The Vicious Female Supporting Character Goes Viral After Her Masks Drop During the Talent Show - Chapter 10

When Zhong Yan originally decided to recommend Yan Shi to Director Xu You, it wasn’t purely out of the kindness of her heart. She had her own selfish motives.

In this entire “script world,” she was the only one who knew that Yan Shi was a hidden treasure. As long as he was given resources, he would inevitably explode into stardom. From a business perspective, Yan Shi was a hidden “cash cow.” Zhong Yan was no selfless saint; helping him was a strategic move for her future business blueprint.

She knew Yan Shi was a man of deep loyalty. Helping him during his darkest hour would ensure he remained forever grateful—a gratitude she intended to leverage in the future.

Zhong Yan’s words on stage caused the restless crowd to fall silent once more. Many of the trainees were moved to tears, and even Mentor Ye Shi found her eyes growing hot. Like most of the girls on stage, Ye Shi had started as a newcomer with no background, fighting her way up from the bottom. They understood the struggle, which made the appearance of a “benefactor” who truly appreciated talent feel all the more precious.

As for Yan Shi, though he remained silent, his dark eyes were turbulent with emotion as he gazed at Zhong Yan.

Zhong Yan nodded inwardly, satisfied. Her words had achieved the desired effect: she had moved Yan Shi and secured a positive reaction from the room. Once the show aired, her persona as a “wise judge of talent” would be firmly established. It was killing several birds with one stone.

While she was busy with her cold-blooded calculations, Yan Shi suddenly stood up and walked toward the stage. The audience gasped, and even Zhong Yan was taken aback. He stopped just a few paces away from her, the spotlights enveloping them both.

“I have always wanted to find an opportunity to thank you in person, Teacher. If not for you, I wouldn’t be standing here today.” Yan Shi looked at her, his obsidian eyes burning with absolute sincerity. Having said his piece, he leaned forward, intending to give her a deep, formal bow.

Zhong Yan quickly stepped forward to catch him before he could. His sudden sincerity made her feel a twinge of guilt—he was offering his heart while she was calculating her moves. For a split second, she felt like a “scumbag” playing with an honest man’s feelings.

But the feeling passed in an instant. Her smile returned, flawless and radiating a warmth that anyone would mistake for pure sincerity.

“A good actor wants a good script, and a good script wants a good actor,” she said. “I was simply finding the right person for my work. Therefore, the person you should really thank is yourself.”

Backstage, Zhang Jing marveled at her eloquence. Her words were humble yet managed to praise both Yan Shi and her own writing, all while cementing her image as a dedicated author who took responsibility for her adaptations. This young girl was a master of manipulation—a true “shrewd operator.”

Zhang Jing couldn’t help but feel giddy. The next “Supernova” of the entertainment industry was being born on his show. If he played his cards right, the show would be a massive hit, and she would become a powerful connection for him.

Zhong Yan, fearing Yan Shi might try to bow again in his overwhelmed state, decided to end the moment on a high note. She turned to the trainees and shouted with a bright grin:

“The audience has sharp eyes! Tell me, everyone—is our Producer’s portrayal of the Imperial Consort’s Husband handsome or not?”

The girls cheered instantly, their energy reignited. “Ahhh! So handsome!”

The tension in the air evaporated. Yan Shi’s face turned as red as his ears, and a shy, involuntary smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

The mentors didn’t even bother debating Zhong Yan’s grade; they gave her an “A” immediately.

As she prepared to leave the stage, Yu Junran, who had been silent for some time, suddenly spoke up. “Apologies, may I add one last thing?”

Zhong Yan stopped. Yu Junran narrowed his eyes, wearing a smile that looked harmless but felt sharp.

“Teacher Zhong’s vocals certainly deserve an ‘A.’ However, to be an idol, dancing is just as important as singing. We didn’t see you dance during your evaluation. I’m quite curious—and I look forward to seeing your full ‘song and dance’ capabilities in future stages.”

His tone was gentle, but the subtext was clear: he was casting doubt on the fairness of her “A” grade and labeling her as a “partial” contestant who could only sing. By expressing his “expectations,” he was placing immense pressure on her to choose a dance-heavy track for the next round.

The higher you climb, the harder you fall. If her dancing failed to match her vocals, the audience’s disappointment would be doubled.

Nice combo, Zhong Yan thought. He really knows how the game is played. This was the first time she had truly looked at Yu Junran. She had dismissed him as a pretty face, but it turned out he had claws.

Yan Shi heard the malice in Yu Junran’s words. He frowned and glanced at him, but Yu Junran kept his “perfect” smile. Yan Shi knew that face all too well—it was the same one he had worn eight years ago. He realized that Yu Junran’s hostility toward Zhong Yan was likely an extension of his grudge against him.

“I’ll work hard then,” Zhong Yan replied coolly, meeting Yu Junran’s gaze. “I hope I won’t disappoint you in the future.”

Yu Junran’s smile stiffened. Her response felt strangely pointed, giving him a bad premonition that his carefully planned trap was about to be turned against him.

The Dormitories

By 4:00 AM, the recording finally wrapped. In the elevator, Yu Junran ran into Yan Shi yet again. This time, Yu Junran stayed silent, his hands shoved in his pockets.

“You shouldn’t involve innocent people,” Yan Shi said, breaking the silence.

Yu Junran snorted. “So, you’re finally willing to talk?”

“The issues between us should stay between us,” Yan Shi said coldly.

Yu Junran laughed. “Fine.” He extended his hand again. “Then… I look forward to our ‘happy collaboration’?”

Yan Shi stared at the hand. He knew exactly what kind of “collaboration” Yu Junran meant.

The trainees finally moved into their dorms—four girls to a room. Zhong Yan was baffled to find her name on the door along with the three girls from Dingming Entertainment. She wondered if she should have a “chat” with Zhang Jing about why she was constantly being paired with them.

Of the three, she disliked Tian Jingyu’s character. As for Xia Meng, while she wasn’t a bad person, Zhong Yan found it hard to be friendly with someone whose “happy ending” in the original script was built on her own character’s suicide.

That left An Tao. Surprisingly, An Tao was the only one who seemed genuinely excited to see her. Xia Meng was too preoccupied with Yu Junran’s lukewarm reaction to her performance, while Tian Jingyu was already viewing Zhong Yan as her biggest threat to the Center position.

An Tao, a massive fan of the author Zhong Yan, was so excited she almost forgot how to act. “Teacher Zhong! I love you so much!” she squealed, throwing her luggage aside to give Zhong Yan a hug. “I’m so sorry about earlier outside the studio—if I said anything stupid, please forget it!”

Zhong Yan laughed. She liked An Tao’s honesty. Most people would have tried to use their prior encounter to act close to a “star” contestant, but An Tao was too sincere for that.

“I brought your book!” An Tao fumbled through her suitcase and pulled out a novel. It was one of Zhong Yan’s early, niche works—and the author’s personal favorite. “Could I… could I get your autograph? It’s okay if you can’t!”

“I never said I wouldn’t,” Zhong Yan teased, reaching out. “Where’s the pen?”

What started as one autograph turned into a marathon. A blonde girl from across the hall poked her head in with a pen and another book, asking for a signature too. Soon, word spread like wildfire. Trainees and even staff members began lining up at the door. Zhong Yan spent the next two days of “rest” signing hundreds of autographs until her hand practically sparked.

The Theme Song Task

Two days later, the Theme Song task began. The music video for the theme song would be released a week before the premiere; it was the audience’s first true introduction to the girls. The “Center” of the theme song—the Initial Center—would receive several times more screen time than anyone else. In the world of survival shows, the Initial Center almost always made the final group.

Before the recording, Yu Junran was in the dressing room when his phone buzzed. He checked the message and slipped away to a deserted stairwell at the end of the hall. Tian Jingyu was already there.

“I thought your phones were confiscated?” Yu Junran teased.

“Don’t be an idiot,” Tian Jingyu scoffed. Rules were meant to be broken by those with enough “privilege,” and she was one of them. She got straight to the point. “Did your uncle settle it with Director Zhang? The Initial Center position must be mine.”

“Uh…” Yu Junran hesitated. “It should be settled.”

“You forgot to ask, didn’t you?” she snapped, poking him in the chest. “Do you even care about my career?”

“Relax,” Yu Junran comforted her, taking her hand. “My uncle already spoke to Zhang Jing before the show started. Forget the Initial Center—even the final Center spot is safe for you.”

“That was before the show started!” Tian Jingyu hissed, her voice dropping. “Now, everything has changed because of Zhong Yan!”