Transmigrated into the Villainous Scummy Alpha in a Talent Show Novel - Chapter 17

After listening many times, the mentor handed out the nine printed copies of the lyrics one by one. “Would anyone like to demonstrate first?”

Lin Qi took the sheet and glanced at it. She had just been about to compliment the teacher for being so well-prepared, sparing her the trouble of copying the lyrics by hand, but then she noticed the neatly printed characters not a single pinyin in sight.

It seemed she really was destined to be a hardworking laborer.

The lyrics of The Listener were profoundly intricate, filled with obscure and rarely used words that seemed to be throwing a party. While this added a literary depth, it posed a significant challenge for Jiang Ming.

Glancing at the other silent contestants, Lin Qi had no choice but to steel herself and take the lead. “Teacher, I can give it a try.”

The mentor quickly granted permission. Clearing her throat, Lin Qi began singing as the sound of waves lapping against the shore in the prelude gradually faded, replaced by her gentle yet resolute voice.

Unlike her energetic enunciation during the theme song performance, this time Lin Qi sang with a casual, lazy ease, letting the lyrics flow softly, like a lonely soul gazing out the window on a rainy night, yearning for someone to listen to all their unspoken thoughts.

When she finished, the entire classroom fell silent for three seconds before erupting into applause. The teacher smiled, clearly satisfied.

Lin Qi set down the sheet and instinctively glanced at Jiang Ming. Only when she saw the faint, quiet smile in Jiang Ming’s eyes did she relax. This was her first time singing such a sorrowful song, and she had been unsure about the pronunciation.

For once, she was the one seeking reassurance.

Strangely, after receiving that approving look from the female lead, Lin Qi’s confused mind suddenly cleared. The corners of her lips lifted as she silently mouthed “Good luck” to Jiang Ming.

One by one, the others took their turns. Most performances were decent, nothing extraordinary, until the last contestant, Jiang Ming. Everyone sat up straight, their expectations high. After all, during the theme song performance, Jiang Ming had stunned everyone with her voice.

Jiang Ming clutched the sheet, visibly nervous, before finally stumbling out, “Tea-cher, can I just hum? I don’t know Chinese.”

Fully aware of Jiang Ming’s situation, the mentor, valuing talent and understanding, nodded kindly, her gentle gaze soothing the unconfident girl.

Closing her eyes, Jiang Ming followed the melody from memory, her soft voice gradually filling with deep emotion. Her transitions carried a near-audible sob, the slight tremble not a mistake but rather the perfect touch, like adding the final stroke to a masterpiece. Everyone was immersed in the sorrow emanating from the girl.

By the time she finished, tears glistened at the corners of Jiang Ming’s eyes, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush. She exuded the melancholy of someone wounded by love, as though she had tasted its bitterness before ever knowing its sweetness.

What the hell?

Had the female lead already fallen for someone?

Otherwise, how could the emotions in her voice be so raw and genuine?

Lin Qi frowned, racking her brain to figure out which bastard had swooped in under her nose.

Wei Xuanyue? Tan Yi? The show’s producer? Or one of the mentors?

Surely it couldn’t be,her, could it?

Her heartbeat grew louder, her throat tightening as her mind burned. Her expectant eyes locked onto Jiang Ming, searching for any hint of something different something meant just for her.

“Jiang Ming, to be honest, I think you’re the most suited for the center position in this song.”

Interrupted by the teacher’s words just as her greedy thoughts had begun to rise, Lin Qi felt it was actually a stroke of luck. She smiled brightly, “Then let Jiang Ming take the center position. I chose her because I think she suits this song perfectly.”

Jiang Ming furrowed her brows, but before she could voice her reluctance, the teacher clapped her hands decisively. “Alright, then Jiang Ming, you’ll sing the chorus part. Lin Qi, you take this section, Tan Yi, you…”

Swiftly assigning each person their singing parts, the teacher’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “By the way, Jiang Ming, have you ever been in a relationship before? Why does your emotional expression while singing feel so natural?”

Caught off guard by the question, Jiang Ming looked at Lin Qi for help. Truthfully, she had only understood the words “Jiang Ming” in the teacher’s sentence.

Naturally grasping Jiang Ming’s confusion, Lin Qi explained to the teacher, “She might not have understood,” then leaned in close to Jiang Ming’s ear and softly repeated the question.

But this made it seem as though Lin Qi herself was asking, “Have you ever been in a relationship?”

The image from when she was humming the song resurfaced in her mind. Others might not know, but Jiang Ming was acutely aware, she had been thinking of Lin Qi the entire time she sang.

A relationship?

Lin Qi wasn’t dating her, so the answer should be no, right?

With a bashful shake of her head, Jiang Ming kept her expression calm, her voice low and steady. “No, I’ve never been in a relationship. I was just expressing the emotions naturally while listening to the song.”

Amused by Jiang Ming’s oddly endearing accent, Lin Qi stifled a laugh, leaving no room for disappointment. Whoever the female lead ended up liking, as long as she was happy, safe, and content, that was all that mattered.

The afternoon passed quickly in continuous singing. After the final group run-through, the teacher nodded approvingly. “Good, good. You all should hurry and get dinner, then rest. That’s it for today’s lesson. Oh, and the dance instructor asked me to tell you she has a fashion show today, so she won’t be coming for class. It’s rescheduled for tomorrow morning at eight.”

Finally able to rest for the day, Lin Qi smiled and took Jiang Ming’s soft hand in hers, feeling completely at ease. The one being held, however, was still slightly uncomfortable and tried to pull away gently.

Lin Qi paid no mind, they were friends now, so what was the big deal about holding hands?

By the time they reached the cafeteria, Jiang Ming’s face and neck were thoroughly flushed. Taking advantage of Lin Qi’s deliberate loosened grip, she pulled her hand free and muttered, “why are you holding my hand?”

“There are so many people here. I didn’t want you to get lost.”

“There’s barely anyone here.”

It was true most trainees were still practicing in the studios, leaving the cafeteria nearly empty. But Lin Qi, thick-skinned as ever, grinned brightly. “I just wanted to hold your hand, okay? It’s so soft feels really nice.”

“You! don’t do that.”

“You say no, and that’s it? My hands belong to me. I’ll hold whoever I want.”

Would you hold another girl’s hand too?

The words lingered on the tip of her tongue before Jiang Ming swallowed them down along with a bite of fruit. She lowered her head, unwilling to let Lin Qi see the smile in her eyes. Truthfully, she didn’t mind this kind of mild, non-intimate contact at all.

After finishing their meal, Jiang Ming planned to return to the dorm to look up lyrics. She had assumed Lin Qi would stay in the practice room to rehearse dance moves or chat with other contestants, but to her surprise, the girl followed her back to the dorm as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Aren’t you going to practice?”

Nodding with an air of nonchalance, Lin Qi replied, “I’m practicing being helpful. Is that not allowed?”

“Are you going to ‘stick’ me again?”

“‘Help,’ first tone. Assist.”

Skillfully sidestepping the question, Lin Qi finally understood why Jiang Ming had been upset today, her self-conscious, sensitive kitten still saw herself as a burden.

Well, the solution was simple: ignore the source of those saddening thoughts.

Like a proper owner, Lin Qi naturally took a seat beside Jiang Ming, unfolded the neatly folded paper, and pointed at the first unfamiliar word, ready to teach her. “‘Xuannao’ it means noisy. Repeat after me, ‘xuannao’.”

Receiving no response, Lin Qi glanced at Jiang Ming, who sat silently with her head bowed, and stopped her chatter. Switching to Japanese, she asked, “If I don’t help you, how long will it take you to figure this out on your own?”

Perhaps her tone was a bit too stern. The girl’s head remained lowered, hiding her expression, but Lin Qi noticed her shoulders trembling slightly.

Was Jiang Ming crying again??

Cupping Jiang Ming’s face in both hands, Lin Qi lifted her head firmly. Tear-reddened eyes, glistening with moisture, met hers. Jiang Ming’s voice came out muffled from the pressure on her cheeks, “But if you do this, you won’t have time to practice yourself.”

Letting out a resigned sigh, Lin Qi couldn’t maintain her stern tone in the face of such a soft-hearted crybaby. “The dance instructor didn’t even come today, what am I supposed to practice? We’re teammates in the same group. Helping you memorize the lyrics also ensures my own performance. You’re not dragging me down. In fact, if you sing well, you’re helping me.”

“Really? You really don’t think…?” That I’m a burden to you?

Before she could even finish, Lin Qi nodded earnestly. “Really. I’ve never thought that way. Look, I helped you, and as a reward for my good deed, I became the center for the theme song.”

“That’s because you’re talented.”

“Whatever. From now on, you’re not allowed to think you’re a burden to me. I’m strong enough to have spare time to help you. Otherwise, I’d be bored. If I go a day without helping someone, I feel like ants are crawling all over me. Is that not allowed?”

Jiang Ming couldn’t help but laugh at Lin Qi’s unreasonable logic. Wiping away the damp tear tracks on her face, she felt a bit embarrassed by her own disheveled state. “I need to go to the restroom.”

Tactfully refraining from further questions, Lin Qi moved aside and began marking pinyin on the paper.

First time awkward, second time familiar. Compared to teaching the theme song lyrics, this session went much smoother. Through their Chinese conversation today, Lin Qi had gauged Jiang Ming’s grasp of the language and focused on repeating the words she struggled with most.

By around 11 p.m., they had nearly finished learning the entire song’s lyrics. Stretching lazily, Lin Qi felt a deep sense of satisfaction. “Not bad, not bad. Looks like you’ll graduate soon.”

But Jiang Ming looked up, her fox-like eyes upturned at the corners complex with emotion under the warm yellow light. “Lin Qi, thank you.”

“It’s nothing. Didn’t I tell you? If I go a day without helping someone, I feel like ants are crawling all over me.”

Seeing Jiang Ming return to studying the lyric sheet, Lin Qi announced, “I’m going to brush my teeth and wash up,” before heading to the sink.

Yet when she returned after freshening up, Jiang Ming was still hunched over the desk, studying diligently. Lin Qi rubbed her temples in exasperation. “Jiang Ming, aren’t you going to sleep? It’s rare we get to rest early today.”

Hearing this, Jiang Ming got up and turned off the ceiling light by the door. The bright white light quickly faded, and she dimmed the desk lamp to its lowest setting, saying softly, “You go ahead and sleep. I’ll memorize a few more words.”

I don’t want to keep troubling you to translate for me.

She didn’t voice this thought. Jiang Ming sat back down, lowering her gaze to the Chinese learning manual as she quietly flipped through the dictionary. Suddenly, she seemed to find something, her movements becoming slightly more animated.

Lin Qi had no choice. Exhausted, she drifted off to sleep to the hypnotic sound of pages turning.

On set, the director’s call of “Cut!” signaled Lin Qi to come down from the wires. The plump-faced man wore a kindly smile. “Ms. Lin, I never expected an idol like you to have such solid acting skills.”

Bowing politely, Lin Qi smiled. “As long as it meets your expectations. I was afraid you’d scold me while rolling up the script.”

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Lin Qi, dressed in an ancient nobleman’s brocade robe, took her seat in the designated rest area. The warm sunlight bathed her, inexplicably amplifying her drowsiness.

The moment she closed her eyes, a sudden gust of wind swept past, followed by a searing pain in her left chest. Startled, Lin Qi opened her eyes to see a stranger holding a knife, its blade buried deep in her body.

Her vision blurred with agony. Lin Qi’s veins bulged from the pain, her usually gentle, smiling face now contorted. The last thing she saw was the crowd rushing toward her.

She bolted upright, her surroundings pitch black. Breathing heavily, Lin Qi was drenched in cold sweat. Her right hand instinctively clutched her left chest, which rose and fell rapidly, filled with fear and confusion.

“Lin Qi, what’s wrong?”

The concerned voice snapped Lin Qi back to reality. She turned stiffly and saw a composed face illuminated by the warm glow of the desk lamp, eyes brimming with worry. It softened the unattainable aura of a goddess, stirring an urge to possess what seemed untouchable.

“Nothing, just a nightmare.”

Beneath her calm words, Lin Qi lowered her head, her inner greed swelling uncontrollably.

After that bone-deep pain, the first thing she saw was those reassuring eyes so beautiful. This moment, Lin Qi would never forget. It was also the first time her heart stirred.