I Became the Top Competitor in a Talent Show Novel - Chapter 14

“Renxing Entertainment, please get ready.”

Xie Tongyue’s soft and gentle voice was like tossing a bomb into still water. Every trainee in the room turned their heads in unison toward one direction. Some who had been fighting sleep instantly snapped awake, staring straight at the five tall silhouettes in the second-to-last row.

Renxing Entertainment—one of the top entertainment companies in Huaxia. With countless artists under its banner, A-listers there were as common as cabbages in the market. The mere mention of “Renxing” drew everyone’s full attention.

By contrast, the girl who stood up beside them was almost ignored.

Flipping through a resume, Xie Tongyue sighed with emotion. “Renxing, huh.”

Sitting beside her, Shi Xinxin smiled. “Sister Xie’s old company.”

Anyone familiar with Xie Tongyue knew she had originally been an artist at Renxing. It was Renxing that had cultivated her from the ground up. After many years of fame, she founded her own studio, though some contracts still tied her to Renxing. In a sense, she was still half a Renxing artist.

“That’s right. But I won’t be going easy on them,” Xie Tongyue said, pointing to her eyes with two fingers before turning back to the stage. “In fact, I’ll be more serious.”

Trainees from big companies usually received more rigorous training and more professional instruction. As the first large-company trainees to appear on stage, expectations ran high.

With a faint smile, Xie Tongyue set aside the five resumes of Renxing’s trainees. Her gaze fell on the topmost girl before lifting lightly toward the stage where an individual trainee had just stepped out.

Her eyes lit up.

Su Mengyao flashed a big, bright smile, waving enthusiastically. “Hello everyone, my name is Su Mengyao. I’m eighteen years old. I’m an individual trainee and haven’t had any formal training yet!”

“Another eighteen-year-old,” Xie Tongyue said with a note of envy. “Did you just finish the college entrance exams too?”

“Yes!” Su Mengyao nodded, her fluffy hair bouncing adorably, making people want to reach out and touch it.

Vocal instructor Teng Jia jumped right in. “So, do you think this year’s exams were hard? Are you confident?”

“Uh…” Su Mengyao looked a little troubled.

“Don’t you dare say ‘not bad.’ I’m allergic to that answer!” Teng Jia scolded.

The other mentors covered their faces helplessly as laughter broke out.

Scratching her cheek, Su Mengyao admitted honestly, “I usually do okay in school, but this year’s exam—I really wasn’t too sure. As long as I get into a university, I’ll be fine!”

“Such a cheerful one,” Shi Xinxin said with a smile. She pressed Teng Jia’s arm down to stop her from grilling about exams. “We’re here for an audition—it’s just another kind of test!”

Xie Tongyue wasn’t done yet. Smiling with squinted eyes, she asked a question she’d asked Chi Meng earlier. “So, which is harder—exams, or being a trainee?”

Without hesitation, Su Mengyao replied firmly, “I think the exams are easier! Same as Sister Chi Meng. You see, with a test paper, I can answer most of the questions, but when it comes to singing and dancing, I’m really not good at it yet!”

Her crestfallen expression made many laugh.

Xu Shengling asked, “So you joined the program because you like a challenge?”

At that, Su Mengyao looked embarrassed, pursed her lips, and shook her head. With a shy smile, she explained, “Sister Chi Meng likes challenges. I just happened to join.”

She didn’t elaborate further, and the mentors didn’t push. But Teng Jia, flipping through resumes, pulled out one that had been tucked beneath the others. Looking from the paper to Su Mengyao, she asked curiously, “Wait—you called her Sister Chi Meng? But she’s actually half a year younger than you.”

On stage, Su Mengyao’s smile instantly froze. She lifted her head, staring up at the light-soaked judges’ table.

“Huh?”

Backstage, arms crossed as she watched the screen, Song Jiaqi raised a brow. Right after Su Mengyao’s “huh,” the camera quickly panned to Class B, zooming straight in on a certain someone.

Chi Meng sat calmly, arms folded. Even when her real age was exposed, she remained unbothered. Seeing so many people turn toward her, she tilted her head deliberately, pressing her index and middle fingers to her forehead in a playful salute to Su Mengyao.

“Ohhh~” Xie Tongyue also turned toward Chi Meng. Resting casually on the armrest, she chuckled into the mic. “Looks like our Chi Meng isn’t quite as obedient as we thought—‘bullying classmates.’”

Chi Meng immediately dropped her hand and crossed her arms in front of her chest, smiling innocently. “Not at all! I thought Mengyao was younger than me, and when she called me sister, of course I agreed. Mengyao ‘little sister’ is just too cute!”

On stage, Su Mengyao’s eyes went wide.

Standing in the wings, Song Jiaqi let out a soft laugh, not exposing her. She knew very well—when they’d sat together before, Chi Meng had already known Su Mengyao was two days older and fully an adult.

She was doing it on purpose.

The lighthearted chatter finally brought laughter back to the long-seated trainees. The host steered things back on track. Su Mengyao shook out her hands as if to toss away the embarrassment, licked her lips, and raised the mic.

The sound engineer pressed play, and familiar music filled the hall.

Chi Meng froze—she knew this song!

On stage, Su Mengyao bounced energetically.

“Bok choy, mustard greens, water spinach, lettuce—”

Her pitch came out a little high, the ending note soaring out of control like a musical note splitting in mid-air.

Everyone: “…pfft.”

Chi Meng raised a hand to cover her mouth, coughing lightly.

It was Su Mengyao’s first time holding a mic, and she hadn’t expected that mishap. Flustered at first, she quickly calmed down, carrying on as she’d rehearsed. Singing “Pleasant Goat, Beautiful Goat” while wiggling around, she was even more lively than 019 had ever described.

Her voice was crisp, shaky but determined, and despite the rocky start she never showed fear. With persistence and passion, she made it through the whole song, dancing with childlike vigor.

By the end, she was dripping with sweat.

Her dance was ridiculously cute, like a kindergarten recital number. But paired with Su Mengyao’s fluffy head and radiant energy, it felt strangely fitting and hilarious.

When the song ended, mentors and trainees alike rose to their feet, applauding.

“Thank you, thank you!” Su Mengyao bowed quickly, exhaling with relief and flashing a brilliant grin to the cameras.

Xie Tongyue laughed until tears shone in her eyes. “At least we saw her effort. That spirit is admirable.”

Chi Meng gave her a big thumbs-up.

Impressive.

Backstage, Renxing’s trainees clapped as well. Shen Zhu patted Song Jiaqi’s shoulder suddenly and said, “Good luck.”

Song Jiaqi: “…”

She glanced at the TV screen where Su Mengyao was smiling so brightly, then curled her lip.

Effort? No way.

She refused to become the stepping stone for the female lead again. Even if Su Mengyao wanted to trample her way upward, Song Jiaqi would rather be the worst stone in her path.

Unsurprisingly, Su Mengyao was graded F. She wasn’t shocked, only offered an embarrassed smile to the mentors.

As always, Xie Tongyue encouraged her. “Your overall ability is behind many of the others, but your enthusiasm surpasses them. I hope you can turn that enthusiasm into real progress in the training camp. Keep it up.”

“I will! Thank you, teachers!”

Bouncing like a little puppy, Su Mengyao returned to her seat. She looked up deliberately, made a face at Chi Meng, and brightened when Chi Meng secretly gave her a thumbs-up.

The female lead is the female lead. After all, don’t they say girls who smile are lucky?

Chi Meng shivered at the cheesy thought.

With Su Mengyao’s performance over, the next turn belonged to—Renxing Entertainment. The words flashed like gold on the big screen.

The lighthearted atmosphere instantly snapped tight. Trainees from Xinghuo, Lehai’an, and Liu Yue, who currently sat at center, all straightened their shoulders.

The silent beat of footsteps grew closer from the starry tunnel until a figure in red stepped through the doors.

Earlier, Yun Guo had cried from her stage mistake. Now she leapt up, shrieking, “Ahhh! They changed outfits!”

“So cool! Renxing!!”

“They’re so handsome!!”

The five who stepped out were immediately engulfed in cheers. Even the mentors’ eyes glinted with amusement and surprise.

Rap mentor Bao Ziyu teased, “Sister Xie, Renxing, huh? Renxing.”

Xie Tongyue pulled the resumes closer, laughing as she echoed, “Renxing.”

“Wowww—” 019 gasped in awe. “They look so impressive! When will you get that kind of presence, Host?”

Chi Meng didn’t bother pointing out that just earlier 019 had told her she might as well go home after elimination. Instead, she said lazily, “Oh, maybe back at KTV. Remember? Campus idol, real popularity?”

019 whined, “But this crowd is way bigger!”

“I’ve spoken in the school auditorium before,” Chi Meng replied.

“…You’re so competitive!”

Chi Meng paused, chuckled softly, and stood.

Trainees all around stood as well, blocking her view.

On stage, the five Renxing trainees wore modified crimson costumes. Skirts tied tight at the wrists, high ponytails swinging, mics in one hand, folding fans in the other. Their presence was vigorous, brimming with heroic beauty.

Shen Zhu stood in the center, eyes calm and steady. “Hello everyone, we are—”

Snap! Five fans opened and shut in unison. They bowed like heroines from a martial epic.

“Renxing Entertainment, Onena Girl!”

Their voices rang in perfect harmony, movements synchronized. As Shen Zhu bent low, her eyes betrayed a hint of helplessness—because Song Jiaqi hadn’t joined in on the slogan.

“Please take care of us!”

Xie Tongyue scanned them carefully, hands folded, skipping any small talk. “Begin your performance.”

“Ready.” Shen Zhu’s command rang clear, and the other four swiftly took their positions.

The flute began. Five girls turned their backs, then spun in sync, fans snapping open with golden calligraphy glinting against black.

Shen Zhu’s gaze shone like starlight as her voice filled the hall: “See the mountains all ablaze, follow me, every tone precise and round…”

The audience gasped in awe.

The energy was on a completely different level from previous performances.

Red as fire, black hair cascading like waterfalls, their eyes gleamed sharply behind their fans, pulling everyone into a grand, ancient painting.

“…Whose verses have been sung for a thousand years?”

Rappers Song Yingjun and Shen Zhu traded lines like shadow and substance, alternating roles seamlessly.

“Yo, why are you hesitating in the corner, we’ve only just begun—don’t thank me yet!”

Another rapper, Ye Qing, cut in smoothly: “Clear, fluent, with a touch of wit—”

Lead vocalist Shen Zhu returned to center: “Raising my head, a heroic cry…”

Their powerful dance matched perfectly, movements crisp like the pages of identical books flipping in unison. No mistakes, no stumbles. The trainees watching were speechless, eyes glued to the stage.

Then came a playful section. The sharp aura dissolved into laughter as two girls acted out a skit: one tugging the other’s ear while singing, “Why are you mad again, please don’t hit me.” The audience chuckled, eyes crinkling with smiles.

Until Shen Zhu struck a pose, fan in hand, and recited with poised elegance: “When wild geese return, the moon fills the western tower.”

“For love’s sake, one can die, and from death, love can rise…”

The fan’s sharp snap merged with a lazy, magnetic voice. Chi Meng’s bright eyes widened as a black-haired girl strode forward. That voice—unmistakable.

Song Jiaqi’s voice elevated the already dazzling stage into brilliance. Strength softened into tenderness, her graceful steps weaving gentle emotion into martial heroism.

Chi Meng swallowed, hearing sighs all around, and couldn’t help smiling faintly as she glanced at Jiaqi’s downcast brows.

“See the mountains all ablaze, follow me, every tone precise and round…”

Shen Zhu truly deserved her captaincy. With her commanding the mic, no one could look away. Her presence anchored the performance, her voice carrying immense power.

Toward the end, they added something new.

As “the mountains all ablaze” echoed again, a sudden drumbeat rang. Shen Zhu turned steadily, chest rising but breath firm, facing Lingyao. “See the mountains all ablaze.”

Lingyao turned too.

Then four repeated it in succession—until finally Song Jiaqi.

She arched a brow, and the five snapped into diagonal formation, executing a flawless backflip. Crimson skirts flared like fire as they landed in unison.

“See the mountains all ablaze, follow me, every tone precise and round!”

The dance mentor leapt to her feet, applauding.

Chi Meng’s pupils trembled. She realized her own hands were raised high, shouting with the rest.

“Ahhh! Shen Zhu-jie, I love you!!” screamed Su Mengyao from her seat.

“So strong… they’re so strong!” gasped stunned trainees, reduced to clapping.

“What a gorgeous flip!”

“So cool, I want to learn that move!!”

As the song closed, the five struck their final poses—Shen Zhu in the undeniable center, fan at her chest, golden “Renxing” gleaming. The others crouched or leaned at her sides, frozen in power.

Chi Meng’s gaze caught on the girl with a fan hiding half her face—Song Jiaqi. Something felt off.

The performance was perfect, but Jiaqi had few lines. The distribution, the team dynamics, all suggested strength. The flip proved her ability. And yet her careless behavior, her attitude back at KTV…

Song Jiaqi was holding back.

Thunderous applause followed. Shen Zhu exhaled in relief, smiling warmly as she high-fived her exhausted teammates.

“Great work,” she told them.

“Excellent,” Xie Tongyue agreed, her eyes shining with excitement.

“That was an absolutely perfect stage,” Shi Xinxin said. “Your effort shows, and it was even better than many debuted groups’ performances. I loved it.”

Trainees in the pyramid seats looked hollow, their envy and admiration plain. Renxing was Renxing. They could only bow their heads in awe.

“Very good,” Teng Jia added.

“Why didn’t your company just debut you as a group already?” Rap mentor A Meng joked to Xie Tongyue. “Sister Xie, just tell President Song to make it happen!”

Feigning mock horror, Xie Tongyue laughed while flipping through resumes. “Let’s move to scoring.”

The mentors set down their mics to discuss. On stage, Shen Zhu steadied her breath, glancing at her nervous teammates. She knew her own strength but worried for the others—especially—

Song Jiaqi, who stood quiet as a shadow.

After some time, the mentors turned back. Teng Jia smiled at Shen Zhu. “This stage—you designed it?”

“Yes, I worked it out with my teammates,” Shen Zhu answered immediately.

“Good captain,” Luan Xiu praised.

Pulling out her resume, Teng Jia smiled warmly. “You did excellently. The stage had immense impact. It was a true success.”

Shen Zhu beamed.

“But—” Teng Jia shifted tone. “I could also see you emphasizing strengths and covering weaknesses. Still, our eyes were drawn only to you. You were the soul of this performance. Shen Zhu, you absolutely deserve an A. Your strength is undeniable. Keep it up.”

“Thank you, teachers!” Shen Zhu said at once.

“Next, Song Yingjun,” A Meng called. Nervous, she clutched Shen Zhu’s hand.

“A.”

Both smiled in relief.

“Lingyao, A.”

Trainees sighed and applauded.

Three of Renxing’s five had already entered Class A!

Ye Qing, after performing a short piece at the rap mentor’s request, fell a bit short but still earned a B.

All eyes then landed on Song Jiaqi.

The mentors’ earpieces buzzed with reminders, leaving them momentarily silent. Confusion rippled through the trainees.

Xie Tongyue spoke first. “Song Jiaqi… throughout the performance, aside from the shared backflip segment, I only heard you sing a single line. Now we’re giving you a chance to show us your ability. Would you like to perform something?”

Jiaqi’s face showed no surprise, no nervousness—only calm indifference. Facing their offer, she raised the mic and said evenly:

“Sorry.”

Chi Meng’s brows knitted tight.

Classmate Jiaqi, what on earth are you doing?

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