192 The Finale (one)
Today was D-day.
The finale of the contest.
After preparing for this day, An Xiulan was standing on the stage along with four other girls wearing the most beautiful gown she had ever worn. Her gown was silver with a hint of baby pink.
The finale was a 3-hour event and they had taken almost 9 hours to get ready for it. After all the rounds, it was time for the judges to start the question and answer round.
The first person to be asked the question was no one else but Twinkle. She walked ahead confidently, her acne visible. There was not a spec of make-up on her face because her skin couldn’t handle it.
It was not easy for Twinkle to walk here in this manner but it was what it was. When the camera zoomed on her face that looked terrible with the boil breakouts on her face. It was not easy to treat such boils on her face in two days.
“Miss Xiao, ” The host called out her name. “First of all, how are you doing?”
“Thank you for asking, Mr Liu, ” Xiao Xinyi gracefully smiled at her. “I am doing better than before.”
“We are happy to hear you are doing good, ” The host said. “Miss Xiao, your first question will be asked by Mr Jin who is the former chairman of Miss Sunshine organisation.”
Xiao Xinyi smiled and nodded as she looked ahead.
“What advice would you give to the woman of the modern age to deal with body shaming?” The judge asked the question as he looked at the girl standing on the stage.
When this question was asked and the camera was zoomed on her face, the internet was no better than a battleground.
–[What advice would she give when she looked no less than a living example of a rotten egg? Her face looked too horrible on screen. It must be more terrible to see from close. I pity other contestants.]
–[I am amazed, stupefied and wonderstruck about the brains of Miss Sunshine organisers. Why do they have to let this horrible sight come on the stage?]
–[Someone ping me when this ugly woman leaves the stage for my beauties.]
–[ I’m amazed by how people only care about outer beauty these days. Where are fans who said we loved Xiao Xinyi for her talents, not her face?]
At this moment, Xiao Xinyi was standing there quietly for a moment as if thinking about the answer. Her thoughts went back to what happened this evening when she was crying in the changing room.
–A few hours ago–
Xiao Xinyi was crying pitifully in the changing room all alone in the darkness. She couldn’t even bear to look at her own face, given how ugly and horrible she looked. She was beastly or that’s how people were describing her these days. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
She was crying in the room all alone, her knees against her chest when someone opened the door. She looked up to find An Xiulan looking like a diary in her gown.
An Xiulan didn’t say anything and leaned down to grab her hands.
“I will only say this once, ” An Xiulan said. “Don’t make me repeat myself. I am going to drag you and you are going to come with me without having me force you and get into your dress. I have not eaten for the whole day to tuck my tummy into this super tight dress, I’m annoyed because I can’t find the stupid mastermind who did this to you and I’m wearing heels. If I lean down and fell on my butt, I’m really going to cry very hard. So, kindly come with me.”
“Where are you taking me?” Xiao Xinyi asked in a cracked voice. She had never seen An Xiulan this angry before.
“To help you change into your final outfit, ” An Xiulan said as if it was the most obvious thing.
“You know I can’t, “Xiao Xinyi whispered.
” No, I don’t know why you can’t, “An Xiulan rebuked. “Do tell me why you can’t come out with me.”
“I’m ugly, ” Xiao Xinyi said in a hoarse voice. She tried to wipe her tears because when tears touch the mouth of the boil on her face, it hurts too much.
“Define ugly, ” An Xiulan asked, raising her brow. She crossed her arms over her chest and said again, “Define ugly.”
At this moment, she looked completely like her tyrant brother.
“I’m not beautiful anymore, “Xiao Xinyi said. “Those people love me for my beauty. If I come before the camera, they are going to see that the beauty they love me for is gone. I’m going to lose all the fans. I can try next year if I still have fans.”
“Again, define beauty, ” An Xiulan asked.
“Xiulan stop being stubborn and insensitive please,” Xiao Xinyi almost cried again. She had to remind herself that the more she would cry, the more it would hurt her face.
” Really, Xinyi?” An Xiulan scoffed. “I’m being stubborn? You are being one. You are being insensitive to yourself. How could you all yourself ugly because of this temporary skin problem? People all over the world get it. You are not ugly. And are those fans even fans if they love you for your superficial beauty, ignoring the true beauty that is in your heart? What would they do with a beautiful face if the heart is black? Xinyi, you are a beautiful girl because your internal beauty overpowers your exterior beauty.”
Those words made her cry even more. “My stars…”
“Cut the crap, ” An Xiulan said. “Stars have their purpose. You have yours. They won’t fulfil your dreams. You will! Those tarot cards of yours will not help you. You have to help yourself. Stand up. Walk out. Wear the freaking dress. Walk on the stage. Show them your power. And win the crown and go home.”
“What would you do if I won the crown?” Xiao Xinyi asked, trying to joke.
“I will be happy that I was defeated by the powerful contestant who hadn’t given up even when she was at the lowest point of her life, “An Xiulan replied.
Xiao Xinyi hugged An Xiulan as she whispered, ” Xiulan, how about you be my best friend?”
“Stand in the long line, ” An Xiulan winked at her.
A/N: What according to you is true beauty? Do you think my book is touching too many sensitive topics?