Transmigrated into the Villainous Scummy Alpha in a Talent Show Novel - Chapter 61

The rehearsal went perfectly. The seven members of the “First Love” group had lunch together before returning to their dorm.

Lin Qi lowered her head with a smile, glancing at the little white rabbit beside her who was also looking down. During lunch, the atmosphere had been great, everyone chatted excitedly about the third performance that evening. Wei Xuanyue, acting like she had drunk fake alcohol and gotten tipsy, raised her juice-filled cup with the enthusiasm of a passionate idiot. “Our ‘First Love’ group is definitely going to take first place!”

At the time, Jiang Ming had smiled so tenderly, not even looking at Lin Qi as she agreed, “Yeah, we’re definitely taking first place.”

But now? She still wasn’t looking at her, even quickening her pace as if she didn’t want to be seen by her.

The advantage of having long legs was that no matter how fast or slow Jiang Ming walked, Lin Qi could effortlessly keep pace with her, strolling leisurely as if out for a casual walk.

“Hey!”

Sure enough, the little white rabbit frowned slightly and finally turned to look at the person beside her, who had been walking with her hands behind her back, looking completely at ease. “Why do you keep staring at me?”

An embarrassed rabbit might bite, but Lin Qi clearly wasn’t in any danger. She could tell the person in front of her was just putting on a tough front out of shyness. So she reached out and took Jiang Ming’s hand, the one she had been nervously rubbing the whole way back, her peach-blossom eyes brimming with amusement. “Can’t I look at my girlfriend?”

“Wh-what girlfriend.”

The protest came out weak. Lin Qi stubbornly held onto the hand that was trying to escape, pulling Jiang Ming closer. “Who was it that cried yesterday, asking me about my relationship with Senior Xia? And now, after just one night, you’re already taking me for granted?”

At that, Jiang Ming’s already slightly flushed face turned completely red. She guiltily glanced at Lin Qi, who was raising an eyebrow at her, then immediately lowered her head again. “I, I’m not taking you for granted.”

Then, her voice grew smaller and smaller as she muttered, “I’m the one who’s afraid you’ll take me for granted.”

“Huh?”

Her ears weren’t as sharp as her teasing mouth, so she genuinely hadn’t caught that. Lin Qi leaned in closer to Jiang Ming, who was clearly feeling a little down, and asked seriously, “What did you just say?”

She had only blurted out her fears and insecurities in the moment, there was no way she’d repeat it. Seizing the chance while Lin Qi was distracted, Jiang Ming quickly pulled her hand free and crossed her arms, her voice suddenly tinged with defiance. “If you didn’t hear it, forget it!”

Now she was mad?

A voice inside Lin Qi’s head told her, “That sentence must have been important.”

But no matter how hard she tried to recall, she couldn’t make out what Jiang Ming had said. And getting her to repeat it was impossible. Lin Qi put on a pained expression, following behind with a troubled look as they returned to the dorm.

The moment she opened the door, Jiang Ming had already rushed ahead to wash her face, brush her teeth, and remove her makeup. Lin Qi’s eyes immediately landed on the plastic bag she had tossed onto her bed the night before the one containing the phone she had bought at the mall with Senior Xia, along with the SIM card Senior Xia had registered under her own ID.

Since she had slept in Jiang Ming’s bed last night, she’d forgotten all about it.

But was now really the best time to give it to her?

Before she could decide, Jiang Ming, now fresh-faced and makeup-free, turned her clear gaze toward her and obviously followed her line of sight to the plastic bag. “What’s that? I saw you carrying it yesterday too.”

Her tone was indifferent, and Lin Qi wasn’t sure if her anger had subsided yet, so her voice came out a bit timid. “That’s the phone I got for you. It’ll make it easier for you to stay in touch with your aunt.”

Jiang Ming cupped her hands under the faucet, splashing water on her face to rinse off the damp makeup remover. After drying her face, she turned to Lin Qi with an inscrutable smile. “Mm, and it’ll be convenient for keeping up with your gossip news too.”

Truth be told, Jiang Ming looked soft and sweet without makeup, her pink hair giving her an almost ethereal, fairy-like appearance. But Lin Qi felt uneasy inside. She forced an awkward laugh, but before she could explain, Jiang Ming’s sarcastic tone struck again. “Come to think of it, did you buy this phone with Senior Xia?”

“You, how did you?”

She had meant to ask how Jiang Ming knew, but the question came out sounding accusatory. Lin Qi pressed her lips together and lowered her head. “Yeah, I didn’t bring my phone when I went out, so I borrowed money from Senior Xia to buy this one. But I’ve already paid her back. This phone has nothing to do with her.”

After drying her face, Jiang Ming reached out to Lin Qi. “Well, let me see it.”

“Huh?”

The shift from sarcasm to this sweet, cheerful demeanor was too abrupt. Lin Qi froze, unable to react.

This person was so earnest and honest with her, how could Jiang Ming stay angry? Her fox-like eyes curved into crescents, and her voice softened. “The phone. Didn’t you say it was a gift for me?”

“Oh, right, of course.”

Taking the phone Lin Qi handed over with almost eager deference, Jiang Ming sat on the bed and began activating it. Midway, she glanced at Lin Qi, who still seemed tense, and shook her head with a smile. “I’m fine. Go wash up and take a nap. We’ve got a performance tonight.”

As Lin Qi turned back to the sink to remove her makeup, seemingly reassured, Jiang Ming’s smile faded. Though this was her first time in a relationship, she could sense something was off. Despite Lin Qi’s obvious favoritism toward her, an undercurrent of unease remained.

The earlier exchange was proof enough. Her careless words had touched on her deepest fear.

What if Lin Qi’s feelings were just a case of imprinting, like a baby bird latching onto the first thing it sees combined with their constant proximity and Lin Qi’s overly compassionate nature? What if she had mistaken these emotions for love?

It wasn’t about being willful or petty, nor was it jealousy. That sarcastic remark had been Jiang Ming’s way of seeking reassurance, of soothing her own restless heart, of convincing herself: “See? Lin Qi must like you.”

But after the sting of her words, Jiang Ming feared her own volatility might push Lin Qi away. So she forced herself to soften, changing the subject to ease the tension between them.

She idly swiped the phone screen. The fact that Lin Qi had thought of her while out did make Jiang Ming happy. But the knowledge that the phone had been bought with Xia Lian’s money left a bitter taste.

“Lin Qi, can we swap phones?”

Freshly washed, her face still damp, Lin Qi turned abruptly, as if summoned by royalty. “Huh?”

The dazed girl’s face still bore traces of water droplets, giving her a dewy glow. Her thick eyebrows, slightly disheveled from washing, grew wildly with a natural vigor. When Jiang Ming met Lin Qi’s somewhat bewildered gaze, her heart inexplicably calmed down. “I was saying, how about we swap phones? I’m still more used to yours.”

Even though she had bought Jiang Ming the same model as her own, Lin Qi couldn’t immediately grasp the reason for the switch. Still, she nodded, used the SIM ejector tool to remove her phone card, and handed the phone over.

After all, since coming to the camp, she hadn’t taken any selfies, and apart from messages from her parents, there wasn’t much else on the phone.

After installing the new SIM card for Jiang Ming and watching her lovingly caress the old phone, Lin Qi found it strange. The female lead had seemed indifferent when accepting the new phone did she prefer old things?

Wait, did that mean she was an old thing too?

No, she wasn’t a “thing.” But then again, saying she wasn’t a thing didn’t sound quite right either…

Shaking her head to dismiss the thought, Lin Qi began downloading essential apps on the new phone. Suddenly, it dawned on her maybe Jiang Ming just didn’t want to bother with all these downloads?

She chuckled indulgently. Oblivious as a block of wood, Lin Qi had no idea that Jiang Ming’s request to swap phones was simply to spite Xia Lian and because she genuinely preferred things Lin Qi had used.

Like the blanket on the bed, which carried the faint scent of wood, as if she were nestled in Lin Qi’s embrace.

Of course, Jiang Ming, blushing at the thought, would never let this clueless person know.

Yawning, Lin Qi heard the makeup artist sigh beside her. “This is the fourth time already. Lin Qi, just how tired are you?”

She smiled sheepishly. She was naturally prone to sleepiness, but this afternoon, unable to hold Jiang Ming, she had tossed and turned, failing to nap. Her cheeks flushed with frustration as she yawned again, her face reddening without the aid of blush. “Sorry, I’m just so sleepy.”

“Fine, go change first. I’ll do someone else’s makeup. Take a nap, and I’ll call you when it’s your turn.”

Though it wasn’t strictly necessary, Lin Qi didn’t want to hold up the team, so she nodded. “Okay.”

She took her outfit to the dressing room and slipped into the dress once more, marveling at how quickly she’d adapted—it no longer felt uncomfortable.

When she stepped out, Jiang Ming was already done with her makeup. Her eyelids shimmered with subtle, light eyeshadow, making her eyes sparkle. Sitting on the couch, she patted the space beside her, signaling for Lin Qi to join her.

As Lin Qi sat down, still lost in Jiang Ming’s gaze, she heard her ask, “Why are you so tired? Want to rest your head on my lap? We still have an hour and a half before the performance.”

In her past life as an idol, Lin Qi had countless sleepless nights due to tight schedules, yet she always delivered flawless performances as a top-tier star. Though prone to sleepiness, her willpower had always pulled her through.

She should have refused, but under Jiang Ming’s concerned gaze, all her resolve melted away. Yawning once more, Lin Qi nodded. “Then I’ll nap for a bit.”

Stretching her long legs across the other side of the sofa with her feet dangling in the air, Lin Qi rested her head on Jiang Ming’s lap. Her nostrils were filled with the fragrance of Jiang Ming’s shower gel, mingled with a faint floral scent, soothing and delightful, as if she were nestled in a breeze-swept flower field, tranquil and warm.

Lin Qi soon drifted off to sleep. Without makeup, her usually sharp and somewhat intimidating features softened, making her look incredibly docile, like the big, gentle dog Jiang Ming had always wanted to keep. But as Jiang Ming’s gaze drifted downward, she noticed the faint shadows under Lin Qi’s eyes, and an inexplicable pang of heartache struck her.

This woman was practically flawless, warm and kind to those around her, diligent and dedicated to her career, sincere and grateful to her fans. Though she could be mischievous and teasing with her family, she never wanted them to worry when something happened.

Leaning back against the sofa, Jiang Ming felt a wave of confusion. How could someone so extraordinary fall for someone as ordinary as her?