, older-sisterly vibe.

Paired with her nude makeup and a classic bun, she looked casual yet sophisticated, perfect for such an occasion.

When Yun Qingqing's gaze met hers, Zhang Xinyue responded with a gentle nod and a polite smile, living up to her gentle and humble personality.

The hushed atmosphere of the room was suddenly broken by the clicking of heels against the floor, followed by a wave of heavy, cloying perfume that permeated the air. 

Xu Meixuan, Horizon Media's reigning beauty influencer, had arrived.

She made an entrance in a red mini-dress with a black coat and thigh-high black boots. 

She had wavy chestnut-colored hair complementing her sharp features but her makeup was overdone.

Xu Meixuan was known for her blunt and often negative product reviews. 

In Yun Qingqing's opinion, however, Xu Meixuan's followers were blindly devoted, mistaking her negativity for genuine honesty. Yun Qingqing herself had found several products that Xu Meixuan had dismissed as bad to be good.

After Xu Meixuan settled down, a person beside her nudged her and subtly gestured toward Yun Qingqing, whispering something in her ear.

Xu Meixuan smirked, her eyes flickering with contempt.

"Her? She's nothing compared to me. I don't understand when high-end brands like this lowered their thresholds so drastically that anyone can just walk in now."

In the silent room, everyone heard these words loud and clear.

Everyone's attention turned to Yun Qingqing, wondering how she would react to Xu Meixuan's blatant provocation. Would she ignore it, knowing Xu Meixuan's fanbase was notoriously aggressive, just like their idol?

Yun Qingqing was also worried, not about Xu Meixuan's fans, but rather that this was not the right place to start a dispute. So she decided to ignore it. After all, no names were taken, so why should she jump out?

But, she wanted to ignore it did not mean the other party was going to let go.

Xu Meixuan became more aggressive, her gaze sharpened, locking directly onto Yun Qingqing. 

"Could someone as insignificant as you even dream of becoming the ambassador for a brand like this?" she sneered.

If Yun Qingqing still wished to ignore the blatant insult, she couldn't as Xu Meixuan's contemptuous stare was unwavering. 

Okay, now if I don't reply, I will be considered a pushover.

Therefore, she responded calmly, her tone respectful yet firm.

"Thank you for your perspective. Everyone starts somewhere, and being insignificant in the beginning doesn't mean one would stay insignificant forever."

She paused, her gaze locking onto Xu Meixuan.

"I believe hard work and passion will lead to remarkable achievements, regardless of current standing. It's persistence that truly matters."

Her response earned her appreciative glances from other people present.

After all, who hasn't started from the lowest point? They reached here because of their hard work and persistence.

But many people forget this point after achieving some success, they think they are better than others and often forget they were also the same at the beginning.

Xu Meixuan rolled her eyes. "Persistence? I think you're only persistent about embarrassing yourself by coming to audition for Glam Cosmetics."

Yun Qingqing nodded. "Time will tell who, if anyone, should be embarrassed."

Seeing that the tension was escalating rapidly, other participants interjected, attempting to diffuse the situation.

"Let's not argue, the audition should be starting soon."

"Yes, we should try not to make a bad impression on the company."

Zhang Xinyue also stepped in at this time and reminded them gently. 

"We're all here representing Horizon Media, let's not give anyone a reason to think less of us."

But unbeknownst to them, the audition had already begun.

The big horizontal mirror on the wall was a two-way mirror with the three people standing behind it. 

Evaluating their every move since they had entered the room.