The Trending Topic Herself: The Villainess is the Superstar!-Chapter 161:

The stool doesn’t have a backrest, which in theory makes it difficult to fall asleep on. However, that doesn’t affect Maya Monroe at all. She slightly lowers her head as sleepiness gradually creeps up on her.

The stool is quite soft to sit on, but the incessant noise in her ear is too annoying. Even with the aid of a microphone, it’s hard for Maya Monroe to ignore.

She pulls out a tissue from her pocket, then rolls it into two balls and stuffs them into her ears.

The noise instantly diminishes a lot, and Maya Monroe peacefully closes her eyes.

But just as she closes her eyes, someone wakes her up by shaking her.

Maya Monroe opens her eyes, her beautiful peach blossom eyes slightly narrowed, glaring at the staff member across from her, "What do you want?"

She figured anyone interrupted during their rest wouldn’t be too happy.

"Ms. Monroe, are you sleepy?"

"Yes."

The staff didn’t expect her to answer so straightforwardly, and after a moment of surprise, still said, "Ms. Monroe, you can’t sleep on stage, please continue with the program!"

Maya Monroe glanced over at Brian Bennett: "Over there, it’s just the host talking and the judging panel scoring. What use is it for me to go? If I don’t want to speak, I can only be a background figure. In that case, I’d rather have a good sleep. When it’s my turn, I can perform better. Don’t you agree?"

The staff absurdly felt that Maya Monroe’s reasoning made some sense. That part of the program didn’t require her, so she could sleep and recharge for a bit...

Maya Monroe saw his hesitance and knew she had half succeeded: "There are so many guests on stage, I’m not some big star, who would notice if I’m missing? You’d better hurry away, I’ll just rest here for a bit. Look, am I not still on the stage? I haven’t left the stage!"

"As long as I haven’t left the stage, what’s the difference between hiding in this corner and stomping my feet over there?"

"One needs to be adaptable. By resting a bit, I can perform better. Do you know why I was unwilling to perform just now?"

The staff stared directly at her, displaying a hint of confusion, and stupidly asked, "Why?"

"Because I’m very tired. If I rest a bit now, I can adjust my state."

Maya Monroe looked around and gave a rare compliment, "Your stage is quite big, not bad."

If it were closer, she wouldn’t be able to slack off so conveniently.

The staff hesitated for a second, then walked in the direction of the backstage, probably going to ask the leader.

Seeing him leave, Maya Monroe sighed with relief and continued to close her eyes.

Alisa Shelby showed a little nervousness as she waited for her turn.

They had just reviewed so many guests’ photos, and they might be a bit tired. If her photo isn’t particularly stunning, this round of the game might be risky.

She worked so hard on the balancing beam earlier, and Alisa Shelby would hate to lose here.

However, she didn’t show it on her face, still maintaining an air of calmness and otherworldly fairy-like demeanor, only her slightly pursed lips betraying her emotions.

When Alisa Shelby’s photo was displayed, someone on the judging panel exclaimed. It was a young man wearing a baseball hat, with unconcealed excitement on his face, "Oh my God, this photo is incredible! I’ve heard about Alisa’s beauty before, and now seeing it, she truly lives up to the legend, the photo... is as beautiful as her in person!"

He was lying; the photo was probably a bit prettier than the person.

Alisa Shelby is clearly someone who knows how to take photos, choosing flawless angles that show her face small without hiding her ethereal aura.

But judging is only based on the photo; this picture is indeed a masterpiece.

The young man didn’t hesitate to speak, "I think it’s really beautiful!"

His tone overflowed with excitement, different from his previous polite manner.

The remaining guests also shared their opinions, all praising how beautiful Alisa Shelby’s photo was...

Alisa Shelby listened to everyone’s evaluations and finally felt at ease, glad her efforts in posing didn’t go to waste.

In fact, photography is her forte. Given that her public persona is "beauty," she spends a lot of effort on posting photos.

Brian Bennett couldn’t help but admire, "This is master-level work. Perhaps Alisa could consider another career as a photographer."

Bella Sanford stood to the side and sighed as if helpless, "Actually, having only photography skills isn’t enough. Without Alisa’s face, no matter how you shoot, the effect won’t be stunning. Just like me, I never look good in photos!"

The audience was amused by her self-deprecating words.

Brian Bennett patted her shoulder, "Be confident, to me, you’re very beautiful."

"Well, thank you, Brian."

The two have been longtime partners, effortlessly creating a lively atmosphere through their interaction.

Alisa Shelby heard their compliments and smiled slightly, not revealing her teeth, looking elegant and shy, "Brian and Bella, you’re flattering me."

Bella Sanford laughed, "We’re speaking the truth; your beauty is officially recognized!"

Indeed, Alisa Shelby had once been in the top ten of the most beautiful faces and consistently remained on the list, which has always been a significant bragging point for her.

Meanwhile, Kiki Monroe was nearly gnashing her silver teeth.

But she quickly figured it out; it’s just a game, and no matter how Alisa boasts, she’s just a pretty face. With her own diligence and hard work, when she wins the award, she will easily outshine her!

Plus, this round isn’t necessarily Alisa Shelby’s win. Her own photos aren’t bad either. What if, what if... Her luck has always been fantastic since she was a child!

Soon, the judges reviewed many photos from the guests. Although scores hadn’t been announced yet, most had a general sense of who stood out: Kiki Monroe, Leo Lancaster, Alisa Shelby, and Miles Wallace.

Brian Bennett’s voice rang out once more, interrupting everyone’s thoughts, "There’s one last guest’s photo left—Maya Monroe!"

Only then did the guests realize there was still a photo that hadn’t been shown. Maya Monroe had disappeared without anyone noticing.

Brian Bennett scanned the crowd in confusion, "Maya Monroe? Where is Maya Monroe?"

Someone shouted, "She seems to have fallen asleep!"

Having seen all kinds of performers on variety shows, Brian Bennett was already skilled in discerning people’s characters, which left him with a lasting impression of Maya Monroe—a celebrity who loves to slack off.

Brian Bennett and Bella Sanford walked to the front and quickly found Maya Monroe napping in the corner.