Chapter 160: Han Shuangyu

Returning to the locker room's check-in counter, Yu Qian retrieved her bag and prepared to head home.

Just then, contestant number 198 walked over. "Let's get acquainted. I'm Han Shuangyu."

Looking at the outstretched right hand, Yu Qian hesitated for a moment before shaking it. "I'm Yu Qian."

"I know," Han Shuangyu said, withdrawing her hand. "The little princess of Pink."

Her tone carried a distinct trace of sarcasm.

Yu Qian also pulled back her hand and shoved it into her pocket. "And so?"

"The video model for Pink's new collection last quarter was supposed to be me. You stole my job." As she spoke, the resentment in her eyes practically turned into physical needles aimed at piercing Yu Qian.

In the modeling industry, Han Shuangyu's rather bland and ordinary looks meant she wasn't doing particularly well. That new promotional video for Pink was the best resource currently within her reach, only to have Yu Qian snatch it away. One could easily imagine how much she loathed Yu Qian.

However, while others might not know the truth, as the daughter of Pink's owner, how could Yu Qian possibly be unaware of whether the casting for that video had been finalized?

At the time, the company had merely put several models under consideration. After Yu Qian's high school entrance examination scores came out, the company's senior management made an executive decision on the spot, choosing the three of them as a celebratory gift.

In other words, from beginning to end, Pink had never promised Han Shuangyu that she would shoot the video. She was merely a candidate—and one among several at that.

With a cold snort, Yu Qian ignored her, turned around, and walked away.

Sting by that cold snort, Han Shuangyu felt as though she was being mocked, which only fueled her anger further. "Yu Qian, just you wait! I'm going to eliminate you. I'll make you see that no matter how powerful your connections are, they can't beat pure talent and strength!"

Yu Qian turned her head back, raised her right thumb, and slowly pointed it downward. "Strength? You actually have that thing?"

Without waiting for her to continue shouting, Yu Qian opened the door and left.

The other girls in the locker room kept as far away from Han Shuangyu as possible. Knowing how brutal the competition would be, none of them expected a catfight to break out on the very first day of the preliminary rounds.

Comparing Han Shuangyu, whose reason had been entirely consumed by rage, to the unbothered and suave Yu Qian who had just walked away, several girls thought Yu Qian looked overwhelmingly cool.

Never did they expect that merely coming to participate in a competition would result in them becoming fans of another contestant.

The quick-witted ones had already gone online to search for Yu Qian.

Finally, barely managing to suppress her fury, Han Shuangyu retrieved her bag and slammed the door behind her as she left, the loud bang startling several people into shrinking back.

"What a psycho, taking it out on the door like that. She scared the life out of me."

...

Finding Fu Wanwan waiting outside, the two returned to the company, planning to grab a bite to eat before continuing with their fitness and training routines.

Back in the training room with no outsiders present, Fu Wanwan finally started questioning her: "Who were the preliminary judges? How did you perform? Did you pass? Did any unexpected incidents happen? What was the overall skill level of the contestants?"

The rapid-fire barrage of questions almost made Yu Qian's head spin. "There were three judges, two women and a man, none of whom I recognize. I only caught that the female judge in the middle is named Zhou Rui. My performance should be fine; I passed. The contestants' skill levels vary quite a bit—some are good, while others are lacking."

She paused, hesitating over whether she should mention the incident with Han Shuangyu.

"Spit it out if you have something to say, stop dawdling."

"There's someone in my group named Han Shuangyu who passed too. After we went back to the locker room, she came looking for trouble and spouted a bunch of nonsense." After a moment of hesitation, Yu Qian decided to speak up.

"What did she say?"

"Didn't I shoot that new video for Pink before? She claims it was supposed to be hers and that I stole her resources. She doesn't seem very broad-minded; I have a feeling she's going to cause trouble for me in the subsequent rounds."

Fu Wanwan pondered for a moment. *Oh, that video.* "Pay her no mind, she's nothing more than a flea. Just focus on your competition."

"Got it."

When the three of them filmed that video, Fu Wanwan had been the one directing it, so she was well aware of the situation and didn't take someone like Han Shuangyu seriously at all.

How could someone genuinely formidable care this much about shooting a campaign for a domestic brand? Truly capable people would have long since set their sights on securing international brands.

At the end of the day, it just meant that person wasn't exceptional enough to make a brand feel she was indispensable. She had no one else to blame.