I Became the Top Competitor in a Talent Show Novel - Chapter 35.1

Inside the practice room, Hua Xiaowei munched on an ear of corn and asked, “Speaking of which, the team captain calls you ‘Jiejie’ (older sister) too?”

Her voice was soft when she spoke, not at all what you’d expect from the subject of the dormitory’s “legend.” Chi Meng hummed in response, her eyes sparkling. “I treated them to good food, so they recognize me as their older sister. I earned it with my ‘skill’, is that alright?”

Hua Xiaowei nodded, her gaze falling on the white boiled egg in Chi Meng’s hand. Chi Meng pinched the egg and was about to put it to her mouth when she saw Hua Xiaowei’s smiling face.

Chi Meng: “…”

“Go ahead and eat. You don’t need to call me Jiejie,” Hua Xiaowei said softly.

Chi Meng slowly took a bite of the egg, her eyes fixed on Hua Xiaowei’s face.

As Chi Meng started eating, Hua Xiaowei quietly added, “Of course, calling me Jiejie is fine too.”

Chi Meng glanced at the night outside the window and smiled faintly. “Weiwei, the cafeteria isn’t far from the Mingyi Building. Did Sike bring you over?”

Hua Xiaowei paused, slowly pulled out an ear of corn, and offered it to Chi Meng with both hands, “Jiejie, eat.”

“You’re too kind,” Chi Meng said with a grin, taking the corn from her new little sister. “Don’t be afraid. Jiejie will walk you back tonight.”

Hua Xiaowei let out a profound sigh.

The next day arrived in a flash. Today was the official broadcast date for the first episode of the show. Unable to contact the outside world without their phones, the trainees were restless. During breaks, they all talked about the show, lamenting that they couldn’t see themselves on the big screen for the first time. However, before dismissal that afternoon, a notice was sent to all practice rooms: gather at the small auditorium in the Mingyi Building at 7:50 PM for a group viewing. The trainees went silent for a moment, then burst into cheers, quickly rushing off to eat.

Chi Meng checked the time. “Qiqi and I will go get the meals. Everyone else keep practicing. We’ll dismiss at 7:30 PM, and gather at 7:50 PM. Any problems?”

Song Jiaqi stood up straight. “No problems, Team Chi.”

Shen the captain also said, “We’ll all listen to Team Chi.”

Team Chi smiled in satisfaction and headed to the cafeteria with Song Jiaqi.

It was dinnertime, and trainees from all practice rooms were filing out. After a full day of training, their faces showed no fatigue, only excitement. They couldn’t wait for the time to rush to the auditorium.

Chi Meng suddenly sighed. Song Jiaqi darted a look at Chi Meng’s face, her sixth sense telling her it was best not to ask.

However, Chi Meng was usually proactive. She said softly, “Everyone is so energetic. I feel like we could train for another four hours. What a waste of time tonight.”

Song Jiaqi remained expressionless: Hmm, good thing I didn’t ask.

019 quietly popped up: “019 wants to watch the show.”

Chi Meng said, “Actually, I want to watch it too.”

She hadn’t communicated with 019 in the conscious world, so Song Jiaqi was surprised. “I thought you’d want to practice in the training room.”

Chi Meng shook her head. They could make time for practice, but missing the show meant they wouldn’t know when they’d see a rerun. Speaking of which, maybe she should buy a phone?

“I’m only eighteen, of course I want to watch the show just like everyone else!” Chi Meng cupped her hands around her face, trying to look cute for Song Jiaqi. “I’m so excited to see my performance on the show!”

What a fake tone.

Song Jiaqi’s expression was blank. She reached up, pinched Chi Meng’s chin, and turned her head back around.

When they reached the cafeteria, Chi Meng and Song Jiaqi took their takeout containers and separated to get food. Although there were nine people on their team, only Chi Meng and Hua Xiaowei didn’t restrict their eating; everyone else, including Song Jiaqi, ate small portions.

Chi Meng squeezed Song Jiaqi’s wrist. “Eat more. You’re too thin.”

Song Jiaqi had no interest in food. She mumbled, “En,” and reluctantly put one extra small meatball on her plate. Chi Meng followed behind Song Jiaqi. To feed the trainees and staff, the cafeteria had a variety of dishes, and the menu changed daily with various stir-fries. But the trainees aiming for a debut had to control their weight, shedding tears as they put down their spoons while drooling.

Chi Meng whispered like the devil: “The training load is so heavy every day, it’s okay to eat a little more. You really are too thin!”

Is that… is that right?

A trainee who had just put down her spoon paused, her eyes brightening. Her hand instinctively reached for the serving spoon. Suddenly! A merciless hand clamped down on the trainee’s wrist, stopping her movement.

“Lin Tingxia! When you weighed in today, you were one and a half pounds heavier than last week!” An Kui slapped Lin Tingxia’s hand away and ordered, “Attention! At ease! About-face!”

Lin Tingxia was teary-eyed, but Chi Meng said she was thin!

An Kui snorted and lifted her chin, telling her to look behind her.

There, Chi Meng was still talking to Song Jiaqi. The two tall, long-legged girls stood together, their practice shirts clinging tightly to their backs, their waists impossibly slim. Looking at their legs, the muscles were tightly defined, the curves of their calves rising lightly before smoothly meeting their narrow ankles.

In the bright cafeteria lights, every inch of their arms and the skin on their lower legs beneath their practice pants was pearly white, like freshly steamed buns.

Lin Tingxia’s stomach rumbled. She spun around, snatched a steamed bun from a basket, bit down on it, and ran.

“Lin! Ting! Xia!!”

Chi Meng and Song Jiaqi were startled and turned to watch the chase in the cafeteria.

“Is the cafeteria always this lively?” Chi Meng asked in surprise.

Song Jiaqi looked puzzled.

Next to Chi Meng, a soft voice said, “Yes, it’s this boisterously chaotic every day.”

Chi Meng: “…That’s a good description.”

She smiled and greeted Su Mengyao. “Good evening.”

Su Mengyao leaned weakly against Jing Ming. Her hair had been styled before the theme song recording and was no longer as messy as when they first met. Her long black hair was curled and draped over her shoulders, concealing her slightly round cheeks. Her cherry-red lips were slightly parted and trembling over her pointed chin. Her entire face looked tiny, and a film of moisture covered her amber eyes, like a spring rain in an empty mountain. She looked at Chi Meng, hesitant to speak, utterly pitiful.

“Are you sick?” Chi Meng asked with concern.

Su Mengyao frowned: “Ying~ (sob/whine)”

Jing Ming shoved a meal tray into Su Mengyao’s arms, looking equally out of it, and muttered, “She’s been trained into an idiot.”

Chi Meng: ?

Beside them, Song Jiaqi glanced indifferently at Su Mengyao, who was leaning toward Chi Meng. Song Jiaqi lifted her wrist and heaped a large spoonful of Kung Pao chicken into the takeout container, then handed it to Chi Meng.

“Hold this.”

“Oh.” Chi Meng took the container and put it in her bag. Seeing that Chi Meng’s arms were full, Su Mengyao could only lean weakly onto Chi Meng’s shoulder, her breathing faint. “Jiejie, save me.”

Chi Meng quickly grabbed a large steamed bun and offered it to Su Mengyao. Su Mengyao took a fierce bite and “Ying’d” even louder.

Ah~ she’s alive!

“Our captain, she’s not human!” Su Mengyao said with deep emotion. “She copied a schedule from somewhere and encourages us to gather at six and sleep at twelve. Then, during the day, she maniacally pushes us to practice. Ah… she’s so terrifying, woo-woo-woo.”

Chi Meng: …

Song Jiaqi: …

Seeing that schedule, did Su Mengyao not recall someone else?

Song Jiaqi, who was focused on getting food, subtly curved her lips. She handed the newly prepared takeout container to Chi Meng, who put it in her bag. The four people moved to the right.

Chi Meng cleared her throat, pretending to be completely clueless. She asked, “Your captain, is it An Kui?”

Su Mengyao shuddered, put her index finger to Chi Meng’s lips, and, with tears welling in her eyes, stared affectionately, “I forbid you to speak that person’s name!”

Chi Meng: “…Hurry up and eat.”

Her sickness will go away after she eats.

Su Mengyao sniffled, picked up her metal spoon, and started scooping large portions of food onto her tray. Chi Meng glanced at the bag, feeling she had gotten too much food today. She nudged Song Jiaqi to make her stop, then organized the bag and picked it up.

“Jiejie, are you leaving?” Su Mengyao said regretfully. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen you in the cafeteria, and now you have to go. Is this what life is like? Coming and going in a hurry.”

It had only been two days, but Su Mengyao looked as if she had been trained into simple-mindedness. Chi Meng looked at her with pity and gently comforted her, “Yes, we have to go. You hurry and eat. Eat plenty, okay?”

Su Mengyao sniffled, lowered her eyes, and gave a pitiful “En.”

Chi Meng’s gaze softened even more. She reached out and patted Su Mengyao’s shoulder, whispering, “If you eat your fill, you’ll have the energy to continue training tonight.”

Song Jiaqi, who had been standing silently nearby, turned her head to look into the distance, struggling to suppress the smile curling upwards on her lips. Su Mengyao, however, couldn’t hold back and burst into a loud, “Wang (Wail)!”

Chi Meng and Song Jiaqi walked out of the cafeteria, their arms full of bags. After walking down the stairs, they looked at each other and couldn’t help but laugh at the same time.

“Next time,” Song Jiaqi mused, “if there’s a chance, I really hope to see Su Mengyao on the same team as you.”

Chi Meng’s eyes remained gentle, and her voice was like a clear spring deep in the forest—trickling and soft.

“You can’t be left out either. I want to be on the same team as you the most,” Chi Meng enunciated every word clearly. “Qiqi, midnight training session, shall we?”

Song Jiaqi’s smile vanished instantly. She followed Team Chi in silence.

Back in the practice room, Chi Meng was pleased to see everyone training. She and Song Jiaqi put their things down, and the nine people sat in a circle to eat.

Shen Zhu looked around, puzzled. “We got too much food today. Can we finish it all?”

Hua Xiaowei quietly pulled the plastic off her disposable chopsticks and said shyly, “We can.”

“The amount of food Captain and I got yesterday must have made you hungry.” Yuan Sike respectfully offered an ear of corn to Hua Xiaowei, “Please!”

Watching the seemingly frail Hua Xiaowei roll up her sleeves without ceremony, even the usually calm Shen Zhu felt a distinct envy rise in her eyes as she watched Hua Xiaowei.

Chi Meng laughed. “If we get the chance, Xiaowei and Mengyao should enter a ‘Big Eater’ contest, or one of those restaurant promotions where you eat a bowl of noodles in a certain time and get it for free. You definitely wouldn’t lose money.”

“Su Mengyao?” Hua Xiaowei asked.

“Team Ten’s? An Kui is in that team, right? The one challenging Ning Yuze’s team…” Shen Zhu said, and the topic naturally shifted to the stage PK battle. While eating, everyone speculated about the C positions and other role assignments in the other teams.

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