Chapter Six: Beginning to Play the Victim—Unveiling the Potential of a Green Tea Antagonist

When she saw the reward, Bai Ling couldn't help but laugh. "Well, isn't this wonderful!" She had thought that the blind box reward from last time was just a fluke. Who would have expected that the second blind box would also hold something valuable? An increase of thirty to her vocal timbre—there was nothing more to say about that. Plenty of singers without any real skill managed to attract waves of fans purely with a distinctive voice. Bai Ling loved these kinds of innate gifts that required no effort to charm people.

As for the performance bonus card—it was a one-time use item, gone once activated, and its exact effect was still a mystery. But no matter how she thought about it, this thing surely wouldn't harm her. "Tsk, tsk! Everything is aligning perfectly for me—the heavens themselves are lending a hand." She giggled. "Still, isn't the system being just a bit too obvious about it? Is it trying to push me to prove myself right now?"

Her eyes darted around, then she continued her livestream, glancing at the barrage of comments. By now, most of her light makeup had been removed. Watching the flood of messages scrolling past, she couldn't help but feel a bit helpless. As expected, a tide of paid trolls had surged into the stream, doubling her viewership. These trolls weren't just stirring up drama—they were dragging in every rumor from forums, super topics, and microblogs, even spicing them up further. Every line was a condemnation, mocking Bai Ling as uncultured, unrefined, untalented, and lacking in ability.

"Just a pretty face and a nice figure, not fit to be an idol or a star!"

"Exactly!"

"And who's to say she's naturally beautiful and not a product of technology?"

"Right, lots of people say Bai Ling's had quite a bit of work done."

"But to be fair, the work is really good. Which hospital was it? I want to try it, too."

"Bai Ling can't sing, can't dance—a complete waste…"

Amid this overwhelming smear campaign, even many who had become fans after watching her take off her makeup began to waver. Only the true bystanders remained indifferent, watching the drama unfold. The screen was nearly filled with comments, voices coming from all sides. Bai Ling's expression turned somewhat resigned. "Well, system, you win. But since this help is being handed to me, why shouldn't I accept it?"

She cleared her throat and spoke, "Hello, everyone in the livestream."

"It seems there are a few misunderstandings about me. People say I have no talent, or that I might have had cosmetic surgery. But does anyone have actual proof that I've had work done? I doubt it! In fact, I can show you photos from my school days, so you can judge for yourselves."

Bai Ling quickly pulled up her old photos. Fortunately, almost every girl loves to take pictures and keep mementos, so she had plenty of evidence on hand. The moment her youthful, fresh, and already captivating school photo appeared—a beauty as pure as a lotus emerging from water—the trolls who had accused her of plastic surgery vanished without a trace. Those whose loyalty had been wavering immediately went wild, flooding the chat with declarations of love. In a flash, Bai Ling found herself endowed with thousands of devoted fans, both men and women.

Truly, the power of good looks was terrifying.

Of course, the trolls would not be so easily converted. If they couldn't attack her for plastic surgery, they would target her "lack of talent." If Bai Ling had been an ordinary person, or if she hadn't had the system, she might have dodged the issue with a vague answer. Proving one's own talent is a meaningful challenge—even legendary superstars would rarely dare to call themselves genuinely talented without shame. And even among those stars, not every work is universally acclaimed.

But Bai Ling was different now. Beneath her stunningly beautiful exterior was a heart tough as steel. No matter how many rumors and insults she faced, she remained unshaken, even starting to analyze the situation.

"I've already hit rock bottom and bounced back. I don't have to be perfect, just show I'm not a talentless hack who can't sing or dance. If I choose the right song, that should be enough. Which internet hit would suit me best?"

"I've got it!"

This inner debate took only a heartbeat. Propelled by external pressure and the system's subtle guidance, Bai Ling was happy to go along with the flow. She addressed the system, "System, use the reward. I want the lyrics and composition for 'Under the Sea'!"

"Wait, is there an instrumental? An instrumental would be perfect."

Moments later, a USB drive appeared before her, containing everything she needed.

"So thoughtful, my dear system," she chuckled, then turned to the livestream camera and began her performance.

"Honestly, seeing all these slanders in the chat makes me feel really sad. People say I have no talent, that I can't sing or dance, but who knows how much time I spend every day practicing my moves, training my voice? And for what? All so that one day, I could show my best self to the fans who care about me."

"But… the company doesn't allow it! Zhou Tai told me hard work is useless—that no matter how hard I try, I can't compete with the finances behind those so-called princesses. If I want a chance to shine, I should just make myself pretty and wait for opportunities that way. Boohoo, it's just too unfair."

As Bai Ling suddenly switched personas—going from the poised grace of her makeup removal, to the feisty indignation as she mocked Zhou Tai and Wang Tianhai, to now appearing pitiful and heartbroken—all the viewers were left completely stunned. Such performance was truly beyond anyone's expectations!

If they knew this was all an act, they would likely fall silent and then start giving her a standing ovation. If she didn't win Best Actress this year, there had to be foul play behind the scenes!

Even Bai Ling herself was surprised at how natural she felt. It was as if she was born to play this kind of sly, scheming character. "Well, it does fit the original setting—seems I've got some talent after all," she teased herself inwardly, glancing at the chat.

Some viewers were already caught up in the drama.

"Poor Bai Ling, I feel so sorry for her."

"She works so hard and gets no chance, but instead is pressured to compromise. That's so tragic."

"Stay strong, sis! Hugs!"

Yet the trolls remained relentless.

"Hmph, playing the victim? As if we'd fall for that."

"Blaming others for not giving you a chance—have you considered that maybe it's your own lack of ability?"