355 - I Don’t Want to Be Turned Into the Female Protagonist by the System

# Chapter 355: Agreed to Audition (Part 3) With over 4 million, the amount shocked Su Qi to an unbelievable degree. After browsing through the Taobao app on her phone for a while, Su Qi discovered in surprise that the value of this outfit was 680,000. Is this what the system girl referred to as a "small compensation?" Su Qi felt that this little creature, rather than compensating her, gave her the impression that the system girl wanted to leave her something before it vanished, like a farewell gift. She disliked this feeling of the system girl leaving behind a "legacy." Looking at the luxurious purple-red garment, Su Qi remained silent for a moment before shaking her head and saying seriously, "I can't accept this outfit. After all, this isn't some small compensation, and I remember you weren't this generous." Upon finishing her words, the system girl quickly retorted, “I’m not stingy! Humph, it’s just that I didn't actually like this dress and couldn’t sell it. So, consider it as compensation for accidentally accepting a task for you.” Hearing the system girl inadvertently confess, Su Qi felt a wave of amusement mixed with a touch of heartache. Though her relationship with the system girl has become closer and more considerate, she still preferred the former system girl who was obsessed with money and took pleasure in occasionally swindling her for small amounts. After all, this kind of thoughtfulness was something Su Qi didn’t want, nor did she wish to part with this little buddy. Just as Su Qi was about to refuse the system girl’s small gift once more, she heard the system girl cutely coax, "Master, just keep it for now. If you earn more money later, let me manage your finances, alright?" Listening to the system girl's coquettish voice, an image inadvertently emerged in Su Qi's mind. The scene by a lake: green mountains and clear waters, tall willow trees providing shade from the summer sun for two small children. Among the two figures, the little boy was very familiar to Su Qi; it was her younger self, looking much like a small radish head with a neat hairstyle due to her diminutive frame. Opposite her was a little girl in a simple gown, visibly worn after many washes yet still clean. Her jet-black hair cascaded down to her waist, lightly tousled by the lakeside breeze. Two thin, pale hands tightly held the small hand of young Su Qi. The manner of speaking and the tone felt just like the system girl’s. Su Qi felt this scene was particularly familiar and was sure it was from her memory. Yet, no matter how she tried, she couldn't recall any details about the little girl, neither her name nor appearance. However, judging by her repeated appearances in Su Qi's memories, she now dared to confirm that the little girl was certainly linked to the system girl, or perhaps was the system herself. Despite trying to probe for answers, the system girl continued to feign ignorance, claiming she didn't know. Su Qi understood this was likely due to a so-called "confidentiality agreement" and chose not to pressure the little system. In the end, after hearing the system girl say the outfit suited the image of a demon consort, Su Qi accepted this little compensation and agreed to let the system girl manage her finances in the future. "Alrighty!" The system girl’s joyful voice made Su Qi even more uneasy, leading her to ask, “This outfit costs 680,000, how do you plan to pay for it? You didn’t take a loan, did you?” Upon hearing Su Qi’s concern, the system girl chuckled and replied, “Hehe, I saved up all the money you earned from dancing videos on B-site. I’m impressive, right?” Su Qi was momentarily stunned by the system girl’s proud response, then felt reassured. Her system’s small yet touching gesture was indeed heartwarming. But soon enough, Su Qi realized there should be leftover money after buying the outfit from her last streaming income. After considering, she suggested, "System, why don’t you give me the money and let me invest in stocks? How does a 55% split sound?" The moment she proposed the idea, Su Qi noticed the system girl had gone silent. Calling out a few times without any response, Su Qi found the silence amusing, thinking her money-loving system had become even more adorable. While she was about to check the attributes of the dress the system gave her on her phone, Su Qi heard a knock on the door, accompanied by her mother Lu Ran's voice: "Little Qi, may we come in?" After opening the door and welcoming her parents into the room, Su Qi heard her father, Su Lu Jun, ask, "Little Qi, I heard from your brother earlier that you want to act. Is it true?" Listening to her father's gentle voice, Su Qi was incredulous. Wasn't her dad always against the entertainment industry? Shouldn't hearing about her acting ambitions send him into a rage? Her brother mentioned that when their elder brother decided to act, he faced a furious reprimand. Why was he so gentle now? Could he be looking to catch her off guard? However, with a 3 million pay offer at stake, Su Qi genuinely wanted to give it a try. More money might bring her closer to her financial goals. Therefore, putting aside the fear of a scolding, Su Qi focused more on the system girl's significance instead. Considering this, she earnestly looked at her father with her small face and said, "Dad, I want to try." Seeing his daughter’s big, sparkling eyes and remembering Liu Qi and Su Siyang’s reassurances, Su Lu Jun reluctantly patted his daughter's little head. Lu Ran watched her husband’s feigned reluctance, and with a light chuckle, she urged, "Go on!" She found his demeanor amusing. Unlike Su Lu Jun’s old-fashioned views, Lu Ran was quite fond of her daughter appearing on screen. After all, at her age, it was increasingly about bragging rights over children’s achievements instead of material possessions. She relished in her pride, having boasted for a long time about the "Happy Heroes" video of her daughter showcasing swordsmanship to her circle of friends. They now often inquire about Su Qi, hopeful of such an adorable daughter-in-law. But Lu Ran wasn’t naïve enough to introduce her to them; she cherished her “little cabbage” too much herself! As for Su Lu Jun’s concerns about Su Qi’s safety, Lu Ran felt no fear. The director was the highest authority on a set, and Director Zhang was quite familiar to her, having supported several of his films. And even if Director Zhang or Su Siyang, her brother, proved unreliable, there was still the experienced manager, Liu Qi, ensuring her safety wasn’t a concern. Lu Ran's real worry was the "Daji" character’s reputation. Known as a seductress, she didn’t want her daughter to be labeled as such from acting in the series. However, after having read the script, Lu Ran discovered that the “Turbulent Yin-Shang” series was relatively historical and didn’t overly demonize Daji. By the film’s end, it even redeemed Daji slightly. After King Zhou’s demise, realizing her grave sins after completing the task assigned by Guanyin, Daji ended her life on the burning terrace. While not glorifying her, it painted her as a pitiful historical figure. Seeing her daughter's determined eyes, Lu Ran couldn’t help but pat Su Qi’s little head, saying, “Go ahead, but remember, you must pass the audition. If not, no crying!” With her mother’s consent, Su Qi felt encouraged, ready to face the challenges ahead.