I Became the Top Competitor in a Talent Show Novel - Chapter 3
Meng Limin took a deep breath, suppressing her anger, and said to Chi Meng,
“Sorry, could you please step out for now? I’ll pay the cleaning fee.”
Again, she was being asked to leave?
Chi Meng turned without protest, but before her foot lifted, the drunkard on the sofa shouted discontentedly,
“Don’t go!”
Ignoring the dark expression on the woman beside her, she curved her lips toward Chi Meng,
“Was it you who brought me milk and a blanket yesterday?”
Chi Meng glanced at the thin blanket that had slipped to the floor under the sofa and gave a soft “Mm.”
Song Jiaqi nodded, then said to Meng Limin,
“She has a good character. Sign her. Better than me.”
“Sign your damn head!” Meng Limin could no longer hold back and roared.
“You’ve been holed up at home for half a month. If I don’t let you drink at home, you sneak out to get drunk? You insist on ruining yourself like this?”
Chi Meng felt she shouldn’t be standing here, but each time she so much as moved, that girl named Song Jiaqi would immediately lock her eyes on her.
Really drunk? Chi Meng doubted it.
Meng Limin was already fuming, uncaring that there was an outsider in the room.
“What can’t you discuss with us? We already agreed—you’d audition for Director Zhang’s crew, debut in a solid role. The company has money, resources, would promote you every way possible, and you just quit on your own?”
Her head buzzed. She kept taking deep breaths, reminding herself that this was the daughter of the Renxing conglomerate, spoiled since childhood, never having tasted hardship. Of course she could afford to act willful. And she was still so young—what would she know about the struggles of working people? What could she do but forgive her?
Ha.
She’s just a child!
Ha.
So Meng Limin plastered on a smile, rolled up her sleeves, grabbed Song Jiaqi by the arm, and yanked her up, gritting her teeth.
“What is it? Did you secretly date against company rules and get dumped? Or commit some crime and expect to be arrested tomorrow? Don’t feed me crap about being terminally ill, drinking yourself to death! I checked your last physical report—you’re perfectly healthy!”
“Who taught you to smoke and drink? You learn nothing good, only the bad, is that it?”
Song Jiaqi’s vision spun, the world swaying as if collapsing the next second. Meng Limin’s voice drifted in and out, as though from another world.
But her world had already collapsed.
“Hahaha.” Song Jiaqi burst out laughing, her hoarse voice tinged with mockery as Meng Limin’s face grew uglier. Raising a wine bottle, she whispered,
“Shhh… don’t worry. We all have a bright future.”
Then she shouted,
“Freedom!”
She laughed until her whole body shook.
Chi Meng: “…”
“You just said this was the dazzling future second female lead?” she asked 019. “Second lead or lunatic?”
019 hesitated, “Y-yes… maybe there are still other plotlines before the heroine shows up? But my level is too low, I can’t access other characters’ storylines.”
Chi Meng: “Fine then.”
Meng Limin sat down, rubbing her forehead, forcing calm.
Next to her, the drenched Song Jiaqi had gone quiet, lying there staring blankly at the air, slowly blinking like a soulless puppet.
On the black TV screen, the reflection of a young girl’s face looked back at her expressionlessly.
How ridiculous.
Song Jiaqi thought.
This world… was only a novel.
And she was merely a side character—always compared to the heroine, forever outshone, unable to win anything. No wonder all her achievements would always be eclipsed by the heroine, no wonder everything she reached for slipped away.
She was nothing but a stupid donkey chasing a dangling carrot, a foil on the heroine’s road to glory, a stepping stone for the plot. Forever a step behind. Forever failing. Forever losing.
Everything she prided herself on was just a few words of character setting. All of it was fake!
Fake!
She was only a side character.
Just a side character in this novel.
“Thunk.”
The wine bottle hit the ground, and the girl beside it collapsed back onto the sofa.
Meng Limin’s fingers curled into a fist against her forehead.
“Sorry, could you please bring us two glasses of warm water?” she said wearily to Chi Meng.
“Of course,” Chi Meng replied quickly.
She left without looking back, doing what a passerby should do—making space.
Inside, Meng Limin fished a lighter from under herself, lit a cigarette, and asked deeply,
“Tell me. Who is he?”
Song Jiaqi’s gaze shifted, eyes deep.
Who?
What else could cause an eighteen-year-old girl to act so broody, brokenhearted?
“The man who dumped you. I want his name,” Meng Limin growled, the cigarette twisting in her grip.
I’ll kill him!
“Pfft—cough cough.” Song Jiaqi’s eyes quickly misted. Her black hair trembled against her shoulders as she bent down, face buried in her arms like a swan with a drooping neck.
At first, Meng Limin thought she was crying. Watching closer, she realized—she was laughing. Laughing in trembling fits, as if she’d won the lottery.
“Ha.” Song Jiaqi couldn’t hold back. She lifted her head.
The steady sunlight outlined her slim figure. Her face, breathtakingly beautiful, finally showed a trace of liveliness—so vivid one had to hold their breath.
“Meng-jie, what are you imagining?” She wiped away a tear at the corner of her eye. “Me, in love with someone?”
Meng Limin didn’t believe her. Her eyes swept over the room full of bottles and sneered.
Keep making things up.
Make up as much as you can.
See if I believe you.
Song Jiaqi couldn’t possibly explain she had suddenly been reborn at eighteen. Her head pounded, her heart weighed down like lead sinking into icy water.
She didn’t want to explain. She couldn’t. She lowered her gaze and muttered,
“I’ve hit adolescence. Rebellious.”
The words left Meng Limin choking, unable to breathe in or out.
“Fine. Then tell me—when will this rebellious phase end?” Meng Limin pressed. “Do you even want to act anymore? You begged for this chance, when President Song refused at first. You pushed until she agreed you could act after the college entrance exam. Your dream is about to come true—and you want to give up?”
“Think about all these years of juggling company training and school. Do you really want to throw it away?”
Song Jiaqi said nothing, her fingers trembling.
Her unfocused eyes fell on the cigarette box.
Meng Limin seized her wrist.
“I’m your manager. President Song entrusted you to me, so I’m responsible. From the company’s standpoint, after all the effort they’ve invested, you can’t just walk away.”
“I can pay the penalty fee,” Song Jiaqi murmured.
As if anyone cared about money moving from one pocket to another! Meng Limin sneered, released her, and rummaged for her bag on the floor. She pulled out a contract, swept bottles off the table, and slammed it down.
What? Song Jiaqi glanced at it but lost interest, reaching for the cigarette box—only to have the rolled-up contract smack her hand.
Song Jiaqi: “…”
“With the state you’re in, you think you can still act? I found you another job,” Meng Limin said.
“I don’t want to work,” Song Jiaqi muttered, dizzy but coldly clear-headed.
Wasn’t it humiliating enough the last life? Must she repeat it?
Meng Limin ignored her, continuing,
“You refused therapy, but I followed the psychologist’s advice and got you a new environment—surrounded by peers, positive energy, maybe it’ll heal your wounded heart.”
“…Again, I didn’t date anyone, nor did I get dumped,” Song Jiaqi said flatly.
“Of course, darling, you’re right. Who would dare dump you?” Meng Limin’s tone softened, still mocking. “Come on, here’s the pen. Sign first. You still remember how to write your name, right?”
“Your hand still works, doesn’t it?”
Fire still burned in her chest, her words laced with sarcasm.
After over a decade together, they knew each other well. Song Jiaqi knew if she didn’t sign today, Meng Limin would hound her every waking moment.
With a cold heart, she resigned herself, flipped through the contract, but the words blurred and danced. Irritated, she snapped,
“Just tell me directly.”
Meng Limin shoved the contract in front of her eyes.
“Star Journey—Audition!”
Audition?
Song Jiaqi froze. She had heard of the program—it had run for years. The groups it produced never became very popular, though some former contestants did rise to stardom after disbanding. She had even worked with one in the past.
But… her, as an idol? On stage singing and dancing?
Seeing her distracted eyes grow serious, Meng Limin quickly pushed,
“This is a major girls’ audition show by Dongjiang TV. I already submitted your résumé. You’ll definitely pass the first round. Well? Want to try?”
Song Jiaqi lowered her head, long lashes hiding her expression.
Noticing hope, Meng Limin added,
“With your abilities, you can definitely debut if you want.”
Abilities?
Song Jiaqi curled her lips.
“Can I sing? Can I dance?”
“Didn’t you take piano and dance lessons as a kid? You’ll catch up with practice. And anyway, auditions aren’t just about skill. You’ve got the looks, the topics, you’ll get the most screen time!”
“No!”
Song Jiaqi screamed, suddenly breathless. Just thinking of the flashy promotions now, and the shame later, suffocated her.
Meng Limin stared, shocked.
“Don’t do those things,” Song Jiaqi covered her face, voice trembling. “My condition for joining—no bought screen time, no guaranteed debut spots, no extra publicity.”
This kid really didn’t want fame! Meng Limin frowned, but seeing her state, decided doing something was better than wasting away at home. She agreed.
“Alright. But you’re overthinking. Dongjiang TV runs things clean. The show’s director, Cen Hongjie, values integrity. She’d never allow that kind of manipulation.”
Song Jiaqi nodded—she knew.
Even drunk, her carefully practiced signature fell perfectly on the page.
In that instant, she felt strangely at ease. Maybe because she finally had a direction, instead of drifting like aimless weeds.
Song Jiaqi smirked coldly.
To hell with the heroine. To hell with this novel world.
She gave up.
She wouldn’t compete anymore. Let the heroine chase stardom. Whoever wanted to play the side character could have it—she was done! She would just be an anonymous trainee.
Even if she joined the show, she had no plans to debut. As long as she lay flat, she’d be the saltiest, laziest one in the camp!
No one could make her get up.
No one!
Chi Meng had no idea someone in that room had just made such “bold declarations.” When she returned with warm water, the guests were already gone. She set the cups down, noticing the blanket she’d brought yesterday neatly folded on the sofa, with a piece of paper placed on top.
Curious, Chi Meng picked it up. It was a promotional flyer.
“Star Journey”
Recruiting outstanding female trainees. Requirements: good looks, pleasant temperament, no bad habits, no criminal record, must endure long-term training, disciplined, hardworking, and with the heart to become a star.
During filming: room and board provided. Résumés to be sent to…
Chi Meng’s eyes landed on the words “room and board provided”, and they widened bit by bit.
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Aaackk
Lol this mc might really do all kinds of things as long as it says “Room and board provided” XD
She’ll probably be even more motivated if you add in free meals lmaoo