Radiant Sound (炽音) by Yue Jian

Chapter 1

It was early July, just before exams, when a heavy downpour began. The summer night, laced with the rain, felt cold and humid.

Zhu Xia glanced out the window, then grabbed her backpack and stepped into the rain.

Jing Suyu pulled her back, handing her an umbrella before running towards their dorm.

Looking back at their shared room, where they had lived for two years, Jing Suyu noticed the crystal ball on the table was still glowing – a bit cheesy, she thought. She smiled, then pulled her suitcase and walked away.

Jing Suyu didn't have much stuff.

When she was six, her parents divorced, and she moved back and forth between their homes, constantly switching buses to get to school. Even though it was a hassle, she still found it enjoyable.

That is until they both formed their own families and no one wanted her anymore. It happened suddenly, without any warning.

They just continued to send her money every month.

Saying she wasn't sad would be a lie, but she knew she shouldn't dwell on it.

Her phone rang.

Jing Suyu's head was buried in her pillow. Her brain hadn't processed the sound, but her hand instinctively reached out and answered the call.

"Hey, sis, why did you answer so late? I always tell you to get rid of that six-year-old phone of yours. It always hangs and lags. It's not working anymore," Qin Suiran said from outside a supermarket, watching the cars go by.

"What's up? Did you get a gig? Weddings, funerals, anything works. I'm so broke I can't even afford to eat," Jing Suyu said, rolling over. The sheets rustled against the mattress.

"No, but guess what I saw," Qin Suiran said, teasingly.

"Don't guess, just tell me," Jing Suyu mumbled, rubbing her eyes and looking at the ceiling. The light fixture had turned yellow.

"A poster," Qin Suiran said, holding his phone in front of the poster.

Jing Suyu was confused. "A poster? Your idol's poster? What’s the point of saying this? Do you want to rip it off and collect it?"

"No, it's for Chasing Dream Band Season 1. You've always wanted to make it big, right? Get on a bigger stage? This is your chance," Qin Suiran said seriously.

"Forget it. It's a TV show, it might bomb, and we'll still be eating ramen," Jing Suyu said, not wanting to believe him.

"It's a TV show, so people will watch it, right? Think about your beauty. Someone is bound to cut a clip and put it out there. What if it goes viral?" Qin Suiran still wanted to participate.  It wasn't just her dream, but his too, and the dream of everyone in the band.

"When you were young, you didn't work hard enough. Now you’re resorting to selling your looks in your old age?  I'll think about it," Jing Suyu said, her throat dry and scratchy, probably still not healed.

"Don't think about it. It's an opportunity. All expenses are paid and they give you money. How could it be bad? Once you get the money, buy a new phone. Your screen is cracked," Qin Suiran said.