The Vicious Female Supporting Character Goes Viral After Her Masks Drop During the Talent Show - Chapter 19

Amidst the roaring cheers of competing fan bases, the two groups of trainees filed onto the stage.

Group A was a vision in black: leather jackets, leather pants, and combat boots, accented with silver chains and rivets. Their hair was pulled back into sleek, high ponytails.

Group B, by contrast, was a sea of red. They wore wine-red cropped tight tops paired with matching mini-skirts or shorts and over-the-knee red boots. Their hair was left long and flowing over their shoulders.

Between the crimson tops and skirts, a flash of fair, slender waists was visible; between the shorts and boots, a stretch of pale, shapely legs. The segmented styling emphasized their curves and long legs, creating an incredibly sultry aesthetic. The contrast between the vibrant red fabric and their ivory skin was visually electric.

When Group A emerged, the crowd shouted, “So cool!” But when Group B appeared, the chant shifted to: “So hot!”

In the VIP section, Xu You was ecstatic. He jumped up from his sofa chair, waving his slogan banner toward the stage and shouting at the top of his lungs.

“Zhong Yan! Zhong Yan! Sister! Sister! Hahaha!”

The venue was chaotic, and while Zhong Yan couldn’t possibly hear him from the stage, Lu Tingshen—sitting right next to him—heard every word. Lu Tingshen remained silent, his lips pressed into a thin line as he suppressed the urge to hit something.

Sister? They weren’t even related; how could he say that so easily? Lu Tingshen was deeply dissatisfied. Why did Zhong Yan associate with such a flighty man?

He turned his gaze back to the stage. Among the sea of beautiful girls, she was still breathtakingly radiant. His irritation softened as he watched her. But then he realized that her beauty wasn’t just for him—everyone in the room was staring at her, especially that annoying show-off next to him. His mood soured again. For a fleeting second, he wished she would just leave the stage so no one else could look at her.

The Pre-Stage Battle

The two groups completed their brief introductions. Yan Shi stood between them, inviting each group to deliver their final “battle declaration.”

Tian Jingyu stepped forward for Group A. “When it comes to ‘Playing,’ the younger generation does it best.” She tilted her head and shot a provocative smile at Group B. “Sisters, now that you’re older, can you still keep up the pace?”

The age gap was the most glaring difference. In Group A, the oldest was Tian Jingyu at twenty-three, with the rest being eighteen or nineteen—one was even sixteen. In Group B, An Tao was twenty-five, while Zhong Yan, Jin Li, and the others were all twenty-four.

Zhong Yan stepped forward with a composed smile. “There are some things that only ‘Sisters’ truly understand.”

She didn’t look at Group A. Instead, she looked directly at the audience, arched an eyebrow, and let a seductive, enchanting curve play on her lips. “Everyone… do you want to ‘play’ with us tonight?”

The hall exploded into screams. One bold fan even shrieked: “Yes! Play with me, Sisters! Play with me!”

Beside the stage, Yan Shi’s ears turned a deep shade of red. He lowered his eyes, suddenly unable to look at Zhong Yan. He fumbled with his cue cards to hide his inexplicable bashfulness.

Backstage Tension

“Alright,” Yan Shi managed to say, coughing to steady his racing heart. “The performance for Playing will begin shortly. Group A, the stage is yours. Group B, please wait backstage.”

Backstage, the space was cramped. Yan Shi stood right next to Zhong Yan. Because of the tight quarters, her bare, porcelain arm nearly brushed against his black suit. The redness in his ears, which had just started to fade, surged back in full force. He immediately averted his gaze and took a tiny step to the right.

Zhong Yan noticed him tucked into a corner next to some equipment crates. Even when staff moved past, he refused to lean closer to the girls, maintaining a polite but stiff distance.

“Does the Representative think we’re that scary?” Zhong Yan teased, noticing his rigid posture. “You’d rather stand with the crates than with us?”

Jin Li and An Tao laughed. Yan Shi gave a helpless, gentle smile and finally took a few steps closer to stand beside Zhong Yan. He stood with his back ramrod straight, staring forward. When his dark eyes accidentally met Zhong Yan’s playful gaze, his long lashes flickered, and he quickly looked away, his lips tightly pursed.

Zhong Yan couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle. Beside her, she felt his body go even more rigid.

The Showdown

On the monitors, Group A began their performance. Objectively speaking, Tian Jingyu was the star. The stage felt like her personal solo; she had designed the part distributions so that the younger, less experienced trainees served as her background dancers. She shone alone, ensuring no one could steal her spotlight.

As Group A finished to thunderous applause, the mentors praised Tian Jingyu’s individual performance, though Ye Shi noted that the group’s overall cohesion could have been better.

Then, it was time for Group B.

Backstage, the five girls formed a circle. Zhong Yan placed her hand in the center. “Don’t be nervous. Don’t doubt yourselves. Just show them the best version of who you are. Do we have confidence?”

An Tao met Zhong Yan’s eyes and gave a firm, confident smile. She placed her hand over Zhong Yan’s, followed by Jin Li and the others.

“We have confidence!!”

“Group B—let’s go ‘play’!”

Group A exited, and Group B took their positions. The lights dimmed. The audience fell silent, holding their breath in anticipation.

In the mentor room, the tension was high. “I’m so excited for Zhong Yan’s group,” Mu Bin admitted.

“I hope they’ve recovered their condition,” Ye Shi whispered, clenching her fists. “An Tao, you can do this!”

In the VIP section, Xu You stopped his shouting and stared at the stage, his eyes fixed. Lu Tingshen sat up straight, his gaze locked onto the familiar yet mysterious figure standing in the shadows of the stage.