Transmigrated into the Villainous Scummy Alpha in a Talent Show Novel - Chapter 76

After comforting Jiang Ming, Lin Qi noticed her expression was still downcast. To her surprise, Lin Qi let out a silly, cheerful laugh and said, “Don’t worry, I’m right here now, aren’t I?”

“But”

Jiang Ming’s voice trailed off as an indescribable panic seized her throat. Her captivating fox-like eyes were still red, making her look pitiful and fragile, like an abandoned stray cat, trembling yet stubbornly holding on.

“Actually, I did gain something from that trip.”

Lin Qi changed the subject, though it still revolved around the incident that had upset the little wildcat. At least there was a hint of suspense now. In a soft, tearful voice, Jiang Ming asked, “What was it?”

“I met the fifteen-year-old version of you.”

“Nani?”

The shock made Jiang Ming blurt out Japanese without thinking. Hearing this, Lin Qi burst into laughter. As an optimist, once the sharp pang of sadness passed, she quickly brushed it off after all, wasn’t she perfectly fine right here?

Her tone grew even lighter, her peach-blossom eyes brimming with amusement. “Well, to be precise, it wasn’t you. I went to another world and met another version of you around fifteen years old, in the same class as me, and the class monitor. The moment I got there, she demanded I hand in my homework. So fierce!”

Though she complained about how strict the other Jiang Ming was, the indulgent smile on Lin Qi’s face was unmistakable. It made the girl in front of her inexplicably displeased.

What’s this? She seems to like that other version of me more!

Jiang Ming turned her head slightly to hide this sudden surge of emotion. She found it strange, even though that other version was still her, it wasn’t her. She desperately wished Lin Qi would only ever direct that kind of doting, unconditional smile at her, the one that made her feel like she could do anything and still be cherished.

“What’s wrong? Are you upset because I called you fierce?”

The smiling woman before her clearly hadn’t picked up on her complicated feelings. Jiang Ming lowered her head, her lashes casting shadows over her eyes as she fell into silence. She was upset, but not for that reason.

“Hey? I don’t actually think you’re that fierce. You’re pretty cute when you’re stern both intimidating and adorable.”

“It’s not that”

“Hmm?”

Only then did Lin Qi realize something was off. Her smile faded slightly as she focused her gaze on the girl sitting on the lower chair. Jiang Ming’s head was bowed, revealing only the soft pink of her hair, her neat hair whorl, and the bangs that slightly obscured her brows. Further down was the delicate upturn of her nose and her pale, slightly chapped lips clear signs of exhaustion.

Why the sudden mood drop?

Without a hint of impatience, Lin Qi ever the devoted partner began retracing her words to see where she might have caused misunderstanding. It had to be the mention of the other world, but she had only said it in jest, hadn’t she?

“Jiang Jiang? Sweetheart? What’s wrong? Tell me, okay? You know I’m not the brightest, if you keep it bottled up, I won’t be able to guess.”

Lin Qi’s voice grew increasingly anxious, though she wrapped it in patience and gentleness. But to Jiang Ming, it only made her feel worse. A sour ache rose in her nose as she lifted her head, suddenly feeling the weight of her thoughts pressing down on her neck, making even that small movement exhausting.

Even though this person was also deeply sad, they put on an optimistic front for her sake, even comforting her in return. The fear of crossing into another world, Lin Qi had never told her about it…

But Jiang Ming would always remember that day. Under the warm yellow glow of the desk lamp, she had flipped through a dictionary, back when she was still unfamiliar with Chinese. She had painstakingly matched each elegant regular script character, piecing together a sentence: “May someone accompany you through life’s turbulence. If there isn’t anyone, I can be your sun.”

It was also at that moment, as the sound of her heartbeat gradually drowned out everything else, that Jiang Ming, who had known nothing about love tasted the sweetness of liking someone for the first time.

And it was on that very day, on the bed beside the desk, that Lin Qi suddenly woke with a start. Jiang Ming had never seen the perpetually smiling person wear such a terrified expression before. Even in the dim light, she could clearly see the trembling pupils in those peach-blossom eyes, as though Lin Qi had dreamed of something truly horrifying. Her right hand clutched tightly at her left chest, eerily reminiscent of Jiang Ming’s own self during electroshock therapy in the psychiatric hospital.

The shared pain, fear, and confusion of kindred spirits.

That was the first time Jiang Ming saw Lin Qi without a smile, realizing she was just as fragile as herself.

So, how could she demand comfort from this person just because of her own emotions?

She hadn’t done anything wrong.

Thinking this, a tidal wave of guilt and self-reproach washed over her, leaving Jiang Ming stranded on the damp shore, her clean body covered in mud. Her eyes gradually reddened, her voice breaking, “No, it’s not your fault.”

Why was she crying now?

Growing increasingly anxious yet utterly clueless, Lin Qi racked her limited emotional intelligence for an answer. Maybe she shouldn’t have brought up the second time-travel incident. After all, they had just started dating, how could she disappear like that?

And then she had joked about it was that something to joke about?

“I, I shouldn’t have brought that up. I’m sorry, please don’t be sad anymore, okay? I promise I won’t leave.”

Perhaps she had only been sad before, but the word “sorry” became the final straw. Jiang Ming had always placed great importance on apologies, perhaps a habit from growing up in Japan. She cared deeply about manners, politeness, and upbringing, often saying “thank you” and “sorry” but attaching real weight to those words.

Like now, Lin Qi hadn’t done anything wrong, yet she apologized just to comfort her. Jiang Ming knew it was because she was too sensitive, overthinking every little detail.

She understood this person well enough by now to say with certainty that Lin Qi would never blame her for being prone to overthinking.

But it was hard to forgive herself. Jiang Ming often worried she would grow spoiled, taking advantage of being loved to act recklessly, if she cried, everything would become Lin Qi’s “fault.”

How innocent was this person, really?

She had come alone to a strange world, even learning later that she had been stabbed in the left chest to get here right where the heart was. Jiang Ming couldn’t even imagine how much it must have hurt, silently aching for Lin Qi, who remained optimistic and cheerful despite it all.

She seemed almost carefree to the point of being heartless. Apart from that nightmare and the anger after being slapped by Jiang Ming, today was the third time Jiang Ming had seen Lin Qi lose control of her emotions.

She bravely held back her tears she couldn’t cry. If she did, Lin Qi would feel bad again.

Jiang Ming wiped the dampness from the corners of her eyes with her hand. At first, her voice was lost to sobs, but then, trembling slightly, she spoke, “Don’t say sorry. You didn’t do anything wrong. I was just overthinking. I, I got jealous of the other version of me from that world. I don’t want you to smile at anyone else like that, so tenderly. I only want you to smile at me.”

So that was it?

Lin Qi was stunned, she hadn’t expected this possibility at all but also delighted. She hadn’t realized Jiang Ming already liked her to this extent. Her peach-blossom eyes curved into crescents as she naturally reached out to ruffle that soft, pink little head of hair. The touch was fluffy and tender, utterly addictive.

Instead of resisting, Jiang Ming tilted her head up slightly like a kitten being petted, her downcast eyelids shyly peeking at Lin Qi.

Lin Qi’s heart was utterly captured. Meeting the cat-like gaze both affectionate and evasive, her smile widened, her voice dropping low, teasing and alluring. “Maybe, that smile was only meant for you?”

Judging by the girl’s expression, she clearly didn’t understand the implication. Noticing the faint shadows under Jiang Ming’s eyes and the dim light of dawn outside the window it was probably just before six in the morning had Jiang Ming stayed with her at the hospital all night?

A pang of heartache softened her tone, warmth threading through her words. Lin Qi’s hand, which had been stroking Jiang Ming’s hair, gradually slid down to cradle her slightly sharp jawline. Had she lost weight again in just these past few days?

Her strength fully recovered, Lin Qi pushed aside the blanket and stepped barefoot onto the cold floor. Leaning down, she kissed the dazed girl in front of her. The softness of those lips was just as she remembered it felt almost routine now. Lin Qi gently nipped Jiang Ming’s plump lower lip, then, noticing the dry patches, tenderly licked them, as if trying to soothe the exhaustion this girl had endured for her sake.

“Mmm…”

An involuntary whimper escaped, kitten-like. With her jaw cradled, Jiang Ming tilted her head back, whether compelled or willing, she wasn’t sure. She felt the strain in her neck, a slight ache from the angle, but it was nothing compared to the shiver that ran through her when her lower lip was lightly bitten. It was as if every nerve in her body was being toyed with. Her closed eyes soon grew damp, long lashes gathering tiny beads of tears.

For once, Lin Qi opened her eyes mid-kiss. Seeing the fox-like gaze before her now misty with unshed tears, she couldn’t help but chuckle helplessly. This silly girl, even kissing makes her cry?

But the laugh caused her lips to shift slightly, and the delicate softness beneath them seemed unable to handle any more teasing. Lin Qi felt Jiang Ming’s body weaken, her lips trembling faintly against hers, clearly too drained to keep arching up in response.

Just then, her foot brushed against a slipper on the floor. Lin Qi quickly slipped it on and, relying on her strong core, bent down further, one hand supporting Jiang Ming’s lower back to give her something to lean into.

Sure enough, the girl in her arms seemed to relax slightly before diving deeper into the kiss. To Lin Qi’s surprise, the usually shy and sensitive kitten even dared to suck lightly on her tongue a cautious, inexperienced tease that was somehow even more electrifying. Lin Qi closed her eyes again, delving into that warm, wet softness. (Just a kiss, nothing more spare me, dear censor.)

The overwhelmed whimper now sounded more like an innocent invitation. Jiang Ming could feel the unconscious pressure on the small of her back, even a slight sliding motion. Soon, the thin gauze dress she wore for the performance was dampened in one spot. Fortunately, the dark color prevented it from being noticeable.

But she was embarrassed!

If Lin Qi found out about this reaction…

However, realizing that even when she supported Jiang Ming’s back, the latter had little strength left, Lin Qi, blushing, reluctantly pulled away from the sweet lips she couldn’t get enough of. With one arm around the slender shoulders and the other slipping beneath the weakened knees, she effortlessly lifted the lightweight girl onto the bed.

Swallowing nervously, Jiang Ming found herself lying on the hospital bed that still carried traces of warmth and a woody fragrance. One advantage of the VIP ward was the spacious 1.5-meter-wide bed, plenty of room for two without feeling cramped. And yet, the person above her, though not making direct contact, enveloped her entirely with their scorching presence.

Their eyes met one pair trembling with shyness and fear, the shallow pupils beneath betraying a hint of anticipation, while the other pair above brimmed with unmistakable desire.