I Became the Top Competitor in a Talent Show Novel - Chapter 27.2

“A wise person stops a rumor! Calm down, all of you!” Chi Meng shouted, utterly failing to remain calm herself.

By the time they were dismissed in the afternoon, all trainees from all five classes had heard about the “Class F Morning Practice Room Dance Battle Incident.” It was said the scene was tragic and intense. Shen Zhu and Xue Weiran even came over to the Class F practice room to check on the two.

Inside the practice room, Chi Meng and Song Jiaqi were actually exchanging tips on a dance move, with no hint of the rumored brawl.

“Tch, boring,” Xue Weiran said, sitting on the floor with her hands cupping her face.

Chi Meng said expressionlessly, “The latest news is that we’ve made up. Supposedly, we became friends after the fight, in a way where we admired each other’s strength. Didn’t you know?”

“Boss, your news is outdated.”

Song Jiaqi also looked helpless.

Shen Zhu glanced at Song Jiaqi with some surprise, smiled, and said, “Well, I knew it wasn’t true. I came over to ask about your progress.”

Chi Meng knew Shen Zhu was there for Song Jiaqi. Since Shen Zhu was present, she told Shen Zhu about the planned sister-battle with Song Jiaqi and asked if she could be the judge.

Shen Zhu’s eyes lit up when she heard this. She said excitedly, “Really? Yes!”

Her looks were cool and reserved, and she rarely showed emotion, but her smile was like a blossoming jade flower. “I will judge fairly and impartially!”

At this point, Xue Weiran raised her hand and lazily said, “I request to join the referee team. I protest that Fragrant Shen and Song Jiaqi are from the same company and should be recused!”

Shen Zhu lowered the corners of her mouth, making her look cold. She said to Xue Weiran, “Request denied. This judge has a veto power.”

Xue Weiran jumped up, stretching her arm straight, “I demand to veto the judge’s veto power!”

“I ask the organizer to uphold the fairness of the competition!”

Chi Meng and Song Jiaqi: “…”

The two beautiful girls in Class A’s pink uniforms stared at each other, neither willing to yield. Chi Meng touched her chin and suddenly said, “Since things have come to this, why don’t you two battle?”

“This is the practice room. Whoever wins, the other listens to them.”

Song Jiaqi agreed, “Strength is everything.”

Xue Weiran curved her lips and said to Shen Zhu, “Captain Xiang Xiang, dare you compete with me?”

Shen Zhu sneered, “Bring it on!”

The battle content was the theme song. Chi Meng went to the front to adjust the music. Just then, a girl in a blue uniform rushed in through the door and whispered, “Chi Meng, did you fight with Song Jiaqi?”

Her volume control failed, and her voice rose sharply. Everyone’s gaze turned toward them.

Chi Meng slowly raised her head and said leisurely, “Firstly, we’ve supposedly made up. Secondly, Qi Yan classmate, your voice is so sweet~”

Qi Yan: “…”

She slowly stood up straight, her face flushing.

After Chi Meng dispelled the rumor for her, Qi Yan joined the judging panel. She actually wanted to ask about the evening practice, but was too embarrassed to speak after the comment about her voice. Chi Meng only said the voice was pleasant and didn’t elaborate. The other three also didn’t tease her or offer an opinion, which made Qi Yan breathe a sigh of relief.

The instrumental-only track began. Shen Zhu, the first to perform, flashed a brilliant smile at the four people in front of her and began to dance to the music. Her clean, precise, rhythmic, and powerful moves wiped the smile off Chi Meng’s face. In Class F, Chi Meng was undoubtedly the fastest to memorize the dance, though many movements were not executed perfectly due to poor fundamentals. However, watching Shen Zhu’s performance, she suddenly realized:

She was terrible.

Her own dancing was simply abysmal.

The difference was night and day.

“Just look at me, go be an idol! Watch me become the one in ten thousand star!” Shen Zhu sang loudly. Even though the three people watching her showed little expression, she remained enthusiastic, her smile bright, as if countless people were cheering for her.

“Please choose me, just be an idol, I am the one-in-a-million star! You light me up, let the world go crazy for me—”

When the song ended, Shen Zhu put her hands behind her back, panting lightly, and smiled as she looked forward.

Five seconds later, she lowered her hands, her expression calming down, and asked, “How was it?”

Chi Meng, Song Jiaqi, and Qi Yan applauded in unison. Qi Yan couldn’t help but say, “That was amazing…”

In just a day and a half, Shen Zhu had mastered the entire dance. Truly worthy of a Class A trainee.

Xue Weiran stood up, clapped her hands together and stretched them high, then slowly said, “But you made a mistake on one move, Captain Shen. Allow this ‘C’ (Center) to teach you.”

Chi Meng obligingly reacted, “Oh!”

The two people next to her looked at Chi Meng in confusion.

Chi Meng smiled and reset the music. Shen Zhu swapped places with Xue Weiran, but the aura around them didn’t seem to change at all. As the music started, Xue Weiran curved her lips, looking ahead.

Chi Meng: They’re all masters of facial expressions!

I get it now, Bosses!

Xue Weiran’s voice was low and deep. Her rendition of the theme song was the complete opposite of Shen Zhu’s. The four people watched her performance intently, not noticing a quiet cameraman walking in to film the scene. After Xue Weiran’s performance, Shen Zhu suddenly crossed her arms, looking ahead with a pouty, slightly annoyed expression.

Xue Weiran laughed, walked over, and crouched in front of Shen Zhu. She rested her face on her hand and tilted her head, asking in a deliberately exaggerated tone, “What’s wrong, Captain Xiang? You didn’t notice your mistake after doing it for so long?”

Shen Zhu said coldly, “It won’t happen again.”

“I absolutely won’t make a mistake in the future.”

Xue Weiran smiled, turned to look at the other three, and raised an eyebrow.

Since both ‘Big Bosses’ had made their decision, the three naturally agreed, applauding to welcome Judge Xue to the referee team. Only then did Qi Yan realize the reason for the initial competition.

Song Jiaqi thought deeply, “What if there’s a tie?”

Chi Meng suggested, “How about Qi Yan also judges? She gets half a vote!”

“Fine,” Xue Weiran had no objection, and Shen Zhu nodded.

Only Song Jiaqi looked at Qi Yan and said with a smile, “No favoritism allowed, okay?”

Qi Yan, who hadn’t even agreed to join yet: “…Fine.”

“Let’s go eat. Will you two come back to train after dinner?” Shen Zhu asked.

Qi Yan immediately looked at Chi Meng.

Chi Meng nodded, “Absolutely.”

Her eyes sparkled. She said to Shen Zhu, “You can be a judge, and also a coach!”

Xue Weiran “tsked,” “What about me? Used and discarded?”

Chi Meng said, “The more coaches, the better.”

Practicing with Chi Meng and the others was also a way for them to review and find their own weaknesses. Xue Weiran and Shen Zhu agreed to come back after dismissal to help them practice. For now, they were preparing to go eat together. Chi Meng still had to go find Su Mengyao, who should currently be ‘eating rice’ (gàn fàn) in the cafeteria.

Before leaving, Chi Meng turned off the air conditioner, opened the window for ventilation, and finally walked up to a glowing camera. She held up her clean, make-up free face.

“Extra! Extra! Class A Big Bosses Xue Weiran and Shen Zhu had a fierce fight in the practice room after a disagreement! It was intense! Everyone come watch!”

Shen Zhu and Xue Weiran: “Hey!”

Soon, the Class F trainees noticed that Chi Meng often trained with Class A’s Xue Weiran and Class C’s Qi Yan. Now, every class had a dance instructor accompanying them for practice in the evening, but the instructors wouldn’t stay with them until late into the night. After nine o’clock was their self-practice time. After dismissal, everyone would usually stay to continue training until ten or eleven, with the most dedicated practicing until midnight. Chi Meng, who was always the last to leave, initially didn’t draw much attention.

Until one day, Jing Ming asked in the dorm room, “How come I feel like I never see Chi Meng in the dorm?”

Su Mengyao, slowly climbing down from her bed, mumbled, “Because she’s a monster who specializes in eating little trainees who don’t practice properly! Awoo—”

How can someone be the first to wake up and the last to leave, and still supervise me and Qi Yan! Of course, Qi Yan’s dancing was too good, so the one most strictly supervised was her, woo woo woo.

“Song Jiaqi has also vanished. She’s not in the dorm at night or the practice room during the day. If her things weren’t still here, I’d think she quit the show!” Jing Ming said, feeling surprised. Why would Song Jiaqi do that? Doesn’t she want any screen time?

Does she not want to debut?

A fellow trainee from the same dorm, coming over to wash up, patted Jing Ming and said tiredly, “Don’t worry about them. Hurry up, eat, and go train. Trainees who are excessively good-looking like them naturally get a lot of attention; that’s not what we should be worrying about. What we should worry about is that even good-looking trainees like them are working themselves to the bone—how can we give up!”

Jing Ming smiled bitterly and patted her friend back.

“I know, but the assessment is tomorrow! I only have today left, I’m so nervous!!”

This stirred up a commotion, and everyone agreed. The final assessment was approaching, and the entire training camp was shrouded in an atmosphere of tension. Everyone hummed the theme song while eating, walking, and even in the bathroom.

Most trainees were intensifying their practice that night, training later than before.

The bright lights of Ming Yi Building burned through the night.

In this atmosphere of tense preparation, Chi Meng soaked in the hot bath for a full six minutes, washing away the fatigue of the past week. Tomorrow she had both a major and a minor assessment. Tonight, she would recharge and rest well.

At 1:00 AM, Chi Meng got into bed and closed her eyes.

Then, she reached her hand through the bed rail and pinched Song Jiaqi’s face.

It was as soft as before.

Song Jiaqi, who was still awake, narrowed her eyes, removed Chi Meng’s hand, and whispered, “Do you often pinch me when I’m sleeping?”

The girl next to her was completely silent. Song Jiaqi leaned over and looked; Chi Meng was already asleep.

This turn-on and turn-off speed was faster than any electronic product.

Song Jiaqi carefully put her hand back, then retaliatorily pinched Chi Meng’s cheek and whispered, “Just wait to call me ‘Sister’.”

Down below, Su Mengyao, who was passing by, was stunned. She watched Song Jiaqi leaning over the rail, seemingly “up to no good” with Chi Meng!

Song Jiaqi gave Su Mengyao a cold glance, then turned over to face the wall, sleeping head-to-head with Chi Meng.

Su Mengyao: “…”

Forget it, I’m too tired. I should just sleep.

At 7:00 AM, Chi Meng woke up to the theme song alarm. This was the first time she had heard the wake-up bell. After singing along to it, she comfortably got out of bed.

The others in the dorm were groaning and staying in bed. Only Chi Meng walked to the window, pulled back the curtains, looked at the sunlight outside, and smiled brightly.

This life with six full hours of sleep is truly fulfilling and energizing!

Chi Meng (spreading her arms): Waking up in the morning, embracing the sun.

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