Transmigrated as the CEO's Top-Tier Stand-in - Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Meng Rendong’s mind went blank.

For half a minute after Wang Luoshui’s voice fell, she was lost in a daze of “Who am I? Where am I? What did I just hear?”

Wang Luoshui saw her expression and assumed she was refusing to believe that Ji Yu had someone else in her heart, stubbornly insisting that she was the only one. Wang Luoshui wanted to say a few more words of persuasion, but unfortunately, she couldn’t find anything else to say.

After all.

You can never wake a person who is pretending to sleep.

Wang Luoshui could only remain silent, anxiously pinching her own brow as if Meng Rendong’s headache was contagious. After a long silence, she heard Meng Rendong speak again:

“…What did you say her name was?”

Wang Luoshui looked at her, seeing her reluctance to accept the shock of reality, and her eyes held a mix of pity and sympathy. She truly couldn’t bear to see her friend constantly trapped in a relationship that would never be reciprocated. Feeling it was necessary to make Meng Rendong face the facts, she repeated:

“Si Tian, Si as in Sifa (justice), and Tian as in Shuxinpang (the heart radical on the side).”

Meng Rendong fell into a state of blankness once more.

Wang Luoshui sighed heavily, patted her shoulder, poured her a glass of hot water and placed it nearby, then got up and went to the washroom in the hospital room. Since Meng Rendong’s room was quite luxurious, the accompanying room was also separate and spacious. The accompanying bed was large as well, and although it couldn’t compare to the presidential suite at Yanxia Mountain, it was far from simple.

Wang Luoshui planned to stay here with Meng Rendong for the night. After all, everything that needed to be arranged for the show had been taken care of. With the associate director and a host of capable and experienced staff members present, as long as it wasn’t a life-threatening crisis, and they followed the procedure, nothing should go wrong in the middle of the night.

Meng Rendong leaned quietly against the headboard. The hot steam rising from the water on the bedside table slightly blurred her somewhat aloof expression.

She felt like her entire worldview was collapsing.

Otherwise, how could she explain that the name of the person Ji Yu liked was the same as the name in her dreams?

Meng Rendong closed her eyes. The images from those dreams immediately resurfaced, passing by like frames on a film roll… She had questioned why these dreams were like a serial drama before, but she had only attributed it to her inability to let go of Ji Yu…

But what did it mean when the dream reflected reality?

Meng Rendong opened her eyes again, staring at the white velvet blanket covering her, and a bold hypothesis suddenly formed in her mind:

Was it possible that the things she dreamed about had actually happened?

And she had simply forgotten them?

But she thought carefully. Her few hospital stays were invariably due to head injuries, where she stayed alone in the empty rooms of expensive private hospitals.

The collective ward in her dreams—the noisy one, where people visited each other, where she could hear the sound of companions cracking melon seeds and chatting casually—was virtually impossible to exist in her life.

No matter how unloved she was, she was still the youngest daughter of the chairman of the Meng Group, a real estate magnate.

But how could she explain the Si Tian matter?

Why was the name of the person Ji Yu liked exactly Si Tian?

Meng Rendong felt like there was a missing thread she couldn’t grasp. She thought for a long time, then moved her gaze and reached out to touch the phone next to the water cup.

Since the person Si Tian indeed existed in this world…

Then.

If she could find this person, wouldn’t it answer a large part of her confusion?

More than ten minutes later.

Wang Luoshui came out of the bathroom, wiping her hair with a disposable towel. She looked down at the wide-leg dark jeans she was wearing, somewhat worried about whether sleeping in such stiff fabric without changing into pajamas would be uncomfortable tonight.

But she quickly let it go. After all, it was impossible to make a grand fuss about going back to the hotel from here. She looked up at Meng Rendong and said: “Oh, right, did your assistant send your change of clothes… Why are you still on your phone? Didn’t the doctor tell you to rest more?”

Meng Rendong didn’t raise her head, only saying faintly: “Almost done.”

Wang Luoshui approached helplessly. Seeing her serious expression, she thought Meng Rendong was still worrying about company matters late at night, and instinctively stepped forward to pretend to confiscate her phone:

“You can’t finish earning all the money, Boss Meng.”

Meng Rendong raised her wrist to avoid her movement, answering simply: “It’s not business.”

Wang Luoshui said “Oh” and turned to walk toward the accompanying bed outside, leaving only a reminder to “Rest early, call me if you need anything.” Then, yawning, she carefully spread her slightly damp hair on the pillow, and turned off the lamp closest to her, dozing off in the dimly lit room.

Meng Rendong hurriedly found a few reliable “professionals” to help her search for the person Si Tian. After placing her phone on the bedside table, she got up to take a shower.

The bathroom door made a very slight creaking sound when it opened and closed.

When Meng Rendong emerged, bringing with her the steaming mist, Wang Luoshui’s nervous system, which was accustomed to light sleep, was startled. She had already fallen asleep but was now slightly awake. Semi-conscious, she instinctively reminded Meng Rendong:

“Go to sleep early.”

“Don’t think so much, Rendong. Sometimes, being together depends on fate.”

Seeing that her friend didn’t forget to advise her to give up even in her sleep, Meng Rendong felt both helpless and amused. She softly replied: “Got it, good night.”

Wang Luoshui mumbled a reply.

Until the last light in the room was extinguished, and only gradually steady breathing sounds could be heard.

“The MMs’ second stage is about to start! Go, everyone!”

“The first round of voting channels just closed. I heard that there are more wealthy benefactors next door. Can our Nanxing really get first place?”

“I think Rong Bai’s popularity should be the highest, right? Her type of looks is always very popular in survival shows.”

“If you say that, the Yufen (Ji Yu fans) next door won’t agree. Who doesn’t know that someone went from F in the first episode to dominating and rushing to the A-Class theme song C-position? This huge gap difference attracted a lot of fans, and there’s that particularly tragic life story, and now even depression is being brought up… Shocking! Who can beat her family in terms of drawing sympathy?!”

“Emmm, personally I prefer cute girls with contrasting charm like Ling Lan. I watch survival shows to appreciate plmm (pretty little sisters) with diverse personalities, not a competition of who is the most tragic.”

“You people are really funny. Are the things our Jiyu (crucian carp – nickname for Ji Yu) says false? Did she make up stories and rumors? So, people who achieve a successful turnaround through sheer ability should also be scolded now? Are you haters unable to find anything to criticize?!”

“As a passerby, I think the Jiejies in Dream Chasing are all particularly cute. Excellent contestants all have memorable personality traits. For example, Ling Lan is especially adorable, Lianque is an academic genius, Rong Bai is incredibly cool, Nanxing is very lively… Ji Yu has great social skills! Since they’ll all be in one group eventually, there’s no need for that solo-fan mentality, right?”

There were four hours left until the start of the second public performance stage.

Fans from various groups online were buzzing with activity.

In reality, fans who could attend the performance were queuing up outside the venue with great fanfare, waiting to pass security checks. Since the number of attendees this time was extremely large, many rules were imposed on light sticks and banners. For example, long poles for banners were not allowed, and there were regulations on the size of light boards, and so on.

But this couldn’t extinguish the fans’ passion in the slightest.

We can manually hold up the banners for the whole duration! We’ll bring the cute, miniature versions of light boards, customized by the fan club! We can also wear fluorescent bracelets in our exclusive support color!

No matter how much the organizers restricted them, they had to let their picked contestants see the fans’ love!

It’s worth mentioning.

Several sisters in the Yufen (Ji Yu fan group) had their flashlights confiscated.

Contestant backstage area.

The girls changing costumes and preparing makeup were chatting lively backstage. Some who were already ready, seeking peace of mind, sneaked into the makeshift classroom in the venue to practice the performance in front of the mirror.

Qi Feng and the other mentors had their exclusive makeup artists and styling teams, as well as their own dressing rooms. Thus, they finished their looks earlier than the girls. They were strolling around backstage, chatting, and occasionally opening the door to check on the trainees’ status. They would comfort those who were too nervous, urging them to relax, and encourage those who were clearly not in the right state of mind.

At that moment, Ji Yu took advantage of the crowd, changed her clothes, but didn’t put on her makeup yet. She found an empty classroom to practice. Qi Feng happened to walk by outside and casually opened the door to check the situation inside.

Ji Yu had just finished warming up and was about to tie up her hair. Hearing the movement, she looked up and out.

Seeing her, Qi Feng looked around and asked, somewhat surprised: “Why are you here alone?”

Ji Yu smiled and explained that the styling room was crowded. She pointed to the time and told Qi Feng she planned to go over in ten minutes, which would neither delay things nor leave her queuing aimlessly there.

Qi Feng smiled. The tear mole beneath his eye seemed even more charming.

He walked in naturally but didn’t close the door: “Oh, right, Director Wang mentioned something to me during the dinner a couple of days ago…”

Ji Yu immediately felt a bit embarrassed. She knew how excellent a boy group member Qi Feng was. His professionalism was beyond question. He might have been the kind of person who followed the rules even before his debut. He must strongly dislike someone like her, who showed talent but didn’t cherish the opportunity and repeatedly caused trouble.

Unexpectedly, Qi Feng waved his hand at the accompanying cameraman and said: “The following is a private chat. Cut this out, don’t broadcast it.”

He warned in a half-joking tone, but the cameraman naturally knew his contract with the production team, and sensibly wobbled the camera before cleanly putting the lens cap on.

Qi Feng looked at Ji Yu, maintaining a distance as he sat down on the spot. He observed Ji Yu’s expression, then smiled and said: “You seem to already know what I’m going to talk about.”

Ji Yu nodded and bowed deeply to him: “I’m sorry, Brother Feng. I… shouldn’t keep breaking the rules.”

Unexpectedly, Qi Feng waved his hand, changing the topic:

“Night and I, along with the other mentors, all recognize your talent, and we can tell from every performance that you are fully prepared for every stage.”

Ji Yu stood there somewhat reservedly. Since she didn’t know the intent of Qi Feng’s conversation, she could only listen carefully to his every word.

Qi Feng changed tack: “But—”

“Is the hardest thing about becoming an idol the stage?”

“Indeed, an idol who can’t go all out on the stage is the most unqualified, but becoming an idol requires more than just that… Most importantly, in the eyes of others, it means sacrificing everything for the stage.”

“Seeking a bigger stage by acting, participating in variety shows, increasing fame, and getting more performance opportunities is just one aspect. The terrifying part is that your own affairs, your feelings, everything about you, are not under your control.”

“Since the inception of the idol model—girl groups and boy groups—all artists who enter the public eye in this way are born from ‘selling fantasy.’ The audience and fans derive a certain emotion and connection from them, and subsequently treat them as an emotional outlet. Among them are the rational and the fanatical, who, to some extent, regard them as perfect beings.”

“And perfection itself cannot be tarnished by anything, nor can it be broken by the idol themselves. Gradually, concepts like ‘idol disqualification’ are born.”

Seeing Ji Yu lost in thought, though still with a hint of apology on her face, Qi Feng stopped talking. His smile widened: “I’m getting off track. I’m telling you this only because I believe if you give your all, you will definitely become an idol in the future, so I’m sharing my experience as an idol all these years in advance.”

“I know you’re not the type to drift with the current. You have firm goals and are willing to continuously strive for them. Just consider me having taken my mentor role too seriously, suddenly wanting to nag…”

After mocking himself, Qi Feng suddenly asked her: “Do you think the group TEB is successful?”

Ji Yu was momentarily stunned. Perhaps prompted by his relaxed atmosphere, she smiled and replied: “Brother Feng, if the number one boy band in Asia isn’t considered successful, who can be?”

Qi Feng nodded: “I once thought my group was perfect enough, after all, we set many records and achieved many accomplishments that others could never dream of achieving in a lifetime—”

“But no one can be perfect, and neither can idols.”

“Later, we gradually understood that even successful as we were, we couldn’t satisfy everyone, or even consistently satisfy everyone who liked us. Even within the fan base, there would be various dissenting voices.”

“So, personally, I think the most important thing is, while completing the stage, constantly contemplate: what kind of idol do you want to be, and what kind of power do you want to convey? If you can achieve these two points, you’ve already succeeded more than most people.”

Ji Yu was thoughtful. After a while, she glanced in the direction of the cameraman, raised her eyebrows, and asked Qi Feng in a low voice:

“Brother Feng, you weren’t here to criticize me after all?”

Qi Feng shrugged: “I don’t think I’ve said that since I walked in, have I?”

Saying this, he checked the time, stood up from the floor, and patted his trousers, which hadn’t actually gathered any dust. He waved to Ji Yu, deciding to go coordinate the stage process with Night. Before leaving, as if remembering something, he added:

“Oh, one more idol secret—”

“Always do the thing you feel is more important. That way, whether others regret it or not, at least you have no regrets.”

After he left with the accompanying cameraman, Ji Yu remained in the classroom, contemplating for a long time.

Ji Yu then bowed deeply once more toward the now-empty classroom door.

Mentor Dressing Room.

Night was letting his stylist work on him. Today, he was wearing several necklaces of different lengths simultaneously, which at first glance looked like a new design. However, he personally couldn’t appreciate the style, feeling his neck had become a large display rack. Unfortunately, he couldn’t win against the stylist, so he sat there dejectedly with a cold expression.

When Qi Feng returned, Night glanced at the smile on his face, raising an eyebrow:

“In such a good mood?”

Qi Feng pursed his lips and smiled, answering mysteriously: “Yes.”

Seeing that he didn’t intend to elaborate, Night didn’t press further. But soon after, he heard Qi Feng in the seat behind him start humming a song.

Qi Feng saw Night frequently looking back in the mirror, knowing his curiosity was piqued, but there were too many cameras here. He really didn’t want to talk about the group’s internal matters, so he pretended not to notice.

Meanwhile, he seriously contemplated whether his words today were too strange. What if Ji Yu didn’t understand, or thought he was being nosy?

He admitted that his and Night’s concern for Ji Yu carried a bit of personal bias.

A few years ago, a member of TEB left.

Ostensibly due to poor condition and other issues, in reality, it was due to depression and several instances of self-harm.

Qi Feng and Night had a good relationship with that brother, but they didn’t realize he needed help the most. At the time, that brother was also caught in some public opinion, much like Ji Yu now. He showed no outward sign of distress, only very occasionally revealing some genuine thoughts and feelings, which were then suppressed by his manager or others, extinguishing the idea.

Unable to balance the immense pressure of work and his private life, he eventually headed towards the edge of a cliff.

After that incident, Qi Feng and Night woke up from the flowery reputation of TEB. They gradually realized the immense price paid for what others deemed success and perfection.

Seeing Ji Yu now, he vaguely felt he was seeing his former brother.

So, he couldn’t help but want to help.

He wanted to say that even if an idol occasionally pursued their own selfish desires, it wasn’t a shameful act.

As long as they always knew who they were, what they were doing, and felt that the matter was worthwhile—

That was enough.

“Ah ah ah ah ah!”

“Brother Feng, I love you!”

“Go, Brother Feng! Go, Night! Go, Dream Chasing 100! Go, little sisters!”

“TEB is number one in the universe! Brother Feng and Night are the best!”

“You are to spring what peach blossoms are, to summer what the stream is, to my heart what love is! Go, Zhi Tao!”

“An Ran, An Ran, I love you!”

At the site of the second public performance, as Qi Feng and the other mentors walked onto the center stage, they were met by deafening cheers from the audience. Holding the microphone, he flashed a smile, making the tear mole at the corner of his eye seem to sparkle:

“Welcome, all National Dream Weavers, to the second public performance of Dream Chasing 100—”

Ji Yu sat next to Rong Bai, watching the magnificent scene through the screen in the broadcast room.

She saw countless light boards shining, the surging crowd, and the dazzling grand stage beneath the mentors.

Just then, she quietly asked the system:

“Will Si Tian be in this venue?”

The system originally intended to tell her after her performance, afraid Ji Yu would be distracted and unable to deliver her best stage, but now that Ji Yu asked, it couldn’t lie, so it hesitated, falling into extreme conflict.

Ji Yu, however, heard the answer in its silence.

She sat steadily in her chair, lightly swinging her feet that were off the floor. When she lowered her gaze, the red five-pointed star drawn at the corner of her eye was particularly dazzling, as if it could dye her pupils an ominous color.

Then, Ji Yu smiled lightly, and said: “It’s good that she’s here.”

The thought of Si Tian seeing her current stage filled Ji Yu’s heart with endless joy and anticipation. The nerves that hadn’t been excited for a long time trembled with excitement, and her blood accelerated its burning once more.

In the audience.

Si Tian touched the orange fluorescent bracelet on her wrist. She had received it from Ji Yu’s fan club before entering the venue. After lightly snapping it and putting it on, it could glow for at least two hours.

It was kind of cute.

Because she failed to get a ticket in the front row, she could only stand in the very back platform area. She couldn’t even clearly see the figures on the stage, only the spectacle of the stage on the large screen broadcasting the event live.

But even so, it made her feel a long-lost passionate atmosphere.

She took a deep breath, feeling as if she was instantly transported back to those stages of the past, only now, she was standing in the audience, being captivated by the performance.

Si Tian was so focused on soaking in the atmosphere that she hardly noticed when people constantly came and went, disrupting her rhythm.

But she didn’t know.

Her figure was being secretly photographed by some raised cell phones around her.

And then sent to another person’s phone.

An hour later.

Si Tian was getting a bit tired of standing, but Ji Yu’s stage hadn’t started yet. She couldn’t help but puff out her cheeks, feeling her feet ache a little. She unintentionally scanned the people around her, noticing that although some also showed a slight fatigue, they were still energized enough to wave the light boards in their hands. Only a few—those who had already voted for their favorite contestant and whose contestant’s stage was over—couldn’t stand it any longer and turned to leave.

But they were a minority.

Sure enough, the power of supporting an idol is boundless.

She began to guess which act Ji Yu’s stage was. She decided she would leave after enduring the performance and casting her vote, because standing here for so long was truly tiring and made her thirsty.

Si Tian looked around and saw the light board on her left was blue, and the one on her right read: “Go, Boss Bai!”

The courage she had just gathered to strike up a conversation instantly fizzled out.

She involuntarily shifted her feet, trying to stand in a more comfortable position.

Just then, someone behind her seemed to want to move forward. There was a rustling sound and movement in the crowd. Si Tian didn’t turn around. She merely looked at a small gap beside her and moved to let the person pass.

However, the person’s presence stopped right behind her.

They were even so close that she could clearly hear the sound of their breathing.

Si Tian stiffened, thinking she had encountered a pervert…

Just then.

A cold voice sounded from behind: “After this stage, there are two more acts before Ji Yu’s stage.”

Si Tian felt the voice sounded familiar, and also felt that this person was a mind-reader, knowing exactly what she was pondering. So, she put on a faint smile, preparing to turn around and thank the person.

As she turned her head.

She first saw a pair of deep black eyes.

It was as if she had instantly gazed upon mountains shrouded in morning mist, both cold and dark.

The moment their eyes met.

She saw shock reflected in the other person’s eyes.

Si Tian belatedly observed the person’s appearance, then slowly frowned, also looking a bit slow to react.

Who is this person…?

A bold guess leaped into her mind.

She moved her lips, dazedly wanting to utter the person’s name, but was preempted:

“Are you Si Tian?”

“Hello, I’m Meng Rendong.”

Si Tian: “!!!”

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