Chapter 108 - Utopia

Even after the girl had walked away, Tang Xin could still hear the last words spoken by the other party echoing in her ears."Don’t give up, bring my expectations with you and step onto a bigger stage."

She held her hands to her chest, her lips pressed together.

In the end, she didn’t have the courage to tell the girl what her purpose for coming here today was...

If the girl heard, she would probably be very disappointed, wouldn’t she? Just thinking about the girl’s sad expression made her heart inevitably fill with sadness.

But this path is definitely not the one she dreams of.

Tang Xin adjusted her breathing, and finally gathered the courage to push open the door to the dressing room in front of her.

"The coins never drop, they always look at me with those lecherous eyes, it’s disgusting."

"Heh, but thanks to them, the media company noticed us."

Xiaomeng’s voice came through.

The pungent smell of smoke hit her, making Tang Xin cover her mouth and cough.

"Yo, Tang Xin, you here?"

The girl with light pink hair leaned against the sofa, propped up on one hand on the sofa arm, legs crossed carelessly, white mist swirling from her mouth.

"Cough cough... cough cough..."

Tang Xin was coughing uncontrollably from the choking, her face slightly red.

"Xiaomeng, that’s enough, Tang Xin can’t stand the smell."

The bassist with lip rings said coldly, having taken off her vest, her arm tattooed with a dark red rose, its stem extending to her shoulder, all covered in tiny thorns.

"Whether she likes it or not, what’s it to you? Can you think for her?" Xiaomeng frowned.

"Tsk..."

The bassist didn’t retort, only put on a black sweatshirt.

"Xiaomeng..."

The drummer opened his mouth, but Xiaomeng interrupted impatiently:

"Shut your mouth, it’s annoying."

Everyone fell silent.

Xiaomeng cared nothing for the oppressive atmosphere, waved at Tang Xin:

"Come here, Tang Xin, I have something to say to you."

With the usual commanding tone, Tang Xin said nothing, just clenched her fists, her shoulders trembling slightly.

"Didn’t you hear me, Tang Xin, get over here." Xiaomeng raised her voice.

"You’re too much, Xiaomeng!"

Finally, the bassist couldn’t bear it any longer, stood up to confront Xiaomeng.

"What do you take us for? Your servants?"

"You’re always like this, unreasonable and overbearing..."

"So what? Those fat guys like me, not you," Xiaomeng sneered, "don’t forget who’s the most popular in this band, without me, the band would’ve fallen apart long ago."

"Even combined, you don’t have as many fans as I do. Without me, do you think Chenguang Media would notice you?"

"A bunch of accessories."

"You!" The bassist’s eyes widened.

"If you don’t like it just leave the band, get far away on your own." Xiaomeng ridiculed. "Go be a street performer if you think you can handle it."

"Don’t blame me if you can’t pay the rent and freeze to death on the streets."

The bassist’s chest heaved, and finally, she scoffed, slammed the door, and left.

"You won’t dare to leave but still jump in my face."

"I want to quit," Tang Xin suddenly said.

The girls around were stunned, and Xiaomeng seemed to have heard something unbelievable.

"What did you just say?"

"I want to quit," Tang Xin repeated, looking straight at the person in front of her.

"I came today to quit the band."

"Are you crazy?" Xiaomeng was dumbfounded. "Tomorrow we officially become a band, and you’re saying this now..."

"If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving," Tang Xin turned and walked away.

Xiaomeng, as if missing a piece of her heart, quickly stepped forward, grabbed Tang Xin’s hand, forcing a reluctant smile:

"Xin, won’t you at least think about it? Can’t we sit down and talk it over?"

"There’s nothing to talk about between us," Tang Xin shook off Xiaomeng’s hand.

"You really disappoint me!"

Suddenly, Xiaomeng’s voice came from behind.

Tang Xin paused slightly, standing in front of the door.

"Do you think people like us have a future? Do you think anyone would notice you without a management company backing you?" Xiaomeng spread her hands.

"We’re all talentless people, why can’t you see that?"

"Can dreams be inspiration, can they be food?"

"If you don’t want to end up rotting away with your ridiculous dream in the Piano Key District, I suggest you think again."

"Thanks for your concern," Tang Xin didn’t look back.

"That dying ghost..."

Before Xiaomeng could finish, she saw the blue-haired girl storming back angrily, raising her hand high.

Xiaomeng met Tang Xin’s eyes fearlessly, her gaze frivolous.

"My dear little Xinxin, even when angry, you’re so unthreatening, cute like a little animal, go ahead and hit me if you dare."

"Afraid you’d enjoy it."

Tang Xin put her hand down, under everyone’s gaze, a surging aura spread out from her as the center, like a tide.

The gentle water element danced in the air, their lightness perceivable.

Xiaomeng’s face visibly swelled up, becoming unsightly.

"You, what did you do!?"

At this moment, Xiaomeng finally felt frightened, her pretty face was the source of all her confidence.

"Expanding Technique. It will take five days to subside, stay at home and don’t go out."

Tang Xin left without looking back.

Hearing her words, the panic on Xiaomeng’s face deepened: "Five days... five days?"

"In two days, the company has scheduled a performance... you can’t do this, you can’t!!"

She lost her composure and rushed to the door, trying to grab Tang Xin, but the girl just gently closed the door, leaving her with an indifferent look.

"Reflect on yourself."

"I’ll reflect, I’ll reflect! Please don’t do this, Xin, I haven’t done anything to them, but I’ve never wronged you, remember? The last time you were sick, I bought medicine and took care of you," Xiaomeng spoke quickly.

"And before your first performance, when you were so nervous your legs couldn’t stand, I was the one comforting you."

"I really considered you a friend! I just, made a mistake anyone could make."

Bam——

The response to her was the heavy sound of the door closing.

Xiaomeng covered her face, sitting on the ground as if soulless.

Tang Xin carried her shoulder bag, a bass on her back, walked on the streets of the Queens District, the instrument bag rising half a head above her making her look striking.

The streetlights emitted a gentle yellow glow, the snow was swept to the sides of the street, extending far, a vast white.

Tang Xin felt lost inside, recalling Xiaomeng’s last words in her mind.

In the Star of Art, it’s common for ordinary people like Xiaomeng to struggle at the edge of subsistence. Writing literary works, painting pictures, creating dramas, and sculpting sculptures are a luxury for those without talent.

Starting as an underground idol, taking the path of performance is one of their few options, and being noticed by media companies is rare.

On the street, a man in a thin, shabby shirt with messy hair was strumming his guitar, shadows constantly passing by him.

His hair, shirt, and pant legs were dotted with white snow, his purple-tinged fingers trembled but never ceased plucking the strings, his hopeful gaze fell on every passerby, yearning for someone to stop by and cheer for him.

There was no bowl for begging under him.

Upon seeing the girl stop in front of him, the man’s eyes brightened, but upon seeing a piece of steaming bread being offered, his expression grew complex.

"Eat, just bought it," Tang Xin said.

Beside her was a bakery.

"How did I play?" The man asked, his teeth chattering in the cold.

Tang Xin didn’t know how to answer.

She really wanted to say he should find a decent job first, but she was sure he would be offended by her saying so.

She had seen many people like him on the path of chasing dreams, just like she was at the start.

Tang Xin sat at the bakery’s entrance, thoughts involuntarily surfacing in her mind.

Will Xiaoyi’s surgery be successful?

After leaving the Melancholy Girl Band, she had no income source, what about next month’s rent?

Why did she choose this path in the first place?

At this moment, a text message popped up on her screen.