After washing up, Veronica did not follow Jessica's instructions to eat the roasted ribs, which were enough for both lunch and dinner combined.
She couldn't eat such heavily flavored food.
It would hurt her voice.
The result was that Veronica sat in a chair, not knowing what to do.
She was in an unfamiliar place, in a building full of Gangers.
She didn't dare to go out.
Jessica, although Veronica had been quite disgusted with this frivolous woman yesterday.
But after Jessica helped her out of a tough spot, Veronica's opinion of her changed quite a bit.
Now that she was alone, without Jessica, she felt less secure.
After picking at her hands for a while, Veronica was clearly unaccustomed to this oppressive silence.
She had to find something to do.
Life's pastimes were nothing more than eating, drinking, and having fun, but ever since she embarked on the path of a singer, she could no longer enjoy such pleasures.
She didn't want to waste the gift God had given her—her voice.
Even though she could no longer grace the stage.
Thinking of this, Veronica felt a little down again.
She saw a television in the room, so she got up and walked over to it.
She pulled out the data cable from her wrist and inserted it into the display port; the data quickly transferred.
Slowly retreating, she sat on the bed, Veronica curled up into a ball, hugging her legs.
The film played leisurely, and from the time bar at the bottom of the video, it was a recorded live performance from several years ago.
The video showed a dense crowd sitting in the audience, and on the brightly lit stage, stood a girl of only sixteen or seventeen; from her purple hair and slightly melancholic face, it was clear this was Veronica in her youth.
When she closed her eyes and held the microphone, all the background noise disappeared.
Accompanied by a gentle, lingering female voice.
The voice was like a chant, like a slowly unfolding Epic scroll, drawing people back to the pastoral idylls of the Middle Ages, narrating God's compassion for the world.
This was "Tears of God," her most famous song.
And this video was from her first time performing this song on stage.
Listening to the song and watching herself on stage, wearing a light gauze dress, shimmering under the lights, Veronica, as usual, kept her eyes open, completely immersed.
Since her misfortune, she unconsciously often replayed this concert recording.
Watching herself on stage, smiling like an angel, she could always temporarily escape this terrible reality for a while.
It was like a hollow comfort.
Every time she watched this, she would always remember her radiant self.
But as time went on, her former image gradually blurred in her mind, until now, watching herself in the video, she felt like she was watching another person.
Because she could no longer show that kind of smile.
In the song, which was like a whisper in her ear and a gentle breeze on her face, Veronica gradually closed her eyes.
No matter how bad reality was, for now, at least she had time to breathe.
Just like this, just a little longer.
Click.
The door opened.
Veronica instantly tensed up, her scalp tingling.
She stared wide-eyed at Jessica, who had opened the door and returned as if nothing had happened.
"Yo."
Seeing Veronica look at her, Jessica even waved playfully.
Jessica didn't realize she had interrupted Veronica's peaceful time; when she saw the movement on the display, her eyes lit up and she walked over.
"Holy cow, that's you in there! You even held a concert, that's incredible!"
Jessica pulled over a chair, grabbed its back, and sat down, her eyes wide with astonishment and disbelief as she looked at Veronica, who was wearing a gray hoodie and curled up into a ball on the bed like a seal.
"You... you, why are you back so early?"
Having her private moment interrupted, even though it was nothing serious, Veronica was so embarrassed that she couldn't speak properly and just wanted to quickly change the subject.
But Jessica didn't grant her wish.
"Oh, don't even ask. The target was a spineless coward; he got scared and returned the money while still on the way, costing me my commission. So, I just finished up and came back."
Jessica waved her hand, glossing over the matter of gangsters collecting usurious debts, which was very much against the spirit of the rule of law.
"You sing so beautifully, I'm not good with words, but how do I put it, your voice sounds really comfortable... Oh, wait, don't do that."
Jessica hadn't even finished half her sentence when Veronica had already used the remote control to turn off the display.
The colored light retracted, and the girl in the center of the stage on the screen instantly shrank and collapsed; the screen returned to a blank darkness, and the faint light reflected the distorted figures of the two people in front.
"Hey, I love music too, you know! Why won't you let me listen a little longer?"
Jessica scratched her head, regretting Veronica's merciless action.
However, Veronica acted decisively, tossing the remote control aside and looking steadily into Jessica's eyes.
As if making an important decision, she reactivated the recording chip.
"Hug me."
"What?"
"You heard me. I can do it."
Veronica gritted her teeth, suppressing her fear, timidly but firmly stating her request.
"You'll regret it."
Although she didn't know what had happened, Jessica saw Veronica forcing herself and closed her eyes, shaking her head.
"How will I know if I don't try?"
Jessica clutched the blanket, stubbornly insisting.
No matter what, she had to get this money.
The sooner it was over, the better.
She had to take this step.
"Alright, but I still say, you'll regret it."
Jessica found her forcing herself to adapt laughable, and felt she should give her a taste of her own medicine, to scare her a little.
Seamlessly switching to combat mode.
Jessica gave Veronica a provocative look, pulled a small hair tie from her pocket, and tied her golden hair into a ponytail.
At the same time, she took out chewing gum from her chest bag, tore open the wrapper, and put it in her mouth to chew.
Having prepared herself, Jessica stood up and gracefully walked towards Veronica, who was sitting on the edge of the bed.
Her elegant demeanor was like a noble female leopard approaching her pitiful prey.
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