Transmigrated into the Villainous Scummy Alpha in a Talent Show Novel - Chapter 28

The dust settled as the sixty seats gradually filled up. From her vantage point at the summit, Lin Qi glanced downward, seeing only a sea of unfamiliar faces. Tan Yi and Wei Xuanyue, both ranked in the thirties, had gone to Class C together.

She lifted her gaze again to the opposite side, where scattered eliminated contestants huddled in small groups, comforting one another. Among them stood a lone figure, her chilly aura undiminished even by the pink uniform dress she wore. From this distance, Lin Qi couldn’t tell if Jiang Ming’s eyes were red, but she could see her giving a thumbs-up.

This girl was still congratulating her for taking first place.

How foolish.

Tears welled up again. Not wanting to be seen in such a state, Lin Qi lowered her head, her vision blurring as if transported back to the rankings announcement in her past life. Back then, her best friend hadn’t made the top sixty, and she had cried just as bitterly.

But this time, the pain was even sharper.

For Jiang Ming’s unchangeable fate, for her own helplessness, for the feelings she couldn’t even voice before they were doomed to fail.

Like that bouquet of pink baby’s breath she’d given Jiang Ming with a vague excuse, she was willing to be Jiang Ming’s supporting character. But if Jiang Ming was eliminated, what could Lin Qi even do for her?

She couldn’t just blurt out, Your destined alpha is still blind and lying in a hospital bed go sing by her bedside!

Though part of her wished for Jiang Ming to end up with Song En, Lin Qi knew she couldn’t selflessly help Jiang Ming without any ulterior motives.

After all, to err is human, and who can be without emotion?

“Alright, the first ranking announcement has come to an end. I’m sure none of you want to part with the contestants across from you who didn’t make it, right?”

Pretending her discomfort was due to her colored contacts slipping, Lin Qi rolled her eyes. What a pointless thing for the host to say. She realized how irritable she’d become lately, finding fault with everyone.

But the host’s next words made her “contact-slipped” eyes widen.

“After some discussion, the mentors have decided to add a revival round.”

A revival round?!

Lin Qi practically leaped from her throne, her dull peach-blossom eyes lighting up again.

“Lin Qi, no need to get so excited. Do you really not want to part with Jiang Ming that badly?”

Forget the industry rule that idols dating was an unforgivable sin right now, Lin Qi just wanted to follow her heart. “Yes, I want Jiang Ming to stay.”

“Ten teams in total. Each team leader will choose one eliminated contestant to bring back. If a team has no eliminated members, they won’t need to make a selection. The chosen contestants will then perform a singing and dancing routine on stage, after which our three mentors and special guest mentor, Teacher An, will decide their fate. The top three vote-getters will stay on as auditing trainees. If you can rank in the top three during the second performance round, you’ll officially become trainees again. If not, you’ll have to bid farewell to this identity for now.”

“Alright, now let’s have the first team leader, Wei Xuanyue, step forward. Please have the eliminated trainees from Wei Xuanyue’s team come out as well.”

This process repeated nine times. Finally, the host glanced at the script and announced, “Now, let’s have the tenth team leader, Lin Qi, step forward. Jiang Ming, come here.”

Their team had only one eliminated trainee Jiang Ming. There was no need for a choice. Meeting the host’s slightly suggestive smile, Lin Qi simply curved her eyes in delight.

Although she didn’t know why the “revival round” something that didn’t exist in the original book had been added, Lin Qi felt it must be an opportunity for her and Jiang Ming. She had no idea who was behind it, but in her heart, she felt a surge of gratitude toward that person.

They had sent her, on the brink of death, to this new world. After the heart-wrenching pain, she had encountered someone as wonderful as Jiang Ming. Her first love had blossomed, and she had gained the power to alter the predetermined plot of the book.

Pulling Jiang Ming aside, Lin Qi’s chest heaved rapidly, her breathing uneven from the overwhelming emotions. But she paid it no mind, simply wrapping her arms around Jiang Ming. “Do your best. I believe in you.”

“But”

“No buts!”

Firmly cutting off Jiang Ming’s hesitant words, whether to reassure herself or the one about to take the stage, Lin Qi swallowed the saliva that had gathered from nervousness. “Your talent is undeniable. As long as you stay calm and perform as usual, I’m sure the judges will let you stay.”

Then, perhaps to lighten the mood, Lin Qi pinched Jiang Ming’s soft cheeks. The lingering dampness transferred to her fingertips, and only then did she realize that the seemingly composed and indifferent girl had secretly been crying.

“Don’t worry. The judges value talent they won’t let a gem like you slip away.”

“Mm.”

The two fell silent for a moment. In truth, both were anxious, masking their fear with words.

Jiang Ming looked up at Lin Qi’s furrowed brow and finally couldn’t hold back. Rising on her tiptoes, she wrapped her arms around Lin Qi’s neck, burying her face in the woody-scented hollow of her shoulder. Though she had no nesting instinct, the uneasy kitten still wrinkled her nose and inhaled deeply twice, as if to etch that scent into her memory forever.

The ticklish sensation at her neck made Lin Qi want to squirm, but she refused to pull away. How could she not see that Jiang Ming was still pretending to be strong? Patting the girl’s slender back, she felt the sharpness of her shoulder blades, like a wingless angel collapsing into her embrace.

“Alright, all ten trainees, please gather in front of the stage. Performances will proceed in order from one to ten.”

Reluctantly pushing Lin Qi away, Jiang Ming curved her lips into a smile. She wiped the droplets from the corners of her eyes, her faintly flushed gaze stubbornly lingering on the one who remained rooted in place as she turned to leave. The emotions in her eyes no longer held any trace of fear.

She had to stay. And to do that, she couldn’t afford to be afraid.

Jiang Ming knew she couldn’t remain forever as a timid sapling sheltered under Lin Qi’s wings. She had to become someone who could stand on her own someone who would make Lin Qi proud.

Standing among the nine other trainees, she exuded a presence so striking it even surprised An Zizi. Raising an eyebrow in astonishment, An Zizi picked up the microphone at the host’s cue and began the proceedings.

“First contestant, you may begin.”

Lin Qi slipped behind the judges, her expression more focused than it had been even during the first performance. It was as if she herself were fighting for one of the three coveted spots in this brutal competition.

After watching nine performances, she already had a rough idea. Most were decent, but merely decent none stood out in any particular way, making them the easiest to replace.

And if you wanted to rise to the top in the entertainment industry, the first rule was to be irreplaceable.

Only the seventh contestant’s dancing skills stood out remarkably. She hadn’t paid much attention to this participant before apparently, she hadn’t gotten enough screen time. Glancing at the name, it read Yuan Li, an omega.

As long as Jiang Ming didn’t mess up her singing, second place was secure. If she performed well, she might even surpass Yuan Li and take first.

But just before Jiang Ming’s performance, the show’s host suddenly received a phone call and signaled to pause the recording.

“I’m truly sorry. I just received notice that a last-minute trainee will be joining the observer team, so…”

After hesitating for a moment even the host seemed to find the situation harsh, he sighed, looking at the visibly distressed group. “So, only two of you ten can remain as observers. Our second performance round will have only sixty-three spots.”

A last-minute trainee??

Who could possibly have that much clout?

Lin Qi racked her brain but couldn’t recall anyone like that being mentioned in the novel. Frowning, she turned her gaze to Jiang Ming, who hadn’t performed yet. If only two could stay, it would probably be Yuan Li and Jiang Ming, right?

“Alright, let’s resume recording. Jiang Ming, you may begin your performance.”

Nodding, Jiang Ming took a deep breath, accepted the microphone from the staff, and lowered her head, but didn’t speak.

Unsure what the protagonist was thinking at that moment, Lin Qi was so anxious she nearly rushed forward. But trusting Jiang Ming, she stayed where she was, watching the contemplative figure with concern and worry in her eyes.

“I’ll be singing a Chinese song ‘Suddenly.’ Thank you.”

Lifting her head, her fox-like eyes already slightly red, suddenly curved into crescents. Jiang Ming smiled toward a spot behind her and began singing in Chinese, a language she wasn’t entirely comfortable with.

“Used to walking alone, used to never looking back. Suddenly, you streak across the night like a meteor, shaking my vision”

At first, everything was fine. Jiang Ming’s voice was steady, her emotions rich, the tenderness and resolve in her singing like a heartfelt confession. But then, as if the once-lonely person had glimpsed light, her voice began to tremble.

“I feel like, suddenly, lost in midair, is love a mirage or an oasis? You’re like a breeze that comes out of nowhere, making me shiver, yet also moved”

By the time she finished, her reddened eyes could rival a rabbit’s. Seemingly drained, Jiang Ming lowered the microphone, avoiding Lin Qi’s searching gaze. It was her first time singing a Chinese song solo, and she wasn’t confident.

But if today was her last chance, this was the only song she could think of.

She had stumbled upon it while browsing Lin Qi’s playlist, and the lyrics resonated deeply, as if they had captured all her unspoken feelings.

Now, she had no regrets. Even if Lin Qi didn’t understand her heart, at least she had been brave just once and found an outlet for her hidden emotions.

Thunderous applause filled the venue, lingering far longer than expected. No one had anticipated that the aloof girl who sang in Japanese during her debut stage, the one who seemed lost and sorrowful in The Listener, could sound so tender singing a Chinese love song. Like someone steadfastly waiting for you to turn around, who wouldn’t be moved?

At the very least, Lin Qi was.

Others didn’t know why Jiang Ming was looking back, it was because before she took the stage, Lin Qi had been standing behind it. Jiang Ming hadn’t noticed her running from the back to join the crowd behind the mentors.

Was she looking at me?

Could it be that Jiang Ming, likes me?

A secret delight curved Lin Qi’s lips and eyes. She confidently awaited the mentors’ decision, unafraid that Jiang Ming, who had stunned everyone with her singing, would be eliminated.

The result was just as she predicted. For Yuan Li, apart from the vocal coach and An Zizi, she received two votes.

But there was one other person, though Lin Qi couldn’t understand what was so outstanding about her, who actually got three votes from the vocal, dance, and rap mentors. If that wasn’t favoritism, Lin Qi didn’t know what was!

Finally, it was time to announce Jiang Ming’s result. The vocal coach had voted for her, but the dance and rap mentors voted “out.” Now it all came down to An Zizi. If she chose “stay,” Jiang Ming could still compete with Yuan Li. But if she voted “out”

Jiang Ming would have to leave.