I Became the Top Competitor in a Talent Show Novel - Chapter 25.2

Three people were standing in the large practice room—two in front, one behind—dancing.

Yuan Sike exclaimed in surprise, “Weiran?”

Xue Weiran waved at her, then turned around and asked Chi Meng, “Did you remember this section?”

Chi Meng looked like she had been pulled out of water, her sweat-soaked clothes sticking to her. She gave Xue Weiran a brilliant smile and said loudly, “Thank you, Teacher Xue, you are amazing! You taught me so quickly!”

Xue Weiran hummed, gently pressing her palms together with a hint of arrogance, and said, “Then you continue to practice. I’m going to find my friend.”

She pointed at Yuan Sike.

“See you later, Big Shot!” Chi Meng saluted Xue Weiran.

Xue Weiran backed away, returning the salute.

After they left, Chi Meng picked up two bottles of water from the floor. She first handed one to Qi Yan beside her. After Qi Yan took it and chugged the whole bottle, she let out a sigh of relief. Chi Meng told her, “Let’s rest for a bit.”

Qi Yan was also drenched in sweat and nodded, looking at Chi Meng’s flushed face from the strenuous exercise.

Chi Meng walked around the room, setting the air conditioner fan blades to the highest position near the unit. When she came back, she invited Qi Yan to sit down, and casually picked up the lyric sheet. She said to Qi Yan, “Since we’re resting anyway, let’s practice the song. I’ll sing a line, and you sing a line. Can we do that?”

Qi Yan, the only person in the C class who hadn’t passed the initial song assessment: “…”

Two hours earlier.

Chi Meng was dancing alone in the quiet practice room, but because she had no dance foundation, she couldn’t get many of the moves right. To let the trainees rest early, the production team hadn’t arranged a dance teacher today, so Chi Meng simply went out to ask for help.

The Mingyi Building had six floors. The first floor had a lobby and a small auditorium; the second floor and above were classrooms.

The third and fourth floors housed the dance studios, with the five classes scattered across these two floors.

When Chi Meng came looking for help, only the C class light was on. Inside was someone following a video and dancing. Their movements were very unfamiliar, but they clearly had a professional dance background. Chi Meng’s eyes lit up. Wasn’t this the person she had been thinking about?

And it was Qi Yan, whom she had seen backstage!

Abs!

Qi Yan also saw Chi Meng. Her mostly expressionless face showed some confusion. Chi Meng went over to talk to her, asking if she could help correct a few of her moves. Qi Yan was a woman of few words and briefly told Chi Meng that she had only just started practicing the dance because she had been practicing singing all afternoon.

Chi Meng’s eyes shone even brighter. She said, “You just started learning, and I’m just getting started too. How about this: you dance in front, and I’ll learn from you behind?”

“How is your theme song practice going? I was the first person in F class to master the theme song. Maybe I can help you,” Chi Meng said with a smile.

But when the topic of singing came up… Qi Yan looked away.

“The theme song assessment requires both dance and vocal performance; you can’t neglect either,” Chi Meng gently advised.

Qi Yan didn’t reject Chi Meng. Ning Yuze was supposed to help her, but they were too familiar, and she couldn’t bring herself to open her mouth in front of Ning Yuze. Plus, Ning Yuze was exhausted from preparing for the first stage performance, and Qi Yan wanted her to rest well today.

Now, someone needed her help with dance coaching, and this person could also help her practice the song. Qi Yan agreed, but she found that things weren’t that simple, because she really… couldn’t open her mouth.

019 analyzed that Qi Yan might have experienced some kind of pain or trauma, and it wasn’t time for her to speak yet, but she would certainly have a stunning debut someday, as the novels all wrote.

Chi Meng: “…”

“But she clearly spoke during the first stage performance, even if it sounded like she was reading,” Chi Meng said.

019 was speechless: “…”

Qi Yan lowered her head, nervously pinching the lyric sheet, indicating that even though she couldn’t sing, it didn’t mean Chi Meng couldn’t follow her and dance, since she was also just starting.

Chi Meng was very grateful to Qi Yan and was thinking about how to get Qi Yan to speak when a C-class trainee, Dobby from Lehai Coast, came in to practice and looked at them in surprise. Chi Meng noticed the awkward expression on Qi Yan’s face and invited her to come sit in the F class.

On the way to the F class, they ran into Xue Weiran going up the stairs.

Chi Meng’s eyes lit up again, and she called out affectionately, “Big Shot!”

The Big Shot stopped, looked at Chi Meng, leaned against the railing, and said gracefully, “State your request.”

Then, the Big Shot was invited to the F class by Chi Meng. Chi Meng sang the theme song for the Big Shot, and Qi Yan danced the segment of the theme song she had just learned for the Big Shot, asking for a critique. The Big Shot was silent for a moment, then suggested they all study and improve together.

So, from 9 PM, they “improved together” until 10 PM.

But even Xue Weiran couldn’t do anything about Qi Yan’s refusal to sing.

Now, Chi Meng sat on the floor, cupping her face and looking at Qi Yan, unable to resist saying, “Did you suffer some kind of trauma or shock?”

Qi Yan’s face darkened, and she was full of question marks.

“No!” she said, suppressing her voice.

Just then, the F-class door was pushed open. Su Mengyao and Jing Ming came in, hugging each other. Their eyes lit up the moment they saw Chi Meng, as if meeting a long-lost relative!

Chi Meng was also pleasantly surprised to see Su Mengyao. She immediately called her over and said with a smile to Qi Yan, “That’s good. Okay, I’ll find you a companion to learn singing with. Let’s see if her influence can help you take the first step.”

Su Mengyao skipped over and sat down next to Chi Meng. She was just about to tell Chi Meng the dorm’s “ghost story” to scare her when Chi Meng suddenly handed her the lyrics.

Chi Meng said gently, “Come on, sing a section. Let me hear it.”

Su Mengyao had been wanting to talk to Chi Meng about this anyway, so she immediately cleared her throat, knelt on the floor, chest out, head held high, and began to sing the theme song in her loud voice.

Half a minute later, Chi Meng smiled with her chin resting in her hand, Qi Yan looked bewildered, and Jing Ming stared blankly for a moment, then asked distractedly, “Did Teacher Luan really teach us to sing like that this afternoon?”

Su Mengyao was surprised. “No? I sang exactly as the teacher taught this afternoon! And I passed the assessment!”

Qi Yan, who hadn’t passed the assessment, nervously crumpled the paper in her hands.

“Then let’s learn it again,” Chi Meng said. Jing Ming also sat down.

Chi Meng copied Teacher Luan Xiu’s initial method: she taught a line, and everyone sang a line. Encouragingly, although Chi Meng didn’t hear Qi Yan’s voice, she saw her mouth moving and following along!

This was all thanks to Su Mengyao!

Could this be the legendary protagonist halo?

019 was speechless.

After finally helping Su Mengyao find the correct tune, Qi Yan taught them the dance. The difference between F class and C class was apparent. Only Chi Meng, who had been training all evening, could just about keep up.

Chi Meng spent two hours forcing herself to memorize the front part of the choreography, but some things—just because the brain knows—don’t mean the limbs will follow. She just needed to practice more.

Two hours later, Jing Ming and Su Mengyao were lying on the floor, practically spitting out their souls. Qi Yan was leaning against the wall, resting with dull eyes, only to have Chi Meng hand her the lyric sheet again.

“Meng—Sister Chi Meng, we should go back to sleep. Let’s continue tomorrow,” Su Mengyao mumbled, looking at Chi Meng as if she were a devil. Although Qi Yan was the one teaching them to dance, Qi Yan, the teacher, didn’t dare to stop because Chi Meng hadn’t said to!

Chi Meng sat on the floor with her legs apart and gave a slight smile. A drop of sweat ran down her forehead, paused briefly on her delicate chin, and landed on her pale chest, slipping deep into her clothes.

She gently asked Su Mengyao, “Have you memorized the lyrics?”

“Are you singing in tune now?”

“Have you memorized all the dance moves I taught you?”

Su Mengyao froze and slowly turned her head away.

Chi Meng chuckled lightly, “You want to go back to sleep when you haven’t even achieved those things?”

She spoke with deep anguish, “How can you sleep at your age!”

Su Mengyao (spitting out her soul): I’d even rather go back and face Song Jiaqi’s mockery!

Song Jiaqi to Chi Meng (giving a thumbs up): Good job.

Chi Meng to Song Jiaqi (smiling slightly): You’re next.

Information Summary:

• • Yuan Sike: Xinghuo Entertainment, teammate of Xue Weiran, currently in C class.

• • Hua Xiaowei: Feiyue Media, currently in B class.

• • Jing Ming: Starry Sky Entertainment, currently in F class.

• • Qi Yan: In C class, struggling with singing.

• • Su Mengyao: In F class, passed the theme song initial assessment.

• • Song Jiaqi: In F class dorm, but frequently absent from group training.

• • Chi Meng: In F class dorm, very dedicated to practice, trying to help Qi Yan and others.

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