I Became the Top Competitor in a Talent Show Novel - Chapter 40

Xie Tongyue: “…”

Su Mengyao and the other two trainees: “…”

The entire audience: “…”

J University?

J University in Jing’an City… the capital’s J University??

The stadium, large enough to hold thirty thousand people, fell silent. Only the lights flickered in the sea of people, casting various colors on every bewildered face. In the silence, Chi Meng licked her lips and gave a slight smile to the camera that had lingered on her face for a long time.

It was a humble and gentle smile.

An invisible signal was sent all over the world. At this moment, in countless homes, an unknown number of people’s hands trembled, their scalps tingling from an inexplicable excitement.

Song Jiaqi, standing next to Chi Meng, blinked softly and murmured, “Oh, a guaranteed admission.”

J University, Economics, guaranteed admission… oh.

The live audience awoke as if from a dream, their faces shocked, their lips opening and closing, suddenly unable to speak. The person next to Lü Shifei grabbed her and asked, “Chi Meng was guaranteed admission and took the college entrance exam—?”

Their voice soared as they spoke.

Lü Shifei proudly lifted her chin, her ardent gaze fixed on Chi Meng on the stage, and she loudly proclaimed, “The school leaders wanted Sister Meng to aim for the provincial top scorer! East Jiang No. 1 Middle School has never had a provincial top scorer before! You saw the fireworks yesterday, right? I think Sister Meng pretty much nailed it!”

They weren’t allowed to openly advertise it, but when the scores came out, everyone knew! The schools still competed privately!

An Xue nodded repeatedly: “That’s right, that’s right! It’s a shame the fire department called the school yesterday evening and stopped it after only twenty minutes. I heard the principal had prepared an hour’s worth of fireworks!”

When this topic came up, a few students from East Jiang No. 1 Middle School gathered around, excitedly sharing internal news. The principal and the teachers of the senior year group planned to hold a big event in the suburbs where fireworks could be set off. Those who wanted to ‘borrow’ some academic luck should definitely go!

“I’ll definitely go!” Lü Shifei excitedly raised Chi Meng’s light board, her eyes full of reverence, “Sister Meng, bless me to get into J University!”

Her friends beside her immediately followed suit, raising their light boards and hand banners.

Dream Gate! (A pun on Meng’s name and ‘Dream’)

The surrounding people: “…”

“…She could clearly go to J University, and she still came to participate in a survival show?” Someone’s gaze showed a hint of blankness.

Lü Shifei waved her hand, speaking with a tone that implied they couldn’t understand her ‘Sister Meng’: “What’s the big deal? My Sister Meng is as free as the wind. She’s grilled skewers at a barbecue stand, tossed ingredients at a snack stall, delivered takeout, sold grilled sausages, and I heard she even wanted to try being a street bum but had to become a waitress at a KTV instead because her temperament didn’t match!”

“That’s right, that’s right, my family’s KTV!” An Xue confirmed that this was true.

The surrounding people’s eyes became even more stunned as they looked up at Chi Meng.

What the heck? A top scorer tossing ingredients?

The expressions of the trainees behind the beautiful girl were no more lively than the audience, but on the large screen, countless snow-white bullet comments rushed like a wave, forming a fierce river.

All kinds of question marks and exclamation points rolled across, white and bright like snow-white wings, encircling the gentle, smiling girl. Xie Tongyue, standing next to her, closed her lips, then chuckled after a moment. Looking at Chi Meng, she softly said, “When we recorded the initial stage, I asked Trainee Chi Meng whether being a trainee was easier or taking exams was easier. Trainee Chi Meng’s answer left a deep impression on me. Now I know that Trainee Chi Meng was serious.”

The audience and trainees who had watched the show instantly recalled two words: “Not bad.”

In the backstage area, Teng Jia was gripping a water bottle, having held that position for a minute. She also recalled the conversation from that time.

– How did you do on the exam?

– Not bad.

– Was the test difficult?

– Not bad.

Teng Jia’s voice was barely audible: “Are young people today all so humble?”

Being guaranteed admission to J University is just “not bad”?

The director, who had been looking down and searching for something, suddenly reached out and handed over his phone. The six mentors immediately huddled around to look.

Last night, the official account of East Jiang No. 1 Middle School, which didn’t have many followers, posted an update.

East Jiang No. 1 Middle School: Warm congratulations to Chi [Trainee] from our school’s senior year for remaining calm and taking the college entrance exam after securing guaranteed admission to J University, achieving an excellent result and bringing honor to the school! We hope our students will actively learn from Trainee Chi, who performed relatively well in the province, carry forward the spirit of serious and diligent study, bravely pursue their goals, and actively explore. May our students achieve greater success in the future!

The first comment below: Thumbs up, thumbs up, provincial top scorer! Amazing! Thumbs up, thumbs up, thumbs up.

East Jiang No. 1 Middle School liked the comment.

Teng Jia couldn’t help herself, her lips slightly parting: “Good grief—”

How humble-braggy!

The mentors: “…Take it away! I don’t want to look!!”

On the stage, Chi Meng raised her hand and awkwardly rubbed the tip of her nose. She was wearing full makeup, and her cheeks flushed pink, blending with the light-colored blush, showing a lovely, innocent shyness.

“Ahem, I wish all students taking the exam this year great success and to definitely get into their desired schools!” Chi Meng said, raising her hands above her head and making a big heart sign, her smile bright.

The study goddess was casting a spell!

Off the stage, the students from East Jiang No. 1 Middle School, just outside the camera’s view, perked up and made the same heart sign.

The live audience finally reacted, excitedly applauding and taking out their phones to photograph her.

The trainee quality of the Star’s Journey survival show is incredibly strong! Look, a J University guaranteed admission student! You tell me, isn’t that strong?!

The AI 019, more excited than any human, was practically shouting itself out of its shell, wishing for the whole world to see: Its host is super strong!

Soon, the hashtag #Star’s Journey J University Guaranteed Admission Trainee# rapidly appeared on various news feeds. Especially since this was college entrance exam score-checking season, this news was highly attention-grabbing.

The animated GIF and still photos of Chi Meng making the heart sign quickly appeared on all major websites. Because she didn’t have a company, Chi Meng, who had no promotion or publicity this week, unexpectedly appeared before everyone in a powerful way that no one else could imitate or reference.

At the public performance site, no matter how inwardly shocked they were, the hosting duties had to continue. Xie Tongyue’s gaze fell on the four girls next to her.

Song Jiaqi said quietly, “I wish everyone all the best.”

With Chi Meng, this J University guaranteed admission student, around, their blessings were, ahem, just a token of their sincerity!

The few trainees who gave their blessings didn’t even know what they said. When they turned back to their team, Su Mengyao’s small face was still dazed, and she muttered, “If I only sleep three hours a day, can I also get into J University?”

Chi Meng looked at her with pity. Song Jiaqi curled her lips, “You can try.”

“Repeat the year, please.”

Su Mengyao shivered, shaking her head repeatedly. No, no, she was perfectly fine now!

The trainees behind them, in a sprawling crowd, still hadn’t fully recovered. When Chi Meng walked toward them, some couldn’t help but subconsciously take a step back.

You, you shouldn’t come over here!

Chi Meng smiled brightly, making a fist: “Good luck with the performance!”

Oh right, they were here for the performance…

In the strange silence, the nervousness and fear from before the performance mysteriously turned into a wisp of smoke, which was scattered by the breeze. As Chi Meng and Song Jiaqi returned to the team, Yuan Sike suddenly turned her head as they were descending the stage and looked at the two teams that were about to go up first, her eyes full of sympathy.

“Did they crash and burn?”

She turned back, “I would have crashed and burned.”

Who could have expected this! A J University guaranteed admission student would pop up at a survival show public performance! This was too terrifying! A complete mental breakdown.

Chen Zhu said, “Actually, I’m not surprised.”

Given Chi Meng’s seriousness in everything she did and her willingness to work herself to the bone, unless she had no talent for studying, her results wouldn’t be bad. However, Chen Zhu also hadn’t expected Chi Meng to have been guaranteed admission already—was that why she participated in the show so casually?

They weren’t aware of the “did relatively well” aspect. Everyone’s mentality calmed down slightly. Thinking about Chi Meng’s performance in the training camp, they all sighed with emotion: The ‘grinding queen’ was right next to me!

They felt inferior, but only felt admiration.

Many people also thought to themselves that this time, Chi Meng’s brilliance would thoroughly blossom.

A trainee who is beautiful, sings well, and is such an excellent student—who wouldn’t like her! They would definitely vote for her too!

As soon as Chi Meng stood still, several people suddenly pounced on her and hugged her tightly.

“Suck up the fairy aura! Big shot, let me leech a bit!” Lin Tingxia shouted loudly.

“Sister, sister, your face is so pale, can I take a bite?” Su Mengyao pouted, “Will eating a piece of Chi Meng’s flesh make me smarter?”

Hua Xiaowei next to her was so hungry her eyes turned green and she gulped.

Chi Meng: “…Help!”

“Jiaqi, save me!”

Song Jiaqi acted as if she hadn’t heard, watching from the side with her arms crossed.

Chi Meng saw Song Jiaqi watching without helping through the gaps and shouted angrily, “Song Jiaqi!”

Song Jiaqi hooked her lips, “Sister is so capable, she’ll definitely be able to escape unscathed. What can little me do?”

“I’ll just call you ‘Sister’ again once this competition is over, that’s all.” Her voice was a gentle murmur, thinking of the new ‘sister’ agreement she and Chi Meng had set up, and she let out a scoffing laugh.

Chi Meng: “…”

In the end, it was the team leaders who returned to drag people away, sending the “Dream Leeching Squad” back to the waiting room. Chi Meng’s clothes were a mess, and there were several lipstick marks on her face, in different colors, indicating that more than one person had kissed her.

Chen Zhu smiled and asked the makeup artist to tidy up Chi Meng.

“Heh.” Chi Meng placed the fallen headpiece on the table and glared at the woman standing behind her through the mirror.

A heartless, unfeeling woman.

‘Heartless’ Song’s expression was calm as she lowered her eyes, “Sister’s fish pond is so crowded.”

In the mirror, Chi Meng’s smile slowly faded, and her head drooped. An invisible black mist seemed to slowly rise from her body. Suddenly, she lifted her head, curved her lips into a cruel smile at Song Jiaqi’s reflection in the mirror, and whispered,

“Let’s… die together!”

As soon as she finished speaking, she abruptly stood up and turned around, cupping ‘Heartless Song’s’ face in her hands. Her warm lips landed on Song Jiaqi’s nose without hesitation.

Smooch~

Like a red flower dropping onto snow, a splash of vivid color immediately dyed the fair skin.

Song Jiaqi’s naturally upturned eyes suddenly widened as she stared at Chi Meng in astonishment. A faint blush appeared from behind her ear, spreading out and outlining her face. The eighteen-year-old’s purity and inherent allure clashed and swirled in the rosy flush, lingering on Song Jiaqi’s face for a split second.

The elegance of bone, the allure of scent. (A literary description of captivating beauty)

In the absolute silence, their eyes met. Chi Meng slowly lowered her hands, only now realizing what she had done.

She had kissed Song Jiaqi.

Chi Meng’s eyes didn’t blink. She paused, then slowly tilted her lips into a small smile and whispered, “Do you know how capable I am now?”

Song Jiaqi’s chest rose and fell as she took a deep breath. Her eyes were a little confused, but quickly settled. She raised her hand, her fingers—as beautiful as she was—gently touching Chi Meng’s face. Her fingertip sank into the soft cheek, and a little pink from the lipstick mark transferred onto it.

“Sister, kissing me with this face of yours is truly disheartening,” Song Jiaqi said with a slightly exaggerated tone. She raised her finger to look at it, then used her thumb to wipe the mark away.

The strange, lingering atmosphere between the two of them dissipated instantly.

Chi Meng felt relieved and asked, feigning indifference, “Don’t you love it?”

“I love it, I love it to death.” Song Jiaqi rolled her eyes and sat down in a nearby chair.

Chi Meng sat down too. They sat side-by-side, waiting for the makeup artist to clean up the “scene.” It was then that they noticed the entire waiting room was eerily quiet.

The makeup artist clutched her makeup bag and swallowed, “Are you two… done playing? Can I get back to work now?”

Chi Meng: (*￣︶￣)

Song Jiaqi: “Yes.”

They have a great relationship, the makeup artist thought. She quickly touched up Chi Meng, wiping away the messy lipstick marks on her face. Then, she looked at Song Jiaqi and said in surprise, “Honestly, that little spot of red on your nose looks really good. It complements your makeup perfectly. Let’s just leave it! No need to touch it up!”

Song Jiaqi: ???

“Ahem, what do you call this? A match made in heaven?” Yuan Sike finally spoke. “A pleasant surprise?”

Chen Zhu looked at her with an unreadable expression, wanting to say something, but finally only said, “Forget it.”

It was just a kiss on the nose, and earlier, Hua Xiaowei, whose eyes were turning green, gnawed on Chi Meng twice… forget it, forget it.

She smoothed her skirt, looking at Chi Meng and Song Jiaqi sitting side-by-side. They were talking about something, and Chi Meng was laughing, purposefully pouting at Song Jiaqi. Song Jiaqi immediately showed a look of disdain, but then couldn’t help herself, lowering her head to rub her forehead and chuckled softly.

Chen Zhu: “…”

Fine, she thought. I was overthinking it.

As Chi Meng rested, 019 came online. As a novice system, it sincerely asked Chi Meng, “So this is how humans express affection? 030” (030 is likely a happy emoji or sound effect).

019 was ecstatic: “Host is finally going to break through the School Idol label and become a Public Idol! 030! So many people like the Host! 019 is super happy! 030!”

019: Smooch!

Chi Meng: “…”

She tilted her head, her gaze falling on Song Jiaqi’s nose, lingering on the red spot.

“Yes,” her clear eyes rarely deepened slightly. Chi Meng smiled faintly and murmured to herself, “Why wouldn’t it be?”

I can’t squeeze out any more today, see you tomorrow! I love you all too 030.

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