After Dumping the Female Lead, It's My Turn to Cry - Chapter 33

In an instant, time seemed to freeze both on the field and in the spectator stands.

Only the scoring machine, oblivious to human emotion, continued to report the final results in its inorganic voice: “Qing Ling, one hundred and ninety points.”

 

Just moments before, the male lead had shot a score of one hundred and ninety-one, surpassing the heroine by a single point to become the champion of this archery competition.

 

Qing Ling let go of her bow with easy grace and gave a small smile. “I lost.”

 

The audience outside collectively snapped their jaws back into place, nearly roaring in frustration: Is this a matter of winning or losing? Nan Zhuti’s face looks like it’s been run over by a steamroller! Where is the triumphant spirit of a victorious youth?

 

Nan Zhuti walked over with a grim expression, forcing himself to speak calmly. “President, those two Alphas are my close friends; you should have seen them in Class B before. Is there some misunderstanding between you? You were indeed a bit excessive this time, but if you offer a sincere apology in front of the whole school, I’m sure they aren’t unreasonable people.”

 

“Friends?” Qing Ling’s lips curved into a playful arc. “I wasn’t aware that selecting staff for the competition venue no longer required avoiding the contestants’ relatives. In that case, I should thank you for reporting this to me. I will be sure to give feedback to the committee.”

 

As the filming hummingbirds hovered closer, Nan Zhuti’s composed facade began to crack. He lowered his voice to a hiss. “President Qing, I treated you as a friend, which is why I’m advising you so kindly. They might not have dared to touch you before, but everyone knows the sorry state the Qing family is in now. Do I really need to say more? Do you still think you’re that high-and-mighty Young Lady of the past?”

 

His words were incredibly blunt, his sarcasm written all over his face. If Ruan Yubai had been there to hear this, she would have been shocked; in the original novel, Nan Zhuti was never described as “acrimonious.”

 

As soon as the words left his mouth, a flash of regret crossed Nan Zhuti’s face—he had simply been driven to his wit’s end.

 

As a fake Beta living incognito, Nan Zhuti wanted to prove to his family that he could build a career even without their protection. Things had started smoothly, but lately, everything was going wrong. First, Zhang San was caught for secret filming, and now the tech genius Li Si had developed an invisible rift with him.

 

Even his “brawny but brainless” brother, Nan Zhuge, had blunty told him that the Zhang family hadn’t caused trouble only because the Nan elders had suppressed the issue. Outwardly, he said nothing, but inwardly he swore to reclaim his pride.

 

Nan Zhuti believed in the “Genius Theory,” feeling that with his genes, everything should come easily. This recent string of failures gave him a sense of crisis, leading him to train harder for archery than ever before. Even the teachers who looked down on Class F students changed their tune, claiming his talent was so great that, but for his enrollment records, they would have thought he was an S-rank mental strength user.

 

While he acted humble, he sneered internally: What do those old fogies know? I AM S-rank.

 

Having made a name for himself in a small circle, he had recruited more lackeys, and even his useless brother had shamelessly asked to join. Admittedly, this current group wasn’t as strong as the one before the “restroom incident,” but his brother’s submission and his own progress in archery had calmed his nerves, restoring his arrogant confidence.

 

Everything was back on track—until this. Perhaps it was the heroine’s icy pride that triggered his competitive streak; he had even achieved a personal best score. Just when he thought this would be his turning point, disaster struck.

 

The buzz cut and the pink-haired guy were his most loyal subordinates. Despite being stupid and greedy, they were useful tools. He never expected this accident.

 

Fearing the fallout, Nan Zhuti adjusted his glasses irritably. If only Qing Ling wasn’t the woman he had his eye on…

 

Unfortunately for him, Qing Ling did not appreciate his “affection.” Unlike what Nan Zhuti expected, the noble Young Lady didn’t flare up at his insults. She remained calm and distant. “While the presence of those two students here was irregular, it is true that I missed the target. That was my mistake.”

 

It was like hitting a ball of cotton.

 

Earlier, when he finished his match, he had surveyed the area triumphantly, hoping to see admiration in Qing Ling’s eyes. Instead, she hadn’t even looked his way, busy talking to the girl who was about to leave.

 

That gentle, smiling look on her face was breathtaking—the vividness of a cold saint walking among mortals. But that smile wasn’t for him; it was for Ruan Yubai!

 

What was Ruan Yubai? A useless Beta. His elders spoke of the Ruan family with contempt—just a cute little plaything. If he had time, he might have teased her like a pet.

 

So why were Qing Ling and Ruan Yubai sitting together? To him, it felt like two pieces of prey in his pocket had conspired to betray him. It was the ultimate humiliation; he felt like his face was turning green!

 

He had actually authorized the buzz cut and the pink-haired guy to target Ruan Yubai. A Beta plaything didn’t deserve respect, and he wanted to teach the disobedient “wild kitten” a lesson. Ruan Yubai escaping after stabbing the buzz cut guy was already annoying enough—but now this?

 

So, Qing Ling had gone and taken revenge for Ruan Yubai?

 

Nan Zhuti gasped for air, his face turning a purplish-red. To avoid the hummingbird cameras, he whispered through gritted teeth, “It’s just the two of us here. You think I don’t know who you did this for? What, the great Young Lady of the Qing family has fallen so low she has to curry favor with a Beta like Ruan Yubai? It’s laughable.”

 

It was pure, frustrated rage.

 

These words were merely wind in Qing Ling’s ears. She gave a polite smile, didn’t even bother to respond, and immediately exited the holographic field.

 

Because Nan Zhuti had whispered to avoid being overheard, the live-stream drones didn’t catch the audio. From the stands, it looked like the two contestants were sharing an intimate moment. The Young Lady’s face was as radiant as jade, and even Nan Zhuti’s plain features looked somewhat handsome by association.

 

#Archery Champs: From Rivals to Romance? A Sweet Smile Seals the Deal#

 

Ruan Yubai didn’t even need to think to guess what the gossip headlines would look like the next day. She chewed on a watermelon-flavored earthworm gummy with relish.

 

While Ruan Yubai was enjoying the “drama,” the “resurrected” buzz cut and pink-haired Alphas were not doing so well. Although the holographic field didn’t affect their real bodies, the sensations were real. They had truly experienced the “pleasure” of a long arrow piercing their brains. For two people who had always lived in comfort, it was the worst experience of their lives.

 

“I’ve done so much for him, and Nan Zhuti is busy flirting with the President?” The pink-haired guy looked sickly pale, finally shivering out a curse.

 

The buzz cut guy was slightly better, managing to stand up, though his eyes were frighteningly bloodshot with rage. “We’ll settle this later. I don’t care who likes Qing Ling; she’s going to pay for this. Even if I don’t kill her, I’ll make her regret she was ever born.”

 

The pink-haired guy felt a wave of fear. “Is it really okay to cause a death?”

 

Some people come out of a disaster wanting ten-fold revenge; others just get timid. The pink-haired guy was the latter. Ever since the “accident,” he felt terrified whenever he saw Qing Ling. He kept remembering her cold, dark eyes looking at him like he was already dead. He shivered and looked away.

 

“Look at you, useless,” the buzz cut guy snarled. However, knowing he needed allies, he softened his tone. “I didn’t say we’d kill her secretly. She dared to fire arrows at staff members in a competition. How can she stay President after that? We’ll report it to the committee—that’ll be enough to make her life a living hell.”

 

The pink-haired guy felt a spark of hope. The sensation of dying was long and painful; he wanted her to taste that misery too. “Then let’s write the report now—”

 

Before he could finish, a faint scent of freesia wafted over.

 

“I have already submitted a report regarding the accident. You needn’t worry yourselves.” Having returned to the real world, Qing Ling spoke calmly, giving a polite bow. “My miss was indeed a failure of skill. My apologies once again.”

 

Her scent was intoxicating, the kind of Omega pheromone that Alphas usually obsessed over but these two men looked as if they had seen a monster.

 

The buzz cut guy maintained his stance, but the pink-haired guy’s psychological state collapsed; he stumbled right back into his nutrient pod.

 

“Qing Ling, I respect you as our school president,” the buzz cut guy forced himself to say, though his body was betrayed by an unconscious tremor of fear. His expression was a contorted mess of contradiction. “But don’t take us for fools!”

 

He saw his chance reporters were already lurking nearby. He raised his voice for them. “The whole school knows Nan Zhuti is just a Class F underdog, yet you, a champion who hits the bullseye every time, ‘accidentally’ aimed right at two staff members? You think we’re that stupid?”

 

Just then, Nan Zhuti returned from the simulation. Before he could even sit up in his pod, he heard these words. He looked over with a complex expression, only to lock eyes with Qing Ling, who was watching him with a smiling, knowing gaze.

Nan Zhuti shuddered involuntarily.

In the next second, he heard the girl’s voice—clear and pleasant, as gentle as the sound of a spring flowing over cold stones. “You two certainly enjoy a joke. I heard from Candidate Nan Zhuti that you are friends; how could you not know the mandatory principles for staff members?”

 

This remark was more than any hot-tempered man could bear. The pink-haired Alpha couldn’t help but roar back, “Who’s friends with him! If it weren’t for his arrangements, why would I have nothing better to do than volunteer for this damn staff job?”

 

One word stirred up a thousand waves.

 

Nan Zhuti couldn’t play dead this time. He scrambled up from his pod and argued, “What nonsense are you talking? You applied for these positions voluntarily, did you forget?”

 

Beside them, the reporters’ hands never stopped snapping photos. The flashbulbs strobed incessantly. The high-frequency light stung Nan Zhuti’s eyes, forcing him to raise a hand to shield them but in the photographs, the gesture looked like a clear sign of a guilty conscience.

 

Not only were the people involved losing their minds, but the spectator stands were in an uproar. Even the casual onlookers joined the fray, sending the interstellar forums into a frenzy.

 

[Holy crap, I thought we finally had a commoner genius rising to the top, but it turns out it was just a cheating sneak attack. How embarrassing.]

 

[I’d call this move ‘Self-Immolation Entertainment.’ Sacrifice yourself to entertain the masses. Everyone, clap now!]

 

[Why even sign up for archery if you have nothing to do? Isn’t this just seeking self-humiliation?]

 

[Someone from Laureus here, raising my hand weakly. Nan Zhuti was a candidate highly recommended by my archery teacher as a one-in-a-million talent. Please do not let his personal behavior reflect on the Academy.]

 

[I have no idea how those two Alphas provoked the Young Lady. I thought Qing Ling’s two arrows were the biggest topic, but I didn’t expect such explosive follow-up. I love it.]

 

This time, Nan Zhuti was truly beyond help. He wanted to remind his lackeys to watch their words, but he forgot that they had just “died” once. Their state of mind was nothing like before. Not only did they ignore his warnings, but in their fury, they were likely to spill every dirty secret they had.

 

Seeing the pink-haired guy getting more and more out of line, a frantic Nan Zhuti turned his sights directly on his “goddess.” “And you, President—why did you do this? We all know your skill is far beyond this. Or is it that because you are the President, you think you can cover the sky with one hand?”

 

The transition was incredibly clunky, but it was exactly what the reporters were curious about. They immediately swung their cameras toward the Student Council President, who was standing leisurely to the side.

 

The flashes surged like a wave of snow, yet Qing Ling remained composed. Her thick, dark lashes didn’t even quiver. She simply said calmly, “Now I am certain that you two truly never signed the ‘Archery Venue Work Code of Conduct’.”

 

The pink-haired Alpha looked blank. “What are you talking about?”

 

“Section 3, Regulation 18, Column A of the match-time rules. I invite you both to read it.”

 

After saying that, Qing Ling didn’t spare them another glance. She nodded politely to the reporters and turned to leave with an elegant, effortless stride.

 

The reporters ignored the three bewildered brothers and immediately borrowed a copy of the work code. They gasped as they read. “It says here: ‘Staff members must not stand within the contestants’ line of fire during the match; otherwise, they bear full responsibility for any accidents, and Laureus shall not be held liable’.”

 

The pink-haired guy froze. For someone like him who only cared about eating and playing, he usually just flipped to the last page of a contract and signed his name. How could he have known such a clause existed?

 

Compared to him, the buzz-cut guy looked like he wanted to skin Nan Zhuti alive. His eyes burned with a murderous fire.

 

He understood now.

 

What was there not to understand? It was a classic set-up. Nan Zhuti wasn’t stupid at all; he and Qing Ling were clearly playing “good cop, bad cop” to trap them.

 

He had wondered how a piece of trash who usually stayed in Class F and couldn’t even draw a bow a few days ago had suddenly become a star champion. It was all a show to make Qing Ling look good!

 

Heh, quite the investment.

 

The buzz-cut guy could almost hear his own teeth grinding. Eighty percent of the hatred he originally felt for Qing Ling shifted directly onto Nan Zhuti.

 

You’ve got some nerve. He realized now that this was a trap Nan Zhuti had deliberately set for his brothers. All that talk about being a “Genius Seed” and “Clearing his shame by winning the championship” was nothing but a load of bull.

 

The plot was quite a rollercoaster. First, he and the pink-haired idiot were told to bully a Beta, then their heads were “accidentally” pierced by Qing Ling on the field to grab everyone’s attention. Just as people began to condemn her, Nan Zhuti would “accidentally” reveal his own flaws to drive the public debate to a fever pitch.

 

What came next? He wasn’t stupid!

 

Next, they’d probably reveal the reason Qing Ling targeted them: because these two Alphas, disguised as staff, had sexually harassed another girl.

 

Wow, brilliant. By then, Nan Zhuti would have walked away with the first-place trophy and gotten closer to the beauty. A happy, honey-filled life.

 

But Nan Zhuti’s fatal mistake was thinking he could kill two of his “brothers” to provide the entertainment for the Young Lady’s smile!

 

He had spent years as a tough guy that even crabs would bow down to—and he’d been played by a “pig’s trotter”? He wouldn’t let anyone step over his corpse to move up in the world.

 

Thinking of this, the buzz-cut guy’s eyes flickered. He gave a cold laugh and turned to the reporters. “I’m sure everyone is curious how we provoked the President. Yes, I admit my fault. My pink-haired friend and I tried to bully a young girl earlier, and President Qing happened to see it, which is why she did something so unexpected on the field.”

 

“I’m a man; I admit when I do wrong.” Under Nan Zhuti’s ash-gray expression, the buzz-cut guy showed no fear and sneered, “But you might not know that this whole thing was orchestrated by today’s champion, Nan Zhuti. Unexpected, isn’t it?”

 

The reporters were stunned. The reporters were thrilled. Their KPIs for the year were practically guaranteed.

 

On the forums, messages were flashing by in a blur. Ridicule, sarcasm, and fury were expressed vividly in every post. Not a single person believed Nan Zhuti’s pale defense.

 

Except for Ruan Yubai.

 

Watching the scene unfold on the live broadcast screen, Ruan Yubai nearly choked on her candy powder.

 

What is happening?

 

Did the story just… go off the rails? No, wait—did it “lose its outline”? This isn’t right. Is this how the novel was written?

 

Ruan Yubai instinctively wiped her hands, pulled the melodramatic novel from her backpack, and flipped to the corresponding page.

 

[The moment the champion’s seat was decided, two men in yellow staff uniforms shouted loudly in the silence: “Zhuti, Zhuti, the whole crowd cheers! Reversing to victory, the God of Commoners! The champion’s seat is well-deserved!”

 

The voices were small at first, heard only by the first two rows, but soon, more and more people joined the chant.

 

“Zhuti, Zhuti, the whole crowd cheers!” “Reversing to victory, the God of Commoners!” “The champion’s seat is well-deserved!”

 

The slogans grew louder and louder, eventually becoming a sea of inspiration. This was only the beginning of Nan Zhuti’s rise. At that moment, Nan Zhuti, with his shy, boyish smile, couldn’t have imagined that this was just the start of his journey. In the future, more people would join the ranks of his admirers, celebrating him from the bottom of their hearts.

 

This was the starting point of Nan Zhuti’s path as an Interstellar Alpha. More honors awaited him.

 

The General’s glorious path to stardom has just begun.]

 

Because this part of the plot was a major turning point in the first half of the story, Ruan Yubai remembered it clearly. However, the scene before her eyes had clearly gone wrong.

 

The buzz-cut guy, still in his yellow staff uniform, mocked, “The match hadn’t even started, yet Nan Zhuti seemed to know he would win. He even made us memorize the slogans. Pinky, how did it go again?”

 

Following the buzz-cut guy’s logic, the pink-haired guy felt it made perfect sense. He no longer looked at his former idol with admiration, but instead shouted venomously, “Zhuti, Zhuti, the whole crowd cheers! Reversing to victory, the God of Commoners! The champion’s seat is well-deserved!”

 

Unfortunately, this time, no one joined the chant. The only thing waiting for Nan Zhuti was a suffocating, stadium-wide silence.

 

Suddenly, a sharp sneer broke the quiet.

 

“Well-deserved, my foot! Believe it or not, I’ll punch your stupid head in!”

 

Ruan Yubai knew she shouldn’t, but she couldn’t help but smile.

 

The stadium-wide cheer that Nan Zhuti never received finally arrived after that one sentence.