Transmigrated into the Villainous Scummy Alpha in a Talent Show Novel - Chapter 49

Loosening his tie, Lin Qi sat on the sofa, momentarily torn between laughter and tears. “I’m the one who got fourth place, why are you all so upset?”

The six of them exchanged glances before lowering their heads in silence.

Lin Qi rubbed his temples, forcing a smile. “Fine, I’ll be happy then, okay? Tan Yi, you won the Most Popular vote. Jing Sha, Yuan Li, you two get to stay. I’m genuinely happy for you.”

Jing Sha, ever the unrestrained young lady, couldn’t hold back her frustration, heedless of the cameras above. “Lin Qi, there’s no way this isn’t rigged. How could you possibly rank fourth?”

Glancing instinctively at the surveillance camera, Lin Qi shook his head. “Don’t say that. Maybe my performance this time was just too understated.”

But anyone with eyes could see that Lin Qi had been the standout performer of the night.

Tan Yi sighed. “Captain, stop making excuses. We all saw how hard you worked and how skilled you are. This was definitely rigged.”

Having experienced manipulation once before, Yuan Li was calmer. She looked up at Lin Qi’s strained smile. “Last time, CEO Song gave me her business card. I have her number. Why don’t you call and ask what’s going on?”

One after another, they either vented their anger on his behalf or tried to comfort him, leaving Lin Qi feeling oddly untouched by the situation. Moved by their concern, he grew even more determined not to drag them into this mess. After all, he had wealth and influence unlike most of them, who were grassroots contestants, except for the privileged Jing Sha. He couldn’t burden these loyal friends.

Pointing upward, he said, “The cameras are still rolling. Don’t worry, I’ll get to the bottom of this.”

The lounge fell silent again. Seeing that no one moved, Lin Qi headed to the dressing room alone to change. The May weather made wearing a suit uncomfortably warm.

Since their group was unlikely to win first place in the dance category, they wouldn’t need to return to the stage. Might as well change into casual clothes and wander around. First stop: congratulate Jiang Ming, this was her first time winning Most Popular.

After changing into a white tracksuit, Lin Qi bid his teammates farewell and made his way to the Mulan group’s lounge.

For some reason, the door was ajar. Before he could enter, Wei Xuanyue’s furious voice reached his ears. “They pulled this rigging stunt last time, and now they dare do it again? Pushing Xiao Qi down to fourth place they’ve got some nerve!”

Just as he reached the doorway, Jiang Ming’s voice followed. “Lin Qi must be really upset right now. Let’s go check on him, okay?”

Upset?

He had been fine, until Jiang Ming’s concern stirred up a pang of grievance. He had trained so diligently and delivered a flawless performance on stage. Standing outside the door, Lin Qi lowered his head slightly. Now, he really was upset.

“No way! Sure, Xiao Qi got screwed over, but did you see him flirting with Xia Lian earlier? It made me so mad! And that kiss on stage, what was that about? I thought all alphas were heartless playboys, but even this undifferentiated one can’t keep his hands to himself!”

Suddenly branded a “heartless playboy,” Lin Qi hesitated to enter. He could guess why the door was open, Jiang Ming had probably seen the rankings and rushed to find him, only for Wei Xuanyue to block her exit with a firm, “Why bother with that playboy?”

I’m completely dumbfounded. What do they mean by “flirting with Xia Lian”? I’ve been the passive one here, okay?

“Did Lin Qi really kiss Xia Lian?”

Judging by her tone, Jiang Ming seemed angry too, yet still asked with some doubt.

“It was crystal clear on the big screen! That scumbag! Serves her right for getting fourth place!”

There was no way she could let them continue this conversation. Lin Qi swiftly slipped into the “Mulan” team’s lounge, putting on an innocent face. “It wasn’t a real kiss, just camera angles.”

As she spoke, she walked up to a stunned Jiang Ming, placing one hand behind her head and demonstrating a fake kiss for Wei Xuanyue behind her.

Quickly pulling away, Lin Qi shrugged. “See? Just like that. Did it look like I kissed Jiang Ming just now? But in reality, I didn’t.”

Everything happened too fast. Just as Wei Xuanyue was about to accuse her of being too intimate with Xia Lian, Jiang Ming grabbed Lin Qi’s hand. “Why did you get fourth place? Was there some rigging? Don’t be sad, we all know you should’ve been the top vote-getter.”

Though she also had complaints about Lin Qi’s interaction with Xia Lian, the person before her was clearly more important. Jiang Ming’s face flushed from the fake kiss demonstration as she looked at Lin Qi with concern.

Nodding at Wei Xuanyue, Lin Qi led Jiang Ming out of the lounge into an empty hallway. She gazed deeply at the girl before her braids undone now, leaving her pink hair with natural waves, her outfit changed back to the milk-blue sleeveless dress she’d worn when first arriving on stage. She should have looked cool and distant, yet her eyes were filled with worry for Lin Qi.

Someone this wonderful, what exactly did Song En deserve?

A surge of bitterness rose from her heart, her throat itching. Pressing her lips together, Lin Qi struggled to suppress inappropriate desires, forcing a smile. “There probably was some rigging, but don’t worry. The production team will come find me soon.”

“but you worked so hard…”

Remembering how Lin Qi had stayed up all night, even video-calling her teammates to practice while in the hospital, it was Jiang Ming whose eyes reddened first. Standing on tiptoe, she patted Lin Qi’s head, voice choked. “How dare they treat you like this?”

Countless people’s comfort had meant nothing, yet now just Jiang Ming’s soothing touch made Lin Qi feel a rush of grievance and sorrow filling her nose. That’s right, after all this effort, why only fourth place?

Tears inexplicably spilled out. Biting her lower lip, unwilling to show such vulnerability before Jiang Ming, she hugged her instead, hiding her reddened eyes where they couldn’t be seen.

Neither spoke further, simply holding each other in silence to compose themselves.

“Captain, President Song is looking for you.”

Tan Yi arrived panting, she must have searched for a while before finding them. The phone in her hand had gone dark as she handed it to Lin Qi. “The makeup artist’s phone. Said President Song wants to discuss something with you.”

President Song? Wasn’t that Song En?

Wiping her tears, Lin Qi took the phone, her lips curling in mockery. She’d see what nonsense this female lead from the original story had to say.

Unaware of her growing hostility toward Song En, Lin Qi unlocked the phone and dialed the most recent missed call.

“Lin Qi, is anyone with you?”

“Yes.”

“Go somewhere private. We need to talk.”

With a derisive snort, Lin Qi nodded at Jiang Ming and Tan Yi before heading to an even more secluded spot.

“Alright, go ahead and speak.”

“First, I want to apologize for the rigging this time. The other groups’ votes were genuinely cast on-site, but yours were predetermined in advance. I’m sorry.”

“What do I care about your apology? I want to know the reason, why was I pushed to fourth place?”

Her voice turned icy as she leaned against the cold wall. Waves of resentment surged in Lin Qi’s heart. Why should she yield Jiang Ming to someone who would rig a competition like this?

“The reason, I can’t tell you. Honestly, I admire you, but I have no choice. Lowering your votes was the only option.”

No choice?

How laughable.

“And then what? Slowly push my ranking down until I’m out of the debut lineup?”

Silence lingered on the other end. The implication was clear, Lin Qi had hit the mark. She licked her lips, her heart swelling with desire. “Song En, I thought you were someone who couldn’t stand dishonesty too. Seems I misjudged you.”

Still no response. Whether Song En was strategizing or wallowing in guilt, Lin Qi didn’t know. She let out a mocking laugh. “I look down on you.”

“I’m sorry, I can only say I’m sorry. I really didn’t want to rig the votes, but if I didn’t, this competition would be even more of a disaster.”

What nonsense was this?

“Kicking me out won’t make it a disaster?”

“Actually, the reason I called was to discuss your withdrawal from the competition. You could ”

Too exasperated to let her finish, Lin Qi angrily hung up. What kind of logic was that? How would eliminating her save the competition? And now they wanted her to voluntarily withdraw?

How delusional.

Walking back, she first returned to the Last Waltz group to give the makeup artist her phone back. Meeting Tan Yi’s concerned gaze, Lin Qi forced a smile. “It’s nothing.”

She instinctively hid the truth, not wanting others to worry. So they wanted to rig her out?

How bold.

Returning to the Mulan group, she didn’t even need to step inside before Jiang Ming hurried out to meet her. In their usual spot, Jiang Ming grabbed her hand. “Well? What did President Song say?”

A wicked thought sprouted wildly in Lin Qi’s mind. Seeing the worry in Jiang Ming’s eyes, she tightened her grip on the other girl’s hand and put on a pitiful expression. “Song En said she wants me to withdraw voluntarily.”

She conveniently left out the part where Song En had apologized first. Whatever would make Jiang Ming despise her, Lin Qi was happy to say.

“Withdraw?! Why? How could she be so awful? I thought she was a decent person!”

Delighted to see Jiang Ming’s frown, Lin Qi suppressed a smirk and hugged her as if seeking comfort, her voice even more sorrowful. “Yeah, I thought so too. But she said if I don’t withdraw, she’ll rig the votes to eliminate me slowly.”

Resting her chin on Jiang Ming’s shoulder, she felt the soothing pats on her back. The anger Song En had stirred in her earlier had long dissipated. As for withdrawing or being rigged out…

Was that even possible?

She was the undisputed first place in this competition. Rigging out the top contestant? Song En didn’t have the guts, that’s why she wanted Lin Qi to quit on her own.

Little did they know, Lin Qi was completely unfazed, feeling secure in her position. Jiang Ming tightened his embrace around her, his brows furrowing in anger as he said, “How dare Song En do this? What a villain!”

“Yes, she’s a villain!”

This was the first time Lin Qi had ever acted so coy. Breathing in the faint scent from Jiang Ming, her peach-blossom eyes curved into crescents with a smile.