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When Chu Yuening returned to the apartment, the sun was still high in the sky. Upon opening the door, she heard the sound of the television coming from inside.

Peering into the living room from the entrance, she spotted Chu Yi, whom she hadn't seen for two or three days, sitting cross-legged on the couch in a cartoon-character pajama set. In her arms, she held a bag of Calbee potato chips.

As Chu Yi munched on the chips while watching TV, her cheeks were speckled with crumbs.

"You're watching cartoons again?"

Chu Yuening entered and sat down beside her. Upon seeing her beloved sister, Chu Yi put down the chips and hugged her tightly, "Sis, you're finally back! I missed you so much."

With that, Chu Yi nestled her head affectionately in Chu Yuening's embrace.

When she looked up, Chu Yi found herself buried in a tousled, fluffy mane.

"Wait a moment." Chu Yuening noticed a faint tinge of black on Chu Yi's hand, barely noticeable but enough to trigger her sharp senses. Her expression turned more serious.

"Did anything unpleasant happen during your outing?"

"Unpleasant?" Chu Yi tilted her head, shook it, and resumed crunching on her chips. "Everything was great. I didn't even have trouble sleeping during the camping trip as I expected."

Chu Yuening honed in on the crucial detail.

"Camping outdoors?"

"Uh-huh!" Chu Yi nodded vigorously. "By the seaside."

"What about the charm?"

Chu Yi shook her head. "It turned to ashes."

Chu Yuening had a rough idea of the cause. The seashore was naturally damp and prone to accumulating negative energy, especially with the spirits of those who had perished at sea over the years.

Chu Yi must have encountered something unclean.

Fortunately, the charm Chu Yi carried with her had helped protect her. Though nothing major had occurred, for added safety, Chu Yuening got up to write another calming charm, handing it over to Chu Yi.

"Wear it close to your skin, and remove it after a few days."

Chu Yi pounced on Chu Yuening with the talisman in hand, "Sis, you're so kind!"

Perhaps it was just a psychological effect.

She did feel much more comfortable wearing it, as warmth spread through her body. Reminded by her sister's words, Chu Yi couldn't help but think of Ye Chuxue.

For some unexplainable reason.

Since Ye Chuxue's harrowing experience at sea, she had grown increasingly pale and wan. During the day, she attended classes with prominent dark circles beneath her eyes, resembling someone whose vitality had been drained by a vampire.

Chu Yi shrugged, promptly casting the matter aside to enjoy her television show with delight.

Someone insignificant, anyway, it doesn't concern her.

"Hehe, Cherry Maruko is still the cutest."

On the other side.

The sun gradually dipped below the horizon, painting the sky a fiery red. A luxurious yacht docked by the bay was buffeted by increasing winds as the temperature cooled, causing waves to crash against its hull with a rhythmic roar.

On board, a dozen beauties donned sultry bikinis, striking poses for photographs. Their tinkling laughter echoed throughout the bay.

If there were onlookers, they would surely recognize these alluring ladies as contestants from the Miss Hong Kong pageant.

"Another pose! Lu Qing! Lu Qing! I'm talking to you! Lift your buttocks higher and make your gaze more alluring. Sexiness, do you understand?!"

Lu Qing, standing at the edge, saw the photographer's frustration and awkwardly propped herself up on her thighs, knees slightly bent, unsure of what to do.

The photographer lost his temper again, "I told you to lift your butt, not to stick it out like an old hen! The bikini is sponsored by Beach Bunny, can you afford to ruin it?!"

"Oh, I'll adjust," Lu Qing withdrew awkwardly. Facing the dark lens and the stern photographer, she managed to force a smile.

A gust of wind blew, lifting Lu Qing's wavy tresses perfectly.

Snap! The shot was captured.

"Ah Yang!" the photographer snapped his fingers at the assistant, "Where's the balloon? Bring it over to the beauty contestant!"

"Wrap up after the last shot!"

Upon hearing that they could finish and wrap up, the beauties all secretly let out sighs of relief.

The sea breeze grew stronger, and they were all dressed only in bikinis for the poster shoot. The contestants shivered on the yacht, gasping for warmth.

Lu Qing rubbed her arms continually, while her stomach rumbled incessantly.

She was hungry.

However, she had gotten used to skipping dinner at night to save money.

She cautiously held onto the bikini sponsored by the brand, Beach Bunny – it was quite expensive, costing thousands. She was afraid of damaging it with too much force.

Yet, the chance to wear a high-end bikini made Lu Qing quite happy. It was like a ray of hope shining through her seemingly bleak and endless life.

She knew that her chances of winning the Miss Hong Kong pageant were slim. Still, she was willing to endure hardships to seize this slender opportunity that could alter her destiny.

With uneven skin tone, she resorted to bleaching agents for repeated washes. The acidic liquid was rubbed onto her arms tirelessly, gradually causing a stinging pain in her skin.

She tried folk remedies she heard from others, but they had no effect at all. However, with reduced part-time jobs, more regular sleep, and less sun exposure, her skin slowly became fairer.

In her quest to improve her posture and grace, while other contestants practiced for two hours, she extended hers to four.

Unable to dance proficiently, she danced until the wee hours of the night.

Through sheer perseverance, she made it to the finals. All the hardships and tears along the way were known only to her.

Fortunately, upon entering the finals, she received a small stipend, five hundred dollars, though not much.

It was the sole income she had earned during this period.

Lu Qing planned to visit Chu Yuening when she had time. She would use that five hundred dollars to settle the overdue fee for the divination and buy a gift for the master.

If not for the master, she would have long returned to the mainland and never had the chance to appear on camera.

The more she thought about it, the less bitter Lu Qing found her current struggles to be.

"Lu Qing! What are you daydreaming about? Get back into position!" The photographer, annoyed by Lu Qing's distraction, shouted at her. Afterward, he criticized, "A country girl is always a country girl, both vulgar and ill-mannered. When Sister Mei asks me to take photos, she wouldn't dare keep me waiting."