My Superstar System: Rise To Stardom
Chapter 5
The woman blinked twice, and Alex immediately realized that he had been rude.
"Sorry, I got a bit lost in thought. Back to your question, yes, I'm the one who composed the song," he said calmly, forcing himself to steady his emotions.
She smiled softly. "You have real talent in composing, and your guitar skills are good as well. I'm genuinely impressed." Her tone shifted slightly as she continued, "But I have to be honest with you. You're not very good at singing." Her words were direct and unfiltered.
Alex frowned.
"It might sound brutal, but it's the truth," she added. "I'm not trying to discourage you. If you work hard on your voice, maybe you'll get there someday. Who knows?"
She paused for a moment before continuing, "But if you ever give up on being an artist and decide to focus on composing, contact me." She handed him a card.
At first, Alex felt irritated by her blunt criticism and thought she had only approached him to tear him down. However, when she encouraged him to improve and even offered him an opportunity, he realized that she genuinely meant well.
At the very least, she had not told him to stop making music altogether. Even Alex had to admit that his voice still needed work.
"I'll be going now," she said, turning and walking away. I wonder if he hates me now? she thought, unaware that her old habit had taken over.
All the celebrities under her knew this side of her personality. She was brutally honest, sometimes to the point of being irritating.
But Alex was a stranger, and she should not have spoken to him that way. It was an old habit resurfacing, and she regretted it.
Alex watched her leave. He slipped the card into his pocket without looking at it, then packed up his things and left Newar square.
When he finished performing earlier, he had received a notification from the system, but he had suppressed it. He was still in public and did not want to look strange by staring into empty air.
After walking for a few minutes, he arrived home. As usual, his landlady was outside, smoking. She wore small, loose clothing, as she always did, accentuating her curvaceous body.
She narrowed her eyes when she saw Alex approaching with a guitar slung across his back.
"Brat, don't tell me you still have those wishful dreams of yours," she scoffed. "With that croaked voice of yours, I really wonder what kind of shitty label would ever accept you."
After a brief pause, she continued mockingly, "You know what, I own a restaurant. Why don't you come over and play that guitar of yours for the customers? You're very skilled at it. Just don't sing, and I'll pay you well." The moment she opened her mouth, her words were as vicious as ever.
Alex thought that her remarks alone might have caused him serious emotional damage if he did not have the system supporting him.
"Don't worry about me, landlady. I'm never giving up on my dream," he said firmly.
"Oh, good luck with that. I hope you succeed," she replied sarcastically. "But before that, remember you still have rent to pay. Wait... where are you going? Come here this instant, brat!"
While she was still ranting, Alex had already walked away, hurrying toward his apartment. She could only curse loudly behind him.
Inside his small one-room apartment, Alex locked the door and collapsed onto the bed.
Immediately, he willed the system to display the notification.
(Ding! Mission completed: Compose a song, then go to a public place and perform it.
Reward: Special skill, Resonance level one.
Resonance enhances the emotional impact of the host's voice, allowing it to naturally draw attention on a deeper level and subtly influence the audience's mood. The effect depends on skill level.)
"Finally. I hope this skill is worth it. System, show me my stats."
A new window appeared before him, displaying his information.
Host level:
Entertainment skills:
Star points: 0
Singing: level 5
Dancing: level 3
Composing and songwriting: level 7
Acting: level 3
Music production: level 5
Instruments:
Guitar: level 7
Charisma: 6
Special skills: Resonance level 1
Intelligence: 9
Handsomeness: 8
Physical points: 9 (This includes all physical attributes such as speed and strength. An average adult male has 10 points.)
Fighting skills: none
Weapon skills: none
Special technique: none
Other skills: none
He nodded, satisfied with his progress. However, his dancing and acting levels were pitifully low. For now, he had no intention of pursuing anything related to acting.
****
Today, Alex finally decided to go back to school. The moment he arrived at the gates of saints high, a strong sense of déjà vu washed over him.
It had been many years since he last attended high school. Exactly how many, he could no longer recall.
With a sigh, he walked through the school gate.
"Hello, Alex."
Someone suddenly called out, startling him. He turned around and saw a chubby beauty standing behind him.
She wore a white school uniform paired with a short pink, flowery skirt. The fabric hugged her curvy, chubby figure, highlighting her full body and making her shape impossible to ignore.
Her face was soft and full, with two cute dimples resting naturally on her cheeks. She was very beautiful, probably on the same level as Alex's ex girlfriend.
If some of the fat on her face were gone, she might even be more beautiful than his ex.
She was a transfer student who sat beside Alex in class, so they often exchanged notes.
She was a kind girl and always spoke gently to him. This had caused many of her pursuers to feel jealous. You already have a beauty as a girlfriend, and now you want to take this one too?
They secretly loathed him. One could imagine how happy they were when Billy and Christina started showing public affection at school a week ago.
"Amber!" Alex smiled, pleasantly surprised to see her.
"What happened to you? You haven't been at school for a whole week," she asked worriedly.
"Oh, nothing serious. I was in a small accident, but I'm fine now," he replied casually.
"Are you sure you're really okay?" she asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
"Yeah, I'm fine." He nodded firmly.
"Alright then. I think we should exchange contacts so I can check on you next time," she said. "No one in class seems to have your contact information, and even your girlfriend... ehm, I mean your ex, refused to give it to me." She said it without the slightest hint of awkwardness.
Most girls found it difficult to ask a guy for his number, and even when they did, they were often nervous. But Amber was different. She was straightforward and never the type to follow conventions.
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