Sunlight streamed through the curtains into the room. The phone on the nightstand rang. From under the covers, a slender, fair arm reached out, fumbling around for a moment before grabbing the phone.
"Hello?" A muffled voice came through the blanket, carrying a drowsy tone.
"You're still sleeping?" The person on the other end of the line sounded incredulous, their voice almost explosive.
"...Zhang Xiaochu?" Bai Tang reached out, pulling the blanket off her head, and rolled over again, speaking languidly: "Why are you calling me so early?"
"Early? Girl, it's already nine-thirty!" Zhang Xiaochu couldn't help but complain. "I'm going for an interview selection today. Get over here and cheer me on!"
"I heard a lot of strong competitors showed up today. If you come to support me, I'll feel secure." Zhang Xiaochu laughed. "Hurry up, get your ass over here!"
On the other end, Bai Tang was silent for a long time. Zhang Xiaochu couldn't help but frown. "Did you fall asleep? Bai Tang? Bai Tang?"
"Bai Tang, wake the hell up!" Zhang Xiaochu couldn't help but yell.
Damn, this girl, was she possessed by the sleep god?
She'd woken up and could still fall back asleep in seconds?
"Bai Tang!!!" Zhang Xiaochu yelled again, and a group of people standing nearby all turned to look at him.
Zhang Xiaochu frowned. How embarrassing.
Phone in hand, he stepped aside, about to yell again, when the girl's calm voice came through faintly: "What's all the noise? I'll be right there."
With that, she hung up.
Zhang Xiaochu froze. Hung up that fast? Did she even know the address?
Just as he was about to call back, a staff member called him over, so he had to send a message instead.
"Boss, everyone's here. Only Bai Tang hasn't shown up yet!" Chu Yi spoke up.
"Was the car sent over?" Sheng Qi asked.
Chu Yi nodded. "Sent early this morning. Since it was too early, I didn't disturb her."
Sheng Qi frowned, stood up, and walked aside, pulling out his phone to dial. But no one answered on the other end for a long time.
He hung up and dialed again, still no answer.
Chu Yi stepped forward and asked, "Boss, could it be that this girl got scared and doesn't dare to come?"
Sheng Qi's brow furrowed deeply, his expression cold. "She wouldn't!"
Chu Yi opened his mouth, wanting to say something more, but seeing Sheng Qi's icy demeanor, he finally shut up, not daring to say anything else.
"Boss, should the competition continue?" Chu Yi asked.
Sheng Qi frowned and nodded. "Continue!"
Chu Yi left, and Sheng Qi dialed Bai Tang again, but still no one picked up.
Bai Tang came out of the bathroom, put her phone in her bag, and headed downstairs.
She grabbed milk and bread from the fridge and dashed out the door.
At the entrance was the "second-hand car" she'd taken a liking to yesterday.
Its silver body and sleek lines gleamed under the sunlight, as if coated in a dazzling layer of light—absolutely stunning.
Bai Tang's lips curled into a smile. She opened the door and sat down, pulling out her phone from her bag. As soon as she unlocked it, she saw several missed calls.
She called back with a grin.
"Where are you?"
Sheng Qi's voice came through coldly, carrying a hint of barely perceptible tension.
"At home. I just saw the second-hand car my beauty sent me. It's been washed really clean!" Bai Tang said with a roguish laugh, starting to flirt first thing in the morning. "I love it, just as much as I love my beauty!"
Sheng Qi took a deep breath and warned in a cold tone, "There are still fifteen minutes until the first elimination round starts. Do you want to be eliminated just like that?"