After Being Bound to the Scummy Alpha System, I Became Famous Thanks to My Face Blindness - Chapter 34

The lights dimmed.

The stage lights slowly rose to the soft opening chords of “Can You Forget Me.”

All members were in position.

Standing center stage, the two lead vocals, Tan Shiyi and He Junnian, exchanged a brief look and nodded in silent understanding. Then Tan Shiyi turned and gestured an “OK” sign to the staff.

As the accompaniment began, she drew a deep breath, gently closed her eyes, and strummed the guitar.

“You once said, I was like a flicker of light—

Burning alone, bright but fragile.”

Her voice, clear and pure, contrasted sharply with the lively atmosphere from before. It flowed softly, like a stream coming from somewhere distant, quieting the entire hall. The audience unconsciously held their breath.

Tan Shiyi kept her eyes closed, focusing on each lyric with calm determination.

There was a time when every line of this song had been a wound she couldn’t bear to touch. It had nearly broken her.

But now—she finally had the courage to face it.

She knew Tang Ling was watching her from the viewing room.

So, she wanted to give her very best—to show the truest meaning of the song.

The viewing room quickly filled with chatter and praise:

“Ahh, Shiyi’s voice is incredible—so gentle, so perfect for this song!”

“I’m crying, it’s too emotional. My nose is tingling already.”

“Tell me honestly, is Shiyi in love or what? How else can she sing with so much feeling!”

The members of Insomniac Moon had also returned to the viewing area, settling into their seats.

Cheng Qingyan sat quietly beside Tang Ling, eyes fixed on the stage.

On screen, Tan Shiyi had reached the chorus. Her brows furrowed slightly, eyes still closed.

“Can you forget me?

I’d rather your loneliness was just a passing ache,

Than see you so easily crumble,

Breaking through the shell I worked so hard to build.”

Her emotions ran deep. Her fingers danced deftly over the strings—so fluidly that no one would have guessed she was a beginner.

Jiang Manli scratched her head. “Why do I feel like sis-in-law’s playing is way better than mine? Didn’t she say they were still struggling in training? Maybe my standards are just too low?”

Cheng Qingyan smiled. “They’re performing really steadily. Tan Shiyi clearly has talent—it’s not easy to reach this level in such a short time. I think it’s hard to say whose group will score higher. It’ll come down to the audience’s preference.”

Fang Zhizi fidgeted nervously. “Tang Ling-jie, who do you think will get more votes, our group or Shiyi-jie’s?”

Tang Ling felt torn. On one hand was her own team, who’d trained and lived with her for weeks; on the other, her student—someone she’d personally guided step by step. Naturally, she hoped both could advance.

But if she was honest, Jiang Manli’s performance, though lively, lacked technique. In terms of musical foundation and control, Tan Shiyi’s group clearly had the edge.

Then Lu Yao chimed in, “I actually think we did really well too. Our stage was full of life, and the interaction with the audience felt natural. I’m not saying Tan Shiyi didn’t sing beautifully, but don’t you think she seemed a bit disconnected from her teammates? Like, they’re supposed to be dual leads, yet there was barely any interaction.”

Jiang Manli brightened. “Right! If it’s about chemistry, they lose hands down. Our energy and teamwork were fire! We totally nailed the crowd engagement—this one’s ours for sure!”

Tang Ling smiled faintly. “Don’t celebrate too early. Let’s see how it ends.”

Sure enough, the first verse had only been a warm-up. From the second verse on, Tan Shiyi began interacting with He Junnian, and the performance’s tone shifted—less somber, more open and confident.

The audience could feel the change. The glow sticks in their hands waved more lightly, syncing with the rhythm.

When the song ended, it was time for mentor feedback.

Pan Qingchen spoke first. “I heard most of your team had no prior experience with instruments. How did you manage to improve so much in such a short time?”

Tan Shiyi replied, “There wasn’t any shortcut—just practice. Everyone in our group worked hard, and our coaches helped us a lot. This performance is the result of everyone’s effort.”

Pan Qingchen smiled. “And how did it feel performing with an instrument for the first time on stage? Nervous?”

Tan Shiyi laughed lightly. “Of course I was nervous. But I trust that we’ll be fine.”

“As confident as ever,” Pan Qingchen applauded and turned to the other two mentors. “Don’t let me do all the talking. What do you think?”

Meng Bingxia squinted curiously. “Hey, I’ve got to ask—is that a limited edition Fender? What kind of wood is it made of? The finish looks gorgeous. I’ve been thinking of getting one like that myself.”

Tan Shiyi paused, looking down. “I’m not really familiar with guitars. This one was a gift from a friend. I haven’t used any others, so I can’t compare.”

The audience immediately erupted with gossip:

“A friend? Which friend? Don’t tell me it’s Tang Ling!”

“I bet it is Tang Ling! Shiyi doesn’t seem like she has many rich friends, and Tang Ling’s the guitar ace—she probably has tons of spares at home!”

“I don’t care what anyone says—it’s Tang Ling. My ship is sailing strong today!”

In the viewing room, Cheng Qingyan nudged Tang Ling and whispered, “You gave it to her?”

Tang Ling nodded. “Mm. The practice room guitars weren’t great—I didn’t want that to hold her back.”

Cheng Qingyan leaned back, smiling softly. “It’s beautiful. And it suits her.”

After answering the mentors’ questions, the Can You Forget Me team returned backstage to the viewing area.

The other trainees immediately gathered around to congratulate them on their outstanding performance.

Tan Shiyi exchanged a glance with Tang Ling, who gave her a big thumbs-up in return.

The show continued smoothly, and before long, the recording was drawing to an end.

It was time for the public ranking announcement.

All the trainees held their breath, fists clenched, leaning into one another as they stared unblinking at the big screen.

Jiang Manli, already on edge, leaned toward Lu Yao and whispered anxiously, “Yaoyao, if I get eliminated this round, you’d better not go pair up with someone else for a fake CP, okay?”

Tang Ling: “……”

Of all things, that’s what she remembers clearly.

Lu Yao sighed helplessly. “Have a little confidence, I don’t think you’ll be eliminated.”

Just as she said that, several lines of bold text appeared on the screen.

The Insomniac Moon team’s on-site score ranked fourth—meaning they’d lose half of their members.

In other words, Jiang Manli was out.

Along with her, Fang Zhi and Chi Ningrui were also eliminated.

Meanwhile, the Can You Forget Me team scored third place—just high enough to avoid any cuts.

With a loud thud, Jiang Manli slid dramatically to her knees, looking utterly dejected. “Well, that’s that. Time to pack my bags and head home.”

Tang Ling’s heart sank. She’d prepared herself for this possibility, but seeing it happen still hit harder than she’d expected.

It wasn’t really a surprise. Out of the seven team leaders, she ranked the lowest in popularity to begin with—already at a disadvantage. And Jiang Manli, Chi Ningrui, and Fang Zhi were all fringe players in terms of fan votes.

Although the performance was supposed to be judged on stage ability, audience bias toward popularity was inevitable.

Tang Ling took a deep breath, then reached down to help Jiang Manli up. “Manli-jie, you really did great today. As long as you gave it your all, there’s nothing to regret.”

Jiang Manli sighed. “Actually, there is something to regret. Today was the first time I realized how fun performing could be. I barely got started, and now I’m out.”

Tang Ling resisted the urge to roll her eyes—you definitely gave it your all today—and patted her shoulder. “Come on, let’s head back and rest. When the next round starts, I’ll still be in the same dorm with you.”

Jiang Manli laughed. “What are you saying? You go debut already! Why would you still be bunking with me?”

Tang Ling smiled. “Then once I finish filming this, I’ll come over to your place and hang out.”

A chime sounded through the viewing room, signaling it was time for the eliminated contestants to leave.

Jiang Manli straightened up and stretched her arms. “Ah, Beidou Star really was a lot of fun. Feels like we’ve both changed a lot, huh, Ling-jie?”

Tang Ling nodded.

“Don’t forget—you promised to come over once it’s done. We’ll go out and have a real night out together.”

Remembering the rough fate Jiang Manli faced in the original script, Tang Ling frowned slightly and reminded her again, “Don’t go to any nightclubs alone, got it?”

Jiang Manli grinned knowingly. “Got it, got it. I’ll wait for you.”

Fang Zhi was also preparing to leave. Her eyes were a little red, but she held back her tears and waved to Tang Ling. “Tang Ling-jie, goodbye. I hope we can meet again someday.”

Tang Ling sighed. “Silly girl, don’t make it sound like we’re parting forever. I’ll take you out to have fun when there’s time.”

All around them, the eliminated trainees were saying their farewells and hugging their friends.

Fourteen out of fifty trainees were leaving the stage—suddenly, the seats looked half-empty. After that wave of goodbyes, the mood in the room turned heavy and subdued.

The host stepped into the viewing area. “Congratulations to everyone here for earning your invitation to the fifth stage performance. The competition will now move into a brand-new phase, with brand-new rules.”

The trainees perked up immediately. “What kind of new rules?”

The host smiled mysteriously. “That’s still under wraps for now. Before that—please proceed to your next round of team assignments.”