After Being Bound to the Scummy Alpha System, I Became Famous Thanks to My Face Blindness - Chapter 13

Everyone froze in surprise.

He Junnian chuckled and reminded her, “Tang Ling, what are you talking about? You’re an Alpha.”

Tang Ling blinked, realizing she’d spoken without thinking. In her flustered state, she’d completely forgotten her secondary gender. An Alpha and an Omega sharing a room—of course that would be inconvenient in more ways than one.

Her face flushed red. She released her grip awkwardly. “Sorry, I was being impulsive.”

Tan Shiyi took the bag from Tang Ling’s hand without showing any reaction and slung it back over her own shoulder. “It’s fine.”

Fu Xin stepped in with a laugh to smooth things over. “She must be so close to you, Tan Shiyi, that she forgot she’s an Alpha altogether.”

The other girls immediately understood. Most of them had only recently turned sixteen, having just undergone their first differentiation. Before that, they’d all simply interacted as girls—without the invisible line between Alphas, Betas, and Omegas.

According to the original plan, this group had two Alphas, four Omegas, two Betas, and two pre-differentiated girls—perfectly dividing into five rooms.

But with Tang Ling’s addition, the new count became three Alphas, three Omegas, two Betas, and two underage participants. Splitting the rooms evenly was now impossible; one Alpha and one Omega would inevitably end up alone.

The other two Omegas happened to be close friends and naturally decided to room together. Tan Shiyi took the initiative to withdraw. “You two can share a room. I’ll take a single.”

Tang Ling was just about to say, Then I’ll take a single too, when a girl approached her. She had long, straight black hair and a composed, cool expression—neither humble nor arrogant.

“Can I room with you?”

Well, she could, but—Tang Ling’s confusion was almost written on her face. “Sorry, I actually don’t know your name yet.”

The girl didn’t seem to mind. “Cheng Qingyan.”

“Tang Ling. Nice to meet you.” Tang Ling shook her hand, already thinking about what kind of small gift she could give her new roommate.

Once rooms were assigned, the girls began unpacking. Cheng Qingyan was quiet, almost too quiet. From the moment she entered the room, she’d busied herself with her luggage and hadn’t said another word.

Tang Ling couldn’t help her curiosity. Why had Cheng Qingyan chosen her of all people? She didn’t seem like someone who enjoyed socializing—it was hard to imagine her taking the initiative to share a room with anyone.

Cheng Qingyan suddenly paused in her movements. “Why do you keep staring at me?”

Tang Ling scratched her head, voicing the question she’d been holding back. “Nothing really. I just wanted to know why you picked me.”

Cheng Qingyan replied openly, “Your performance caught my attention. I find you very interesting.”

Tang Ling: “?”

Oh—so she’s a technique nerd.

“Thanks for the compliment,” Tang Ling said lightly.

Spotting a new bottle of Byredo hair mist in her suitcase, she handed it over. “Here, you can have this. Your hair’s really pretty.”

Cheng Qingyan looked at her for a few seconds before accepting it. “Thank you.”

That evening was a short break. After unpacking, Tang Ling lay on her bed and scrolled through her phone.

Though a week had passed since the show aired, her performance of Peach Blossoms Crease was still featured on the homepage. She watched it again and felt generally satisfied with how she’d done.

After the whole Ying Kener incident, her reputation hadn’t taken a hit—on the contrary, it had actually improved, and her votes had climbed into the top ten.

Good thing today’s team leader vote wasn’t based on the real-time rankings, she thought. Otherwise I’d have been sent to another team entirely—and who would keep an eye on Tan Shiyi and Pu Xiaoyu then?

At the thought of Tan Shiyi and Pu Xiaoyu, Tang Ling suddenly felt uneasy. She set down her phone, slipped on her slippers, and stepped out into the hall.

Her room was 403, right next to Tan Shiyi’s in 401. The two rooms happened to sit side by side, placing Tan Shiyi and Pu Xiaoyu a step apart from Room 405. She knocked on 401’s door.

Moments later, the door opened just a crack.

Tan Shiyi relaxed slightly upon seeing her and then opened it fully. “Oh, it’s you. I thought it was someone else.”

Her chestnut hair was loose around her shoulders, and she was dressed in a simple camisole sleep dress with a small bunny-ear ribbon tied at the neckline—cute and innocent.

Tang Ling had never seen her looking so casually at home before. The sight of her fair skin made Tang Ling avert her eyes. Her mind immediately recalled the nickname she’d written for Tan Shiyi on Weibo: Bunny.

It really did suit her—adorable little bunny.

“Aren’t you coming in?”

“Y-yeah, coming,” Tang Ling stammered, following her into the room.

“It’s a bit messy, I haven’t finished unpacking,” Tan Shiyi said, crouching down to sort through her suitcase. Her long hair slid down her neck, revealing a glimpse of the slightly swollen gland at the nape.

Tang Ling swallowed hard. She had the sudden, irrational urge to reach over and push the hair back—hide that vulnerable spot from her sight.

Tan Shiyi seemed in no hurry, deliberately taking her time to organize her things. She lined up her makeup, perfume, and skincare neatly on the vanity before finally glancing back. “So, what did you come here for?”

The truth was—Tang Ling didn’t really know.

“I just wanted to see you.”

“Are you getting along well with Cheng Qingyan?”

“Pretty well. She doesn’t talk much—quiet type.”

“That’s good.”

The air fell silent again.

Time to get to the point.

Tang Ling braced herself. “Shiyi, what do you think of Pu Xiaoyu?”

“Teacher Pu?” Tan Shiyi looked a little surprised by the question. She thought for a moment. “The rumors in the industry say she’s very dedicated—serious about her work, and very kind to her juniors. Why do you ask?”

In the original story, Pu Xiaoyu and Tang Ling were switched at birth. Pu Xiaoyu’s family was poor, and she’d started working early. She lived in a dilapidated old neighborhood that was practically a slum. One day, a foreign photographer happened to pass by, took a photo series of her as the main subject, and she went viral online overnight. At the time, she was only in elementary school.

Tang Ling asked, “So, do you like her?”

“I don’t really watch TV dramas,” Tan Shiyi replied calmly. “I don’t know much about her, so I can’t say whether I like or dislike her. But I do respect her as a person.” She paused. “Why?”

“No reason, just asking,” Tang Ling said, rambling. “It’s just that seeing her today, I thought she was quite stunning.”

Out of nowhere, a long-lost saccharine electronic voice chimed in her head:

“Detected: Scumbag Alpha Value +2! Please keep up the good work, Host!”

Tang Ling: “?”

Why did her Scumbag Alpha Value go up now?!

Since when was complimenting another woman considered scummy behavior?

Tang Ling felt her whole body tense up. Awkwardly, she explained, “I just meant I admire her. I heard she came from a poor background and worked her way up—that’s not easy. I thought you might like her too.”

Tan Shiyi’s tone revealed nothing. “Looks like you really do like her. No wonder you were so eager to ask if she remembered you.”

“Congratulations, Host! Scumbag Alpha Value +3!”

Tang Ling: “……”

Something about this felt seriously off.

Tan Shiyi dismissed her quietly. “It’s getting late. I’m going to rest. You should head back too.”

What else could Tang Ling say? She could only nod, sullenly. “Alright, rest well, and sweet dreams.”

The next morning, Tang Ling was shaken awake by Cheng Qingyan.

Yawning, she glanced at the time. “It’s only six? Why are we up so early?”

“You forgot?” Cheng Qingyan’s face was blank. “Morning jog.”

Right. Morning runs were mandatory at the manor during training.

Tang Ling hurried through washing up, gulped down a packet of oatmeal Cheng Qingyan had made for her, and rushed out the door.

As she opened it, the door of Room 401 swung open at the same time.

They both froze for a moment when their eyes met.

Tan Shiyi was the first to speak. “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” Tang Ling replied. “Sleep well?”

“More or less.”

In truth, Tan Shiyi hadn’t slept well at all. The mattress here was too soft; she wasn’t used to it. But she didn’t plan to tell Tang Ling that.

Unaware, Tang Ling said almost the same thing. “I didn’t sleep that great either. The bed’s too soft—my back’s killing me.”

Beside her, Cheng Qingyan added dryly, “Didn’t look that bad. I had to shake you several times to wake you up.”

Tang Ling: “……”

Tang Ling sighed. “Could you maybe spare me a little dignity?”

Cheng Qingyan actually chuckled.

It was the first time Tang Ling had seen her smile. Her usually expressionless roommate always gave off a cold, unreadable air—but when she smiled, it felt like spring sunlight breaking through clouds.

Then, right on cue, the system’s sugary voice rang out again:

“Congratulations, Host! Scumbag Alpha Value +5! You’ve unlocked a bonus: Incredible Arm Strength! Earn 20 more points to receive the next reward—Majestic Curves! Keep up the great work, Host!”

Tang Ling: “?”

Incredible arm strength? What the hell was that supposed to mean?

And Majestic Curves? Who on earth would want that?

She and Cheng Qingyan stared at each other for a solid three seconds before Tang Ling finally realized—those points probably came from Tan Shiyi.

Sure enough, when she turned around, Tan Shiyi was already walking away, heading downstairs without a backward glance.