Transmigrated into the Villainous Scummy Alpha in a Talent Show Novel - Chapter 23.2

Lin Qi couldn’t help but laugh, though she wasn’t angry. Using power reasonably, acting decisively, and standing up for friends, Wei Xuanyue was someone she definitely wanted as a friend.

Sticking out her tongue, Wei Xuanyue finally reverted to her usual sweet self. “What? Not allowed? It’s obvious Song Xiaoyuan colluded with Zhu Yu to pressure Jiang Ming into quitting!”

“By the way, are you close with Song Jin?”

“Childhood friends, I guess? Ugh, what a pain. Our families used to be close, but then they had a falling out. Song Xiaoyuan always seemed to have some weird ideas about me. He even changed his name to Song Jin to join this competition.”

After chatting a bit longer, the matter was settled. Zhu Yu was dragged away by security, and the classroom fell silent again.

Lin Qi scanned the room, taking in the guilty expressions of the other trainees. She sighed. “Words can destroy. Do you know why Jiang Ming cried today? Because the people she considered friends didn’t trust her. I don’t know if those rumors about her are true, but the Jiang Ming I see is kind, sweet, and soft-hearted. Even if she can’t dance, she’s been working hard not to hold you back, trying to put on a great performance with all of you.”

Tears welled up unbidden as she thought of the pitiful kitten sulking in their dorm. “I hope you won’t make Jiang Ming shut herself off again after she finally started opening up.”

With that, Lin Qi nodded to the vocal coach and pulled Wei Xuanyue and Tan Yi out of the classroom.

Once they reached a quiet, empty spot, she spoke again. “Tan Yi, you said you saw Song Jin talking to Zhu Yu?”

Clearing her throat awkwardly, Tan Yi forced a laugh. “Uh… fake. I made that up.”

Lin Qi raised an eyebrow in surprise, then found herself amused as she watched Tan Yi blush in the dim light. She felt happy for Jiang Ming, aside from herself, there were at least two other friends who genuinely cared for her.

“Nice move.”

Patting Tan Yi’s shoulder, Lin Qi turned to Wei Xuanyue. “Thank you for today. Without you, this wouldn’t have ended so quickly.”

“Don’t mention it! It’s what I should do. No way I’d let Jiang Ming suffer like that!”

Wei Xuanyue thumped her chest dramatically, her rabbit-like eyes crinkling into crescents as she grinned. She leaned in and whispered to Lin Qi, “By the way, Jiang Ming was watching from the door the whole time you stood up for her. Shouldn’t you hurry back and claim your reward?”

Then, with a serious expression, she turned to Tan Yi. “Hey, wanna practice some dance moves together?”

“Huh?”

Like Lin Qi, Tan Yi was a bit of a blockhead and initially seemed confused. But thinking of Jiang Ming in the captain’s dorm, he nodded and said, “Let’s go. Let’s spar and see where I fall short compared to the A-class.”

“Alright, I’ll be waiting for you in A-class next time.”

Tiptoeing back to the dorm, Lin Qi retrieved the brown sugar water she had left by the water dispenser. It had cooled down, so she decided to pour it out and make a fresh cup for Jiang Ming.

Life was already so bitter it was only right to have something sweet.

As soon as she pushed the door open, she saw Jiang Ming curled up in the corner of the bed against the wall, legs crossed. Her long hair cascaded down, and her slightly grown-out bangs obscured her eyes, leaving only the delicate curve of her nose and her tightly pressed cherry lips visible.

“Jiang Ming, did talking to your aunt make you feel a little better?”

There was no response. Lin Qi nervously swallowed, wondering if she had said something wrong in the training room.

She racked her brain but couldn’t recall anything that might have upset Jiang Ming. There shouldn’t be anything, right? She hadn’t even acknowledged Jiang Ming’s dark past on her behalf.

“Lin Qi, you know everything now?”

Hearing this question, calm yet laced with an impending storm, honestly left Lin Qi bewildered. Know what?

“W-what do I know?”

She asked cautiously, afraid that speaking any louder might trigger tears from the girl feigning composure.

Based on her understanding of Jiang Ming, the slight tremble in her voice just now meant the girl was on the verge of crying.

But why?

Hadn’t she already stood up for Jiang Ming? She’d even forced Zhu Yu to withdraw from the competition. Why did Jiang Ming still look so fragile?

“Know… that I’m the daughter of a murderer.”

The small voice could no longer hide its sob. The girl lifted her head, cheeks flushed red, tear streaks glistening under the bright white light like a homeless kitten wronged and helpless.

Truthfully, Lin Qi had always known this, but Jiang Ming didn’t realize she knew.

Terrified ever since Wei Xuanyue found out, Jiang Ming had been trembling nonstop after fleeing back to the dorm. She didn’t know if the person who had righteously defended her in the classroom might now be thinking of distancing herself.

“Jiang Ming, does it matter whose daughter you are? To be honest, I’ve always known about your past. So you don’t have to worry that I’d start disliking you because of it. From the moment I decided to be your good friend, I knew everything about you. I accept all of it, and it even breaks my heart for you. Please don’t be afraid, okay?”

She knew?

She had always known?

Jiang Ming stared at Lin Qi in confusion, her tears momentarily halted. Her red-rimmed eyes shimmered with unshed tears, as if she still couldn’t quite believe it.

And as for being good friends, who wanted to be friends with her anyway?

For the first time, Lin Qi mustered the courage to sit on Jiang Ming’s bed. Placing both hands on her shoulders, she forced their eyes to meet and spoke earnestly, “Be a little more confident, okay? I’m not like those fickle competitors. My heart has always been on your side. No matter what, I won’t distance myself from you or give up on you. And you don’t even know, Tan Yi lied for you today, and Wei Xuanyue skipped practice to force Zhu Yu out of the competition. Everyone likes you, so you should like yourself a little more too.”

“Jiang Ming, you should also love yourself, the self that blooms tenaciously even in adversity. Those past experiences are merely mud stains beneath your feet, not blemishes. Those who truly care for you would feel heartache for you, not abandon you because of them.”

Extending his thumb to gently wipe away the remaining tears from the cat-eyed girl whose eyes were red from crying, Lin Qi couldn’t resist planting a kiss on her forehead, devout and earnest, carrying a soothing tenderness.

This single act completely robbed the kissed girl of all ability to think. She could only tilt her head back passively, as if a surge of warmth rushed through her limbs, leaving them stiff yet trembling slightly.

The fluttering eyelashes near his chin betrayed the nervousness of their owner.

Lin Qi pulled back with a smile, watching the girl who still had her eyes closed, her breathing now erratic. Such an adorable female lead, he really didn’t want to hand her over to Song En.

“Jiang Ming, let me teach you Chinese, okay?”

Dazedly opening her eyes, Jiang Ming’s cheeks were still flushed, though for an entirely different reason now. Struggling to regain the composure stolen by that kiss, she asked in a trembling voice, “what should I learn?”

Heaven knew that when she asked this, only one thought filled her mind: secretly kissing someone and being kissed were completely different experiences.

A stolen kiss was a hidden joy, like a shy whisper, reveling in the fact that the other person didn’t know, her happiness only manifesting as a faint blush at the tips of her ears.

But being kissed made her soul tremble. Even though it was just a peck on the forehead, it felt as if her weakest spot had been exposed. She unconsciously wanted to collapse, saved from embarrassment only by the wall behind her that kept her weakened posture from failing entirely.

Leading the seemingly sluggish Jiang Ming to the desk, Lin Qi pondered for a moment before writing a few words on a blank sheet of paper: “Brand new,” “transformation,” “forgiveness.”