After Being Bound to the Scummy Alpha System, I Became Famous Thanks to My Face Blindness - Chapter 30

Tang Ling took a long moment to recover from the shock. When she saw the anxious look on Tan Shiyi’s face, she quickly reassured her, “I’m fine. It’s just a scratch on my arm, really.”

Tan Shiyi’s eyes filled with pain, as though she was the one injured. “Just your arm? Do you have any idea how much you were bleeding?”

Not far away, the boy who had attacked Tang Ling caught sight of Tan Shiyi. His nerves seemed to snap completely, and he began struggling against the security staff restraining him. “Tan Shiyi! Stay away from Tang Ling! You’re the one I hate most! Why do you get to stand beside her like you belong there? Who do you think you are?”

Tan Shiyi clenched her jaw and ignored his words, her voice tight with urgency. “Where are the medics? Why hasn’t anyone come to help?”

The boy continued shouting incoherently until the security guards dragged him away.

Moments later, a paramedic carrying a first-aid kit rushed over. Clearly flustered by the scene, she opened the kit and began simple treatment. “This wound needs stitches. You should go to the hospital right away. Has anyone called for an ambulance?”

A staff member nodded quickly. “We did—it’s on the way!”

Tan Shiyi assisted the medic in cleaning and bandaging the wound. Before long, her own hands and sleeves were streaked with blood.

Tang Ling couldn’t bear to see Tan Shiyi—who was usually so neat and spotless—looking so disheveled. “Don’t worry about me. The event still has to go on, and you can’t exactly shake hands with fans like this.”

Tan Shiyi’s eyes widened. “You’re seriously injured! How could I possibly think about shaking hands? I’m going to the hospital with you.”

Tang Ling frowned. “Why? I can go myself. You should stay and finish the event. Wait for me in the practice room tonight.”

“I am going,” Tan Shiyi said firmly. “What’s wrong with that? I can carry things for you, or you can hold my hand when it hurts. Don’t stop me—you won’t be able to anyway.”

Tang Ling sighed, unable to argue with her. “Alright, alright. I won’t stop you. Just don’t be so tense. It’s really not that bad.”

Tan Shiyi’s face clouded with guilt. “Why would he do this to you? Was it because of those rumors about us?”

Tang Ling shook her head. “This has nothing to do with you. He’s just messed up in the head.” She flexed her arm slightly. “See? I’m fine. Don’t take it to heart.”

The ambulance soon arrived. After explaining the situation to the organizers, Tan Shiyi accompanied Tang Ling to the hospital.

Once there, after cleaning and disinfecting the wound, the doctor revealed that Tang Ling had a long, deep gash—from her upper arm all the way to her palm. It required multiple stitches, plus a tetanus shot.

It was only after the doctor’s stern warning that Tang Ling realized how serious it was. A little deeper, and she could have lost full mobility in her arm—possibly ending her career as a performer.

Tan Shiyi looked more stricken than Tang Ling herself. From start to finish, she wore a grave expression, biting her lip as she asked the doctor to repeat every instruction, terrified of missing a single detail.

When it came time for the stitches, Tan Shiyi insisted on letting Tang Ling hold her hand. Their fingers intertwined tightly. Tan Shiyi trembled the entire time, her lips pale and her forehead beaded with sweat—as if every needle was piercing her own flesh.

Even Tang Ling, who had been trying to stay composed, felt her stomach turn when she caught sight of the long, wormlike trail of stitches running down her arm. She could only squeeze Tan Shiyi’s trembling fingers, trying to show that she could handle it.

Not long after, Tang’s parents arrived. By then, her arm had been stitched and bandaged neatly. She was lying on the hospital bed in a patient gown, hooked up to an IV drip. Tan Shiyi sat beside her, quietly slicing an apple.

Madam Tang’s eyes filled with tears when she saw her daughter’s bandaged arm. “Lingling, does it still hurt? Can you move it at all? Who did this to you? I’m going to find him and make him pay! You’re done with that show—quit tonight!

I’ll get the best cosmetic surgeon for you, make sure you don’t have a single scar. You’ll still be as beautiful as ever.”

Tang Ling tried to sit up, forcing a smile. “Mom, it’s fine. See? I’m still in one piece. That man’s already been taken away by the police. He’ll get what’s coming to him.”

Madam Tang hurried to press her back down. “Stop moving, just rest. You’re too polite with your own mother. And thank goodness Shiyi was there to call and comfort me—I was worried sick on the way here.”

Tang Ling blinked in surprise and turned to Tan Shiyi. She had known Tan Shiyi made the call, but not what she’d said—especially since she’d been panicking moments earlier, hardly in a state to console anyone.

Tan Shiyi lowered her gaze. “It was the least I could do. Tang Ling’s always looked after me, too.”

Madam Tang nodded approvingly. “Good, good—you’re both such good girls.”

Chairman Tang spoke up next, his tone firm. “Once the IV’s done, you’re coming home with us. We’ll have the family doctor take over. You’ve been seriously injured—take some time off.”

Tang Ling and Tan Shiyi both froze. Madam Tang’s earlier outburst had sounded like a mother’s anger, but Chairman Tang’s tone left no room for argument.

Tang Ling tried to reason with him. “Dad, there’s less than a week left before the final performance.”

Chairman Tang’s face darkened. “And you think you can perform like this? You can’t even hold a guitar. Can you even hold chopsticks?”

Her face flushed. He wasn’t wrong—she could barely bend her right arm. Playing guitar was out of the question, and even feeding herself was difficult.

Still, she didn’t want to go home. The show’s schedule was tight; if she left now, she’d lose her rhythm, and it would be hard to reintegrate later.

More importantly, as team leader, she had a duty to guide and support her members. If she left, the remaining five girls might completely fall apart.

After thinking it over, she said softly, “Dad, I really want to stay. I’m an adult now—I should take responsibility for my team. And as for eating with one hand, well, there’s always,”

Before she could say “Jiang Manli,” Tan Shiyi blurted out, “I—I can! I can take care of Tang Ling’s meals and everything else!”

Her voice trailed off as her cheeks turned bright red.

Chairman and Madam Tang exchanged a look — of course they understood. The two girls were clearly wrapped up in each other; separating them now was out of the question.

Chairman Tang finally relented, clearing his throat with exaggerated solemnity. “It’s rare to see you this motivated. Fine then. Just make sure to call home if anything happens. And if you ever want to come back, do it anytime — don’t push yourself too hard.”

Tang Ling exhaled in relief. “Thanks, Dad.”

After receiving an IV drip and, at her parents’ insistence, undergoing a full medical check-up, Tang Ling was finally released and allowed to return to the training camp.

By that time, news of her injury had already exploded online.

“Did anyone go to Corona’s product launch today? Tang Ling got attacked by a hater, did you hear?!”

“Aaaaah yes! My friend said her arm was injured, and there was so much blood!”

“What was the event security even doing? How could a guest performer get hurt like that?”

“Apparently the attacker started cursing out Tan Shiyi after being caught — sounds like a crazy Tang Ling solo stan who couldn’t handle seeing Tang and Tan being so close lately.”

“Handle what? What does Tang and Tan’s relationship have to do with them? The two of them are a perfect match! Is he cuter than Shiyi? More hardworking? Please, he’s just another loser hiding behind a screen.”

“Girls, grab your sugar shards from this glass jar of angst — when A’ling got hurt, Shiyi was the first one to rush over, helping the medics wrap her wound, and she even followed her onto the ambulance afterward!”

The members of Tang Ling’s team had also heard the news. After finishing their afternoon practice, they all gathered in her dorm room, waiting anxiously for her return.

As the clock ticked past eight, unease spread through the group. Fang Zhizi paced back and forth. “Is Tang Ling-jie still coming back? She’s not going to quit the competition, is she? I saw people online saying her injury was really serious—she lost a lot of blood.”

Jiang Manli, sitting cross-legged on her bed, looked uncertain. “If Ling-jie really drops out, what happens to our team? I haven’t even memorized my part of the song yet.”

Cheng Qingyan checked her watch. “Let’s wait a little longer. I have a feeling Tang Ling will come back.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the door swung open. In walked Tang Ling, her arm wrapped in gauze, followed by Tan Shiyi carrying her bags.

Neither of them expected to see the entire team crowded inside. Both froze in surprise.

Fang Zhizi ran up to her, wanting to hug her but afraid of touching her wound. She hesitated for a long moment before blurting out, “Tang Ling-jie, are you okay? We were so worried when we heard you got hurt.”

Tang Ling freed her other hand to pat the girl’s shoulder. “I’m fine, see? Still standing.”

Jiang Manli hopped off her bed. “You’re finally back! Ling-jie, you scared us half to death today — we thought you weren’t coming back!”

Tang Ling huffed. “And where else would I go? Anyway, how’s your song practice going? Don’t tell me you still haven’t memorized the lyrics.”

Jiang Manli scratched her head sheepishly. “I was just too worried about you, haha.”

Tang Ling raised her hand as if to smack her, then immediately winced when the movement tugged at her bandaged arm. She hissed in pain.

Tan Shiyi quickly reached out to steady her. “You’re injured—don’t get worked up.”

Jiang Manli covered her head but couldn’t resist teasing, “Ling-jie, Shiyi-jie, you two look exactly like a married couple about to scold your rebellious child. The vibe is so real!”

Tang Ling: “…”

Who even compares themselves to a rebellious child?

Thanks to Jiang Manli’s antics, the tension in the room finally eased, laughter bubbling up around them.

Tang Ling said, “There are only a few days left before the fourth performance. With my injury, I won’t be able to get on stage, but I’ll still attend every training session and help analyze your routines. Let’s all work hard—don’t let my situation hold you back.”

The girls nodded one after another, vowing to do their best for the team.

After a day filled with anxiety, everyone was exhausted. Seeing Tang Ling safe and sound, they finally relaxed. After a few more words of reassurance and laughter, they each returned to their dorms to rest.

Tan Shiyi, however, lingered by the doorway, giving Jiang Manli a list of things to watch out for in Tang Ling’s daily routine—what she could eat, what she shouldn’t, when she should rest, and so on.

But Jiang Manli’s brain was only good for so much. After a while, she looked dazed. “Shiyi-jie, can you just send me a message later? There’s no way I’ll remember all that.”

Seeing her expression, Tan Shiyi knew it was hopeless to rely on her and sighed. “Forget it, I’ll come by myself tomorrow.”

She turned to leave—only to notice Cheng Qingyan standing not far away, staring directly at her.

Tan Shiyi raised an eyebrow. “You’re waiting for me?”

Cheng Qingyan nodded. “Yeah. Can I talk to you in my room for a bit?”