Chapter Fifteen: My Dream

Over three thousand yuan a month, with meals and accommodation included!

Watching his sister’s face light up with excitement, Liao Yuan fell silent for a moment.

In his previous life, such an amount wouldn’t even cover the price of his dinner, but in Liao Meiqi’s eyes, it was a lifeline.

A pang of pain tugged at his heart.

Having experienced a life of luxury and splendor, Liao Yuan, now given another chance, no longer cared much about the quality of his food, clothing, or shelter—a bowl of plain rice and a Michelin-starred meal made little difference to him. But if it was his own family, he wanted nothing more than for them to live as happily as possible, to shower them with all the best things the world had to offer.

“Brother, what’s wrong?”

Sensing Liao Yuan’s subdued mood, Liao Meiqi grew cautious. “Are you upset?”

“How could I be upset?” Liao Yuan managed a smile, reached out, and gently ruffled her hair. His voice was soft. “I’m happier than anyone to see you becoming independent and strong.”

Liao Meiqi grinned and suddenly hugged him. “Big brother, from now on, you should stop working. Let me take care of you instead!”

Liao Yuan was taken aback. He lowered his head to look at her. “Why would you say that?”

“Didn’t you get laid off? I’ve seen all sorts of things online about ‘Tales of the Strange’ being canceled!” Liao Meiqi pressed her cheek against his chest and murmured, “Brother, to tell you the truth, I’ve long wanted you to leave Donghai Radio. If you had to see Xi Yun every day at work, it’d be better to never see her again. That way, maybe you’d suffer a little less.”

Xi Yun?

Liao Yuan frowned.

Liao Meiqi went on in a low voice, “I’ve already made up my mind. This time, I’m going to shine in the new program, take on plenty of gigs, earn a lot of money—so that even if you don’t work, you’ll never have to worry about a thing…”

A gentle warmth rose in Liao Yuan’s heart.

He cupped his sister’s delicate face, gazing into her bright, tear-stained eyes with a smile blooming like a flower. “Meiqi, what I want to say is: never let anyone else dictate your life. Just do what you love most, without worrying about others’ opinions. And more importantly, if your life is lived only for someone else, then such a life isn’t worth having.”

“Big brother.”

Liao Meiqi lifted her head and looked at him earnestly. “I feel like you’ve changed! You have all these grand philosophies now. But I know exactly what I’m doing, and I’ll keep doing it—not for anyone else, but because it’s my dream.”

Dreams… are meant to be supported.

If anyone ever tries to stop you from chasing your dream, just tell me.

As her older brother, it was only right to sweep away all obstacles for his sister’s dreams, without hesitation.

Liao Yuan smiled faintly, ruffled her hair again, and then returned to the kitchen, using all the fresh ingredients he’d bought yesterday.

Before long, he set before Liao Meiqi a feast of scallion beef, spicy shredded potatoes, tomato and scrambled eggs, and a bowl of kelp soup.

She was utterly stunned.

She marveled at her brother’s culinary skill—the colors, aromas, and flavors all perfect—and couldn’t help but burst into applause.

But she didn’t ask much, for her heart was so full of emotion that it overflowed to her nose.

She picked up a piece of beef and put it in her mouth. The flood of flavor made her eyes well up with tears.

It was so delicious!

She looked absolutely famished, shoveling down rice and wolfing down the home-cooked dishes her brother had made.

“Slow down, no one’s going to take it from you,” Liao Yuan said.

But the moment her brother spoke, Liao Meiqi’s tears spilled over, and she choked out, “Brother, did you secretly learn to cook just to make this farewell meal for me because you know I’ll be gone for three months?”

Liao Yuan was surprised. “Gone for three months?”

“The new show I’m joining is called ‘Produce 101.’”

As she turned to serious matters, Liao Meiqi pulled herself together and explained, “Brother, this is the biggest opportunity I’ve had since coming to Donghai. It’s a youth talent show for personal growth. The show selects the top 101 girls from twenty thousand applicants, then puts them through three months of intensive training and elimination rounds. In the end, the eleven most outstanding girls will form a girl group and officially debut.”

“Unfortunately for you, I was selected!”

“I came back this time just to tell you. Tomorrow we start our first training session.”

She scooped up more rice and continued, “Even if I don’t make the final group, the show will broadcast in many countries across Asia, and in China it’ll be on three major video platforms and Donghai TV at the same time. The director said that as long as you’re not particularly weak, everyone who passes the first round will gain tons of fans. Even if you don’t debut, there’ll be plenty of commercial gigs!”

From her explanation, Liao Yuan now understood the rules of “Produce 101.”

He recalled a similar show from his previous life, but the scale of this “Produce 101” far exceeded anything he’d imagined.

Just as Meiqi had said, any contestant who appeared on the show had a high chance of being seen by hundreds of millions of viewers across Asia. Such massive exposure was no less than the spring gala in his previous life.

However, having worked on several major talent shows before, Liao Yuan knew just how difficult it was to survive in such a competition.

When a show attracted billions of eyes, it was nearly impossible for the producers to manipulate outcomes behind the scenes; the kind of shady practices seen in lesser shows were all but impossible here.

A show under such intense scrutiny could not afford the slightest carelessness.

The contestants’ strengths and weaknesses would be laid bare before the world for all to see.

No one could keep up a flawless façade for three months; under the relentless gaze of the cameras, every virtue and flaw would be magnified.

The immense public attention would indeed generate vast profits, but if a scandal were to spark public outrage, it could deal a fatal blow to any industry.

Thus, from the very first selection rounds, the show’s producers would run thorough background checks on contestants’ identities and social connections.

Anyone with a hint of scandal was like a drop of poison—absolutely barred from advancing.

Meiqi was lucky. Though her basic skills were average, her background and reputation were spotless. Many contestants, ten or a hundred times more talented, were eliminated early due to such blemishes.

Of course, while the usual backdoor dealings were largely absent, that didn’t mean contestants could act recklessly.

The director’s team still held ultimate control.

Through shooting and editing, they could easily propel or destroy a contestant’s career.

For Meiqi to stand out among 101 contestants, the road ahead would be long and arduous.