Transmigrated into the Villainous Scummy Alpha in a Talent Show Novel - Chapter 7

When people are happy, even the dullest training sessions seem to pass more quickly. Lin Qi cheerfully made it through the afternoon dance class, her mind filled with thoughts of having dinner with Jiang Ming later.

“Xiao Qi, want to grab dinner together?”

As soon as class ended, Lin Qi grabbed her pink jacket from the floor and was about to leave when Wei Xuanyue called out to her. The sweet, soft-spoken girl wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, her bright eyes filled with anticipation.

Just as Lin Qi hesitated, Song Jin walked over with a displeased expression. “Wei Xuanyue, didn’t I tell you to have meals with me from now on?”

The two of them locked eyes across Lin Qi, the tension between them escalating. She was about to mediate when she noticed Wei Xuanyue usually all smiles, suddenly turn cold. “Song Xiaoyuan, have you forgotten what you did yesterday?”

Hiss, what happened? Maybe I shouldn’t be here.

Lin Qi instinctively took a step back, then abruptly lifted her head. What had Wei Xuanyue just called Song Jin?

Song Xiaoyuan!

On the first day they met, Wei Xuanyue had told her that this “Song Xiaoyuan” was the one who had spread negative rumors about Jiang Ming.

So Song Xiaoyuan was Song Jin?

The confusion in Lin Qi’s gaze gradually hardened into ice as she watched Song Jin continue arguing with Wei Xuanyue. Her impression of this arrogant, mediocre person worsened, a petty gossipmonger.

“I was really just drunk yesterday! I didn’t mean to pull at your clothes, I swear!”

Pull at her clothes?!

“Shut up!”

Lin Qi, who had been enjoying the drama, glanced down. Song Jin’s name tag identified her as an alpha, while Wei Xuanyue’s didn’t specify. But according to the book, the only undifferentiated contestants were herself and Jiang Ming, so Wei Xuanyue must be a beta?

Trying to undress someone, then acting cowardly and denying it, Lin Qi had never disliked someone so much before.

But was this dislike born from sympathy for Jiang Ming, or indignation on Wei Xuanyue’s behalf?

Lin Qi didn’t dwell on it.

No longer interested in their argument, she took Wei Xuanyue’s hand and said coldly, “Xuanyue, let’s go. Don’t waste time on her.”

Finally smiling again, the sweet girl reverted to her usual self and wrapped her arms around Lin Qi’s. As if deliberately provoking Song Jin, Wei Xuanyue rested her head on Lin Qi’s shoulder, just the right height and said sarcastically, “I like someone like Xiao Qi, a strong, kind, and principled contestant. Not like certain people who only got into Class A because of their family’s entertainment company.”

That statement carried a lot of implications.

As she walked arm-in-arm with Wei Xuanyue to the cafeteria, Lin Qi pondered. The original female lead’s official love interest, the CEO of the entertainment company that managed their girl group was also surnamed Song. So was Song Jin a nepotism hire?

Given their ages, she was probably Song En’s younger sister.

The two sisters had such different personalities.

Upon entering the cafeteria, as if equipped with some kind of radar, Lin Qi immediately spotted Jiang Ming sitting far from the crowd. The aloof beauty didn’t look like she had just finished dance class her already fair skin was even paler, and with her head slightly bowed, her bangs partially concealed the exhaustion from a sleepless night.

“Xiao Qi, are we going to Jiang Ming?”

Lin Qi didn’t hear her. Frowning unconsciously, she recalled Wei Xuanyue’s words Jiang Ming had gone to the Class A classroom to ask for leave on her behalf at around seven in the morning. But they had only finished their Chinese studies at six.

Jiang Ming looked utterly exhausted.

“Xiao Qi?”

“Huh?”

Emerging from her worried thoughts, Lin Qi finally noticed that Wei Xuanyue had been calling her name repeatedly. Feeling slightly embarrassed, she tightened her grip on her tray. “Wh-what is it? I was just thinking about something else.”

“I was asking if you wanted to sit with Jiang Ming.”

Could they?

Although their strained relationship had somewhat eased recently, Lin Qi still hesitated, afraid of displeasing Jiang Ming again.

While she was deliberating, Jiang Ming, who had arrived at the cafeteria early, seemed to have finished her meal. She picked up her tray and headed toward the exit.

Well, no need to agonize over the decision now. But as Jiang Ming turned sideways, the dark circles under her bangs became visible, making Lin Qi’s heart ache.

With a sigh, Lin Qi simply found a random table to sit at. As she ate, she pretended to casually chat, “By the way, didn’t you mention before that Song Xiaoyuan told you Jiang Ming’s father killed someone in Japan?”

“Yeah, I really admired Jiang Ming during the initial performance stage. Back then, I hadn’t realized Song Xiaoyuan’s malicious intentions, so I shared my admiration for Jiang Ming with her. Then she told me Jiang Ming’s father had killed someone in Japan.”

Lin Qi poked at the braised pork on her plate, puzzled. “How would Song Xiaoyuan know about Jiang Ming’s background? Is it even true?”

“I asked her too. She said she saw it on the contestant information forms. You know her mother is the CEO of Enzhong Entertainment, the company organizing our competition.”

“So… it’s probably true?”

“Who knows.”

Wei Xuanyue seemed reluctant to become a rumor spreader herself and quickly waved her hands to explain, “But even if it’s true, it shouldn’t affect how we interact with Jiang Ming. Her father might have done it by accident or had other reasons…”

Nodding to cut off Wei Xuanyue’s further explanations, Lin Qi said firmly, “I understand. I really like Jiang Ming, don’t worry about me misunderstanding her.”

After chatting about some trivial matters, the two returned to the A-class practice room together to prepare for their evening training session.

As soon as Lin Qi arrived, a staff member pulled her aside to inform her that she had topped a certain ranking list and earned a one-minute solo showcase, which would air at the end of the second episode. They asked her to think about what to record.

“Xiao Qi, what’s up?”

When she returned, Wei Xuanyue looked at her curiously. Lin Qi didn’t hide it as she took off her jacket. “I got a one-minute solo segment. They want me to film it with a cameraman by tomorrow evening.”

“Oh, what are you planning to do?”

“A duet dance with you.”

Wei Xuanyue’s rabbit-like eyes widened in surprise, making Lin Qi chuckle. “What, not willing?”

“Of course I am! I’m just stunned by this sudden stroke of luck. Lin-jie, from now on, I’m your loyal sidekick!”

“Stop joking. We need to practice. Don’t leave right after class tomorrow, wait for me so we can rehearse.”

“Got it!”

Lin Qi spent the rest of the evening practicing the dance moves in her head, trying to piece together scattered steps into a complete performance.

She had already decided on the song and the person who would sing it.

By midnight, the practice room was empty. Having finally choreographed the dance, Lin Qi prepared to return to the dorm.

But had Jiang Ming gone back yet?

Still feeling uneasy, Lin Qi’s motherly instincts beneath her youthful appearance drove her to Classroom C. The lights were still on, but peering through the door’s window, she saw no one inside.

Had Jiang Ming left already? Maybe another C-class competitor had forgotten to turn off the lights?

Nodding in relief, thinking Jiang Ming had finally started taking care of herself, Lin Qi pushed open the door intending to switch off the lights when she unexpectedly spotted someone lying on the floor.

It was Jiang Ming.

Pale-faced and visibly weak.

Anger surged instantly. Lin Qi clenched her fists, unsure who to direct this rage toward.

Jiang Ming lay on her back, bangs falling to the sides of her ears from gravity, the dark circles under her eyes now impossible to conceal. Only then did Lin Qi remember Jiang Ming hadn’t slept for two days.

Taking deep breaths to calm her uncontrolled emotions, Lin Qi knelt on one knee, touching the wooden floor with her hand. It was ice-cold, fueling her rising anger further. With a darkened expression, she lifted Jiang Ming into her arms.

Her first thought was how light Jiang Ming felt. How could someone nearly 170cm tall be so frail?

After turning off the lights, Lin Qi walked slowly toward the dormitory. The April wind carried a lingering chill that gradually soothed her simmering anger. As always, facing the female lead dissolved all her temper.

Glancing down at Jiang Ming, she saw furrowed brows and a face full of terror and unease. Jiang Ming clung to her neck desperately, as if grasping a lifeline, her trembling voice choked with sobs, “I’m not… I’m not a murderer…”