Transmigrated into the Villainous Scummy Alpha in a Talent Show Novel - Chapter 47

After another morning of training, the Final Waltz group received the emergency custom-made wedding dresses in the afternoon, finally resolving the crisis.

Backstage of the second performance stage.

Jiang Ming and Wei Xuanyue had changed into women’s riding and archery attire from ancient military campaigns, dark red dresses with fitted sleeves, layered lines tracing down to the wrist guards. Their hair and makeup were already done, and whether out of boredom or something else, they wandered over to the Final Waltz group’s area again.

In the dressing room, Lin Qi changed into an ivory-white suit. Thinking of Xia Lian’s nearly 170cm height and her overwhelming presence, she silently tucked her shirt into the high-waisted trousers, glancing at the floor-length mirror to admire her now even more elongated legs. She was mostly satisfied.

She couldn’t let Xia Lian, an omega, look more alpha than her, could she? Even though Lin Qi hadn’t presented yet, she was at least a future alpha.

Assuming only her teammates were in the lounge, Lin Qi casually pulled back the curtain, only to immediately lock eyes with Jiang Ming, whose hair was styled in an intricate updo. Braids coiled layer by layer atop her head, gathered into a ponytail at the back. The pink hair made her skin appear even fairer, the overhead light casting a soft glow over her, striking and beautiful.

Lin Qi couldn’t help but stare.

Subconsciously, she had always thought pink was a color that made people look darker. After all, the training uniforms in Class A and the standard outfits were all pink. While most wore it well, no one stood out as exceptionally suited to it some tanned trainees even looked disastrous in it.

“Lin Qi, come get your makeup done.”

Called over by the makeup artist, Lin Qi suddenly felt embarrassed. Why had she been staring at Jiang Ming like that? They saw each other every day.

After having her brows and eyes accentuated, the sharp edges of her features softened. Lin Qi examined herself in the mirror pure white suit, two buttons of her shirt undone, revealing the delicate hollow of her collarbone. Her long hair, curled loosely, cascaded over her shoulders and down her back, elegant yet striking.

“All done. You can go chat with Jiang Ming now.”

Blushing but not denying it, Lin Qi obediently walked over to Jiang Ming, looking her up and down with warm, earnest eyes. “You look really good today.”

“Did I not look good before?”

As expected, the deadly question came.

“Ah, no! Of course you were beautiful before too, but like… an untouchable flower on a high peak, the kind of cold beauty that keeps people at a distance. Now with pink hair, you’re cute it makes people want to get closer.”

The rapid-fire explanation left Jiang Ming frowning in confusion. “What peak? What flower? What’s a cold beauty?”

Though Jiang Ming could manage everyday Chinese, these terms were beyond her. Seizing the advantage, Lin Qi grinned slyly. “It just means I really like you like this.”

Like?

Jiang Ming’s face and neck flushed crimson. Crossing her arms, she avoided Lin Qi’s teasing gaze, stiffly changing the subject. “Be careful during tonight’s performance.”

Her real concern was the possibility of another mishap and the sudden palpitations from last night. She was genuinely worried about Lin Qi’s health.

“Be careful of what? Being careful not to touch Senior Xia too much?”

With a teasing smile, Lin Qi moved closer to Jiang Ming, curling her index finger to lightly tap the tip of Jiang Ming’s upturned nose. “Little vinegar bottle.”

Jiang Ming shivered all over, whether from fright or embarrassment, she couldn’t tell and instinctively took a few steps back, her head bowing low to reveal the intricately braided pink hair atop her head. “I’m not jealous! You, you’re the one twisting my words!”

“Mhm, I wonder who it was last night who almost made me…” kneel on a keyboard.

Before she could finish, Jiang Ming covered her mouth, her eyes red with embarrassment as she bit her lip and glared at Lin Qi, her gaze overflowing with flustered indignation.

“Stop talking!”

The sight of the furious little kitten was simply too adorable, dissolving any further urge Lin Qi had to tease. She had always wrapped her “liking” in layers of playful ambiguity, disguising it as casual, offhand remarks, but in truth, it was all just a ploy to lure the little white rabbit into a trap she had long prepared.

The best hunters don’t just appear as prey, they also disguise themselves as friends to coax their target’s heart into the open.

Suddenly, the door to the lounge swung open.

A woman in a wedding dress appeared at the entrance, the familiar floral scent announcing her presence long before she stepped inside. Lin Qi felt an inexplicable pang of guilt and couldn’t bring herself to look directly at Xia Lian. The stunning woman was draped in a pristine white gown, her hair elegantly pinned up to reveal a slender, swan-like neck. The veil softened her otherwise bewitching features, though her crimson lips stood out all the more, and the graceful curves of her figure accentuated the dress far better than any mannequin could.

“Xiao Lin, aren’t you going to help your sister hold up her dress?”

“Uh, isn’t your train not even that long?”

If she were alone, Lin Qi might have surrendered to the “evil forces”after all, with so many people around, it wouldn’t do to embarrass Xia Lian. But Jiang Ming was right there on the couch! And if she wasn’t mistaken, the icy daggers currently stabbing into her back were coming from her. The other curious gazes belonged to Wei Xuanyue, Tan Yi, Jing Sha, and Yuan Li.

Xia Lian’s eyes flickered between Lin Qi and Jiang Ming, her lips curling slightly. “You weren’t like this when we were dancing yesterday. What, are you turning your back on me after just one night?”

“W-what about the dancing?”

Baffled by the question, Lin Qi knew full well she had maintained proper “lady ethics” she hadn’t even touched Xia Lian’s waist! If not for the mandatory hand-holding in the waltz, she could’ve danced the entire thing without a single point of contact.

“Oh, nothing much. Just holding my hand and wrapping your arm around my waist. Not exactly intimate, right?”

As she spoke, Xia Lian didn’t even glance at Lin Qi. Instead, her amused gaze locked onto Jiang Ming, brimming with unmistakable provocation.

Wait a minute, wasn’t this woman supposed to be into Teacher An?? Why was she provoking her female lead?!

Had she missed some crucial plot point somewhere?

Lin Qi was utterly lost. She glanced at Xia Lian, who was smirking for some reason, then at Jiang Ming, whose eyes had turned frosty in an instant. Her throat tightened involuntarily, when gods fought, it was always the little shrimp like her that got crushed!

Had Xia Lian figured out she liked Jiang Ming?

Was she trying to sabotage her love life to get revenge for her beloved An Zizi?

The more she thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. With a resigned sigh, Lin Qi rubbed her temples and obediently walked over to Xia Lian’s side, lifting the barely-there train of her dress. In a hushed voice, she pleaded, “Could you please stop messing around?”

The whisper wasn’t heard by anyone else, yet Xia Lian raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. “Oh? Someone’s too shy to say they like me in front of others?”

“No, is there something wrong with your ears? I clearly said, ‘Stop messing around.'”

The gaze fixed on her grew colder, as if laced with shards of ice. Lin Qi looked helplessly at Jiang Ming, who was lounging on the sofa with her legs crossed, exactly the same as yesterday. Arms still folded, she maintained a defensive posture full of scrutiny.

“Hmm, I know. We’ll mess around when it’s just the two of us.”

Was this really a “fishing” tactic? More like shamelessness, right?

Unable to bear looking at Xia Lian’s delicate and radiant face any longer, Lin Qi found a chair and sat in the farthest corner from her, sighing deeply. “Save me…”

“Didn’t I tell you? I studied medicine. Want me to check you out?”

Seeing Xia Lian lift her skirt to approach, Lin Qi panicked and darted away, only to bump straight into An Zizi at the door. Her face was ashen, matching Jiang Ming’s terrible mood. And considering the door had been left open the whole time…

No way. Had An Zizi been standing there the entire time?

Her pupils trembled as Lin Qi forced an awkward smile. “Hello, Teacher An.”

“Xia Xia, come with me to the stage. We need to rehearse the MC script.”

Without even glancing at Lin Qi, An Zizi pulled Xia Lian out of the lounge. It was obvious she was in a foul mood, her grip on Xia Lian’s hand was visibly tight.

But why was Xia Lian smiling so happily?

Oh! Playing hard to get! She was just a tool to provoke An Zizi’s displeasure.

Finally understanding, Lin Qi closed the door. As she turned back, she was met with a room full of gleaming eyes most sparkling with gossip, except for Jiang Ming’s, which radiated an icy chill that seemed millennia old.

“Uh, it’s a misunderstanding. A total misunderstanding.”

So flustered she even blurted out the Japanese word for “misunderstanding,” Lin Qi stood frozen by the door, not daring to move. She could only look pitifully at Jiang Ming, trying to convey her innocence.

She couldn’t just tell them Xia Lian had a crush on An Zizi not with the cameras rolling.

Wait, cameras?!

Did that mean this whole scene might end up in the broadcast? The last thing she wanted was to be shipped with Xia Lian. Lin Qi instinctively glanced at the camera in the top corner of the room. Damn it was the perfect angle to capture their earlier “battle of wits.”

Tan Yi cautiously peeked at Jiang Ming, who was silent with downcast eyes, and tried to mediate with a laugh. “Haha, of course we know it’s a misunderstanding! You two just danced the waltz together last night, right? Hahaha, right?”

Her laughter was painfully forced. Lin Qi cringed on her behalf.

But since Tan Yi was the only one speaking up for her, Lin Qi quickly nodded. “Right. I only met Senior Xia yesterday. She just likes teasing people.”

“Yeah. Only teasing you.”

The icy, sarcastic tone made Lin Qi shrink. She timidly turned to Jiang Ming, who was reclining on the sofa, her crimson lips curled into a mocking smirk. Why did she suddenly seem like some domineering CEO?

Her throat felt scratchy. With no way to defend herself, Lin Qi simply lowered her head to avoid the guilt-inducing stares and decided to face it head-on. “I think Senior Xia just sees me as an easy target because I’m dumb.”

Tan Yi nodded in agreement. “Yeah, she definitely picked our captain because she’s the most fun to tease.”

No, there’s no need to agree with this, right?

Originally intending to look at Tan Yi in surprise, Lin Qi’s sharp eyes caught the smile Jiang Ming accidentally revealed. Instantly, Lin Qi abandoned all restraint. “Yeah, I’m a total fool. Look, everyone else is smarter than me. When I tease others, they can argue back, but I’m left speechless. I’m just terrible with words.”

Clearing her throat to suppress her laughter, Jiang Ming’s gaze suddenly took on a deeper meaning. “You really are foolish.”

Lin Qi’s heart skipped a beat. She seemed to grasp Jiang Ming’s implication, her eyes filled with both grievance and anticipation, as if she understood something yet still felt like she was seeing flowers through a fog, unable to grasp the fleeting sensation.

It seemed Jiang Ming wasn’t just referring to her foolishness in the matter with Xia Lian…

“Members of the ‘Mulan’ group, please get ready to go on stage. You’re up first.”

Jiang Ming quickly averted her gaze, disappointment flashing across her face as she stood up and walked out arm-in-arm with Wei Xuanyue. Passing by Lin Qi, she looked up and smiled. “But I don’t think you’re bad with words.”