I Became the Top Competitor in a Talent Show Novel - Chapter 30.1

Song Jiaqi stood silently with her arms crossed, her lips tightly pursed, like a clam refusing to open. Chi Meng waited patiently, a gentle but non-negotiable smile in her eyes.

The two stared at each other. Song Jiaqi slowly frowned and turned her gaze to Chen Zhu.

Chen Zhu’s voice was calm: “Call her.”

Xue Weiran, enjoying the spectacle, chimed in: “Hurry up and call.”

Qi Yan maintained a golden silence, but her gaze on Song Jiaqi conveyed the same message.

Seeing that Song Jiaqi didn’t speak, Chi Meng deliberately raised her wrist to look at a non-existent watch, sighing, “I’m so hungry.”

“Tsk.” Song Jiaqi lowered her arms, her lips moved, “Jie…” (Sister…)

Chi Meng suddenly moved closer to Song Jiaqi, placing her hands on her shoulders and leaning her ear in, looking curious: “What did you say? I can’t hear you?”

Song Jiaqi was so annoyed she laughed instead. She reached out, her index finger poking Chi Meng’s cheek to make her look straight, her voice soft and a little mocking, “I said, Meng-jie, let’s go eat.”

The smile on Chi Meng’s lips dissolved instantly like a pigment dropped into water. She caught Song Jiaqi’s finger and said warmly, “Okay, Qiqi. You worked hard on the assessment this morning. Eat a lot at noon to replenish your energy.”

A low snort suddenly came from behind her. Chi Meng and Song Jiaqi turned simultaneously to look at Xue Weiran.

Xue Weiran looked innocent: “?”

“Let’s go,” Chen Zhu said, taking the lead.

The five walked toward the cafeteria. Chi Meng and Song Jiaqi were at the back. Song Jiaqi looked at Chen Zhu’s retreating figure, a flicker of hesitation in her eyes. Chen Zhu had trained her, and her performance of the theme song had been approved by Chen Zhu. She had expected Chen Zhu to vote for her and Xue Weiran to vote for Chi Meng, leaving Qi Yan’s half-vote as the deciding factor. However, while the person she needed to win over was correct, the votes from the first two were completely different from what she’d expected.

The three people ahead walked their own way, with no communication. Chi Meng watched their backs, let go of Song Jiaqi’s hand, and called out to 019.

019 was still happy about Chi Meng’s victory over Song Jiaqi in the PK and immediately responded, “019 is at your service!”

“Little Nine, are there any results for the review application you submitted this morning?” she asked.

019 checked the communication panel and said, “Report, Host! Not yet.”

“Alright,” Chi Meng said with a smile, “You’ve worked hard these five days. I’m going to sleep after eating, so you rest too. I’ll call you if anything comes up.”

019, without another thought, said, “Okay, Host, 019 is going offline.”

It could take advantage of Chi Meng’s lunchtime rest to return to the system world, urge the main system for the review, and handle some private matters.

Chi Meng gradually slowed her pace, creating distance from the others. She turned to Song Jiaqi and said, “In the initial stage, Xinghuo Entertainment and Renxing each had three trainees enter Class A. After today’s assessment, Xinghuo still has three, but Renxing only has Chen Zhu left.”

Song Jiaqi had been replaying Chi Meng’s assessment performance in her mind and seemed to grasp the meaning. She said, “There are nine debut spots in Star Journey. Before the initial stage, I trained with the other four from Renxing. Among those four, I believe Chen Zhu has a ninety percent chance of debuting.”

“She is serious, responsible, and after becoming the team leader, she really wants to bring the rest of Renxing to debut, but that’s impossible,” Song Jiaqi said. “She came with Renxing’s expectations; all she needs is to secure that final debut spot.”

Chi Meng suddenly raised her hand and tapped Song Jiaqi’s arm. Song Jiaqi stumbled slightly and looked at Chi Meng in surprise.

“What about you?” Chi Meng asked, without explaining why she tapped her, demanding, “Don’t you want to debut?”

Song Jiaqi stopped. She reached up to press the spot Chi Meng had tapped, her expression unreadable. The stone path leading to the cafeteria was lined with bushes, and the summer sycamores were lush and tall, casting a green shade over the two girls standing face-to-face. Chi Meng’s gaze swept over Song Jiaqi’s skin inch by inch. Beauty lies in the bone, not just the skin. Song Jiaqi was exquisite from top to bottom, with beautiful bones and captivating looks. Whether she was drunkenly drowning her sorrows in a dark booth or sitting alone on the stairs, her mere presence was enough to attract attention.

Chi Meng believed that among the five trainees Renxing sent to the show, the two the company designated for success were Chen Zhu and Song Jiaqi, but Song Jiaqi was simply not cooperating.

However, Chi Meng couldn’t understand. Song Jiaqi was eighteen and had just graduated from high school. What could possibly make a young woman with a boundless future so disheartened? She had a bold hypothesis in mind, but she couldn’t voice it.

“Qiqi, don’t you want to be an idol?” Chi Meng asked with a smile, raising her hand to massage the spot she’d tapped on Song Jiaqi, saying as she did so, “Idols sing and dance on stage. I remember your manager said your dream was to act, to be an actress.”

Chi Meng scrutinized Song Jiaqi’s expression. Though she asked this, she felt it was impossible for Song Jiaqi to have been forcefully pushed into the show by her company. She didn’t know much about the entertainment companies in this world, but even the worst company wouldn’t force the CEO’s own daughter to do something she didn’t want to do. The problem still lay with Song Jiaqi herself.

She recalled the first night in the training camp, the look of fear and confusion when Song Jiaqi woke up—that kind of struggling pain is only understood by those who have experienced it.

“I… I don’t know,” Song Jiaqi said softly, looking up into the distance.

The blue sky was endless, without a single cloud. Standing under the bright sky, it felt as though the gloom in one’s heart could be dispelled by the sun.

Perhaps the surroundings were too quiet, or perhaps losing to Chi Meng had frustrated Song Jiaqi beyond words. On an impulse, she asked Chi Meng, “If you know something is impossible, would you still go for it?”

Chi Meng’s eyes deepened slightly, her voice calm and gentle: “If you’re asking about becoming the world’s richest person, while it may be impossible, I’d still try to see.”

Song Jiaqi: “…”

Her focused thoughts were instantly pulled out by Chi Meng. The knot in her heart had not yet fully formed when it was suddenly blown away by a gust of wind. Song Jiaqi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She looked at Chi Meng and said speechlessly, “I’m talking to you seriously.”

Chi Meng slowly replied, “I’m answering just as seriously.”

Fine.

Song Jiaqi nodded. She met Chi Meng’s gaze and asked again, “If life offered a second chance, would you walk down a path that is doomed to fail again?”

Chi Meng smiled, patted Song Jiaqi’s shoulder, and said, “Everyone experiences failure. What you think is a path to failure might only be a brief part of your life. And since you have a second chance, why do you think you’re bound to fail this time?”

“Furthermore, what is your definition of failure? What is the outcome after failure? Does failing mean—death?” she asked, looking straight into Song Jiaqi’s eyes.

Song Jiaqi shook her head. Chi Meng’s heart eased, and she smiled, “Then it’s simple.”

“Qiqi, how can you know the outcome without trying?”

Song Jiaqi knew all those principles, but there was a solid wall blocking her heart. She often felt like she was trapped in a sealed box, choked by a feeling of suffocation. For a moment, she suddenly wanted to die inside that box.

“How do you know I haven’t tried?” Song Jiaqi said softly.

It was just watching herself lose to the other person, time and time again.

Chi Meng said gently, “Then try again.”

Song Jiaqi asked, “What if I still lose this time?”

“Then admit defeat,” Chi Meng said candidly. “And choose a different path.”

Song Jiaqi fell silent.

Memories of events from her past life flashed before her eyes. Suddenly, she didn’t think of the crushing criticisms, but of Su Yaoyao’s face—the high-spirited female lead under the spotlight, transformed into the eighteen-year-old, messy-haired Su Yaoyao, triumphantly provoking her.

Song Jiaqi: “…………”

After a long time, she slowly said, “That’s easy to say.”

“It is,” Chi Meng nodded, stroking her chin. “Otherwise, why would there be so many scumbags and players in the world?”

Song Jiaqi was confused by her sudden shift in topic: “?”

What?

“There’s one more thing I want to tell you, Qiqi. The college entrance exam is important, but it’s only one part of your life. It’s okay if you don’t do well; you can always retake it,” Chi Meng said.

Song Jiaqi continued: “???”

“What… wait.” Song Jiaqi looked at Chi Meng’s smiling face and suddenly realized. She was discussing topics of success and failure in life with Chi Meng, but Chi Meng wasn’t even an adult yet!

In Chi Meng’s eyes, the most important thing at this age must be the college entrance exam.

“If you’re really not cut out for studying, learn a skill earlier, like becoming an idol with me,” Chi Meng said. “At least this opportunity is right now.”

Song Jiaqi looked at Chi Meng with a face full of black lines, feeling that her previous emotional investment was utterly wasted. Just then, the three people walking ahead gloomily returned to look for them. How had they managed to fall behind while walking together?

Not wanting to continue the conversation with Chi Meng, Song Jiaqi immediately walked forward. Chi Meng followed with her long strides.

“Let me tell you ahead of time, I got first place in my art school professional score for Communication University of China, and I’m just waiting for my cultural score!” Song Jiaqi said through gritted teeth to Chi Meng. “And I will definitely get in.”

Chi Meng: “Oh~”

“Qiqi is so great, Qiqi is so amazing.” Chi Meng almost applauded Song Jiaqi.

The three people waiting at the intersection looked confused. Xue Weiran casually asked, “Are you a child?” (Are you humoring a child?)

Song Jiaqi: “…”

Chi Meng: “Why not? Sorry to keep you all waiting. Let’s go. Lunch is on me today, eat whatever you want!”

“I’ll thank the production team for you,” Xue Weiran said.

Chi Meng humbly expressed that it was no trouble, and they could even pack up leftovers, making everyone laugh at her shamelessness.

They were scheduled to gather at two in the afternoon. Chi Meng, who had snuck in a nap in the morning, quietly sat on the floor, flipping through her lyric book while others took their midday rest. The sound of 019 coming online rang in her mind.

A happy girl’s child-like voice, no longer the original mechanical one, sounded in her mind with varied intonation and emotion.

Chi Meng paused.

“Passerby System 019 is at your service!” 019 sounded trumpets and drums, setting off fireworks and scattering colored ribbons in Chi Meng’s thoughts, happily saying, “My friend-system bought me a voice pack upgrade. 019 is no longer the factory-default mechanical voice!”

Chi Meng complimented her generously: “Congratulations! Your voice is very cute!”

019 shyly said, “It’s the most popular voice for the three-and-a-half-year-old baby assistant system. It cost my friend-system a lot of points. When I earn enough points, I’ll treat them back.”

It set off a shy emoji firework.

“You upgraded the firework design too?” Chi Meng asked.

019 said sheepishly, “Because my permissions are low, I can’t load image functions. I can only display the emojis I received from my friend-system through fireworks to the host. Oh, and my friend-system also gave me a discontinued video storage package, so now I can record the host’s stage performances, although 019 can only watch them privately.”

Chi Meng cleared her throat, realizing that 019 was truly her first loyal fan.

After showcasing all the new features, 019 didn’t forget the main task. It said to Chi Meng, “Upon application from the Passerby System Department, the Main System has determined that there are no violations in the world the Host is in. The Host can rest assured!”

Chi Meng curled her lips and said, “Good.”

“Then, please help me save these two review records, okay?” Chi Meng said gently. “Can you do that?”

019 completely forgot to ask why Chi Meng wanted to store the review records and promised confidently, “019 can do it!”

Small matter!

“Thank you,” Chi Meng said, a weight suddenly lifting from her heart. She rested her chin on her hand, her gaze fixed on the paper, contemplating Song Jiaqi and Su Yaoyao.

Her guess was correct.

For some reason, Song Jiaqi knew about future events, though the extent of her knowledge was unclear. This knowledge had caused a severe blow to the current Song Jiaqi. However, this was very likely a deliberately arranged plot point in the “book,” or another possibility was that Song Jiaqi had a system like hers. But 019 reported no issues, so these conditions must be within the rules and plot allowance.

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