Transmigrated as the CEO's Top-Tier Stand-in - Chapter 21

Chapter 21

The Three-Day Challenge

Learning the Chasing Dreams 100 theme song and choreography in three days sounded like a fantasy.

After Qi Feng’s announcement, every girl present, regardless of their singing or dancing experience, immediately changed their expression. Among them, the most defeated were the trainees previously assigned to Class F.

After the four mentors led the trainees to their respective practice rooms and left, Ji Yu immediately saw someone lose all motivation and lie directly on the floor. No matter how much their friends tried to pull them up, they refused to budge:

“Three days…”

“Do you know what three days means? I spent three months learning the last dance before coming here. Even if I stay here for seventy-two hours without food or sleep, I won’t be able to learn this theme song.”

Before that voice, the atmosphere in the classroom was already low. The girl simply voiced the truest thought in everyone’s hearts. Suddenly, more people, who had been listening to the theme song lyrics or following the recorded video to learn the moves, gave up.

Ji Yu sat in the corner, also wearing headphones. Her gaze swept across the room and noticed one-third of the people sitting on the floor in a daze, and another third looking down at videos, occasionally moving along, their mindsets still struggling. They didn’t want to completely give up, but they also lacked the courage to stand firm against the prevailing demoralization.

Only four or five people were practicing persistently in front of the mirrors at the front of the room. They learned a segment of the choreography and practiced it, seemingly unaffected by others. These four or five were prominent girl group members from earlier evaluations. Some of their teammates were in A, B, or C Class, and they had all received encouragement before parting ways. Now, they were determined to push forward.

Even if they could only turn their F into a D after the theme song assessment, it would be a step forward.

Just a little progress might mean more screen time, increasing the probability of more viewers seeing and supporting them.

The Call of the Stage

“Yuyu.”

The System suddenly called out to Ji Yu in her mind. Ji Yu waited, but no further words came. She could only ask, “What is it?”

Remembering Ji Yu’s tearful eyes while watching Qi Feng and Night’s stage earlier, the System could sense Ji Yu’s yearning for the stage. However, Si Tian’s negative experiences in the entertainment industry seemed to have created a shadow, making Ji Yu reject the industry.

But the longer Ji Yu stayed on the show, the more she would feel the stage’s temptation. And she was so close to touching that dream. How strong a will would she need to resist such an attraction?

Even if she resisted, it would be too cruel to her.

The System didn’t want Ji Yu to have any regrets.

Yet, it didn’t know how to start the conversation. Si Tian’s past was Ji Yu’s deep wound; the System shouldn’t invoke Si Tian in a self-righteous manner to persuade her. So, after speaking, only silence remained.

Ji Yu lowered her eyes to the dance video on her phone. Remembering the System’s consistent wish for her happiness, she inexplicably understood its unspoken intent. She smiled internally and replied:

“It’s not appropriate, is it?”

She had seen Chu Nanxing’s performance and knew her strength, but…

She felt like she was no worse than Chu Nanxing.

She could be perfunctory during the initial class assignment because she had no interest in the nine spots or the top. But if she started giving her all now, if the competitive spirit in her blood was truly aroused—

Things wouldn’t be as easy to control as they were now.

After all, she was just a supporting character randomly chosen by the System, not a villain with an important script to cling to until the end, nor a native of this world. Why should cannon fodder unnecessarily add scenes to her own story?

With this thought, Ji Yu stood up and left the dance studio. If she stayed in this perfect studio with its numerous large mirrors, she would inevitably want to practice dancing.

It had become a habit ingrained in her soul.

Dancing in the Moonlight

Ji Yu didn’t return to the dormitory either.

She left the camera-monitored area and went to the flat balcony extending from the hotel’s first floor. She placed her phone on the glass table in the corner, set to film the scenery, and began practicing the Poppin dance where she had always made mistakes.

This was the choreography Si Tian had created before her debut.

But only half of it.

Si Tian had once said that if she had the chance to release a solo album, she would include this dance. In the first half of the year, she was busy with the girl group’s various activities. The company seemed to prefer keeping them as a unit, so none of the group members had the opportunity for a solo album.

As for the second half of the year, those were the stories that followed. Under those circumstances, Si Tian naturally couldn’t think about a new album.

Even this dance was left unfinished.

But Ji Yu couldn’t even master this half-dance.

There was a specific move near the end. Si Tian had once playfully told her about the design of this move and demonstrated it. Ji Yu remembered it and followed along, but no matter how she danced, she couldn’t execute the move correctly.

In the past, Ji Yu thought it was because she hadn’t practiced enough, wasn’t as skilled as Si Tian, and wasn’t from a street dance background, so her understanding of the move was different. But only today did she vaguely realize that the move was placed there to show off technical skill, not because it was the most appropriate choice.

Yet, this was one of the few things Si Tian had left for her to remember her by.

She still wanted to learn it.

Even if it was only half, she wanted to complete this dance. The System saw her enter the zone and didn’t disturb her, remaining silent and quietly accompanying her.

A Silent Observer

Someone, however, was not satisfied.

Meng Rendong, who was with Wang Luoshui backstage, became restless when she realized none of the cameras had captured Ji Yu’s figure, and the dormitory cameras hadn’t shown her returning.

Wang Luoshui was busy watching the dance mentor, Zhi Tao, teach Class A. Other classrooms also showed interesting scenes. She was too preoccupied to notice the detail of someone leaving Class F.

After all, with the F Class cameras showing such a low atmosphere, it was normal for some trainees to be unable to stick it out.

Although the show had elements of a variety program, its fundamental nature was still the survival of the fittest in the industry.

The excellent and the diligent would remain.

Those who left would have their names forgotten.

Meng Rendong watched Wang Luoshui, burdened with equipment and busy. She heard her constantly issuing instructions to staff in other groups and looked at the many screens in front of her. After a while, Meng Rendong stood up and left alone.

She hadn’t brought her assistant with her this time. Coupled with the hustle and bustle of all the backstage staff, it was five or six minutes later when Wang Luoshui noticed the empty chair beside her.

Wang Luoshui, holding her walkie-talkie, noticed a few A-class trainees going to visit D and F. She was instructing the outside cameras to pay attention when her peripheral vision caught the empty seat beside her. She paused for a second and asked her nearby assistant:

“Where is CEO Meng?”

The assistant put down her shorthand notebook, following Wang Luoshui’s gaze. She paused for a second, couldn’t recall seeing Meng Rendong leave, and instinctively replied:

“Perhaps she had something urgent and left early?”

After asking around, someone near the door confirmed noticing Meng Rendong leaving. Wang Luoshui didn’t ask further. Before diving back into work, she pulled out her phone and sent Meng Rendong a message: “When you get back, make an appointment for a physical exam. Don’t ignore the headaches.” Then she put her friend out of her mind and turned to her staff:

“Some trainees might pull an all-nighter tonight. See if you can buy some milk from the hotel kitchen. If some people stay up all night hungry, their filming condition tomorrow will be poor.”

“Understood, Director Wang.”

Meng Rendong followed the trace of Ji Yu’s departure and, by chance, found where she was.

Her initial intention was just to confirm that Ji Yu was safe alone and then leave. Who knew…

After turning the corner, she saw the scenic balcony. Meng Rendong remembered this spot. It was a pleasant experience to stand here, wide and open, smelling the fresh air, and watching the sunset melt into gold on a clear day.

But now, the sight before her forcefully expelled all those memories of the sunset.

It was a Ji Yu she had never known.

In those four years, Ji Yu had always given her the impression of being soft, seductive in bed, and gently lovable when out of it. She never lost her temper, and the word “aura” seemed naturally unassociated with her.

Meng Rendong always felt that the phrase “tender as water” was tailor-made for Ji Yu.

Until now.

She saw the figure dancing to the lively melody. Every movement carried subtle strength. The seemingly simple song and dance unexpectedly made her heart pound. Meng Rendong had never been interested in such girl group songs, but for the first time, she followed the dance to appreciate the power within the song:

It was the Chasing Dreams 100 theme song—”Go!”

The volume on the phone’s external speaker wasn’t loud, but because the entire corridor was so quiet, even from that distance, Meng Rendong could clearly hear the words and tune of the chorus:

“Go and dream it! Let them hear my voice!”

“Go and dream it! Promise me you’ll try!”

“Let me prove it on this stage”

“I am your perfect choice…”

The melody wasn’t complicated, but after hearing it once, the tune naturally took root in her mind. Meng Rendong focused on the dancing figure, following the lyrics.

She saw the sheen reflecting off Ji Yu’s neck in the warm corridor lights.

It was sweat.

It wasn’t that Meng Rendong had never seen Ji Yu sweat.

During those tumultuous moments in bed, Ji Yu’s neck, collarbone, and even waist would be glistening. But at that time, she only thought the sweat made Ji Yu’s skin smoother and her appearance more alluring…

But today, Meng Rendong discovered that just a single drop of sweat hanging on Ji Yu’s nape—

Could evoke a sense of dangerous seduction.

It made her irresistibly want to approach, lean down to inhale Ji Yu’s scent, and gently lick away the moisture.

Meng Rendong was startled by the thought that flashed through her mind.

Her breathing hitched. Only then did she realize how long she had been standing there. To prevent Ji Yu from thinking she was a stalker or a rejected lover turned pervert, Meng Rendong retreated half a step, letting the shadow of the corner swallow her.

Leaning her back against the cool wall, she softly closed her eyes, lightly nodding her head to the song’s rhythm, listening in the darkness as the song slowly finished.

The breathtaking sight from moments ago seemed etched onto Meng Rendong’s retina. Even with her eyes closed, she vaguely saw that stunning dance, giving rise to a peculiar premonition:

Perhaps the sight she witnessed today would be engraved in her mind for a lifetime.

She Is the Moon

The music gradually came to an end.

Meng Rendong’s heartbeat didn’t return to its normal rhythm; it was still wildly pounding in her chest. She raised her hand to her chest, slowly opened her eyes, and looked down at the gleaming tiles, faintly seeing her own face reflected in them.

As if looking into a mirror.

She met the eyes of her reflection and quietly asked herself in her heart: Meng Rendong, do you really know what kind of person Ji Yu is after four years?

The girl on the balcony, bathed in moonlight, possessed an aura and charm in her dance that surpassed the girl group members cultivated by Huangting Entertainment over the years. She was certain that if Wang Luoshui had seen that segment, she would have had the same thought.

To quickly learn a dance and perform it so well in such a short time…

Ji Yu seemed born to stand on a stage, to be the focus of attention, to enjoy the acclaim of a roaring crowd.

If the other girl group members on the show were bright stars in the sky, perhaps some would shine exceptionally brightly, overshadowing the dim ones. But with Ji Yu, everything would become a non-issue—

She was the moon.

When the night fell and the wilderness was quiet, people might marvel at the splendor of the stars.

But when the moon rose over the mountain, the light of the stars would be reduced to mere fireflies. How could they compete with the bright moon?

And this was just Ji Yu’s dancing.

Thinking of Wang Luoshui’s earlier words about Ji Yu’s proficiency in various musical instruments, including lyrics and arrangement, Meng Rendong could almost visualize the astonishment people would feel when her talent was revealed to the public!

And yet, this astonishingly talented person had quietly stayed by her side for four years without asking for anything in return. So much so that, until recently, when Meng Rendong thought of Ji Yu’s traits, the first thing that came to mind was her cooking.

Or perhaps…

The way she yielded under her.

A bitter smile spread across Meng Rendong’s lips. She asked herself again: Did Ji Yu hide it too well, or did you simply never look?

Reviewing her memories, many previously overlooked moments surfaced.

Meng Rendong remembered several times seeing band-aids on Ji Yu’s knees or fingers. When she casually asked, Ji Yu said she accidentally bumped herself. She would lightly bite Ji Yu’s ear, call her a “little klutz,” and never mentioned it again.

Now that she thought about it, how could Ji Yu, with her gentle and patient nature, be the type to constantly bump into things clumsily?

And the time before the breakup.

Ji Yu said she was working part-time at a nearby arts center. Once, when she was almost late, Meng Rendong asked Uncle Zhang to drive her a bit further to drop her off. At the time, she thought Ji Yu was just casually taking a job to pass the time, even guessing Ji Yu was working the front desk.

The truth?

Ji Yu needed only to exhibit one of her talents to be qualified for any teaching position there.

Perhaps Ji Yu really didn’t want to expose these talents to her—

But.

Did she really hide them well?

Not exactly.

After four years together, even if they weren’t together every single day and night, anyone paying attention would have noticed clues. Meng Rendong thought, It wasn’t that Ji Yu was too good at hiding, but that she was too arrogant.

She naturally categorized the other person as her possession, and thus didn’t care or pay attention, believing that in the long journey of life, whatever she needed to discover would eventually appear before her.

Ji Yu was a pearl covered in dust, and she mistakenly thought Ji Yu was just a pebble.

How foolish.

She told herself: Meng Rendong, you are truly foolish.

The System’s Praise

The song ended.

Ji Yu gasped slightly, rested in place for a while, and then walked over to pick up her phone and switch the music back to her original track. At the same time, she heard a flurry of applause in her mind!

She: “?”

The System sounded as if it had been rebooting for a long time and had just recovered. It excitedly played a segment of applause from its storage to express its feelings, and then said: “Yuyu! I declare you debuted on the spot! I, I, I pick you! I’ll be your fan club leader!”

Ji Yu couldn’t help but smile. She raised her hand to tuck the sweat-dampened hair behind her ear. After tying it up with the hair tie she carried, she replied: “Thank you for the compliment, but I think the coordination of a few moves was off just now.”

The System, now in rainbow-fart mode: “I don’t care! I’m not listening! You’re the best! I’m crazy for you! I’m wild for you! I’ll bang my head against the wall for you!”

Ji Yu’s face grew warmer from the praise. She fanned herself with her hand. Just as she was about to say something, the System reminded her: “By the way, Yuyu…”

“Hmm?”

“You were dancing just now, so you might not have noticed, but Meng Rendong seemed to have come by once. She watched you for a long time from the corner.”

Following the System’s words, Ji Yu looked back at the spot.

No one was there.

Thinking of Meng Rendong’s personality, she smiled faintly and replied to the System: “It’s fine.”

Meng Rendong wasn’t the type to harass someone after a breakup or resort to revenge after her pride was hurt. Although she didn’t know why Meng Rendong still thought of her, Ji Yu was clear that what they had wasn’t a passionate romance, but simply four years of mutual convenience.

Time would smooth everything over.

And Meng Rendong would eventually find the person she was destined to be with.

With this thought, Ji Yu casually wiped the sweat from her forehead and started dancing her original street dance routine again. “Go!” was just a distraction to lift her spirits; this street dance was what she truly cared about.

Like a tireless machine, she danced continuously to the music until her phone battery died.

Ji Yu picked up her phone and walked toward the elevator, intending to get a portable charger from the dormitory and come back down. As she rounded the corner, she noticed a bottle of mineral water placed on the floor.

She glanced at it, then walked past without stopping.

The Joy of Effort

After entering the elevator.

The System asked her: “Are you still coming back down to practice?”

Ji Yu answered, “Yes.”

The System sounded worried: “Yuyu, aren’t you tired? You were on the road all morning today, then filmed for so long this afternoon and evening. It’s already three in the morning. Aren’t you tired yet?”

It was a little afraid Ji Yu might experience sudden death from extreme excitement.

Ji Yu looked at her reflection in the golden elevator door. Meeting her own eyes, she saw the faint glow within them and couldn’t help but smile, saying to the System:

“Don’t worry.”

“I’m just a little happy.”

System: “?”

The smile in Ji Yu’s eyes deepened. She thought of the girls in the Class A or B practice rooms, guessing that some of them were also practicing as late as she was. “This place is different from where I lived before. It’s not just me; many other people are also diligently singing and dancing.”

“You know what? It’s like sitting in a classroom and studying for an exam with many classmates. A certain energy naturally surges in your heart, making you feel like success is possible as long as you keep trying.”

The lonely sense of oppression she had felt in the past was much lighter in this atmosphere, reducing her fatigue by a third.

Hearing this, the System couldn’t hold back anymore. It spoke to Ji Yu with a slightly sad voice:

“Yuyu.”

“Do you… know how amazing you are?”

Ji Yu blinked, surprised by the sudden praise.

The System spoke again with extreme seriousness and sincerity, making Ji Yu instinctively think that if the System could appear before her right now, its round eyes would be fixed on her, and it would flash a wide grin, saying:

“You are so good, I shouldn’t be the only one who sees it.”

You are so good, so outstanding, so talented, and so kind and beautiful. Everyone should know.

You shouldn’t be here, listening only to the lonely applause I provide…

That is a slight against power.

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