After Being Bound to the Scummy Alpha System, I Became Famous Thanks to My Face Blindness - Chapter 6

The owner of that gaze was, of course, Tan Shiyi.

“You followed me?”

Tang Ling felt too embarrassed to admit that she was actually interested in Tan Shiyi, so she hurriedly explained, “It’s nothing like that. I just wanted to follow all the members in our group. You don’t need to follow me back.”

Tan Shiyi seemed to think about it for a moment. “Mutual follows between teammates do look more united.”

Just then, a girl came bouncing over, throwing her arms around both of them. “Then why haven’t you followed me yet, huh?”

Tang Ling: “……”

Sis, who even are you?

Tan Shiyi smiled. “What’s your Weibo handle again? Beidouxing_Chami?”

“It’s BeidouStar_Charmy! Don’t type it wrong!” Charmy chirped, skipping away. “I’ll go check if you two followed me back!”

Once again, only Tang Ling and Tan Shiyi were left standing there.

The conversation had been broken off midway, and a touch of awkwardness lingered. Tang Ling scratched her head. “You really don’t have to force yourself.”

“It’s just a follow. No big deal.” Tan Shiyi tapped her screen lightly. “Done. Followed back.”

Tang Ling blinked, momentarily dazed.

When Tan Shiyi wasn’t being cold or cutting, she actually seemed gentle—almost harmless, like a soft little bunny.

Completely different from the aloof and untouchable image she projected on camera.

While Tan Shiyi wasn’t looking, Tang Ling quietly changed her remark note to “bunny.”

After that, all eight of them took a group photo together and posted it on Weibo.

“First public performance—let’s do our best!”

The Day of the First Performance

《Fragments of the Galaxy》.

On the vast rotating stage, eighty trainees stood neatly in formation. Brilliant lights flared and swept across the circular stage, shifting colors in rapid succession before finally converging on the dazzling skirts of every girl present.

Each trainee lifted her chin confidently and began to dance with the beat.

Their performance outfits were a bright mix—graffiti-styled tops paired with dark blue sequin skirts that shimmered like the stars and sea beneath the lights.

When the performance ended, three mentors walked onstage amid waves of cheers and applause from the audience.

The trainees returned backstage to the waiting area.

The host’s voice rang out with enthusiasm as he explained the competition rules:

Ten groups would perform in random order. During each stage, the thousand-member live audience would vote in real time. Each mentor’s light button could grant an additional ten points—meaning the maximum possible score was 1030.

The top three groups would earn a one-day break, during which the show would film them in a special behind-the-scenes segment—essentially, a guaranteed screen-time bonus.

The bottom three groups, however, would face a “punishment game” and have to eat the show’s infamous dark cuisine.

The Peach Blossom Crease team drew the seventh performance slot.

The first team took the stage.

Their chosen song was 《Wild Ride》—just from the title, you could tell it was bold and high-energy. The girls were dressed in sweet-yet-edgy black-and-pink outfits, mimicking motorcycle moves with playful flair. The audience went wild, and all three mentors lit up their buttons.

The screen flashed their final score: 956 points.

“That’s a really high score,” He Junnian said, clapping for them. “We might not be able to reach that.”

That team included a few trainees from her own company, plus several who had already debuted, so their strength was undeniable. He Junnian’s praise was entirely sincere.

Xia Yutong shot her a look. “There you go again—boosting others’ morale while crushing ours.”

“You!” He Junnian glared.

Ying Keren sighed helplessly. “Can you two not start now? We’re about to go onstage.”

Tan Shiyi looked a bit pale. In a quiet voice, she said, “Don’t stress. We just have to do what we’ve practiced.”

Tang Ling caught the subtle hoarseness in her tone and leaned closer. “Are you feeling okay?”

Tan Shiyi frowned slightly. “I’m fine.”

“But you’re shaking.”

“..My stomach just hurts a little.”

“Did you eat something bad?”

“No. I just had a bottle of milk earlier. I’m not lactose intolerant though.”

Tang Ling frowned. “Did someone touch that bottle before you drank it?”

Tan Shiyi lowered her head, shoulders trembling slightly. “I don’t know.”

Tang Ling looked at her small, fragile frame and felt utterly lost.

In the original script, there hadn’t been such a scene—Tan Shiyi was supposed to have swapped dance parts with Xia Yutong because of a muscle strain.

Xia Yutong, could it be her?

Tang Ling’s eyes flickered toward Xia Yutong.

Xia Yutong noticed. “What’s wrong, A’ling? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Tang Ling quickly masked her suspicion. “Nothing. Shiyi’s not feeling well. I’ll take her out for a bit.”

Tan Shiyi shook her head. “It’s okay. I can hold on. I’ll be fine in a bit.”

Tang Ling didn’t give her a choice—she took her hand firmly. “And if you don’t get better? We’re only on the second act. We still have at least an hour before our turn. Listen to me—go rest.”

The moment the words left her mouth, a familiar electronic chime echoed in her mind:

“Detected: Host has gained +2 Scum-A points, and lost -4 Scum-A points. Total Scum-A value: 85. Please keep up the good work, Host!”

Tang Ling: “?”

“Wait, wait—why both gain and loss?”

“Query complete—Host’s recent action triggered Scum-A evaluation changes in two target individuals. +2 points from Target Xia Yutong, -4 points from Target Tan Shiyi. Query concluded.”

Tang Ling: “……”

Fine. Whatever you say. If being ‘scum’ means less trash duty, I’ll take it.

In the restroom, Tang Ling handed Tan Shiyi a tissue. “Feeling any better?”

Tan Shiyi wiped the corner of her mouth, embarrassed. “Sorry, you had to see that.”

“How is that funny?” Tang Ling said, watching her still look pale and weak. She took the tissue herself and gently wiped Tan Shiyi’s face. “It’s fine. Better out than in. Honestly, we should’ve kept what you threw up—it could’ve been tested to see if someone spiked your drink.”

“Ugh, how disgusting.”

Tan Shiyi couldn’t hold back a laugh. “Did you think everyone’s like you?”

Tang Ling blinked. “Huh?”

Then she suddenly remembered how the original Tang Ling had shamelessly drugged Tan Shiyi. Her face flushed red in an instant.

“I—I didn’t mean it that way. I’ve changed now.”

Tan Shiyi walked over to the sink, rinsing her delicate fingers carefully under the running water. After drying them with a paper towel, she turned back to Tang Ling. “Let’s go.”

Tang Ling followed behind like a clumsy puppy. “I really have changed.”

Tan Shiyi didn’t deny it. She just tugged lightly at Tang Ling’s sleeve. “Come on.”

When they returned to the viewing area, four groups had already performed.

“How did they score?” Tan Shiyi asked He Junnian.

“None of them passed nine hundred. If we push a bit harder, we still have a shot. You feeling okay now?”

“Mm, I’m fine.” Tan Shiyi nodded.

In the group, one of the girls clenched her fists tightly.

It was finally time for Peach Blossoms Crease to perform.

The girls had rehearsed countless times backstage, waiting for this exact moment.

As the soft, flowing melody began, they stepped onto the stage—light-footed yet steady.

The first solo belonged to Cha Mi. She was one of the few girls with a smoky voice, and the moment she sang, her tone carried a depth that spoke of time and tides.

Next came He Junnian. Though she was a Beta, she was a bold, spirited girl. Her singing was full of energy, her every movement powerful and commanding.

The audience sat spellbound, too moved to even break the atmosphere with applause.

As the music reached the chorus, Tan Shiyi gave Tang Ling a look.

Tang Ling immediately understood—this was their cue for the wire act.

Once the other six girls subtly blocked the audience’s view, several staff members rushed in from backstage to attach the harnesses.

A moment later, the two of them rose into the air.

Screams erupted from the crowd.

Tan Shiyi held a crimson silk ribbon in her hand, twirling gracefully midair. Every movement was fluid and precise—she was like a celestial maiden descending from the heavens, elegant and radiant beyond compare.

Tang Ling’s performance leaned more toward power. She drew a silver sword, her movements growing faster and sharper until she was surrounded by the blur of its gleaming edge—like a silver dragon soaring and circling her body.

The two of them weaved between each other, exchanging positions, the sword and silk intertwining in a mesmerizing dance that felt both fierce and tender.

The performance received thunderous applause.

Standing on stage, the girls clasped hands tightly.

Tang Ling happened to be holding Tan Shiyi’s hand—cool to the touch, yet faintly damp with sweat.

Then came the feedback segment with the mentors.

Pan Qingchen smiled gently. “Catch your breath first. I heard you’re the team leader for Peach Blossoms Crease?”

Tan Shiyi nodded, her cheeks still flushed, her breathing a touch uneven.

“Your dance and martial arts instructors both mentioned you,” Pan Qingchen continued. “They said you’re quite creative. You choreographed this piece yourself, right?”

Tan Shiyi answered clearly, “I only sketched a rough concept in my mind. It’s thanks to my dependable teammates that we were able to bring it to life.”

Warm applause filled the hall.

Pan Qingchen nodded approvingly. “I think it was wonderful, don’t you agree?”

Meng Bingxia chimed in, “Absolutely. I honestly didn’t expect you to interpret this song that way—it was a pleasant surprise. Oh, and you must be Tang Ling, right? Do you actually know martial arts?”

Tang Ling smiled modestly. “No, I learned just for this performance.”

Meng Bingxia exaggeratedly gasped, “Wow! Then I have to say, you nailed it. You really captured the spirit of it. I think you’d do great even in a TV drama with martial arts scenes.”

Tang Ling responded humbly, “You flatter me, Teacher Meng. Right now, I just want to focus on doing my best as part of the group.”

The audience once again broke into applause.

In the end, the Peach Blossoms Crease team scored 943 points, ranking third and earning a bonus performance slot.

Xia Yutong was overjoyed, clinging to Tang Ling’s arm and refusing to let go.

After a quick discussion, the girls decided to spend their day off on a picnic—a cheerful outdoor party to unwind after the intense filming schedule.

Everyone was exhausted and planned to return to the dorms to rest. But after some thought, Tang Ling called out to Tan Shiyi.

“What is it?”

Tan Shiyi, still glowing from the victory, smiled. Under the bright stage lights, her highlighter shimmered against her radiant features.

“Aren’t you going to check the surveillance footage?”

Tan Shiyi’s smile faded instantly.

She lowered her gaze. “Forget it. There’s no need. Don’t assume the worst of people—it might’ve just been a coincidence.”

“Then how come you were fine drinking milk before, but today it made you sick?”

“I told you, maybe it was a coincidence. I’m going back.”

Tang Ling frowned, watching her carefully. “You know something, don’t you?”

Tan Shiyi didn’t want to continue.

“If you won’t go, I’ll go myself.” Tang Ling turned as if to leave.

Tan Shiyi quickly stepped forward and caught her hand. “Don’t! I, I saw it—it looked like Ying Keren.”

Tang Ling froze. “Ying Keren?”