CHAPTER 2: FIRST GLIMPSE OF POWER

Yueyue stared at the glowing box floating in front of her — the [BEGINNER IDOL PACK]. It shimmered with a soft light, pulsing with the promise of… something.

“What is it, Yueyue?” Her father’s voice cut through her thoughts. “You’re staring at nothing.”

Right. Only she could see it. Like a secret weapon, hidden in plain sight.

“Just… thinking,” she said, forcing a smile. “About what I want to do.”

Her father studied her for a moment, his eyes sharp. But then he seemed to relax, a hint of amusement flickering across his face. “Well, whatever it is, Yueyue, make sure it’s worthy of the Lin name.” He clapped his hands together. “Come, boys. Let’s leave Yueyue to her thoughts. She needs her rest.”

He ushered her brothers out of the room, leaving Yueyue alone in the opulent bedroom. As soon as the door clicked shut, she turned back to the [BEGINNER IDOL PACK].

Okay, system, she thought. Let’s see what you’ve got.

She focused her mind on the box, picturing herself reaching out and opening it. The box burst open in a shower of golden light, and three items materialized in front of her:

[VOCAL FOUNDATION SKILL BOOK]

[BASIC DANCE MEMORY CHIP]

[PRIVATE IDOL TRAINER VOUCHER]

New messages popped up on the system screen:

[ITEM EQUIPPED: VOCAL FOUNDATION SKILL BOOK]

Passive Skill Activated: Grants basic understanding of vocal techniques, breathing control, and pitch accuracy.

[VOCAL STAT INCREASED: 20 → 30]

[MUSIC THEORY STAT INCREASED: 10 → 22]

[ITEM EQUIPPED: BASIC DANCE MEMORY CHIP]

Passive Skill Activated: Enhances muscle memory for basic dance choreography. Increases learning speed by 50%.

[DANCE STAT INCREASED: 15 → 25]

[MUSCLE MEMORY STAT INCREASED: 5 → 20]

[ITEM ADDED TO INVENTORY: PRIVATE IDOL TRAINER VOUCHER]

Usable Item: Redeem for one month of private training with a system-approved idol trainer.

Note: Trainer specializes in both vocal performance and stage movement.

Yueyue blinked. It felt… different. Like a switch had been flipped in her brain. She suddenly understood concepts she’d struggled with for years — diaphragmatic breathing, vocal resonance, the subtle shifts in weight that made a dance move look effortless.

She walked over to the grand piano in the corner of the room, a Steinway that probably cost more than her old practice room. In her past life, she’d only been able to pick out a few simple melodies. Now, she sat down and her fingers flew across the keys, playing a complex Chopin nocturne she’d only ever heard on the radio.

The music filled the room, soaring and intricate. It wasn’t perfect — her technique was still rough — but it was a thousand times better than anything she’d ever been able to do before.

Tears welled up in her eyes. This is real, she thought. This system… it’s really giving me a second chance.

She spent the next few hours experimenting with her newfound abilities. She sang scales, practicing her pitch until it was nearly perfect. She danced in front of the mirror, mimicking the moves from kpop music videos she’d watched a million times. The [BASIC DANCE MEMORY CHIP] made it almost effortless — she picked up the choreography in minutes, her body moving with a fluidity she’d never possessed before.

But even with the system’s help, it wasn’t easy. Her muscles ached, her throat was sore, and her mind felt like it was about to explode from information overload. She was still Lin Yueyue, a pampered chaebol daughter who’d never had to work hard for anything in her life.

I need to change that, she thought, wiping the sweat from her brow. I can’t rely on the system alone. I need to put in the work.

She glanced at the clock. It was almost midnight. Her father would be furious if he found her awake at this hour, especially after her “panic attack” at the gala.

She tiptoed to the door, peering out into the hallway. Empty. She slipped out of her room and padded down the hallway, heading towards the grand staircase that led to the lower floors of the penthouse.

According to the system, the Lin family also owned a private entertainment company — Lin Entertainment — with a state-of-the-art training studio on the top floor of their headquarters. If she was going to become a kpop idol, she needed to start training, and she needed to start now.

She reached the bottom of the staircase and crept towards the front door, her heart pounding in her chest. This was it. Her first step towards her new dream.

Just as she reached for the doorknob, a voice stopped her in her tracks.

“Going somewhere, Yueyue?”

She turned around to see her second brother, Lin Hao, leaning against the wall, a lazy smile on his face. He was wearing a silk bathrobe, his hair tousled, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

“It’s after midnight,” he said, pushing himself off the wall. “Where do you think you’re going?”

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***